                            OS/4 Phoenix Project
                    Binary patch for OS/2 104a_SMP kernel
                                Public beta
 
                          OS/4 Team, December 2008



==Introduction==

The main goal of this Phoenix Project is to recreate alternative 
OS/2 kernel. On the first stage binary compatible with the latest 
WSeB kernel need to be produced based on information from DDK, 
API documentation and other available information sources. Next 
on the second stage the sources need to be analyzed and re-organized. 
Part of very old and legacy code can be removed, well known bugs 
may be fixed and we can finally start new enhancements and 
improvements to adopt OS/2 kernel to current hardware needs and 
modern computing tasks. It will be the third stage.

Also there is OS/2 boot loader OS2LDR that is also part of kernel. 
And it was already completely rewritten and enhanced with new 
features like ability to load different kernels with selection 
on boot stage or passing additional parameters to the kernel.

To avoid inconveniences the new kernel is called OS/4.

The OS/4 kernel finally planned to be free distributed while 
source code will be closed and shared only inside OS/4 team.



==Current Project State==

Now the Project is on the second stage when source code of binary 
compatible kernel is under re-organization and cleaning up. We are 
highly interested not to loose the compatibility with OS/2 systems 
on the original kernel. That means we need testing.

Please use the OS/4 kernel with its new loader OS2LDR only, otherwise 
the correct booting is not expected.

In case of problems with new please report the follow information.

1. Name and model of CPU, its frequency and number of cores, chipset 
   name of motherboard, other plugged in hardware.

2. When do errors occur, how it looks like, steps to reproduce and 
   does it reproducible.

3. If your system booted up then please collect boot logs with command
      COPY ___hlp$ KERNEL.LOG
   if you have ACPI.PSD loaded in your configuration or otherwise
      COPY oemhlp$ KERNEL.LOG

4. Version of original OS/2 kernel produced by the follow command
      BLDLEVEL OS2KRNL

Problem report can be posted on http://tracker.os4.su



==Requirements==

This package can be installed on IBM-PC compatible 586+ computer 
with up and running OS/2 version 4.5 (WSeB).

1. It is required to have SMP-version of DOSCALL1.DLL, i.e. the 
   system must to be SMP.

2. It is suggested to be on XR_C005 or XR_C006 fixpack level.

Note: new boot loader OS2LDR does not require the above and may 
boot any modern OS/2 configuration with version 4.5.


==Install==

This package contains the follow:

OS2KRNL.OS4 -- OS/4 kernel, replacement for OS/2 kernel
OS4KRNL.INI -- OS/4 kernel configuration file
OS4LOGO     -- OS/4 boot logo
OS2LDR      -- the new loader
OS2LDR.INI  -- new loader configuration file

To install the new OS/4 kernel you need:

1. Unpack the package on you boot drive, for example in \OS4 directory:
      UNZIP os2krnlSVNxxx.ZIP -d \OS4
      CD \OS4
   Where xxx is number

2. Backup your original boot loader in root directory of the boot drive:
      COPY \OS2LDR \OS2LDR.ORG

3. Copy the package into the root of the boot drive:
      COPY OS2LDR \OS2LDR
      COPY OS4LOGO \OS4LOGO
      COPY OS2LDR.INI \OS2LDR.INI
      COPY OS2KRNL.OS4 \OS2KRNL.OS4
 
4. Modify \OS2LDR.INI file if you need. Supplied configuration file 
   will boot the OS/4 kernel by default and allow you to select 
   booting with your original OS/2 kernel.

Now you can reboot.


==Uninstall==

1. Restore your original boot loader from backup copy:
      COPY \OS2LDR.ORG \OS2LDR
  
2. Remove OS/4 files and its logo and configuration files:
      DEL \OS4KRNL.INI
      DEL \OS4LOGO
      DEL \OS2LDR.INI
      DEL \OS2KRNL.OS4


==Tools==

getconfig.exe:

   allow you to copy config.sys from last boot to file on disk.

   This tool return ACTUAL config.sys used for boot (archived or
   edited in kernel boot time config.sys editor (Alt-E)).

   Usage: getconfig <file_name>
   file_name can be "con", for example.

==Warranty==

There is no warranties of any kind as it common in IT practice. We 
declare that we did not make anything special to harm or damage your 
system but we still cannot guarantee that nothing goes wrong. Perform 
all actions only on your OWN responsibility.


IBM, Intel, OS/2, WSeB and other names are owned by its owners and 
we do not pretend on its in any possible way.

You can use this packet only having valid license to run OS2KRNL.
