System requirements
-------------------

Minimal system requirements for KolibriOS:
* CPU 5x86: Pentium, AMD or Cyrix without MMX with frequency 90 MHz
* RAM: 8 MB
* Videocard: supporting VGA (640x480x16 mode) or VESA
* Keyboard: AT
* Mouse: COM, PS/2 or USB

The system can boot from any of following devices:
* BIOS mode
  - Floppy 3.5
  - HDD LBA
  - CD/DVD
  - USB Flash
* UEFI mode
  - HDD
  - USB Flash


Installation: BIOS mode
-----------------------

### Install to floppy

* Insert clean floppy without bad sectors to drive.
* Write to it `kolibri.img` image with any available methods:

  * (if you have already loaded KolibriOS by any method) run the program
    `rdsave` and select the variant corresponding to floppy;

  * for DOS use DskImage;
  
  * for Windows use WinImage, RawWrite for Windows or its analogue;

  * if you have Linux then try smth like 
    `dd if=/pathto/kolibri.img of=/dev/fd0 bs=512 count=2880` 
    Wait. And make sure to umount the drive before ejecting the disk.

Now you can boot from floppy (keep it in drive, reboot, set in BIOS option of
floppy booting).


### Install to hard disk

There exist several loaders from hard disk. All are oriented on DOS and Windows
users. Also standard Linux-loader GRUB can be used. All methods work with file
`kolibri.img`. If you already have old version of KolibriOS installed, simply
replace `kolibri.img` to the new one. If you have booted from LiveCD, which does
not contain the file `kolibri.img`, KolibriOS can create it independently. To do
this, run the program `rdsave`, enter the file name for saving and select the
corresponding variant. Of course, in this case KolibriOS must be able to write
to file system of selected partitions. Currently this means that only FAT and
EXT2 volumes are ok.

* Most of all features has the loader mtldr (author - Diamond) - works with
  DOS/Win95/98/NT/2k/XP/Vista, supports FAT32 and NTFS, has installer, can be
  installed to any folder on disk.

  To install, simply run file HD_load\mtldr_install.exe and select image file.
  Apropos, by this way you can install several images. There is also variant of
  install by hand - for those who want to know what installer does: directions
  in `HD_load\mtldr`.

* There is also the loader MeOSLoad (author - Trans, expanded by Mario79) -
  works with DOS/Win95/98, supports FAT32. It is placed with the instruction
  to the folder `HD_load\MeOSLoad`.

* Moreover, there exists a program which allows to load KolibriOS directly from
  Windows 95/98/Me (of course, unloading it) - `9x2klbr` (author - Diamond),
  supports FAT32 and NTFS.

* Usage of the loader GRUB. Place the file `memdisk` to the folder `boot`
  or to the partition used for KolibriOS.

  a) For GRUB2, in the folder `/etc/grub.d` add to one of files next lines:

  ```
  menuentry 'KolibriOS' {
          linux16 (hd[Hard disk number],[partition number])[path]/memdisk
          initrd16 (hd[Hard disk number],[partition number])[path]/kolibri.img
  }
  ```
  example:

  ```
  menuentry 'KolibriOS' {
          linux16 (hd0,msdos1)/boot/memdisk
          initrd16 (hd0,msdos1)/boot/kolibri.img
  }
  ```
  then, run in terminal `sudo update-grub`.

  b) For old GRUB, add to the configuration file `menu.lst` next lines:

  ```
  title KolibriOS
  kernel (hd[Hard disk number],[partition number])[path]/memdisk
  initrd (hd[Hard disk number],[partition number])[path]/kolibri.img
  ```
  Remember that numeration in GRUB starts from 0. Example:

  ```
  title KolibriOS
  kernel (hd0,0)/boot/memdisk
  initrd (hd0,3)/kolibri/kolibri.img
  ```


### Install to USB flash drive

The special loader for FAT32-volumes has been written. It and its installer to
flash drive can be found in the directory `HD_load\USB_Boot`.

Despite the fact that the installer from the previous step is recommended, you 
may also use Rufus https://rufus.ie to write Kolibri ISO-image on the USB flash.

For not-FAT32 drives you may use article placed in the directory
`HD_load\USB_Boot_old`.


### Install to CD and DVD

There exists special LiveCD-version of KolibriOS, which contains in addition to
standard things some 'heavy' (in KolibriOS standards) programs: the ported
emulator DosBox, videoplayer Fplay, PDF reader, games like Quake, DOOM, Tyrian
and Wolfenstain3D, etc.

You can also create bootable CD or DVD on the base of `kolibri.img`, adding
anything what you want, in the mode of floppy emulation. The appropriate actions
are determined by used CD/DVD write program (focus on words such as 'boot floppy
emulation').


Installation: UEFI mode
-----------------------

UEFI support is still in beta. Be ready to face issues and report them.

### Install to hard disk

* To boot KolibriOS from HDD these four files are needed:

  * `uefi4kos`: UEFI-specific loader for KolibriOS, shipped as `bootx64.efi` and
    `bootia32.efi` binaries. Choose one of these `boot*.efi` images to match the
    architecture of your machine's UEFI firmware. Use `bootx64.efi` if unsure.
  * `kolibri.img`: a RAM disk image.
  * `kolibri.krn`: KolibriOS kernel compiled without BIOS-related legacy stuff.
  * `kolibri.ini`: a configuration file. It is used to e.g. set screen
    resolution.


* If you have any UEFI-aware OS installed on your HDD, then there already is a
  so called EFI system partition (ESP) on it. If your HDD is not partitioned
  yet, you have to first create a GUID partition table (GPT) on it and then
  create mentioned EFI system partition formatted as FAT32.

* Make a directory `/efi/kolibrios` on the ESP.

* Copy all the `kolibri.???` files mentioned above to that directory.

* If KolibriOS is the only OS to be loaded from that HDD, make a directory
  `/efi/boot` and copy the chosen `boot*.efi` loader there.

* If there is some other OS already installed on the HDD, put `boot*.efi` file
  to `/efi/kolibrios` directory and then setup the boot loader of the installed
  OS to boot KolibriOS.

  For example, for GRUB2 (nowadays also known as just GRUB, not GRUB1 or
  GRUB-legacy) follow these three steps:

  1. Append file `/etc/grub.d/42_custom` with a new menu entry.

     ```
     menuentry "KolibriOS" {
             insmod part_gpt
             insmod fat
             insmod chain
             chainloader /EFI/kolibrios/bootx64.efi
     }
     ```

  2. Locate GRUB config file in your system, namely `grub.cfg`. It might be in
     `/boot/grub/`.

  3. Update `grub.cfg` with a command like below.
     ```
     sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
     ```


### Install to USB flash drive

* If you prefer to keep all the data on the USB drive, follow the
  steps above for hard disks.

* If, instead, you are okay to lose all the data on the USB drive, use
  `kolibri.raw` image. It is ready to be directly written to the flash drive.

  Linux users can write the image with standard utilities `cat` or `dd`.

  Windows users can use [Rawwrite32] or [Rufus].

[Rawwrite32]: https://www.netbsd.org/~martin/rawrite32/
[Rufus]: https://rufus.ie
