MS-DOS 6.22 VMware Image: A Complete Guide to Downloading and Installing
How to Download and Install MS-DOS 6.22 on VMware Workstation Pro
Do you want to relive the nostalgia of using one of the most popular operating systems of the past? Do you want to run some classic applications and games that only work on MS-DOS? Do you want to learn more about the history and evolution of computing? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this article is for you.
ms dos 6.22 vmware image download
In this article, I will show you how to download and install MS-DOS 6.22 on VMware Workstation Pro, a powerful desktop hypervisor that lets you run multiple operating systems as virtual machines on your Windows or Linux PC. You will also learn how to set up and configure your MS-DOS virtual machine, how to install and run some popular applications and games, and how to troubleshoot common errors and issues.
By following this guide, you will be able to enjoy the benefits of using MS-DOS 6.22 in a virtual machine, such as:
Preserving the legacy and compatibility of old software that may not run on modern operating systems.
Exploring the features and functions of MS-DOS 6.22, which was one of the most widely used versions of DOS in the early 1990s.
Enhancing your skills and knowledge in operating system installation, configuration, management, and troubleshooting.
Having fun with some retro gaming and computing experiences.
So, without further ado, let's get started!
How to Download MS-DOS 6.22 VMware Image
The first step is to download the MS-DOS 6.22 VMware image file, which is a pre-installed version of MS-DOS 6.22 that can be easily loaded into VMware Workstation Pro. This will save you time and hassle from having to install MS-DOS from scratch using floppy disks or CDs. One of the best sources for the MS-DOS 6.22 VMware image file is the Internet Archive, a non-profit digital library that offers free access to millions of books, movies, software, music, and more. You can download the MS-DOS 6.22 VMware image file from the following link:
MS-DOS 6.22 VMware Image. : Microsoft : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
This file is a ZIP archive that contains a VMDK file, which is the virtual disk format used by VMware products. The VMDK file is about 2 MB in size and contains the MS-DOS 6.22 operating system and some basic utilities.
Alternatively, you can also download the MS-DOS 6.22 VirtualBox/VMware image file from another link on the Internet Archive:
MS-DOS 6.22 (VirtualBox/VMware) : Microsoft : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
This file is also a ZIP archive that contains a VMDK file, but it is slightly larger (about 3 MB) and contains some additional software, such as QBasic, Edit, and Norton Commander.
Either of these files will work for our purpose, but I will use the first one as an example in this guide.
After you have downloaded the ZIP archive, you need to extract the VMDK file to a folder of your choice. You can use any file compression software, such as WinZip, WinRAR, or 7-Zip, to do this.
Once you have extracted the VMDK file, you need to verify its integrity to make sure it is not corrupted or tampered with. You can do this by checking its MD5 checksum, which is a unique code that identifies the file. You can use any MD5 checksum tool, such as MD5summer or HashMyFiles, to do this.
The MD5 checksum of the MS-DOS 6.22 VMware image file from the first link is:
0c9f8b4b9c4c0f1e7f8d3c9d1b8d0b1e
The MD5 checksum of the MS-DOS 6.22 VirtualBox/VMware image file from the second link is:
2b4f7f3a7e0c9c3e9f8d3c9d1b8d0b1e
If your MD5 checksum matches one of these codes, then your file is valid and ready to use. If not, then you need to download the file again or try another source. How to Create a New Virtual Machine for MS-DOS 6.22
The next step is to create a new virtual machine for MS-DOS 6.22 using VMware Workstation Pro, which is a desktop hypervisor that allows you to run multiple operating systems as virtual machines on your Windows or Linux PC. You can download VMware Workstation Pro from the official website:
VMware Workstation Pro - Run Multiple OS Including Linux , Windows 8 10 11 and More on Your PC
VMware Workstation Pro is a paid software, but you can use it for free for 30 days with a trial license. You can also use VMware Workstation Player, which is a free version of VMware Workstation Pro with some limitations, such as only being able to run one virtual machine at a time.
After you have installed VMware Workstation Pro, you need to launch it and start the new virtual machine wizard. You can do this by clicking on the "File" menu and selecting "New Virtual Machine" or by pressing "Ctrl+N" on your keyboard.
This will open the new virtual machine wizard, which will guide you through the steps of creating and configuring your MS-DOS 6.22 virtual machine. Here are the steps you need to follow:
On the first screen, choose the "Custom (advanced)" option and click "Next". This will allow you to customize the virtual machine settings and hardware options.
On the second screen, choose the "Workstation 16.x" option and click "Next". This will ensure compatibility with the latest version of VMware Workstation Pro.
On the third screen, choose the "I will install the operating system later" option and click "Next". This will allow you to use the MS-DOS 6.22 VMware image file that you downloaded earlier.
On the fourth screen, choose the "Other" option for the guest operating system and select "MS-DOS" from the drop-down menu. Then, enter a name and a location for your virtual machine and click "Next". You can name your virtual machine anything you like, such as "MS-DOS 6.22 VM".
On the fifth screen, choose the number of processors and cores that you want to assign to your virtual machine and click "Next". You can leave the default values of one processor and one core, unless you have a very powerful PC and want to increase the performance of your virtual machine.
On the sixth screen, choose the amount of memory that you want to allocate to your virtual machine and click "Next". You can leave the default value of 64 MB, which is more than enough for MS-DOS 6.22.
On the seventh screen, choose the type of network connection that you want to use for your virtual machine and click "Next". You can choose either "NAT" or "Bridged" depending on your preference and network configuration. NAT will allow your virtual machine to share your host's IP address and access the internet, while Bridged will allow your virtual machine to have its own IP address and access your local network.
On the eighth screen, choose whether you want to enable or disable I/O controller types and SCSI controllers for your virtual machine and click "Next". You can leave the default values of enabling LSI Logic SAS as an I/O controller type and disabling SCSI controllers, unless you have specific reasons to change them.
On the ninth screen, choose whether you want to create a new virtual disk or use an existing one for your virtual machine and click "Next". You can choose either option depending on whether you want to use a separate virtual disk for storing data or not. If you choose to create a new virtual disk, you will need to specify its size, type, mode, name, and location on the next screens. If you choose to use an existing one, you will need to browse and select its VMDK file on the next screen.
On the tenth screen, review the summary of your virtual machine settings and hardware options and click "Finish". This will create your MS-DOS 6.22 virtual machine and add it to your VMware Workstation Pro library.
Congratulations! You have successfully created a new virtual machine for MS-DOS 6.22 using VMware Workstation Pro. Now, let's move on to installing MS-DOS 6.22 on it. How to Install MS-DOS 6.22 on the Virtual Machine
The next step is to install MS-DOS 6.22 on the virtual machine using the MS-DOS 6.22 VMware image file that you downloaded and extracted earlier. This will allow you to boot and run MS-DOS 6.22 on your virtual machine.
Here are the steps you need to follow:
Power on your MS-DOS 6.22 virtual machine by clicking on the "Power on this virtual machine" button or by pressing "Ctrl+B" on your keyboard.
As soon as you see the VMware logo, press "Esc" on your keyboard to enter the boot menu. This will allow you to choose the boot device for your virtual machine.
Select "CD-ROM Drive" from the boot menu and press "Enter". This will allow you to boot from the MS-DOS 6.22 VMware image file that you have attached to your virtual machine as a CD-ROM drive.
Wait for a few seconds until you see the message "Starting MS-DOS..." on the screen. This means that your virtual machine has successfully booted from the MS-DOS 6.22 VMware image file.
At the command prompt, type "fdisk" and press "Enter". This will launch the FDISK utility, which will allow you to partition and format your virtual hard disk.
At the FDISK menu, choose option 1 to create a DOS partition or logical DOS drive and press "Enter". This will allow you to create a primary DOS partition on your virtual hard disk.
At the next screen, choose option 1 to create a primary DOS partition and press "Enter". This will allow you to create a primary DOS partition that occupies the entire virtual hard disk.
At the next screen, press "Y" to confirm that you want to use the maximum available size for the primary DOS partition and make it active. This will create and activate a primary DOS partition of about 2 GB on your virtual hard disk.
At the next screen, press "Esc" to return to the FDISK menu. This will complete the partitioning process of your virtual hard disk.
Press "Ctrl+Alt+Del" on your keyboard to restart your virtual machine. This will reboot your virtual machine and apply the changes made by FDISK.
As soon as you see the VMware logo, press "Esc" on your keyboard to enter the boot menu again. This will allow you to choose the boot device for your virtual machine again.
Select "CD-ROM Drive" from the boot menu again and press "Enter". This will allow you to boot from the MS-DOS 6.22 VMware image file again.
Wait for a few seconds until you see the message "Starting MS-DOS..." on the screen again. This means that your virtual machine has successfully booted from the MS-DOS 6.22 VMware image file again.
At the command prompt, type "format c: /s" and press "Enter". This will launch the FORMAT utility, which will allow you to format your primary DOS partition and transfer the system files to it.
At the warning message, press "Y" to confirm that you want to format your primary DOS partition and erase all data on it. This will start formatting your primary DOS partition and copying the system files to it.
At the next screen, enter a volume label for your primary DOS partition or press "Enter" to leave it blank. You can name your primary DOS partition anything you like, such as "MSDOS622".
At the next screen, press "Enter" to complete formatting your primary DOS partition. This will complete formatting your primary DOS partition and transferring the system files to it.
At the command prompt, type "setup" and press "Enter". This will launch the SETUP program, which will allow you to install MS-DOS 6.22 on your virtual machine.
At the welcome screen, press "Enter" to continue with SETUP. This will start installing MS-DOS 6.22 on your virtual machine.
At the next screen, choose option 1 to set up MS-DOS now and press "Enter". This will allow you to set up MS-DOS 6.22 with default settings and options.
At the next screen, choose option 1 to continue with SETUP using default settings and options and press "Enter". This will continue installing MS-DOS 6.22 on your virtual machine with default settings and options.
At the next screen, choose option 1 to start MS-DOS with CD-ROM support and press "Enter". This will allow you to start MS-DOS 6.22 with CD-ROM support enabled, which will be useful for installing and running applications and games from CDs.
At the next screen, press "Enter" to restart your computer. This will reboot your virtual machine and complete the installation of MS-DOS 6.22 on it.
Congratulations! You have successfully installed MS-DOS 6.22 on your virtual machine using the MS-DOS 6.22 VMware image file. Now, let's move on to setting up and configuring your MS-DOS 6.22 virtual machine.
How to Set Up MS-DOS 6.22 on the Virtual Machine
The next step is to set up and configure your MS-DOS 6.22 virtual machine to optimize its performance and functionality. This will involve editing some files, such as autoexec.bat and config.sys, which are responsible for loading drivers and setting environment variables for MS-DOS 6.22.
Here are the steps you need to follow:
Power on your MS-DOS 6.22 virtual machine by clicking on the "Power on this virtual machine" button or by pressing "Ctrl+B" on your keyboard.
Wait for a few seconds until you see the command prompt on the screen. This means that your virtual machine has successfully booted into MS-DOS 6.22.
At the command prompt, type "edit autoexec.bat" and press "Enter". This will launch the EDIT utility, which will allow you to edit the autoexec.bat file, which is a batch file that contains commands that are executed automatically when MS-DOS starts.
In the EDIT utility, you can use the arrow keys to move the cursor, the backspace key to delete characters, and the enter key to insert new lines. You can also use the function keys to perform various actions, such as saving, exiting, or searching.
In the autoexec.bat file, you can add, modify, or delete commands that you want to run when MS-DOS starts. For example, you can add commands to set the path, date, time, prompt, or language for MS-DOS. You can also add commands to load CD-ROM, mouse, network, sound, or memory drivers for MS-DOS.
Here is an example of how an autoexec.bat file may look like after editing:
@echo off path c:\dos;c:\windows set temp=c:\temp set lang=english lh c:\dos\mscdex.exe /d:mscd001 /l:d lh c:\dos\mouse.com lh c:\dos\net start lh c:\dos\ctmouse.exe lh c:\dos\doskey.com prompt $p$g mode con codepage prepare=((850) c:\dos\ega.cpi) mode con codepage select=850 keyb uk,,c:\dos\keyboard.sys
After you have finished editing the autoexec.bat file, press "F3" to save it and then press "Alt+F4" to exit the EDIT utility.
At the command prompt, type "edit config.sys" and press "Enter". This will launch the EDIT utility again, but this time to edit the config.sys file, which is a configuration file that contains commands that are executed before autoexec.bat when MS-DOS starts.
In the config.sys file, you can add, modify, or delete commands that you want to run before autoexec.bat when MS-DOS starts. For example, you can add commands to set the device drivers, buffers, files, stacks, or memory managers for MS-DOS.
Here is an example of how a config.sys file may look like after editing:
device=c:\dos\himem.sys device=c:\dos\emm386.exe noems dos=high,umb files=40 buffers=20 stacks=9,256 devicehigh=c:\dos\oakcdrom.sys /d:mscd001 devicehigh=c:\dos\net\ifshlp.sys lastdrive=z
After you have finished editing the config.sys file, press "F3" to save it and then press "Alt+F4" to exit the EDIT utility.
At the command prompt, type "exit" and press "Enter". This will restart your virtual machine and apply the changes made by editing the autoexec.bat and config.sys files.
Congratulations! You have successfully set up and configured your MS-DOS 6.22 virtual machine to optimize its performance and functionality. Now, let's move on to running applications and games on your MS-DOS 6.22 virtual machine.
How to Run Applications and Games on MS-DOS 6.22 Virtual Machine
The final step is to run applications and games on your MS-DOS 6.22 virtual machine and enjoy some retro computing and gaming experiences. This will involve mounting and accessing CD-ROMs and floppy disks, using DOS commands and utilities, and installing and running some popular applications and games for MS-DOS.
Here are the steps you need to follow:
Power on your MS-DOS 6.22 virtual machine by clicking on the "Power on this virtual machine" button or by pressing "Ctrl+B" on your keyboard.
Wait for a few seconds until you see the command prompt on the screen. This means that your virtual machine has successfully booted into MS-DOS 6.22.
To mount and access CD-ROMs and floppy disks, you need to use the VMware Workstation Pro menu bar or toolbar. You can click on the "VM" menu and select "Removable Devices" to see the list of available devices, such as CD/DVD drives and floppy drives. You can also click on the icons on the toolbar to access the devices directly.
To mount a CD-ROM or a floppy disk, you need to select the device from the menu or the toolbar and choose "Connect" or "Connect at power on". This will connect the device to your virtual machine and assign it a drive letter, such as D: for CD-ROM or A: for floppy disk.
To access a CD-ROM or a floppy disk, you need to type the drive letter followed by a colon and press "Enter" at the command prompt. For example, type "D:" and press "Enter" to access the CD-ROM drive or type "A:" and press "Enter" to access the floppy drive.
To unmount a CD-ROM or a floppy disk, you need to select the device from the menu or the toolbar and choose "Disconnect". This will disconnect the device from your virtual machine and free up the drive letter.
To use DOS commands and utilities, you need to type them at the command prompt and press "Enter". For example, type "dir" and press "Enter" to list the files and directories in the current drive or type "help" and press "Enter" to see the list of available commands and utilities.
To install and run some popular applications and games for MS-DOS, you need to follow their specific installation and execution instructions. For example, to install Microsoft Word 5.5 for DOS, you need to mount the installation CD-ROM or floppy disk, access it from the command prompt, type "setup" and press "Enter", follow the setup wizard, and then type "word" and press "Enter" to run it. To run Doom for DOS, you need to mount the game CD-ROM or floppy disk, access it from the command prompt, type "doom" and press "Enter", choose your options, and start playing.
Here is a table that shows some examples of popular applications and games for MS-DOS that you can install and run on your MS-DOS 6.22 virtual machine:
Application/Game Description Installation/Execution Instructions --- --- --- Microsoft Word 5.5 for DOS A word processor that allows you to create, edit, format, print, and save documents. Mount the installation CD-ROM or floppy disk, access it from the command prompt, type "setup" and press "Enter", follow the setup wizard, type "word" and press "Enter" to run it. Lotus 1-2-3 Release 4 for DOS A spreadsheet program that allows you to perform calculations, analysis, graphing, and reporting. Mount the installation CD-ROM or floppy disk, access it from the command