HamsterOS jams a 32-bit GUI operating system in a single 1.44 MB floppy disk — retro OS for 386-era hardware should make for easy living with DOS machines and s

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HamsterOS jams a 32-bit GUI operating system in a single 1.44 MB floppy disk — retro OS for 386-era hardware should make for easy living with DOS machines and s

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HamsterOS is seemingly targeted at using PCs from the 386/486 era, along with DOS software. After loading from the floppy disk, it'll present a user interface with most every commonly used utility: a notepad, image viewer, calculator, file finder, drive icons, and a window manager. The file browser should have up to five windows once, complete with per-type icons.

Crucially, HamsterOS includes an in-kernel VM86 DOS box, and a FreeDOS fallback for programs that might not run well within. Other noteworthy tech aspects include support for FAT 12/16/32 with read-back verification, dedicated format and disk utilities, a partition manager, and even SCSI diagnostic tools. The operating system defaults to 16-color VGA resolution, but the ability to use 256 colors exists as a diagnostic option. There's a neat fallback to VGA as a safe mode after three failed crashes, too.

Mean Hamster, the company developing HamsterOS, didn't publish any sort of mission statement, but judging by the feature set and integration with its HamsterWeazle floppy image management utility (for use with GreaseWeazle drives ), it seems to be a more practical means of managing and/or using machines from the era.

The list of hardware support is what you'd expect for 1980 and 1990's era machines, comprising ATA IDE and CD-ROM, ISA floppies, serial and PS/2 mice (with wheel support, too). The only supported soundcard is the Sound Blaster 16, though loadable drivers should let tinkerers expand the list; plus it's possible that the built-in FreeDOS support allows for using most any type of hardware regardless.

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