OS2 Warp on Linux

J

Jarret W. Buse

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OS2 Warp on Linux

I know what most of you may be saying or thinking. “OS/2. Why?” Or maybe something similar. There may be that one reader that is thinking, “All right!” (I doubt it). The reason to do this is that some users may remember the day when they had to work with OS/2. I also like to show the ability of Oracle's VirtualBox as well.

To run OS/2 on your Linux system, you will need:


NOTE: There is also a download for OS/2 Warp 4.52 which will also work. I suggest downloading from this site since most other sites provide the boot floppy images as DSK files which do not work well. It is best to use the IMG floppy images.

Download VirtualBox and install it, if you do not have it yet. Download and extract the OS/2 Warp 4.0 CD Version. Once extracted, there should be four files you need:

  1. Installation.img
  2. Disk01.img
  3. Disk02.img
  4. IBM_OS2_Warp_4.iso

To set up VirtualBox, do the following:

  1. Create a new Machine
  2. Enter the name for the Machine as desired
  3. Set Type to IBM OS/2
  4. Set Version to OS/2 Warp 4 (or 4.5 if you downloaded the 4.5 version) and click “Next”
  5. Set your RAM size – 1024 should be fine and click “Next”
  6. Set the drive option to “Create a virtual hard drive now” the click “Create”
  7. Make sure VDI is selected and click “Next”
  8. Select “Dynamically Allocated” and click “Next”
  9. Specify the file location and set the minimum to 2 GB and click “Create”

NOTE: Some of you may prefer a Fixed Disk image which should be fine, it just takes longer to make.

The machine is now created, but still requires configuration as follows:

  1. Under System and the Motherboard tab, the Chipset option should be PIIX3
  2. Change the Boot Order to Floppy, Hard Disk and then CD/DVD
  3. All three extended feature options should be unchecked. If you have multiple processors, then check “Enable I/O APIC”
  4. Under the Processor Tab, uncheck “Enable PAE/NX” and set the maximum processors to match your processor count
  5. Under Display, set the Video Memory to the maximum setting
  6. The option “Enable 3D Acceleration” should be checked
  7. Under Storage, the Floppy drive needs to point to the “Installation.img” file
  8. The CD-ROM needs to point to the “IBM_OS2_Warp_4.iso”
  9. Under Network, set “Adapter 1” to “Bridged Adapter”

These are all the necessary settings that you should need to get IBM OS/2 going in VirtualBox. Start the Machine and at Figure 1, select “Devices” from the VirtualBox menu and select “Floppy Devices”. Under “Floppy Devices” select “Disk01.img” from where the files were extracted. Click on the Virtual OS screen and press “Enter”. When a similar screen appears asking for Disk 2, change the “Disk01.img” to “Disk02.img” and press “Enter” again to continue the installation.

Figure 1.jpg

FIGURE 1

At the “Welcome” screen as shown in Figure 2, press “Enter”.

Figure 2.jpg

FIGURE 2

The next screen, Figure 3, is where you start the installation by selecting an install method. The Easy method is fine to use, so press “Enter”. The next screen asks to reinsert the installation floppy in the drive, so change the Floppy Device to “Installation.img” and then press “Enter”.

The Virtual OS should reboot and ask you to remove the Installation disk and replace it with Disk 1. To do this, open “Floppy Devices” and select “Disk01.img” before pressing “Enter”. The same will happen again with Disk 2. At the Welcome screen, press “Enter” again. Now, you should see a screen similar to Figure 3 which shows the OS/2 installation starting to copy files to the hard drive.

Figure 3.jpg

FIGURE 3

After the files copy, you should see a screen like Figure 4. Now, you need to click “Devices” and “Floppy Devices” and then select “Remove Disk from Virtual Drive” and press “Enter” to continue.

Figure 4.jpg

FIGURE 4

The virtual system should reboot and load OS/2 Warp. If you get any issues here, make sure the boot order is Floppy, Hard disk and then CD/DVD.

Figure 5 shows a System Configuration screen which you can set the items appropriately.

Figure 5.jpg

FIGURE 5

Click “Next” to set up more system settings. After clicking “Next” again, you are prompted to select a printer. Simply click “OK” to not install a default printer.

The next screen, Figure 6, prompts you to set up Networking Services. If you have a network adapter and you are on the Internet, click the top option “Access the Internet” and click “Next”.

Figure 6.jpg

FIGURE 6

The next screen shows the detected network adapter, click “Next”. The next screen asks about the network adapter configuration. Select “No” and then “Next”. The next screen has the TCP/IP Services highlighted so click “Install”. Another installation process should start. Once it finishes, it will prompt you that it will restart the system. After a few seconds, the Virtual OS will restart and reload to continue the installation. After nearly a minute on the OS2 text screen, the Warp title screen should appear. The installation process should continue again and will once again restart the Virtual OS. After it starts up, the main GUI screen should appear with a screen for a Tutorial. The main GUI is shown in Figure 7.

Figure 7.jpg

FIGURE 7

At this point, OS/2 Warp version 4 is installed and running. Searching the Internet you should be able to find applications and games to run under OS/2.

I hope you enjoyed this blast from the past.
 

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Interesting tutorial on installing an old OS. Too bad it doesn't work for me. I get the following error when trying to use floppy 2, as per the instructions:
"SYS0193: C:\IBMINST\CONINST.exe cannot be run in an OS/2 session".
Any thoughts?
 
Interesting tutorial on installing an old OS. Too bad it doesn't work for me. I get the following error when trying to use floppy 2, as per the instructions:
"SYS0193: C:\IBMINST\CONINST.exe cannot be run in an OS/2 session".
Any thoughts?
Make sure you are using OS/2 Warp 4.0 and not 4.x. Once installed, upgrade it as needed. Also, make sure you are using the download I listed. I have found other sites have corrupted images and gave me problems without any end.
 
Any idea if Warp 3.x will work? That's the only license I have legally here ... well, besides 2.1. I can still recall the day I received the Hobbs OS/2 CD in the mail - oh joy! 32-bit software for a 32-bit OS! Most of the GNU utilities had been ported and livewire (modem software) connected to my local fidonet node completely rocked!

Of course, at work I was on MVS/TSO/ISPF, so Warp was good. Switched jobs and had a Dec Alpha on my desk and never saw OS/2 at work again. ;( OTOH, having 1 of every type of UNIX system available to me was wonderful.

So - OS/2 v3 "Warp" options? Any ideas. Oh ... and I'm a KVM/libvirt guy, but happily can translate from vbox settings if needed.
 
Any idea if Warp 3.x will work? That's the only license I have legally here ... well, besides 2.1. I can still recall the day I received the Hobbs OS/2 CD in the mail - oh joy! 32-bit software for a 32-bit OS! Most of the GNU utilities had been ported and livewire (modem software) connected to my local fidonet node completely rocked!

Of course, at work I was on MVS/TSO/ISPF, so Warp was good. Switched jobs and had a Dec Alpha on my desk and never saw OS/2 at work again. ;( OTOH, having 1 of every type of UNIX system available to me was wonderful.

So - OS/2 v3 "Warp" options? Any ideas. Oh ... and I'm a KVM/libvirt guy, but happily can translate from vbox settings if needed.

I have not tried 3.x. You can try 4.0 without a license since it is abandonware. If you go to the website I cited in the article to download OS/2, they have many others OSs which are also abandonware and do not require a license.
 
All right!
I always wanted Warp to succeed.
I liked it's crash protection.
I went thru many crashes back in the windows 3.1+ and dos 5.0+ days.
IBM had the Warp, a better look for os/2 and I was ready to roll.
It was tricky to install, and I did not know how to do much with it.
I could not afford or justify buying the different versions. Warp 3.0 windows version or Warp 3.0 full install. Then 4.0 came out and I was already behind. I tried to get IBM to send me a free copy, they got really close, but ended up not doing it. then they decided to close that division.
I will try this, and let you know. Thanks.
Miked
 
Hi! Got the Warp4.5 up and running ok, but have some trouble with the resolution. How can I get it to better than 640x480x16 (at least more colours)?
MarkusT
 
Well finally found how to do it!

Good old hobbes!
Downloaded gradd97.zip IBM GRADD Accelerated divers v97 [Detail] and installed it with the GEN option and voilá.

Markus
 
Will have to give this a go. Absolutely loved the OS/2 user interface EVEN when I played around with it on a 486 SX/25 years ago. Happy memories.
 
As a former longtime OS/2 and OS/2 Warp user and reseller, I would love to try it again in VirtualBox but I am unable to locate a download of OS/2 Warp with the files outlined in this tutorial which itself does not seem to match the current VirtualBox. Can someone supply a link to them? All I see are either all ISO or all IMG.
 
WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's late & I've got chores to do before bed... But I've got to return later, re-read this (when I'm awake/alert!) and go give it a spin.

I've got boxes on the top of book cases for OS/2 2.0, 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, so hopefully the CDs are enclosed within. (2.0 & 2.1, even the older 1.3 etc. will be on floppies; the 1.x came with both 3.5 + 5.25 if I recall correctly.. but I don't want to relive the 1.x anyway; OS/2 was only good at 2.0 & later; networking (TCP/IP) easier at 3.0+)
 

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