Comparison of DOS operating systems

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Short description: None

This article details versions of MS-DOS, IBM PC DOS, and at least partially compatible disk operating systems. It does not include the many other operating systems called "DOS" which are unrelated to IBM PC compatibles.

## Contents

* 1 Historical and licensing information
* 2 Technical specifications
* 3 See also
* 4 References
* 5 External links

## Historical and licensing information

Originally MS-DOS was designed to be an operating system that could run on any computer with a 8086-family microprocessor. It competed with other operating systems written for such computers, such as CP/M-86 and UCSD Pascal. Each computer would have its own distinct hardware and its own version of MS-DOS, a situation similar to the one that existed for CP/M, with MS-DOS emulating the same solution as CP/M to adapt for different hardware platforms. So there were many different original equipment manufacturer (OEM) versions of MS-DOS for different hardware. But the greater speed attainable by direct control of hardware was of particular importance, especially when running computer games . So very soon an IBM-compatible architecture became the goal, and before long all 8086-family computers closely emulated IBM hardware, and only a single version of MS-DOS for a fixed hardware platform was all that was needed for the market. This specific version of MS-DOS is the version that is discussed here, as all other versions of MS-DOS died out with their respective systems. One version of such a generic MS-DOS (Z-DOS) is mentioned here, but there were dozens more. All these were for personal computers that used an 8086-family microprocessor, but which were not fully IBM PC compatible.

Name  | First public release date  | Creator  | Owner or maintainer as of 2021[update] | License

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86-DOS 1.00  | 1981-04-28[1][2] | Seattle Computer Products[3] | Support ended[4] | Open source, MIT License[5][6]
PC DOS 1.0  | 1981-08-12  | Microsoft (for IBM)  | Support ended
PC DOS 1.1  | 1982-05  | Proprietary
PC DOS 2.0  | 1983-03
PC DOS 2.1  | 1983-10
PC DOS 3.0  | 1984-08
PC DOS 3.1  | 1985
PC DOS 3.2  | 1986
PC DOS 3.3  | 1987
IBM DOS 4.0
(called PC DOS 4.0)  | 1988
IBM DOS 5.0
(called PC DOS 5.0)  | 1991
PC DOS 6.1, PC DOS 6.3  | 1993  | IBM
PC DOS 7.0 (revision 0)  | 1995
PC DOS 2000
(PC DOS 7.0 revision 1)  | 1998
PC DOS 7.10  | 2003  | Support ended by IBM
MS-DOS 1.25[7] (first version named "MS-DOS")  | 1982  | Microsoft | Support ended  | Open source, MIT License[8]
Z-DOS 1.25  | 1982-05  | OEM Zenith Data Systems | Proprietary
MS-DOS 2.0  | 1983-03  | Microsoft  | Open source, MIT License[8]
MS-DOS 2.11  | 1983-12  | Proprietary
MS-DOS 3.0  | 1984
MS-DOS 3.1
MS-DOS 3.2  | 1986
MS-DOS 3.3  | 1987
MS-DOS 4.0  | 1988  | Open source, MIT License[8]
MS-DOS 5.0  | 1991  | Proprietary
MS-DOS 6.0  | 1993
MS-DOS 6.20
MS-DOS 6.21  | March 1994[9]
MS-DOS 6.22  | April 1994[9]
MS-DOS 7.0 (Windows 95A)  | 1995
MS-DOS 7.10 (Windows 95 OSRs 2 and 2.5, 98, 98 SE)  | 1996
MS-DOS 8.0 (Windows Me and later)[10] | 2000  | Support ended by Microsoft[11]
DOS Plus 1.1, 1.2/1.2a  | 1985  | Digital Research | Support ended
DOS Plus 2.1  | 1986
DR DOS 3.31-3.35  | 1988
DR DOS 3.40-3.41  | 1989
DR DOS 5.0  | 1990
DR DOS 6.0  | 1991
Novell DOS 7  | 1993  | Novell
Caldera OpenDOS 7.01  | 1997  | Caldera, Inc.;
Caldera UK, Ltd.  | Support ended officially;
a derivative, Enhanced DR-DOS, was
maintained by Udo Kuhnt until 2011  | Partial, free non-commercial use
Caldera DR-OpenDOS 7.02  | Support ended
Caldera DR-DOS 7.02  | 1998  | Proprietary
Caldera DR-DOS 7.03  | 1999, 1998 prereleased  | Caldera Thin Clients, Inc.;
Caldera UK, Ltd;
Lineo, Inc.  | DRDOS, Inc.
DR-DOS 8.0  | 2004  | DeviceLogics  | Support ended
DR-DOS 8.1[12] | 2005  | DRDOS, Inc.
FreeDOS 1.0  | 2006-09-03  | Jim Hall, et al.  | The FreeDOS Project  | Open source, GPL
FreeDOS 1.1  | 2012-01-02
FreeDOS 1.2  | 2016-12-25
FreeDOS 1.3  | 2021-12-14
PTS-DOS 6.4  | 1993  | PhysTechSoft[13] | PhysTechSoft  | Proprietary
PTS-DOS 6.5  | ?
PTS-DOS 6.6
PTS-DOS 2000 (6.7)
PTS-DOS 32 (7.0)
PTS-DOS 6.51  | ca. 1995  | Paragon Technology Systems  | Paragon Technology Systems
Paragon DOS 2000 Pro  | ?
ROM-DOS 6.22[14] | Datalight | Datalight
ROM-DOS 7.1[14]
Embedded DOS | General Software | General Software
DIP DOS 2.11  | 1989  | DIP Research, Atari Corporation | Support ended
RxDOS 6.2  | 1999  | Michael Podanoffsky  | Support ended  | Open source, GPL
RxDOS 7.20-7.24  | 2018  | C. Masloch  | C. Masloch
SISNE plus | ?  | Itautec, Scopus Tecnologia  | Support ended  | Proprietary

## Technical specifications

Name  | Hard drive: partition size max  | Native support:
File systems | Native support:
floppy capacities 3.5"  | Native support:
floppy capacities 5.25"  | Native support:
floppy capacities 8.0"  | Integrated disk compression utility  | Native support:
long file names

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86-DOS 1.00  | N/A  | FAT12;
(CP/M 2 through RDCPM)[15] | N/A  | NorthStar 87.5 KB; Cromemco 90 KB[16] | Cromemco/Tarbell 250.25 KB; Tarbell 616 KB; Tarbell 1232 KB[17] | No[18] | No[19]
MS-DOS 1.25  | N/A  | FAT12  | N/A  | 160 KB; 320 KB  | 250.25 KB[20] | No  | No
MS-DOS 2.0-2.11  | 16 MB (32 MB with third-party FORMAT)[21] | FAT12  | N/A  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB  | 250.25 KB;[20][22][23] 500.5 KB;[20][22][23] 616 KB;[22][23] 1232 KB[20][22][23] | No  | No
MS-DOS 3.0  | 32 MB  | FAT12, FAT16 | N/A  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | No  | No
MS-DOS 3.1  | 32 MB  | FAT12, FAT16  | N/A  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | No  | No
MS-DOS 3.2  | 32 MB  | FAT12, FAT16  | 720 KB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | No  | No
MS-DOS 3.3  | 32 MB  | FAT12, FAT16  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | No  | No
MS-DOS 3.31  | 512 MB  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B | 720 KB; 1.44 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | No  | No
MS-DOS 4.0  | 2 GB  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B | 720 KB; 1.44 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | No  | No
MS-DOS 5.0  | 2 GB  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B  | 720 KB, 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | No  | No
MS-DOS 6.0  | 2 GB  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | DoubleSpace  | No
MS-DOS 6.20  | 2 GB  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | DoubleSpace  | No
MS-DOS 6.21  | 2 GB  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | No  | No
MS-DOS 6.22  | 2 GB  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | DriveSpace | No
MS-DOS 7.0 (Windows 95A)  | 2 GB  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | DriveSpace  | No
MS-DOS 7.1 (Windows 95B/OSR2, Windows 95C/OSR2.5, Windows 98, and Windows 98SE)  | 124.55 GB with FAT32[24] | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B, FAT32 | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | DriveSpace for Windows 95, none for Windows 98  | No
MS-DOS 8.0 (Windows Me and later Windows versions)[10] | 124.55 GB with FAT32[24] | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B, FAT32  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | No  | No
PC DOS 1.0  | N/A  | FAT12  | N/A  | 160 KB  | N/A  | No  | No
PC DOS 1.1  | N/A  | FAT12  | N/A  | 160 KB; 320 KB (double-sided)  | N/A  | No  | No
PC DOS 2.0-2.1  | 16 MB (32 MB with third-party FORMAT)[21] | FAT12  | N/A  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB  | N/A  | No  | No
PC DOS 3.0  | 32 MB  | FAT12, FAT16 | N/A  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | No  | No
PC DOS 3.1  | 32 MB  | FAT12, FAT16  | N/A  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | No  | No
PC DOS 3.2  | 32 MB  | FAT12, FAT16  | 720 KB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | No  | No
PC DOS 3.3  | 32 MB  | FAT12, FAT16  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | No  | No
IBM DOS 4.0  | 2 GB  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B | 720 KB; 1.44 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | No  | No
IBM DOS 5.0  | 2 GB  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B  | 720 KB, 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | No  | No
PC DOS 6.1 (early version)  | 2 GB  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | No  | No
PC DOS 6.1 with Compression / PC DOS 6.3  | 2 GB  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | SuperStor  | No
PC DOS 7.0 / PC DOS 2000  | 2 GB  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 1.86 MB (XDF), 2.88 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB, 1.54 MB (XDF)  | N/A  | Stacker | No
PC DOS 7.10  | ?  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B, FAT32  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 1.86 MB (XDF), 2.88 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB, 1.54 MB (XDF)  | N/A  | Stacker, not on FAT32  | No
DOS Plus 1.1  | 32 MB  | FAT12, FAT16, CP/M-86  | 315 KB; 720 KB; CP/M 315 KB; CP/M 720 KB; MSX-DOS 360 KB; MSX-DOS 720 KB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 800 KB; 1.2 MB; CP/M 160 KB; CP/M 320 KB  | N/A  | No  | No
DOS Plus 1.2-2.1  | 32 MB  | FAT12, FAT16, CP/M-86  | Apricot 315 KB;[25] (720 KB[26])  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB; Acorn 640 KB; Acorn 800 KB;[27] CP/M 320 KB  | N/A  | No  | No
DR DOS 3.31-3.35  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | No  | No
DR DOS 3.40-3.41  | 2 GB  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | (250.25 KB[28])  | No  | No
DR DOS 5.0  | 2 GB  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | (250.25 KB[28])  | No  | No
DR DOS 6.0  | 2 GB  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | (250.25 KB[28])  | SuperStor  | No
PalmDOS 1.0  | 2 GB  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | (250.25 KB[28])  | SuperStor  | No
Novell DOS 7  | 2 GB  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | (250.25 KB[28])  | Stacker  | No
OpenDOS 7.01  | 2 GB  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | (250.25 KB[28])  | Stacker  | No
DR-OpenDOS 7.02  | 2 GB  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | (250.25 KB[28])  | Stacker  | No
DR-DOS 7.02  | 2 GB  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B, (FAT32 in FDISK only)  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | (250.25 KB[28])  | Stacker  | Partial, COMMAND.COM and LONGNAME only
DR-DOS 7.03  | 2 GB  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B, (FAT32 in FDISK only)  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | (250.25 KB[28])  | Stacker  | Partial, COMMAND.COM and LONGNAME only
DR-DOS 7.04-7.05  | ?  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B, FAT32 (non-bootable)  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | (250.25 KB[28])  | Stacker, not on FAT32  | Partial, COMMAND.COM and LONGNAME only
DR-DOS 7.06-7.07  | ?  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B, FAT32 (bootable)  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | (250.25 KB[28])  | Stacker, not on FAT32  | Partial, COMMAND.COM and LONGNAME only
DR-DOS 8.0  | ?  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B, FAT32  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 160 KB; 180 KB; 320 KB; 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | (250.25 KB[28])  | Supported, not on FAT32  | Partial, COMMAND.COM only
DR-DOS 8.1  | ?  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B, FAT32  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | No  | No
FreeDOS 1.0  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B, FAT32  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | ?  | No
FreeDOS 1.1-1.3  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B, FAT32  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | No  | Yes
PTS-DOS 32  | ?  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B, FAT32  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | No  | No
PTS-DOS 2000  | ?  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B, FAT32  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | No  | No
PTS-DOS 2000 PRO  | ?  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B, FAT32  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | No  | No
Datalight ROM-DOS  | ?  | FAT12, FAT16, FAT16B, FAT32  | 720 KB; 1.44 MB, 2.88 MB  | 360 KB; 1.2 MB  | N/A  | No  | Yes
DIP DOS  | N/A  | FAT12  | N/A  | N/A  | N/A  | No  | No

## See also

* Timeline of DOS operating systems
* OS/2
* List of operating systems
* Comparison of Linux distributions
* Comparison of operating systems

## References

1. ↑ O'Rourke, Patrick (2026-04-28). "Microsoft open-sources MS-DOS 1.0, offering a rare look at PC history" (in en). https://www.xda-developers.com/microsoft-open-sources-ms-dos-1-0-offering-rare-look-pc-history/. "On the operating system's 45th anniversary, Microsoft has released the source code for 86-DOS 1.00"
2. ↑ Hanselman, Stacey Haffner, Scott (2026-04-28). "Continuing the story of early DOS development" (in en-US). https://opensource.microsoft.com/blog/2026/04/28/continuing-the-story-of-early-dos-development/. "Today, on 86-DOS 1.00’s 45th anniversary"
3. ↑ Dirscherl, Hans-Christian; PC-WELT. "Microsoft open-sources 86-DOS 1.00, the ancestor of Windows" (in en). https://www.pcworld.com/article/3127762/microsoft-open-sources-86-dos-1-00-the-ancestor-of-windows.html. "Gates—who in 1980 urgently needed a functioning operating system for the IBM PC—purchased 86-DOS (also known as QDOS) from Seattle Computer Products and its founder Tim Patterson"
4. ↑ Hanselman, Stacey Haffner, Scott (2026-04-28). "Continuing the story of early DOS development" (in en-US). https://opensource.microsoft.com/blog/2026/04/28/continuing-the-story-of-early-dos-development/. "These releases are about making historically important systems software available for study, preservation, and plain ol’ curiosity."
5. ↑ Hanselman, Stacey Haffner, Scott (2026-04-28). "Continuing the story of early DOS development" (in en-US). https://opensource.microsoft.com/blog/2026/04/28/continuing-the-story-of-early-dos-development/. "For an insiders’ look at the process, explore the scanned listings and OCR’ed code at DOS-History/Paterson-Listings, which we’ve worked with the maintainers to license under MIT via pull request for researchers, hobbyists, and enthusiasts like us!"
6. ↑ DOS-History. "Paterson-Listings/3_source_code at main · DOS-History/Paterson-Listings" (in en). https://github.com/DOS-History/Paterson-Listings/tree/main/3_source_code.
7. ↑ Conner, Doug. "Father of DOS Still Having Fun at Microsoft". Micronews. http://www.patersontech.com/Dos/Micronews/paterson04_10_98.htm.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "Open sourcing MS-DOS 4.0". Microsoft Open Source Blog. 2024-04-25. https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/opensource/2024/04/25/open-sourcing-ms-dos-4-0/.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Microsoft DOS history". ComputerHope. https://www.computerhope.com/history/dos.htm.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 MS-DOS 8.0 has most of the functionality of prior versions, but with significant losses of usability, e.g., the loss of `FORMAT /S` command, that can be substituted by formatting HDD/FDD and then copying IO.SYS from CD-ROM boot A: image, as first ever file onto drive; loss of `SYS A:` (or `SYS B:`) command for floppies, that can be substituted too in the same way as `FORMAT /S`; inability to boot to a command prompt without substitution/modification of IO.SYS (other than CD-ROM boot version) and COMMAND.COM. For purpose of booting from C: drive, an unmodified IO.SYS from simulated A: boot diskette image, that is placed on Windows Me OEM CD-ROM, from which that CD boots, can be used, and English COMMAND.COM can be modified by replacing in this file at hex offset 00006510h byte 75h by byte EBh, or substituted by (now freeware) 4DOS http://www.jpsoft.com/download.htm
11. ↑ While Windows ME support ended, a version of its underlying DOS is included with Windows XP. When one formats a floppy in Windows XP and selects "Create an MS-DOS startup disk", the floppy is formatted with a DOS version that identifies itself as "Windows Millennium Version 4.90.3000".
12. ↑ DR-DOS 8.1 was pulled from the market after it was discovered that 8.1 code had been copied from FreeDOS in violation of the GPL license.
13. ↑ "Phystechsoft". http://phystechsoft.ru/pts-dos. "PTS-DOS 32 [..] Memory Manager himem.sys, included in PTS-DOS 32, supports up to 4 GB of RAM.
PTS-DOS 2000 [..] PTS-DOS is a powerful and fast 16-bit disk operating system, fully compatible with MS-DOS and all its applications."
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "ROM-DOS Single User Version". https://www.datalight.com/products/rom-dos/rom-dos-single-user-version. "6.22 and 7.1 kernels"
15. ↑ "DOS Days - DOS Versions Part 2". https://www.dosdays.co.uk/topics/dos_versions_pt2.php. "Supports FAT12 and CP/M 2 (through RDCPM)"
16. ↑ "DOS Days - DOS Versions Part 2". https://www.dosdays.co.uk/topics/dos_versions_pt2.php. "Adds 5.25" floppy disk support for NorthStar 87.5 KB and Cromemco 90 KB 5.25" disks"
17. ↑ http://www.86dos.org/downloads/86DOS_FILES.ZIP , A ZIP file containing most of the files from 86-DOS 0.75 (1981-04-18) to 1.00 (1981-07-21)
18. ↑ "DOS Days - DOS Versions Part 2". https://www.dosdays.co.uk/topics/dos_versions_pt2.php. "IBM PC DOS [...] Version 6.3 - [...] Disk compression was added [...] MS-DOS [...] Version 6.0 [...] Disk compression [...] included."
19. ↑ "DOS Days - DOS Versions Part 2". https://www.dosdays.co.uk/topics/dos_versions_pt2.php. "MS-DOS [...] Version 7.0 [...] – Support for VFAT long file names"
20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 "Standard Floppy Disk Formats Supported by MS-DOS". Microsoft Help and Support. 2003-05-12. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/75131.
21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Scott Mueller (1995). Upgrading and Repairing PCs, 5th Edition. Que Corporation. ISBN 0-7897-0321-1. p784: "The limit of 16MB did not come from the FAT, but from the high-level DOS FORMAT command... Most vendors supplied modified high-level format programs that permitted partitions of up to 32MB to be formatted properly."
22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 "Technical advisors". The MS-DOS Encyclopedia: versions 1.0 through 3.2 (Completely reworked ed.). Redmond, Washington, USA: Microsoft Press. 1988. ISBN 1-55615-049-0. OCLC 16581341. (xix+1570 pages; 26 cm) (NB. This edition was published in 1988 after extensive rework of the withdrawn 1986 first edition by a different team of authors. [1])
23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 Xerox (1983-11). Xerox 16/8 Professional Computer - MS-DOS OS Handbook for 8" Floppy Disks. 1983-11, MS-DOS 2.0 ([2])
24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 As stated at http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;Q184006& Microsoft's KB article 184006, the limit of 124.55 GB for FAT32 partition size is a mainly a limit of Windows 95/98's 16-bit SCANDISK utility. Other DOS versions supporting FAT32 may allow a larger partition size closer to the theoretical 2 TB/16 TB maximum suggested by FAT32's specifications. Windows 2000 and XP can mount and use a FAT32 partition larger than 32 GB, but they cannot natively create one, which according to Microsoft is by design.
25. ↑ DOS Plus 2.1e/g versions for the Apricot ACT series and for the Jasmin Turbo from the French company T.R.A.N. S.A. support a non-standard single-sided 315 KB FAT12 format.
26. ↑ DOS Plus DISK.CMD versions for the Amstrad PC1512, the T.R.A.N. Jasmin Turbo and the BBC Master 512 support variants of 720 KB FAT12 formats including the original MS-DOS, and PC DOS format, however known versions of DOS Plus itself don't make use of them.
27. ↑ DOS Plus for the BBC Master 512 supports two non-standard FAT12 formats with 640 KB and 800 KB.
28. ↑ 28.00 28.01 28.02 28.03 28.04 28.05 28.06 28.07 28.08 28.09 28.10 28.11 The DR DOS 3.41-8.0 BIOS (DRBIOS.SYS aka IBMBIO.COM) has a profile for an undocumented 250.25 KB (aka "243 KB") logical format with a non-standard media descriptor of `E5h`. DR DOS 3.31 does not support this format. The format is similar, but not identical to the two 250.25 KB formats with FAT IDs `FDh` and `FEh` supported by MS-DOS 1.25/2.x.

## External links

* Detailed timeline of DOS variants
* DR-DOS version dates

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