DOS 6.22 Setup will now run, but it will ask you to insert Disk 2 and Disk 3 at specific times. Here’s the key to swapping .img files without shutting down the VM:

Click the icon next to the Floppy Controller.

With the first floppy disk mounted, you are ready to boot the machine and partition the virtual hard drive. Click to launch the virtual machine.

: A standard raw image for VirtualBox must be exactly 1,474,560 bytes (1.44 MB) without headers or compression. VM Configuration : Type : Set to "Other" with version "DOS". RAM : 16 MB to 32 MB is more than sufficient.

MS-DOS 6.22 typically requires three setup disks. You must mount the first one before powering on the machine. In the Storage settings, select the empty floppy drive.

Do you need help between your host PC and the DOS VM?

To ensure your MS-DOS virtual machine runs as smoothly and efficiently as possible, follow these best practices:

: Select Create a virtual hard disk now and click Create .

Once the formatting is complete, type SETUP and press Enter. This time, when the blue setup screen appears, you can safely press Enter to proceed. The installation will start copying files. The process will require you to swap floppy disks. When prompted for "Disk 2," go to the VirtualBox menu bar: , and load 144UPG2.IMG . Repeat this for 144UPG3.IMG .

Using floppy disk images (IMG files) is the most authentic method of installation. VirtualBox treats these files as virtual removable media.

MS-DOS 6.22 .img files and VirtualBox are not a "plug and play" pair. The floppy controller is an afterthought in modern virtualization. Yet, with careful VM configuration (disable PAE/NX, use PIIX3 IDE, <512MB disk, 16-32MB RAM) and the , those raw floppy images come alive. Swapping disks via the Devices menu during installation is the secret choreography that turns three .img files into a booting, working DOS environment. Once you’ve heard that first C:\> prompt after a successful install, you’ll appreciate both the simplicity of DOS and the surprising flexibility of VirtualBox. It’s a beautiful, clunky, and utterly rewarding retro-computing project.

If a "Floppy Controller" isn't present, right-click in the storage tree and select .

Look at the bottom of the storage window and click the icon (or click the "Add Storage Controller" icon and select "Floppy Controller").