Overview
- The project builds a floppy-first, size-optimized 32-bit graphical OS for 386/486-era PCs that fits on one 1.44 MB floppy while offering multitasking and a native app suite.
- HamsterOS provides DOS compatibility through an in-kernel VM86 DOS box with a FreeDOS fallback so legacy DOS programs can run when direct emulation fails.
- Hardware and filesystem support includes ATA IDE and CD-ROM, ISA floppy access, serial and PS/2 mice, FAT12/16/32 with read-back verification, and Sound Blaster 16 support with loadable drivers.
- The developers released HamsterWeazle, a free GUI front end for the Greaseweazle USB floppy interface, to simplify creating and writing floppy images for installation.
- Mean Hamster says the project is past basic boot demos and is concentrating on stability and performance; the company frames HamsterOS as a product and appears likely to distribute it as a commercial, closed-source offering, which could affect community modification and driver expansion.