RV-DOS
Driftless Software · for the CH32V307 and similar RISC-V microcontrollers
RV-DOS runs unmodified 1980s DOS software on a RISC-V microcontroller!
Built for the CH32V307, whose vendor SDK gave us enough reasons to write an operating system instead of fighting it any further, real .COM binaries, executing on real silicon!
An unmodified Hello World DOS binary, assembled with a standard x86 toolchain, running on RV-DOS
The CH32V307 is a capable, cheap RISC-V microcontroller with a vendor SDK that most people who've touched it have a complaint about (unfortunately). Instead of trying to hack around it, we wrote an operating system, one with a clean and abstracted API and a layer that runs real early-DOS binaries unmodified.
Actual Features
The core is up on real hardware! With an USART headless interface, a (admittedly) simple command shell and a layer that runs DOS binaries. The screenshot above is an actual unmodified DOS .COM binary, assembled with a standard x86 toolchain, executing through that layer.
| Core | RV32IMAFC, CH32V307 |
|---|---|
| Console | USART1 (headless) |
| Compat layer | x86 real mode interpreter (hooks onto DOS calls) |
| License | Source-available, free for personal and non commercial use. |
A machine to run it on
RV-DOS itself is free to build and flash onto your own CH32V307 hardware over USART1. We are also designing a small cased kit: VGA output, a keyboard port, and a physical DIP switch that gates Physical Memory Protection (PMP) at the hardware level!
- CH32V307 board, pre-flashed with RV-DOS, and a bundle of other games and software!
- Labeled UART header, no assembly required
- Quickstart manual and guide included
- VGA output, keyboard port
- PMP protection, hardware DIP switch
- Cased, acrylic window to see the magic of silicon!
Neither tier is in production yet, pricing above is a working estimate. We're gauging interest before committing to a build as we are not a greedy corporation with billions of dollars :)