ArcaOS

2023: Commercial OS Creation

On August 27, 2023, Arca Noae announced the release of the ArcaOS 5.1.0 operating system, a platform for modern computers based on the classic IBM OS/2.

ArcaOS is a 32-bit multitasking OS for computers equipped with x86 processors. Since the OS/2 source code is closed, Arca Noae had to conclude a license agreement with IBM in 2015 to release and sell a new distribution kit for modern hardware - ArcaOS 5.0, which was first released in May 2017. Several releases of the ArcaOS 5.0.x platform followed, and it took about three years to prepare the ArcaOS 5.1.0 edition.

ArcaOS

The new OS can be installed on computers with UEFI, and not only on devices with an outdated basic BIOS input/output system. Another important change was the ability to use drives with a capacity of more than 2 TB, which was implemented thanks to the support of the GPT Partition Table (GUID Partition Table), created to replace the outdated MBR (Master Boot Record).

The ArcaOS 5.1.0 distribution can be used for new installations or to update any previous version of ArcaOS 5.0.x. When installing from a USB drive, the installation disk can be created using any available operating system - Windows, Linux, macOS, OS/2, eComStation or ArcaOS. After assembly, it is enough to connect the external drive to any USB port of the target computer to activate the installation program in UEFI mode or in traditional BIOS mode.

ArcaOS 5.1.0 provides support for modern equipment, including USB peripherals, controllers integrated into the motherboard, etc. The platform is undemanding to the PC hardware, and therefore boots in a matter of seconds.^[1]

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