I have no HD-drive, and would like to use PCx.
To boot the PC you need a DOS-diskette. Generally, this will be an HD diskette. You can however create a bootable DD-systemdiskette on the PC. To do this, enter the command "format a: /F:720 /S" on the PC.
Also copy the command FDISK to this diskette, because you will be needing it to install the PC-partition.
To copy the entire DOS to this harddrive, you must copy all files of the original MS-DOS-diskettes to this or another with "format a: /F:720" formatted disk, and copy them with PCx to a drawer called DOS.INI. Then you change to the DOS.INI drawer, call SETUP, and install DOS in C:\DOS.
With Windows and other programs you proceed in the same way.
Another, often easier and faster way, is to copy the files from a PC to the Amiga, using a Nullmodem-cable. Connect PC and Amiga using a Nullmodem cable, and start a terminal program on both computers. Now you can transfer the files in an easy way. As mentioned in another tip, it is possible to use the PC-harddrive directly from the Amiga. When you have transferred the files to the Amiga, you simply copy them to the PC-harddrive, after you have mounted it.
How do I use a CD-ROM drive under PCx?
MS-DOS contains its own CDROM-driver, however, it needs a specific driver. This driver is called "PCxCD.SYS" in PCx.
The following line needs to be added to your CONFIG.SYS (as near to the top as possible):
DEVICE=C:\\PCX\\PCXCD.SYS /D:PCXCD /U:x [/I:xxx] [/Q]
Under /U:x you need to enter the SCSI-unit for x. Under /I:xxx you need to enter the device in use, for instance scsi.device or gvpscsi.device.
It needs to be the controller device, and not another one, such as asimcdfs.device.
You then need to enter the following line in AUTOEXEC.BAT:
MSCDEX.EXE /D:PCXCD
Then you must reboot the PC (not the Amiga!).
For instance:
CONFIG.SYS: DEVICE=PCXCD.SYS /D:PCXCD /I:scsi.device /U:2
AUTOEXEC.BAT: MSCDEX.EXE /D:PCXCD
CONFIG.SYS: DEVICE=PCXCD.SYS /D:MSCD001 /I:gvpscsi.device /U:4
AUTOEXEC.BAT: MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD001
CONFIG.SYS: DEVICE=PCXCD.SYS /D:PCXCD /I:cd.device /U:1 /Q
AUTOEXEC.BAT: MSCDEX.EXE /D:PCXCD
You can find further information in the "Readme"-file in your PCx-drawer.
How much memory should I give the PC-emulation?
Memory is a very important criterium for the speed of the emulation. Aspecially under Windows, programs need a lot of memory. 8 MB is no luxury here. Because Windows uses its own built in virtual memory management, programs can become very slow, because Windows needs to save certain memory areas to hard disk again and again. Enough memory is, for this reason, more important than a faster processor.
For this reason you should give the PCx-emulator as much memory as possible, before you start it
I would like to access the PC-harddrives from the Amiga, using PCx.
Often it is usefull and practical, to be able to access files on the pc-harddrive directly. That is why you can create a MOUNT-entry in the PCx configurationprogram. To do this, start the PCx-configurationprogram and choose the option "DEVICES". Now choose the desired pc-partition from the right listview (SELECTED DEVICES). With the button "CREATE DOSDriver", you create the MOUNT-entry. You will now find this in "STORAGE/DOSDrivers/".
It can be activated at any time by double clicking it. If you want to have it active at all times, copy the file to SYS:DEVS/DOSDrivers.
Harddrives and Windows
Harddrives are an important factor when using Windows. Aspecially if you only have little memory available for the emulator, Windows will often use the harddrive to store certain areas. Another bottleneck are harddrive files, because the use of those can only take place indirectly.
In both cases the installation of a buffer (for instance Smartdrive) can bring some extra speed. Often this buffer is made automaticcaly when installing DOS or Windows. Should this not be the case, you should consider the use of it and test it.
In the CONFIG.SYS you should then enter the following line:
DEVICE=c:\\dos\\smartdrv.sys
Further parameters are optional. The command-syntax is:
DEVICE=C:\\dos\\smartdrv.sys [size] [minimum] /A /E
Which mouse-driver do I use for MS-DOS?
Often the mousedriver, needed to use the mouse under DOS, is not installed as standard. It can normally be found on the second MS-DOS diskette, however, it will be compressed. That's why its name is MOUSE.CO_. Copy this in your DOS-drawer and decompress it with the command "EXPAND mouse.co_ mouse.com".
How to install Mode 13?
With CyberGraphX as example do the following:
1. Start the tool CVMODE, wich you will find in the Tools drawer of the CyberGraphX installation. Here you create a new mode with the resolution 230**200**256.
2. You test the mode with the "TEST" option of CVMODE.
3. You start PCx, and as graphicsdriver select "VGA_Special".
4. You choose Video Mode 13, and select the previously with CVMODE created mode (for instance.: PiccoSD64 8bit 320**200).
5. You start the emulator, and then a game using mode 13, i.e. 320**200 pixels (most commonly an actiongame).
When installing Windows with Setup, only a new screen is being opened, and after a while nothing else happens?
Some tools, such as New Mode and others redirect the screen. Setup is not compatible with those. MCP can also cause different problems, and should therefore be deactivated first. You can then, one after the other, reinstall all functions, and test them for compatibility.
