(Note: The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. Novell makes every effort within its means to verify this information. However, the information provided in this document is FOR YOUR INFORMATION only. Novell makes no explicit or implied claims as to the validity of this information.)
TITLE: Installing DR DOS on NEC DOS 3.3 Partitions
DOCUMENT ID#: FYI.M.1101
DATE: 05JAN93
PRODUCT: DR DOS
PRODUCT VERSION: v5, v6
SUPERSEDES: NA
SYMPTOM
Unable to install DR DOS on a NEC DOS 3.3 partition
ISSUE/PROBLEM
NEC DOS 3.3 disk partitioning schemes are not compatible with either Compaq DOS 3.31 or DR DOS. NEC Powermates are shipped with NEC DOS 3.3. This version of DOS has been highly modified from standard DOS 3.3. One of the changes in this version is that the NEC FDISK utility can create partitions larger than 32 MB on the hard drive.
SOLUTION
Remove the existing partitions with NEC FDISK and recreate them with DR DOS FDISK. DR DOS will then install. Removing the partitions with NEC FDISK is the only solution.
Note: Running FDISK will result in the loss of all data on the disk. It is advisable to have a backup on hand before conducting this procedure.
FYI
(Note: The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. Novell makes every effort within its means to verify this information. However, the information provided in this document is FOR YOUR INFORMATION only. Novell makes no explicit or implied claims to the validity of this information.)
TITLE: Batch Programming and Zero Byte Files
DOCUMENT ID#: FYI.M.1118
DATE: 13OCT92
PRODUCT: DR DOS
PRODUCT VERSION: v6.0
SUPERSEDES: NA
SYMPTOM
Unable to copy zero byte files.
ISSUE/PROBLEM
Since the release of DR DOS, it has always had the ability to copy zero byte files. Recently however, Novell has found that by limiting the ability of DR DOS to copy such files that they can increase the abilities of batch programs. This change has been made in the 07-92 and 11-92 COMMAND.COM. This latest COMMAND.COM is available on CompuServe or the Novell DSG Host BBS (408-649-3443).
One example of this is the ability to create a batch program that will only execute a certain command or group of commands once a day.
The following is a set of instructions that will generate an example of a batch file and its necessary text files that can be executed multiple times daily (say from the AUTOEXEC.BAT file), but will only perform the defined task once a day:
1. Create a file called DTFRCMP.TXT that contains the current date information by typing the following from the command line:
C:\>DATE >DTFRCMP.TXT
Press the <Enter> key twice and you will be returned to a prompt.
2. Create a file called CR using the editor (EDITOR.EXE). All that this file will contain will be a carriage return. To create it do the following:
a. From the command line (C:\>), type: EDITOR CR
b. You will then be asked by the prompt if you wish to create a new file. Type Y.
c. You will then be in the editor. Enter a carriage return by pressing the <Enter> key once.
d. You will then need to save the file. Do this by holding the <Ctrl> key down and then typing K and then X.
3. Now you will need to create the main batch file that performs the daily routine.
a. From the command line (C:\>) type: EDITOR TEST.BAT
b. You will then be asked by the prompt if you wish to create a new file. Type Y.
c. Then proceed to type in the following lines (thus creating the file):
@ECHO OFF
REM This logs the date information into a file.
DATE <CR >INF.TXT
REM This compares the preexisting date information
REM with the date information that was just created.
REM It creates a file with this information.
COMP INF.TXT DTFRCMP.TXT >CMP.RZT
REM This looks for the word "failure" in the created
REM text file. (This would be an indication that the
REM files are the same if "failure" was not found)...
REM Thus telling us that this batch file has already
REM been run today.
REM It pipes the results into a file.
FIND "FAILURE" CMP.RZT >DECIDER.TXT
REM If "failure" was found, then the file that was
REM created will have a file size. If it was not
REM found then it will have a zero byte file size.
REM This will try to copy the file to another file.
REM If the original file is a zero byte file then
REM this procedure will fail because the COPY
REM command cannot copy a zero byte file.
COPY DECIDER.TXT FINAL.TXT >NUL
REM This checks to see if the final file was created.
REM If it was not, then the daily routine will be
REM bypassed...this batch file has already been run today.
IF NOT EXIST FINAL.TXT GOTO FINAL
REM If this section has been reached, then the batch
REM file has not been run today and it is going to
REM execute the once-a-day command that it is intended
REM to execute. This can be any command of your choosing
REM as long as it works from the DOS prompt. The one that
REM has been chosen here is a command that copies the
REM config.sys file to a filename called ITWORKED.SYS.
:COPY
COPY C:\CONFIG.SYS C:\ITWORKED.SYS >NUL
ECHO Executing once-a-day routine...
REM This creates a new date-comparison file so that the
REM next time that this batch file is run it will see
REM that it has already been run today.
COPY INF.TXT DTFRCMP.TXT >NUL
REM This deletes the final comparison file that was created
REM today.
DEL FINAL.TXT
REM This cleans up all of the extra files and exits.
:END
DEL INF.TXT
DEL CMP.RZT
DEL DECIDER.TXT
EXIT
REM This tells you that it has already been run today.
:FINAL
echo Daily routine has already been run today.
GOTO END
Now, if TEST.BAT is executed many times daily, it will only create the file ITWORKED.SYS once a day.
Please note: If you attempt to run this batch file on the same day that you created it, it will respond that the routine has already been run today. This is because the information in the DTFRCMP.TXT file is the same as the current day's date. If you wish to test it, you will have to change the date.
This file can be incorporated in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file to execute every time the computer is turned on. To do this, use the editor and add the following line just before the line :DRDOSEND:
CALL TEST.BAT
Some possible uses of such a batch file would be running a daily virus scan, running system diagnostics or running the disk optimizer.
SOLUTION
NA
FYI
(Note: The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. Novell makes every effort within its means to verify this information. However, the information provided in this document is FOR YOUR INFORMATION only. Novell makes no explicit or implied claims as to the validity of this information.)
TITLE: DR DOS and DOS Version Numbers
DOCUMENT ID#: FYI.M.1600
DATE: 04JAN93
PRODUCT: DR DOS
PRODUCT VERSION: v6.0
SUPERSEDES: NA
SYMPTOM
Applications that check the DOS version number do not indicate 6.0 but 3.31.
ISSUE/PROBLEM
Device drivers for disk drives or networks are sometimes produced for specific versions of DOS or occasionally will use specific configurations for different versions of DOS. When applications request the DOS version number from the operating system (through INT 21), the DR DOS 6.0 operating system returns 3.31. To some users this seems as if DR DOS is trying to fool the application into believing it is another operating system. However, this is not the case. The application needs to know that it should expect support for DOS 3.3-level calls and disk support for greater than 32 MB partitions using the COMPAQ Extended Interrupt 25 and 26 convention.
DR DOS must report 3.31 to give the application the correct information it needs to work properly. Most DOS applications use the 3.31 conventions mentioned above, and therefore work without any difficulty. This was one of the reasons Digital Research decided to create DR DOS based on an existing DOS format (3.31) rather than creating a new one (such as 6.0).
Usually, a DOS 3.3 driver works properly. However, if you have been running previously with MS-DOS or PC-DOS 4.x, the driver that you have been using might be designed specifically for version 4.x. This could also be true if the previous operating system was MS-DOS 5. Contact the manufacturer of the driver to see if they have any specific configuration information or drivers for DOS 3.3x.
There are also some drivers that offer 3.3 disk support but not 3.31. The difference has to do with the capacity of the disk drive. DOS 3.31 will support greater than 32 MB partitions while 3.3 only supports a maximum of 32 MB. If your driver does not work correctly on large (>32 MB) partitions, contact the manufacturer and inquire if they have 3.31 compatible drivers.
Some applications have been designed to go beyond these conventions and actually attempt to directly manipulate DOS data structures or replace sections of the operating system code with their own. These applications depend on having intimate knowledge of each DOS version they detect and have been written to react differently for each of those versions. If an application uses this type of technique, the manufacturer will have to design the application to take the DR DOS 6.0 operating system into account as well. While DR DOS does offer 3.31 support its structures and code are very different from COMPAQ 3.31. It is possible that the manufacturer is aware of this and has already produced another version of your application or driver that runs under the DR DOS 6.0 operating system.
Contact the manufacturer to see if there is any information about upgrades or specific configuration steps for the DR DOS 6.0 operating system. If the manufacturer is interested in more information about the DR DOS 6.0 operating system, they are welcome to contact Novell directly at (800) NETWARE.
SOLUTION
NA
FYI
(Note: The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. Novell makes every effort within its means to verify this information. However, the information provided in this document is FOR YOUR INFORMATION only. Novell makes no explicit or implied claims as to the validity of this information.)
TITLE: Quicken Version 5
DOCUMENT ID#: FYI.M.1611
DATE: 04JAN93
PRODUCT: DR DOS
PRODUCT VERSION: v6.0
SUPERSEDES: NA
SYMPTOM
Problems with TaskMAX and SuperStor with Quicken 5
ISSUE/PROBLEM
Intuit has been getting reports from users using Stacker from Stac Electronics and now from users using SuperStor from AddStor that Quicken 5.0 has certain problems when executing from a compressed drive.
It is Novell's recommendation that where possible users should run Quicken from a noncompressed drive or from a floppy diskette.
TaskMAX will not work when Quicken 5 is run. Apparently, Quicken intercepts all keyboard input and TaskMAX is not getting any keystrokes. This does not cause TaskMAX to fail. It only means that you cannot switch tasks while Quicken is running. When you exit Quicken, it will restore the keyboard and TaskMAX will function normally.
Intuit Technical Support recommends the use of the /K switch to allow TaskMAX access to the keyboard. Use the following command:
Q /K
Intuit Technical Support: (415) 322-2800
SOLUTION
NA
FYI
(Note: The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. Novell makes every effort within its means to verify this information. However, the information provided in this document is FOR YOUR INFORMATION only. Novell makes no explicit or implied claims as to the validity of this information.)
TITLE: Glyphix and DR DOS
DOCUMENT ID#: FYI.M.1612
DATE: 04JAN93
PRODUCT: DR DOS
PRODUCT VERSION: v6.0
SUPERSEDES: 02JAN92
SYMPTOM
GX mode does not work with HP LaserJet
ISSUE/PROBLEM
Glyphix has been tested with DR DOS 6.0 and it exhibits the same symptoms that it did with DR DOS 5.0. The GX mode still does not work with the HP LaserJet.
If you are using a Hewlett-Packard Series II, IID, or IIIP, you should be aware of the following restrictions:
GLYPHIX laser font package for WordPerfect 5.1 has three modes of operation. You can choose any of the three modes when starting the application. Two of the modes are successful with DR DOS; the third is not.
SOLUTION
It is recommend that you change to GXL or GXS to start Glyphix. These two modes run well under DR DOS.
GXL.EXE
This is the fastest mode, but it requires the most memory. (Use DR DOS's memory features and this program should have plenty of room). It takes 110 KB of memory and can print 3-120 point sizes. It also allows background printing.
GXS.EXE
The smaller memory version of GXL.EXE. Allows you to print up to 60 point, and takes approximately 59 KB of memory. It to allows background printing.
The following mode is not compatible with DR DOS. It will not print correctly on the HP printers listed above.
GX.EXE
Requires about 26 KB of memory. Also requires over 500 KB of disk space to create a temporary print file.
If you are using a Hewlett-Packard Deskjet, the Deskjet driver for Glyphix has no problems.
FYI
(Note: The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. Novell makes every effort within its means to verify this information. However, the information provided in this document is FOR YOUR INFORMATION only. Novell makes no explicit or implied claims as to the validity of this information.)
TITLE: Magnavox PCGlobe
DOCUMENT ID#: FYI.M.1613
DATE: 04JAN93
PRODUCT: DR DOS
PRODUCT VERSION: v6.0
SUPERSEDES: 06JAN92
SYMPTOM
Error message: "Check to see if you have the right CD in your drive."
ISSUE/PROBLEM
Magnavox licenses a program called PCGlobe to run on their 461 CD-ROM external drive. The commercial version of PCGLOBE has no incompatibilities with DR DOS 6.0. However, the Magnavox version generates the following error with any configuration:
Remove the second line from the batch file that invokes PCGLOBE. The second line checks to see if a file exists on the PCGLOBE CDROM. This check fails because the file has the hidden attribute set. DR DOS does not acknowledge the existence of hidden files.
FYI
(Note: The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. Novell makes every effort within its means to verify this information. However, the information provided in this document is FOR YOUR INFORMATION only. Novell makes no explicit or implied claims as to the validity of this information.)
TITLE: Configuring DR DOS for Falcon 3.0
DOCUMENT ID#: FYI.M.1614
DATE: 29DEC92
PRODUCT: DR DOS
PRODUCT VERSION: v6.0
SUPERSEDES: 06FEB92
SYMPTOM
Trouble configuring Falcon 3.0
ISSUE/PROBLEM
Falcon 3.0 is compatible with DR DOS 6.0. However, there are very important memory requirements that must be met for this application to run properly.
Falcon requires a minimum of 600 KB (614,400 bytes) of memory to run. This can make it difficult for some users with SuperStor drives to access the program. If this is the case, it is possible to install the application to a noncompressed drive and create an alternate CONFIG.SYS (or DCONFIG.SYS) that does not load the SuperStor driver.
Other TSRs should also be avoided. One of the advantages of DR DOS 6.0 is its ability to run alternate configuration files. Additional configuration programming can be found in the DR DOS 6 users guide and in FYI-M-1113.
The installation program may display an error that indicates the computer only has 575 KB free and more memory needs to be made available. DR DOS is detecting that the installation program may be EXEpacked and is using up the first 64 KB of base memory before launching the program. Users should ignore this message and continue. If the install program returns to a DOS prompt, try using the command "MEMMAX -L" and restarting the install program. In some cases, users may see a screen that contains control characters and asks for a Y/N response. Ignore the unreadable portion and answer "N" and the installation will proceed normally. Remember to use the command "MEMMAX +L" to free up locked memory before running Falcon.
■ There may also be an additional problem for users who have single floppy drive computers. When the installation program is "Decompressing Files," users may see a message that says, "Insert diskette for drive (A or B) and press any key when ready." Do not remove the floppy from the drive but merely strike any key. This may require repeated strikes to continue and will have to be done for every disk.
■ If the installation program freezes or gives an error message, users should delete all installed files and the Falcon directory and reinstall.
■ If a user is unable to use the keyboard to select buttons in the interface or the cockpit functions while flying around, the user may need to add "BREAK=ON" to the CONFIG.SYS. If this fails to work, unplug the keyboard from the computer and then plug it back in again.
■ Users need to be sure that they are using the latest version of their mouse driver. Genius mice can be a possible problem and need to be using a v9.06 driver.
■ If digitized radio messages are playing, be sure that there is at least 480 KB (491,520 bytes) of EMS memory for those sounds. This will require a computer of at least 2 MB of RAM. All other sound effects will be available without EMS memory. To determine the amount of EMS memory available with DR DOS type "MEM" at a DOS prompt.
■ Minimum System Requirements for Falcon 3.0
- 12 MHz 80286 IBM (or compatible) computer or IBM PS/2 Model 30-286 or higher
- 1 MB of RAM
- DOS 5.0 or higher
- Hard drive with at least 11 MB free space
- VGA graphics card and VGA color monitor
- One 1.2MB 5.25 in disk drive or one 1.44MB 3.5 in disk drive
This information is courtesy of Spectrum HoloByte and not necessarily specific to DR DOS.
SOLUTION
NA
FYI
Note: The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. Novell makes every effort within its means to verify this information. However, the information provided in this document is FOR YOUR INFORMATION only. Novell makes no explicit or implied claims as to the validity of this information.)
TITLE: Manual Installation of DR DOS 6.0 with Stacker 2.0 Installed
DOCUMENT ID#: FYI.M.1615
DATE: 29DEC92
PRODUCT: DR DOS
PRODUCT VERSION: v6.0
SUPERSEDES: 12MAR92
SYMPTOM
Needing to install DR DOS 6 with Stacker already installed.
ISSUE/PROBLEM
NOTES
For these examples of a manual installation the original boot partition is assumed to be lettered C:. If the boot partition is labeled other than C:, please replace "C:" in the examples below with the drive letter representing the boot partition.
***** CAUTION ******
BACKUP THE HARD DISK BEFORE TRYING THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS. ALSO, have a copy of the present operating system's CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT handy for reference. A full understanding of the STACKER 2.0 disk compression utility is recommended before attempting the following steps. It is also recommended that the security feature of DR DOS not be installed until the user is sure that DR DOS and Stacker are working properly after installation.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Using DISKCOPY, make a backup of the DR DOS 6.0 STARTUP diskette.
2. Reboot with the DR DOS backup STARTUP diskette. Eventually the drive will stop turning at the first installation screen.
3. Break out of the installation by pressing <F10> and choosing the "Exit to DR DOS" option.
4. From the A: prompt type EDITOR CONFIG.SYS to edit the CONFIG.SYS on this backup diskette.
5. Add the following lines to the END of the CONFIG.SYS file:
DEVICE=C:\STACKER\STACKER.COM C:\STACVOL.DSK
DEVICE=C:\STACKER\SSWAP.COM C:\STACVOL.DSK /SYNC
These additions will make the DR DOS 6.0 INSTALL program "Stacker Aware." This means that the DR DOS INSTALL program will now recognize Stacker volumes, as well as uncompressed volumes.
6. Remove the lines: DEVICE=\SSTORDRV.SYS and DEVICE=\DEVSWAP.COM from this same CONFIG.SYS file. This will disable SuperStor, DR DOS's disk compression utility, from being loaded from the backup STARTUP diskette.
7. Save the changes to CONFIG.SYS by pressing a <Ctrl>+<K> and pressing X to Save and Exit. For additional information regarding DR DOS's EDITOR program, please see the DR DOS 6.0 User Guide.
Note: Remember that the DR DOS backup STARTUP diskette is now Stacker aware. If the computer were to be rebooted from this DR DOS backup STARTUP diskette, it should notice the Stacker drives loading and swapping the appropriate drive letters. Prepare to determine which drive letter is mounting as the Stacker uncompressed volume (which drive is swapping with C:). Do this by watching Stacker as it mounts:
Swapped drives C: and __:
FILL in the above blank, and all of the below blanks (underscores), with the drive letter representing the uncompressed boot partition that swaps with C:.
8. Reboot with the DR DOS backup STARTUP diskette and note the swap drive as explained in the NOTE above. Eventually the drive will stop turning at the first installation screen.
9. Break out of the installation by pressing <F10> and choosing the "Exit to DR DOS" option.
10. From the A: prompt, type SYS __:. This will transfer the proper boot files from the installation diskette in drive A: to the uncompressed boot partition. Now the uncompressed drive (__:) is a DR DOS 6.0 boot drive.
11. Also from the A: prompt type SYS C:. This will transfer the proper boot files from the installation diskette in drive A: to the C: Stacker partition. Most importantly, this will create a new DR DOS Boot Sector if the hard disk was previously formatted under another operating system.
12. Move to drive __:, and create a DR DOS subdirectory by typing MD DRDOS.
13. Move to drive C: and create a DR DOS subdirectory by typing MD DRDOS.
Note: this is not the same drive as step 12.
14. Move back to the A: drive and copy all of the files from all of the DR DOS 6.0 diskettes into the C:\DRDOS subdirectory. This is accomplished by typing COPY *.* C:\DRDOS from the A: prompt. Do this with each individual DR DOS diskette. Use either the original STARTUP or the backup STARTUP diskette.
15. Move to the C:\DRDOS subdirectory by typing C: and then CD\DRDOS.
16. Delete COMMAND.COM, CONFIG.SYS, and AUTOEXEC.BAT from this DR DOS subdirectory. These files will not be needed in this directory.
Example: DEL <FILENAME>
17. Rename INSTALL.EXE to SETUP.EXE. REN INSTALL.EXE SETUP.EXE.
18. Run SETUP by typing SETUP, then install each portion of DR DOS.
***** CAUTION ******
Note: DO NOT install the SuperStor portion of DR DOS. SuperStor and Stacker cannot be used together.
19. Once DR DOS is installed and configured, choose the "EXIT TO DR DOS" option. DO NOT REBOOT THE COMPUTER!
20. From the C:\DRDOS subdirectory, type EDITOR C:\CONFIG.SYS.
21. Add the following lines to the end of the CONFIG.SYS file:
DEVICE=C:\STACKER\STACKER.COM C:\STACKVOL.DSK
DEVICE=C:\STACKER\SSWAP.COM C:\STACVOL.DSK /SYNC
These additions will make your DR DOS hard disk installation "Stacker Aware."
22. Also, write down any of the NEW (DR DOS) drivers that are loaded before the last two lines added above.
Note: This is why it is recommended that a copy of the old CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT be made.
Compare the old CONFIG.SYS with the new CONFIG.SYS DR DOS created and determine which drivers DR DOS has added. Look for lines that begin with a DEVICE, HIDEVICE, INSTALL, or HIINSTALL command. Remember the two lines will be loaded from this __: drive. This is why it is necessary to make sure they are in the DRDOS subdirectory on the __: drive for CONFIG.SYS to find them.
23. Save the changes to CONFIG.SYS by pressing a <Ctrl>+<K> and then pressing X to Save and Exit. For additional information regarding DR DOS's EDITOR program, please see the DR DOS 6.0 User Guide.
24. Copy all of the files noted in step #22 above to the DRDOS subdirectory on __: (__:\DRDOS). COPY <FILENAME> __:\DRDOS.
25. Move back to the root directory by typing a CD \. From here, copy CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT to the _: root directory (__: \).
Example: COPY <FILENAME> __: \
26. Stacker and DR DOS are now installed. You may now reboot your machine.
NOTE: If Stacker detects changes in your AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS during boot, let Stacker make the changes by pressing a "Y."
Disclaimer
Stacker is a trademark of Stac Electronics of Carlsbad, CA, and is in no way a product of the Novell Desktop Systems Group. While we make every effort to provide accurate information to assist the user in installing DR DOS 6.O over Stacker 2.0, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of these instructions in every instance. Technical support questions involving Stacker software are best addressed to Stac Electronics.
SOLUTION
NA
FYI
(Note: The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. Novell makes every effort within its means to verify this information. However, the information provided in this document is FOR YOUR INFORMATION only. Novell makes no explicit or implied claims to the validity of this information.)
TITLE: Crusaders of the Dark Savant or Wizardry #7
DOCUMENT ID#: FYI.M.1624
DATE: 25NOV92
PRODUCT: DR DOS
PRODUCT VERSION: v6.0
SUPERSEDES: NA
SYMPTOM
When launching Crusaders of the Dark Savant/Wizardry #7 from Sir-Tech, the system displayed the following error:
The CONFIG.SYS must have the following two items set to launch the program:
■ The memory manager EMM386.SYS must have the /F=NONE switch set and FASTOPEN=0.
■ In the AUTOEXEC.BAT, there can not be the line MEMMAX -U >NUL nor can you load SUPERPCK.
If any one of the above mentioned settings are not set as stated you will get the error message.
Also this solution will not work on a 286 (or below) based platform or any machine in which the memory manager HIDOS.SYS is loaded.
SOLUTION
You can make a bootable disk by simply formatting a disk in the A: drive with the /S option, then adding the following CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files to the bootable disk.
AUTOEXEC.BAT
@ECHO OFF
PATH C:\DRDOS;C:\DSAVANT (you need to make sure that the path is correct for your machine)
?DEVICE=C:\SSTORDRV.SYS (you only need to use this if your drive is compressed)
?DEVICE=C:\DEVSWAP.COM (you only need to use this if your drive is compressed)
SHELL=C:\COMMAND.COM C:\ /P /E:512
BREAK=ON
HIBUFFERS=30
FILES=120
FCBS=4,4
FASTOPEN=0
LASTDRIVE=M
HISTORY=ON, 256, OFF, OFF, OFF
COUNTRY=001,,C:\DRDOS\COUNTRY.SYS
HIDOS=ON
It is possible to use the CHAIN command in CONFIG.SYS to run an alternate CONFIG file. This alternate CONFIG file may also need to have a shell statement to run an alternate AUTOEXEC.BAT (refer to FYI-M-1113).
If you are not familiar with the above processes, it is recommended that you do not change your CONFIG.SYS or your AUTOEXEC.BAT to reflect this configuration on your hard drive. Novell recommends that you simply make a bootable disk and use it when you play Crusaders of the Dark Savant/Wizardry #7. You make a bootable disk by placing a disk in the A: drive; and from the prompt, type SYS A:. This will make a bootable disk then you need to create the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS as they are above.
This particular configuration of Crusaders uses no Expanded or EMS memory. Technically, Crusaders should run with EMS but it is not compatible with DR DOS 6.0 EMM386.SYS EMS memory.
FYI
(Note: The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. Novell makes every effort within its means to verify this information. However, the information provided in this document is FOR YOUR INFORMATION only. Novell makes no explicit or implied claims as to the validity of this information.)
TITLE: Wiring a Terminal
DOCUMENT ID#: FYI.M.1900
DATE: 29DEC92
PRODUCT: DR Multiuser DOS
PRODUCT VERSION: v5.x
SUPERSEDES: 01APR92
SYMPTOM
Trouble wiring a terminal
ISSUE/PROBLEM
The cable needed to connect a dumb terminal or a PC terminal to the host machine is an RS-232 Null Modem cable.
SOLUTION
The possible pin configurations are as follows:
┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│ 25-to-25 PIN CABLE │
├────────────────┬────────────────┤
│ HOST MACHINE │ PC/TERMINAL │
├────────────────┼────────────────┤
│ Transmit - 2 │ 3 - Receive │
│ Receive - 3 │ 2 - Transmit │
│ DSR - 6 │ 20 - DTR │
│ Ground - 7 │ 7 - Ground │
│ DTR - 20 │ 6 - DSR │
└────────────────┴────────────────┘
┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│ 9-to-25 PIN CABLE │
├────────────────┬────────────────┤
│ HOST MACHINE │ PC/TERMINAL │
├────────────────┼────────────────┤
│ Transmit - 3 │ 3 - Receive │
│ Receive - 2 │ 2 - Transmit │
│ DSR - 6 │ 20 - DTR │
│ Ground - 5 │ 7 - Ground │
│ DTR - 4 │ 6 - DSR │
└────────────────┴────────────────┘
┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│ 25-to-9 PIN CABLE │
├────────────────┬────────────────┤
│ HOST MACHINE │ PC/TERMINAL │
├────────────────┼────────────────┤
│ Transmit - 2 │ 2 - Receive │
│ Receive - 3 │ 3 - Transmit │
│ DSR - 6 │ 4 - DTR │
│ Ground - 7 │ 5 - Ground │
│ DTR - 20 │ 6 - DSR │
└────────────────┴────────────────┘
┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│ 9-to-9 PIN CABLE │
├────────────────┬────────────────┤
│ HOST MACHINE │ PC/TERMINAL │
├────────────────┼────────────────┤
│ Transmit - 3 │ 2 - Receive │
│ Receive - 2 │ 3 - Transmit │
│ DSR - 6 │ 4 - DTR │
│ Ground - 5 │ 5 - Ground │
│ DTR - 4 │ 6 - DSR │
└────────────────┴────────────────┘
FYI
(Note: The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. Novell makes every effort within its means to verify this information. However, the information provided in this document is FOR YOUR INFORMATION only. Novell makes no explicit or implied claims as to the validity of this information.)
TITLE: Configuring CSPOOL
DOCUMENT ID#: FYI.M.1901
DATE: 29DEC92
PRODUCT: DR Multiuser DOS
PRODUCT VERSION: 5.x
SUPERSEDES: 31MAR92
SYMPTOM
NA
ISSUE/PROBLEM
Additional information on configuring CSPOOL
SOLUTION
1. Make sure the user has the DR Multiuser DOS Business Update of September, 1991 for version 5.0 or DR Multiuser DOS 5.1.
2. In CCONFIG.SYS, put the line:
SET CSPOOL C:\OSUTILS\SPOOL.
3. If a secure system has not been installed, there will be a system-wide CCONFIG.SYS file, a system-wide AUTOEXEC.BAT file, and the possibility of STARTxxx.BAT files for each session on each terminal. The START files are numbered according to this convention: STARTxxy is the batch file that will be executed on startup for terminal xx, session y.
For example, the file START032 is executed for terminal 03, session 2 upon booting. (The main console is terminal 00.) If a secure system has been installed, the system administrator should create an AUTOEXEC.BAT file for EACH USER (in that user's subdirectory), and execute that instead of a START file. Different programs can be executed from each session on the terminal by using IF "%1"=="x" for session x, in the user's AUTOEXEC file.
4. In the system-wide AUTOEXEC.BAT file, put the line:
IF "%1"=="1" CSPOOL START
This starts CSPOOL from the main console. If a secure system has been installed and there are individual user AUTOEXEC.BAT files, do not include this line in each of those.
5. If STARTxxx.BAT files are used (in place of AUTOEXEC.BAT), CSPOOL may have trouble initializing simultaneously with other processes. The user can work around this problem by using START001.BAT to initialize CSPOOL with a pause.
Example:
START001.BAT
PROMPT $P$G
PATH=C:\OSUTILS;C:\;...
SUSPEND=OFF
PAUSE
SET CSPOOL=C:\OSUTILS\SPOOL
CSPOOL START
This will give other STARTxxx.BAT files time to start applications before the user initializes CSPOOL. If AUTOEXEC.BAT is used and start files are not, the user can put the following line before the line IF...CSPOOL START line in AUTOEXEC.BAT, to accomplish the same thing:
IF "%1"=="1" PAUSE
6. The C:\OSUTILS\SPOOL directory collects temporary files that are sent to the spooler. Occasionally, a log jam of corrupted files will block printouts. To solve this, do the following:
a. Get to a prompt and type:
CSPOOL QUIT
b. Go to the C:\OSUTILS\SPOOL subdirectory.
c. Delete all files EXCEPT for CONFIG.CPL.
7. CONFIG.CPL is used to control settings for CSPOOL. Most users want to reduce the TIME_OUT setting. The minimum time out is 5 seconds. Most users also want to stop the form feed. To do so, set FORMFEED to 0. This file can be edited in any text editor.
8. CONFIG.CPL also contains a list of files not used by the spooler. Printers 3 and 4 are on this list. If the user has a printer on COM1 or COM2, these assignments need to be removed from the NOT_PRINTER list. To exclude any other printer from the spooler, add its printer assignment to the NOT_PRINTER list. If a modem is running off the multiport board, add that port's printer assignment to the NOT_PRINTER list.
FYI
(Note: The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. Novell makes every effort within its means to verify this information. However, the information provided in this document is FOR YOUR INFORMATION only. Novell makes no explicit or implied claims as to the validity of this information.)
TITLE: Terminals Locking
DOCUMENT ID#: FYI.M.1902
DATE: 28DEC92
PRODUCT: DR Multiuser DOS
PRODUCT VERSION: 5.x
SUPERSEDES: 13APR92
SYMPTOM
Terminals lock or hang
ISSUE/PROBLEM
Terminals lock or hang
SOLUTION
1. Make sure the user has the DR Multiuser DOS Business Update of September, 1991 for version 5.0 or DR Multiuser DOS 5.1.
2. If hanging problems occur that do not occur under a single user DOS, slow down all hardware options. The user could do the following:
a. Disable Turbo (if the computer has Turbo switch)
b. Disable shadowing,
c. Disable any onboard cache
d. Increase wait states in the CMOS setup.
e. If the video card is anything other than standard CGA, EGA, VGA; switch the card or monitor to one of these standard modes.
3. To check for drive fragmentation, run CHKDSK *.* on the hard drive. The first time CHKDSK is run, the user should choose NOT to convert anything to files, and just see what is going to be converted. After the names of the affected files and directories have been noted, run CHKDSK *.* /F on the drive. NETDRIVE must be set to LOCAL for CHKDSK to run in Multiuser DOS.
4. Be sure to turn the computer off daily, to minimize the effect of memory fragmentation. (If 1 KB is used each time a program is loaded, eventually these 1 KB pieces will add up to all the available memory.)
5. Check the power supply. A dedicated, grounded line with surge protector is ideal. The humidity around the computer and peripherals ought to be kept between 40 and 60 percent, as static electricity can also cause hanging problems.
6. If the computer is too near appliances or the wall, or if the area isn't well ventilated, the computer could overheat and cause unpredictable problems.
7. Periodically (once every 6 months or so), the system administrator should open up the machine, clean the insides of the computer with canned air, and remove and reseat the cards, reseat the chips, and check the contacts. This will correct the effects of heat or dust on the computer.
FYI
(Note: The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. Novell makes every effort within its means to verify this information. However, the information provided in this document is FOR YOUR INFORMATION only. Novell makes no explicit or implied claims as to the validity of this information.)
TITLE: Using a PC as a Terminal
DOCUMENT ID#: FYI.M.1903
DATE: 28DEC92
PRODUCT: DR Multiuser DOS
PRODUCT VERSION: 5.x
SUPERSEDES: 13APR92
SYMPTOM
NA
ISSUE/PROBLEM
Problems with PCTERM
SOLUTION
DOCUMENTATION REFERENCES
The DR Multiuser DOS User Guide, Chapters 1 and 3, and Appendix B.
HARDWARE
■ Host machine must be running DR Multiuser DOS, and have a free serial port.
■ PC to be used as a terminal must have at least 256 KB of RAM, a monochrome or color display, and a free serial port (COM1 or COM2).
CABLE
■ The cable that will connect the serial port on the host to the serial port on the PC must be an RS-232 Null Modem cable. As there is no industry-wide specification, the cable must be wired EXACTLY as outlined in FYI-M-1900.
SOFTWARE
■ PCTERM - Because the setup procedure is clearly outlined in Chapter 3 of the DR Multiuser DOS User Guide, these points are to be used only as enhancement to that documentation:
■ The program that runs PCTERM is called PCTERM.COM. It is stored in the OSUTILS subdirectory on the hard disk and is on the DR Multiuser DOS installation disks. The first time PCTERM is run, it will create a file (in the same directory as itself) called PCTERM.CON. Every subsequent time PCTERM is run, it will write the changes to PCTERM.CON.
■ To run PCTERM, get to the C:\> prompt, and type PCTERM. The user will see the main PCTERM menu. To see or alter the terminal specifications, press <F2>. Most parameters will not need to be changed. Keep in mind that all these parameters refer to the CLIENT machine (the PC that is connecting as a terminal). These parameters are as follows:
F1 ■ Into which serial communications port (ON THE PC, not the host) will the cable that is going to the host machine (from the PC) be plugged?
Note: For parameters beginning with an asterisk '*', PCTERM and SETUP need to agree.
*F2 ■ What is the speed at which these two machines will communicate?
For trouble|shooting purposes, use a baud rate of 9600. When everything is working perfectly, one might be able to run the terminal at 19200 baud or 38400 baud.
*F3 ■ Leave Parity at NONE.
*F4 ■ Leave Word Length at 8 (this is DATA BITS in Setup).
*F5 ■ Leave Flow Control at DTR (this is PROTOCOL in Setup).
F6 ■ Leave Color Scroll Mode at FAST. If the PC has an older color adapter, this may need to be changed to Slow or Very Slow, if there is "snow" on the screen at FAST speed.
F7 ■ The first time that PCTERM is run, leave Display Initial Menu at YES. After the PC terminal is running perfectly, if the user wishes for the PC to act as a terminal on the host every time it boots (rather than use the PC locally), this can be changed to NO.
F8 ■ Leave Wrap-around at OFF.
F9 ■ Leave this at LPT1, to print to the local printer (off the printer port of the PC).
*F10■ If the PC being connected has a monochrome display, choose PCTerm. If the PC being connected supports graphics, choose PC/CGA. (This corresponds with "Terminal supports graphics" in Setup.)
■ Once all the parameters have been set, press <Esc> to return to the PCTERM menu. Answer Y to the prompt "Update the configuration file?".
■ At this point, the file PCTERM.CON has been created with the parameters needed for the PC to act as a terminal. Copy PCTERM.COM and PCTERM.CON from the hard disk onto a floppy diskette, and bring the floppy diskette over to the PC. If the PC has a hard drive, these two files should be copied into the root directory of drive C: on the PC (or into any other subdirectory that is addressed by the PATH statement in the PC's AUTOEXEC.BAT file). At this point, one should be able to turn on the PC, get to a C:\> prompt, type PCTERM, and see the main menu for the PCTERM program.
■ SETUP Keep in mind that the options in the SETUP program refer primarily to the main console and the host machine. To run the SETUP program, get to a C:\> prompt, and type SETUP and press <Enter>. The screens are the same as those seen during the initial DR Multiuser DOS installation.
■ Choose SERIAL PORTS as the area to configure in SETUP.
■ Choose the appropriate multiport card, if applicable.
■ Choose VIEW PORT SUMMARY from the port configuration menu.
■ Choose the port into which the null modem cable is plugged.
■ Choose PC TERMINAL for this port's function.
* Set Baud Rate to 9600.
* Set Parity to NONE.
* Set Data bits to 8.
■ Set Stop bits to 1.
* Set Protocol to DTR/DSR.
* If the PC has a monochrome monitor with no graphics card, answer NO to "Terminal Supports Graphics" prompt. If the PC has a Hercules (or compatible), CGA, EGA, or VGA card, answer YES.
■ If the PC has an older, 84-key keyboard, change the keyboard default to be 84.
■ Save all options, and finish Setup without any other changes.
At this point, the user will be able to boot the host computer, with the PC turned on, and get to a C:\> prompt on the PC by typing PCTERM, and choosing F1 to emulate a terminal. This C:\> prompt is coming from the Host Machine, and at this point the PC is nothing more than a terminal connected to the host. To return to the PCTERM menu (so that you can ESCape to the PC's own C:\> prompt), press <Ctrl>+<Alt>+<F10>.
FYI
(Note: The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. Novell makes every effort within its means to verify this information. However, the information provided in this document is FOR YOUR INFORMATION only. Novell makes no explicit or implied claims as to the validity of this information.)
TITLE: PRINTMAP and Printer Commands
DOCUMENT ID#: FYI.M.1904
DATE: 28DEC92
PRODUCT: DR Multiuser DOS
PRODUCT VERSION: 5.x
SUPERSEDES: 13APR92
SYMPTOM
NA
ISSUE/PROBLEM
Additional information on PRINTMAP
DOCUMENTATION REFERENCES
■ Page 16-42, pages 13-2 to 13-4, and pages 11-115 to 11-116 in the DR Multiuser DOS User Guide
DEFAULTS
■ The first concept to understand about DR Multiuser DOS port assignments is that while most DOS applications (and therefore most DOS users) refer to the printer ports as LPT1, LPT2, etc, and to the serial ports as COM1, COM2, etc., DR Multiuser DOS uses these device names as logical names only, each of which can be mapped to any physical port. The physical ports are known to DR Multiuser DOS as PRN0, PRN1, etc. (for printer ports), and AUX0, AUX1, etc. (for serial ports).
■ The default assignments for PRINTMAP can be seen by typing PRINTMAP at a prompt. They are as follows:
■ The default descriptions for each possible printer and serial device are stored in a file called PRINTMAP.DAT (in the OSUTILS directory). For printing from the console, they are as follows:
┌───────────────┬───────────────────────────┐
│ Physical Name │ Physical Port │
├───────────────┼───────────────────────────┤
│ Printer 0 │ Parallel port 0 │
│ Printer 1 │ Parallel port 1 │
│ Printer 2 │ Parallel port 2 │
│ Printer 3 │ COM1 port │
│ Printer 4 │ COM2 port or Multiport 1 │
│ Printer 5 │ Multiport 2 │
│ Printer 6 │ Multiport 3 │
│ . . │ │
│ Printer 15 │ Multiport 12 │
│ │ │
│ Aux0 │ COM1 port │
│ Aux1 │ COM2 port or Multiport 1 │
│ Aux2 │ Multiport 2 │
│ Aux3 │ Multiport 3 │
│ . . │ │
│ Aux 15 │ Multiport 15 │
└───────────────┴───────────────────────────┘
For printing from a terminal: ***The default printer for a terminal is the printer off the back of that terminal. To the software running on a terminal, "LPT1" is the printer that is local to the terminal, by default. To change this, a PRINTMAP or PRINTER command would be needed.
■ The syntax of PRINTMAP, in general is: PRINTMAP Logical name = DR Multiuser DOS Physical name. The effect of this is to map the physical port to the logical port name for this session only. If the mapping needs to take effect for every session on a given terminal, put /* after the mapping.
EXAMPLES
■ To send all output that software has directed to LPT3 (from the session the terminal is in) to the printer defined by the system as Printer 3 (the printer that is plugged into the device which is plugged into port COM1), type PRINTMAP LPT3 = PRN3
■ To assign the label LPT4 to the printer plugged into the second parallel port on the system, type PRINTMAP LPT4 = PRN1
■ To reassign the value of LPT1 for a session, type PRINTMAP LPT1 = PRNx (replace x with the printer number to be used), or use the PRINTER command, to type PRINTER x. This will make all output to LPT1 from this session go to printer x. The x is from the DR Multiuser DOS physical device name, as listed above.
SOLUTION
NA
FYI
(Note: The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. Novell makes every effort within its means to verify this information. However, the information provided in this document is FOR YOUR INFORMATION only. Novell makes no explicit or implied claims as to the validity of this information.)
TITLE: Troubleshooting Terminals
DOCUMENT ID#: FYI.M.1905
DATE: 28DEC92
PRODUCT: DR Multiuser DOS
PRODUCT VERSION: 5.x
SUPERSEDES: 13APR92
SYMPTOM
Terminal does not respond or garbage characters appear on screen
ISSUE/PROBLEM
Terminal does not respond or garbage characters appear on screen
SOLUTION
1. Make sure the user has the DR Multiuser DOS Business Update of September, 1991 for version 5.0 or has DR Multiuser DOS 5.1.
2. Cable is frequently a problem. A 5-wire null modem cable is needed. The pin configuration is shown on page B-3 of the DR Multiuser DOS User Guide. It is highly recommended that the protocol be DTR/DSR.
3. For troubleshooting purposes ONLY, the user could construct a cable with the following configuration:
25 pin PC end Terminal end (DB25)
Transmit 2 -------- 3 Receive
Receive 3 -------- 2 Transmit
Ground 7 -------- 7 Ground
Using this cable, and setting the protocol (both in SETUP and on the terminal) to NONE, it will be possible to see whether any signal at all is going from the main CPU to the terminal. (Protocol may be referred to as Flow Control.)
4. Another good test of signal transmission is to define the port into which the malfunctioning terminal is plugged as a Printer/Aux port (so the terminal is treated by the system as a serial printer), in SETUP. Reboot, select the correct printer number (from another terminal) using the PRINTER or PRINTMAP command on the working terminal, and type DIR > PRN. The directory should "print" on screen of the terminal in question.
5. Refer to Chapter 3 in the DR Multiuser DOS User Guide for setup specifications.
6. If a PC or terminal is having trouble at higher baud rates, set the baud rate (in Setup and on the terminal/PC) to 9600.
7. In Setup, make sure that the question "Does this terminal support graphics" is answered correctly.
■ For standard monochrome terminals, such as a Wyse 60/150, the answer is NO.
■ For a Wyse 370 to support graphics, its personality must be set to GR/CGA.
■ A PC in Terminal Emulation mode can be configured for color graphics use, by selecting Emulation=PC/CGA in PCTERM.
FYI
(Note: The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. Novell makes every effort within its means to verify this information. However, the information provided in this document is FOR YOUR INFORMATION only. Novell makes no explicit or implied claims to the validity of this information.)
TITLE: Troubleshooting Memory Conflicts with DR Multiuser DOS
DOCUMENT ID#: FYI.M.1906
DATE: 28DEC92
PRODUCT: DR Multiuser DOS
PRODUCT VERSION: 5.x
SUPERSEDES: 04JUN92
SYMPTOM
NA
ISSUE/PROBLEM
Memory Conflicts after upgrading or adding memory to system. General Memory issues such as TSR compatibilities
SOLUTION
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS
If the version of DR Multiuser DOS being used is 5.0, make sure it has been upgraded with the DR Multiuser DOS Business Update of September, 1991.
If new memory has been installed, check the memory count upon bootup, to verify that the system recognizes all the memory available to it.
To minimize memory fragmentation, users could exit applications frequently (such as before breaks and at lunch time). Be sure to turn the computer off daily. (If 1 KB is used each time a program is loaded, eventually the total of these 1 KB pieces will equal all the available memory.)
Be aware that loading something (such as a TSR) in CCONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT will load it globally, and detract from the available memory system-wide. If a TSR is only needed in one session, it is best to load it through the following:
(a) a START file,
or
(b) a conditional line in AUTOEXEC.BAT testing for the value of the console number (%1, e.g., IF "%1"=="4" CALL TSR.BAT).
APPLICATION PROBLEMS
To increase the free memory available to all sessions, you can limit applications' access to memory in one of two ways:
1. To limit access for ALL applications on the system, lower the value of "Maximum memory per process" in SETUP.
2. To limit access for just one application, lower the value of "Maximum memory desired", on the PIFED screen for that application.
To use the second approach, one first needs to determine how much memory the application needs to run. This information is generally available from the application documentation, or from the manufacturer. If the user is not sure how much memory is needed, use the MEMSIZE command to limit the memory available. Work with the program for a while, then limit the memsize some more. Work with the program some more, and so forth, until the lowest limit that will allow the program to run comfortably has been reached. Thorough testing at this stage is essential, as an application with too little memory available to it may load and run for a while, but not be able to execute its more memory intensive modules.
Once the maximum amount of memory needed for an application has been determined, run PIFED on the executable file that runs the application. (For example, to alter the specifications for WP.EXE, one would type PIFED WP.EXE.) Each field in PIFED is explained on pages 15-8 to 15-13 of the DR Multiuser DOS User Guide. The most important steps would be to do the following:
(a) Reduce the value of the Maximum Memory Desired field, to get it closer to the amount demanded by the application.
(b) Set the Interrupt Vector Range from 0 to FF, so that all interrupt vectors are banked out and in with the application
(c) Alter the setting of the Program Waits in Idle Loop field; try "NO" first, then "YES."
For large multiuser systems, the value of the Additional System Memory Pool field in SETUP should be increased to allow for the additional system structures required.
When an application appears to be having memory problems, here are a few fields to check in SETUP:
■ Increase the system memory pool.
■ Decrease the maximum memory per process.
■ Choose NOT to set all upper memory to AUTOSCAN, then manually disable some of the blocks that are next to blocks disabled by Autoscan.
TERMINAL HANGING PROBLEMS
Hanging terminals can be a result of memory shortages. The following changes may alleviate the situation:
■ In the BIOS setup, reduce the speed of all possible parameters.
■ In CCONFIG.SYS, set FILES=100 and FCBS=16,16.
■ In SETUP, disable those memory blocks which are next to memory blocks that have been disabled by Autoscan.
■ In AUTOEXEC.BAT, alter the setting of NETDRIVE. Try Remote first; if that doesn't help, try Local.
■ In AUTOEXEC.BAT, use MEMSIZE to reduce the memory allocation for each session.
■ PIFED the application, making these changes:
a. Set memory allocation down closer to amount needed.
b. Set the interrupt vector range to 00-ff, so all interrupt vectors are swapped out with the application.
c. Answer NO to "Program waits in idle loop." If that doesn't help, reset it through PIFED to YES.
NOT ENOUGH MEMORY
Occasionally, when a user moves from an application in one session to another session, anything command issued by the user will result in a "NOT ENOUGH MEMORY" error. To determine the amount of memory available in the TPA (Transient Program Area), type SHOW /M at a prompt, and note the amount of DOS Free Memory. This is the maximum amount of conventional memory that is available for any one session. If SHOW /M shows no memory available after the user has switched from one session to another, the user ought to do the following:
(a) Verify that all existing memory is being recognized at boot time.
(b) Run PIFED on the application in the first session.
PC TERM
Occasionally, PCTERM, upon exiting back to its menu on a PC terminal, will hang. In this case, the path is probably getting lost on the 286/terminals, which means that the environment variables are somehow being affected when they are stored in the memory of the host machine. To correct this problem do the following:
1. In SETUP: increase system memory pool; decrease maximum memory per process (to about 512 KB).
2. In CCONFIG.SYS: increase FILES and buffers (a lot); increase FCBS to 16,16.
FYI
(Note: The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. Novell makes every effort within its means to verify this information. However, the information provided in this document is FOR YOUR INFORMATION only. Novell makes no explicit or implied claims to the validity of this information.)
TITLE: Manual Installation of DR Multiuser DOS
DOCUMENT ID#: FYI.M.1907
DATE: 28DEC92
PRODUCT: DR MULTIUSER DOS
PRODUCT VERSION: All versions
SUPERSEDES: 05JUN92
SYMPTOM
NA
ISSUE/PROBLEM
The user needs to manually install DR Multiuser DOS
SOLUTION
Note: x: is considered to be the bootable drive.
Only DR Multiuser DOS on Partition
1. Prepare the hard disk with FDISK, creating at least a 5 MB active bootable partition.
2. Format the bootable partition with a (FORMAT x: /s). This will require booting from the DR Multiuser DOS disk 1 and exiting to DOS.
3. Make a directory on the bootable partition of \OSUTILS (MD \OSUTILS) and copy all the files from the root directories (COPY A:*.* x:\OSUTILS) of the installation disks into this directory.
4. Rename INSTALL.EXE in the \OSUTILS directory to SETUP.EXE. See section on "Creating Necessary Files."
Multiple Operating Systems on Partition
1. Make sure the bootable partition on the hard disk has at least 5 MB of available space.
2. Make a directory on the bootable partition of \OSUTILS (MD \OSUTILS).
3. Copy all the files from the root directories (COPY A:*.* x:\OSUTILS) of the installation disks into this directory. After copying all the files to the hard drive, rename INSTALL.EXE in the \OSUTILS directory to SETUP.EXE.
4. Remove the attributes to IBMDOS.COM (ATTRIB -R IBMDOS.COM)
5. Copy IBMDOS.COM on the installation diskettes to DRMDOS.SYS on the bootable partition(COPY A:IBMDOS.COM x:\DRMDOS.SYS).
6. Change the attributes of IBMDOS.COM (ATTRIB A:\IBMDOS.COM -RSH).
7. Copy LOADER.COM from the \OSUTILS directory on the hard drive to the ROOT directory (COPY \OSUTILS\LOADER.COM \LOADER.COM).
8. Run LOADER.COM to initialize the drive for Multiple O/S booting. See section on "Creating Necessary Files."
Creating Necessary Files
Add the following lines to the beginning of the AUTOEXEC.BAT:
If "%OS%"=="DRMDOS" goto DRMDOS ;To determine the operating system.
GOTO SKIP;Placed at the end of your existing O/S commands.
:DRMDOS ;A label
SET TEMP=x:\OSUTILS\TMP
PATH x:\OSUTILS;
APPEND x:\OSUTILS
SUSPEND = OFF
PROMPT %CONSOLE% $P$G
EXIT
:SKIP
These lines are necessary for Multiuser and will not be created by running SETUP. The original AUTOEXEC.BAT should continue after the ":SKIP" label. After adding the necessary lines to the AUTOEXEC.BAT and rebooting run SETUP to configure your system parameters, it may be necessary to copy files from the subdirectories on the installation diskettes for drivers or batch files for specific applications.
FYI
(Note: The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. Novell makes every effort within its means to verify this information. However, the information provided in this document is FOR YOUR INFORMATION only. Novell makes no explicit or implied claims to the validity of this information.)
TITLE: Configuring LOADER.COM for Multiple Operating System Boots
DOCUMENT ID#: FYI.M.1909
DATE: 05JAN93
PRODUCT: DR MULTIUSER DOS
PRODUCT VERSION: 5.x
SUPERSEDES: 15JUL92
SYMPTOM
NA
ISSUE/PROBLEM
This document contains information that is intended for advanced DOS users. Because of the complexity of having multiple operating systems, support for these advanced features is limited.
LOADER has two hidden, system, read only (HSR) files: LOADER.SAV, and IBMBIO.LDR. These files are position sensitive and cannot be moved or deleted except through the use of LOADER.COM. It is not possible to remove LOADER from a system by deleting these hidden files. The only way to remove LOADER from a system is by using the LOADER /U option or a low-level format. The file LOADER.SAV is an exact duplicate of the MBR (Master Boot Record) before LOADER was installed. Moving or deleting this file will mean that the system cannot be restored to its previous state. If the files are removed LOADER will give an error indicating "Bad or missing IBMBIO.LDR" on bootup, LOADER will then allow the default operating system to be loaded by pressing any key. No other operating system will be able to boot.
Because the use of LOADER changes, the Master Boot Record it is strongly recommended that full backups of all partitions on the first physical drive be made. Novell is not responsible for any loss of data.
The Superstor Disk Compression utility that comes with DR DOS is not compatible with other operating systems including DR Multiuser DOS. Remove the SuperStor drivers (SSTORDRV.SYS and DEVSWAP.COM) from the configuration files of any other operating systems. The compressed data will not be accessible.
The program LOADER.COM, which is supplied with DR Multiuser DOS, gives users the ability to load several operating systems on a single hard disk partition. It is automatically installed by the DR Multiuser DOS installation program when a single user DOS is detected on the bootable drive. This "basic" installation of LOADER by the DR Multiuser DOS INSTALL program only gives the option of Yes or No to loading DR Multiuser DOS. However, when LOADER is used to boot between multiple operating systems it is necessary to create an ASCII file list. This ASCII list contains the names of the other operating system kernel files. This ASCII file will be referred to from here on as the "bootfile." Typically, the bootfile is called BOOTLIST.TXT; however, the name can be any valid DOS filename.
Creating a Bootfile
The bootfile must reside in the root directory of the primary DOS partition (bootable drive). It will contain a list of the available operating systems from which to boot. The bootfile can contain up to 20 lines. Each line must have the following format:
FILENAME.EXT TYPE [NUM] COMMENT
FILENAME.EXT is the complete name of the operating system kernel file that is first loaded. For example, the DR DOS 6 file name is IBMBIO.COM.
TYPE identifies the kind of operating system. For TYPE enter one of the following single-character codes:
[NUM] is optional and sets a timeout for the operating system kernel file. Only one timeout can be used in a bootfile. If a user wanted DR Multiuser DOS to load automatically after 5 seconds put [5] after the TYPE on the DR Multiuser DOS line (see above example). The operating system will load in 5 seconds if no other selection is made. The brackets are required.
COMMENT is optional and can be used to help identify what operating system will be loaded. Any text including spaces and tabs can be entered.
A space or a tab must be used to separate FILENAME, TYPE and COMMENT. LOADER does not care which of these "delimiters" is used but they must be present for proper execution of the bootfile.
Once the bootfile is created, LOADER must be run from the command line, accompanied by the bootfile name.
LOADER BOOTLIST.TXT
When installed LOADER consists of:
LOADER.COM
LOADER.SYS
IBMBIO.LDR
LOADER.SAV
the bootfile
modified MBR
Files that cannot be moved and have the attributes HSR:
LOADER.SAV
IBMBIO.LDR
target OS files (MS DOS 4.01 or earlier)
Files that can be moved but must remain in the root directory:
LOADER.SYS
bootfile
target OS files (except MS DOS 5.0 or earlier)
Files that can go anywhere and in any directory:
LOADER.COM
How LOADER Installs
When LOADER.COM is executed a backup of the current MBR is made and stored in LOADER.SAV. (LOADER.SAV is actually a few bytes larger than the MBR.) LOADER code is then copied into the MBR. IBMBIO.LDR is placed in the root directory and the absolute sector for the file is placed in the MBR. The result is that the MBR will contain enough code to find and load IBMBIO.LDR. LOADER.SYS is then placed in the root directory and has stored within it the name of the bootfile.
How LOADER Boots
1. The BIOS reads the MBR and executes the code in it.
While the MBR is only one sector in size (512 bytes), it also contains the partition table information (64 bytes). This means that the LOADER code can only use a maximum of 448 bytes. About all that can be accomplished in so little code is to do an absolute sector read of IBMBIO.LDR.
2. IBMBIO.LDR is read and executed.
IBMBIO.LDR like the MBR is one sector in size but without the partition information it has all 512 bytes to use for code. This enables it to load the root directory and FAT into memory. From this point on files can be located without absolute sector reads. LOADER.SYS is located using the directory information. This is why LOADER.SYS can physically be anywhere on the disk as long as it is in the root directory.
3. LOADER.SYS is read into memory and executed.
LOADER.SYS contains the name of the bootfile. LOADER.SYS locates the bootfile using the root directory. It then reads the bootfile and compares the bootfile information with the files in the root directory. If a kernel filename in the bootfile is not in the root directory then that operating system option is removed from the displayed menu. Each filename in the bootfile is then assigned a function key.
LOADER.SYS is the program users see on their screen. It is the real brains behind LOADER.
Note: Because of the sophistication of LOADER.SYS it is not necessary to run LOADER.COM again after adding another operating system. Just add the kernel filename to the bootfile; and LOADER.SYS will verify the existence of the file and assign it a function key.
4. The operating system selected by the user is loaded and executed.
If the operating system is the default (function key F1), the bootable partition boot record is loaded and executed. If any other function key is chosen then the file in the bootlist is located in the root directory, loaded in memory and executed.
The default operating system is always the operating system that has its code in the boot record of the bootable partition. The boot record is not the same as the MBR. The MBR exists outside of all partitions of a disk while the boot record is the first sector of a partition. The partition table has a flag that indicates which partition is the bootable partition.
Other Operating Systems and other information
DR DOS 6.0
DR DOS has enhancements that make it more flexible in coexisting with other operating systems.
DR DOS 6.0 first looks for a file called DCONFIG.SYS before trying to locate CONFIG.SYS. If DCONFIG.SYS is located CONFIG.SYS is ignored. There is also an option in the SHELL command of the (D)CONFIG.SYS to use a different filename for AUTOEXEC.BAT. The parameter /P:[filename] in the Shell statement of the (D)CONFIG.SYS instructs the shell to use the named file as a replacement to AUTOEXEC.BAT.
If the statement above was used in a file called DCONFIG.SYS then DR DOS would not use CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT. This would allow CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT to be used for another operating system.
Changing the names of config and batch files for DR DOS will mean that the DR DOS Setup utility can no longer be used. All adjustments will need to be done manually. Manual installation instructions can be found in FYI-M-1106. All Novell DSG FYIs are available on CompuServe, Novell's DSG FaxBack 1-800-638-9273 and Novell's DSG BBS 1-408-649-3443.
If DR DOS is being installed with MS-DOS follow the manual installation instructions in FYI-M-1106 but do not SYS the drive. Add the DR DOS kernel name (IBMBIO.COM) to the bootfile.
In the example shell statement, COMMAND.COM is being loaded from the DRDOS directory. This is to prevent accidentally loading the wrong command processor because of an incorrect path statement. It is recommended that no command processor be located in the root because most user paths contain the root directory.
MS-DOS
All MS-DOS operating systems require that the two system kernel files be the first two entries in the root directory. If MS-DOS is to be used in a partition along with another single user operating systems such as DR DOS, the second operating system should not SYS the drive. In the case of DR DOS, this would mean a manual installation. For more information refer to the section on DR DOS 6.0.
Versions of MS-DOS and PC-DOS before version 5 also require that system files be located in contiguous space at the beginning of the partition. For this reason there can only be one version of MS-DOS or PC-DOS on any computer.
MS-DOS 5
If MS-DOS 5.0 is to be one of the operating systems used then it must be installed as the default operating system. Other operating systems such as OS/2, DR Multiuser DOS, and DR DOS can be installed first but LOADER must not be run until MS-DOS 5 has been installed. This is because SYSing a drive with MS-DOS will result in a rewritten MBR. In other words, SYSing a drive with MS-DOS 5 will remove LOADER from the MBR. This behavior is also one of the reasons that LOADER has no option for MS-DOS 5.
If the boot record is overwritten by another installed operating system, then SYS the drive with MS-DOS 5 to make it the default once again and run LOADER.
MS-DOS 5 also requires the use of the first two directory entries in the root directory. However, system files are not position sensitive. This allows MS-DOS 5 to be installed when the disk contains data. The MS-DOS SYS utility will reorder the directory to fit the MS-DOS 5 requirements.
PC-DOS
PC-DOS and DR DOS both use the same system file names (IBMBIO.COM and IBMDOS.COM). This duplication of names makes installing both DR DOS and PC-DOS on the same computer impossible.
In all other respects PC-DOS behaves just like its corresponding MS-DOS version.
Running LOADER from Another Operating System
LOADER is not DOS version sensitive but it is recommended that it be run from either DR Multiuser DOS or DR DOS.
Setting a Timeout for the Default Operating System
If a timeout value is required for the Default operating system, use the following command:
LOADER BOOTLIST.TXT[15]
There can only be one timed operating system with LOADER. Because the default operating system does not have a bootfile entry, the timeout must be run from the command line when LOADER is installed. The above line will give the Default operating system (such as MS-DOS 5) a 15 second timeout. Make sure that the time limit is not separated by a space from the bootfile name.
Removing LOADER
To remove loader from a system use the command line:
