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SNOOPER
The System Checker
Copyright 1987-1991 by John P. Vias
All rights reserved.
How to reach me:
By mail:
John P. Vias
P.O. Box 8234
Gainesville, FL 32605-8234
At reasonable hours, Eastern time,
and please-don't-call-collect:
(904) 335-2967
On CompuServe:
72260,1601
TABLE OF CONTENTS
WHAT IS SNOOPER? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
WHO NEEDS SNOOPER? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
REQUIREMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND SNOOPER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
LEGALITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
THE SHAREWARE CONCEPT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
REGISTRATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Why Should I Register? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Order Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
INSTALLATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Windows Icon Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
SYNTAX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Black-and-white mode switch (/BW) . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Compatibility mode switch (/C) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Help switches (/?, /H) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Non-interactive mode switch (/N) . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Disk drive argument ([D:]) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Logging switch (/L[filename]) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Environment variable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
OPERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Keystrokes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Errorlevel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
BUGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Known Bugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
WISH LIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
REPORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
COMPUTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
BUS TYPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
PROCESSOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
MATH CHIP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
MEMORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Convl (conventional) memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Free memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Used memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Extended memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Ext free . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
XMS memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
HMA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
eXtended Memory Manager level . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
EMS memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
EMS memory free . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Enhanced Memory Manager level . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
PORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Serial ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Parallel ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Game port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
VIDEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
DISKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Floppy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Hard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Physical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Logical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
DOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Version (and brand) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Break . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Verify . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
MOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Version . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
KEYBOARD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
ENVIRONMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Free . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
ROM BIOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Exts (extensions) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
NETWORK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
DISK INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Drive letter and volume label . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Heads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Sectors/cylinder (sectors per cylinder) . . . . . . . 24
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Sector size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Cluster size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Total clusters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Total space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Free space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Used space (bytes) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Used space (%) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Used space (bar graph) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SNOOPER'S CREATION . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
WHAT IS SNOOPER?
Snooper is a utility program that "snoops around" your computer
and reports its configuration and operating characteristics.
Features
* Detection of dozens of different kinds of computers,
including many IBM models
* Detection of all current microprocessor models, including
the 80386SX, 80486, and 80486SX
* Accurate detection of math coprocessors, despite DIP
switch settings; shows if switch setting is wrong
* Detection of ISA, EISA, and MCA buses
* Reporting of all memory types: conventional, extended,
XMS, HMA, EMS, eXtended and Enhanced Memory
Specification levels supported
* Reporting of serial, parallel, and game ports
* Video hardware detection and reporting, including text-
only versus monochrome graphics cards and VESA
* Separate reports of BIOS-recognized and DOS-recognized
floppy and fixed disks
* Reports DOS version and type (PC-, MS-, DEC- or DR-DOS),
status of break and verify, and DOS shells
* Mouse type or port, and driver version reports
* Detection of several networks, including Novell and
LANtastic
* Report of BIOS support for enhanced (101) versus 84-key
keyboards, and which is attached
* Environment size, total and free bytes
* ROM BIOS extensions and BIOS date reports
* Detection of networked, SUSBTed, or JOINed drives
* Reports drive geometry (heads, sectors/track, cylinders),
plus total space, free space, and used space
* Used space reported in bytes, percent, and bar graph
forms
* Runs almost instantly--no waiting for disk or BIOS
searches (much faster than CHKDSK)
* Runs under Windows 3.0 in all modes
* Can write a running log file or printout of report screen
with high-ASCII characters translated to low-ASCII for
fast and neat printouts on almost any printer
* Environment variable option can set default log filename
or port
* Interactive mode allows you to see drive info for every
drive in the system without having to reinvoke Snooper
* Batch mode returns control to DOS without user input
* Automatically configures itself for monochrome display,
with manual override for laptops and others
* Help screen for command line syntax
* And much, much more
Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved. 1
WHO NEEDS SNOOPER?
You
You can use Snooper to keep an eye on your memory and disk usage.
Snooper also can help you when you are installing new peripherals
or software. Also, when you are talking to technical support
personnel, you can answer many of their questions about your
computer just by looking at Snooper's display.
Consultants, technicians, support personnel
You'll find Snooper helpful for showing at a glance what kind of
machine you are dealing with when you must troubleshoot or
upgrade it. Also, you can use Snooper to help you ensure that
the machine recognizes equipment you installed. If you installed
a mouse, for example, see that Snooper's display shows mouse
information. If Snooper shows no information, the mouse probably
won't work.
Computer dealers
You will find that Snooper's display proves useful in providing a
continuous at-a-glance display of a machine's specifications for
potential customers. You needn't scramble to learn a machine's
specs. Simply run Snooper. You also can easily find the
configuration of used computers you're purchasing for resale.
Hardware and software vendors
After you buy a site license, ask me to replace my name with
yours in the lower right corner of the display. Then feel free
to give away a copy of Snooper with each computer or software
package you sell. You'll receive several benefits. First,
Snooper will make troubleshooting over the telephone easier for
your support personnel. As you know, many computer problems are
caused by incompatible DOS versions, incorrectly-installed
hardware, and the like. With Snooper, you can find out much
about a customer's system by asking him or her to run it and
relaying to you the pertinent information. There are other
benefits, too. Every time your customers run Snooper, they will
be reminded of how to contact you. They'll also remember it was
you who gave them this useful utility.
2 Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved.
REQUIREMENTS
You may want to postpone reading the rest of this manual to run
Snooper. Go ahead! Snooper doesn't change your computer in any
way except to write a log file if you want. Here are its
requirements:
* IBM PC or compatible computer
* 128K RAM
* DOS 2.00 or higher
* Video adapter
In short, Snooper should run on your computer. Make sure Snooper
is in your current directory or your path. Then just type
"snooper" at the DOS prompt. Press <Esc> to exit Snooper.
THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND SNOOPER
As I designed and wrote Snooper, I kept several design
considerations in mind.
I wanted it to be useful to both beginners and experienced
users, for the casual user and the technocrat. If you don't
know what a "math chip" is, don't worry--this manual may
help, or you probably don't have to know.
I wanted Snooper to run instantly, and to show everything it
knew on one screen. With Snooper, you needn't wait for
searches to complete and you needn't page up and down to
find what you want. Finding out how much memory and disk
space you've used is much faster with Snooper than with
CHKDSK.
I strived for accuracy in its reports. This fact can
explain differences between Snooper's reports and those of
similar programs. For example, some system reporting
programs like Snooper incorrectly report the total number of
disk drives DOS recognizes (called "logical drives" by
Snooper). Their number is often linked to the LASTDRIVE
command in the CONFIG.SYS file, and is often wrong. The
method Snooper uses, however, guarantees an accurate report.
I tried to make Snooper as aesthetically pleasing as
possible. Too often I see an otherwise excellent program
ruined by a garish (and permanent) color scheme. Snooper's
display is, I think, attractive and easy to read. To reduce
clutter, when the answer to a report would be zero, or none,
Snooper simply leaves that report area blank. So if nothing
appears next to a report name, assume Snooper didn't find
whatever it is.
Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved. 3
I wanted to make Snooper intuitive and easy to use. I made
the keystrokes and command line switches similar to other
programs so you wouldn't have to learn yet another
interface.
LEGALITIES
Here's the nasty part. Please bear with me while I assault you
with the usual barrage of disclaimers and legal mumbo-jumbo. It
is an unfortunate but necessary addition to every software manual
published in our litigious society. End of lecture.
Snooper is supplied as-is. It is not guaranteed for fitness
or suitability for any particular purpose.
Snooper, the System checker, is copyrighted. Snooper's
documentation is also copyrighted. I retain all legal
rights to both.
I will not be held liable for any damages--actual,
consequential, or otherwise--from the use of, or inability
to use, Snooper. I also will not be liable for errors in
its manuals.
The brand names used in this manual probably are trademarks
or registered trademarks of their respective manufacturers.
4 Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved.
THE SHAREWARE CONCEPT
Snooper is distributed by a method called shareware. Those of us
who distribute software via this technique believe:
People should be able to evaluate a program in its actual
operating environment, which a computer store is not.
They should have a reasonable time to evaluate it, which is
usually longer than a computer salesperson's patience will
allow. (I know because I am one.)
Users are honest enough to register the program with the
author. The user will not only gain a clear conscience, but
will also encourage the programmer to improve the software,
which in turn is good for the user.
Commercial software is too often overpriced. Because
shareware authors don't have to pay for advertising,
packaging, toll-free numbers, and other commercial marketing
necessities, we are able to keep costs down.
I encourage you to make copies of Snooper and distribute it,
provided you follow a few rules:
If you want to pass Snooper along, distribute the program
and its related files together, intact and unmodified.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Please, PLEASE, don't modify Snooper or this
manual in any way if you plan to redistribute it. If
Snooper's colors send you into conniption fits, please
register Snooper so I can change them for you.
Don't reproduce the printed documentation in any way.
Don't charge any fee for distributing Snooper. Non-profit
users groups may charge a small fee for media and
distribution not to exceed ten dollars (U.S.).
Don't distribute Snooper as part of any commercial product
or service without my prior written permission.
Don't use Snooper in a commercial or governmental
environment without registering it. Site licenses and
volume discounts are available and encouraged. Please write
or call me for details.
Keep in mind that shareware is not free. We shareware authors
expect the people who use our programs to pay us for our efforts
just as you pay writers of commercial software for theirs. We're
just nicer about collecting it.
Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved. 5
REGISTRATION
You are granted a limited license to evaluate Snooper. If you
continue to use Snooper after a 30-day evaluation period, you
must register it. Register your copy of Snooper by sending at
least fifteen dollars to the address on the front page of
Snooper's manual and on its screen.
I appreciate all donations but if you send at least fifteen
dollars I will consider you a registered user. Please send your
donation in U.S. dollars with a personal, traveler's, or
cashier's check; or a money order. Sorry, I'm not able to accept
credit cards. For your own protection, please don't send cash
through the mail.
Why Should I Register?
Registration entitles you to the following benefits:
A printed copy of Snooper's manual.
The next version of Snooper by mail. I will take the
shareware message off your registered copies. On the order
form, be sure to show which version of Snooper you have so I
don't send you the same one.
Free technical support by phone (toll call) or mail for one
year.
The peace of mind of knowing you have legitimized your use
of Snooper and supported the shareware concept.
Thank you for registering.
Order Form
Enclosed in a separate file called ORDER.FRM is (what else?) an
order form. Simply copy the file to your printer and fill it
out. The order form allows you to:
Register your copy of Snooper.
Report any bugs you may have found in Snooper (highly
unlikely!) and any errors you may have found in its
documentation.
Tell me what you like and dislike about Snooper.
Make suggestions for future versions.
6 Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved.
Also, if you need a program like Snooper but decide to use a
different one (e-GAD!), please take a few minutes to tell me why.
With your feedback, maybe next time you see Snooper you'll like
it better.
INSTALLATION
Installation couldn't be easier. Simply copy SNOOPER.EXE to your
hard or floppy disk. Copy the .ICO and .PIF files, too, if
you're a Windows user. Next, copy the manual (SNOOPER.DOC) to
your printer if you haven't already done so. The command
copy snooper.doc prn
usually works. Snooper must be in the current directory.
Windows Icon Installation
I've included a Windows 3.0 icon for Snooper called SNOOPER.ICO.
To install it, enter Windows. In the Program Manager, click once
on an icon in your Non-Windows Applications program group. Next,
pull down the File menu and select New. Click on the New Program
Item button. For Description, type "Snooper." For the Command
Line, type the drive letter, a colon, the directory Snooper is
in, and "snooper.exe" to tell Windows where to find Snooper on
your disk. For example, if Snooper resides on your C: drive in
your "C:\UTILS" subdirectory, the command line should read,
"C:\UTILS\SNOOPER.EXE." Click on the Change Icon button and
enter the drive and path the SNOOPER.ICO file is on. Last, click
on the OK buttons until you get back to the Program Manager's
main screen. Snooper, with its icon, should appear in your Non-
Windows Applications program group. You're done!
SYNTAX
There are several switches and options you can use to change
Snooper's operation. Enter them after Snooper's name at the DOS
prompt. They are all optional, all case-insensitive and can be
entered in any order. You may precede them with hyphens or
slashes if you wish. Here is a diagram of Snooper's command line
options. I describe each below.
SNOOPER /BW /C /H /N [D:] /L[logfile]
Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved. 7
Black-and-white mode switch (/BW)
If your PC emulates a color card but has a monochrome display,
such as most laptops, use the black-and-white switch. Snooper's
display will be much more legible.
Compatibility mode switch (/C)
You may encounter a problem if you run a 386SX- or 386DX-based
computer and a protected mode operating system or environment
(e.g., Windows's 386 Enhanced mode or DesqVIEW). The computer
may give you an error message, or even lock up. The
compatibility mode switch prohibits Snooper from learning which
of the two types of 386 chips you have, and thus avoids the
problem.
Help switches (/?, /H)
"H" and "?" are help switches. They cause a help screen to be
displayed that shows Snooper's syntax and an example. Snooper
ignores all other command line switches and parameters when you
specify the help switch.
Non-interactive mode switch (/N)
Use the non-interactive mode switch, "/N," when you want to run
Snooper from a batch file and don't want to have to press <ESC>
to exit. Snooper will get information from only one disk drive
and return to DOS.
Disk drive argument ([D:])
[D:] represents a disk drive letter followed by a colon. You can
specify the disk drive whose information you want to see first.
You can, however, see information from ALL your disks, as I
explain under "keystrokes" below. If you don't specify a drive,
or if you specify an invalid one, Snooper will use the current
drive.
Logging switch (/L[filename])
"L" is the logging switch. When you use the logging switch,
Snooper copies its display to a file or port just before it
terminates. The logging feature is especially handy to use in
batch files for getting printouts of Snooper's output for later
reference.
8 Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved.
If no log file exists, Snooper will create one. If one already
exists, Snooper will append the new data to the end of the old
file. In this way, you can create one file with system
information for all the computers in the office or school. The
log file grows by exactly 2000 bytes each time Snooper writes to
it. You easily can tell by looking at the file's size how many
times you logged a copy of Snooper's display to that file. For
example, if the log file is 8000 bytes long, you've written to it
four times. Also, the file is formatted in such a way as to be
easily readable with the DOS "TYPE" command.
Snooper first checks for a log file name on the command line.
Simply type it immediately following the "L" like this:
SNOOPER /Lc:\files\snoop.dat
If you want Snooper's output to go to your printer, just specify
the port it's connected to (leave out the trailing colon). For
example, if your printer is connected to LPT1:, type:
SNOOPER -lLPT1 or SNOOPER -lPRN
Because not all printers can print line-drawing characters,
Snooper translates its borders to ordinary characters ("-", "|",
and "+"). In this way, virtually any printer can reproduce
Snooper's display.
If Snooper finds a filename on the command line, it will use it.
If you don't specify a filename, Snooper then searches the
environment for a variable called SNOOPER.
Environment variable
You can set the "SNOOPER" variable by typing:
set snooper=variable
at the DOS prompt. "Variable" can be any valid filename or even
a port, such as prn (i.e., set snooper=prn).
If you don't specify a log file on the command line or with the
SNOOPER variable, Snooper defaults to a file named SNOOPER.LOG.
The file will reside in Snooper's original directory.
NOTE: If you have a Color Graphics Adapter, you may see "snow"
(interference) on your monitor during the logging process. Don't
be alarmed. This is normal and will not hurt your machine.
Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved. 9
Examples
SNOOPER /h
Snooper will show its help screen and an example.
SNOOPER /B /l
Snooper will use monochrome display, get current drive
information, write a log file named SNOOPER.LOG, and return to
DOS.
SNOOPER e:
Snooper will show information from drive E: and wait for
keystrokes. <Esc> quits.
set snooper=prn
snooper -l\snoop.dat
Snooper will show information for the current drive and wait for
keystrokes. After you press <Esc>, it will write a log file in
the root directory of the current disk called SNOOP.DAT, then
return to DOS. Remember, a log filename on the command line
overrides the SNOOPER environment variable, so Snooper does not
log to "prn."
OPERATION
After the following brief account of Snooper's operation, I will
describe a few parts in greater detail.
When you first invoke Snooper, unless it is running on a computer
equipped with an Enhanced Graphics Adapter, it turns off the
cursor to make the display a little cleaner. Because of the
EGA's notoriously buggy cursor routines, I thought it would be
wiser to leave the EGA cursor alone. On all other video systems,
however, Snooper turns off the cursor.
It then gets country-dependent information from DOS, based on the
COUNTRY command in your CONFIG.SYS file. The information tells
Snooper how to arrange and punctuate the dates, time, and
numbers. (You don't have to use it unless you live outside the
U.S.)
At the bottom of its display, Snooper shows the day, date, and
time according to DOS. This feature comes in handy when you want
to view a log file of Snooper's output and you're not sure when
it was made. It also allows you to check your computer's date
and time for accuracy. (Some AT clocks tend to run slow.) You
DO set your clock, don't you?
10 Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved.
After Snooper shows you its display, it awaits certain keystrokes
which tell it what to do. When you press <ESC>, Snooper writes a
log file if told to, turns the cursor back on, sets the
ERRORLEVEL batch file variable, and returns you to DOS.
Keystrokes
Run without any options or switches, Snooper shows information
from the default drive and continuously displays the current time
and date at the bottom of its screen.
While Snooper is running, it awaits certain keystrokes that
affect its operation.
Exit Key
The <Esc> key quits Snooper and returns you to DOS.
Sequence Keys
You can use the <Left>, <Up>, or <PgUp> keys to tell Snooper to
get disk information for the next disk (the next higher letter).
<Right>, <Down>, or <PgDn> does the opposite. <Home> takes you
to drive A: and <End> takes you to the last valid drive in your
computer.
Drive letter keys
Alternatively, you can press the letter that corresponds to the
drive you want to see. If you want the A: drive's data, for
example, just press "A." Snooper will show the A: drive's
information. Snooper shows the highest drive letter you can
access under the disk information on the right side of its
display. It looks something like this: <up arrow> <down arrow>,
A-<highest drive letter>, Esc.
Logging key
"L" is the logging key. Use it to write a log file to disk or to
a port, such as a printer port. It works identically to the "L"
command line switch except it ignores a command line filename.
That filename is only for the "L" switch, not the "L" keystroke.
The logging key looks for the SNOOPER environment variable first.
If none exists, it uses the default log filename "SNOOPER.LOG."
Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved. 11
Errorlevel
Lastly, Snooper sets the ERRORLEVEL batch file variable. If an
error occurred, Snooper also shows the value of the ERRORLEVEL
variable on the screen. Look in the lower right corner of
Snooper's display. If you see a blinking number, Snooper
encountered an error and will set ERRORLEVEL to that number.
Here are the possible conditions ERRORLEVEL shows:
Number Explanation
------------------------------------------------------------
0 successful completion--there were no errors
1 the drive door was open or there was no disk in
the requested (or default) disk drive, or the disk
was bad or unformatted
2 you gave an invalid drive letter on the command
line
3 your DOS version is below version 2
4 you asked for a log file but Snooper encountered
an error while making it
The ERRORLEVEL variable can be tested in batch files (e.g., "if
errorlevel = 1 goto DOOROPEN"). See your DOS manual for details
of the ERRORLEVEL variable and how to use it.
BUGS
Although I've worked on Snooper for over four years, I guess it
still has a bug or two lurking in it. To debug Snooper
thoroughly, I would need access to a wide array of computers and
peripherals. I don't. If you think you've found a bug, please
let me know by mailing me the order form with a description of
the bug. The only way I can find out how well Snooper works on
other machines is for you, the users, to tell me. Of course, an
inaccurate report may mean that your hardware, BIOS, DOS, TSRs,
or something else is incompatible or is somehow interfering with
Snooper. I'd like to hear from you anyway. Of course, you
needn't be a registered user to report a bug. I would appreciate
it, though.
Known Bugs
There are two bugs that I intend to stamp out but have thus far
eluded me.
1) Under Windows 3, Snooper sometimes will give an obviously
wrong environment report such as 65,536 of 0.
2) Under Windows's 386 Enhanced Mode, Snooper will cause an
error message to be displayed. Use the compatibility
switch (/C) to avoid these problems.
12 Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved.
WISH LIST
Snooper will never be complete, of course. I have continually
found new reports to add, and new features to make it an easy-to-
use and helpful utility. There are a few things I still want
from Snooper:
1. Brand detection of more non-Intel math coprocessors
2. Detection of new IBM and compatible models (by their ID
bytes)
3. A brief benchmark test to determine CPU speed in
Megahertz and RAM wait states
4. Detection of XGA video hardware
5. A way to tell a RAM disk from a hard disk
6. Accurate detection of joystick ports on all types of PCs
7. Lots of registration fees
If you think you can help me with the above programming
challenges, please call me, write me, or leave me E-mail on
Compuserve. With your help, Snooper can become an even more-
powerful utility. Also, I may make you a registered user for
your help. (All together: "Oooh, aaah!")
Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved. 13
REPORTS
Following is a detailed list of Snooper's reports, in roughly the
order they appear on the screen.
COMPUTER
The type of computer Snooper is being run on. Snooper can't tell
if it's running on an actual IBM machine or a compatible, so it
will report the IBM equivalent. The possible results have become
too numerous to list here. Snooper can recognize over 50
machines by name, including almost all PS/2 models. Snooper
lists the speed of the computer in Megahertz after the model
number of most PS/2s.
NOTE: If you see a message such as "Unknown ID: nn, sub: nn, rev:
nn" please send me the order form telling me what the ID numbers
were, and the exact model and brand computer Snooper was running
on.
BUS TYPE
The architecture of the bus your computer has inside it. The bus
is the part you plug expansion cards into--the slots. Most
computers report "ISA," which stands for Industry Standard
Architecture, the bus in PCs, XTs, ATs, and almost all clones.
Most of the IBM PS/2 series computers will report "MCA," or Micro
Channel Architecture. The MCA is entirely different and cards
based on it are incompatible with those for the ISA standard, but
MCA does add features and increase performance. But a consortium
of companies worked out a new standard. It is called "EISA,"
(pronounced EES uh) meaning Enhanced ISA. It retains
compatibility with the older ISA bus, but like the MCA, it adds
features and power.
14 Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved.
PROCESSOR
The microprocessor chip inside the computer. The possible
results from this report are:
microprocessor computer type
----------------------------------------------------------
8088/86 PC, XT, and PCjr-type computers
V20/V30 NEC equivalents of Intel chips
80188/86 a few clones had these chips
80286 PC AT compatibles
80386SX 386SX compatibles
80386 386 compatibles
80486SX 486SX compatibles
80486 486 compatibles
MATH CHIP
The math coprocessor, also called the Numeric Data Processor
(NDP). Math coprocessors significantly speed up calculations
involving floating point numbers (that is, numbers with variable
decimal portions). The possible results are:
math chip computer type
----------------------------------------------------------
8087 8088, 8086, V20, and V30
80287 80286
80387 80386DX and 80386SX
built in 80486 microprocessors have the
equivalent of 80387 chips built
into them
Weitek1167 80386 or better
At this time, the only non-Intel chip Snooper reports by name is
the Weitek 1167. It should recognize the existence of Intel
work-alikes, however (I think).
Some computers have a switch inside which the user sets to
reflect the presence (or absence) of a math coprocessor. Because
these switches are often set incorrectly, Snooper's report is NOT
dependent on this switch setting. But Snooper does checks the
switch setting. If Snooper finds that its coprocessor report and
the switch setting don't agree, it displays a check mark in the
"math chip" report. This lets you know you should check (and
reset) the switch or system configuration. If you don't see a
check mark, the switch or configuration is set properly.
Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved. 15
MEMORY
Convl (conventional) memory
Bytes of conventional RAM (the first 640K) installed in your
computer.
NOTE: A few computers (notably some Tandy 1000s) use more of
their RAM (16K or so) than most for their video displays, so
Snooper may not report all the memory the computer has (e.g., it
may report 624K instead of 640K on some Tandys).
Free memory
Bytes of conventional RAM that are still available for programs
and data. (Total minus used memory.)
Used memory
Bytes of conventional memory DOS and memory-resident programs are
using. This report allows you to see, for example, the effect of
changing the BUFFERS statement in your CONFIG.SYS file, and
loading and unloading memory resident programs.
Extended memory
Extended memory is available only on AT-type machines; that is,
those with 80286, 80386, or 80486 microprocessors. (If you have
an XT-type computer, this report will always be blank.) Programs
that have been written to do so can store data and/or programs in
extended memory. This report shows the total amount of extended
memory installed, despite how you've configured it. Even if a
memory resident program is using it all, Snooper will still show
the total amount installed.
Snooper gets this report from the configuration information
stored inside every AT-type computer. This configuration is
sometimes called the CMOS (pronounced SEE moss). ("CMOS" stands
for the type of material the chip that stores the configuration
is made of.) An AT-type computer ensures every time it boots
that the CMOS configuration accurately reflects the current
configuration. Because of this procedure, the CMOS always has an
accurate notion of how much memory is installed.
16 Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved.
Ext free
This report shows how much extended memory you still have
available. Snooper gets this report from the computer's BIOS.
This memory is only available to mostly older programs that don't
use the eXtended Memory Specification (explained below).
XMS memory
As I mentioned above, programs that have been written to do so
can store data and/or programs in extended memory. The trouble
is, different programs handle extended memory differently. This
is because until the eXtended Memory Specification (or "XMS"),
there was no standard for accessing extended memory, and the
computer's built-in facilities are crude at best. Some programs
are polite enough to decrease the amount of extended memory they
report to other programs by the amount they themselves are using.
Some aren't so polite, leaving themselves open to having their
memory overwritten by another program. Invariably, this leads to
problems.
If you have loaded an eXtended Memory Manager (e.g., Microsoft's
HIMEM.SYS)--that is, if you have XMS memory, Snooper will report
how much is still available (in K).
HMA
The High Memory Area (HMA) is the 64K (less 16 bytes) block of
memory that begins at the one megabyte boundary, immediately
above the ROM BIOS. It, like all extended memory, can only be
used on AT-type computers, and only by programs written for it.
Most programs don't use the HMA. DOS 5.0 can load most of itself
into the HMA, freeing the conventional memory it would normally
use. This report shows if an HMA exists (you must have an XMM
loaded to provide it), and if it is available for use ("free") or
is in use by a program ("in use"). If you have no HMA, nothing
will appear in its report.
eXtended Memory Manager level (the number after "XMS")
The version of the eXtended Memory Specification that the loaded
driver is implementing (NOT the internal version number of the
driver itself).
Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved. 17
EMS memory (Enhanced Memory Specification) total
The amount of enhanced memory (EMS) installed. Lotus, Intel, and
Microsoft developed EMS to break DOS's 640K memory barrier. Some
programs (which have been programmed to do so) can use EMS to
store data.
EMS memory free
The amount (in K) of EMS memory still available for programs and
data.
Enhanced Memory Manager level (the number after "EMS")
The version of Enhanced Memory Specification the hardware and/or
software is implementing. As of this writing, this report
probably should be either 3.2 or 4.0. Some programs require EMS
4.0, which has enhanced capabilities, to run properly. This
report will tell you if you have it.
PORTS
Serial ports
The number of RS-232 ports installed. Usually, you would use
these ports for modems, pointing devices (such as mice), and some
printers, and a variety of less-common equipment.
Parallel ports
The number of parallel ports (also called printer ports)
installed. Parallel ports are almost always used for printers,
occasionally for a scanner.
Game port
The presence of a game port, also known as a joystick adapter.
If your machine has an 80286 or above, Snooper will report "N/A"
(not available) because these machines don't accurately report a
game port's presence.
18 Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved.
VIDEO
Which video adapter is attached, and (often) what kind of monitor
is attached. The possible reports are:
report video card
------------------------------------------------------
MDA Monochrome Display Adapter,
probably a text-only card (that is,
one that doesn't provide graphics
capability)
Hercules Hercules Graphics Card (a brand of
monochrome card with graphics
capability) or a Hercules-
compatible; Snooper can detect
Hercules Graphics, InColor, and
Plus cards
CGA Color Graphics Adapter
EGA Enhanced Graphics Adapter
MCGA Multicolor Graphics Array
VGA Video Graphics Array
PGC Professional Graphics Controller
report monitor
------------------------------------------------------
mono monochrome (can only display one
color, usually green or amber)
color color (could be digital with EGAs
or analog with VGAs/MCGAs)
dgcolor digital color (Snooper will report
this for some MCGAs)
On EGA video adapters Snooper reports how much video memory is
installed. EGAs can have 64K to 256K. The amount of video
memory (along with the card itself and the monitor) determines
the maximum number of colors and resolution your video adapter
can display. VGAs come standard with at least 256K.
A few years ago, several video hardware manufacturers formed the
Video Electronics Standards Association, or VESA (pronounced "VEE
suh"). Their purpose is to standardize the video marketplace,
making recommendations for standardized video modes, resolutions,
frequencies, and so on. If the video report includes "VESA," it
means your VGA card appears to comply with their recommendations.
Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved. 19
DISKS
Floppy
The number of floppy disk drives installed, probably one to four.
Despite what some people believe, 3.5" diskettes are floppy
disks, not hard disks, despite their hard plastic shells. Thus,
they will be counted in this report.
Hard
The number of hard disks (also called fixed disks) installed.
Physical
Simply the sum of floppy and hard disks. These are actual
hardware drives attached to your computer. This number may
differ from logical drives, below.
Logical
The number of disk drives DOS recognizes. These include floppy,
hard, and RAM disks, CD-ROMs, and network drives. Simulated disk
drives made with the DOS ASSIGN and SUBST commands, each
partition of a hard disk, and other types are also included.
Sometimes software splits a hard disk into two or more "disks"
(usually called C: and D:), usually because the hard disk is
bigger than 32 megabytes, a limit imposed by DOS versions before
4.0. A hard disk like this will count as two. In other words,
everything that seems like a disk to DOS counts. If you have a
single floppy disk drive, the number given will be at least two
because your computer can simulate two disk drives (A: and B:).
DOS
Version (and brand)
Possible reports are: PC-DOS (from IBM), MS-DOS (from Microsoft
and other manufacturers), DR DOS (from Digital Research), or DEC-
DOS (from Digital Equipment Corp.). The version appears after
the brand. Recall that Snooper needs DOS version 2.00 or higher
to run properly.
NOTE: There is a bug in DOS 4.01 and 4.02 that makes them report
4.00 instead. Use the DOS command VER to see if you have 4.00 or
4.01.
20 Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved.
Shell
Shows if a DOS shell is active, and what kind. A DOS shell is a
program that either provides features DOS doesn't, or makes DOS
easier to use. Snooper can find and report the presence of
Windows Real or Standard mode, Windows 386 Enhanced mode,
Concurrent DOS, DoubleDOS, 4DOS, DESQview, Taskview, or Topview.
It can usually report the DOS shell's version number as well.
Break
Break status (on or off). Normally, DOS only checks for a Ctrl-
Break keystroke when it's writing to the screen. However, if
break is on, DOS checks more often for a Ctrl-break keystroke,
which can force your computer to stop what it's doing in an
emergency.
Verify
Disk verify status (on or off). If verify is on, DOS uses a
checksum method to confirm (in theory) that what it writes to
disk is valid. When verify is on, disk operations are a bit
slower, as you might expect.
MOUSE
Type
Shows what type of mouse is installed, and through which port.
Possible reports are:
mouse meaning
------------------------------------------------------------
bus The mouse connects to an expansion
card that is inside the computer.
COM1/COM2/IRQx The mouse plugs into a serial port
and Snooper is making an educated
guess about which one it is by
knowing what resources the mouse is
using. If it isn't connected to
COM1 or COM2, Snooper displays
which Interrupt Request line it is
using.
Inport a Microsoft bus mouse
HP a Hewlett Packard mouse
PS/2 an IBM PS/2 mouse
Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved. 21
Version
The mouse driver's version. A mouse requires a software-based
driver (program) to operate. The file is usually called
MOUSE.COM or MOUSE.SYS. If you have loaded a driver, Snooper
will report its version number, providing a rough estimate of how
old the driver is. This report is useful for debugging, because
if you're having trouble with your mouse, you may find that a
newer driver corrects the problem.
KEYBOARD
Support
Reports what type of keyboard your computer's BIOS supports. If
"101" appears after the keyboard type, your computer's ROM BIOS
supports an enhanced keyboard, with function keys along the top
and a separate cursor keypad. That is, it will recognize the
keys an enhanced keyboard adds to the standard (PC and XT)
keyboard, such as F11, F12 and certain cursor key combinations.
If you have keyboard problems, it may be because you have a 101-
key keyboard, but it isn't enhanced; it behaves as though it were
an 84-key keyboard (e.g., F11 behaves just like Alt-F9).
Present
Reports what kind of keyboard you have attached to your machine.
Possible answers are "84," "101," or, if your computer only
supports 84-key keyboards, "N/A" (Not Available). If your
computer doesn't support enhanced keyboards, Snooper can't test
for one.
ENVIRONMENT
The "environment" refers to an area of memory in which DOS keeps
certain information it needs to run. Some of the information the
environment includes is the format of the DOS prompt and the
series of directories DOS searches for executable files. These
are the PROMPT and PATH strings, and there are others. A string
consists of the variable name (such as PATH), an equal sign, and
the value of the string (often a path or list of paths such as
C:\UTILS;C:\DOS;C:\). Put together, this sample PATH string
looks like this:
PATH=C:\UTILS;\C:\DOS;C:\
You can view your computer's environment with the DOS command
SET. Just type "set" at the DOS prompt.
22 Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved.
Free
The number of bytes available in the environment. To calculate
this report, Snooper counts each character of the variable name
(such as "PATH"), the equal sign, each character of the value
(such as "C:\DOS;C:\"), and one invisible character, per string.
Total
The number of bytes of environment space allocated by DOS. You
can change the amount of memory DOS allocates to the environment
with the /E switch of the SHELL command in your CONFIG.SYS file.
Different DOS versions work differently, so check your DOS manual
for details.
ROM BIOS
Date
The date stored in the ROM BIOS, which provides an indication of
your computer's age. The computer was built since that date.
Exts (extensions)
The segment addresses (places in memory) of any ROM BIOS
extensions in the computer. These extensions, which supplement
the computer's built-in BIOS, are usually found on cards which
plug into the computer. EGA and VGA BIOSs, for example, add
routines not found in the ROM BIOS's own video routines, and are
often found at C000. XT's hard drive BIOSs are usually found at
C800.
NETWORK
A network is a combination of hardware and software that enables
users to share peripherals and data. Snooper can detect several
networks: Novell, LANtastic, Microsoft, Invisible, PC LAN, Easy-
Net, and file sharing (the SHARE.EXE program). Sometimes this
report only tells you the computer has a LAN card, not that a
network is up and running.
DISK INFORMATION
Drive letter and volume label
Snooper reports the letter of the disk drive and its volume label
in parentheses in the upper right corner of Snooper's display.
Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved. 23
Type
Reports what type of disk you're examining. Possible reports
are, for five-and-a-quarter inch diskettes: 1.2M (M stands for
megabytes), 360K (K stands for kilobytes), 320K, 180K, and 160K.
For three-and-a-half inch diskettes, you may see 1.44M or 720K.
Other reports are: fixed disk (could be RAM disk, CD-ROM, etc.),
or ID: nnh (Snooper doesn't recognize the disk type).
You may see, to the right of the word "type," another word. This
word shows if the drive you're looking at is on a network, or is
being acted upon by the DOS commands SUBST or JOIN. If you see
nothing in this area, assume the drive is a "regular" physical
drive attached to the machine you are using.
Heads
The number of heads a disk drive has. This number is often the
same as the number of sides the disk has. Most floppy drives
will report two; hard drives usually report several.
Sectors/cylinder (sectors per cylinder)
The number of sectors on each cylinder. Cylinders are concentric
rings of disk space. Sectors are "pie slices" of the disk.
Normally, 360K and 720K floppy drives report 9; 1.2M floppy
drives, 15; 1.44M floppy drives, 18; and hard drives, 17, 26, or
34.
Cylinders
The number of cylinders a disk drive can read from or write to.
Remember, cylinders are concentric circles on the disk.
Typically, 360K floppy disk drives report 40; 720K, 1.2M, and
1.44M floppy drives, 80; hard drives, several hundred.
NOTE: Original PCs and some XTs can't report heads,
sectors/cylinder, and cylinders. Neither can simulated disk
drives (that is, logical but not physical drives, such as RAM
disks). If they can't, Snooper will usually leave the
appropriate areas blank.
For the following disk information, if the drive has no disk, the
disk in the drive is defective or unformatted, or the drive door
isn't closed, Snooper will report "drive not ready."
24 Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved.
Sector size
The number of bytes stored in each sector. This number is
usually 512, although some enormous hard disks may show higher
numbers.
Cluster size
The number of bytes in each cluster. A cluster is the smallest
amount of disk space a file can occupy. Thus, even if the DIR
command reports that a file is only 18 bytes long, if the cluster
size of the disk is 2048 bytes, that file will take 2048 bytes of
disk space. A floppy disk may report 1024, an XT's hard disk
will usually report 8192, an AT's hard disk often reports 2048.
Total clusters
The number of clusters on the disk.
Total space
The capacity of the disk in bytes. This includes all bytes, even
the FORMAT program has marked some areas unusable.
Free space
The number of bytes still available for use.
Used space (bytes)
The number of bytes in use by files, subdirectories, and any
areas marked unusable by DOS. You can use this figure to compute
how many floppy disks you will need to back up your hard disk
(floppy disks needed = used space / floppy disk capacity + 1).
Used space (%)
The percentage of disk space being used. Even if there are no
files on a disk, this number may not be zero because of bad
sectors or empty subdirectories.
Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved. 25
Used space (bar graph)
Provides an easily understood way to see how much disk space is
in use. The solid-colored area toward the left represents used
disk space; the patterned area toward the right, free disk space.
The used space reports, especially the graph, are among Snooper's
handiest features and provide a quick way to see how much space
is available on a disk and how fast you're using it up.
26 Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF
I'm often interested in the people who write the software I use
so I'll take the liberty of assuming you want to know a little
more about me. I'll keep it short.
I was born near Chicago but have lived most of my life in
Florida. I was graduated from the University of Florida with a
degree in English, a fact that I hope is reflected in this
manual. Currently, I own a computer consulting business. I
expect some day to move to the San Francisco Bay area to write
about computers, combining my favorite hobbies.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SNOOPER'S CREATION
I worked on Snooper for hundreds of hours when I probably should
have been sleeping. I began developing Snooper on an 8 MHz AT
compatible, then moved on to a 386SX compatible. I tested it
along the way on dozens of machines. I originally wrote Snooper
(starting in February 1987) in Turbo Pascal version 3.01A, and
have since translated and expanded it under versions 4.0, 5.0,
and 5.5. Its source code as of this writing consists of
approximately 1850 lines, plus some assembler.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Snooper was not created in a vacuum, of course, although my head
has been likened to one. Here are a few sources of information I
used, and for which I am very grateful. I apologize to those I
forgot to mention. Without all of them, Snooper would be only a
pale shadow of its current self. I highly recommend them as
excellent sources of information about the IBM PC series of
computers.
PC Magazine (by Ziff-Davis Publishing Company)
An invaluable source of information about the IBM PC family
of computers. A great deal about what I now know about PCs
I learned from its pages. It has helped me become a much
better programmer.
Advanced MS-DOS Programming (by Ray Duncan: Microsoft Press,
second ed., 1989)
Written by one of PC Magazine's stable of PC wizards, this
book was my main resource for documented BIOS and DOS calls.
Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved. 27
Programmer's Guide to the IBM PC (by Peter Norton: Microsoft
Press, 1985)
The Programmer's Guide was my chosen reference in Snooper's
early years. Eventually, I turned to more up-to-date works,
but Mr. Norton's book did help quite a bit.
INTERvvx.ZIP (by Ralf Brown)
(The "vv" is the volume of release and the "x" is "A" or
"B." Ralf now distributes the listing in two files.) An
enormous listing of DOS and BIOS interrupt calls, many
undocumented and program-specific. Quite simply, some of
Snooper's reports wouldn't be there without it. Very useful
in that it reports bugs and incompatibilities books rarely
mention. And it's free!
TPXMS101.ZIP (by Vernon E. Davis, Jr.)
A Turbo Pascal unit for using the eXtended Memory Manager
(e.g., HIMEM.SYS).
My friends (by their parents)
Those with more patience than I deserved who helped me debug
Snooper by running it on their machines and telling me what
happened right before it crashed. Thank you all!
And thank you for reading Snooper's manual.
I look forward to hearing from you.
28 Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved.
INDEX
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SNOOPER'S CREATION . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
BUGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Known Bugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
INSTALLATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Icon Installation, Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
LEGALITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
OPERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Drive letter keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Errorlevel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Exit Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Keystrokes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Logging key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Sequence Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
PHILOSOPHY BEHIND SNOOPER, THE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
REGISTRATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Order Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Why Should I Register? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
REPORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Break . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Bus type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Cluster size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Conventional memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Date, ROM BIOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
DOS break . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
DOS shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
DOS verify . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
DOS version and brand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Drive letter report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Drive type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
EMS memory free . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
EMS memory total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Enhanced Memory Manager level . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Enhanced memory total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Ext free . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Extended memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
eXtended Memory Manager level . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Extensions, ROM BIOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Floppy disks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Free memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Free space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Free, environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Game port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Hard disks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Heads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
HMA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Logical disks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved. 29
Math chip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
MEMORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
MOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Mouse driver version . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Mouse type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Parallel ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Physical disks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
PORTS: serial, parallel, and game . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Processor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
ROM BIOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
ROM BIOS date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
ROM BIOS extensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Sector size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Sectors/track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Serial ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Shell, DOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Total clusters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Total space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Total, environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Used memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Used space (%) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Used space (bar graph) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Used space (bytes) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Verify . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Volume label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
XMS memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
REQUIREMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
SHAREWARE CONCEPT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
SYNTAX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Black-and-white mode switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Compatibility mode switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Disk drive argument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Help switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Logging switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Non-interactive mode switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
WHAT IS SNOOPER? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
WHO NEEDS SNOOPER? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
WISH LIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
30 Copyright 1991 by John P. Vias. All rights reserved.