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BOOTCON version 2.0c 5/17/93
---[ Contents ]------------------------------------------------------[1.0]--
1.0 Contents
2.0 Getting Started
3.0 Compatibility Notes
DR-DOS
Disk Compression Software
Configuration Optimization Programs
Anti-Virus Programs
4.0 Converting to BOOTCON 2
Converting from BOOTCON 1.x
Converting from DOS 6 MultiConfig
Converting from KwikBoot
Converting from Easy Boot
Converting from Boot Floppies
5.0 Documentation Corrections and Additions
Miscellaneous Corrections
The CoEdit Function
The Shell to DOS Key
Installing New Software
Deleting Configurations
Using Includes
Using Alternate Files
The /NDSC Command Line Option
Installing BOOTCON on a Floppy Disk
Using Monochrome Mode with VGA
Customizing the Video Mode
Editing Configurations Outside BCSETUP
Moving the BOOTCON Installation
Restoring Trashed Root Directory Files
6.0 Using BOOTCON with DOS 6
7.0 Advanced Techniques
8.0 Known Problems (Undocumented Features)
Include Consistency
Hotkey Choices
REM Statements Under Old DOS Versions
9.0 Technical Support
---[ Getting Started ]-----------------------------------------------[2.0]--
Before running BCSETUP you should copy all the files on the
BOOTCON distribution disk to a directory on your hard disk as
documented in the Installation section of the BOOTCON manual.
Do not run BCSETUP directly from the distribution disk.
If you are converting from BOOTCON version 1.x, KwikBoot, or
the DOS 6 configuration manager, be sure to read Appendix A in
the BOOTCON manual and Section 4 in this README file. The file
WHATSNEW lists the new features in BOOTCON 2.0.
OS2DOS is a supplemental utility for switching between DOS and
OS/2 during the boot. It functions independently from BOOTCON.
For more information about using this utility see the file
OS2DOS.DOC in the OS2DOS subdirectory on the BOOTCON distribu-
tion disk.
---[ Compatibility Notes ]-------------------------------------------[3.0]--
--- DR-DOS ---
This version of BOOTCON was specifically designed for MS-DOS and
PC-DOS versions 3.1 through 5.0, MS-DOS 6.0, or DR-DOS 6.0. If
you are using another version of DOS, please contact Modular
Software Systems.
--- Disk Compression Software ---
If you are using disk compression software, be sure to read
the Installation section of the BOOTCON manual and correctly
answer the disk compression related questions in the BCSETUP
Options screen.
Note that the DOS 6 DoubleSpace program is transparent to BOOTCON
and if this is the only disk compression program being used, you
should answer NO to the Options question about using disk
compression software.
When using DoubleSpace, a drive with a high drive letter is
created. This may be compressed or uncompressed depending how
you tell DoubleSpace to create a new disk or to compress an
existing disk. If BOOTCON is installed on this "high" lettered
drive, you must load the CONFIG.SYS driver DBLSPACE.SYS in the
COMMON configuration. If BOOTCON is installed on any lower
lettered drive, the CONFIG.SYS statement to load DBLSPACE.SYS can
go anywhere in the CONFIG.SYS according to your requirements.
If your disk compression software (other than DoubleSpace) swaps
your boot drive, BOOTCON will automatically ensure that your
CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files match on the two drives. If
they are different, the one that has the latest date will be used
to replace the other.
Also, note Appendix D in the BOOTCON manual concerning Stacker's
/sync+ option.
--- Configuration Optimization Programs ---
When running programs such as QEMM Optimize, 386MAX Maximize, or
DOS 6 MemMaker, you should first install the configuration that
you wish to optimize as a "standalone" configuration (see page
19 in the BOOTCON manual). Do not try to run optimization
programs while BOOTCON's Bootup Menu is active.
Once you have set up the standalone configuration that you want
to optimize, run the program and let it reboot as many times as
needed to optimize the configuration. Once it has completed,
run BCSETUP. The Consistency Check will catch any changes made
to your configuration and allow you to keep or discard them.
--- Anti-Virus Programs ---
Certain configuration information is stored within the BOOTCON.EXE
file. This information may be read and written any time BCSETUP
is run. If you are using an anti-virus program that is designed
to detect when executable programs have been modified, you should
configure it to allow BOOTCON.EXE to be modified.
The following are some additional notes concerning several
anti-virus programs:
1. Symantec Norton AntiVirus 2.10
Early revisions of Norton AntiVirus version 2.10 are
incompatible with BCSETUP. Specifically, using the NAV&.SYS
program will prevent BCSETUP from being able to execute your
editor.
If you are using Norton AntiVirus 2.10 with files dated prior
to 10-3-92 you should contact Symantec Technical Support.
Note that the date on NAV&.SYS is changed during the install-
ation process so use the date of NAVSETUP.EXE instead.
As an alternative, you could use NAV_.SYS instead of NAV&.SYS.
2. Central Point Software VSAFE.COM
The VSAFE programs supplied with PC Tools for Windows and with
DOS 6 will forcefully attempt to keep interrupt 0x21 pointing
to themselves when the /N command line switch is used.
This is a risky technique that may cause the system to become
unstable.
The BOOTCON Setup program will report an "Unexpected Error"
0xD740 upon exit because it detects that another program has
modified int 0x21 after BCSETUP had chained into it.
If this occurs, you can safely instruct BCSETUP to "Attempt to
Continue" and the program will exit normally.
This behavior only occurs when the /N command line switch is
used.
3. MS-DOS 6.0 VSAFE.COM
See point 2 above.
---[ Converting to BOOTCON 2 ]---------------------------------------[4.0]--
--- Converting from BOOTCON 1.x ---
After converting from an old version of BOOTCON 1.x, double-
check to see if all your configuration information converted
successfully by examining the backup files CONFIG.BCK and
AUTOEXEC.BCK and comparing the various configurations with
your new BOOTCON 2 configurations.
In your CONFIG.SYS, if you had statements in between config-
urations or after the last configuration, these statements will
all be placed in the COMMON configuration. This may or may not
be correct for your system. Use your editor to re-arrange them
as needed.
In your AUTOEXEC.BAT, your configurations will be successfully
converted into the new format only if you used the method of
differentiating configurations that was recommended in the
BOOTCON 1.x manual. If you used a different method, or have
statements that are between configurations or after the last
configuration, these statements will not be converted to the
new format. Any statements that are not placed into a config-
uration will go into the COMMON configuration. This may or may
not be correct for your system. Use your editor to re-arrange
them as needed.
The BCVARCHK, BCBOOT, and BCSYNTAX utilities that came with
BOOTCON 1.x are obsolete and not needed with BOOTCON 2. See
the command line parameters for BCSETUP if you were previously
using BCBOOT.
When upgrading from an older version of BOOTCON, any passwords
in use will not be preserved.
Be sure to read Appendix A in the BOOTCON manual. This README
takes precedence over Appendix A where information conflicts.
--- Converting from DOS 6 MultiConfig ---
When converting from the DOS 6 configuration manager to BOOTCON,
any CONFIG.SYS statements that appear before the first config-
uration block, and all [common] blocks will be placed into
BOOTCON's COMMON configuration. If you had multiple [common]
blocks in the DOS 6 CONFIG.SYS, BOOTCON's COMMON configuration
will contain the block headings (remarked out).
BOOTCON will correctly convert the DOS 6 AUTOEXEC.BAT to the
new format only if you followed the DOS 6 documentation exactly
when configuring the file. Any statements that could not be
determined to be in a particular configuration will be placed
in the COMMON configuration. This may or may not be correct for
your system. Use your editor to rearrange them as needed.
--- Converting from KwikBoot ---
When converting from PC-Kwik's KwikBoot product, BOOTCON will
automatically convert the default Include database INCLUDE.IDB
to the BOOTCON format. Any supplemental Include databases need
to be manually converted. To do this conversion, use your
editor and change all lines that begin with "REM KB INCLUDE" to
"REM BC INCLUDE".
--- Converting from Easy Boot ---
Install BOOTCON following the normal installation procedure
documented in the manual. Once installed, use the "Import
Configuration" function in BCSETUP to convert your Easy Boot
configurations to BOOTCON.
--- Converting from Boot Floppies
Install BOOTCON following the normal installation procedure
documented in the manual.
On each boot floppy, rename the CONFIG.SYS and/or AUTOEXEC.BAT
files so that they have the same extension. For example, you
could rename the AUTOEXEC.BAT to AUTOEXEC.SYS. Once this is
done, start BCSETUP and execute the "Import Configuration"
function specifying the floppy drive as the location to scan.
The Import Configuration function will find any CONFIG and
AUTOEXEC files with matching extensions and give you to
choice of importing them as a configuration, or ignoring them.
When the matching pair you created are found, choose to add
them. You will be prompted for a configuration name and
description to use.
Perform the Import Configuration function as many time as
you have boot floppies.
Once your configurations are imported, you must Inspec each
configuration an ensure that any references to files and
directories on the boot floppy are changed appropriately now
that you are booting from your hard disk.
---[ Documentation Corrections and Additions ]-----------------------[5.0]--
--- Miscellaneous Corrections ---
Page 17 - The "Load Existing Files" function has been renamed
to "Import Configuration".
Page 48 - The default name for the Include database is
INCLUDE.IDB, not STDINC.IDB.
Page 56 - Additional error code 0xD740. This code means that
an interrupt vector was changed by an unknown program.
This was probably done by a TSR or device driver.
Usually the best course of action is to "Attempt to
Continue" if this occurs.
--- The CoEdit Function ---
The Inspect Configuration screen has a new option named CoEdit.
This function allows you to simultaneously edit the CONFIG.SYS
or AUTOEXEC.BAT portions of all your configurations. This is
convenient when you want to compare configurations, or you need
to cut and paste statements between configurations.
To use this function, simply go to the Inspect Configuration
screen for any configuration, highlight the CONFIG.SYS or
AUTOEXEC.BAT files, and press the CoEdit button.
--- The Shell to DOS Key ---
When running BCSETUP the F9 key can be used at any time (except
while in your editor) to shell to DOS. Once shelled out, be
sure to type "EXIT" to return to BCSETUP rather than running
BCSETUP a second time. The Shell to DOS function uses the
SWAPXEC driver in the same manner as when your editor is run.
--- Installing New Software ---
Whenever you are installing a new piece of software that is
likely to make changes to the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files,
(escpecially if you are running QEMM Optimize, 386MAX Maximize,
or MemMaker) you should first put BOOTCON into standalone mode.
Once you are done with the install, use BCSETUP to return
BOOTCON to using the Bootup Menu (see page 19 in the BOOTCON
manual).
This not only ensures that the installation will not interfere
with BOOTCON, it allows you more opportunity to see what was
changed and gives you a chance to back the changes out.
--- Deleting Configurations ---
When you delete a configuration in the Configuration List, it is
not actually deleted until you press the Configuration List's OK
button. This means that you cannot immediately create a new
configuration with the same name as the just deleted config-
uration until you exit the Configuration List and re-enter it.
--- Using Includes ---
When placing an Include in a configuration, do not put an "@"
sign at the beginning of the line. This will prevent BOOTCON
from recognizing that the statement is an Include.
Whenever you rename or delete an Include you must ensure that
any configurations that use the Include are modified accordingly.
--- Using Alternate Files ---
Within any given configuration, you may not have more than one
Alternate file with the same name, even if they have different
destination directories.
Alternate files should not be placed on compressed drives unless
the disk compression software is loaded in the COMMON section,
or loads prior to CONFIG.SYS processing like DoubleSpace.
If you do place Alternate files on compressed drives, BCSETUP
will be able to manipulate the files as usual, regardless
how your disk compression software is loaded. However, during
the boot, BOOTCON will not be able to build the files or perform
Consistency Checks on them unless the disk compression software
is loaded before BOOTCON's bootup menu comes up.
--- The /NDSC Command Line Option ---
Every time BCSETUP starts, it performs a disk space check to
ensure that there is at least 512KB of free disk space. A
warning message will be displayed if there is not. The /NDSC
option (No Disk Space Check) will disable this feature.
--- Installing BOOTCON on a Floppy Disk ---
When running BOOTCON on a floppy disk you will most likely want
to use the /NDSC command line option described above.
Also it is recommended that you either use the /NOSWAP command
line option described in the manual, or set the TEMP environment
variable to a temporary directory on a drive other than the same
floppy disk. Note that this is only important if you do not
have XMS memory to swap to. See the documentation on the
SWAPXEC driver for more information.
--- Using Monochrome Mode with VGA ---
The Bootup Menu Options screen has the ability to instruct
BOOTCON to use a monochrome mode.
If you are using a 386 or better computer with a VGA adapter,
you should only use the monochrome mode if your memory manager
is not using the monochrome video memory buffer for high memory.
If the command line to load your memory manager contains an
address that includes the area B000-B7FF then it is using the
monochrome video adapter memory as high memory.
You can safely use the "grayscale" video options without this
concern.
--- Customizing the Video Mode ---
BOOTCON has the ability in the Bootup Menu Options screen to
customize the video mode for different color schemes and the
number of lines on the screen.
When the mode is changed from the default (usually 25 line
color or monochrome) it is not restored. The system will boot
using whatever mode is selected. This can lead to some
interesting effects such as Windows running in monochrome VGA
mode instead of color.
If you do not want to use the new video mode permanently, use
the DOS MODE command to set the video mode to whatever mode you
wish to use. For example, at the beginning of the COMMON
configuration in the AUTOEXEC.BAT you could add the command:
C:\DOS\MODE CO80,25
to set the system into a 25 line color mode.
--- Editing Configurations Outside BCSETUP ---
If you directly edit your root directory configuration files
outside BCSETUP, be sure not to delete or re-arrange any lines
that begin with "REM BC" or "REM INC_...".
If you directly edit your configuration files in their respect-
ive directories (configname.CFG) you should, after completion,
run BCSETUP, press the "Select Configuration" button, select
MENU, and exit. This will cause the configuration files in the
root directory to be re-generated with the new information.
--- Moving the BOOTCON Installation ---
BOOTCON can easily be moved to another location on the same or
different hard disks by using the DOS XCOPY command.
For example, to copy the BOOTCON installation from the C: drive
do the D: drive, you could use the following command:
xcopy c:\bootcon d:\bootcon /s/e
The /s and /e parameters tell XCOPY to copy the subdirectories
also.
Once the files have been moved, go to the new location and run
BCSETUP. Go to the "Select Configuration" screen, select MENU,
and press [Enter]. Then exit BCSETUP. This will cause the
configuration files in the root directory to be regenerated
referencing the new BOOTCON location. Reboot and make sure that
everything still works properly during the bootup. Once you are
satisfied that everything is working fine, you can delete the
original BOOTCON directory structure.
--- Restoring Trashed Root Directory Files ---
If your CONFIG.SYS and/or AUTOEXEC.BAT files in the root
directory are corrupted, deleted, or modified, you can restore
the originals by running BCSETUP.
If you get a Consistency Check, simply press "Restore the
Original" as many times as necessary until the main menu comes
up.
If you do not get a Consistency Check, from the main menu, press
the "Select Configuration" button, and choose MENU.
Exit BCSETUP. Your root directory configuration files will be
rebuilt.
---[ Using BOOTCON with DOS 6 ]--------------------------------------[6.0]--
BOOTCON 2 is fully compatible with MS-DOS 6.0.
DOS 6 contains a limited configuration manager called MultiConfig
that can be used in combination with BOOTCON if desired. When
you are using DOS 6, the Options screen in BCSETUP will contain
an additional question about using DOS 6 MultiConfig instead of
BOOTCON. If you answer YES to this question, BOOTCON will
generate CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files that will use DOS 6 to
make the boot selection instead of the BOOTCON Bootup Menu.
When using the DOS 6 configuration manager, only the first nine
configurations will be available. Using this feature disables
BOOTCON's ability to use customizable hotkeys and Configuration
Passwords. Also Alternate files are not supported.
When using the DOS 6 configuration manager in combination with
BOOTCON, you should not modify the AUTOEXEC.BAT file outside of
BCSETUP as it will not be Consistency Checked and any changes
will likely be lost the next time BCSETUP is run.
Be sure to read the "Compatibility Notes" section of this README
file concerning disk compression software if you are using the
DOS 6 DoubleSpace utility.
---[ Advanced Techniques ]-------------------------------------------[7.0]--
Certain statements may be placed in your CONFIG.SYS multiple
times and DOS will use the last occurrence of the statement. In
particular, this may be done with the FILES and BUFFERS state-
ments.
This is useful for setting default values that will be used
unless they are overridden in the particular BOOTCON config-
uration that is chosen.
For example, you may choose to put the statement BUFFERS=30 in
your COMMON configuration. Then you would only need to put
additional BUFFERS statements in those particular configurations
where you wanted to use a different value. This eliminates the
need to put a BUFFERS statement in every configuration.
This technique should not be used with DEVICE= and DOS=
statements.
---[ Known Problems (Undocumented Features) ]------------------------[8.0]--
--- Include Consistency ---
When the Consistency Check discovers that an Include has been
changed and you instruct BOOTCON to keep the new Include using
the same name, as the Consistency Check continues it will claim
that any additional occurrences of the same Include have changed
when in fact they are the same as the original.
For example, suppose you have an Include that is used by two
configurations in the CONFIG.SYS. Outside BCSETUP you use your
editor to modify the first occurrence of the Include, but not the
second. The next time you run BOOTCON or BCSETUP you will get a
Consistency Check rightly claiming that the Include has been
changed and you tell BOOTCON to keep the new Include code using
the same name. BOOTCON immediately replaces the old Include
statements with the new statements. As the Consistency Check
continues, the second occurrence of the Include (the one that
was unchanged) is found not to match the original (when in fact
it is the original original).
Several things can be done to avoid this inconsistency in the
Consistency Check with Includes.
First, don't edit your Includes outside of BCSETUP if
possible.
Second, if you do edit your Includes outside of BCSETUP,
make the same changes to all the Includes, not just some
of them.
Third, when choosing to "Keep the New" Include during
a Consistency Check, give the Include a new name if the
changed Include is not to be used globally.
--- Hotkey Choices ---
The "S", "O", and "H" keys should not be used as hotkeys because
they are currently used for the buttons "Select", "Options",
and "Help" on the Bootup Menu.
--- REM Statements Under Old DOS Versions ---
When using a version of dos prior to 4.0, you will receive a DOS
error message "Invalid statement in CONFIG.SYS" during each boot.
This is due to the checksum line at the beginning of the
CONFIG.SYS file. This statement causes an error because older
versions of DOS do not support the REM statement in CONFIG.SYS
files.
There are no detrimental affects from this message. It can be
ignored.
---[ Technical Support ]---------------------------------------------[9.0]--
For technical support you should first contact the dealer where
you purchased the program. If they cannot help you, please feel
free to contact us.
When calling for technical support, please have the following
information available:
The BOOTCON version and serial number
The DOS vendor and version number
Details and any TSRs and device drivers in use
The hardware configuration:
Brand and model of computer
Video type
Amount of memory
Hard and floppy drive configuration
We can be reached at:
Modular Software Systems
25825 - 104th Ave. SE, Suite 208
Kent, WA 98031
Phone: (206) 631-5781
Fax: (206) 631-5779
Toll Free: (800) 438-3930
We can also be reached on CompuServe Mail at user-ID 73367,176
---[ End of README ]--------------------------------------------------------