Multimedia Selection

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ Multimedia Selection / Multimedia Selection Volume One - CD-ROM / MULTIMEDIA SELECTION____________.ISO / utils / dosmax20 / freeload.doc < prev next >

Wrap

Text File | 1993-05-27 | 16.8 KB | 418 lines

================================================================================ FREELOAD.SYS : Ver. 2.0, Copyright (1992,93) by Philip B. Gardner ================================================================================ FREELOAD.SYS is a device driver which will help maximize the use of low memory by releasing memory usually reserved in low memory by LOADHI.SYS from Quarterdeck Office Systems. FREELOAD.SYS tracks the high memory device loader operations and if it is safe to release the low memory after each device initiates, the low memory is released and the driver in upper memory is linked into the DOS device chain. FREELOAD.SYS can be used to save 1-2k in a typical configuration. The actual amount of memory saved depends upon on the number and type of device drivers loaded high. Support is provided for: * fully automatic support of QEMM's LOADHI.SYS and 386MAX's 386LOAD.SYS * specifying the name and path of the device loader * both character and block devices * character drivers which contain an unlimited number of devices * DOS Versions 3.1 - 3.31, DOS 4.x, and DOS 5.x (or better?) ================================================================================ (Requirements):: * Requires MS-DOS Version 3.10 or better ================================================================================ (Installation):: (CONFIG.SYS):: Installation of FREELOAD.SYS requires modifying the contents of your CONFIG.SYS file. (Generic Configuration):: This configuration should work and be the most efficient in 95% of all configurations. For a few real world examples see EXAMPLES.DOC DOS=HIGH[,UMB] (DOS 5.0 only) REM DEVICE=STOPMAX.SYS [options] (Stops kernel from loading in HMA) DEVICE=(xms/umb memory manager) DEVICE=DOSMAX.EXE [options] (DOSMAX loads high automatically) DEVICE=FREELOAD.SYS [-S][other options] REM DEVICE=LOADHI.SYS DOSMAX.EXE (or DOSMAX loaded high with loader) SHELL=SHELLMAX.COM COMMAND.COM /P BUFFERS=20 FILES=40 LASTDRIVE=Z Add a DEVICE= line for FREELOAD.SYS in your config.sys. FREELOAD should be loaded immediately after the XMS and UMB memory manager DEVICE=(Memory Manager) DEVICE=FREELOAD.SYS [options] The default loader pathname is "C:\QEMM\LOADHI.SYS". If FREELOAD cannot open this pathname, a message will displayed alerting you to "Use /Fpathname to override." An example which uses this switch is shown below: DEVICE=FREELOAD.SYS /F D:\QEMM\LOADHI.SYS Version 1.8 adds full 386MAX support, so if 386MAX is detected, or the /A2 switch is used, then the default loader pathname is changed to "C:\386MAX\386LOAD.SYS." (Tip):: If you prefer that a particular device driver is not affected by the operation of FREELOAD, place the DEVICE= for that device above the DEVICE=FREELOAD.SYS entry. This may be necessary in the case that a particular driver is not compatible with FREELOAD. ================================================================================ (Syntax):: The only thing to remember about syntax for the command line is that just about anything works. What this means is that you should be able to type in the options on the command line the way they make sense to you. To illustrate this point, the following command line example is mutated several different ways. DEVICE=FREELOAD.SYS /R+ /P+ /FC:\QEMM\LOADHI.SYS DEVICE=FREELOAD.SYS -R+ -P+ -F C:\QEMM\LOADHI.SYS DEVICE=FREELOAD.SYS R+ P+ F C:\QEMM\LOADHI.SYS DEVICE=FREELOAD.SYS R+P+FC:\QEMM\LOADHI.SYS DEVICE=FREELOAD.SYS -R+P+FC:\QEMM\LOADHI.SYS ... and so on. There must be an EOL or space following the filename paramter the /Fpathname switch FREELOAD 1.9 and above adds optional full word syntax. The new syntax looks like this: DEVICE=FREELOAD.SYS /REPORT:- /PAUSE:- /LOADER=C:\QEMM\LOADHI.SYS DEVICE=FREELOAD.SYS -REPORT:- -PAUSE:- -LOADER=C:\QEMM\LOADHI.SYS DEVICE=FREELOAD.SYS REPORT:- PAUSE:- LOADER=C:\QEMM\LOADHI.SYS DEVICE=FREELOAD.SYS REPORT-PAUSE-LOADER=C:\QEMM\LOADHI.SYS DEVICE=FREELOAD.SYS -REPORT-PAUSE--LOADER=C:\QEMM\LOADHI.SYS Obviously when using full words, it is easier to keep the words separated so that is clear to read. An optional [:] or [=] may be used for switches (i.e. REPORT:+ or LOADER=C:\LOADHI.SYS). These optional delimiters are used interchangeably and can also be used with the single letter switches. Remember to check your spelling because the single letter interface is still intact. (Switch Options):: The following list of switch options is organized by: - Control of FREELOAD Reports (/R:/P:/N:) - Override the Default Name and Path of the Loader (/F=) - Setting the Memory Strategy (/M=) - Overriding Directory Structure Size (/D=) - Control the Alternate Memory Manager Method (/A=) - Controlling the Shrink Feature (/S:) - Response file for FREELOAD (@) (Control of FREELOAD Reports):: (REPORT):: R[+ or -] (toggle: default +) Use /R- or /REPORT:- to disable the report after you are satisfied with the configuration of DOSMAX.EXE (PAUSE):: P[+ or -] (toggle: default +) Use /P- or /PAUSE:- to disable the pause after the report as long as there are no errors or warnings. (NOPAUSE):: N[+ or -] (toggle: default -) Use /N+ or /NOPAUSE:+ to never pause after the report, even if there are errors. This switch can be used if your configuration generates a warning or error message which you choose to ignore. (Override the Default Name and Path of the Loader):: (LOADER):: F[pathname] (string= default=C:\QEMM\LOADHI.SYS) Use /Fpathname or /LOADER=pathname to specify the filename and path of the device loader provided with your upper memory manager. For example, if this device driver is on drive D: DEVICE=FREELOAD.SYS /FD:\QEMM\LOADHI.SYS If FREELOAD cannot find this file, it will not load. (Setting the Memory Strategy):: (STRATEGY):: Mn (value: n = 0) Use /Mn or /STRATEGY=n to control the memory allocation strategy which FREELOAD uses to allocate its upper memory block. The default strategy is is First Fit (/M0). This means that FREELOAD will use the first upper memory block returned by the XMS manager. The other options are Best Fit (/M1) and Last Fit (/M2). Best Fit uses the block which most closely matches the size needed, and Last Fit uses the highest block big enough to handle the request. Values other than 0, 1, or 2 are ignored and the previous setting of this option is used. (Overriding Directory Structure Size):: (CDSSIZE):: Dnn (value: nn = 88) Use /Dnn or /CDSSIZE=nn to set the Drive Table Size. Values other than the MS-DOS 4.0 - 6.0 Drive Table Size of 88 are only allowed if the true MS-DOS version is greater than 5.0. The Drive Table Size for DOS 3.x is 81. The /Dnn switch is only necessary if FREELOAD can't determine the Drive Table Size automatically. (Control the Alternate Memory Manager Method):: (ALTMETHOD):: An (value: n = 0) Use /An to select the method FREELOAD uses to detect and track high device loaders. There are 3 possible values. (0), the default, means that FREELOAD will automatically select the proper method. (1), method 1 is for device loaders compatible with LOADHI.SYS from Quarterdeck. (2), method 2 is for device loaders compatible with 386LOAD.SYS from Qualitas. This switch is included only for debugging purposes. (Controlling the Shrink Feature) (SHRINK):: S[+ or -] (toggle: default -) FREELOAD normally takes approximately 1.4K of high memory. Use /S+ or /SHRINK:+ to reduce this requirement to 16 bytes just before the shell is loaded from CONFIG.SYS. Shrinking may cause problems with high memory optimizers, but the switch can be safely used after the system is optimized, to free another 1.4K of high memory. (Response file for FREELOAD):: Parameters for FREELOAD may be read from a response file by using the @pathname syntax: FREELOAD.SYS @RESPONSE.FIL Response files may be commented by using a ";","#",or "*" character before the comment. * everything in square brackets "[]" is optional (CONFIG.SYS Line):: DEVICE=FREELOAD.SYS [/ or -][R[+]P[+]N[+]S[+]Fpathname] device mode default: /R-/P-/N-/S-/Mn/FC:\QEMM\LOADHI.SYS * No Report status messages * No Pause after report * Pause on errors or warnings * Use the First Fit memory allocation strategy * Default Loader Pathname = "C:\QEMM\LOADHI.SYS" ================================================================================ (Report Format):: FREELOAD.SYS : Ver. 2.0, Copyright (1992) by Philip B. Gardner ERROR : (Error Messages) WARNING : (Warning Messages) ADVICE : (Advisory Messages) : (Report Messages) : (Allocation Status) PAUSE : Press any key to continue... (Report Note):: FREELOAD.SYS may be replaced by FREELOAD.OVL. The exact name of the module is dependent upon the circumstances under which FREELOAD.SYS reports. This detail is important only as diagnostic information. ================================================================================ (Error Messages):: MS-DOS version 3.10 or above is required XMS manager not installed DOS version is not compatible Can't load in High Memory An 80186 processor or better is required Device Loader not found ================================================================================ (Warning Messages):: Unknown option in command line Unknown option on line #0000 Extra characters on command line Missing or invalid option file XXXXXXXX.XXX Line length overflow at line #0000 Drive Table Size not determined or out of range ================================================================================ (Advisory Messages):: Use /Fpathname to override Use /Dnn switch to set Drive Table size ================================================================================ (Report Messages):: Processing option file XXXXXXXX.XXX Effection section is [XXXXXXXX] Drive Table Size set to 00h [pathname] (/Fpathname parameter if error) ================================================================================ (Allocation Status):: FREELOAD moved to 0000 Not enough Hi Memory for FREELOAD ================================================================================ (Changes):: (Version 1.1):: (1) Fixed problem where character devices were skipped if a block device was loaded first (2) Added support for block devices. This grew the size of FREELOAD to 880 bytes so FREELOAD now shrinks to 16 bytes when finished. This frees a .8k block of upper memory which is not needed after all devices are loaded. (Version 1.2):: (1) Added support for character drivers which contain multiple devices. There is a requirement for 16 bytes of low memory for a multiple device driver, but this 16 bytes supports an unlimited number of devices within the driver. Without the 16 bytes, DOS believes the initialization of the driver has failed and only the first device is linked. (Version 1.3):: (1) Fixed problem with failing to build a Drive Parameter Block when a multiple device driver ended with a block device. (2) Changed automatic reduce to a command line option. FREELOAD now takes 1K bytes high. If the /S+ (shrink option is used) this size is reduced to 16 bytes just before the shell is loaded. (Version 1.4):: (1) Improved multiple device failure mode. If a multiple device driver has begun the initiate phase and fails, the high device is left unlinked, and the loader is left in place with memory and the device chain set to the length of the last successful initialization. This method more closely emultates DOS. (2) Added check that resets FREELOAD if the loader doesn't load the device in high memory successfully. (3) Optimized code to reduce memory requirement back to 1K (Version 1.5):: (1) Added base 10 display of Drive Table Size message (Version 1.6):: (1) Added support for DOS 5 UMB's when moving FREELOAD upto upper memory. Some device loaders will work with DOS 5 UMB's, and now you can use the loader instead of DEVICEHIGH= if you want. (2) Added /Mn option, to allow general control of memory allocation strategy. First Fit = 0, Best Fit = 1, and Last Fit = 2 were implemented for both DOS 5 UMB's, and XMS UMB's. (3) Added check for a 186 processor or better (allows V20/V30). (4) Now supporting separate program FREELO86.SYS. This program is functionally identical to FREELO86.SYS, but is compiled to work on 8086/8088 processors also. The stub left in high memory is 16 bytes greater using with this variation. (Version 1.7):: (1) Changed common parsing algorithum to add support for Hex-Notation input. This input method is not used in FREELOAD at this time. (2) Fixed case where device fails but the loader tells DOS the device was ok. The high memory block is released, but the loader still reserves low memory. FREELOAD linked the released driver, but now detects the condition, does not complete the link, and releases the stub. (Version 1.8):: (1) Added automatic support for 386LOAD.SYS from Qualitas. The proper method FREELOAD uses is determined automatically, but may be overridden with the /An switch. The option adds as much as 246 bytes to the pre-shrink size of FREELOAD. (2) DOS 3.x and 4.x with FREELOAD and 386LOAD was crashing because the 386LOAD stub hooked INT 21h, apparently to return a different DOS version to the device being loaded. This "feature" is now disabled by FREELOAD so that the stub may be freed. DOS 5 (and above?) used func 4B05h (set execution state), so the hook checking is bypassed. The hook checking is implemented for /A2 only (or auto /A0). (3) If method 2 (/A2 or 386MAX detected with /A0), the default loader name is "C:\386MAX\386LOAD.SYS." This makes compatability with 386MAX completely transparent to the user in most cases. (Version 1.9):: (1) Reorganized code to enable an overlay method of module selection to automate processor selection and split up .SYS and .EXE modules to reduce the initialization memory to minimum. (2) FREELOAD now automatically detects the processor type and chooses separate code modules if appropriate. The 186 processor require- ment of previous versions is no longer applicable. (3) Added optional full word syntax to argument parser. The old style single letter switch interface is still intact. The switch lists now show the optional word with the switch. (Version 2.0):: (1) Added support for DOS 6.0's changes in the way devices are initialized. FREELOAD 1.7 was not compatible with DOS 6.0 or DBLSPACE. FREELOAD 2.0 now supports the new version seamlessly. (2) Added support for loaders which build sub-segments for devices in high memory. This caused problems while preparing block devices. (3) Added option response file input with @filename.opt syntax ================================================================================