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- =================================================================
- Installation of the PC-Tech Journal Dual-Boot Program
- With IBM OS/2 Version 1.20
- Text version 1, 1/10/90
- =================================================================
-
- Here's my own more detailed, and I hope more simplified, version
- of the dual-boot procedure for MS/PC-DOS and OS/2 as originally
- described in the September, 1988 issue of PC-Tech Journal.
-
- The original article by Ted Mirecki (credit where credit is due)
- was somewhat vague and left even some experienced users in the
- dark. This procedure is still not for the faint-of-heart, but
- should allow most users to install the dual-boot successfully.
-
- Also, the source code to ASKSYS has been slightly modified. The
- version printed in PC-Tech Journal is slightly defective.
-
- Why should you install this dual-boot instead of IBM's? IBM's
- dual-boot is OK, but I think this one is easier to use and less
- prone to wasted time from absent-mindedness. It works better for
- me, and probably will for you too.
-
- These instructions assume you're starting with a DOS-bootable
- hard disk using the same DOS you'll be using to dual-boot.
-
- You'll need:
-
- . A bootable DOS diskette with the following DOS programs:
- EDLIN
- FORMAT
- DEBUG
- FDISK
- SYS
- . Norton Utilities' NU program (or similarly functional s/w).
- . Norton Utilities' FA program (or similarly functional s/w).
- . ASKSYS files and instructions (from this ZIP file).
- . Your favorite editor (if you're not comfy with EDLIN - hehe!).
- . Your Backup/Restore program.
-
- If you can fit it all on a 1.2 or 1.44 Mb disk it'll make life
- easier for you. Then make a backup of that diskette. Even if
- you *are* perfect, back it up anyway. And while you're at it,
- backup your hard drive, and make sure that the backup is usable.
- This procedure doesn't require reformatting or other destruction
- of your hard disk data, but mistakes can happen.
-
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
- Before your begin...
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
-
- You can install an HPFS partition after you've installed every-
- thing else. You simply need to use DOS FDISK to reserve some
- hard disk space for the HPFS partition. That space should be un-
- allocated completely, not as any kind of partition.
-
- After installing everything, add these lines to config.sys...
-
- At the top:
- IFS=C:\OS2\HPFS.IFS -C:64 /AUTOCHECK:<drive>
-
- At the bottom:
- RUN=C:\OS2\CACHE.EXE /LAZY:ON
-
- From OS/2's Utilities group choose the FDISKPM program and create
- an OS/2 partition in the space you reserved, then reboot into
- OS/2 and run the following command from on OS/2 command window:
-
- FORMAT <drive>/FS:HPFS
-
- For some interesting performance notes, see Eric Rintell's notes
- on installing dual-boot and HPFS on IBM OS/2 1.2, DUALBOOT.ZIP.
-
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
- What we need to do...
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Normally, the PC's ROM BIOS calls up the disk boot record, which
- loads up a system file (IBMBIO.COM for DOS, OS2LDR for OS/2),
- which in turn loads up IBMDOS.COM or OS2KRNL and then looks for
- COMMAND.COM. In OS/2 things go a bit further but that does not
- concern us now.
-
- So we have to steal boot records from both DOS and OS/2, append
- them to the dual-boot program (ASKSYS), and get each operating
- system's respective files COMMAND.COM, AUTOEXEC.BAT & CONFIG.SYS
- to coexist on the hard disk. We use OS/2's more versatile boot
- record to call ASKSYS instead of OS2LDR, and let ASKSYS take care
- of which boot record to use to start the computer.
-
- OS2KRNL needs to be changed to look for CONFIG.OS2 instead of
- CONFIG.SYS, and OS/2's COMMAND.COM needs to be changed to look
- for AUTOEXEC.OS2 instead of AUTOEXEC.BAT. Each operating
- system's COMMAND.COM gets located in its own directory.
-
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
- Approach...
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Most of what we'll be doing is easiest with DEBUG, but Norton
- Utilities is desirable for searching through large files and
- editing them to suit our needs. Norton's FA comes in when we
- want to change the attributes of system files. DOS' ATTRIB is
- pathetic and can only change the Readonly and Archive settings of
- files. It won't touch Hidden or System settings. You should not
- really need an attribute-setting utility in this procedure unless
- you are using a substitute for Norton Utilities that gives you a
- hard time with hidden files.
-
- I've provided some script files for use with DEBUG to automate
- error-prone procedures. Script files are implemented using DOS
- redirection, such as "DEBUG < FILENAME.SCR". They are:
-
- GETDOSBT.SCR Get DOS boot record
-
- n A:\DOSBOOT.REC
- l 100 2 0 1
- rcx
- 200
- w
- q
-
- GETOS2BT.SCR Get OS2 boot record
-
- n A:\OS2BOOT.REC
- l 100 2 0 1
- rcx
- 200
- w
- q
-
- ASKSYS1.SCR Combine DOS & OS/2 boot records with ASKSYS
-
- n asksys
- l 100
- n dosboot.rec
- l 276
- n os2boot.rec
- l 476
- n asksys
- rcx
- 576
- w
- q
-
- PUTOS2BT.SCR Put OS2 boot record
-
- n A:\OS2BOOT.REC
- l
- w 100 2 0 1
- q
-
- The commands in these script files are exactly as they would be
- typed to DEBUG's "-" prompt if you had started DEBUG alone.
-
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
- Let's go!!!
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
-
- You backed up, right? RIGHT?! OK. Make A: the default drive
- and type "DEBUG < GETDOSBT.SCR". After it runs it should have
- left a 512 byte file on your diskette called DOSBOOT.REC.
-
- Now, while we're still under DOS we need to get COMMAND.COM out
- of the way. Make a \DOS directory and copy COMMAND.COM into it.
- Edit CONFIG.SYS to include the following line at the top:
- SHELL=C:\DOS\COMMAND.COM C:\DOS /P
- Now copy both your AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS to \DOS for safe-
- keeping. The copies in the root directory will be overwritten.
-
- Now you can run the OS/2 installation procedure. Just make sure
- you don't choose the "format" option when the install program
- asks you whether or not to format.
-
- OS/2's working OK now? Great, but reboot with the DOS diskette
- and type "DEBUG < GETOS2BT.SCR". When it's finished it should
- leave a 512 byte file on the diskette called OS2BOOT.REC.
-
- IBM's OS/2 1.2 is now polite enough to leave the DOS system files
- IBMBIO.COM and IBMDOS.COM alone, so much of PC-Tech Journal's
- worrying about placing those files is no longer necessary. They
- all coexist peacefully without fuss.
-
- Now's time for Norton Utilities. We need to patch OS2KRNL (a
- hidden file) so that occurrences of "CONFIG.SYS" are changed to
- read "CONFIG.OS2". Not all occurrences have to be changed, but
- the effort in changing them all is minimal.
-
- Just start start NU using "NU C:\", select Explore disk, Choose
- item, File, select OS2KRNL, press <Esc> and select Search item,
- type in "CONFIG" (without no quotes) and press <Enter>. Each
- time "CONFIG" is encountered replace "SYS" with "OS2", press
- <Enter>, "W" (for Write changes) and Continue search until there
- are no more occurrences.
-
- We have to do likewise for OS/2's COMMAND.COM, currently located
- in the root directory, changing all occurrences of AUTOEXEC.BAT
- to AUTOEXEC.OS2. Just search for "AUTOEXEC".
-
- Now that the patching is completed, rename OS/2's AUTOEXEC.BAT to
- AUTOEXEC.OS2 and CONFIG.SYS to CONFIG.OS2. Copy the DOS versions
- of AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS back into the root directory, and
- then copy the modofied root copy of COMMAND.COM into the \OS2
- directory. The root copy can then be deleted.
-
- Make sure that CONFIG.OS2 contains the line:
- SHELL=C:\OS2\COMMAND.COM /P
-
- Make sure that AUTOEXEC.OS2 contains the line:
- SET COMSPEC=C:\OS2\COMMAND.COM
-
- These lines should already be there, but check the files anyway.
- Also, AUTOEXEC.OS2 may contain a line that copies COMMAND.COM
- into the root directory every time OS/2's DOS box executes. Get
- rid of that line - it's silly and unnecessary. With this setup
- you never need any version of any COMMAND.COM in the root.
-
- With any luck, you should be able to boot now and end up in OS/2.
- Give it a try, and reboot to DOS when you're finished. If it
- didn't work, you have backups, right? RIGHT?!
-
- Now it's time for the heart of the procedure - the ASKSYS
- program. Type "DEBUG < ASKSYS1.SCR". Then start NU on the
- diskette and select the file OS2BOOT.REC. Change each occurrence
- of "OS2LDR" to read "ASKSYS". Save the changes and quit from NU.
- Now from DOS type "DEBUG < PUTOS2BT.SCR". Do NOT change the
- order of these commands! Lastly, copy the ASKSYS program from
- the diskette to the root directory of your hard disk, and
- optionally change its attribute to "ReadOnly" to avoid later
- disaster.
-
- You should now be able to reboot the computer and be welcomed by
- the ASKSYS prompt. As provided, ASKSYS waits 15 seconds before
- defaulting to DOS. <Esc> selects DOS and <Enter> selects OS/2.
-
- If everything works now, you should backup the files DOSBOOT.REC,
- OS2BOOT.REC and ASKSYS in case they are needed in the future, and
- backup all the hard work you just completed! If you ever have to
- reformat and restore your hard disk, you will need PUTOS2BT.SCR
- again to get the hard disk boot record to call ASKSYS.
-
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
- Notes...
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
-
- If you change ASKSYS.ASM and rebuild ASKSYS, the ASKSYS1.SCR may
- no longer be valid. But if you know enough to fiddle with
- ASKSYS.ASM then you're on you own already.
-
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
- Epilogue...
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Since the potential for headache in this procedure is incredible,
- I've made a fantastic effort to make sure it's all absolutely
- correct. I know I'm perfect but I do this stuff late at night
- when I can't see straight. So if there's any problem with these
- instructions please inform me immediately. I can be reached
- through Compu$serve at [71631,132], and at the Invention Factory,
- Thunder Road and Sound of Music BBS' in New York. I've used
- these instructions as a guide when doing installations and have
- not gone wrong so long as I did everything as specified. I'm
- truly sorry if I missed anything.
-
- BRAD BERSON
-
-