README.TXT NOTES ON MS-DOS 6 =========================== This file provides important information not included in the MICROSOFT MS-DOS 6 USER'S GUIDE or in MS-DOS Help. This file is divided into the following major sections: 1. Setup 2. MemMaker and Memory Management 3. Windows 4. Hardware Compatibility with MS-DOS 6 5. Microsoft Programs 6. Third-Party Programs If the subject you need information about doesn't appear in this file, you might find it in one of the following text files included with MS-DOS: * NETWORKS.TXT, which describes how to update your network software for use with MS-DOS 6. This file contains the following topics: 1. Notes on Setup 1.1 You need to install MS-DOS manually. 1.2 How to set up the Icelandic keyboard 2. MemMaker and Memory Management 2.1 Intel Expanded-Memory Driver (EMM.SYS) 2.2 Running MemMaker on a Computer with PC-NFS 2.3 You have a Super VGA display and want to conserve memory. 2.4 Additional MemMaker Troubleshooting 2.5 Using MemMaker with IBM LAN 2.6 MemMaker and Adaptec SCSI devices 3. Windows 3.1 The "Cannot run Windows in standard mode" message appears. 4. Hardware Compatibility with MS-DOS 6 4.1 Hardcard 4.2 Inboard 386/PC 4.3 Olivetti and AT&T Systems with CGA Video Boards 5. Microsoft Programs 5.1 Microsoft CD-ROM Extensions 5.2 Microsoft Defragmenter 6. Third-party Programs 6.1 4DOS and NDOS 6.2 Above Board 286 and Above Board Plus Installation Programs 6.3 After Dark for DOS (AD-DOS) 6.4 CodeView 6.5 Fastback Plus 6.6 PC Tools 6.7 QEMM-386 (6.02 or earlier) 1. NOTES ON SETUP ================ 1.1 You need to install MS-DOS manually. ---------------------------------------- If you need to install MS-DOS manually, carry out the following procedure: 1. Insert Setup Disk 1 in drive, and restart your computer. 2. After the first screen appears, quit Setup by pressing F3 twice. 3. Transfer your system files to your hard disk by typing SYS A: C: at the command prompt. 4. Create a directory on your hard disk that will contain your MS-DOS 6 files. 5. Copy all the decompressed files (files without an underscore in their extension) on Setup Disk 1 to your MS-DOS directory. 6. Use the EXPAND command to decompress the rest of the files on your Setup disks and copy them to your MS-DOS directory. You must expand the compressed files one at a time, and specify a new extension for each one. For example, to decompress the EGA.SY_ file and copy it to the DOS directory, type the following at the command prompt: A:EXPAND EGA.SYS C:\DOS\EGA.SYS For more information about the EXPAND command and the location and extensions of specific files, see the PACKING.LST file on the Setup disks. 7. Create an AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS file, and store them in the root directory of drive C. For more information about creating these files, see the chapter "Configuring Your System" in the MICROSOFT MS-DOS 6 USER'S GUIDE. 8. Restart your computer. 1.2 How to set up the Icelandic keyboard ---------------------------------------- To set up the Icelandic keyboard, carry out the following procedure: 1. Expand and copy the KEYBOARD.IC_, COUNTRY.IC_, and EGA.IC_ files from your Setup disks to the directory that contains your MS-DOS files. For the location of the files on the disks and for instructions on how to use the EXPAND command, see the PACKING.LST file on Setup Disk 1. When you use the EXPAND command, name the files KEYBOARD.SYS, COUNTRY.SYS, and EGA.CPI 2. In your CONFIG.SYS file, add a MODE command for the EGA.CPI. For example, if the directory that contains your MS-DOS files is DOS, add the following line: MODE CON CP PREP=((861)C:\DOS\EGA.CPI) Also add this line to your CONFIG.SYS file: COUNTRY=354 3. In your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, add the following line: KEYB IS Restart your computer. 2. MEMMAKER AND MEMORY MANAGEMENT ================================= 2.1 Intel Expanded-Memory Driver (EMM.SYS) ------------------------------------------ If you use Intel's EMM.SYS driver with Aboveboard, use EMM.SYS version 4.0 revision E if you an ISA system, or EMM.SYS version 4.0 revision D if you have an MCA or other system. Contact Intel for a free upgrade. 2.2 Running MemMaker on a Computer with PC-NFS ---------------------------------------------- If you use PC-NFS network software, carry out the following procedure before you run MemMaker: 1. Open your MEMMAKER.INF file by using any text editor. This file is in the directory that contains your MS-DOS files. 2. Add the following line to the file: *NET 3. Save the file, and then run MemMaker. 2.3 You have a Super VGA display and want to conserve memory. ------------------------------------------------------------- If you have an 80386 computer with extended memory and a Super VGA display, you can use the MONOUMB.368 file, in conjunction with MemMaker, to conserve conventional memory for running programs. To conserve memory if you have a Super VGA display: 1. Open your Windows SYSTEM.INI file, and find the [386Enh] section. 2. Add a DEVICE command for the MONOUMB.386 file, which is located in your MS-DOS directory. For example, if your MS-DOS files are in C:\DOS, add the following line to this section: DEVICE=C:\DOS\MONOUMB.386 3. Save the file, and restart your computer. 4. After your computer starts, run MemMaker by typing MEMMAKER at the command prompt. 5. Choose Custom Setup. On the Advanced Options screen, answer Yes to the question "Use monochrome region (B000-B7FF) for running programs?" Follow the instructions on your screen. 2.4 Additional MemMaker Troubleshooting Information --------------------------------------------------- If you tried the troubleshooting procedures in the chapter "Making More Memory Available," and you were referred to this file, determine if one of the following conditions applies to your computer: o If your computer uses an Adaptec controller card, you might not be able to use EMM386 unless you have the ADAPTEC.SYS device driver. To obtain the device driver, contact Adaptec or your user-group bulletin board (BBS) on the Association of PC User User Groups (APCUG) network. o If your computer uses an SCSI (small computer system interface) hard disk or other device, or an EDSI (enhanced system device interface), or an MCI (Micro Channel Architecture) device, you might need to use double-buffering with EMM386.EXE. For more information about adding double-buffering, restart your computer with EMM386.EXE, and then type HELP DOUBLE-BUFFERING at the command prompt. 2.5 Using MemMaker with IBM LAN ------------------------------- Before you run MemMaker, you might need to make adjustments to the parameters specified for your IBM LAN support driver, DXMC0MOD.SYS. In your CONFIG.SYS file, make sure that the DEVICE command that loads DXMC0MOD.SYS includes one of the following before you run MemMaker: o The first three parameters, as in the following example: DEVICE=C:\DXMC0MOD.SYS 400000000001,D800,1 o No parameters, as in the following example: DEVICE=C:\DXMC0MOD.SYS o Some parameters and enough commas to fill in the first three parameters, as in the following example: DEVICE=C:\DXMC0MOD.SYS 400000000001,, 2.6 MemMaker and Adaptec SCSI devices ------------------------------------- MemMaker is compatible with Adaptec SCSI devices. However, if you use the ASPI4DOS.SYS driver to support your SCSI device, MemMaker by default will exclude this driver from the optimization process. If you don't use the SCSI device as your startup or boot drive, you can include the ASPI4DOS.SYS driver in the optimization process. To do so, remove the *ASPI4DOS entry in the MEMMAKER.INF file, and then run MemMaker. 3. WINDOWS ========== 3.1 The "Cannot run Windows in standard mode" message appears. -------------------------------------------------------------- If you have a DEVICE=EMM386.EXE command in your CONFIG.SYS file that includes the RAM or NOEMS switch, you cannot run Windows 3.0 in standard mode. Either remove the RAM or NOEMS switch and add the AUTO or OFF switch, or run Windows in real or enhanced mode. NOTE Using EMM386 may reduce the amount of extended memory available to Windows and cause Windows to start in standard mode. To prevent this, reduce the amount of extended memory that other device drivers use. For example, if you are using SMARTDrive, try setting the MinCacheSize parameter to 0. 4. HARDWARE COMPATIBILITY WITH MS-DOS ===================================== 4.1 Hardcard ------------ a) Hardcard II If you can't use Plus Development Hardcard II or Hardcard II XL when running EMM386.EXE, specify the exclude (x=) switch to prevent EMM386 from conflicting with the card's BIOS address. To configure EMM386, run MemMaker. b) Hardcard 40 or Passport If you are using Hardcard 40 or a Passport removable disk, and you have a DEVICE command in your CONFIG.SYS file for PLUSDRV.SYS, disable or remove the DEVICE command. Then run MS-DOS 6 Setup. After Setup is complete, reenable or restore the DEVICE command for PLUSDRV.SYS. Make it the last line in the file. 4.2 Inboard 386/PC ------------------- The Inboard 386/PC is incompatible with MemMaker and the EMM386 memory manager that comes with MS-DOS 6. 4.3 Olivetti and AT&T Systems with CGA Video Boards --------------------------------------------------- An Olivetti or AT&T system with a CGA video board might not scroll correctly. Add the /S switch to the DEVICE=ANSI.SYS command in your CONFIG.SYS file. 5. MICROSOFT PROGRAMS ===================== 5.1 Microsoft CD-ROM Extensions ------------------------------- Use the MSCDEX.EXE file that comes with MS-DOS 6. If you load MSCDEX.EXE with a batch file or program, make sure it loads the MSCDEX.EXE file that comes with MS-DOS 6. The MS-DOS Setup program copies this file to the directory that contains your MS-DOS files. 5.2 Microsoft Defragmenter -------------------------- If you carried out the procedures in "An MS-DOS program displays an out-of-memory message" in the chapter "Diagnosing and Solving Problems" in the MICROSOFT MS-DOS 6 USER'S GUIDE, and still receive an out-of-memory message when you run the Defragmenter, there might be too many files on your hard disk for the Defragmenter to organize. For the Defragmenter to work correctly, you might need to delete some files or move them to a floppy disk or a network drive. 6. THIRD-PARTY PROGRAMS ======================= 6.1 4DOS and NDOS ----------------- 4DOS (prior to 4.02) and NDOS (prior to Norton Utilities 7.0) are compatible with MS-DOS 6. However, to use some of the new features in MS-DOS 6 (such as MemMaker, the LOADHIGH /L switch, DIR compression switches, and so on), contact JP Software for an update to 4DOS 4.02 or later, or Symantec for an update to Norton Utilities 7.0 or later. If you use multiple configurations, 4DOS or NDOS will not automatically run your AUTOEXEC.BAT file unless you include a /P on the SHELL line in your CONFIG.SYS file. To use MS-DOS 6 Help instead of 4DOS or NDOS Help, start it by using COMMAND /C HELP, or define a 4DOS or NDOS alias to run HELP.COM from your MS-DOS 6 directory. 6.2 Above Board 286 and Above Board Plus Installation Programs ----------------------------------------------------- Do not use an Above Board installation program dated May 1989 or earlier until you disable programs that use extended memory, such as SMARTDrive or RAMDrive. You might lose data if you leave these programs enabled. After you have installed Above Board, you can reenable these programs. 6.3 After Dark for DOS (AD-DOS) ------------------------------- If you run After Dark for DOS (AD-DOS) at the same time you run programs that use DPMI, you might have problems with MS-DOS--for example, your computer might stop running or you might receive "packed-file corrupt" messages. Examples of programs that use DPMI are Microsoft MASM61, C7, and FoxPro25. 6.4 CodeView ----------- CAUTION Using versions 3.0 to 3.13 of the CodeView CV.EXE file may cause data loss if your system has an 80386 memory manager (such as EMM386.EXE) and device drivers or programs that use extended memory. To determine which version you have, type CV.EXE at the command prompt. 6.5 Fastback Plus ----------------- If you have a version of Fifth Generation Systems Fastback Pluse earlier than 3.0, use the LOADFIX command before running Fastback Plus or the Fastback Plus installation program to ensure that you don't lose data. To do so, type the following at the command prompt: LOADFIX FB.EXE or LOADFIX FBINSTAL.EXE 6.6 PC Tools ------------ The FORMAT command of PC Tools version 7.1 conflicts with MS-DOS 6. Use the FORMAT command that comes with MS-DOS 6. 6.7 QEMM-386 (6.02 or earlier) ------------------------------- Quarterdeck's QEMM memory manager is compatible with MS-DOS 6. Quarterdeck has a Technical Note #166, MSDOS6.TEC, which discusses how to get the most out of running their products with MS-DOS 6. This technote can be obtained from their BBS, Compuserve (GO QUARTERDECK, Library 2), BIX (JOIN DESQVIEW), and their Q/FAX automated fax-back service.