Concise Users Guide

iMS=DOS6
Operating System Plus Enhanced Tools

For sale only with a new PC

Concise Users Guide

Microsoft MS-DOS 6
For the MS-DOS Operating System

Microsoft Corporation

Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Companies, names, and data used in
examples herein are fictitious unless otherwise noted. No part of this document may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without the
express written permission of Microsoft Corporation.
1993 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Microsoft Defragmenter 1988- 1993 Symantec Corporation
Microsoft Backup 1991-1993 Symantec Corporation and Quest Development Corporation
Microsoft Undelete 1988-1993 Central Point Software, Inc.
MSAV 1992-1993 Central Point Software, Inc.
Microsoft, Microsoft Press, MS, and MS-DOS are registered trademarks, and Windows is a trademark
of Microsoft Corporation in the United States of America and other countries.
U.S. Patent Numbers 4955066 and 5109433
Adaptec is a trademark of Adaptec, Inc.
AddStor is a registered trademark and SuperStor is a trademark of AddStor, Inc.
AT&T is a registered trademark of American Telephone and Telegraph Company.
CompuAdd is a registered trademark of CompuAdd Corporation.
CompuServe is a registered trademark of CompuServe, Inc.
Everex is a trademark of Everex Systems, Inc.
GEnie is a trademark of General Electric Corporation.
Vfeature is a trademark of Golden Bow Systems.
Hewlett-Packard, HP, and Vectra are registered trademarks of Hewlett-Packard Company.
Hitachi is a registered trademark of Hitachi, Ltd.
AT, IBM, Proprinter, PS/l, PS/2, and Quietwriter are registered trademarks of International Business
Machines Corporation.
Bernoulli is a registered trademark of Iomega Corporation.
Logitech is a trademark of Logitech, Inc.
Novell is a registered trademark of Novell, Inc.
Disk Manager is a registered trademark of Ontrack Computer Systems, Inc.
Philips is a registered trademark of Philips International B.V.
Priam is a registered trademark of Priam Corporation.
SpeedStor is a registered trademark of Storage Dimensions.
Symantec and Norton Backup are trademarks of Symantec Corporation.
Syquest is a registered trademark of Syquest Technology.
UNIX is a registered trademark of UNIX Systems Laboratories.
Printed in the United States of America.

008.59505.EN127

iii

Contents
Welcome
About Your MS-DOS Documentation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
New Features of MS-DOS 6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Document Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Keyboard Conventions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

ix
x
xi
xii
xii

Chapter 1 Getting Started

Running Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Configuring Anti-Virus, Backup, and Undelete for Windows. . . . . . . . . .

1
1

Chapter 2 MS-DOS Basics

Learning MS-DOS Basics-A Tutorial. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Command Prompt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Typing a Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Viewing the Contents of a Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Changing Directories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Changing Back to the Root Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Creating a Directory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Deleting a Directory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Changing Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Copying Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Renaming Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Deleting Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Formatting a Floppy Disk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
How MS-DOS Organizes Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Directories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Drives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using Paths to Specify the Location of Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Naming Files and Directories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using Extensions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using Wildcards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3
3
3
4
4
5
6
7
7
8
9
10
11
12
12
12
13
14
15
15
16

iv

Contents
Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using MS-DOS Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using Command-Line Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MS-DOS Shell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using MS-DOS Shell Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

16
16
18
19
20

Chapter 3 Managing Your System

Backing Up Your Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Overview of Backup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using Backup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Configuring Backup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Comparing Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
...............
Restoring Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
If the DMA buffer size too small Message Appears. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Protecting Your Computer from Viruses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Anti-Virus Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Scanning for Viruses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Automatically Scanning for Viruses, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Setting Anti-Virus Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
UsingVSafe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Troubleshooting Anti-Virus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using SMART Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using the Defragmenter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Recovering Deleted Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Configuring Delete Protection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Undelete for Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Undelete for MS-DOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

21
21
23
25
27
27
29
30
30
30
31
32
32
34
37
38
38
39
40
42

Chapter 4 Configuring Your System

Setting Your Systems Startup Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Editing Your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT Files . . . . . . . .
CONFIG.SYS Commands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Configuring Hardware Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Determining the Order of CONFIG.SYS Commands. . . . . . . . . . .
Sample CONFIG.SYS File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
AUTOEXEC.BAT Commands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sample AUTOEXEC.BAT File. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

43
43
44
45
46
47
48
48

Contents

Bypassing CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Completely Bypassing Your Startup Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Confirming Each CONFIG.SYS Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Using Multiple Configurations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Defining a Startup Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Defining Configuration Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Modifying Your AUTOEXEC.BAT File for . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Multiple Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 4

Chapter 5 Freeing Disk Space

Deleting Unnecessary Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 7
Using Chkdsk to Free Disk Space. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 8
Increasing Disk Space by Using Double Space. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 9
Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 9
Setting Up Double Space. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 9
Using Double Space to Manage Compressed Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 2
Compressing Additional Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 3
Using Double Space with Floppy Disks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 4
Getting Information About Compressed Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 6
Troubleshooting Double Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 6

Chapter 6 Making More Memory Available

Identifying Your Computers Memory Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Freeing Conventional Memory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Optimizing Memory by Using MemMaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Streamlining Your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT Files. . . . . . . . .
Running MS-DOS in the High Memory Area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Freeing Extended Memory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Freeing Expanded Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using MS-DOS Memory Managers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using the EMM386 Memory Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

67
68
68
80
81
81
82
82
82

Chapter 7 Features for Your Laptop Computer

Using Interlnk to Connect Two Computers . . . ...........................
W h a t Y o u N e e d t o U s e I n t e r l n k. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Establishing a Connection Between Computers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Breaking the Connection Between Computers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using the Remote Copy Procedure .......................
Conserving Power on Your Laptop Computer, ........................

85
86
88
88
88
89

vi

Contents

Chapter 8 Diagnosing and Solving Problems

Troubleshooting While Running MS-DOS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .
You receive a message that HIMEM.SYS is missing or not loaded
You installed a hardware device, and your computer stopped
working correctly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MS-DOS Shell wont start or switch between programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
You need to restore files you backed up by using an earlier version
of the backup command. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
An MS-DOS program displays an out-of-memory message.

91
92
94
95
97
97

Chapter 9 Customizing for International Use

Changing Country-Specific Conventions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Changing the Keyboard Layout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Changing Character Sets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
An Overview of the Procedures for Changing Character Sets. ................ 101
Preparing Your Monitor for Character Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Loading National Language Support for Character Sets. .................. 102
Loading a Character Set into Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Making a Character Set Active . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Viewing Information About Character Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Country, Keyboard, and Character-Set Codes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Configuring Your Computer for International Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Changing All Your Country-Specific Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Explanation of Error Messages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Appendix A Accessibility to MS-DOS for Individuals with Disabilities

Support Services for Individuals Who Are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing . . . .
Access DOS Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Keyboard Layouts for Single-Handed Users. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Documentation on Audio Cassettes and Floppy Disks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Getting More Information About Products and Services. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Appendix B

109
110
110
112
112

Keyboard Layouts and Character Sets

Keyboard Layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using Keys That Have More Than Two Characters on Them. . . . . . .
Character-Set (Code-Page) Tables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

113
116
117

Contents

vii

Appendix C Obtaining New Virus Signatures

Updating Your Virus Signatures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Coupon for the Resource Kit and Supplemental Disks
Coupon for the Anti-Virus Updates
The Authorized Editions on MS-DOS from Microsoft Press

123

ix

Welcome
Welcome to the Microsoft MS-DOS operating system. MS-DOS 6 includes
many new features that are described later in this introduction. If MS-DOS 6
is not yet set up on your computer, see the chapter Getting Started for
information about how to use the Setup program.

About Your MS-DOS Documentation

MS-DOS 6 documentation consists of the Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise
Users Guide, MS-DOS Help, and several other online documents.
This guide includes information for inexperienced computer users, and some
advanced topics for users familiar with MS-DOS. MS-DOS Help is an online
reference to MS-DOS commands. The reference includes information about
how to type commands and their parameters and switches, notes about commands, and examples of how to use commands.
After youve set up MS-DOS 6 on your computer, you can display the
MS-DOS Help table of contents by typing help at the command prompt and
then pressing ENTER. You can also get information about a command by typing help and the name of the command at the command prompt.
When you install MS-DOS 6, Setup copies to your hard disk several online
documents that contain information that was unavailable when this guide was
printed. You can read (and print) the documents by using any text editor.
After you set up MS-DOS 6, you will find the following files in the directory
that contains your MS-DOS files: the README.TXT file, which provides
information about how MS-DOS 6 interacts with certain types of hardware
and software, and the NETWORKS.TXT file, which provides information
about making your network compatible with MS-DOS 6.

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

New Features of MS-DOS 6

If you have used earlier versions of MS-DOS, you will find many improve.
ments in MS-DOS 6:
Microsoft DoubleSpace, integrated disk-compression that increases your
available disk space by compressing files. DoubleSpace increases available space on both hard disks and floppy disks. For more information, see
the chapter Freeing Disk Space.
A/c switch for the dir command that displays information about file compression ratios on compressed DoubleSpace drives. For more information,
type help dir at the MS-DOS command prompt, and then press ENTER.
Microsoft MemMaker, a memory-optimization program that moves device
drivers and memory-resident programs from conventional memory into the
upper memory area on computers that have an 80386 or higher processor.
For more information, see the chapter Making More Memory Available.
An enhanced EMM386 device driver that accesses more upper memory
blocks and uses extended memory to simulate expanded memory. For
more information, see the chapter Making More Memory Available.
An enhanced mem command that provides more information about the
memory your computer is using and the programs that are loaded in memory. For more information, type help mem at the MS-DOS command
prompt, and then press ENTER .
Enhanced loadhigh and devicehigh commands that enable you to specify
the memory region in which you want to load a program. For more information, type help loadhigh or help devicehigh at the MS-DOS command
prompt, and then press ENTER.
Microsoft Backup, a program that backs up your data. For more information, see the chapter Managing Your System.
Microsoft Anti-Virus, a program that can identify and remove more than
800 different computer viruses from your system. For more information,
see the chapter Managing Your System.
Microsoft Undelete, an enhanced program that enables you to choose one
of three levels of protection in case you accidentally delete a file. For more
information, see the chapter Managing Your System.
The ability to define more than one configuration in a CONFIG.SYS file.
For more information, see the chapter Configuring Your System.
The ability to bypass startup commands when you turn on your computer.
For more information, see the chapter Configuring Your System.

Welcome

xi

Microsoft Defragmenter, a program that optimizes file storage on your

hard disk. For more information, see the chapter Managing Your
System.
MS-DOS Help, an online reference to MS-DOS commands. For more
information, see the chapter MS-DOS Basics.
An enhanced SMARTDrive program. For more information, see the chapter Managing Your System, or type help smartdrv at the command
prompt and then press ENTER.
Microsoft Diagnostics (MSD), a program that gathers and displays technical information about your computer. For more information, type
help msd at the MS-DOS command prompt, and then press ENTER.
Interlnk, a program that enables you to easily transfer files between computers. For more information, see the chapter Features for Your Laptop
Computer.
Power, a program that conserves battery power when applications and
hardware devices are idle. For more information, see the chapter Features
for Your Laptop Computer.
A move command that moves one or more files from one directory or
drive to another. For more information, type help move at the MS-DOS
command prompt, and then press ENTER.
A choice command to prompt a user for input when running a batch program. For more information, type help choice at the MS-DOS command
prompt, and then press ENTER.
A deltree command that deletes a directory and all of its files and subdirectories. For more information, type help deltree at the MS-DOS command prompt, and then press ENTER.
Fewer technical status messages appear when your computer starts.

Conventions
This guide uses document and keyboard conventions to help you locate and
identify information.

xii

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Document Conventions
To help you locate and interpret information easily, this guide uses consistent
visual cues and a standard key combination format. These conventions are
explained as follows.
This

Represents

bold

Commands and the switches that follow them. You

must type commands and their switches exactly as
they appear.

italic

Placeholders that represent information you must

provide. Italic type also signals a new term. An
explanation precedes or follows the italicized term.

ALL CAPITALS

The names of computers, printers, directories, and files.

Microsoft documentation uses the term MS-DOS to refer to the MS-DOS and
IBM Personal Computer DOS operating systems.

Keyboard Conventions
Key combinations and key sequences appear in the following format:
Notation

Meaning

KEY1+KEY2

Hold down the first key while you press the second
key. For example, Press CTRL+C means that you
press CTRL and hold it down while you press C.

KEY1, KEY2

A comma (,) between key names means you must

press the keys in sequence-for example, Press
ALT, Fl0 means that you press and release the ALT
key, and then press and release the F10 key.

C H A P T E R

Getting Started
Most computers are sold with an operating system pre-installed. However, if
your computer doesnt have the MS-DOS 6 operating system installed, you
must run the Setup program. You cannot run MS-DOS directly from the Setup
disks because the files on those disks are compressed. The Setup program
expands MS-DOS files and copies them to your hard disk or floppy disks.

Running Setup
The Setup program detects the type of hardware and software you have on
your computer and notifies you if your computer does not meet the minimum
requirements.
To set up MS-DOS
1. Insert Setup Disk 1 in drive A (your startup drive).
2. Start (or restart) your computer.
3. Follow the instructions on your screen.

Configuring Anti-Virus, Backup, and

Undelete for Windows
After you install Microsoft Windows on your system, to use the Windows
versions of Anti-Virus, Backup, or Undelete, you must run the MS-DOS 6
Setup program again.
To configure Anti-Virus, Backup, or Undelete for Windows
1. Insert Setup disk 1 in drive A or drive B, and then type the following at the
command prompt:
a:setup /e

or b:setup /e

2. Follow the instructions on your screen.

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Setup creates a Microsoft Tools group in Program Manager and adds the icons
for these programs to the group. If you are running Windows version 3.1,
Setup adds an Undelete command to the File menu in File Manager. Setup
also adds a Tools menu, which includes commands for Anti-Virus and
Backup, to the menu bar in File Manager.

C H A P T E R

MS-DOS Basics
This chapter explains the basics of using MS-DOS 6. The first section of this
chapter is a tutorial. The second section explains in more detail some of the
concepts described in the tutorial and provides information about using
MS-DOS Help.

Learning MS-DOS Basics - A Tutorial

By following the procedures in this section, you will learn to view the contents of a directory, create and delete directories, change from one directory or
drive to another, copy, rename, and delete files, and format a floppy disk.

The Command Prompt

When you first turn on your computer, you will see some information flash
by. When the information stops scrolling past, youll see the following:
C:\>
This is called the command prompt. The flashing underscore next to the command prompt is called the cursor. The cursor shows where the command you
type will appear.

Typing a Command
This section explains how to type a command at the command prompt. After
typing a command, you must press ENTER.
To type a command at the command prompt
1. Type the following command at the command prompt (you can type the
command in either uppercase or lowercase letters): ver
2. Press ENTER.

The following message appears on your screen:

MS-DOS version 6.00

The ver command displays the version number of MS-DOS. If you see the
message Bad command or file name, press the BACKSPACE key to erase
the mistake, and then try again.

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Viewing the Contents of a Directory

In this section, you will view the contents of a directory by using the dir
command. The dir command stands for directory.
To view the contents of a directory
l

Type the following at the command prompt:

dir

A list similar to the following appears:

Volume in drive C is MS-DOS-6
Volume Serial Number is lE49-15E2
Directory of C:\
WINDOWS
CONFIG
COMMAND
WINA20
DOS
AUTOEXEC

10:27p
10:50a
6:00a
53014 09-18-92
5:00a
386
9349 11-11-91
4:23p
<DIR>
09-02-92
290 09-23-92 10:54a
BAT
6 file(s)
62931 bytes
8732672 bytes free
SYS
COM

<DIR>

09-08-92

278 09-23-92

This is called a directory list. A directory list is a list of all the files and subdirectories that a directory contains. In this case, you see all the files and
directories in the main or root directory of your drive.

Changing Directories
All the names that have <DIR> beside them are directories. You can see a list
of the files in another directory by changing to that directory, and then using
the dir command again. In this case, you will change to the DOS directory.
To change from the root directory to the DOS directory
To change directories, you will use the cd command. The cd command stands
for change directory.
l

Type the following at the command prompt:

cd dos

The command prompt changes. It should now look like the following:
C:\DOS>

The command prompt shows which directory you are in. In this case, you
know you successfully changed to the DOS directory because the command
prompt displays the directorys name. Now the current directory is DOS.
Next, you will use the dir command to view a list of the files in the DOS
directory.

Chapter 2 MS-DOS Basics

To view a list of the files in the DOS directory

l

Type the following at the command prompt:

dir

A list of the files in the DOS directory appears, but scrolls by too quickly to
read. You can modify the dir command so that it displays only one screen of
information at a time.
To view the contents of a directory one screen at a time
1. Type the following at the command prompt:

dir /p

One screen of information appears. At the bottom of the screen, you will
see the following message: Press any key to continue . . . . . . . .
2. To view the next screen of information, press any key on your keyboard.
Repeat this step until the command prompt appears.
When you typed the dir command this time, you included the /p switch after
the command. A switch modifies the way MS-DOS carries out a command.
Generally, a switch consists of a forward slash (/) that is followed by one or
more letters or numbers. When you used the /p switch with the dir command,
you specified that MS-DOS should pause after it displays each screen of directory list information.
To view the contents of a directory in wide format
1. Type the following at the command prompt:

dir /w

The directory list appears, with the filenames listed in wide format. Only
filenames are listed. No information about the files size or date and time
of creation appears.
2. If the directory contains more files than will fit on one screen, you can
combine the /p and /w switches as follows: dir/w /p

Changing Back to the Root Directory

Next, you will change from the DOS directory back to the root directory.
To change to the root directory
l

Type the following at the command prompt:

cd \

Note that the slash you type in this command is a backslash (\), not a forward slash (/). No matter which directory you are in, this command always
returns you to the root directory of a drive. The root directory does not
have a name. It is simply referred to by a backslash (\).
The command prompt should now look like the following:

C : \>

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Creating a Directory
In this section, you will create two directories. Creating a directory is helpful
if you want to organize related files into groups to make them easy to find. To
create a directory, you will use the md command. The md command stands
for make directory.
To create and change to a directory named FRUIT
1. Type the following at the command prompt:

md \fruit

You have now created a directory named FRUIT.

2. To change to the new FRUIT directory, type the following at the command
prompt: cd \fruit
The command prompt should now look like the following:

C : \ FRUIT>

You will now create a directory within the FRUIT directory, named GRAPES.
To create and work with a directory named GRAPES
1. Type the following at the command prompt:

md grapes

You will not see the new GRAPES directory until you carry out the dir
command in the next step.
2. To confirm that you successfully created the GRAPES directory, type the
following at the command prompt: dir
Note that there are three entries in the FRUIT directory list. One is the
GRAPES directory that you just created. There are two other entries--one
looks like a single period (.) and the other looks like a double period (..).
These directory entries appear in every directory.
The GRAPES directory is a subdirectory of the FRUIT directory. A subdirectory is a directory within another directory.
3. To change to the GRAPES directory, type the following at the command
prompt: cd grapes
The command prompt should now look like the following:
C:\FRUIT\GRAPES>

4. To switch back to the FRUIT directory, type the following:

cd . .

The command prompt should now look like the following:

C:\FRUIT>

When the cd command is followed by two periods (..), MS-DOS moves up

one level in the directory structure. In this case, you moved up one level
from the GRAPES directory to the FRUIT directory.

Chapter 2 MS-DOS Basics

Deleting a Directory
You may want to delete a directory to simplify your directory structure. In this
section, you will delete the GRAPES directory. To delete a directory, use the
rd command. The rd command stands for remove directory.
To delete the GRAPES directory
1. Make sure the command prompt looks like the following:
2. Type the following at the command prompt:

C : \ FRUIT>

rd grapes

3. To confirm that you successfully deleted the GRAPES directory, type the
following at the command prompt: dir
The GRAPES directory should no longer appear in the directory list.
Note You cannot delete a directory if you are in it. Before you can delete a
directory, you must type cd.. at the command prompt.

Changing Drives
This section describes how to change drives. So far, you have been working
with drive C. You have other drives you can use to store information. For
example, drive A is your first floppy disk drive. The files and directories on
drive A are located on the floppy disk in the drive. (You might also have a
drive B, which contains the files and directories stored on the floppy disk in
that drive.)
To change to and view files on a different drive
1. Insert Setup Disk 1 (included with your copy of MS-DOS 6) in drive A
label-side up. Then close the drive door or make sure the disk clicks into
the drive.
2. Type the following at the command prompt:

a:

Note that the command prompt changed to the following:

A:\>

This message may appear:

Not ready reading drive A
Abort, Retry, Fail?

If you see this message, the drive door may not be closed properly. Place
the disk label-side up in the disk drive, and then close the drive door or
make sure the disk clicks into the disk drive. Then, type r for Retry. There
must be a floppy disk in the drive that you want to change to.
3. To view a list of the files on the floppy disk in drive A, type the following
at the command prompt: dir
A list of the files on the disk appears.

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

4. Change back to drive C by typing the following at the command prompt:
c:
When you type a drive letter followed by a colon, you change to that drive.
The drive letter that appears in the command prompt shows which drive is the
current drive. Unless you specify otherwise, any commands you type are carried out on the current drive and in the current directory. For example, you can
view the files on a disk in drive A without switching to drive A by following
this procedure.
To view files on drive A when drive C is current
l

Type the following at the command prompt:

dir a:

A list of the files on the floppy disk in drive A appears, even though your
command prompt indicates that drive C is current.
By specifying a: after the dir command, you are indicating to MS-DOS that
you want the dir command to show the list of files and directories on drive A
instead of drive C. The a: you typed after the dir command is called a
parameter. A parameter specifies what a command should act on.

Copying Files
This section describes how to copy a single file and a group of files. To copy a
file, you will use the copy command. When you use the copy command, you
must include two parameters: the location and name of the file you want to
copy, or the source, and the location to which you want to copy the file, or the
destination. You separate the source and destination with a space. The copy
command follows this pattern: copy source destination

Copying a Single File

To copy the EDIT.HLP file from the DOS directory to the FRUIT
directory
1. Return to the root directory by typing the following at the command
prompt: cd \
2. Change to the DOS directory by typing the following at the command
prompt: cd dos
3. To copy the EDIT.HLP file from the DOS directory to the FRUIT directory, type the following at the command prompt:
copy c:\dos\edit.hlp c:\fruit
The following message appears:

1 file(s) c o p i e d

Chapter 2 MS-DOS Basics

The command you just typed copied the file from its source to its destination. By specifying C:\DOS\EDIT.HLP as the source, you indicated that
MS-DOS would find the source file EDIT.HLP on drive C in the DOS
directory. By specifying C:\FRUIT as the destination, you indicated that
MS-DOS should place the copy of EDIT.HLP on drive C in the FRUIT
directory.

Copying a Group of Files

In this section, you will use wildcards to copy a group of files from the DOS
directory to the FRUIT directory. The asterisk (*) wildcard matches any character in that position and all the other positions that follow it. In this section,
you will first view a group of files by using wildcards, and then copy the files
using wildcards. Before you begin this section, make sure your command
prompt looks like the following: C : \DOS>
To list all tiles ending with the extension .TXT and copy them from the
DOS directory to the FRUIT directory by using wildcards
1. View all the files in the DOS directory that end with the extension .TXT
by typing the following at the command prompt: dir *.txt
Note that there is a space before the asterisk (*), but not after it.
This command lists all files and subdirectories in the current directory that
end with the extension .TXT. The asterisk matches the first character of
the filename and all other characters that follow it, up to the period (.) that
separates the name from the .TXT extension.
2. To copy the files with a .TXT extension to the FRUIT directory, type the
following at the command prompt: copy *.txt c:\fruit
This command copies all the files that have the .TXT extension from the
current directory (DOS) to the FRUIT directory.

Renaming Files
This section explains how to rename files. To rename a file, you will use the
ren command. The ren command stands for rename. When you use the ren
command, you must include two parameters. The first is the file you want to
rename, and the second is the new name for the file. You separate the two
names with a space. The ren command follows this pattern:
ren oldname newname

Renaming a File
In this section, you will rename the README.TXT file that you copied into
the FRUIT directory. Before you begin this section, make sure your command
prompt looks like the following: C : \ FRUIT>

10

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

To rename the README.TXT file to PEACH.TXT
l

Type the following at the command prompt:

ren readme.txt peach.txt

You also can use wildcards to rename a group of files.

Deleting Files
This section explains how to delete, or remove, a file that you no longer want
on your disk. To delete a file, you will use the del command. The del command stands for delete.

Deleting a File
In this section, you will delete two files using the del command. Before you
begin, make sure your command prompt looks like the following:
C:\FRUIT>

To delete the EDIT.HLP file

1. Delete the EDIT.HLP file by typing the following at the command
prompt: del edit.hlp
2. To confirm that you deleted the file successfully, type the following at the
command prompt: dir
The EDIT.HLP file should no longer appear in the directory list.

Deleting a Group of Files

To delete files in the current directory that end with the extension .TXT
by using wildcards
1. View all files that end with the extension .TXT by typing the following at
the command prompt: dir *.txt
A list of all the files that end with the extension .TXT appears. Make sure
that these are the files you want to delete. When you are deleting files by
using wildcards, this step is very important. It will prevent you from deleting files accidentally.
2. Delete all files ending with .TXT by typing the following at the command
prompt: del *.txt
3. To confirm that all the files with the extension .TXT have been deleted,
type the following at the command prompt: dir
The FRUIT directory should contain no files.
Now that the FRUIT directory is empty, you can delete it.

Chapter 2 MS-DOS Basics

11

To delete the FRUIT directory

1. Return to the root directory by typing the following at the command
prompt: cd \
2. You can see the FRUIT directory in the directory list by typing the following at the command prompt: dir
3. Remove the FRUIT directory by typing the following at the command
prompt: rd fruit
4. To verify that the FRUIT directory has been removed, type the following
at the command prompt: dir
The FRUIT directory should not appear in the directory list.

Formatting a Floppy Disk

When you purchase new floppy disks, you must generally format them before
you can use them.
Caution Any data already on the disk you format will be erased, so make sure
you select a disk that does not contain information you may need later.
To format a floppy disk
1. Type the following at the command prompt:

format a:

This command specifies that you want to format the disk in drive A. When
you press ENTER, the following message appears:
Insert new diskette for drive A:
and press ENTER when ready...
If you want to format a disk that fits only in drive B, type format b: at the
command prompt and insert a disk in drive B when MS-DOS prompts you
to do so,
2. Insert the disk you want to format in drive A label-side up. Then close the
drive door or make sure the disk clicks into the drive. When you are ready,
press ENTER. The following message appears:
Checking existing disk format
Saving UNFORMAT information

As it formats the disk, MS-DOS displays the percentage of the disk that
has been formatted. When the format is complete, the following message
appears:
Volume label (11 characters, ENTER for none)?

3. For this exercise, press ENTER to leave the disk without a label.
4. If you have another disk to format, press Y. If not, press N.

12

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

For more information about files, directories, drives, and paths, see the following sections. For more information about the commands discussed in this
tutorial, use MS-DOS Help. Instructions for using MS-DOS Help are in the
section Getting Help later in this chapter.

How MS-DOS Organizes Information

The preceding tutorial introduced the commands you will most often use to
find and move information. It also introduced some important terms-file,
directory, and drive-that you need to understand to use MS-DOS effectively.
This section provides more information about these terms and explains how
MS-DOS organizes information.

Files
A file is the primary unit of storage on your computer. A file enables
MS-DOS to distinguish one collection of information from another. For
example, when you use a word-processing program to write a letter, you store
the letter in its own file. Every file has a name, which generally indicates what
type of information the file contains.
The files on your computer come from various sources. Some files come with
MS-DOS, while others come with applications such as a word processor.
These files contain code and other information that is necessary to make your
computer and applications run. Before long, there will be hundreds or even
thousands of files on your computer. This can make it difficult to locate
specific files.

Directories
Storing groups of files in different directories makes files easier to find. For
example, all the files that come with MS-DOS are stored in a single directory
that is usually named DOS. If you ever need to locate an MS-DOS file, you
know where to look. Like files, directories can be created by you or by an
application.

The Current Directory

Directories would be hard to use if you didnt know which one you were in.
MS-DOS indicates which directory you are in by displaying the directorys
name in the command prompt. For example, the following command prompt
indicates that you are in the DOS directory: C : \DOS>

Chapter 2 MS-DOS Basics

13

The directory you are in is called the current directory. Knowing which directory is current helps you find files and helps you move from one directory to
another more easily. You do not have to be in the directory that contains the
files you want to use, but the commands you type will be shorter if you are.

Subdirectories
Directories can contain other directories. A directory within another directory
is called a subdirectory. By creating subdirectories, you can better categorize
your files.

The Root Directory

Strictly speaking, all directories are subdirectories, except for one, which is
called the root directory. In this guide, the term subdirectory is used only to
emphasize the relationship between two directories. The root directory is the
starting point from which all other directories branch out. The root directory
does not have a name. Instead, it is represented by a backslash (\). When the
root directory is the current directory, the command prompt appears similar to
the following: C : \ >
This prompt indicates that you are in the root directory of drive C. Because
the root directory is the basis for all other directories, you cannot delete it.
Avoid unnecessarily storing files in the root directory. There is a limit to the
number of files and directories the root directory can hold.

Drives
Just as a directory is a group of files, a drive, which is always represented by a
drive letter, is a group of directories. Drives are usually associated with a
piece of hardware called a disk. A disk is a flat piece of metal or plastic on
which data is stored. The most common types of disks are the hard disk,
which is inside your computer, and the floppy disk and compact disc, which
you insert into a slot either in or next to your computer.
Your first floppy disk drive is drive A. Your second floppy disk drive, if you
have one, is drive B. Your hard disk, or at least part of it, is called drive C.
The following command prompt indicates that drive C is the current drive and
that the root directory, represented by a backslash (\), is the current directory:
C:\>
If the current drive is drive A and the current directory on that drive is
SAMPLES, the command prompt would appear similar to the following:
A:\SAMPLES>

14

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

If you have more than one hard disk or you use compact (CD-ROM) discs or a
network, you will have additional drive letters (D, E, and so on). Every drive,
no matter what type it is, has one root directory.

Using Paths to Specify the Location of Files

A path is the course that leads from the root directory of a drive to the file you
want to use. For example, to access the LASAGNA.TXT file in the ENTREES
directory, MS-DOS must go from the root directory through the RECIPES
directory to the ENTREES directory, as shown in the following illustration:

To specify the same path at the command prompt, you would type it as shown
in the following illustration:

This is the path to the LASAGNA.TXT file. The first letter and colon (C:)
represent the drive the file is on. The first backslash (\) represents the root
directory. The second backslash separates the RECIPES directory from the
ENTREES subdirectory. The third backslash separates the ENTREES subdirectory from the filename, LASAGNA.TXT.
MS-DOS recognizes paths up to 67 characters long (including the drive letter,
colon, and backslashes).

Chapter 2 MS-DOS Basics

15

Naming Files and Directories

Every file and directory, except for the root directory on each drive, must have
a name. The following list summarizes the rules for naming files and directories. File and directory names:
Can be up to eight characters long. In addition, you can include an extension up to three characters long.
Are not case-sensitive. It does not matter whether you use uppercase or
lowercase letters when you type them.
Can contain only the letters A through Z, the numbers 0 through 9, and the
following special characters: underscore (_), caret (^), dollar sign ($), tilde
(~), exclamation point (!), number sign (#), percent sign (%), ampersand
(&), hyphen (-), braces ({}), at sign (@), single quotation mark (`), apostrophe ('), and parentheses (). No other special characters are acceptable.
Cannot contain spaces, commas, backslashes, or periods (except the period
that separates the name from the extension).
Cannot be identical to the name of another file or subdirectory in the same
directory.

Using Extensions
Most filenames have two parts: the name and the extension. These parts are
separated by a period. The name (before the period) can be up to eight characters long and should reflect the contents of the file. The extension (after the
period) can be up to three characters long. Extensions can also be used in
directory names, but are not commonly used for that purpose.
The following are examples of commonly used extensions for filenames:
.EXE, .COM, or .BAT
These extensions are used for files that contain programs. If you type the
name of a file containing one of these extensions at the command prompt,
MS-DOS will run the program that the file contains.
.TXT
This extension is commonly used for unformatted text files.
.SYS
This extension is commonly used for device drivers, which are files that
enable your computer to communicate with hardware devices.
Many applications name files using an extension that is unique to that
application.

16

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Using Wildcards
If you want to carry out a task for a group of files whose names have something in common, you can use one or more wildcurds to specify groups of
files. MS-DOS recognizes two wildcards: the asterisk (*) represents one or
more characters that a group of files has in common, and the question mark
(?) represents a single character that a group of files has in common.
You can use wildcards to replace all or part of a files name or extension. The
following table shows examples of wildcards:
Wildcard

What it represents

Examples

*.TXT

All files with a .TXT extension

JULY93.TXT,
LASAGNA.TXT

REPORT.*

All files named REPORT with any

extension

REPORT.TXT,
REPORT.WRI

M*.*

All files beginning with the letter M,

regardless of their extension

MEMO.TXT,
MARCH.XLS

???.*

All files having 3-letter names, with

any or no extension

SUN.BMP,
WIN.INI, AUG

You can include multiple wildcards in a command. For example, the following command lists all the files from the current directory: dir *.*

Getting Help
There are two types of online help for MS-DOS commands: MS-DOS Help,
which is a complete online reference for MS-DOS commands, including syntax, notes, and examples; and Command-Line Help, which displays the syntax
of a command without leaving the command line.

Using MS-DOS Help

MS-DOS Help provides an online reference to MS-DOS commands. You can
start MS-DOS Help in two ways: you can display the table of contents and
choose a topic from it; or you can bypass the table of contents and display
information about a specific command.

Chapter 2 MS-DOS Basics

17

To start MS-DOS Help and choose a topic from the table of contents
1. Type the following at the command prompt:

help

The MS-DOS Help table of contents appears.

2. If you are using a mouse, click the name of the command you want information about. If the command does not appear on your screen, click the
arrow at the bottom of the scroll bar on the right side of your screen until
the command comes into view.
If you are using a keyboard, press the key that represents the first letter of
the command you want information about. The first command beginning
with that letter is selected. If this is not the command you want, continue
pressing the key until the command you want is selected, and then press
ENTER. You can also use the TAB, UP ARROW, DOWN ARROW, PAGE UP,
and PAGE DOWN keys to move between topics in the table of contents.
To start MS-DOS Help and display information about
a specific command
l

At the command prompt, type help followed by a space and the name of
the command you want information about. For example, for help with the
copy command, type the following at the command prompt: help copy

Most commands have three associated topics: Syntax, Notes, and Examples.
When you choose a command from the table of contents or type help followed
by a command name at the command prompt, the Syntax topic appears first. If
the topic has associated Notes or Examples topics, you can choose those topics by carrying out the following procedure.
To choose Notes or Examples
l

If you are using a mouse, click the Notes or Examples button at the top of
the help screen. If you are using a keyboard, press N for Notes or E for
Examples. When the cursor is on the Notes or Examples button, press
ENTER.

When you are in a Notes or Examples topic, you can return to the Syntax topic
by using either your mouse or your keyboard.
To choose Syntax
l

If you are using a mouse, click the Syntax button at the top of the help
screen. If you are using a keyboard, press S for Syntax. When the cursor is
on the Syntax button, press ENTER.

18

Microsoft MS-DOS 8 Concise Users Guide

The status bar at the bottom of the MS-DOS Help screen can help you navigate through the Help system.
To return to the MS-DOS Help table of contents, press ALT+C, or choose
the <ALT+C=Contents> button with your mouse.
To view the next topic in MS-DOS Help, press ALT+N, or choose the
<ALT+N=Next> button with your mouse.
To view topics that were displayed previously, press ALT+B, or choose the
<ALT+B=Back> button with your mouse.
For more information about using MS-DOS Help, press Fl.
You can search for a specific string of text in MS-DOS Help by using the Find
command on the Search menu. The Find command conducts a full-text search
-that is, it searches through all the topics in MS-DOS Help.
To search for text
1. From the Search menu, choose Find. The Find dialog box appears.
2. In the Find What box, specify the text you want to search for. If you want
to make the search case-sensitive, select the Match Upper/Lowercase
checkbox. If you want to find only whole-word occurrences of the search
text, select the Whole Word check box.
3. Choose OK. MS-DOS Help searches forward from the cursor position for
the first occurrence of the text. When it finds an occurrence of the text you
specify, it displays the topic in which the text was found.
4. To find the next occurrence of the search text, press F3.
To quit MS-DOS Help
l

If you are using a mouse, open the File menu, and then choose the Exit
command by clicking its name on the File menu. If you are using a keyboard, press ALT, F, X.

Using Command-Line Help

You can get information about the syntax of a command without starting
MS-DOS Help. This information is less detailed than MS-DOS Help, and
appears directly at the command prompt.
To display the syntax of a command
l

At the command prompt, type the name of the command followed by a

space and the /? switch. For example, to view the syntax of the dir command, type the following at the command prompt dir /?

Chapter 2 MS-DOS Basics

19

MS-DOS Shell
MS-DOS Shell provides a visual alternative to the MS-DOS command
prompt. On a single screen, it can display the drives, directories, files, and
applications that are available for you to use.
To start MS-DOS Shell
l

Type the following at the command prompt.

dosshell

A screen similar to the following will appear:

The commands in MS-DOS Shell are listed on menus. The names of these
menus are located in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
To choose MS-DOS Shell commands by using your mouse
1. In the menu bar, click the name of the menu that contains the command
you want to use. The menu opens.
2. Click the name of the command or task you want to carry out.
To choose MS-DOS Shell commands by using your keyboard
1. Press the ALT key.
2. Press the first letter in the name of the menu that you want to open. For
example, to open the View menu, press V.
3. Press the DOWN ARROW key until the command or task you want to carry
out is selected, and then press ENTER. Or press the highlighted letter that

appears in the name of the command or task.

20

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

To quit MS-DOS Shell
l

If you are using a mouse, open the File menu, and then choose the Exit
command. If you are using a keyboard, press ALT, F, X.

Using MS-DOS Shell Help

MS-DOS Shell Help provides a quick way to get information about MS-DOS
Shell basics and about using menus, commands, dialog boxes, dialog box
options, and procedures. When you are using MS-DOS Shell, you can get help
in three ways: press Fl for context-sensitive help, select the Help button that
appears in most dialog boxes, or use the Help menu.
For information about MS-DOS Shell Basics
l

If you are using a mouse, choose Shell Basics from the Help menu. If you
are using a keyboard, press ALT, H, S.

A Help window containing information about the basics of using MS-DOS

Shell appears. To scroll through the Help window, use the PAGE UP or
PAGE DOWN key.
For information about using MS-DOS Shell Help
l

If you are using a mouse, choose Using Help from the Help menu. If you
are using a keyboard, press ALT, H, U.

A Help window containing information about using MS-DOS Shell Help

appears. To scroll through the Help window, use the PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN
key.
To close MS-DOS Shell Help
l

If you are using a mouse, click the Close button at the bottom of the Help
window. If you are using a keyboard, press ESC.

21

C H A P T E R

Managing Your System

MS-DOS 6 includes several programs that you can use to manage and protect
your data and improve the performance of your computer. To keep your computer in top working order, you should use these programs on a regular basis.

Backing Up Your Files

Backing up your files safeguards them against loss if your hard disk fails or
you accidentally overwrite or delete data. Using Backup, you can return to
older file versions, move backed up files off your hard disk, and transfer files
easily from one computer to another.

Overview of Backup
MS-DOS 6 includes two backup programs: Backup for MS-DOS, a program
you can run from the MS-DOS command prompt, and Backup for Windows, a
program you can run from Microsoft Windows. Backup includes extensive
online help for commands, procedures, and dialog boxes.
To get Help
l

Press Fl when Backup displays the screen, window, or dialog box you
want more information about.

You can back up your data in three ways: full backup, incremental backup,
and differential backup. A full backup backs up all the files that you select
before starting the backup. An incremental backup backs up only files that
have changed since your last full or incremental backup. A differentia1 backup
backs up only the files that have changed since your last full backup.
For a backup strategy to be effective, you should back up your data in regular
cycles. A backup cycle begins when you fully back up your files and includes
all subsequent incremental or differential backups. A new backup cycle begins
when you perform the next full backup of the same set of files.

22

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Using Setup Files

Before you begin a backup, you must select files, settings, and options. Y OU
can store these selections in setup files. Setup files simplify the backup process
by providing a standard set of options that reflect all the selections you
made for a particular backup. You can create up to 50 setup files and save
them with different names. Backup uses setup files to identify which files to
back up and what type of backup to perform.
The DEFAULTSET file contains the default settings that appear in the main
screen when you start Backup. The file also contains information that Backup
gathered during the compatibility test, such as the size of the disks used in
your floppy disk drive(s). If you have not created setup files or you dont
specify a setup file, the DEFAULT.SET file is selected in the Setup File text
box when you open the Backup dialog box.
For instructions on using setup files, carry out one of the following
procedures:
If you are using Backup for Windows, choose Index from the Help menu.
When the index of help topics appears, press the PAGE DOWN key. Under
the Miscellaneous section, choose Setup Files.
If you are using Backup for MS-DOS, choose Index from the Help menu.
When the Backup Help Topics screen appears, press the PAGE DOWN key
until the Backing Up section comes into view. Under Backing Up, choose
Backup Commands and Options. When the Backup Commands and
Options screen appears, choose any of the first three topics.
Every full, incremental, or differential backup results in a backup set, which
Backup creates and writes to floppy disks or other storage media. You can
create any number of backup sets during a backup cycle.
As part of the backup process, Backup creates a backup catalog that contains
information about the files you backed up. When you need to restore one or
more files, you can load the backup catalog and easily select specific files
from a backup set. Backup gives each backup catalog a unique filename. Each
character in the catalogs filename contains information about a particular
backup set.
Each time you perform a full backup using a specific setup file, Backup
creates a master catalog. The master catalog keeps track of all the backup
catalogs that were created during the backup cycle. When you begin a new
backup cycle by performing the next full backup, Backup creates a new master
catalog. You use the master catalog if you need to restore a complete backup
cycle.

Chapter 3

Managing Your System

23

When you back up files, Backup places one copy of the backup catalog on
your hard disk and a second copy on the medium that contains your backup
set. If you delete the catalog from your hard disk or the catalog on your hard
disk is damaged, you can retrieve the catalog from the backup set you created.

Using Backup
This section describes how to start a backup, use setup files, select which files
to back up, and select Backup options. The first time you start Backup, you
will receive a message about running a compatibility test that Backup uses to
adjust to your computers hardware. Backup program files must be located on
your hard disk. You cannot start Backup from a floppy disk.
Note If you want to share backup sets between Norton Backup and
Microsoft Backup, contact Symantec for an updated version of Norton
Backup.
To start a backup by using Backup for MS-DOS
1. To start Backup for MS-DOS, type the following at the command prompt:
msbackup
2. Choose the Backup button.
The following screen appears:

To start a backup by using Backup for Windows

. Choose the Backup icon from the Microsoft Tools group in Program
Manager. Or choose the Backup command from the Tools menu in File
Manager. The following screen appears:

24

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

You specify which files Backup should back up by selecting one or more
drives and indicating which files on those drives to include or exclude from a
backup.
To back up all the tiles on a drive
1. In the Backup From box, select the drive that contains the files you want
to back up, and then press the SPACEBAR . A message appears stating that
Backup is reading disk or directory information. When Backup has completed reading the disk, All Files appears next to the drive letter you
selected.
2. Repeat step 1 for each drive you want to back up.
To back up selected directories or files
1. Choose the Select Files button. The Select Backup Files screen appears.
2. If the drive you want is not displayed, select the correct drive, and then
select the directory that contains the tiles you want to backup.
3. To select all the files in the selected directory, press the SPACEBAR.
To specify some files in a directory, select a file you want to back up, and
then press the SPACEBAR. Repeat this until you have selected all the files
in the directory that you want to back up. A mark appears next to the
directory name and the names of all the files in the directory that you
selected.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you have selected all the files you want to
backup. When you finish selecting files, choose OK.

Chapter 3

Managing Your System

25

Note If all the files are already selected, you can cancel the selection by
pressing the SPACEBAR, or you can return to the previous screen by pressing
ESC. The message All Files appears after the selected drive letter. Press the
SPACEBAR to clear the selection, and then select individual files as described
in the previous procedure. You can also deselect files individually or by directory by pressing the SPACEBAR.
You can select groups of files by using the Include, Exclude, and Special
buttons on the Select Backup Files screen.
To select backup options
1. In the Backup dialog box, choose the Options button. A Backup options
dialog box appears.
2. Select the option you want, and then press the SPACEBAR. Repeat this until
you have selected all the options you want. A mark appears in the check
box beside each option you selected.
3. When you finish selecting Backup options, choose OK.

Configuring Backup
If you change your hardware configuration by adding a new video display
adapter, mouse, or disk drive to your computer, you may need to change the
configuration of Backup.

Configuring Backup for MS-DOS

If you use Backup for MS-DOS, you can choose video options, mouse options,
and backup devices from the Configure dialog box.
To configure your video display and mouse
1. From the main screen, choose the Configure button. The Configure dialog
box appears.
2. In the Configure dialog box, choose the Video and Mouse button. The
Video and Mouse Configuration dialog box appears.
3. Change the configuration of your video display and mouse, as necessary,
and then choose OK.
4. To save your configuration changes so they can be used for later backup
sessions, choose the Save button in the Configure dialog box. To apply
these changes only to your current backup session, choose OK.
To configure backup devices
1. From the main screen, choose the Configure button.

26

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

2. From the Configure dialog box, choose the Backup Devices button. The
Backup Devices dialog box appears.
3. Change the configuration of your backup devices, as necessary, or choose
the Auto Config button to configure your backup devices automatically,
and then choose OK.
4. To save your configuration changes so they can be used for later backup
sessions, choose the Save button in the Configure dialog box. To apply
these changes only to your current backup session, choose OK.

Configuring Backup for Windows

If you use Backup for Windows, you can specify the types of floppy disk
drives installed on your computer. The changes you make take effect immediately and remain in effect until you quit Backup.
To configure drives
1. From the main Backup window, choose the Configure button. A screen
similar to the following appears:

2. If you want Backup to configure your drives automatically, choose the

Auto Floppy Configure button. Do not carry out the remaining steps in this
procedure.
If you want to configure drives yourself, select the first drive you want to
configure.
3. Open the list box containing drive configurations, and select the configuration you want.

Chapter 3

Managing Your System

27

4. If you want to configure another drive, repeat the second half of step 2,
and then repeat step 3.
5. To save the configuration for later backup sessions, quit Backup. The Exit
Backup dialog box appears. Select the Save Configuration check box, and
then choose OK.

Comparing Files
After you back up files, you can use the Compare command to verify that the
backup set contains exact copies of the original files on your hard disk. You
can compare one file, selected files, or all files in a backup set. For instructions on using Compare, choose the Compare button from the main screen or
window, and then press F1.

Restoring Files
Restoring files transfers them from a backup set to the location you specify.
To restore a backup set
1. In the main Backup screen, choose the Restore button. If you use Backup
for MS-DOS, the following screen appears:

28

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

If you use Backup for Windows, the following screen appears:

2. To specify the catalog that identifies the backup set you want to restore,
open the Backup Set Catalog list box.
If you use Backup for MS-DOS, the Backup Set Catalog dialog box
appears. Use the ARROW keys and the SPACEBAR to select the catalog you
want to use, and then choose the Load button.
If you use Backup for Windows, a list of available catalogs appears. Select
the catalog you want to use and then press TAB.
3. Open the Restore From list box.
If you use Backup for MS-DOS, the Restore From dialog box appears.
Select the drive that contains the files you want to restore, and then choose
OK. If you select MS-DOS Drive and Path, a text box appears in the main
Restore screen. Type the path of the files you want to restore, and then
press TAB.
If you use Backup for Windows, a list of drives appears. Select the drive
that contains the files you want to restore, and then press TAB. If you
select MS-DOS Path, a text box appears under the Restore From list box.
Type the path of the files you want to restore, and then press TAB.

Chapter 3

Managing Your System

29

4. In the Restore Files box, choose the drive that contains the files you want
to restore.
If you want to restore all files on the drive, press the SPACEBAR. The
words All Files appear next to the drive letter.
If you want to restore selected files on the drive, press ENTER. The Select
Restore Files screen appears. Select the directory that contains the files
you want to restore. Backup displays a list of the files that are in the directory you selected. Select a file you want to restore, and then press the
SPACEBAR . Repeat this until you have selected all the files in the directory
that you want to restore.
5. To specify the destination for the files you want to restore, open the
Restore To list box.
If you use Backup for MS-DOS, the Restore To dialog box appears. Select
the destination for the files you want to restore, and then choose OK.
If you use Backup for Windows, a list of locations appears. Select the destination for the files you want to restore, and then press TAB.
6. If you want to change Restore options, choose Options. Select or clear the
options you want to change, and then choose OK.
7. To start restoring your files, choose Start Restore. Backup displays status
information while it restores the files.

If the DMA buffer size too small Message Appears

If you have installed Windows or the EMM386 device driver on your computer, Backup for MS-DOS may display the following message when you run
the compatibility test or start a backup:
DMA buffer size too small. You cannot back up,
compare, or restore files until you increase
the DMA buffer size.

If you receive this message while you are running Backup for MS-DOS from
within Windows, carry out the following procedure:
To increase the size of the DMA buffer if you use Windows
1. Open your SYSTEM.INI file, which is located in your Windows directory,
by using any text editor.
2. Find the [386Enh] section of the file, and then add the following line:
dmabuffersize=32
3. Save the changes to your SYSTEM.INI file, and then quit the text editor.
4. If you are running Windows, quit Windows.
5. Restart Windows.

30

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Protecting Your Computer from Viruses

Computer viruses are programs designed to replicate and spread, sometimes
without indicating that they exist. Computer viruses can produce a variety of
symptoms on your computer. In extreme cases, viruses can damage files and
hard disks.
If a virus infects your computer, you might need a startup disk to restart your
computer. Its important to make the disk before your computer is infected by
a virus. To create a startup disk, carry out the following procedure.
To create a startup disk
1. Insert an unformatted floppy disk in drive A, and then type the following
at the command prompt: format a: /s
2. Copy the Anti-Virus files to your startup disk by typing the following at
the command prompt: copy msav*.* a:
The Anti-Virus files are located in the same directory as your MS-DOS
files.

Anti-Virus Help
Anti-Virus includes comprehensive help on dialog boxes, options, and tasks.
To get Help
l

When an Anti-Virus screen, window, or dialog box appears, press F1.

Scanning for Viruses

Anti-Virus protects your computer from viruses by scanning your computers
memory and disk drives.
To scan for viruses using Anti-Virus for MS-DOS
1. Type the following at the command prompt:

msav

The Main Menu appears.

2. To scan the drive from which you started Anti-Virus, skip to step 5. To
scan a different drive, proceed to step 3.
3. Choose the Select New Drive button. Drive letters appear in the upper-left
area of your screen.
4. Select the drive you want to scan. Anti-Virus reads file information on the
drive you selected.

Chapter 3

Managing Your System

31

5. To detect viruses and remove them from your computer, choose the Detect
& Clean button. To detect viruses and have Anti-Virus prompt you if it
finds one, choose the Detect button, and then choose the action you want
to take.
6. A status screen appears after Anti-Virus has finished scanning your computers memory and the drive you selected. Choose OK.
To scan for viruses using Anti-Virus for Windows
1. From the Microsoft Tools group, choose the Anti-Virus icon. Or, from the
Tools menu in File Manager, choose Anti-Virus.
2. When the screen appears, choose the drive in the Drives box you want to
scan by clicking it with your mouse or by selecting it with the arrow keys
and then pressing the SPACEBAR. Anti-Virus reads file information on the
drive you chose.
3. Repeat step 2 for each drive you want to scan.
4. To detect viruses and remove them from your computer, choose the Detect
and Clean button. To detect viruses and have Anti-Virus prompt you if it
finds one, choose Detect, and then choose the action you want to take.
5. When Anti-Virus completes scanning your computers memory and the
drives you selected, a status screen appears. Choose OK.

Automatically Scanning for Viruses

If you are using Anti-Virus for MS-DOS, you can automatically scan your
memory and disk drives for viruses each time you turn on your computer. If
you are using Anti-Virus for Windows, you can automatically scan a drive you
specify each time you start Anti-Virus.
To scan automatically using Anti-Virus for MS-DOS
l

To specify that Anti-Virus should scan your computers memory and

drives each time you start your computer, add the following command to
your AUTOEXEC.BAT file: msav /p
If you use network drives, use the following command to limit scanning to
local drives: msav /p /1
If your AUTOEXEC.BAT file includes this command, Anti-Virus searches
your computers memory and local drives for viruses each time you start
your computer.

To specify a startup command for Anti-Virus for Windows

1. From the Microsoft Tools group, select (but do not choose) the Anti-Virus
icon.
2. From the Program Manager File menu, choose Properties. The Program
Item Properties dialog box appears.

32

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

3. In the Command Line box, specify the drive you want Anti-Virus to scan
automatically. The drive letter should follow the MWAV.EXE command
that is already in the Command Line box. For example, to specify that
Anti-Virus should scan drive C, make sure the text in the Command Line
box looks like the following: mwav . exe c :
4. Choose OK.

Setting Anti-Virus Options

To set Anti-Virus options
1. If you are using Anti-Virus for MS-DOS, choose the Options button from
the Main Menu. If you are using Anti-Virus for Windows, choose the Set
Options command from the Options menu. An Options dialog box appears.
2. Move to the check box you want to select or clear by pressing TAB.
3. To select or clear the box, press the SPACEBAR.

4. When you have finished setting options, choose OK.

Using VSafe
VSafe is a memory-resident program that constantly monitors your computer
for activity that may indicate a virus infection. If VSafe detects suspicious
activity, it displays a warning message. VSafe requires 44K of memory.
To start VSafe
l

Type the following at the command prompt:

vsafe

This command loads VSafe into memory using default settings. You can
load VSafe into memory every time you start your computer by adding the
vsafe command to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
To change VSafe options
1. Press ALT+V. The VSafe Warning Options screen appears.

2. To turn an option on or off, press the number that corresponds to the

option.
3. When you have finished specifying the options you want, press ESC.
VSafe saves the options you specified.
To unload VSafe from memory
1. Press ALT+V. The VSafe Warning Options screen appears.

2. To unload VSafe from memory, press

from memory.

ALT +U.

MS-DOS unloads VSafe

Chapter 3

Managing Your System

33

To set up VSafe and VSafe Manager for Windows

1. From the File menu in Program Manager, choose Run.
2. In the Command Line text box, type sysedit, and then choose OK. The
System Configuration Editor appears, with the following files open:
AUTOEXEC.BAT
CONFIG.SYS
WIN.INI
SYSTEM.INI
3. Add the following command to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file:

vsafe

4. Add the following command to the load= line in the [Windows] section of
your WIN.INI file: mwavtsr.exe
5. From the File menu, choose Exit, and then choose Yes to save your
changes.
6. Quit Windows, and then restart your computer by pressing
CTRL+ALT+DEL.

When you add the vsafe command to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, you can
include one or more switches that control how VSafe monitors your computer.
For more information, type help vsafe at the command prompt.
If you use Windows 3.1, you can add VSafe Manager to the Startup group
instead of adding the mwavtsr.exe command to the load= line in your
WIN.INI file. To do this, carry out the following procedure.
To add VSafe Manager to your Startup group if you use Windows 3.1
1. Open the Startup group. Then from the File menu, choose New.
2. The New Program Object dialog box appears. Choose OK, and the
Program Item Properties dialog box appears.
3. In the Description box, type VSafe Manager.
4. In the Command Line box, type mwavtsr.exe, and then choose OK.
5. Quit Windows, and then restart your computer by pressing
CTRL+ALT+DEL.

Do not run the MS-DOS 6 or Windows Setup program again unless

you unload VSafe from memory.

Caution

34

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Troubleshooting Anti-Virus
To reduce Anti-Virus messages after you upgrade software
1. Use Anti-Virus to scan the manufacturers disks before you install the
software.
2. Write-protect the installation disks.
3. Install the software.
4. Scan the drive on which you installed the software. Doing so automatically
updates Anti-Virus files.
Virus Found Message
If Anti-Virus for MS-DOS or Windows finds a virus, it displays a Virus
Found dialog box.
When a Virus Found dialog box appears, you have the following options:
n

You can remove the virus from the file and restore the file to its original
condition by choosing the Clean button. This minimizes the possibility of
the virus infecting other files on your computer.

You can ignore the virus and continue scanning the remaining files by
choosing the Continue button.

You can stop the scan and return to the Anti-Virus program by choosing
the Stop button.

You can erase the infected file from your computer by choosing the Delete
button.

Verify Error Message

If you selected the Verify Integrity and Prompt While Detect options, AntiVirus alerts you when an executable file changes by displaying a dialog box
The dialog box provides information about the executable file that changed.
Microsoft Anti-Virus displays information about the following: attribute
(R-Read-Only, H-Hidden, S--System, A-Archive), time, date, and size,
and checksum.
Anti-Virus offers you the following options:
n

If you know the change is legitimate, choose the Update button to avoid
receiving this message during subsequent scans.

If the file size or checksum changed, choose the Delete button to delete the
infected file.

Chapter 3

Managing Your System

35

n If you know about the change but dont want to update Anti-Virus, choose
the Continue button.
n If you want to cancel the scan and return to the Anti-Virus screen, choose
the Stop button.

File was destroyed by the virus Message

If a virus damaged or destroyed a file, Anti-Virus displays a dialog box. If a
file is destroyed by a virus, you have the options:
n You can delete the infected file by choosing the Delete button.
n You can ignore the infected file and continue scanning for viruses by
choosing the Continue button.

n You can stop the scanning process and return to the Anti-Virus screen by
choosing the Stop button.

invalid Signature - Checksum does not match Message

If you receive this message, fill out and mail the coupon in the back of this
guide.

Program is trying to modify system memory Message

If VSafe detects a program that is trying to modify your computers memory
without using standard MS-DOS calls for memory-resident programs, AntiVirus displays this warning.
Modifying system memory in this way generally indicates that a virus is
attempting to infect your computer. However, some network drivers may
cause VSafe to display this message when they load.
If a program is modifying system memory
1. If you know that a network driver is being loaded alter VSafe was loaded,
choose the Continue button. If you do not know what may be causing the
memory modification, choose the Stop button.
2. Run Anti-Virus to check for viruses.

Program is trying to stay resident in memory Message

If you have selected the Resident option in VSafe and VSafe detects another
program trying to load into memory, VSafe displays this warning.

36

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

If a program tries to stay resident in memory
1. If you are aware that a memory-resident program is being loaded into
memory after VSafe was loaded, choose the Continue button. If you do not
think a memory-resident program should be loading into memory, choose
the Stop button.
2. Run Anti-Virus to check for viruses.

Program is trying to write to disk Message

If you select the General Write Protect option in VSafe and a program tries to
write to a disk, VSafe displays this warning.
If a program tries to write to a disk
1. If you expected the program to write to a disk, choose the Continue button.
If you do not think a program should be writing to a disk, choose the Stop
button.
2. Run Anti-Virus to ensure that the program trying to write to the disk is not
infected.

Resident programs were loaded after VSafe Message

If one or more memory-resident programs were loaded after VSafe and you
try to remove VSafe from memory, this message appears.
To remove other memory-resident programs from memory
1. Choose the Stop button to leave VSafe resident in memory.
2. If possible, remove other memory-resident programs from memory in
reverse order of their installation.
3. Remove VSafe from memory.
4. If you cant remove a program from memory, disable the command in
your AUTOEXEC.BAT file that loads the program. Then, restart your
computer by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL.

Since a virus was detected... Message

When you quit Anti-Virus after it has detected a virus, a warning appears.
To quit Anti-Virus after a virus is detected
l

When Anti-Virus displays this warning message, choose the Reboot button
to restart your system.

The xxxxxx virus is known to infect DATA files... Message

If you have not selected the Check All Files option and Anti-Virus detects a
virus, a warning message appears.

Chapter

3 Managing Your System

37

Miscellaneous Problems
A program doesnt run correctly after a virus has been removed
To restore a file that doesnt run after a virus is removed
1. Delete the program file from your computer.
2. Restore a non-infected backup copy of the program file to your computer
or install a new file that youve obtained from your software vendor.

Windows does not start

Windows may not start if system files are infected. To detect and remove
viruses from Windows system files, run Anti-Virus for MS-DOS.

Pressing ALT+V does not display the VSafe Warning Options screen
The ALT+V key combination works only if you are using Anti-Virus for
MS-DOS and VSafe has been loaded into memory. If these conditions are met
and you still cannot use the ALT + V key combination, another memory-resident
program is probably using it. You can change the key combination that VSafe
uses by specifying the /a switch and the letter you want to use with the ALT
key after the vsafe command.

Your computer stops responding when you are using Anti-Virus

If the directory structure on your hard disk is damaged, your computer may
stop responding when you use Anti-Virus.
To repair the directory structure of your hard disk
1. Quit Anti-Virus. If you cannot quit, restart your computer by pressing
CTRL+ALT+DEL.

2. To repair the directory structure, type the following at the command

prompt: chkdsk /f
3. Run Anti-Virus again.

Using SMARTDrive
SMARTDrive reserves an area in extended memory in which it stores information that it reads from your hard disk. An application can access this information in memory faster than it can access the same information on a hard
disk. If your computer can use SMARTDrive, MS-DOS Setup adds the
smartdrv command to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file when you install
MS-DOS.

38

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Using the Defragmenter

Over time, as programs read from and write to your hard disk, information
that is stored on the disk can become fragmented. It takes much longer for
your computer to read and write fragmented files than it does to read and write
unfragmented files.
To defragment the files on your hard disk
1. Quit all programs that are running, including Windows. You cannot run
the Defragmenter from an MS-DOS prompt within Windows.
2. Check for lost allocation units on your hard disk by typing the following at
the command prompt: chkdsk /f
If MS-DOS detects lost allocation units, a prompt similar to the following
appears:
10 lost allocation units found in 3 chains.
Convert lost chains to files?

Press

Y to

save the information in the lost allocation units.

3. Start the Defragmenter by typing the following at the command prompt:

defrag
The Defragmenter displays a list of the disk drives on your computer.
4. To select the drive you want to defragment, use the UP ARROW or
DOWN ARROW key and then press ENTER. The Defragmenter analyzes
the data on that drive and recommends a defragmentation option.
5. To begin defragmentation, press ENTER.
If you want to change defragmentation settings or want more information
about the current defragmentation settings before you begin, press TAB to
select the Configure button, and then press ENTER. The Optimize menu
appears.

Chapter 3

Managing Your System

39

Recovering Deleted Files

Undelete includes two undelete programs: Undelete for MS-DOS and
Undelete for Windows.

Configuring Delete Protection

Undelete offers three levels of protection: Delete Sentry, Delete Tracker, and
standard. Of these, Delete Sentry provides the highest level of protection. It
requires a small amount of memory and disk space. Delete Tracker, the next
level of protection, requires the same amount of memory, but minimal disk
space. The lowest level of protection, standard, requires neither memory nor
disk space, but still makes it possible to recover many deleted files. By
default, MS-DOS 6 configures your computer for the standard level of delete
protection.
To choose a level of delete protection using Undelete for MS-DOS
l

To choose the Delete Sentry level of protection on your current drive, type
the following at the command prompt: undelete /s
To choose the Delete Tracker level of protection, include the /t switch and
the drive you want to protect with the undelete command.

To choose a level of delete protection using Undelete for Windows

1. Start Undelete for Windows by choosing the Undelete icon from the
Microsoft Tools group in Program Manager, or choose the Undelete command from the File menu in File Manager.
2. From the Options menu in Undelete, choose Configure Delete Protection.
The Configure Delete Protection dialog box appears. Select a delete protection method, and then choose OK.
3. If you choose Delete Sentry, a dialog box appears. Choose the Drives button. Select the drive(s) you want to protect, and then choose OK. When
you finish changing options, choose OK.
If you choose Delete Tracker, select the drives you want to protect, and
then choose OK.
The Update AUTOEXEC.BAT dialog box appears.
4. To implement the Delete Protection method you selected, choose OK.
Before the method you selected can take effect, you must quit Windows
and restart your computer by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL.

40

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Undelete for Windows

The successful recovery of deleted files depends on their condition. Files can
be in perfect, excellent, good, or fair condition.
This condition

Indicates that the file

Perfect

Was protected by the Delete Sentry method of delete

protection and can be recovered without difficulty.

Excellent

Was protected by the Delete Tracker method of

delete protection. This file may be partially overwritten by other data.

Good

Is fragmented on the disk. Some of the data in this

file may be lost.

Poor

Cannot be recovered by using Undelete for Windows.

You might be able to recover some data by using
Undelete for MS-DOS.

Destroyed

Cannot be recovered.

To recover a file
1. Start Undelete by choosing the Undelete icon from the Microsoft Tools
group in Program Manager, or choose the Undelete command from the
File menu in File Manager.
2. If the file you want to recover does not appear in the list displayed on the
screen, choose the Drive/Dir button. Then choose the drive and directory
that contained the deleted file.
The Undelete screen displays files that were deleted from the directory
you chose. If the condition of the file you want to recover is Excellent or
Perfect, you can easily recover it.
If the file is in Good condition, see the following section, Recovering a
File in Good Condition, before carrying out the rest of this procedure.
If the file is in Poor condition, you cannot recover it by using Undelete for
Windows. However, you might be able to recover some of the data in the
file by using Undelete for MS-DOS.
If the file is in Destroyed condition, you cannot recover it.
3. Select the file you want to recover, and choose Undelete.
4. If the first letter of the deleted file is a question mark (?), Undelete displays a dialog box prompting you to substitute the correct letter for the
question mark. If this dialog box appears, type the missing letter, and then
choose OK. The file is listed as Recovered in the Undelete screen.

Chapter 3

Managing Your System

41

To recover a file in Good condition

1. From the Microsoft Tools group, choose the Undelete icon. The main
Undelete screen appears.
2. To select the directory from which you want to recover a deleted file,
choose the Drive/Dir button. Select the directory you want by using the
arrow keys, and then choose OK.
3. Select the file you want to recover, and then choose Undelete To from the
File menu. The Undelete To dialog box appears.
4. Select the drive and directory to which you want to recover the file, and
then choose OK.
To recover a directory
1. Start Undelete by choosing the Undelete icon from the Microsoft Tools
group in Program Manager, or choose the Undelete command from the
File menu in File Manager.
2. If Undelete does not list the directory you want to recover, choose the
Drive/Dir button. Then choose the drive and directory that contained the
directory you want to recover. The deleted directory appears with its file
size listed as dir.
3. Select the directory you want to recover, and then choose the Undelete
button. If Undelete can find all the parts of the directory, the directory is
recovered and appears as Recovered in the Undelete window.
4. If the directory contains the group of files you want to recover, choose the
Add button. If not, choose Skip. Undelete displays another group of files
5. Repeat step 4 until you have identified all the groups of files contained in
the deleted directory. Then choose Undelete. The directory is recovered
and is listed as Recovered in the Undelete screen.
If you cannot find deleted files by using the Change Drive and Directory dialog box, you can search for them by choosing the Find button.
When you select the Delete Sentry method of delete protection, you can specify how many days to save deleted files and a maximum percentage of disk
space to allow for Delete Sentrys hidden directory. Delete Sentry files are
purged automatically when these limits are reached or when the disk space
they occupy is needed by MS-DOS.
When Delete Sentry purges files, it removes the oldest deleted files first. You
can also purge deleted files yourself by using Undelete. Purging deleted files
creates more room for protecting files, especially when disk space is at a
premium.

42

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

To purge files protected by Delete Sentry
I. From the Microsoft Tools group, choose the Undelete icon. The main
Undelete screen appears.
2. To select the directory from which you want to purge files, choose the
Drive/Dir button. Select the directory you want by using the arrow keys,
and then choose OK.
3. In the Undelete screen, select the files you want to purge. Files protected
by Delete Sentry are in Perfect condition.
4. From the File menu, choose Purge Delete Sentry File. A dialog box
appears, prompting you to confirm the deletion.
5. Choose OK. The selected files disappear from the Undelete screen.

Undelete for MS-DOS

To recover files
1. Make the directory that contained the deleted files current. For example, if
the deleted files were in the DOS directory, type the following at the
command prompt: cd \dos
2. To recover the files, type the following at the command prompt:
undelete
3. One by one, MS-DOS lists the deleted files it has found and prompts you
to specify whether it should recover them. To recover a file, Press Y.
MS-DOS may also prompt you to type the initial letter of a filename.

Using Advanced Undelete Methods

For information about using advanced methods of recovering files or about
using undelete syntax, type the following at the command prompt:
help undelete

43

C H A P T E R

Configuring Your System

Most of your systems configuration information is stored in two files located
in the root directory of your startup disk:
n Your CONFIG.SYS file is a text file containing commands that configure
your computers hardware components (memory, keyboard, mouse,
printer, and so on). When MS-DOS starts, it carries out the commands in
your CONFIG.SYS file first.
n Your AUTOEXEC.BAT file is a batch program that MS-DOS runs immediately after carrying out the commands in your CONFIG.SYS file. Your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file contains the commands you want carried out when
you start your system.
MS-DOS carries out the commands in both your CONFIG.SYS and
AUTOEXEC.BAT files each time you start your computer. You can instruct
MS-DOS to bypass the commands in these files if you need to.
When you install MS-DOS 6, MS-DOS Setup creates a basic system configuration that works for most computers. However, you might want to change this
configuration. The rest of this chapter explains how to configure your system
by using commands in your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files.

Setting Your Systems Startup Files

When you start your computer, MS-DOS first carries out the commands in
your CONFIG.SYS file, and then carries out the commands in your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file. These files are located in the root directory of your
startup disk (usually drive C). You can edit your CONFIG.SYS file and
AUTOEXEC.BAT as needed to add and change commands that configure
your system.

Editing Your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT Files

To edit your CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT file, use a text editor that
saves files as unformatted (ASCII) text (for example, MS-DOS Editor).
MS-DOS reads your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files only when
you start your computer. Therefore, any time you change these files, you must
restart your computer for your changes to take effect.

44

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

To make changes to your CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT file
1. Create a startup disk by inserting an unformatted floppy disk in drive A
and then typing the following at the command prompt: format a: /s
2. Copy your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files to the startup disk
you just created by typing the following at the command prompt:
copy c:\config.sys a:
copy c:\autoexec.bat a:
3. Use a text editor such as MS-DOS Editor to open the CONFIG.SYS or
AUTOEXEC.BAT file. To use MS-DOS Editor, type edit followed by the
file name at the command prompt.
4. Add or change CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT commands as necessary. Each command must begin on a separate line.
5. When you finish editing your CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT file,
save your changes and quit the text editor.
6. Remove any disks from your floppy disk drives, and then restart your
computer by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL.
Note The settings in your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files control
basic components of your system. If the changes you made were incorrect,
your system might be unable to start correctly. If this happens, insert the
startup disk you created in drive A and press CTRL+ALT+DEL.

CONFIG.SYS Commands
The commands in your CONFIG.SYS file load special programs or determine
how your hardware should work. A typical CONFIG.SYS file contains some,
but not all, of these commands. The following table briefly describes the purpose of each CONFIG.SYS command. For more information, type help followed by the command name at the command prompt.
Command

Purpose

break

Specifies whether MS-DOS should check periodically for

the CTRL+C or CTRL+BREAK key combination.

buffers

Specifies how much memory MS-DOS reserves for transferring information to and from disks.

country

Sets the language conventions for your system,

device

Loads an installable device driver-a program that controls a hardware component, such as a mouse or memory
board.

Chapter 4

Configuring Your System

Command

Purpose

devicehigh

Loads an installable device driver into upper memory.

dos

Specifies whether MS-DOS will use the high memory

area (HMA) and whether it will provide access to upper
memory blocks (UMBs).

drivparm

Sets the characteristics of a disk drive

45

files

Specifies how many files can be open at a time.

install

Loads a memory-resident program (also called a

terminate-and-stay-resident program, or TSR).

lastdrive

Sets the number of valid drive letters.

numlock

Specifies whether the NUM LOCK setting of the numeric

keypad is initially on or off.

rem or ;

Indicates that the text that follows is a descriptive remark,

not a command.

set

Sets the value of environment variables such as PROMPT

or TEMP.

shell

Configures COMMAND.COM or specifies that a command interpreter other than COMMAND.COM should be
used.

stacks

Specifies how much memory to reserve for processing

hardware interrupts.

switches

Specifies special options in MS-DOS.

Your CONFIG.SYS file can also contain the include, menucolor,

menudefault, menuitem, and submenu commands.

Configuring Hardware Devices

Each of your computers hardware components is called a device. Your computers keyboard, mouse, monitor, printer, disk drives, and memory boards are
all devices. MS-DOS uses a program called a device driver to control each
device. MS-DOS has built-in device drivers for your keyboard, monitor, hard
and floppy disk drives, and communication ports. You can customize certain
features of these device drivers by using CONFIG.SYS commands.

46

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Other devices, such as a memory board or a mouse, come with installable
device drivers, so called because you install them by adding commands to
your CONFIG.SYS file. MS-DOS comes with the following installable device
drivers. For more information, type help followed by the device-driver name
at the command prompt.
Driver

Purpose

ANSI.SYS

Supports American National Standards Institute

(ANSI) terminal emulation.

DISPLAY.SYS

Supports code-page switching for monitors.

DBLSPACE.SYS

Causes MS-DOS to move DBLSPACE.BIN to its

final location in memory.

DRIVER.SYS

Creates a logical drive that you can use to refer to

a physical floppy disk drive.

EGA.SYS

Saves and restores the display when MS-DOS

Shell Task Swapper or Windows is used with an
EGA monitor.

EMM386.EXE

Simulates expanded memory and provides access

to the upper memory area on a computer with an
80386 or higher processor with extended memory.

HIMEM.SYS

Manages the use of extended memory on a computer with an 80286 or higher processor and
extended memory.

RAMDRIVE.SYS

Simulates a hard disk drive by creating a virtual

disk drive in your systems random access
memory (RAM).

SETVER.EXE

Loads the MS-DOS version table into memory.

SMARTDRV.EXE

Performs double buffering for hard-disk controllers that cannot work with memory provided by
EMM386 or Windows running in 386 enhanced
mode.

Determining the Order of CONFIG.SYS Commands

Most CONFIG.SYS commands can appear in your CONFIG.SYS file in any
order. The order of the device and devicehigh commands is important, however, because some device drivers enable devices that are needed by other
drivers. For example, the HIMEM.SYS extended-memory driver must be
loaded before any drivers that use extended memory.

Chapter 4 Configuring Your System

47

The following list shows the order in which device drivers should appear in
your CONFIG.SYS file:
1. HIMEM.SYS, if your computer has extended memory.
2. Your expanded-memory manager, if your computer has an expandedmemory board.
3. EMM386.EXE, if your computer has an 80386 processor and extended
memory.
4. Any other device drivers.

Sample CONFIG.SYS File

The following is a typical CONFIG.SYS file for an 80386 computer with two
or more megabytes of extended memory:
device-c:\dos\setver.exe
device=c:\dos\himem.sys
device=c:\dos\emm386.exe ram
devicehigh=c:\mouse\mouse.sys
buffers=20
files-40
break-on
dos=high,umb

In this example:
n The device commands load the SETVER.EXE, HIMEM.SYS, and
EMM386.EXE device drivers. The SETVER.EXE driver manages the
MS-DOS version table. The HIMEM.SYS driver manages extended memory. The ram switch directs the EMM386.EXE driver to provide access to
the upper memory area and simulate expanded memory.
n The devicehigh command loads the MOUSE.SYS device driver, which
provides access to the mouse, into upper memory.
n The buffers command reserves 20 buffers for transferring information to
and from disks.
n The files command gives MS-DOS access to 40 files at one time.
n The break command checks frequently for the CTRL+C or CTRL+BREAK
key combination.
n The dos=high, umb command runs MS-DOS in the high memory area and
gives programs access to the upper memory area.

48

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

AUTOEXEC.BAT Commands
A batch program is a text file that contains a series of commands. Your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file is a special batch program that runs every time you
start your computer. The following batch commands are commonly used in an
AUTOEXEC.BAT file. For more information, type help followed by the
command name at the command prompt.
Command

Purpose

prompt

Sets the appearance of your command prompt.

mode

Sets the characteristics of your input and output ports.

path

Specifies the directories that MS-DOS should search for

executable files and the order in which the directories
should be searched.

echo off

Directs MS-DOS not to display the commands in your

batch file as they run.

set

Creates an environment variable that programs can use.

Another common use of the AUTOEXEC.BAT file is to start memory-resident

programs, also called terminate-and-stay-resident (TSR) programs, such as:
Command

Purpose

doskey

Provides keyboard shortcuts you can use at the command

prompt.

vsafe

Monitors your system for the presence of viruses.

smartdrv

Speeds up access to your hard disk.

After MS-DOS finishes running all the commands in your AUTOEXEC.BAT

file, it displays the command prompt. (If your AUTOEXEC.BAT file starts
MS-DOS Shell, Microsoft Windows, or another program, you will see that
programs interface instead.)

Sample AUTOEXEC.BAT File

This sample AUTOEXEC.BAT file contains some commonly used
commands:
path c:\;c:\dos;c:\utility;c:\batch
prompt $t$_$p$g
set temp=c:\temp
doskey
smartdrv

Chapter 4 Configuring Your System

49

In this example:
n The path command directs MS-DOS to search for program files in the
current directory and then in the following directories: the root directory
of drive C, the C:\DOS, C:\UTILITY, and C:/BATCH directories. A semicolon (;) separates the names of the directories.
n The prompt command sets the command prompt so that it shows the current time, drive and directory, followed by a greater-than sign (>).
n The set temp command creates an environment variable named TEMP and
sets it equal to the directory C:\TEMP. (The name you specify must be the
name of an existing directory.) Many programs, including MS-DOS, use
this variable when storing temporary files.
n The doskey command loads the Doskey program into memory.
n

The smartdrv command loads the SMARTDrive program into memory.

Bypassing CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT

Commands
You can start your computer without running the commands in your
CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files if you are experiencing problems
that might be related to the settings in those files. You can bypass startup
commands in the following ways:
n You can bypass all the commands in both your CONFIG.SYS and
AUTOEXEC.BAT files.
n You can prevent MS-DOS from carrying out specific CONFIG.SYS
commands and specify whether or not MS-DOS should run the
AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
n You can have MS-DOS prompt you to confirm a particular CONFIG.SYS
command every time your computer starts. To do this, insert a question
mark (?) after the command name but before the equal sign (=).

Completely Bypassing Your Startup Files

If you are having problems related to commands in your CONFIG.SYS or
AUTOEXEC.BAT files, you might want to temporarily bypass both files.
To bypass your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files
1. Start or restart your computer. After your computer starts, MS-DOS displays the following text: Starting MS-DOS...
2. While the text is on your screen, press and release the F5 key or press and
hold down the SHIFT key.

50

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Your computer will start with a basic configuration instead of your usual
configuration:
n

MS-DOS might display the message Bad or missing command interpreter and prompt you to specify the path to the COMMAND.COM file.
Type the full path to the file and then press ENTER.

MS-DOS will not load installable device drivers. As a result, any device
that requires an installable device driver will not work.

MS-DOS will set environment variables to their default values. The command prompt might not appear the way it usually does; it will display the
current drive and directory. The search path will be set to C:\DOS.

Confirming Each CONFIG.SYS Command

If you are having problems that you suspect are related to a specific
CONFIG.SYS command, you might want to have MS-DOS prompt you to
confirm each command when your computer starts.
To confirm each CONFIG.SYS command
1. Start or restart your computer. After your computer starts, MS-DOS displays the following text: Starting MS-DOS...
2. While the text is on your screen, press and release the F8 key.
MS-DOS displays each command in your CONFIG.SYS file followed by a
prompt. To carry out the current command, press Y. To bypass that command, press N. To carry out all remaining startup commands, press ESC. To
bypass all remaining startup commands, press F5.
3. When MS-DOS finishes processing the CONFIG.SYS file, you will see
the following prompt: Process AUTOEXEC.BAT [Y, N]?
To carry out all the commands in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, press Y. TO
bypass your AUTOEXEC.BAT file completely, press N.

Using Multiple Configurations

A single CONFIG.SYS file can define several different system configurations.
The following provides an overview of the procedures for defining multiple
configurations:
1. Define a startup menu in your CONFIG.SYS file.
2. Create a configuration block in your CONFIG.SYS file for each configuration you want. A configuration block is a labeled set of CONFIG.SYS
commands that are carried out when the label is chosen from the startup
menu.

Chapter 4 Configuring Your System

51

3. You can also use batch commands such as if and goto to create conditional
branches in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

Example: Defining Multiple Configurations

The following example shows the basic structure of a CONFIG.SYS file that
defines a startup menu and two different configurations.
[menu]
menuitem=Green
menuitem-Orange

[green]

files=40
device=c:\device1.sys
[orange]
files=10
device=c:\device2,sys

In this example:
n

The first configuration block defines the choices that will appear on the
startup menu. This startup menu contains two items, Green and Orange.
Each menu item refers to a different configuration block.

When the computer starts with the Green configuration, MS-DOS sets the
value for files to 40 and loads the DEVICE1.SYS device driver.

When the computer starts with the Orange configuration, MS-DOS sets the
value for files to 10 and loads the DEVICE2.SYS device driver.

When the computer starts with this CONFIG.SYS file, the following menu
appears:
MS-DOS 6 Startup Menu
1. Green
2. Orange
Enter a choice: 1

If you choose Green from this menu, MS-DOS runs the [green] configuration
block: if you choose Orange, MS-DOS runs the [orange] configuration block.

52

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Defining a Startup Menu

You must first define a startup menu by creating a configuration block with
the block heading [menu]. The following table lists the commands a menu
block can contain. For more information, type help followed by the command
name at the command prompt.
Command

Purpose

menuitem

Defines a menu item. The command specifies the configuration block associated with that item and, optionally, the menu text for that item.

menudefault

Specifies the default menu item. This command is

optional; if the [menu] block does not contain a
menudefault command, the default is set to item 1.

menucolor

Sets the text and background colors for the menu.

submenu

Specifies a menu item that displays another set of

choices. The command specifies another menu block
that defines the choices on the submenu.

numlock

Specifies whether the NUM LOCK setting on the

numeric keypad is initially set to ON or OFF.

Example: Defining a Sample [Menu] Block

The following is a sample [menu] block:

[menu]

menuitem-Net, Start the network

menuitem-No-Net, Do not start the network
menucolor=15,1
menudefault-Net

In this example:
n

The two menuitem commands define the items that will appear on the
menu. The first menuitem value, Net, specifies the name of the associated configuration block. The second value specifies the menu text, Start
the network. If you dont specify any menu text, MS-DOS uses the name
of the configuration block.

The menucolor command sets the text color to 15 (bright white) and the
background color to 1 (blue).

The menudefault command specifies [net] as the default configuration.

Chapter 4 Configuring Your System

53

Defining Configuration Blocks

A configuration block is a set of CONFIG.SYS commands to be run when a
particular configuration is selected from the startup menu. A configuration
block begins with a block header-the block name surrounded by brackets.
The block name must be a single word, but can be as long as you want. A
configuration block can contain any CONFIG.SYS command. The following
commands can be particularly useful in configuration blocks. For more information, type help followed by the command name at the command prompt.
n

The set command sets the value of an environment variable. This command can be used to set unique values for each configuration.

The include command directs MS-DOS to carry out the commands in

another configuration block as well as the commands in the current block.

Commands common to all configuration blocks can be placed in a block

named [common]. You might want to place a [common] block at the end of
your CONFIG.SYS file, even if the block doesnt contain any commands. You
can use as many [common] blocks as you want. MS-DOS runs [common]
commands in the order in which they appear.

Example: Using [Common] Blocks

The following CONFIG.SYS file defines two configurations and includes
several commands that are common to both:
[menu]
menuitem-Steve
menuitem-Lisa
[common]
dos-high
buffers-15
device=c:\dos\himem.sys
[steve]
files-20
device=c:\dos\emm386

2048

[lisa]
files-40
device=c:\net\network.sys
[common]

This CONFIG.SYS file configures the computer two ways. For both configurations, MS-DOS carries out the three commands in the first [common] block:
dos=high, buffers=15, and device=c:\dos\himem.sys. In this case, the
[common] block appears first because it contains the HIMEM.SYS command,
which must be loaded before other commands. The [common] block at the
end is for commands that might be added when you install applications.

54

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Modifying Your AUTOEXEC.BAT File

for Multiple Configurations
You can direct MS-DOS to carry out different AUTOEXEC.BAT commands
for each configuration by using the batch commands if and goto. When a configuration is selected from the startup menu, MS-DOS defines an environment
variable named CONFIG and sets it to the name of the selected configuration
block. In your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, you can use the goto command to have
MS-DOS carry out different sets of commands for different CONFIG values.
To define multiple configurations in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file
1. Insert the following command after any commands you want MS-DOS to
carry out for all configurations in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file:
got0 %config%
2. Add labels to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file before the groups of commands
for each configuration. Labels must match the names of the corresponding
configuration blocks in your CONFIG.SYS file. For example, you would
insert the following label before the group of commands for the [steve]
configuration: :steve
3. Insert the following label at the end of your AUTOEXEC.BAT file:

:end

4. After the group of commands for each configuration, add the following
command: goto end
This command directs MS-DOS to the line marked by the :end label. Any
commands appearing after that line are carried out for both configurations.

Example: Using the Goto Command

with the CONFIG Variable
The following AUTOEXEC.BAT file uses the goto command with the
CONFIG variable to carry out different sets of commands:
c:\dos\smartdrv.exe
set temp-c:\temp
c:\dos\msav
; Go to the section that matches the current
; value of the CONFIG variable
got0 %config%

Chapter 4 Configuring Your

System

55

:Steve
path c:\dos;c:\deskpub;c:\typeset
c:\mouse\mouse.com
deskpub
; now skip Lisa's section and go to end
goto end
:Lisa
path=c:\dos;c:\network;c:\utility
doskey
net logon lisa /y
goto end
:end

When MS-DOS runs this AUTOEXEC.BAT file, it starts SMARTDrive, sets

the TEMP environment variable, and starts the MS-DOS Anti-Virus program.
MS-DOS then goes to the section that matches the value of the CONFIG
variable.
If the name of the selected configuration is Steve, MS-DOS goes to the
Steve section. It then sets the search path for Steve, loads the MOUSE.COM
program from the C:\MOUSE directory, and runs the desktop publishing program. The goto end command instructs MS-DOS to skip to the line marked by
the :end label, bypassing the commands in the Lisa section.
If the current configuration is Lisa, the PATH variable is set differently,
MS-DOS runs the Doskey program, and a net logon command reestablishes
Lisas persistent network connections.

57

C H A P T E R

Freeing Disk Space

You can make more disk space available by deleting unnecessary files and by
using DoubleSpace to compress the data on your hard disk.

Deleting Unnecessary Files

To delete unnecessary files, use the del command. Use the following guidelines to decide which files to delete:
n

Delete any temporary files created by your programs. Some programs

store temporary files in a directory specified by the TEMP environment
variable. To determine whether your computer has a directory designated
for temporary files, type set at the command prompt, and then check the
value that MS-DOS displays for the TEMP variable.
Periodically delete any files in the directory specified by the TEMP environment variable. To avoid deleting a temporary file that is currently in
use, quit all programs (including Windows and MS-DOS Shell) before
deleting files in the directory specified by the TEMP variable.

If you havent used a file in a long time, consider copying it to a floppy

disk and then deleting it from your hard disk.

If you are sure you will not need to restore your previous version of DOS,
you can delete the OLD_DOG.x directory by typing deloldos at the command prompt, and then following the instructions on your screen.

As a last resort, delete some MS-DOS files that you do not plan to use.

Never delete the files COMMAND.COM, IO.SYS, MSDOS.SYS, or

any file that has a name beginning with DBLSPACE. If you delete any of
these files, you might lose data or your system might not start.

Caution

58

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Use the following table to determine which MS-DOS files you can delete.
Filename(s)

Description

When to delete

APPEND.EXE

Enables programs to open

data files as if they were
in the current directory

If you do not plan to use

the append command

NLSFUNC.EXE,
KEYB.COM, *.CPI,
COUNTRY.SYS,
DISPLAY.SYS,
KEYBOARD.SYS

Provide international and

character-set support

If you do not need international (foreign language) support

RAMDRIVE.SYS

RAMDrive memory-disk
program; speeds up your
system

If you do not need a

RAM disk, or if your
computer has only conventional memory

DOSSHELL.*
*.VID

The MS-DOS Shell

program.

If you do not plan to use

MS-DOS Shell

POWER.EXE

Conserves battery power

on a laptop computer

If your computer is not a

laptop

INTERLNK.*,
INTERSVR.*

Connect two computers

via parallel or serial ports
so that they can share
disks and printer ports

If you do not plan to use

the Interlnk program

EMM386.EXE,
MEMMAKER.*,
SIZER.EXE,
CHKSTATE.SYS

Manage and optimize

memory on an 80386 or
higher computer

If your computer is not

an 80386 or higher, or if
it has no extended
memory

SMARTDRV.EXE

SMARTDrive diskcaching program; speeds

up your system

If your computer does

not have a hard disk, or
extended memory

Using Chkdsk to Free Disk Space

You can use the chkdsk /f command to recover lost allocation units that are
taking up space on your hard disk. An allocation unit is the smallest part of a
hard disk that can be allocated to a file. Allocation units can get lost when a
program unexpectedly stops running without saving or deleting temporary
files properly. Over time, lost allocation units can accumulate and take up disk
space.
When you use the /f switch with the chkdsk command, chkdsk converts lost
allocation units to files that have a .CHK extension. You can then examine
and delete these .CHK files.

Chapter 5

Freeing Disk Space

59

To recover lost file allocation units

1. Quit all running programs.
2. Change to the hard disk you want to check.
3. Type chkdsk /f at the command prompt, and press ENTER. Then type Y at
the prompt.
4. The Chkdsk program converts any lost file allocation units to files with
filenames such as FILE0000.CHK. It stores these files in your root
directory.
5. To examine the contents of .CHK files, use the more command. Delete
any .CHK files you dont want by using the del command.

Increasing Disk Space by Using DoubleSpace

DoubleSpace frees space on hard and floppy disks by compressing the data
that is on them. After you set up DoubleSpace, you can maintain your compressed drives by using the full-screen DoubleSpace maintenance program or
by typing commands at the MS-DOS command prompt.

Getting Help
DoubleSpace includes extensive online help for commands, dialog boxes, and
procedures. DoubleSpace Help provides explanations of important
DoubleSpace concepts. For more information, choose Index from the Help
menu.
To get Help while running DoubleSpace
l

Press F1 when a DoubleSpace screen, dialog box, or error message

appears.

To get Help about the dblspace command

l

Type help dblspace at the command prompt.

Setting Up DoubleSpace
When you run DoubleSpace for the first time, the DoubleSpace Setup program
starts. DoubleSpace Setup compresses the data on the drive you select.
During DoubleSpace Setup, you can select either Express Setup or Custom
Setup. To compress the existing files on drive C and have DoubleSpace
determine the compression settings for you, choose Express Setup. To compress a hard disk drive other than drive C, or to use the empty space on an
existing drive to create a new compressed drive, choose Custom Setup.

60

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

To install DoubleSpace by using Express Setup
1. Quit all running programs (including Windows or MS-DOS Shell).
If you use a network, start the network software and connect to any drives
you usually use.
2. Type the following at the command prompt:

dblspace

3. When the Welcome screen appears, press ENTER. DoubleSpace displays a

screen that prompts you to choose between Express and Custom Setup.
4. Choose Express Setup by pressing ENTER. DoubleSpace displays a confirmation screen that estimates the amount of time it will take to compress
drive C.
5. To compress drive C, press C. DoubleSpace defragments and compresses
drive C. This process can take from several minutes to several hours,
depending on the speed of your hard disk and processor and the amount of
data your hard disk contains. During the compression process,
DoubleSpace Setup restarts your computer twice. A final screen shows
how long the compression process took and how much free space your
new drive contains.
6. To quit DoubleSpace after it has compressed drive C, press ENTER.
After you set up DoubleSpace, your computers drives will be configured
differently:
n

Drive C will be compressed and will contain more free space than it
did before. You will use drive C just as you did before you set up
DoubleSpace.

Your computer will have a new drive that is not compressed. This drive is
used to store files that must remain uncompressed, such as IO.SYS,
MSDOS.SYS, DBLSPACE.BIN, DBLSPACE.INI, and DBLSPACE.000.

Do not tamper with the hidden files on the new drive. If you change
or delete these files, you might lose all files on drive C.
Caution

To install DoubleSpace by using Custom Setup

1. Quit all running programs (including Windows or MS-DOS Shell).
If you use a network, start the network software and connect to any drives
you usually use.
2. Type the following at the command prompt:

dblspace

3. When the Welcome screen appears, press ENTER. DoubleSpace displays a

screen that prompts you to choose between Express and Custom Setup.
4. Select Custom Setup by pressing the DOWN ARROW key, and then press
ENTER.

Chapter 5 Freeing Disk Space

61

5. Select the compression method you want by pressing the UP ARROW or

DOWN ARROW and then press ENTER . If your computer has more
than one hard disk drive, DoubleSpace displays a list of drives. Select the
drive you want to compress, and then press ENTER. DoubleSpace displays
a screen that shows the default compression settings.
6. If necessary, change the compression settings to suit your needs. When all
the settings are correct, press ENTER to continue DoubleSpace.
7. To begin the compression process, press C. DoubleSpace carries out the
compression process with the settings you specified. This process can take
from several minutes to several hours, depending on the speed of your
hard disk and processor, the amount of data your hard disk contains, and
whether you chose to compress existing data or create a new compressed
drive. During the compression process, DoubleSpace Setup restarts your
computer twice. A final screen shows how long the compression process
took and how much free space your new drive contains.
8. To quit DoubleSpace after it has compressed the drive or free space you
selected, press ENTER.
After you set up DoubleSpace, your computers drives will be configured differently. The results differ, depending on whether you chose to compress an
existing drive or create a new compressed drive.
Do not tamper with the hidden files on the new drive. If you change
or delete these files, you might lose all files on drive C.
Caution

If you chose Compress an existing drive during Custom Setup:

n

The drive you selected will be compressed and will contain more free
space than it did before. You will use the compressed drive just as you did
before you set up DoubleSpace.

Your computer will have a new drive that is not compressed. This drive is
used to store files that must remain uncompressed, such as IO.SYS,
MSDOS.SYS, DBLSPACE.BIN, DBLSPACE.INI, and DBLSPACE.000.

If you chose Create a new compressed drive during Custom Setup:

n

Your computer will have a new compressed drive that is currently empty.

The drive that contained the free space you used to create the new compressed drive will contain less free space than it did before. This space is
now being used by your new compressed drive.

62

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Using DoubleSpace to Manage Compressed Drives

To maintain or modify compressed drives or to create additional compressed
drives, use the DoubleSpace maintenance program. You can also manage
compressed drives from the command prompt by using switches with the
dblspace command. For more information, type help dblspace.
To start the DoubleSpace program
l

Type dblspace at the command prompt.

DoubleSpace starts and displays the main DoubleSpace screen, which lists
your existing compressed drives. From this screen, you can carry out the
following tasks:
n

Work with a compressed drive. To do this, select the drive by clicking it

with your mouse or by pressing the UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW key until
the drive you want is selected. Then, choose the command you want from
the Drive or Tools menu.

Compress an existing drive. To do this, choose the Existing Drive command from the Compress menu. Use this command to compress files on
a hard disk drive or floppy disk.

Add a new compressed drive. You can create a new compressed drive by
using free space on an existing drive; to do this, choose the Create New
Drive command from the Compress menu.

The Drive menu includes commands you can use to work with the selected
drive. The following table describes the commands on the Drive menu.
Command

Purpose

Info

Displays the Compressed Drive Information dialog

box, which displays information about the selected
drive. You can also display the Compressed Drive
Information dialog box by double-clicking the name of
the drive or by pressing ENTER. when the drive is
selected.

Change Size

Enlarges or reduces the size of the selected drive.

Change Ratio

Changes the estimated compression ratio of the

selected drive.

Mount

Establishes a connection between a compressed volume file and a drive letter, so you can use the files the
CVF contains.

Unmount

Breaks the connection between the selected drives

compressed volume file and its drive letter.
Unmounting a drive makes it temporarily inaccessible.

Chapter 5

Freeing Disk Space

63

Command

Purpose

Format

Formats the selected compressed drive. Like formatting an uncompressed drive, formatting a compressed
drive deletes all the files it contains.

Delete

Deletes the selected compressed drive and the associated compressed volume file. Deleting a compressed
drive erases it and all the files it contains.

Exit

Quits the DoubleSpace program.

The Compress menu contains commands you can use to create additional
compressed drives or to compress floppy disks.
The Tools menu includes commands you can use to maintain compressed
drives. The following table describes the commands on the Tools menu.
Command

Purpose

Defragment

Defragments the selected compressed drive. Defragmenting a compressed drive consolidates the free
space on it.

Chkdsk

Checks the structural validity of the selected compressed drive.

Options

Displays the DoubleSpace Options dialog box, in

which you can specify the last drive letter you want
DoubleSpace to use. You can also specify the number
of additional drives you want to be able to mount after
you start your computer.

Compressing Additional Drives

You can use DoubleSpace to compress the files on existing hard disk drives,
floppy disks, or other removable media.
Note DoubleSpace cannot compress a drive that is completely full. Before
compressing a hard disk drive, make sure it contains at least 1 MB of free
space. A floppy disk must contain at least .65 MB of free space.

64

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

To compress an existing drive
1. In the main DoubleSpace screen, choose the Existing Drive command
from the Compress menu. (If you are compressing a floppy disk or other
removable media, make sure it is formatted and is in the drive before you
choose the Existing Drive command.) DoubleSpace scans your computer
and then displays a list of drives that can be compressed.
2. Select the drive you want to compress by pressing the UP ARROW or
DOWN ARROW key, and then press ENTER. A screen appears, giving you
the opportunity to change the settings DoubleSpace will use to compress
the drive. DoubleSpace displays a confirmation screen stating that it is
ready to compress the drive.
3. Change the settings as needed. For more information about changing settings, press F1. When you have finished changing settings, press ENTER. A
confirmation screen appears.
4. To compress the drive, press C. DoubleSpace defragments and compresses
the selected drive, and then restarts your computer so your new drive configuration can take effect.
To convert free space into a new compressed drive
1. From the main DoubleSpace screen, choose the Create New Drive command from the Compress menu. DoubleSpace scans your computer and
then displays a list of uncompressed drives that contain free space.
2. Select the drive that contains the space you want to use, and then press
ENTER. A screen appears, giving you the opportunity to change the settings DoubleSpace will use when it creates the new compressed drive.
3. Change the settings as needed. For more information about changing settings, press F1. When you have finished changing settings, press ENTER. A
confirmation screen appears.
4. To create the new compressed drive, press C. DoubleSpace creates the new
compressed drive, and then updates the list of drives on the main
DoubleSpace screen to include the new compressed drive.

Using DoubleSpace with Floppy Disks

Compressing a floppy disk is similar to compressing a hard disk drive.
Note Make sure the floppy disk is formatted and has at least .65 MB of free
space. DoubleSpace cannot compress a 360K disk, an unformatted disk, or a
disk that is completely full.

Chapter 5

Freeing Disk Space

65

To compress a floppy disk

1. Insert a formatted disk in a floppy disk drive.
2. In the main DoubleSpace screen, choose the Existing Drive command
from the Compress menu. DoubleSpace scans your computer and then
displays a list of drives that can be compressed.
3. Select the drive that contains the floppy disk you want to compress by
pressing the UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW key, and then press ENTER.
DoubleSpace displays a confirmation screen stating that it is ready to
compress the drive you selected.
4. To compress the floppy disk, press C. DoubleSpace defragments, compresses, and mounts the floppy disk, and then updates the list of drives on
the main DoubleSpace screen to include the newly compressed disk.
In general, you use a compressed floppy disk just as you would a normal
floppy disk. The main difference is that you must mount a compressed floppy
disk before you can use it. When you first compress a floppy disk,
DoubleSpace mounts it for you. However, if you change floppy disks or
restart your computer, you must remount the floppy disk before you can use it
again.
Note Before it is mounted, a compressed floppy disk appears nearly full. If
you change to the floppy disk drive and carry out the dir command, MS-DOS
usually lists one file: a text file named READTHIS.TXT, which briefly
explains how to mount the floppy disk. The dir command usually reports that
the floppy disk contains almost no free space, since most of the space is used
by the compressed volume file. The compressed volume file is a file with
Hidden, Read-Only and System attributes named DBLSPACE.000.
To gain access to the contents of a compressed floppy disk, mount it from the
main DoubleSpace screen or at the MS-DOS command prompt.
To mount a compressed floppy disk from the main DoubleSpace screen
1. Insert the compressed floppy disk in a drive.
2. In the main DoubleSpace screen, choose the Mount command from the
Drive menu. DoubleSpace searches your computer for unmounted compressed volume files, and lists the ones it finds.
3. Select the CVF that is located on your compressed floppy disk by using
the UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW key, and then press ENTER.
4. DoubleSpace mounts the CVF and then updates the list of compressed
drives on the main DoubleSpace screen to include the newly mounted
floppy disk.
The compressed floppy disk remains mounted, and the files on it remain
available, until you change floppy disks or restart your computer.

66

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

To mount a compressed floppy disk at the MS-DOS command prompt
1. Insert the compressed floppy disk in a drive.
2. At the command prompt, type dblspace /mount and the letter of the drive
the floppy disk is in.
The compressed floppy disk remains mounted until you change floppy disks
or restart your computer.

Getting Information About Compressed Drives

You can display information about your compressed drives in several ways:
n

In DoubleSpace, choose the Info command from the Drive menu to display
detailed information about a compressed drive. For more information,
press F1 while the Compressed Drive Information dialog box is on your
screen.

At the MS-DOS command prompt, change to the compressed drive you

want information about, and then type dir/c. MS-DOS lists the files in the
current directory and displays the actual compression ratio for each file. It
also shows the average compression ratio for the entire list of files. (If the
compressed drive is empty, dir/c does not display compression information) For more information, type help dir at the command prompt.

At the MS-DOS command prompt, type dblspace /list to see a list of your
computers drives and their compression status. Use this command to get a
more complete picture of your computers drive configuration.

If you use Windows, choose DoubleSpace Info from the Tools menu in
File Manager. For more information, press F1 while the DoubleSpace Info
dialog box is on your screen.

Troubleshooting DoubleSpace
If you encounter problems while running DoubleSpace, or if you encounter
problems with your compressed drives, see the DoubleSpace section of the
README.TXT file. The README.TXT file is located in the directory that
contains your MS-DOS files. You can view this file by using any text editor.

67

C H A P T E R

Making More Memory Available

The amount of available memory affects which programs you can run, how
fast they run, and how much data a program can work with at one time. If
youre having trouble running programs because your computer doesnt have
enough memory, you can install additional physical memory or optimize the
memory your computer already has.

Identifying Your Computers

Memory Configuration
To display information about your computers memory, type mem at the
command prompt. The mem command displays a summary of your computers memory configuration. It shows how much of each kind of memory
your computer has, how much is currently in use, and how much is currently
free. The following table describes the kinds of memory your computer might
have:
Type of memory

Description

Conventional
memory

Up to the first 640K of memory on a computer. All

MS-DOS-based programs require conventional
memory.

Upper memory
area

The 384K of memory above your computers 640K

of conventional memory. The upper memory area
is used by system hardware, such as your display
adapter. Unused parts of the upper memory area are
called upper memory blocks (UMBs). On an 80386
or higher computer, UMBs can be used for running
device drivers and memory-resident programs.

Extended
memory (XMS)

Memory beyond 1 MB on computers with 80286 or

higher processors. Extended memory requires an
extended-memory manager, such as HIMEM.

High memory
area (HMA)

The first 64K of extended memory. On a computer

with extended memory, Setup conserves conventional memory by installing MS-DOS to run in the
high memory area.

68

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Type of memory

Description

Expanded
memory (EMS)

Memory in addition to conventional memory that

some MS-DOS-based applications can use.
Expanded memory is installed on an expandedmemory board and comes with an expandedmemory manager. Because an expanded-memory
manager gives access to a limited amount of
expanded memory at a time, using expanded memory is slower than using extended memory.

Freeing Conventional Memory

You can free conventional memory in several ways:
n

If you have an 80386 or higher computer with extended memory, you can
run MemMaker to move device drivers and other memory-resident programs from conventional memory to the upper memory area.

You can streamline your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files so

that they dont start unnecessary memory-resident programs.

If your computer has extended memory, you can run MS-DOS in the high
memory area instead of in conventional memory.

Optimizing Memory by Using MemMaker

MemMaker modifies your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files so that
your device drivers and other memory-resident programs use less conventional memory. MemMaker frees conventional memory by loading some of
those device drivers and programs into the upper memory area, the range of
memory addresses normally set aside for hardware expansion cards. The
unused areas of upper memory are called upper memory blocks (UMB S). You
can use UMBs for running installable device drivers and other memoryresident programs.
To prepare your computer to run MemMaker, do the following:
l

Make sure your systems hardware and memory work properly, and that
your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files do not start any unnecessary programs.

Quit any programs that are running.

Start any hardware or memory-resident programs that you usually use.

Chapter 6 Making More Memory Available

69

Running MemMaker Using Express Setup

When you run MemMaker, you will be prompted to choose between Express
and Custom Setup. The following procedure explains how to run MemMaker
using Express Setup.
To run MemMaker using Express Setup
1. Type memmaker at the command prompt. MemMaker displays the Welcome screen. Choose the Continue option by pressing ENTER. MemMaker
displays a screen that prompts you to choose between Express and Custom
Setup.
2. Choose Express Setup by pressing ENTER . MemMaker displays a screen
that prompts you to specify whether you use any programs that require
expanded memory.
3. If none of your programs require expanded memory, or if you are not sure
whether your programs require expanded memory, choose No by pressing
ENTER. If you use programs that require expanded memory, select Yes by
pressing the SPACEBAR, and then press ENTER. Press ENTER to restart
your computer.
4. After your computer has restarted, MemMaker optimizes the memory
configuration for your computer. When its calculations are complete,
MemMaker makes the necessary changes to your CONFIG.SYS and
AUTOEXEC.BAT files, and then displays a screen stating that it is ready
to restart your computer using the new configuration.
5. To restart your computer with its new configuration, press ENTER. After
your computer has restarted, MemMaker displays a screen that prompts
you to specify whether your system appears to be working properly.
6. If you did not see any error messages during startup and your system
appears to work properly, choose Yes by pressing ENTER. If you suspect
that your system is not working properly, press the SPACEBAR to select
No, and then follow the instructions on your screen.
If you indicated that your computer is working properly, MemMaker displays a final screen that shows the amount of each type of memory available before and after you ran MemMaker.

70

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Running MemMaker Using Custom Setup

The following list describes the situations in which you should use Custom
Setup.
n

If you have an EGA or VGA monitor (but not a Super VGA monitor),
choose Custom Setup, and answer Yes to the advanced option Use monochrome region (B000-B7FF) for running programs?
If you have a Super VGA monitor, see the MemMaker section in the
README.TXT file, located in your DOS directory, for more information
about freeing conventional memory. You can view it by using any text
editor.

If a device driver or program has been causing problems when you run
MemMaker (for example, if it causes your computer to stop responding),
choose Custom Setup, and then answer Yes to the advanced option
Specify which drivers and TSRs to include in optimization?

To run MemMaker using Custom Setup

1. Type memmaker at the command prompt. MemMaker displays the Welcome screen. Choose the Continue option by pressing ENTER. MemMaker
displays a screen that prompts you to choose between Express and Custom
Setup.
2. Select Custom Setup by pressing the SPACEBAR, and then press ENTER.
MemMaker displays a screen that prompts you to specify whether you use
any programs that require expanded memory.
3. If none of your programs require expanded memory, or if you are not sure
whether your programs require expanded memory, choose No by pressing
ENTER. If you use programs that require expanded memory, select Yes by
pressing the SPACEBAR, and then press ENTER. For more information
about this screen, press F1.
The Advanced Options screen appears. The settings on this screen determine how MemMaker configures your computers memory during
optimization.
4. Change the settings on the Advanced Options screen as necessary. To
change an option, press the UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW key until the
Yes or No beside that option is highlighted. Then press the SPACEBAR to
change the answer. For information about each setting, press F1.

Chapter 6

Making More Memory Available

71

5. When you have finished changing settings, press ENTER to continue. If

MemMaker prompts you to provide more information, follow the instructions on your screen.
MemMaker displays a screen stating that it is ready to restart your computer. Press ENTER. After your computer has restarted, MemMaker optimizes the memory configuration for your computer. When its calculations
are complete, MemMaker makes the necessary changes to your
CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files, and then displays a screen
stating that it is ready to restart your computer using the new
configuration.
6. Restart your computer with its new configuration by pressing ENTER.
After your computer has restarted, MemMaker displays a screen that
prompts you to specify whether your system appears to be working properly. If you did not see any error messages during startup and your system
appears to work properly, choose Yes by pressing ENTER. If you suspect
that your system is not working properly, press the SPACEBAR to select
No, and then follow the instructions on your screen.

Undoing the Changes MemMaker Made

MemMaker changes your systems memory configuration by editing the
commands in your CONFIG.SYS, AUTOEXEC.BAT, and (sometimes)
SYSTEM.INI files. Before changing these files, MemMaker makes backup
copies. If you encounter problems during the optimization process, you can
have MemMaker undo the changes it made by restoring previous versions of
these files. You can undo changes even after quitting MemMaker.
To undo MemMakers changes
1. Quit any running programs.
2. Start MemMaker by typing the following at the command prompt:
memmaker /undo
A screen appears, prompting you to choose between restoring your original system files and quitting MemMaker.
3. To restore your original files, press
mation screen.

ENTER .

MemMaker displays a confir-

4. If the screen shows that MemMaker has finished restoring your startup
files. press ENTER to restart your computer with its original configuration.

72

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Fine-Tuning Your Memory Configuration

You can fine-tune your memory configuration with the following techniques:
n

Run MemMaker again and change some memory-configuration options.

Change the order of device drivers and programs in your CONFIG.SYS

and AUTOEXEC.BAT files.

Remove unnecessary device drivers and memory-resident programs from

your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files.

Freeing Additional Memory by Changing MemMaker Options

To try to free additional memory, you can run MemMaker again and change
some memory-configuration options.
If you do not use programs that require expanded memory
If none of your programs require expanded memory, run MemMaker again,
and when MemMaker asks you whether you use any programs that require
expanded memory, choose No.
If your computer has an EGA or VGA monitor
If your computer has an EGA or VGA monitor (but not a Super VGA monitor), run MemMaker again and choose Custom Setup. When MemMaker
displays the Advanced Options screen, answer Yes to the question Use
monochrome region (B000-B7FF) for running programs?
If your computer has a Super VGA monitor
If your computer has a Super VGA monitor, see the MemMaker section in the
README.TXT file, located in your DOS directory, for more information
about freeing conventional memory. You can view it by using any text editor.

Freeing Additional Memory by Changing the Order of Commands

in Your Startup Files
You can fine-tune your memory configuration by changing the order of the
commands in your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files.
To optimize the order of device drivers and memory-resident programs
1. Open the MEMMAKER.STS file by using a text editor such as MS-DOS
Editor. The MEMMAKER.STS file is located in the same directory as the
MEMMAKER.EXE file.
2. Find the [SizeData] section in the MEMMAKER.STS file. This section
lists the memory requirements of each driver or memory-resident program
started by your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files. For each driver
or memory-resident program, examine the MaxSize line.
3. Print the MEMMAKER.STS file or write down the name of each driver or
program and its MaxSize value. Then quit the text editor.

Chapter 6

Making More Memory Available

73

4. Open your CONFIG.SYS file and move commands that load device drivers or programs with larger MaxSize values before those with smaller
MaxSize values. Save the changes to your CONFIG.SYS file, and then
open your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
5. In your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, move commands that start programs with
larger MaxSize values before those with smaller MaxSize values. Save the
changes to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, and then quit the text editor.
6. Remove any disks from your floppy disk drives, and then restart your
computer by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL.
7. If your system starts properly, run MemMaker to optimize your revised
CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files.

Using MemMaker with Multiple Configurations

If your CONFIG.SYS file defines multiple startup configurations, run
MemMaker by carrying out the procedures in this section.
To optimize your computers memory for multiple configurations
1. Create a separate set of CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files for
each configuration on your startup menu. Each set should contain only the
commands for that configuration.
2. Run MemMaker separately for each configuration.
3. Combine the optimized CONFIG.SYS files into a single multipleconfiguration CONFIG.SYS file; combine the AUTOEXEC.BAT files into
a single AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

Creating CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT Files

for Each Configuration
To create separate startup files for each configuration
1. In the root directory of your startup drive (usually drive C), make one
copy of your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files for each item on
your startup menu, and give each copy a name with a filename extension
that matches the corresponding item number. For example, the files for
menu item 1 would be named CONFIG.1 and AUTOEXEC.1.
2. Open each copy of your CONFIG.SYS file by using a text editor such
as MS-DOS Editor. Edit the file so that it can be used as a singleconfiguration CONFIG.SYS file. Delete the menu-definition commands
(the commands in the [menu] section) and any commands that do not
apply to the configuration that corresponds to the files extension. Save the
file when you have finished.
Repeat this step for each copy of your CONFIG.SYS file. In each file,
keep only the commands that are necessary to start the computer with that
configuration.

74

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

3. Open each copy of your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Delete any goto config
commands and any commands that do not apply to the configuration that
corresponds to the files extension. Save the file when you have finished.
Repeat this step for each copy of your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. In each file,
keep only the commands that are necessary to start the computer with that
configuration.
4. Quit the text editor.
When you have carried out this procedure, the root directory of your startup
drive should contain your original CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files,
as well as one set of CONFIG.x and AUTOEXEC.x files for each startup menu
item.

Running MemMaker for Each Configuration

To optimize memory for each configuration
1. Rename your original CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files, changing their filename extensions to .BAK.
2. Rename one set of the CONFIG.x and AUTOEXEC.x files to
CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT.
3. Restart your computer by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL.
4. To optimize the current CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files, run
MemMaker by typing memmaker at the command prompt, and then follow the instructions on your screen.
5. When MemMaker is complete, rename the current CONFIG.SYS and
AUTOEXEC.BAT files to their original filenames.
6. Repeat steps 2 through 5 for each additional set of CONFIG.x and
AUTOEXEC.x files you created.

Combining the Optimized Files into New CONFIG.SYS

and AUTOEXEC.BAT Files
Once you have optimized each configuration separately, you need to combine
the separate files into a single set of CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT
files. The exact procedure for this will depend on the contents of your files.
The following tips can help you construct a new CONFIG.SYS file:
n

Start with a blank CONFIG.SYS file rather than trying to edit your
original file.

Copy the menu-definition commands from the CONFIG.BAK file and

paste it into your new CONFIG.SYS file.

Chapter 6

Making More Memory Available

75

Create a separate configuration block for each item on the menu, and paste
the commands from each CONFIG.x file into the corresponding configuration block.

Avoid using [common] blocks or include commands. Instead, each configuration block should contain a complete set of commands for that
configuration.

The following tips can help you construct a new AUTOEXEC.BAT file:
Start with a blank AUTOEXEC.BAT file rather than trying to edit your
original file.
Add a goto %config% command to the beginning of your new
AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
For each item on your startup menu, add a label to your AUTOEXEC.BAT
file with the same name as the corresponding configuration block in your
CONFIG.SYS file. Paste the commands from each AUTOEXEC.x file into
your new AUTOEXEC.BAT file after the label that corresponds to that
configuration.
Add a goto end command to the end of each section in your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file that starts with a label.
Add an :end label to the end of your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
For the best results, each section of your AUTOEXEC.BAT file should
contain a complete set of AUTOEXEC.BAT commands for that
configuration.

Troubleshooting While Using MemMaker

Your computer stops responding while you are using MemMaker.
If your computer stops responding while you are running MemMaker, first try
using more conservative settings. MemMaker restarts your computer twice. If
your computer stopped responding when MemMaker restarted it the first time,
carry out procedure 1. If your computer stopped responding after MemMaker
restarted it the second time, carry out procedure 2.
Procedure 1

To use more conservative settings

1. When your computer stops responding, restart it by pressing

CTRL+ALT+DEL, and then choose the Try again with conservative
settings option by pressing ENTER. Your computer restarts, and then
processes your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files.
2. If your computer runs successfully, follow the instructions on your screen.
If your computer stops responding again, carry out the procedure in the
section Your computer stops responding again after the MemMaker will
now restart your computer message appears later in this chapter.

76

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Procedure 2

To use more conservative settings by using Custom Setup

1. When your computer stops responding, restart it by pressing

CTRL + ALT + DEL , and then select the Exit and undo changes option by
pressing the SPACEBAR, and then press ENTER. Your computer restarts
with its original memory configuration.
2. Restart the MemMaker program by typing memmaker at the command
prompt. When the Welcome to MemMaker screen appears, press
ENTER.

3. When the second MemMaker screen appears, press the SPACEBAR to

select Custom Setup, and then press ENTER. Continue with the
MemMaker program until the Advanced Options screen appears. Then
press the DOWN ARROW key until the Yes beside Scan the upper memory aggressively? is selected.
4. Press the

SPACEBAR to select No, and then press ENTER. Follow the

instructions on your screen.

If your computer stops responding again, carry out the procedure in the
section Your computer stops responding again after the MemMaker will
now restart your computer to test the new memory configuration screen
appears later in this chapter.
Your computer stops responding again after the MemMaker will now restart
your computer message appears.
To determine whether your computer stops responding while MemMaker
is loading EMM386
1. When your computer stops responding, restart it by pressing
CTRL+ALT+DEL, and then display the Cancel and undo all changes
option by pressing the SPACEBAR twice, and then pressing ENTER. Your
computer restarts with its original memory configuration.
2. Restart MemMaker by typing memmaker at the command prompt. Follow
the instructions on your screen. After MemMaker restarts your computer,
MS-DOS displays the following text: Starting MS-DOS...
3. While the text is on your screen, press and release the F8 key. The following text appears:
MS-DOS will prompt you to confirm each CONFIG.SYS command.

As MS-DOS processes the commands in your CONFIG.SYS file, it displays each command, followed by a prompt.

Chapter 6

Making More Memory Available

77

4. Carry out all the commands in your CONFIG.SYS file by pressing Y each
time you are prompted.
If your computer stops responding when it is trying to load
EMM386.EXE, carry out the procedure in You have tried the troubleshooting procedures, and your computer still stops responding when you
run MemMaker later in this chapter.
If your computer stops responding when it tries to load a device driver
other than EMM386, skip the rest of this procedure and carry out the procedure in the following section.
If your computer runs successfully, continue to step 5.
5. When MS-DOS finishes processing the commands in your CONFIG.SYS
file, press Y at the prompt to process the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. When
your computer stops responding, note which program it is trying to load
and carry out the procedure in the following section.
Your computer stops responding while MemMaker is loading a program
or device driver other than EMM386.
To load your program or device driver properly
1. When your computer stops responding, restart it by pressing
CTRL+ALT+DEL, and then display the Cancel and undo all changes
option by pressing the SPACEBAR twice, and then pressing ENTER. Your
computer restarts with its original memory configuration.
2. Restart the MemMaker program by typing memmaker at the command
prompt. When the Welcome to MemMaker screen appears, press
ENTER.

3. When the second MemMaker screen appears, press the SPACEBAR to

select Custom Setup, and then press ENTER. Continue with the
MemMaker program until the Advanced Options screen appears. Press the
SPACEBAR to change the No beside Specify which drivers and TSRs to
include during optimization? to Yes.
4. Press ENTER. If you use Windows, MemMaker might prompt you to provide more information. If it does, follow the instructions on your screen.
5. One by one, MemMaker prompts you to include device drivers and programs in the optimization process. Press ENTER each time you are
prompted, except when you are prompted to include the device driver or
program that caused your computer to stop responding. When you are
prompted to include this device driver or program, press the SPACEBAR to
select No, and then press ENTER. Follow the instructions on your screen.

78

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

6. MemMaker will restart your computer. If your computer stops responding
when MemMaker tries to load a different program or device driver, repeat
steps 1 through 5.
If your computer stops responding again, carry out the procedure in You
have tried the troubleshooting procedures, and your computer still stops
responding when you run MemMaker later in this chapter.
Your computer stops responding again after the MemMaker will now restart
your computer to test the new memory configuration screen appears.
To properly load the program or device driver that causes your computer
to stop responding
1. Restart your computer by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL, and then choose the
Exit and undo changes option by pressing the SPACEBAR, and then
pressing ENTER . Your computer restarts with its original memory
configuration.
2. Restart the MemMaker program by typing memmaker at the command
prompt. When the Welcome to MemMaker screen appears, press
ENTER.

3. When the second MemMaker screen appears, press the SPACEBAR to

select Custom Setup, and then press ENTER. Continue with the
MemMaker program until the Advanced Options screen appears. Press the
SPACEBAR to change the No beside Specify which drivers and TSRs to
include during optimization? to Yes.
4. Press ENTER. If you use Windows, MemMaker might prompt you to pro-

vide more information. If it does, follow the instructions on your screen.

5. One by one, MemMaker prompts you to include device drivers and programs in the optimization process. Press ENTER each time you are
prompted, except when you are prompted to include the device driver or
program that caused your computer to stop responding. When you are
prompted to include this device driver or program, press the SPACEBAR to
select No, and then press ENTER. Follow the instructions on your screen.
6. MemMaker will restart your computer. If your computer stops responding
when MemMaker tries to load a different program or device driver, repeat
steps 1 through 5.
If your computer stops responding again, carry out the procedure in the
following section.

Chapter 6 Making More Memory Available

79

You have tried the troubleshooting procedures, and your computer

still stops responding when you run MemMaker.
To try an additional troubleshooting technique
1. When your computer stops responding, restart it by pressing
CTRL+ALT+DEL, and then select the Cancel and undo all changes option
or the Exit and undo changes option, and then press ENTER.
2. When the MS-DOS command prompt appears, open your CONFIG.SYS
file in a text editor. Look for a command that loads EMM386.EXE. If your
CONFIG.SYS file does not contain the command that loads EMM386,
insert it on a new line below the device command that loads HIMEM.SYS.
3. Save your changes and quit the text editor.
For additional information, see the section You installed a hardware
device and you computer stopped working correctly in the chapter
Diagnosing and Solving Problems. You should also refer to the
README.TXT file in your DOS directory.

There is not enough memory to continue MemMaker.

To free enough conventional memory to run MemMaker
1. When MemMaker displays the MemMaker cannot continue because there
is not enough free conventional memory message, press ENTER to restart
your computer. After MemMaker restarts your computer, MS-DOS displays the following text: Starting MS-DOS...
2. While the text is on your screen, press and release the F8 key. The following text appears:
MS-DOS will prompt you to confirm each CONFIG.SYS command.

3. Bypass all the commands in your CONFIG.SYS file by pressing N each

time you are prompted, except when you are prompted for HIMEM.SYS,
EMM386.EXE, and SHELL.
4. When MS-DOS finishes processing the commands in your CONFIG.SYS
file, press N at the prompt to bypass the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
5. When the MS-DOS command prompt appears, type the following:
find /i memmaker autoexec.bat
At the command prompt, type the entire line exactly as find displays it.
MemMaker should continue normally.
6. Follow the instructions on your screen.

80

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

After running MemMaker, a program or device driver that was loaded

into the upper memory area does not work.
To load properly the program or device driver that
does not work correctly
1. Restore your computer to the memory configuration it had before you ran
MemMaker by typing the following at the command prompt:
memmaker /undo
2. When MemMaker starts, choose the Restore files now option by pressing ENTER . When MemMaker displays a screen confirming that it has
restored your original CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files, restart
your computer by pressing ENTER.
3. Restart MemMaker by typing memmaker at the command prompt. When
the Welcome to MemMaker screen appears, press ENTER.
4. When the second MemMaker screen appears, press the SPACEBAR to
select Custom Setup, and then press ENTER. Continue with the
MemMaker program until the Advanced Options screen appears. Press the
SPACEBAR to change the No beside Specify which drivers and TSRs to
include during optimization? to Yes.
5. Press ENTER. If you use Windows, MemMaker might prompt you to provide more information. If it does, follow the instructions on your screen.
6. Press ENTER. One by one, MemMaker prompts you to include device
drivers and programs in the optimization process. Press ENTER each time
you are prompted, except when you are prompted to include the device
driver or program that does not work correctly. When you are prompted to
include this device driver or program, press the SPACEBAR to select No,
and then press ENTER. Follow the instructions on your screen.

Streamlining Your CONFIG.SYS and

AUTOEXEC.BAT Files
The following basic recommendations can help you conserve conventional
memory by streamlining your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files:
n

Whenever possible, load programs that require extra memory during

startup before those that do not.

If your computer has expanded memory, your CONFIG.SYS file should

include a device command for the expanded-memory manager that came
with your memory board.

If your computer has extended memory, your CONFIG.SYS file should

include the dos=high command as well as a device command for the
HIMEM.SYS extended-memory manager.

Chapter 6

Making More Memory Available

81

If your computer has extended memory, disable any commands in your

CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT files that start the Fastopen program.

Disable any append /e or append c:\dos commands in your

AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

If your CONFIG.SYS file contains a command that loads the doublebuffering feature of SMARTDrive, you might be able to disable this
command. To find out whether you need to use double buffering, type
help smartdrv at the command prompt and choose <smartdrv.exe> in the
second paragraph. Then, follow the procedure in the section Determining
whether you need to use double buffering.

Running MS-DOS in the High Memory Area

When MS-DOS is installed in a computer with an 80286 or higher processor
and extended memory, it is automatically configured to run in the High
Memory Area (HMA). To determine whether MS-DOS is running in the
HMA, type mem at the command prompt.
If MS-DOS is not running in the HMA, you can add commands similar to
device=c:\dos\himem.sys and dos=high to your CONFIG.SYS file.

Freeing Extended Memory

To use extended memory, your computer must have physical extended memory, and your CONFIG.SYS file must contain a device command for the
HIMEM.SYS extended-memory manager or another memory manager that
conforms to the Lotus/Intel/Microsoft/AST extended Memory Specification
(XMS). If you have extended memory but it is all being used, try the
following:
n

If your CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT file starts programs that use

extended memory, reduce the amount of extended memory you allocate
for each program.

If your CONFIG.SYS file contains an EMM386 command line that does

not include the noems switch, add the min=0 switch to the command line.

If you are using RAMDrive and creating a RAM disk in extended memory,
use SMARTDrive instead.

If you are conserving conventional memory by running programs in upper

memory, try running them in conventional memory instead. Although
running programs in upper memory conserves conventional memory, it
uses some extended memory.

If Windows wont start because not enough extended memory is available,

try disabling the EMM386 command line and the dos=high command in
your CONFIG.SYS file.

82

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Freeing Expanded Memory

Some programs require additional expanded memory to run. If you are having
trouble running such a program, do the following:
n

Make sure your system contains as much physical expanded memory as

the program needs, and that your CONFIG.SYS file contains a device
command for the expanded-memory manager that came with your memory
board.

If you are using EMM386 with the noems switch, expanded memory
will be unavailable. On the EMM386.EXE command line in your
CONFIG.SYS file, change the noems switch to the ram switch. For
information about EMM386, type help emm386.exe at the command
prompt.

If your CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT file starts programs that use

expanded memory, reduce the amount of expanded memory you allocate
for each program. For information about how to do this, see the documentation that accompanied each program.

Using MS-DOS Memory Managers

To use your computers extended memory, expanded memory, or upper
memory area, your CONFIG.SYS file must contain a command that loads a
memory manager. MS-DOS includes the following memory managers:
n

HIMEM, which provides access to extended memory.

EMM386, which provides access to the upper memory area.

MS-DOS does not include an expanded-memory manager for physical

expanded memory, since each expanded-memory board requires its own
memory manager. To use physical expanded memory, you must install the
memory manager that came with your expanded-memory board.

Using the EMM386 Memory Manager

EMM386 is a dual-purpose memory manager for 80386 and 80486 computers
that have extended memory. EMM386 provides access to the upper memory
area and uses extended memory to simulate expanded memory.

Chapter 6 Making More Memory Available

83

To install EMM386
1. Run the MemMaker program by typing memmaker at the command
prompt. When MemMaker displays a Welcome screen, choose the
Continue option by pressing ENTER . MemMaker displays a screen
prompting you to choose between Express and Custom Setup.
2. Choose Express Setup by pressing ENTER. MemMaker displays a screen
that prompts you to specify whether you use any programs that require
expanded memory.
3. If none of your programs require expanded memory, or if you are not sure
whether your programs require expanded memory, choose No by pressing
ENTER. If you use programs that require expanded memory, select Yes by
pressing the SPACEBAR, and then press ENTER.
4. Complete the MemMaker program by following the instructions on your
screen.

C H A P T E R

Features for Your

Laptop Computer
With the Interlnk program and a cable that connects two computers, you can
use a laptop computer to access data and run programs on a desktop computer.
You use the laptop computer to type commands that control both it and your
desktop computer. The desktop computer displays the status of the connection; you use its keyboard only to break the connection between the two
computers.

Using lnterlnk to Connect Two Computers

The computer you use to type commands is called the client. The computer
connected to the client is the server. Generally, the laptop computer is the
client and the desktop computer is the server. The client uses the servers
drives and printers, and the server displays the status of the connection
between the computers.
For example, suppose you have connected a laptop and a desktop computer.
The laptop computer has three drives: a floppy disk drive (A) and two hard
disk drives (C and D). The desktop computer also has three drives: two floppy
disk drives (A and B) and a hard disk drive (C). The following table lists the
drives on each computer.
Laptop drives

Desktop drives

When the computers are connected using Interlnk, the drives on the desktop
computer (the server) appear as additional drives on the laptop computer (the
client). In addition to drives A, C, and D, the laptop computer now includes
drives E, F, and G.

86

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

The following illustration shows how the drives of each computer are
redirected.

Drive E of the laptop computer (client) represents drive A of the desktop

computer (server). If you make drive E current on the laptop computer, the
commands you type affect drive A of the desktop computer. For example, if
you type the following command on the laptop computer, MS-DOS displays a
list of the files in the root directory of the desktop computers hard drive:
dir g:\
The drives on your laptop and desktop computers will probably be redirected
differently than the ones in this example. When you connect your computers
and get Interlnk running, the server will display the way your drives are
redirected.

What You Need to Use lnterlnk

Before you use Interlnk, make sure you have the following hardware, software, and available memory:
n

A free serial port on both computers or free parallel port on both

computers

A 3-wire serial cable, 7-wire null-modem serial cable, or bidirectional

parallel cable

Chapter 7

Features for Your Laptop Computer

87

MS-DOS version 6 on one computer and MS-DOS version 3.0 or later on

the other

16K of free memory on the client and 130K of free memory on the server

Setting Up the Client

To set up INTERLNK.EXE on the computer(s) you plan to use as a client
1. Make sure the INTERLNK.EXE file is located on the computers hard
disk.
If the clients hard disk does not contain the INTERLNK.EXE file, see
Using the Remote Copy Procedure later in this chapter for instructions
on copying Interlnk files from one computer to another.
2. Open your CONFIG.SYS file by using a text editor.
3. Add a device command that specifies the location of the INTERLNK.EXE
file. The following example specifies that the INTERLNK.EXE file is
located in the DOS directory on drive C: device=c:\dos\interlnk.exe
4. Save the changes to your CONFIG.SYS file, and then quit the text editor.
5. Restart your computer by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL.
After you add the device command for INTERLNK.EXE to your
CONFIG.SYS file, Interlnk displays the status of redirected drives and ports
each time you start the client computer. You can also view the status of redirected drives and ports by typing interlnk at the command prompt. For more
information about the INTERLNK.EXE device driver, type help interlnk.exe
at the command prompt.

Starting the Server

To start the server, type intersvr at the command prompt of the computer you
are using as the server. Interlnk displays information about redirected drives
and printer ports on the servers screen. The column labeled This Computer
lists all drives and ports on the server. The column labeled Other Computer
lists the drives and ports on both. A status bar at the bottom of the screen displays the status of the Interlnk connection. For more information about the
Interlnk server, type help intersrv at the command prompt.
Note You cannot switch between tasks in Microsoft Windows or MS-DOS
Shell while Interlnk is running.

88

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Establishing a Connection Between Computers

Interlnk establishes connections between all redirected drives and ports when
you restart the client computer when the server is running, type interlnk at the
command prompt of the client computer, or make one of the redirected drives
on the client computer the active drive.

Breaking the Connection Between Computers

To break the Interlnk connection between computers, stop the server by pressing ALT+F4 on the servers keyboard. To restart the server, type intersvr at
the servers command prompt.

Using the Remote Copy Procedure

If only one of the two computers you want to connect has the Interlnk files on
it, you can use the Interlnk copy procedure instead of a floppy disk to copy the
files to the other computer.
To copy Interlnk files from one computer to another
1. Make the directory to which you want to copy files the current directory.
2. If you are using a port other than COM1 on the computer you are copying
files to, make sure that you are not running the Share program on that
computer.
3. At the command prompt of the computer containing the Interlnk files, type
the following: intersvr /rcopy
The remote installation screen appears. Follow the instructions that appear
on your screen.
As Interlnk copies the files, it displays the status at the bottom of each
computers screen.

Chapter 7

Features for Your Laptop Computer

89

Conserving Power on Your Laptop Computer

The Power program conserves battery power on your laptop computer when
applications and hardware devices are idle. If your hardware conforms to the
Advanced Power Management (APM) specification, your power savings can
be up to 25 percent, depending on your hardware. If your hardware does not
conform to the APM, your power savings will be about 5 percent.
To use the Power program
1. Open your CONFIG.SYS file by using a text editor.
2. Add a device command that specifies the location of the POWER.EXE file
to the end of your CONFIG.SYS file.
The following example specifies that the POWER.EXE file is located in
the DOS directory on drive C, and that the default setting should be used:
device=c:\dos\power.exe
3. Save the changes to your CONFIG.SYS file, and then quit the text editor.
4. Restart your computer by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL.
To display the current power setting, type the following at the command
prompt: power
For more information about the POWER.EXE device driver, type help
power.exe at the command prompt.

91

C H A P T E R

Diagnosing and Solving Problems

This chapter explains how to solve the most common problems you might
encounter while using MS-DOS. If you encounter a problem with one of the
programs included with MS-DOS 6, consult the following table to find the
troubleshooting help you need:
For problems
with this program

See this source

In this location

Anti-Virus

The chapter Managing

Your System

Earlier in this guide

Backup

The chapter Managing

Yom System

Earlier in this guide

MemMaker

The chapter Making

More Memory Available

Earlier in this guide

Undelete

The chapter Managing

Your System

Earlier in this guide

DoubleSpace

The README.TXT file

The directory that contains your MS-DOS files

If you do not find the troubleshooting information you need in this guide,
view the README.TXT file on Setup Disk 1 by using any text editor.

Troubleshooting While Running MS-DOS

If your computer stops running and you cannot restart it without its stopping
repeatedly, carry out the following procedure to start your computer. Carrying
out this procedure causes your computer to bypass your CONFIG.SYS and
AUTOEXEC.BAT files when it starts.
To restart your computer
1. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL. If your computer does not respond, wait at least 1 0
seconds, turn the power off, wait at least 30 seconds, and then turn the

power back on. After your computer starts, MS-DOS displays the following text: Starting MS-DOS...
2. While the text is on your screen, press and release the F5 key. A command
prompt appears on your screen.

92

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Your computer will start with a basic configuration instead of your usual configuration. For more information, see the chapter Configuring Your System
earlier in this guide.

You receive a message that HIMEM.SYS is missing

or not loaded.
To load HIMEM.SYS properly
1. To confirm that HIMEM.SYS did not load properly, start the Microsoft
Diagnostics program by typing msd at the command prompt.
2. Choose the Memory option by pressing M. If Microsoft Diagnostics does
not display an XMS Information section on the right side of your screen,
HIMEM.SYS did not load properly.
3. Choose OK by pressing ENTER, and then quit Microsoft Diagnostics by
pressing ALT, F, X. For more information about Microsoft Diagnostics,
type help msd at the command prompt.
4. Open your CONFIG.SYS file by using any text editor. Determine whether
your CONFIG.SYS file contains a device command for HIMEM.SYS. The
command should appear before any other device commands and should
look similar to the following:
device=c:\dos\himem.sys

If your CONFIG.SYS file does not contain this command, add it. If your
MS-DOS files are in a directory with a name other than DOS, substitute its
name for DOS in the device command line for HIMEM.SYS.
5. Add the /cpuclock:on and /v switches to the device command for
HIMEM.SYS. The command should now appear similar to the following:
device-c:\dos\himem.sys

/cpuclock:on

/v

Save your CONFIG.SYS file, and then quit the text editor.
6. Restart your computer by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL. To determine whether
HIMEM.SYS is now loaded properly, repeat steps 1 through 3. If
Microsoft Diagnostics displays XMS information, HIMEM.SYS started
successfully. If you still dont see this information, continue to step 7.
7. Open your CONFIG.SYS file again. Locate the device command for
HIMEM.SYS, and add the /machine switch to it. The /machine switch
specifies the type of computer you have. The switch should be followed by
a colon (:) and your machine number. (To determine which machine number you should use, see the table following this procedure.) For example,
the following device command specifies that your computer is a Toshiba
1600, 1200XE, or 5100 (machine number 7):
device=c:\dos\himem.sys

/cpuclock:on

/v

/machine:7

Save your CONFIG.SYS file, and then quit the text editor.

Chapter 8

93

Diagnosing and Solving Problems

8. Restart your computer by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL. To determine whether

HIMEM.SYS is now loaded properly, repeat steps 1 through 3. If
Microsoft Diagnostics displays XMS information, HIMEM.SYS started
successfully. If you still dont see this information, repeat steps 7 and 8,
specifying a different machine number.
If your computer stops running when you are experimenting with machine
numbers, carry out the following procedure.
To restart your computer and specify a different machine number
1. Restart your computer by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL. After your computer
starts, MS-DOS displays the following text:
Starting MS-DOS...

2. While the text is on your screen, press and release the F8 key.
3. MS-DOS prompts you to confirm each line in your CONFIG.SYS file.
Carry out each command by pressing Y after the prompt, except when you
are prompted for the HIMEM.SYS command. When you are prompted for
this command, press N.
4. When MS-DOS finishes processing your CONFIG.SYS file, press Y at the
prompt to process your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
5. Open your CONFIG.SYS file by using any text editor, and carry out step 7
of the previous procedure to specify a different machine number.
6. Save your CONFIG.SYS file, quit the text editor, and then restart your
computer by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL.
The following table lists machine types in alphabetic order and shows the
corresponding number to specify with the /machine switch.
Machine type

Number

Machine type

Abacus 386

Acer 1100

AT&T 6300 Plus

Bull Micra1 60

COMPUADD 386 systems

Chaplet
CSS Labs

12

Number
6
16
1 or 8

Datamedia 386/486

Everex Notebook ELX

1
8

Everex AT Plus
1800

Excel Computer
Systems

13

Hitachi HL500C

14

HP Vectra (A and A+)

IBM PS/2

HP Vectra
IBM PC/AT

1,11,12, or 13

Intel 301z or 302

JDR 386/33

OPT 386-25
motherboard

Pak 386SX

94

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Machine type
PC Limited

Philips

Number
4

13

Machine type

Number
2

PC 380/33C, PC 350/33C,
or PC 300/33C BIOS
revision 1.14
Phoenix Cascade BIOS

Toshiba 1600 and

1200XE

Tulip SX

UNISYS PowerPort

Wyse 12.5 MHz

286

Zenith ZBIOS

3,1, or 8

Toshiba 5100

7
2
10

If your computer is not on the list, you are not sure which number to use, or
the machine number for your computer doesnt solve the problem, try these
machine numbers in the following order: 1, 11, 12, 13, 8, 2 through 7, 9
through 10, and 14 through 16.

You installed a hardware device, and your computer

stopped working correctly.
If you installed a new network card or a card for a device, EMM386 may be
using the same memory address as the new card. Symptoms of a conflict with
EMM386 include the following:
n

Your computer stops responding when you restart it.

MS-DOS wont load EMM386. To determine whether EMM386 is loaded,

type emm386 at the command prompt. If EMM386 driver not installed
appears on your screen, EMM386 did not load. If EMM386 Active
appears, the problem may be an incorrectly configured device. For more
information, contact the manufacturer of the device.

If your computer stops responding when you restart it or if EMM386 doesnt

load, carry out the following procedure.

Chapter 8

Diagnosing and Solving Problems

95

To make sure EMM386 and another device driver or

program dont conflict
1. If your computer stops responding when you restart it, press
CTRL+ALT+DEL. If your computer runs when you restart it, skip to step 5
After your computer starts, MS-DOS displays the following text:
Starting MS-DOS...

2. While the text is on your screen, press and release the F8 key. One at a
time, MS-DOS displays each command in your CONFIG.SYS file, followed by a prompt. Carry out all the commands in your CONFIG.SYS file
by pressing Y each time you are prompted, except when you are prompted
for the EMM386.EXE command. When a prompt such as the following
appears, press N to bypass it: DEVICE-C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE
3. When MS-DOS finishes processing your CONFIG.SYS file, press Y at the
prompt to process your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, and then start MemMaker
by typing memmaker at the command prompt. When the Welcome to
MemMaker screen appears, press ENTER .
4. When the second MemMaker screen appears, press the SPACEBAR to
select Custom Setup, and then press ENTER.
5. Continue with the MemMaker program until the Advanced Options screen
appears. Press the SPACEBAR to change the No beside Specify which
drivers and TSRs to include during optimization? to Yes.
6. Press the DOWN ARROW key until the Yes beside Keep current
EMM386 exclusions and inclusions? is highlighted. Press the SPACEBAR
to select No, and then press ENTER . If MemMaker prompts you to pro-

vide more information, follow the instructions on your screen.

7. One by one, MemMaker prompts you to include device drivers and programs in the optimization process. Press ENTER each time you are
prompted, and follow the instructions on your screen.
For more information, see the earlier chapter Making More Memory Available, or type help memmaker at the command prompt.

MS-DOS Shell wont start or switch between programs.

MS-DOS Shell does not work properly if the following files are incorrect or
corrupt: DOSSHELL.EXE, DOSSHELL.GRB, DOSSHELL.INI,
DOSSWAP.EXE, DOSSHELL.COM, or DOSSHELL.VID. If you have problems using MS-DOS Shell, try decompressing these files from your Setup
disks.

96

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

To decompress MS-DOS Shell files
1. Preserve your current DOSSHELL.INI file by renaming it.
2. Use the expand command to decompress the DOSSHELL.EX_,
DOSSHELL.CO_, and DOSSWAP.EX_ files and copy them to your DOS
directory. To determine the location of these files, open the
PACKING.LST file on Setup Disk 1 by using any text editor.
For example, if the files you want to decompress are on a disk in drive A
and you want to decompress the files and copy them to the DOS directory
on drive C, you would type the following at the command prompt:
expand a:\dosshell.ex_ c:\dos\dosshell.exe
expand a:\dosshell.co_ c:\dos\dosshell.com
expand a:\dosswap.ex_ c:\dos\dosswap.exe
3. Find your monitor type in the following list, and then decompress and
rename the following files by typing the specified commands at the command prompt. If your MS-DOS files are in a directory with a name other
than DOS, substitute its name for DOS in the following command lines.
n

For a VGA or other high-resolution monitor, type:

expand a:\vga.gr_ c:\dos\dosshell.grb
expand a:\ega.in_ c:\dos\dosshell.ini
expand a:\vga.vi_ c:\dos\dosshell.vid

For a VGA or other high-resolution monochrome monitor, type:

expand a:\vgamono.gr_ c:\dosklosshell.grb
expand a:\mono.in_ c:\dos\dosshell.ini
expand a:\vga.vi_ c:\dos\dosshell.vid

For an EGA monitor, type:

expand a:\ega.gr_ c:\dos\dosshell.grb
expand a:\ega.in_ c:\dos\dosshell.ini
expand a:\ega.vi_ c:\dos\dosshell.vid

For an EGA monochrome monitor, type:

expand a:\egamono.gr_ c:\dos\dosshell.grb
expand a:\mono.in_ c:\dos\dosshell.ini
expand a:\ega.vi_ c:\dos\dosshell.vid

For a CGA monitor, type:

expand a:\cga.gr_ c:\dos\dosshell.grb
expand a:\cga.in_ c:\dos\dosshell.ini
expand a:\cga.vi_ c:\dos\dosshell.vid

For a monochrome monitor, type:

expand a:\mono.gr_ c:\dos\dosshell.grb
expand a:\mono.in_ c:\dos\dosshell.ini
Note that a monochrome monitor does not require a .VID file.

Chapter 6
n

Diagnosing and Solving Problems

97

For an 8514 color monitor, type:

expand a:\vga.gr_ c:\dos\dosshell.grb
expand a:\ega.in_ c:\dos\dosshell.ini
expand a:\8514.vi_ c:\dos\dosshell.vid

For an 8514 monochrome monitor, type:

expand a:\vgamono.gr_ c:\dos\dosshell.grb
expand a:\mono.in_ c:\dos\dosshell.ini
expand a:\8514.vi_ c:\dos\dosshell.vid

For a Hercules monitor, type:

expand a:\herc.gr_ c:\dos\dosshell.grb
expand a:\mono.in_ c:\dos\dosshell.ini
expand a:\herc.vi_ c:\dos\dosshell.vid

You need to restore files you backed up by using

an earlier version of the backup command.
To restore files you backed up by using an earlier version of
the backup command
1. Insert the floppy disk that contains the backed-up files in drive A or
drive B.
2. To restore the files to drive C, type the following at the command prompt:
restore a: c:\*.* /s

or

restore b: c:\*.* /s

To restore the files to a drive other than C, substitute the drive letter you
want for the C in the preceding example.
3. Follow the instructions on your screen.

An MS-DOS program displays an

out-of-memory message.
If your computer is an 80386 or higher, carry out Procedure 1. If your computer is an 80286, carry out Procedure 2.
Procedure 1
l

To prevent out-of-memory errors by using MemMaker

Optimize your computers use of memory by running the MemMaker program. To start MemMaker, type memmaker at the command prompt.
For more information about using MemMaker, see the chapter Making
More Memory Available earlier in this guide, or type help memmaker at
the command prompt.
If out-of-memory messages continue to appear when you try to run
MS-DOS programs, carry out Procedure 2.

98

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Procedure 2 To prevent out-of-memory errors by not loading
other programs
1. Restart your computer by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL. After your computer
starts, MS-DOS displays the following text: Starting MS-DOS...
2. While the text is on your screen, press and release the F8 key. One at a
time, MS-DOS displays each command in your CONFIG.SYS tile followed by a prompt. Bypass any program or device driver you dont need
when running your MS-DOS application by pressing N when you are
prompted.
3. When MS-DOS finishes processing your CONFIG.SYS file, press Y at the
prompt to process the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
4. If out-of-memory messages continue to appear when you try to run
MS-DOS programs, repeat steps 1 through 3 and bypass additional programs or device drivers. If you dont need the commands or programs
specified in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, press N when you are prompted
to process the file.

99

C H A P T E R

Customizing for International Use

The language conventions, keyboard layouts, and character sets of 24 countries or regions are available in MS-DOS. You can change:
n

The country-specific conventions for displaying dates, times, and currency; conventions that determine the order in which characters are sorted;
and conventions that determine which characters can be used in filenames.

The layout of characters on your keyboard to fit the standard keyboard

layout for another language.

The character set (code page), so you can type and display the characters
of other languages.

MS-DOS can use language conventions, keyboard arrangements, and character

sets for the following languages (countries):
Belgian

French (Switzerland)

Norwegian

Canadian-French

German (Germany)

Polish

Croatian/Serbian/
Slovenian

German (Switzerland)

Portuguese
(Brazil)

Czech
(Czechoslovakia)

Hungarian

Portuguese
(Portugal)

Danish

English (International)

Slovak
(Czechoslovakia)

Dutch

English
(United Kingdom)

Spanish
(Latin America)

Finnish

English (United States)

Spanish (Spain)

French (France)

Italian

Swedish

Changing Country-Specific Conventions

When you change languages, you may need to change the country settings on
your computer to specify the following:
n

How the date and time are displayed

Which symbol is used for currency

The sort order used when alphabetizing files

The characters that can be used in filenames and directory names

100

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

To change the country setting, include a country command in your
CONFIG.SYS file with a three-digit country code. Information about country
conventions is stored in the COUNTRY.SYS file located in the directory that
contains your MS-DOS files.
For more information about changing country-specific conventions, type help
country at the command prompt. For an example of using the country
command, see Changing All Your Country-Specific Settings later in this
chapter.

Changing the Keyboard Layout

The keyb command enables your keyboard to emulate the keyboards that are
used with other languages. You do not have to physically exchange your keyboard for a keyboard that is designed for the language you want to use. You
can specify the keyb command in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file or at the
command prompt.
When you use the keyb command, you must include a keyboard code to
specify which keyboard you want to use. Keyboard codes are stored in the
KEYBOARD.SYS file located in the directory that contains your MS-DOS
files.
If you change keyboard layouts, you can switch back to the United States keyboard layout by pressing CTRL+ALT+F1. To return to the keyboard layout you
were using, press CTRL+ALT+F2.
Note If you are changing both the keyboard layout and the character set, you
must load the character set before you change the keyboard layout.
For more information, type help keyb at the command prompt. For an
example, see Changing All Your Country-Specific Settings later in this
chapter. For illustrations of available keyboard layouts, see the appendix
Keyboard Layouts and Character Sets.

Changing Character Sets

MS-DOS can use up to 256 different characters. Different languages use different combinations of these characters. The exact set of characters used at
one time is known as the character set or the code page.
By default, MS-DOS uses the character set that comes with your computer.
This character set is called a hardware character set. Your computer includes
a hardware character set for your keyboard and your monitor.

Chapter 9 Customizing for International Use

101

If you want to use characters that are not provided by your hardware character
set, load one of the MS-DOS character sets included with MS-DOS. An
MS-DOS character set is a set of 256 characters that are stored in code-page
information (.CPI) files. You can use an MS-DOS character set instead of
your hardware character set by including several commands in your
CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files.
MS-DOS provides six character sets that you can use in addition to, or instead
of, the hardware character set that comes with your computer: CanadianFrench, Multilingual (Latin I), Nordic, Portuguese, English, and Slavic (Latin
II). All MS-DOS character sets have the first 128 standard ASCII characters
in common. Each character set has a different set of national language
characters.
You can load more than one character set into memory, but only one character
set can be active at a time. For each of the countries supported by MS-DOS,
you can use two MS-DOS character sets: a preferred character set and an
alternate character set.

An Overview of the Procedures for

Changing Character Sets
The following is an overview of the procedures you must carry out to change
character sets. There are detailed instructions on each step later in this chapter.
To change character sets
1. In your CONFIG.SYS file, include a device command that loads the
DISPLAY.SYS device driver.
2. In your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, include the nlsfunc command, which starts
the Nlsfunc program. Nlsfunc is a memory-resident program that loads
country-specific information for national language support (NLS).
3. In your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, include the mode con cp prep command,
which loads the character-set (code-page) information (.CPI) file.
4. Use the chcp command to make the character set active.
For an example of changing character sets, see the section Changing All
Your Country-Specific Settings later in this chapter.

Preparing Your Monitor for Character Sets

To display MS-DOS character sets on an EGA, VGA, or LCD monitor, you
must install the DISPLAY.SYS device driver. EGA and VGA monitors can
display up to six MS-DOS character sets; LCD monitors can load only one
MS-DOS character set; monochrome and CGA monitors cannot display
MS-DOS character sets.

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

102

You load the DISPLAY.SYS device driver by including a device command in

your CONFIG.SYS file. The device command line that loads the
DISPLAY.SYS device driver provides the following information:
n

The kind of monitor you have: EGA or LCD. (The EGA parameter supports both EGA and VGA monitors.)

The hardware character set your computer uses and includes the appropriate information in your CONFIG.SYS file. If you omit this parameter, you
will be unable to switch between your hardware character set and your
MS-DOS character set.

The number of MS-DOS character sets you want to use. For a VGA or
EGA monitor, this number can be 1 through 6; for an LCD monitor, it
must be 1. If you omit this parameter, the default number, 1, is used.

For more information, type help display.sys at the command prompt. For an
example, see Changing All Your Country-Specific Settings later in this
chapter.

Loading National Language Support for Character Sets

MS-DOS cannot recognize and switch between character sets unless you load
the Nlsfunc program into memory. To do this, include the nlsfunc command
in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. The nlsfunc command must appear before any
commands that load or switch character sets. For more information, type help
nlsfunc at the command prompt. For an example, see Changing All Your
Country-Specific Settings later in this chapter.

Loading a Character Set into Memory

To load a character set, use the mode con cp prep command. The mode con
cp prep command retrieves the character set you want from the code-page
information (.CPI) file in which it is stored and loads it into memory. After
the character set is in memory, you can make it active and use it.
For more information about the mode con cp prep command, type help mode
(set device code pages) at the command prompt. For an example, see
Changing All Your Country-Specific Settings later in this chapter.

Making a Character Set Active

After you install the DISPLAY.SYS device driver, load the Nlsfunc program,
and load the character set into memory, you must make the character set
active. To make a character set active for all devices, use the chcp (change
code page) command. For more information on character-set codes, see the
section Country, Keyboard, and Character-Set Codes later in this chapter.

Chapter 9 Customizing for International Use

103

You can use the chcp command to make a character set active for every
device that can use it. For example, to make character set 8.50 active for every
device, type the following at the command prompt: chcp 850
For more information about the chcp command, type help chcp at the
command prompt. For an example, see Changing All Your Country-Specific
Settings later in this chapter.

Viewing Information About Character Sets

If you have specified a keyboard layout using the keyb command, you can
view information about the character sets your keyboard and monitor are
using by typing the following at the command prompt: keyb
MS-DOS then displays a message indicating which character sets your keyboard and monitor are using. To view the number of the active character set.
type the following at the command prompt: chcp
The mode command also lists the active character set and the hardware character set for all your devices. To view information about the character sets.
type the following at the command prompt: mode

Country, Keyboard, and Character-Set Codes

When you change your country settings, you must specify the country-specific
conventions, keyboard layout, and character set(s). You indicate which settings you want to use by specifying an alphabetic or numeric code:
Language/
Country

Country
Code

Keyboard
Code

Preferred
Character Set

Alternate
Character Set

Belgian

032

be

850

437

Canadian-French

002

cf

863

850

Croatian/Serbian/
Slovenian

038

yu

852

850

Czech
(Czechoslovakia)

042

cz

852

890

Danish

045

dk

850

865

Dutch

031

nl

850

437

English
(International)

061

437

850

English
(United Kingdom)

044

uk

437

850

104

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Country
Code

Keyboard
Code

Preferred
Character Set

Alternate
Character Set

001

us

437

850

Finnish

358

su

850

437

French (France)

033

fr

850

437

French
(Switzerland)

041

sf

850

437

German
(Germany)

049

gr

850

437

German
(Switzerland)

041

sg

850

437

Hungarian

036

hu

852

850

Italian

039

it

850

437

Norwegian

047

no

850

865

Polish

048

pl

852

8.50

Portuguese
(Brazil)

055

br

850

437

Portuguese
(Portugal)

351

po

850

860

Slovak
(Czechoslovakia)

042

sl

852

850

Spanish
(Latin America)

003

la

850

437

Spanish (Spain)

034

sp

850

437

Swedish

046

sv

850

437

Language/
Country
English
(United States)

Configuring Your Computer for

International Use
To use country-specific conventions; to prepare, load, activate, and display
different character sets; and to use the keyboard layout for another language,
you must carry out all the procedures in the following table.
To do this

Use this command

In this file

Change country-specific
conventions

country

CONFIG.SYS

Prepare your monitor to display different character sets

device

CONFIG.SYS

Chapter 9 Customizing for International Use

105

To do this

Use this command

In this file

Load National Language

Support for character sets

nlsfunc

AUTOEXEC.BAT

Load the character set into

memory

mode con cp prep

AUTOEXEC.BAT

Make the character set active

chcp

AUTOEXEC.BAT
or command prompt

Change the layout of characters on your keyboard

keyb

AUTOEXEC.BAT
or command prompt

Changing All Your Country-Specific Settings

To change all your country-specific settings
1. Add the following commands to your CONFIG.SYS file:
country = country code,,[drive] [path]country.sys
device = [drive][path]display.sys con =(monitor,hardware character
set,number of character sets)
For country code, specify the code for the country-specific conventions
you want to use. For drive and path, specify the drive letter and path of the
COUNTRY.SYS file. For drive and path in the device command line,
specify the drive letter and path of the DISPLAY.SYS file. For monitor,
specify EGA or LCD. For hardware character set, specify the hardware
character set your computer uses. For number of character sets, specify
how many MS-DOS character sets you want to be able to use.
2. Add the following commands to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file:
nlsfunc
mode con cp prep=((character set)[drive][path]character set
information file)
chcp character set
keyb keyboard code,,[drive][path]keyboard.sys
For character set, specify the code(s) of the character set(s) you want to
load, separated by a space. For [drive][path]character set information file,
specify the drive, path, and filename of the character-set (code-page)
information file. The EGA and VGA character sets are stored in the
EGA.CPI file; the LCD character sets are stored in the LCD.CPI file. For
character set, specify the code for the character set you want to make
active. You must specify one of the character sets that you specified in the
mode command line. For keyboard code, specify the code for the keyboard layout you want to use. For drive and path in the keyb command
line, specify the drive and path of the KEYBOARD.SYS file. Note that
two commas separate the keyboard code from the drive and path of the
KEYBOARD.SYS file.

106

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

For example, suppose you want to use the country-specific conventions, keyboard layout, and character set for Germany. The table in Country, Keyboard,
and Character-Set Codes, earlier in this chapter, shows the following codes
for Germany:
Language/
Country
German

Country
Code

Keyboard
Code

Preferred
Character Set

Alternate
Character Set

049

gr

850

437

(Germany)
Suppose you have a VGA monitor, your hardware character set is 437, and the
COUNTRY.SYS, DISPLAY.SYS, KEYBOARD.SYS, and EGA.CPI files are
all located in the C:\DOS directory. You would add the following commands
to your CONFIG.SYS file:
country=049,,c:\dos\country.sys
device=c:\dos\display.sys con=(ega,437,1)
You would add the following commands to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file:
nlsfunc
mode con cp prep=((850)c:\dos\ega.cpi)
chcp 850
keyb gr,,c:\dos\keyboard.sys
For more information about editing your CONFIG.SYS and
AUTOEXEC.BAT files, see the chapter Configuring Your System.

Explanation of Error Messages

This section lists some of the most common error messages you may receive
when you customize your international settings and describes how to correct
each error.

Code page specified has not been prepared

If you receive this error message, the keyboard code you specified with the
keyb command is incompatible with your active character set.
For each language, there are two valid character sets: a preferred character set,
which is the default, and an alternate character set. When you specify the keyb
command, MS-DOS checks to see if the active character set matches the preferred character set for the new keyboard layout.

Chapter 9 Customizing for International Use

107

When you see the Code page specified has not been prepared message, you
can change to the preferred character set for that keyboard layout or, if the
active character set is the alternate character set for the keyboard layout you
chose, you can specify it with the keyb command. To identify which character
set is active, type the following at the command prompt: chcp
A message similar to the following appears:

Active code page: 437

Consult the table in Country, Keyboard, and Character-Set Codes, earlier in

this chapter, to determine which two character sets are compatible with the
keyboard layout you want to use. Include the number of the alternate character
set with the keyb command.
For example, to specify the keyboard layout for France and use alternate character set 437, you would type the following command:
keyb fr,437,c:\dos\keyboard.sys

Invalid code page

The character set, or code page, you selected is not valid with the keyboard
layout you selected. If you want to change both the keyboard layout and the
character set, make sure you change the character set to one that is compatible
with the keyboard code before changing the keyboard layout. If you are
changing your international settings in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, make sure
the commands that change your character set appear before the keyb
command.

Code page operation not supported on this device

If this message appeared after you specified the mode con cp prep command,
make sure your CONFIG.SYS file includes a device command that loads the
DISPLAY.SYS device driver.

Code page number not prepared for all devices

The character set you specified has not been loaded into memory, so you cannot use it yet. Before you can use this character set, you must load it into
memory using the mode con cp prep command.

Failure to access code page font file

The .CPI (character-set information) file, also called a font file, specified in
the mode con cp prep command is incorrect. For example, you may have
typed VGA.CPI instead of EGA.CPI for your VGA monitor or specified the
path or filename incorrectly. Check the command to make sure you typed the
correct path and filename.

108

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Font file contents invalid

Most likely, you typed the wrong name for your .CPI (character-set information) file, also called a font file. Make sure the font file you specified in the
mode con cp prep command is either EGA.CPI or LCD.CPI. If you specified
the correct file, there may be something wrong with it, in which case you
should copy the original file from your MS-DOS distribution disks to your
hard disk. Files copied from your MS-DOS distribution disks must first be
decompressed.

Device error during prepare

You may have specified too many character sets with the mode con cp prep
command. You can specify only the number of character sets that are reserved
by the device command that loads the DISPLAY.SYS device driver in your
CONFIG.SYS file.

109

A P P E N D I X

Accessibility to MS-DOS for

Individuals with Disabilities
This appendix provides information about the following products and services
that make MS-DOS more accessible for people with disabilities:
n

Microsoft support services for individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

AccessDOS, a product that makes using MS-DOS easier for people with
motion or hearing disabilities.

Keyboard layouts designed for people who type with only one hand.

Microsoft software documentation on audio cassettes and floppy disks.

Information about other products and services for people with disabilities.

Note The information in this appendix applies only to MS-DOS users in the
United States. If you are outside the United States, your MS-DOS 6 package
contains a subsidiary information card listing telephone numbers and
addresses for Microsoft Product Support Services. Contact your subsidiary to
find out whether products and services similar to those described in this
appendix are available in your area.

Support Services for Individuals Who Are Deaf

or Hard-of-Hearing
Through a text telephone (TT or TDD) service, Microsoft provides users who
are deaf or hard-of-hearing with complete access to Microsofts product and
customer support services. You can contact Microsoft support services by
using a text telephone by dialing (206) 635-4948 between 6:00 A.M. and 6:00
P.M. Pacific time. Microsofts product support services are subject to
Microsofts prices, terms, and conditions in place at the time the service is
used.

110

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

AccessDOS Features
AccessDOS includes utilities that:
Provide for single-fingered typing of SHIFT, CTRL, and ALT key
combinations.
Ignore accidental keystrokes.
Adjust the rate at which a character is repeated when you hold down a key,
or turn off character-repeating entirely.
Prevent extra characters from being typed if you unintentionally press a
key more than once.
Enable you to control the mouse cursor by using the keyboard.
Enable you to control the computers keyboard and mouse by using an
alternate input device.
Provide a visual cue when a computer makes sounds.
AccessDOS is available on the MS-DOS Supplemental Disk. You can download MS-DOS Supplemental Disk components from one of the user-group
bulletin boards (such as the bulletin-board services on the Association of PC
User Groups network), CompuServe, GEnie, Microsoft OnLine, or the
Microsoft Download Service (MSDL). You can reach the MSDL using a
modem by calling (206) 936-6735 any time except between 1:00 A.M. and
2:30 A.M. Pacific time (1200, 2400, or 9600 bps, no parity bit, 8 data bits, and
1 stop bit).
In the United States, you can order the MS-DOS Supplemental Disk by calling
Microsoft Customer Sales and Service at (800) 426-9400 (voice) or (206)
635-4948 (text telephone). AccessDOS is currently available only in English.

Keyboard Layouts for Single-Handed Users

A file on the MS-DOS Supplemental Disk contains three Dvorak layouts: one
for two-handed users, one for left hand-only users, and one for right hand-only
users. The following illustrations show the three Dvorak keyboard layouts:

Appendix A Accessibility to MS-DOS for Individuals with Disabilities

Two-Handed Dvorak

Left Single-Handed Dvorak

Right Single-Handed Dvorak

111

112

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Documentation on Audio Cassettes

and Floppy Disks
Recording for the Blind, Inc. distributes most of Microsofts publications to
registered members of their distribution service on audio cassettes or floppy
disks. You can contact Recording for the Blind at the following address:
Recording for the Blind, Inc.
20 Roszel Road
Princeton, NJ 08540

Telephone: (800) 221-4792

Fax: (609) 987-8116

Getting More Information About

Products and Services
For more information about Microsoft products and services for people with
disabilities, contact Microsoft Customer Sales and Service at (800) 426-9400
(voice) or (206) 635-4948 (text telephone).
The Trace R&D Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison produces
Trace ResourceBook, a book that provides descriptions and photographs of
about 2,000 products, and a compact disc with a database of more than 17,000
products and other information for people with disabilities. The compact disk
should be available in early 1993.
Contact the Trace R&D Center at the address listed below:
Trace R&D Center
S-151 Waisman Center
1500 Highland Avenue
Madison, WI 53705-2280

Voice telephone: (608) 263-2309

Text telephone: (608) 263-5408

In the United States, you can obtain information in English about resources in
your area by contacting the National Information System, a referral center for
people with disabilities, at the following address or telephone numbers:
National Information System (NIS)
Center for Developmental Disabilities
University of South Carolina, Benson Bldg. 9
Columbia, SC 29208
Location

Voice/Text Telephone

Fax

United States
(excluding South Carolina)

(800) 922-9234

(803) 777-6058

South Carolina

(800) 922-1107

(803) 777-6058

Outside the United States

(803) 777-6222

(803) 777-6058

113

A P P E N . D I X

Keyboard Layouts and

Character Sets
This appendix contains nine keyboard layouts and explanations of how to use
keys that contain more than two characters, as well as how to type control
characters and extended characters. There are also tables that illustrate the
code pages for English and most other European languages. For information
on changing your keyboard layout or active code page, see the chapter
Customizing for International Use.

Keyboard Layouts
France

Germany

114

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

Italy

Netherlands

Portugal

Appendix B

Spain

Sweden/Finland

United Kingdom

Keyboard Layouts and Character Sets

115

116

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

United States

Using Keys That Have More Than

Two Characters on Them
Some keyboards include individual keys that you can use to type three different characters. To type the lower-left character, press the key. To type the
upper-left character, press SHIFT and the character key. To type the lowerright character, use the key combinations listed in the following table.

Keyboard

Lower-right
character
(standard
keyboard)

Lower-right
character
(enhanced
keyboard)

Upper-right
character
(all keyboards)

Canada

ALT+SHIFT

ALT+GR

None

Denmark

ALT

ALT+GR

ALT+SHIFI

Norway

ALT

ALT+GR

ALT+SHIFT

Sweden/Finland

ALT

ALT+GR

ALT+SHIFT

All others

ALT+CTRL

ALT+GR

None

Appendix B

Keyboard Layouts and Character Sets

117

Character-Set (Code-Page) Tables

MS-DOS can use up to 256 different characters when you are displaying,
printing, and working with text. MS-DOS includes six sets of 256 characters,
which are called character sets or code pages. You refer to each character set
by a number. For example, the English character set is number 437.
Each character in a character set is also numbered. MS-DOS reserves characters 0 through 31 for control characters. The keys on your keyboard represent
characters 32 through 126. Characters 127 through 255 are extended characters. To type extended characters and the control characters that MS-DOS
uses, carry out the following procedure.
To type an extended or control character
l

Locate the character on the character-set table that matches the active
character set. To display the active character set, use the chcp command.
Hold down ALT and use the numeric keypad to type the number that
corresponds to the character you want.

You can type only the characters that are available in the active character set.
For information on changing the active character set, see the chapter
Customizing for International Use.
The following tables show the characters that are available for character sets
437 and 850. If you need information on the remaining character sets, you will
need to refer to the full version of the Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Users Guide.

118

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

437 United States

0

32

64

96

128

160

192

224

33

65

97

129

161

193

225

34

66

98

130

162

194

226

163

195

227

35

67

99

131

36
37

68

100

132

164

196

228

69

101

133

165

197

229
230

102

134

166

198

71

103

135

167

104

136

168

199
200

231

72

38

70

39
40

232

41

73

105

137

169

201

233

10
11

42

74

106

138

170

202

234

43

75

107

139

171

203

235

12

44

76

108

140

172

13

45

77

109

141

173

204
205

237

14

46

78

110

142

174

206

238

15

47

79

111

143

207

239

16

48

80

112

144

175
176

208

240

17

49

81

113

145

177

209

241

18

50

82

114

146

178

210

242

179

211

243

236

19

51

83

115

147

20

52

84

116

148

180

212

244

21
22

53

85

117

149

181

213

245

54

86

118

150

246

55

87

119

151

182
183

214

23

215

247

24

56

88

120

152

184

216

248

185

217

249
250

25

57

89

121

153

26

58

90

122

154

27

59

91

123

155

186
187

218
219

251

28

60

92

124

156

188

220

252

29

61

93

125

157

189

221

253

30

62

94

126

158

190

222

254

31

63

95

127

159

191

223

255

Appendix B

119

Keyboard Layouts and Character Sets

850 Multilingual (Latin I)

0

32

64

96

128

160

192

224

33

65

97

129

161

193

225

34

66

98

130

162

194

226

35

67

99

131

163

195

227

132

164

196

228

68

36
37

100

69

101

133

165

197

229

38

70

102

134

166

198

230

199

231

39

71

103

135

167

40

72

104

136

168

200

232

41

73

105

137

169

201

233

10
11

42

74

106

138

170

202

234

43

75

107

139

171

203

235

12

44

76

108

140

172

204

236

13

45

77

109

141

173

205

237

14

46

78

110

142

174

206

238

15

47

79

111

143

239

48

80

112

144

175
176

207

16

208

240

17

49

81

113

145

177

209

241

18

50

82

114

146

178

210

242

19

51

83

115

147

179

211

243

148

180

212

244

20

52

84

116

21

53

85

117

149

181

213

245

22

54

86

118

150

182

214

246

23

55

87

119

151

183

215

247

24

56

88

120

152

184

216

248

25

57

89

121

153

185

217

249

26

58

90

122

154

250

59

91

123

155

186
187

218

27

219

251

156

188

220

252

28

60

92

124

29

61

93

125

157

189

221

253

30

62

94

126

158

190

222

254

31

63

95

127

159

191

223

255

121

A P P E N D I X

Obtaining New Virus Signatures

Anti-virus programs use a series of hexadecimal codes called a virus signature
to detect known computer viruses. By periodically updating your signature
file, you can enable Microsoft Anti-Virus to detect new viruses. It is important
to use only signature files written for Microsoft Anti-Virus. Signature files
written for other anti-virus programs may cause incorrect results.

Updating Your Virus Signatures

As new viruses are discovered, their signatures are posted on a bulletin board
system (BBS) that is constantly available. New signatures only update the
ability of Microsoft Anti-Virus to detect new viruses; they do not enable you
to remove new viruses. To fully protect your computer from unknown viruses
and enable Microsoft Anti-Virus to remove them, you must update the AntiVirus program. A coupon for a special Anti-Virus update offer is included at
the back of this guide.
You must have a user identification code for the BBS to get an update. If you
do not have a user identification code, carry out both the following procedures. Otherwise, skip to the next procedure.
To obtain a user identification code for the BBS
1. Change your communications settings to the following: 8 data bits, no
parity, and 1 stop bit. You can select any speed up to 9600 baud.
2. Dial (503) 531-8100.
3. The first screen prompts you for information about your ANSI graphics,
display. If you want ANSI graphics, select Y and then press ENTER.
4. When you are prompted for a user identification code, type new at the
command prompt.
5. The screen prompts you to indicate if the word ANSI is blinking. If the
word is blinking, select Y; otherwise select N. Then press ENTER.
6. Type your full name, your company name (if applicable), your mailing
address, and your daytime telephone number (including the area code).
This information is used if it is necessary to contact you regarding your
BBS account.

122

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Concise Users Guide

7. Choose your computer type.
8. Type the user identification code and password you want to use.
Your user identification code can be 3 to 29 characters long, including
spaces, numbers, and punctuation. Your password will be displayed after
you type it. Make a record of your password when you are prompted to do
so. You cannot get password information if you forget or lose the password you have chosen. However, you can change your user account information at any time, including your password.
To obtain new virus signatures from the BBS
1. If you have not logged on to the BBS, change your communications settings to the following: 8 data bits, no parity, and 1 stop bit. You can select
any speed up to 9600 baud.
2. Dial (503) 531-8100.
3. Type your user identification code, and press ENTER. Then type your
password, and press ENTER.
4. From the list that is displayed, choose option D (Download Anti-Virus
Signature Files).
5. From the Download Signature Files list, choose one of the following
options:
n

R (Readme First)-Lists options for obtaining instructions on using

the signature files after you download them.

W (Windows)-Displays protocols you can choose from to download

the signature files for Anti-Virus for Windows.

D (MS-DOS)-Displays protocols you can choose from to download

the signature files for Anti-Virus for MS-DOS.

6. After selecting the W (Windows) or D (MS-DOS) option, select a download protocol supported by your modem, and then download the file.
7. After you have downloaded the file, press X and then ENTER to exit the
BBS. Or, press C to display the Download Signature Files list again. To
log off, press Y. When the NO CARRIER message appears, quit your
communications program.
8. Use the downloaded signature files as instructed in the Readme First file.

123

Index
(..) double period, using to change directories, 6
* (asterisk) wildcard, defined, 16
? (question mark) wildcard, defined, 16
\ (backslash), representing the root directory, 13

A
Anti-virus protection. See Microsoft
Anti-Virus
Append command, disabling, 81
ASCII characters not on keyboard, typing, 117
Asterisk (*) wildcard, defined, 16
Audio cassettes of Microsoft
documentation, 112
AUTOEXEC.BAT file
commands, described, 48
described, 43
editing, 43-44
memory-resident programs, starting, 48
multiple configurations, creating, 54
sample of, 48-49
VSafe, loading, 32

B
Backing up files
backup cycle, planning, 21
comparing files, 27-29
default backup configuration, 22
selecting files or directories
to back up, 24-25
starting Microsoft Backup, 23
Backslash(\), representing the root directory, 13
Backup catalogs, 22
Backup sets, 22
.BAT filename extension, 15
Battery power, conserving on
laptop computers, 88
Blind and vision-impaired individuals,
products and services supporting, 112
Bypassing startup commands, 52

C
Change Ratio command, DoubleSpace, 62
Change Size command, DoubleSpace, 62
Character sets
changing
codes for character sets, 103-104
example, 104-106
loading a character set, 102
loading the Nlsfunc program, 102
making a character set active, 102
preparing an EGA, VGA, or LCD
monitor, 101
.CPI files, 110
described, 100
MS-DOS, described, 101
tables showing characters in MS-DOS
character sets, 117
viewing information about, 103
Chcp command
making a character set active, 102
viewing information about
character sets, 103
.CHK filename extension, 58
Chkdsk command
freeing disk space, 58
using after running Microsoft Anti-Virus, 37
Choosing MS-DOS Shell commands, 19
Cleaning viruses from your computer.
See Microsoft Anti-Virus
Client, defined, 85
Code pages, described, 100
Color graphics adapter (CGA),
MS-DOS Shell files for, 96
.COM filename extension, 15
Command prompt
how to use, 3
illustrated, 3
Commands
AUTOEXEC.BAT, 48
CONFIG.SYS, 44-45
online Help, how to use, 16

124

Index

Commands (continued)
parameters, using with, 8
syntax, displaying, 18
typing at the command prompt, 3
wildcards, using with, 16
Compare command, Microsoft Backup, 27
Compressed drives
See also DoubleSpace
actual compression ratios, displaying, 66
checking for errors, 63
compressing an existing drive, 63
defragmenting, 63
displaying information about, 62, 66
estimated compression ratio, changing, 66
listing, 66
mounting a compressed volume file, 62, 65
size, changing, 62
unmounting, 62
Compressed volume file (CVF)
mounting, 62, 65
unmounting, 62
Compression ratios
actual, displaying for individual files, 66
estimated, changing, 66
Computer viruses
See also Microsoft Anti-Virus
cleaning from files, 34
described, 30
scanning for, 30-31
signatures, obtaining updated
signature files, 121
VSafe, monitoring your computer, 32
Computerized Books for the Blind.
See Recording for the Blind, Inc.
CONFIG.SYS file
commands, 44-45
configuration blocks, creating, 53
confirming each command, 50
described, 43
determining the order of commands, 46
editing to configure your system, 43
multiple configurations, creating, 50
sample file, 47
startup menu, creating, 52
Configuration blocks in CONFIG.SYS file,
creating, 50, 53
Configuring your system
CONFIG.SYS commands, described, 44

Connecting a laptop to a desktop computer

connecting to the server, 87
drive redirection, described, 85
starting the server, 87
Control characters, typing, 117
Conventions, typographic, xi-xii
Copying files, copy command, 8-9
Countries
changing country-specific settings, 99
codes for country-specific settings, 103
example of changing country-specific
settings, 106
keyboard layout, changing, 100
COUNTRY.SYS file, 100
Current directory, defined, 12
Current drive, defined, 8
Cursor, defined, 3
Customer Sales and Service: AccessDOS,
obtaining, 110
Customizing for international use
described, 99
example of changing country-specific
settings, 106
keyboard layout, diagrams of international
layouts, 113
MS-DOS character sets, described, 101
troubleshooting (error messages), 106-108

D
Dblspace command
listing compressed and
uncompressed drives, 66
managing compressed drives, 62
Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, products
and services supporting, 109
DEFAULTSET file, 22
Defrag command, 38
Defragmenting files on a hard disk, 38
Del command, deleting files, 10
Delete protection, configuring, 39
Delete Sentry, 39
Delete Tracker, 39
Deleted files, recovering. See Microsoft
Undelete
Deleting
directories, 7
files. 10

Index
Device command
machine numbers for the /machine
switch, 94
order of device drivers in CONFIG.SYS, 46
Device drivers
described, 46
starting your computer without loading, 50
Devices, installing drivers for, 46
Differential backup, described, 21
Dir command
actual compression ratios, displaying, 66
displaying directory contents, 4
pausing a directory list, 5
Directories
copying files to another directory, 9
creating, 6
current, defined, 12
deleting, by using the Rd command, 7
described, 12
listing contents of, 4
naming, 15
path to, specifying, 14
root directory, defined, 13
subdirectories, described, 13
undeleting, 41
Directory list
defined, 4
displaying directory contents, 4
pausing, 5
Disinfecting your computer. See Microsoft
Anti-Virus
Disk caching. See SMARTDRV.EXE device
driver
Disk drives. See Drives
Disk space
Delete Sentry directory, 41
freeing, by deleting unnecessary files, 57
freeing, by using DoubleSpace, 57
Disks
compressing files on a disk, 64
defragmenting files on a hard disk, 38
described, 13
formatting, 11
DISPLAY.SYS device driver, loading, 101
Dosshell command, starting MS-DOS Shell, 19
DOSSHELL files, replacing, 96
DOSSWAP.EXE file, replacing, 96
Double period (..), using to change
directories. 6

125

DoubleSpace
compressing an existing drive, 63
compression ratio
changing estimated compression ratio, 66
displaying actual compression ratio, 66
described, 59
displaying information about
compressed drives, 66
Drive menu commands, described, 62
floppy disks, compression, 64
DoubleSpace (continued)
Help, online, 59
running for the first time, 60
setting up
using Custom Setup, 60-62
using Express Setup, 60
Tools menu commands, described, 63
troubleshooting (README.TXT online
document), 66
DoubleSpace Info command,
Windows File Manager, 66
Drive letters, how to use, 7
Drives
changing, 7
current, defined, 8
described, 13
Dvorak keyboard layouts, 110

E
EMM386.EXE device driver
freeing expanded memory, 82
freeing extended memory, 81
MemMaker, troubleshooting, 76
order of device drivers in CONFIG.SYS, 47
troubleshooting, 94
Enhanced graphics adapter (EGA) and
MemMaker Custom Setup, 72
MS-DOS Shell files for, 96
Environment variables, starting your system
without setting, 50
Error messages. See Messages
.EXE filename extension, 15
Expanded memory
described, 68
freeing for use by programs, 82
simulating by using EMM386 memory
manager, 82

126

Index

Extended characters, typing, 117

Extended memory
HIMEM memory manager, 82
using to simulate expanded memory, 82

F
Fastopen command, freeing conventional
memory by disabling, 81
Filename extensions
.CHK (chkdsk command file), 58
copying files with common extensions, 9
.CPI (code-page information file), 100
Filename extensions (continued)
deleting files with common extensions, 10
described, 15
.SYS (device driver), 15
wildcards, using with, 16
Filenames
See also Filename extensions
changing, 9
conventions for, 15
listing, directory contents, 4
using wildcards in, 16
Files
compressing. See DoubleSpace
copying, 8-9
deleting, 10
described, 12
listing
directory contents, 4
groups of files by using wildcards, 9
naming, 15
organizing in directories, 12
path to, specifying, 14
renaming, 9
restoring after backing up, 27
Finding deleted files, 41
Floppy disks
compressing, 63
described, 13
formatting, 11
Format command, formatting floppy disks, 11
Formatting disks, floppy disks, 11
Full backup, described, 21

H
Handicaps, products and services
supporting, 109
Hard disk, described, 13

Help command, starting MS-DOS Help, 16

Help, online
Microsoft Anti-Virus, 30
Microsoft Backup, 21
Microsoft DoubleSpace, 59
MS-DOS Help, how to use, 16
MS-DOS Shell Help, starting, 20
Hercules monitor, MS-DOS Shell files for, 97
HIMEM.SYS device driver
installed by MS-DOS Setup, 82
order of device drivers in
CONFIG.SYS, 47
running MS-DOS in the high memory
area, 81

I
Impaired hearing, motion, or vision, support for
individuals with, 109
Incremental backup, described, 21
Infected files, cleaning, 34
Info command, DoubleSpace, 62, 66
Installable device drivers, included with
MS-DOS, described, 46
Installing optional programs, 1
Interlnk program
breaking the connection between
computers, 88
connecting to the server, 88
described, 85
device driver, installing, 87
remote copy program, 88
requirements for using, 86
starting the server, 87
status, viewing, 87
International. See Customizing for International
Use
Interrupting printing, 97

K
KEYBOARD.SYS file, 100
Keyboards
changing country-specific layout, 100
character sets, viewing information
about, 103
characters not on the keyboard, typing, 117
codes for international layouts, 103
diagrams of international layouts, 113
example of changing layout, 104-106

Index
Keyboards (continued)
key combinations for third and fourth
characters on each key, 116
layouts for individuals with motion
disabilities, 110
switching between country-specific
layouts, 100

L
Languages
See also Customizing for International Use
changing character sets, 102
changing country-specific settings, 99
codes for country-specific settings, 103
keyboard layout, changing, 100
Laptop computer
breaking the connection to the server, 88
conserving power on, 89
copying Interlnk files by remote, 88
drive redirection, described, 85
requirements for using Interlnk, 86
Large-print documentation, 112
Listing
compressed and uncompressed drives, 66
groups of files, by using wildcards, 9

M
Machine numbers for HIMEM.SYS
/machine switch, 93
Master catalog, 22
Md command, creating directories, 6
MemMaker
changing options to free more memory, 72
Custom Setup options, described, 70
excluding conflicting memory addresses, 94
Express Setup, 69
multiple configurations, using with, 73
preparing to run, 68
running, 69-70
MEMMAKER.STS file, 72
Memory addresses, conflicting with
EMM386, 94
Memory managers, troubleshooting, conflicting
memory addresses, 94
Messages
Bad command or file name, 3
Bad or missing command interpreter, 50
Code page number not prepared for all
devices, 107

127

Messages (confirmed)
Code page operation not supported on this
device, 107
Code page specified has not been
prepared, 106
Device error during prepare, 108
DMA buffer size too small, 29
Failure to access code page font file, 107
File was destroyed by the virus, 35
Font file contents invalid, 108
Invalid code page, 107
Invalid Signature - Checksum does not
match, 35
Not ready reading drive A, 7
Program is trying to modify memory, 35
Program is trying to stay resident in
memory, 35
Program is trying to write to disk, 36
Resident programs were loaded
after VSafe, 36
Since a virus was detected..., 36
The xxxxxx virus is known to infect
DATA files..., 36
Verify Error, 34
Virus Found, 34
Microsoft Anti-Virus, 21. See Viruses
Microsoft Backup
See also Online Help for Microsoft
Backup
backup cycle, planning, 21
troubleshooting, 29
Microsoft Customer Sales and Service
phone number, 112
text telephone (TT/TDD) service, 109
Microsoft Undelete, 38-42
Mode command, loading a character set into
memory, 102
Monitors, MS-DOS Shell files for, 96
Monochrome monitor
conserving conventional memory with, 70
MS-DOS Shell files for, 96
Motion impairment, products and services
supporting, 110
Mount command, DoubleSpace, 65
Mounting compressed floppy disks, 65
MS-DOS 6 basics. See Tutorial for MS-DOS
MS-DOS character sets, described, 101
MS-DOS Shell
commands, choosing from menus, 19
expanding files from Setup disks, 96
Help, starting, 20
starting, 19

128

Index

Msav command, starting Microsoft

Anti-Virus, 30
Multiple configurations, the
AUTOEXEC.BAT file, 54

Naming
directories, 15
files, 15
National Information System (NIS), 112
National language support (Nlsfunc
program), loading, 102
Network card, conflicting memory
addresses, 94
Network drives, limiting virus scanning to
local drives, 31
Nlsfunc command, loading national language
support, 102
Norton Backup, 23

RAMDRIVE.SYS device driver vs.

SMARTDRV.EXE device driver, 81
Recording for the Blind, Inc. (RFB), 112
Recovering deleted files. See Microsoft
Undelete
Redirected drives, Interlnk program,
described, 85
Removing, directories, 7
Ren (Rename) command, renaming files, 9
Renaming files, 9
Restore command, Microsoft Backup, 27
Restoring
backed up files, files backed up with
Microsoft Backup, 27
infected files, using a noninfected
backup copy, 37
Root directory
changing to, 5
defined, 13

Online documents, ix
Online Help
Microsoft Anti-Virus, 30
Microsoft Backup, 21
Microsoft DoubleSpace, 59
MS-DOS Help, how to use, 16
MS-DOS Shell Help, starting, 20
Options command, DoubleSpace, 63

Setting up MS-DOS 6
Anti-Virus, Backup, and Undelete
for Windows, 1
running the Setup program, 1
Setup files, Microsoft Backup, described, 22
Shell. See MS-DOS Shell
Signatures, virus, obtaining updated signature
files, 121
Single-handed typing, keyboard layouts
for, 110
SMARTDRV.EXE device driver
speeding up your system, 37
vs. Fastopen program, 81
vs. RAMDRIVE.SYS device driver, 81
Source of file to be copied, defined, 8
Startup menu, creating, 52
Subdirectories, described, 13
Switches, using with commands, 5
Syntax of commands, displaying, 18
.SYS filename extension, 15

P
Parameters, using with commands, 8
Path
defined, 14
how to specify, 14
limit on length of, 14
Pausing print jobs, 97
Power command, current power setting,
displaying, 89
Power program for laptop computers, 89
Purge Delete Sentry File command, Microsoft
Undelete, 42

Q
Question mark (?) wildcard, defined, 16

T
Telephone numbers, bulletin board system
(BBS) for virus signatures, 121
TEMP directory, 57

Index
TEMP environment variable, 57
Text files, online documents, ix
Text telephone (TT/TDD) service, 109
Trace R&D Center. 112
Troubleshooting
character sets error messages, 106
computer stops when using Microsoft
Anti-Virus, 37
MemMaker, 75
Microsoft Backup, 29
restarting your computer, 91
starting MS-DOS 6, incorrect machine
number specified, 94
viruses. See Microsoft Anti-Virus
Tutorial for MS-DOS
changing back to the root directory, 4
changing drives, 7
changing directories, 4
copying files, 8-9
creating directories, 6
deleting directories, 7
deleting files, 10
displaying directory contents, 4
formatting a floppy disk, 11
pausing a directory list, 5
renaming files, 9
typing commands, 3
viewing the contents of a directory, 4
.TXT filename extension
online documents, ix
unformatted text files, 15
Typographic conventions used in
this guide, xi-xii

U
Uncompressed drive, in list of compressed and
uncompressed drives, 66
Undelete for MS-DOS
configuring delete protection, 39
recovering deleted files, 42
Undelete for Windows
purging Delete Sentry files, 41

129

Undelete for Windows (continued)

recovering deleted files, 40
recovering directories, 41
Undelete command
See also Undelete for MS-DOS
See also Undelete for Windows
Upper memory area
conventional memory, freeing, 68
extended memory, freeing, 81
managing by installing EMM386, 82

v
Video graphics adapter (VGA)
conserving memory in, 72
MS-DOS Shell files for, 96
Viruses
See also Microsoft Anti-Virus
cleaning from files, 34
described, 30
scanning for, 30-31
signatures, obtaining updated signature
files, 121
VSafe
monitoring your computer, 32
starting, 32
trouble displaying VSafe control window, 37
VSafe Manager program, setting up, 33

W
Wildcards
copying a group of files, 9
defined, 16
deleting a group of files, 10
WIN.INI file, setting up the VSafe Manager
program, 33
Windows
Anti-Virus. See Microsoft Anti-Virus
Backup. See Microsoft Backup
troubleshooting, infected system files, 37
VSafe and VSafe Manager program, 33

Microsoft, MS-DOS. 6
Resource Kit and Supplemental Disks Offer
1. Print your name, shipping address, and
phone number:
Name

Supplemental disks only (U.S. $5.00 or CDN $7.50)

5.25 low-density disks (Kit No. 147-099-135)
3.5 low-density disks (Kit NO. 147-095-135)
cost (see above)
Sales tax* (multiply cost by the sales tax rate)

$
$

Freight ($5.00 U.S./$7.50 CDN)

Total cost

2. Check the Supplemental disk

feature(s) that prompted your order:
Microsoft QuickBasic games and programs
Files for use with IBM ProPrinter or IBM PC
convertible
Utilities to assist persons with disabilities
Batch file for creating a bootable DoubleSpace
floppy disk
MS-DOS commands (included in earlier versions of
MS-DOS):
ASSIGN.COM
BACKUP.EXE
COMP.EXE
CV.COM
EDLIN.EXE
EXE2BIN.EXE

GRAFTABL.COM
JOIN.EXE
MIRROR.COM
MSHERC.COM
PRINTFIX.COM

3. Calculate cost and indicate method of

payment:
Microsoft MS-WS 6 Resource Kit-including the
Supplemental disks (U.S. $19.95 or CDN $24.95, plus
freight and tax)
5.25 low-density disks (Kit No. 147-099-185)
3.5 low-density disks (Kit No. 147-095-185)

4. Send the completed order form to:

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Disk Offer
P.O. Box 3024
Bothell, WA 98041-3024
U.S.A.
-ORMicrosoft Canada Inc.
320 Matheson Blvd. West
Mississauga, ON L5R 3R1
Canada

Microsoft, MS-DOS 6
Resource Kit and Supplemental Disks Offer
You can use this coupon to order the MS-DOS 6
Resource Kit and the MS-DOS 6 Supplemental disks.
The Resource Kit contains the following:
l

The MS-DOS 6 Technical Reference, which

includes a printed reference for all MS-DOS 6
commands as well as technical information about
DoubleSpace and MemMaker. It also includes the
specification for the Microsoft Real-Time
Compression Interface, or MRCI. The MRCI
specification is a compression-interface standard
designed to make it easy for software and
hardware vendors to take advantage of the disk
compression technology included with
MS-DOS 6.
The Supplemental disks, which include files and
tools (see item 2 on the following page for disk
contents). You can also order the Supplemental
disks separately.

You can download the data on the Supplemental disks

from the Microsoft Product Support Download
Service (MSDL). To reach the MSDL, call (206)
936-6735 in the United States or (416) 507-3022 in

When you call the MSDL, use the following

communications settings:
For this setting
Baud rate
Parity
Data bits
Stop bits

specify
1200, 2400, or 9600
none
8
1

How to Order
To order the Resource Kit or Supplemental disks,
fill out the form on the following page and send it,
with your MS-DOS 6 registration card (if you
havent already sent it in), to the address on the
following page. Offer limited to one Resource Kit
or set of Supplemental disks per order.

Protect your PC against new

viruses. Get two anti-virus
95
updates for as little as $9 *each!
Microsoft MS-DOS 6 includes a
powerful virus protection program that
detects and removes more than 800 viruses.
Unfortunately, new viruses appear frequently.
Thats why you need an ongoing plan to
keep your data safe.
To keep your virus protection current,
Microsoft is pleased to offer you two
anti-vim software updates for as little as
$9.95 each. (Price for U.S. residents; see
reverse side for prices in your country.)

Plus youll also receive information

about ongoing service plans. Its our way
of making sure we take care of your dataprotection needs today and tomorrow.
To order your low-cost anti-virus update,
just complete and send the attached coupon
to the address for your country as indicated
on the reverse side.

Microsoft
Making it easier

*Price for U.S. residents only; other destinations additional. You must pay in the currency appropriate for your country. (See chart on reverse side for details.)
Microsoft and MS-DOS are registered trademarks and Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

Virus Protection Update Order Form

Order your anti-virus update(s) now and save money! (See reverse side for your price.)
Yes! Please send me my anti-virus update(s). I

Choose one disk size: 5.25 inch 360K 3.5 inch 720K

understand the first will ship now and the second will follow
in 3-4 months. (Please allow 2-3 weeks for initial delivery.)

Choose version:

MS-DOS

Windows

ENG

Please find your price on reverse side and enter below:

Price for One Update
Price for Two Updates
Applicable Sales Tax**

company

Department

Total
Sales Tax Number: (if applicable)

Street Address

Payment Method:
City

Country

Check/Eurocheque/Money Order Enclosed

(Make checks payable to "Am-Virus Update)

Zip Code/Postal Code

Daytime Phone

Fax

PC Make

Model

**CA, CT, IL, MA, MD, MI, MN, NJ, NY, TX, VA, add applicable sales
tax. Canadian buyers add applicable GST. Our GST code is 129820296.

VISA
BankCard
P.O.#
Card#:
Exp.Date:
Signature

MasterCard
American Express

EuroCard

Anti-Virus Update Offer Price Chart

Prices below include shipping, handling, and local sales tax where applicable

Please send your order to the address for your country as listed Mow:
UNITED STATES
AV Update
15220 Greenbrier Parkway #200
Beaverton, OR 97006-9937 l USA
Or fax credit orders to: 800-626-2778

FRANCE
AV Update
1, Rond-Point de lEurope
92257 La Garenne Colombes Cedex
France

UNITED KINGDOM
AV Update
PO. Box 15 l Twyford l Reading
Berkshire RG10 9LZ l U.K.

AUSTRALIA
AV Update
P.O. Box 660 l Brookvale l NSW 2100
Australia

GERMANY
AV Update
Hoferstr. l/II l P.O. Box 83 01 49
D-W-8000 Munich 83 l Germany
SWITZERLAND
AV Update
Lebrigstrasse l CH-8583 Goetighofen
Switzerland
ISRAEL
AV Update
P.O. Box 25055

ITALY
AV Update
Via Vittorio Veneto 24
20124 Milano l Italy

Haifa 31250

The following shows the approximate equivalent off 14.95 in your currency at press time:
Finland

Norway

DK

Sweden

115
Fm.

145
Nk.

135
Dk.

135
SK

Holland
40
Fl.

LUX

Belgium

Spain

Portugal

Greece

Ireland

745
LF.

750
Bf.

2,600
Ptas

3,200
Esc.

4,650
Dr.

13.50
Punt.

The Authorized Editions on MS-DOS

from Microsoft Press
MS-DOS 6 Step by Step
Catapult, Inc.
Learn to master the essentials of the MS-DOS operating system
version 6 in the most effective and timesaving way-by combining
self-paced lessons and disk-based practice files. Each lesson includes
clear objectives, step-by-step instructions, useful tips, and skillstrengthening exercises. This is the fastest way to learn MS-DOS!
304 pages, softcover with one 3.5-inch disk
$29.95 ISBN 1-55615-552-2

Running MS-DOS, 6th ed.

Van Wolverton
A book even the PC mavens turn to. it is written by a human being
human beings, in a strange and wonderful tongue: English.

for

PCWeek
RUNNING MS-DOS, with more than 3 million readers, is the most
highly acclaimed introduction and complete reference to MS-DOS available,
covering version 3.3 through version 6.0. Its the sure way to gain a solid
grounding in computing fundamentals that will help you better understand
and work with other applications. Contains a wealth of easy-to-follow
examples, instruction, and exercises.
608 pages, softcover
$24.95 ISBN l-55615-542-5

Microsoft MS-DOS 6 Companion

JoAnne Woodcock
The comprehensive reference-for advanced beginners and intermediate
users-that fully explores the powers and features in every version of MS-DOS
through version 6. This friendly, fact-filled book begins with an overview of
MS-DOS and includes information on using the MS-DOS Shell and descriptions
of all the MS-DOS commands and how to use them. Then, on to more advanced
topics--utilities, batchfiles, and macros. Includes scores of detailed examples and
solid advice.
800 pages, softcover
$27.95 ISBN 1-55615-550-6
Available May 1993

More Titles from Microsoft Press

MS-DOS to the Max
Dan Gookin
This is the ideal book for users who want to use MS-DOS to make their system
scream! In his humorous and straightforward style, bestselling author Dan Gookin
packs this book with information about getting the most out of your PC using the
new MS-DOS 6 utilities. The accompanying disk includes all of the hatch files and
debug scripts in the book, plus two configuration Wizards and several bonus tools
that will push your system To the Max.
352 pages, softcover with one 3.5-inch disk
$29.95 ISBN 1-55615-548-4
Available April 1993

The Microsoft Guide to Managing Memory

with MS-DOS 6, 2nd ed.
Dan Gookin
This top-notch guide shows intermediate users how to install, configure, and
optimize memory on their MS-DOS or Windows systems. With insight and
humor, Gookin provides industrial-strength tips and techniques on the different
memory types, describes how memory works, and walks you through the steps
necessary to maximize your system with MS-DOS.
224 pages, softcover 6 x 9
$14.95 ISBN 1-55615-545-X

Concise Guide to
MS-DOS Batch Files, 3rd ed.
Kris Jamsa
Batch tiles offer an easy and instantly rewarding way to significantly increase
productivity, without programming experience or additional software! Now
updated to cover MS-DOS 6-including the new tools for customizable system
startup--this handy reference book provides intermediate to advanced MS-DOS
users information on the fundamentals of batch files, new uses for batch files.
and even how to beautify the output of batch tiles.
220 pages, softcover 6 x 9
$12.95 ISBN 1-55615-549-2
Available May 1993

Microsoft Press books are available wherever books and software are sold. To order direct, call 1-800-MSPRESS
(8am to 5pm central time). Please refer to BBK when placing your order * Prices subject to change.

* Please see the following pages for International Ordering information.

Microsoft Press Books are Available in English

from the Following International Distributors:
Canada
Gage Distribution
I64 Commander Boulevard
Agincourt, Ontario M1S 3C7

Tel: 416-293-8141
Fax: 416-293-0846

Portugal
Longman Penguin Portugal
Rua da Gloria 10
P-1298 Lisbon Codex
Am: Lynne Archibald

Tel: +35-1-347-4727
Fax: +35-1-347-7794

Spain

Europe
Belgium/Luxembourg/Scandinavia
c/o Penguin Books Ltd.
27 Wrights Lane
London W8 5TZ, England
Attn: Emma McIntyre

Tel: +44-71-416-3000
Fax: +44-71-416-3290

France
Penguin France S.A.
17 rue Lejeune
F-31000 Toulouse
Attn: Helen Woodeson
Germany/Austria
Penguin Books Deutschland GmbH
Friedrichstrasse 10-12
W-5000 Frankfurt/Main 1,
Germany
Attn: Edith Strommen

Tel: +34-1-593-1306
Fax: +34-1-593-4711

Switzerland

Central and Eastern Europe

c/o Penguin Books Ltd.
Bath Road
Harmondsworth
Middlesex
UB7 0DA. England
Attn. Christine Marriott

Penguin Books S.A.

C/San Bernardo 117-6
E-28015 Madrid
Attn: Geraldine Kilpatrick

Tel: +44-81-899-4000
Fax: +44-81-899-4099

c/o Penguin Books Ltd.

Bath Road
Harmondsworth
Middlesex
UB7 0DA, England
Attn: Mike Bryan

Tel: +44-81-899-4000
Fax: +44-81-899-4099

Turkey
Tel: +33-61-22-93-38
Fax: +33-61-21-36-19

Sezai Selek Sokak 10/2

Nisantas
Istanbul
Am: Lale Colakoglu

Tel: +90-1-247-8551
Fax: +90-1-247-8983

UK and Eire
Tel: +49-69-727623
Fax: +49-69-727914

Penguin Books Ltd.

27 Wrights Lane
London W8 5TZ, England
Attn: Alastair Rolfe

Tel: +44-71-416-3166
Fax: +44-71-416-3290

Asia Pacific
Greece/Israel/Cyprus
Penguin Hellas Ltd.
Dimocritou 3
GR-106 71 Athens, Greece
Attn: Bianca Karris

Tel: +30-1-362-9866
Fax: +30-1-362-3980

Australia
Penguin Books Australia
487 Maroondah Highway
Ringwood, Victoria 3134
Attn: John Dennithorne

Tel: +61-3-871-2400
Fax: +61-3-870-7618

Italy
Penguin ltalia srl
Via Felice Casati, 20
20124 Milano
Attn. Wendy Rimmington
Netherlands
Penguin Books Netherlands
Postbus 3507
NL 1001 AH Amsterdam
Attn: Peter Van Gorsel

Japan
Penguin Books Japan
Bunkyo-ku
Tokyo 112
Attn: H. Ono
Korea
Addison-Wesley Korea
3rd Floor 403-16
Seo Kyo-Dong
Ma PO-KU, Seoul 121-210
Attn: Kwon Sung June
Malaysia
STP Distributors (M) Sdn Bhd
1st Floor,
Bangunan Times Publishing
Lot 46, Subang Hi Tech. Ind. Park
Batu Tiga
4000 Shah Alam
Selangor Darul Eshan
Attn: S. Yoga
New Zealand
Penguin Books New Zealand Ltd.
Private Bag 102902
Auckland 10
Attn: Suzanne Berry

Tel:
+39-2-2952-0585
Fax: +39-2-2952-0712

Tel: +31-20-625-9566
Fax: +31-20-625-8676

Tel: +81-3-3815-6840
Fax: +81-3-3815-6841

Hong Kong/Taiwan
c/o Penguin Books Ltd.
27 Wrights Lane
London W8 5TZ., England
Attn: Claire Cumming
India
Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd.
706 Eros Apartments
56 Nehru Place
New Delhi 110019
Attn: Zamir Ansari
Singapore
STP Distributors Pte Ltd.
Times Jurong
Jurong Port Road
Singapore 2261
Attn: John Francis

Tel: +44-71-416-3000
Fax: +44-71-416-3290

Tel: +91-11-647-2522
Fax: +91-11-644-7032

Tel: +65-265-8855
Fax: +65-266-61072

Tel: +82-2-335-7987
Fax: +82-2-335-7988

Africa and Middle East

Len Ainsworth-Export
P.O. Box 992
Marlborough SN8 1ZA, England
Ann: Len Ainsworth

Tel: +60-3-735-2112
Fax: +60-3-736-4620

South Africa
Longman Penguin So. Africa
(Pty) Ltd.
Private Bag X08
Bertsham 2013
Attn: Lyn Walker

Tel: +44-0672-40235
Fax: +27-11-496-1117

Tel: +27-11-496-1730
Fax: +27-11-496-1147

Latin America
Tel: +64-9-444-4965
Fax: +64-9-444-1470

Microsoft Intl Customer Service

Microsoft Corporation
One Microsoft Way
Redmond. WA 98052

Tel: +206-936-8661
Fax: +206-936-7329

For support, contact the manufacturer of your PC.