)I\ATARr

Documentation Series

Owner's Manual
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the product documentation in
this manual. However, because Atari Corporation is constantly improving and updating
its computer hardware and software, it is unable to guarantee the accuracy of printed
material after the date of publication and disclaims liability for changes, errors, or
omissions.

Atari®, the Atari logo, Atari PC3™, PCF554 ™ , PCM124 ™ , and SF314 ™ are trademarks
or registered trademarks of Atari Corporation. Adaptec ™ is a trademark of Adaptec Inc.
GEM®, GEM® Desktop ™, GEM® Paint ™ . and GEM® Write ™ are trademarks or regis­
tered trademarks of Digital Research Inc. Epson® is a registered trademark of Seiko­
Epson Corporation, Japan. Hercules® is a registered trademark of Hercules Computer
Technology, Inc. Intel® is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation. AT®, IBM®, and
XT ™ are trademarks or registered trademarks of International Business Machines Cor­
poration. Microsoft® and MS-DOS® are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
OMTI® is a registered trademark of Scientific Microsystems Inc. Velcro® is a registered
trademark of Velcro USA Inc.

Reproduction of all or any portions of this manual is not allowed without the specific
written consent of Atari Corporation.

)I\_ATARr
Copyright© 1988, Atari Corporation
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
All rights reserved.
Jl�ATARr
Documentation. Series

Owner's Manual
TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION .............................................................................. 1
Welcome to the Atari PC3 ........................................................... 1
Using This Manual............................................................. -�......... 2

CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED ............................................... 5

Atari PC3 System Components.................................................. 5
Computer and Disk Drives ............................................................. 5
Keyboard. Monitor. and Mouse ..................................................... 6
Numeric Data Processor and RAM Chips ..................................... 6
Optional Devices ........................................................................... 6
. Connecting the Atari PC3 System............................................. 7
Switching the Atari PC3 System On and Off ........................... 10
Switchi�g On the System .............................................................. 10
Switching Off the System .............................................................. 13
Ports and Features....................................................................... 13
Keyboard ................. ...................................................................... 13
The Computer's Back Panel ....................................................'...... 15
The Computer's Right Side Panel ................................................. 17

CHAPTER 2: ATARI PC3 SYSTEM OVERVIEW ........................ 19

MS-DOS.......................................................................................... 19
One-Drive and Multi-Drive Systems.......................................... 19
Floppy Disks.......................................................'............................ 20
Write-Protecting Disks ................................................... ................. 21
Copying the Program Disks......................................................... 22
The CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT Files........................ 23
The CONFIG.SYS File .................................................................. 23
The AUTOEXEC.BAT File............................................................. 24
The Tree Structure of Directories and Files............................ 25
Filenames....................................... ................................................ 26
Changing the Drive Designation................................................ 28
 Atari PC3 Special Features ......................................................... 29
Setting the Real-Time Clock .......................................................... 29
Changing System Speed ................................ ............................... 30
Selecting Monitor Display Modes .................................................. 32
Setting the Key Click Feature ........................................................ 32
Installing the Mouse for Use with Non-GEM Programs ................. . 33

CHAPTER 3: INTRODUCTION TO MS-DOS COMMANDS ..... . 35

Commands ..................................................................................... . 35
Parameters .................................................................................... 35
Command Syntax .......................................................................... 37
Editing Commands ........................................................................ 39
Preparing Floppy Disks ................................................................ 39
FORMAT ....................................................................................... 39
Copying Disks ................................................................................ 40
DISKCOPY .................................................................................... 40
Copying Files ................................................................................. 42
COPY ............................................................................................ 42
Viewing, Renaming, and Erasing Files ..................................... 44
TYPE ............................................................................................. 44
REN (REName) ............................................................................. 44
DEL (DELete) and ERASE ............................................................ 45
Working with Directories .............................................................. 46
DIR (DIRectory) ............................................................................. 46
MKDIR (MaKe DIRectory) .......... :.................................................. 47
CHOIR (CHange DIRectory) ......................................................... 47
RMDIR (ReMove DIRectory) ......................................................... 48
TREE ............................................................................................. 48
PATH ............................................................................................. 49
Checking Disks. Directories. and Files ..................................... 50
CHKDSK (CHecK DiSK) ............................................................... 50
Printing Files .................................................................................. 51
PRINT ............................................................................................ 51
MODE ............................................................................................ 52
 Monitor Display Mode Commands............................................. 52
A Few Other Useful Commands................................................. 55
CURSOR ....................................................................................... 55
PROMPT ....................................................................................... 56
CLS ( Clear Screen) ...................................................................... 56
Common MS-DOS Error Messages........................................... 57

APPENDIX A: SYSTEM MAINTENANCE...................................... 61

APPENDIX B: INSTALLING EXTRA RAM

AND THE NUMERIC DATA PROCESSOR .................................. 65

APPENDIX C: INSTALLING EXPANSION BOARDS

AND INTERNAL DRIVES ................................................................ 69

APPENDIX D: CONNECTING EXTERNAL

FLOPPY 6>RIVES.............................................................................. 77

APPENDIX E: PREPARING AND WORKING WITH

A HARD DISK.................................................................................... 79

APPENDIX F: ATARI PC3 SPECIFICATIONS............................ 93

APPENDIX G: ATARI PC3 CONNECTOR PINOUTS ................. 97

APPENDIX H: POWER CONNECTION

IN THE UNITED KINGDOM ............................................................ 101

GLOSSARY ....................................................................................... 103

CUSTOMER SUPPORT .................................................................. 113

INDEX ................................................................................................ 115

 INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Atari PC3

If you are new to the world of personal computers, you'll find the Atari
PC3 to be a powerful, reliable system that's easy to set up and operate.
And if you're a seasoned PC user, you'll appreciate the many features
built into the Atari PC3--features you'd have to add on to other systems-­
including:
• A high-speed 8088 processor so you can choose between standard PC
and turbo operating speeds.
• 512 kilobytes of RAM with expansion capability to 640 kilobytes on the
motherboard.
• An Enhanced Graphics Adapter (EGA) compatible video subsystem for
superior screen resolution and color selection.
• Support for an optional numeric data processor to speed calculations.
• Drive bays that accommodate two internal drives.
• A port for up to two Atari external floppy disk drives, the Atari PCF554
(5V4-inch) drive and/or the Atari SF314 (3V2-inch) drive.
• Interfaces for both serial and parallel peripherals .
. • A monitor port that supports EGA. color. and monochrome monitors.
• A battery backed-up real-time clock.
• An IBM PC AT-layout keyboard.
•·Five slots for XT-style expansion boards.
• A mouse for controlling GEM Desktop and other utilities and
applications.
Note: Standard options on the Atari PC3 vary. Your version may have
either one internal floppy drive. two internal floppy drives. or one internal
floppy and one internal hard drive.
Using This Manual
To get top performance from your Atari PC3. you'll want to set up and
operate it correctly from the start. This manual explains how to do that
in clear, nontechnical language that's easy to understand. Once you're
familiar with using your Atari PC3, this manual can serve as a reference
guide to individual procedures and specific information.

You must make backup copies of the disks supplied with your Atari PC3.
Backup copies protect you from accidentally losing or damaging the data
on the original disks. Use the backup copies as your working disks and
safely store the originals. For instructions, see Copying the Program Disks
in Chapter 2 of this manual.

Read the manual chapters in sequence the first time through, letting
them guide you through setting up your system to a thorough explanation
of system operation. Atari PC3 owners in the United Kingdom should see
Appendix 1-f'for additional instructions when connecting their systems. A
summary of each manual section follows:

Chapter 1: Getting Started describes the Atari PC3 components and

explains how to connect and switch on the system.

Chapter 2: Atari PC3 System Overview looks at how your Atari PC3
works and explains how to use MS-DOS, the Atari PC3's operating sys­
tem. You'll also find helpful information on using system features, working
with floppy disks. and making backup copies of the program disks.

Chapter 3: Introduction to MS-DOS Commands explains how to

use MS-DOS commands and provides a reference for often-used com­
mands. The last section of the chapter explains common error messages
you may see while working with your system.

Appendix A: System Maintenance explains how to identify and

correct common operating problems and take care of your system.

Appendix B: Installing Extra RAM and the Numeric Data

Processor explains how to install those optional features.

2
Appendix C: Installing Expansion Boards and Internal Drives
explains how to install optional functional boards and internal drives
(including a hard disk drive) on the Atari PC3.
Appendix D: Connecting External Floppy Drives explains how to
connect up to two external floppy drives to your Atari PC3 system.
Appendix E: Preparing and Working with a Hard Disk explains
how to prepare and operate an optional hard disk once it's connected to
your Atari PC3.
Appendix F: Atari PC3 Specifications summarizes the major features
and requirements of the system.
Appendix G: Atari PC3 Connector Pinouts shows the pin assign­
ments of the Atari PC3's peripheral ports.
Appendix H: Power Connection in the United Kingdom includes
additional set-up instructions for Atari PC3 owners in the United Kingdom.
The Glossary defines common technical terms used in this manual.
Customer Support tells you where to find more information about the
Atari PC3 and all Atari computer products.
The Index helps you locate terms and procedures used or explained in
the manual.
Paragraphs marked Note or Warning appear throughout the manual.
Notes contain useful hints and other information relevant to the topic
being discussed. Warnings alert you to potential problems and suggest
ways to avoid them.
In this manual. characters in dark type enclosed by square brackets ([ J)
represent keys on your Atari PC3 keyboard. In cases where a process or
function requires using two or three keys, the keys are listed together in
order. For example. [Ctrl] [$) means to hold down the [Ctrl] key while
pressing the [SJ key: [Ctrl] [Alt] [Del] means to hold down the [Ctrl] and
[Alt] keys while pressing the [Del] key.

3
CHAPTER 1
GETTING STARTED
Set up your Atari PC3 in a roomy workspace that's both healthy for the
c;omputer system and enjoyable for you. Choose a location that has a
sturdy. level surface close to an electrical outlet. with plenty of room for
airflow around the components. When set up, the system should be pro­
tected from dust. grease, extreme temperatures, direct sunlight. and high
humidity. An environment that works well for a television or stereo system
should suit your Atari PC3 just fine.
Carefully unpack the Atari PC3 components. placing them in the work­
space you've selected. Remove all packing materials (including the
protective inserts in the floppy disk drives) and save them for storing or
shipping your Atari PC3 system later.

Atari PC3 System Components

COMPUTER AND DISK DRIVES

The Atari PC3 computer holds the motherboard (main system board).
power supply, and microchips that make computer operations possible.
It also contains expansion slots and one or more internal disk drives.
Expansion slots accommodate additional ·circuit boards that expand the
Atari PC3's capabilities. Disk drives let you store and retrieve information
with your computer.

5
KEYBOARD. MONITOR. AND MOUSE

The Atari PC3 keyboard and monitor are the tools you and the computer
use to communicate. You use the keyboard to give data and instructions
to the Atari PC3. The monitor provides a visual display of your keyboard
input and the Atari PC3's computing processes as they happen'. You can
attach a monochrome. color. or EGA (Enhanced Graphics Adapter) mon­
itor to your Atari PC3.

The mouse connects to the Atari PC3 and is used to operate the com­
puter from GEM Desktop and certain applications. You use the mouse by
rolling it on a flat surface and pressing the mouse buttons.

NUMERIC DATA PROCESSOR AND RAM CHIPS

Chip sockets inside your Atari PC3 can accept an optional numeric data
processor (Intel 8087 chip) and additional RAM chips (for a system total
of 640 kilobytes). See Appendix B for complete installation instructions.

OPTIONAL DEVICES

Adding options to your Atari PC3 expands its functionality and custom­
izes it to your particular needs. You can add almost any option designed
for an IBM PC XT computer or compatible to your Atari PC3.

Note: See Appendix c for general instructions on installing expansion

boards and internal drives. See the manual supplied with the option for
specific installation and operating instructions.

Expansion Boards

Five expansion slots in your Atari PC3 accommodate IBM PC XT-com­

patible expansion boards. You can add hard disk controller. network.
modem, and other boards to your system by using these slots. The
boards should be chosen and configured so as not to conflict with any
features already present in the Atari PC3. (For more information. see
Appendix c.)

6
Drives

The Atari PC3 has two internal drive bays which can accommodate any
IBM PC XT-compatible drive. This includes floppy and hard disk drives as
well as tape and removable data cartridge drives. You can set up almost
any drive configuration you want in the drive bays. One of the drives will
normally be a floppy drive. (See Appendix B for information.)

The Atari PC3 can support up to two external floppy drives. It can also
support up to two hard disk drives installed either externally or internally
in a drive bay, on the frame. or on an expansion board.

Parallel and Serial Devices

Your Atari PC3 has both a parallel and serial port on the back panel.
Typically a printer is connected to the parallel port and a modem to the
serial port. You can connect parallel and serial devices without changing
or adding �nything to the inside of your computer.

Connecting the Atari PC3 System

Setting up your system follows this order:

1. Installing options such as extra RAM chips, numeric data processor.

expansion boards, and internal drives.

2. Connecting the power cable.

3. Setting the monitor type selection switches.

4. Connecting the monitor.

5. Connecting the keyboard and mouse.

6. Connecting other external peripherals.

7
Remove the protective inserts from all floppy disk drives and make sure
the computer is turned off (the power switch is on the front). Then follow
these steps to set up your system:

1. If you are installing RAM chips, a numeric data processor. expansion

boards. or internal drives, do so now. (For instructions on installing
RAM chips and the numeric data processor. see Appendix B. For
instructions on installing expansion boards and internal drives. see
Appendix c.)

2. Plug the power cable into the power jack on the back of the computer.
Then plug the cable into a grounded electrical outlet.

Back of Monitor

Back of Computer

To Power ......___ To Power

Video Cable
Monitor Type
Selection Switches

3. Set the monitor type selection switches (labeled "Config") on the com­
puter's back panel for your monitor type. You must do this before you
connect the monitor. Follow the table below. The up position is ON.
the down position is OFF.
Monitor Switches Switch 4 Switch 3 Switch 2 Switch 1

EGA ( SMART On) OFF ON OFF OFF

EGA (SMART Off) OFF ON ON OFF
Color ON OFF OFF ON
Monochrome ON OFF ON ON
Note: The switches are numbered 4. 3. 2. 1 reading from left to right.

8
 If you have installed a monochrome display adapter board in an
expansion slot. the switches must be set to SMART Off. The HGC.
MDA. and HCOLOR utilities then become meaningless.

Warning: To avoid damaging your monitor. you MUST set the switches
correctly for your monitor type BEFORE you connect the monitor and
switch on the system.

4. Set the monitor on top of or beside the computer. Plug the monitor's
video cable into the port labeled "Video" on the back of the computer.
Make sure the monitor is turned off. then connect its power cable to
the monitor. then to a grounded electrical outlet. (See the manual
supplied with your monitor for further information.)

5. Connect the keyboard by plugging its cable into the jack labeled
"Keyboard" on the right side of the computer. Connect the mouse
by plugging its cable into the mouse port on the right side of the
computer.
Right Side of Computer

Back of Keyboard

�l ) =I ======;;;;;;;;.;J

Mouse �
_______
L.. ....,

Adjustable legs on the bottom of the keyboard let you slant the key­
board to a comfortable typing position. To raise the keyboard (for
instance. when it's placed on a low tabletop), swing the legs out to the
raised position. Push the legs back into their original position to lower
the keyboard.

9
6. Connect external peripherals (such as a printer or modem) to the
appropriate port on the computer's back panel. (See The Computer's
Back Panel later in this chapter.)

Switching the Atari PC3 System On and Ott

SWITCHING ON THE SYSTEM

Use MS-DOS Disk 1 (supplied with your system) when you switch on
your Atari PC3. This disk contains data your computer needs in order to
initialize.
Note: It's essential that you make backup copies of the disks supplied
with your Atari PC3. For instructions, see Copying the Program Disks in
Chapter 2.

To switch OR your Atari PC3 system, follow these steps:

1. Switch on your monitor and any other peripherals you've connected.
Then switch on your computer. (Always switch on the computer last.)
The computer's power indicator light comes on.
2. Make sure the latch on drive A is flipped up. Hold MS-DOS Disk 1
label side up with the write-protect notch on the left. Gently slide the
disk into drive A until it's completely inside the drive. Flip the drive
latch down. locking the disk in place.

Write-Protect_
Notch

10
3. The computer begins retrieving data from the disk. When the com­
puter is finished. the operating system MS-DOS prompts you for the
date on the monitor screen:
Current date is Tue 1-01-1980
Enter new date (mm-dd-yy):

Note: If the date prompt doesn't appear. check that your monitor is
switched on with the brightness properly adjusted, and that MS-DOS
Disk 1 is correctly inserted with the drive latch flipped down. If you still
don't see a date prompt, switch off the system and make sure all cable
connections are correct and secure. If the problem continues when you
switch on the system. see Appendix A.

4. Press the [Enter] key. MS-DOS responds by prompting you for the
time:
Current time is 0:01:15:24
Enter new time:

5. Enter the hour and minutes(and seconds. if you like). separating them
with colons(:). MS-DOS uses a 24-hour clock. so add 12 to any PM
hour. For example, if the time is 3:20 PM. type 15:20:00.

6. Press the [Enter] key. Your screen displays something like this:
Current date is Tue 1-01-1980
Enter new date (mm-dd-yy): 3-30-88
Current time is 0:01:15:40
Enter new time: 15:20:00
Microsoft® MS-DOS® Version 3
© Copyright Microsoft Corp 1981-1987
A>

Note: MS-DOS adds the date and time to all files you create or modify
to help you identify the most up-to-date versions of your files. Once you
set the real-time clock(see Chapter 2), you can skip over the prompts by
pressing [Enter] twice.

11
The A> at the bottom of the display is the MS-DOS system prompt. The
A means that drive A is the current default drive. Next to the prompt is a
blinking bar called the cursor. The system prompt and the cursor tell you
that MS-DOS and the Atari PC3 are ready to receive instructions. The
line containing the prompt is called the MS-DOS command line.

Note: Chapters 2 and 3 and the MS-DOS User's Reference tell you how to
work with MS-DOS and your Atari PC3.

When switched on. the Atari PC3 automatically runs in turbo mode
unless you've installed a numeric data processor (8087 chip). When
turbo mode is on. its indicator light (labeled "CPU") on the front of the
computer is lit.

If you have installed a numeric data processor. the Atari PC3 defaults
to standard PC mode when switched on. If your 8087 chip is rated at
5 MHz. you must stay in PC mode. If your 8087 chip is rated at 8 MHz
or faster (8087-2 or 8087-1), you can enable turbo mode after switch­
ing on your,Atari PC3. (For more information. see Changing System
Speed in Chapter 2.)

Startup Drive Choices

Depending on the drives you have installed, you can start up your system
from the first hard disk (drive 0) or floppy drives A. B. or .C.

To start up from drive 0, make sure your hard disk is prepared as

described in Appendix E. Then flip up (open) all floppy disk drive latches
and switch on your system.

To start up from floppy drive A. follow the instructions iri Switching On the
System in this chapter. To start up from floppy drive B or C. follow these
instructions:

1. Switch on your system and insert MS-DOS Disk 1 into the drive you
want to use as the startup drive.

2. As soon as the screen text appears. press [F2) to start up from drive B
or [F3J to start up from drive C. After the system initializes, the letter of
the startup drive appears in the MS-DOS prompt.

12
SWITCHING OFF THE SYSTEM
To switch off your system. remove all disks from your floppy drives.
Switch off your computer first. then your monitor and any peripherals.
Wait at least ten seconds before switching your computer system back
on. (Switching the computer on with the on/off switch is called a coldstart.
and it completely initializes the computer.)

Ports and Features

KEYBOARD
The Atari PC3's keyboard is like a typewriter keyboard in both design and
function. In addition. extra keys on the Atari PC3's keyboard perform
special functions not available in a typewriter.
[Tab] [Backspace] Indicator Lights
'���--+-��������==:::::+--+=:::::::=:::::+��

Function Numeric
Keys Keypad

[Space Bar] [Arrow] Keys

Along the left side of the keyboard are the function keys [F1] through
These keys perform varying functions depending on your appli­
[F1 OJ.
cation. The [F1] through [F6] keys are also used to edit the MS-DOS
command line. (See the MS-DOS User's Reference for details.)

13
The alphanumeric keys (letters. numbers. and symbols) are primarily
used to enter data and commands. They usually function just like
similar keys on a typewriter. The [Shift]. [Tab]. [Backspace]. and
[Caps Lock) keys also perform the same functions as their typewriter
counterparts. Most alphanumeric keys automatically repeat when they
are held down.

Certain keys have special control functions. These keys are [Alt].
[Ctrll. [Dell. [End), [Esc). [Home). [Ins). [Num Lock). [Pg Dn). [Pg Up).
[Prtsc). and [Scroll Lock). Although the functions of these keys can
vary depending on your application. the following key combinations
(keys pressed simultaneously) are usually in effect:
[Ctrl) [SJ Stops the screen display from scrolling. Press [Ctrl) [SJ
again to resume scrolling.
[Ctrl) [Num Lock) Pauses the output of the current program or command.
Press any key to continue.
[Ctrl) [Scrol\ Lock) Stops the output of the current program or command and
returns you to the MS-DOS command line.
[Clrl) [Alt) [Del) Restarts (warmstarts) your system.

[Ctrl) [Alt) [keypad + J Turns on turbo mode, setting the system to high speed.

[Ctrl) [Alt) [keypad -) Turns off turbo mode, returning the system to normal PC
computing speed.
[Ctrl) [Alt) [<) Turns on audible key click.
[Ctrl) [Alt) [>) Turns off audible key click.

When a printer is connected to your system. you can also use these key
combinations:
[Shill) [PrtSc) Prints the screen display.
[Ctrl) [PrtSc) Prints what you type as you type it. Also prints the screen
output (the Atari PC3's screen response to your instruc­
tions). Press [Ctrl) [PrtSc) again to stop printing.

14
The four [Arrow] keys are generally used within an application to move
the cursor in the direction of their arrow (up, down. left. or right). The
cursor is a movable symbol on screen that marks where the next action
will take place.

The numeric keypad lets you type numbers and math symbols in calcula­
tor style. Pressing [Num Lock] once sets the keypad to numeric entry.
Pressing [Num Lock] again lets you use the keys for the symbols as
marked. and for specific functions depending on your application. When
[Num Lock] is pressed for numeric entry. its indicator light is lit.

Indicator lights for [Num Lock]. [Scroll Lock]. and [Caps Lock]. when lit. tell
you that those functions are active. (However. if your application internally
sets [Caps Lock], then its indicator light will not be lit.)

Note: The [Sys Req] key normally has no function.

THE COMPUTER'S BACK PANEL

External devices (peripherals) can be connected to the Atari PC3's back
panel.

Back of Computer
Expansion Slots

Power Jack

Serial Port Floppy Drive Port

Printer Port Config
Switches

15
Be sure to switch off the power to both the peripheral and the computer
before connecting them. Some peripheral cables have small retaining
screws or clips on the sides of the connector. When the cable is in place
on the computer. tightening the screws or attaching the clips maintains a
strong connection and helps eliminate interference which might affect
television or radio reception in the area.

Warning: Never touch the exposed contacts on any port. Static elec­
tricity could harm the sensitive electronics inside your Atari PC3.

Power

The power jack connects the computer to a grounded electrical source.

Serial

A modem or other serial device attaches to the computer through the

serial port. Refer to the manual supplied with your serial device for
installation instructions.

Printer

A parallel printer connects to your computer through the printer port.

Because the printer port is industry-standard. almost any parallel device
can be attached to it. Refer to the manual supplied with your peripheral
for installation instructions.

Video

A monochrome. color. or EGA monitor attaches to the Atari PC3 through

the video port.

Config

The Config switches select a monochrome. color. or EGA monitor.

16
Floppy Disk Drive

Up to two external floppy disk drives can connect to the Atari PC3
through the floppy disk drive port. You can connect an Atari PCF554
(5V4-inch) drive. an Atari SF314 (3V2-inch) drive. or one of each.
Expansion Slots

If optional expansion boards with connectors have been installed on the

Atari PC3, the connectors are accessed through these slots.

THE COMPUTER'S RIGHT SIDE PANEL

The keyboard and mouse are connected to the Atari PC3 at the
computer's right side panel.
Right Side of Computer

Mouse Port

Keyboard

The keyboard connects to the computer through the keyboard jack. In

addition to the Atari keyboard (supplied with the system). you can cor:i­
nect any IBM PC XT-compatible keyboard to the Atari PC3.

Mouse

The mouse connects to the computer through the mouse port. In addition
to the Atari mouse (supplied with the system). the mouse port accepts
any quadrature mouse with up to three buttons.

17
CHAPTER2
ATARI PC3 SYSTEM OVERVIEW

MS-DOS
MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System) is the operating system for
the Atari PC3, and is contained on MS-DOS Disks 1 and 2 supplied with
your computer.
MS-DOS consists of a group of programs that manage all computer
processes such as running applications. creating files, and printing docu­
ments. You control MS-DOS by entering commands on the MS-DOS
command line next to the MS-DOS prompt. (Controlling MS-DOS with
commands is fully explained in Chapter 3 and in the MS-DOS User's
Reference.)

One Drive and Multi-Drive Systems

Your Atari PC3 has at least one internal floppy disk drive that uses 5V4-
inch floppy disks. To streamline data storage and retrieval, you can also
connect an additional floppy disk drive that uses either 5V4-inch or 3V2-
inch disks. In addition, you can install a hard disk drive (see Appendix c
and Appendix D).
In systems limited to one drive. that drive acts as both drive A and drive
B. This allows for operations that use two disks. such as copying a file
from one disk to another. During such operations. the disks themselves
are referred to as disk A and disk B. and MS-DOS prompts you when to
switch disks in the drive in order to proceed.

19
Fl�ppy Disks
Floppy disks store programs and other data. These disks have a stiff pro­
tective covering holding a circular sheet of oxide-coated material. The
material is the magnetic media. which holds data and is read by the disk
drive. (On 3V2-inch disks. the magnetic media is also protected by a slid­
ing metal sleeve.) Most floppies have a write-protect notch.
51/4·lnch Floppy Disk 31/2-lnch Floppy Disk

Write-Protect
Notch Protective Metal Sleeve
\

Warning: 6>0 NOT touch the magnetic media. Doing so may damage
your disk and the information on it.
Floppy disks for the Atari PC3 are usually double-sided. meaning that
both sides of the magnetic media are certified as safe for storing infor­
mation. A double-sided SV4-inch disk has a memory capacity of 360
kilobytes. A double-sided 3V2-inch disk has a memory capacity of 720
kilobytes.
You must format a new blank disk before you can use it. Formatting
prepares a disk to receive information by completely erasing the disk.
checking for damage on the magnetic media, and setting patterns (sec­
tors and tracks) in place to hold the information you will eventually write
to the disk. (For instructions on how to format a disk. see FORMAT in
Chapter 3.)

To insert a 5V4-inch disk into the drive. first make sure the drive latch is
flipped up. Hold the disk label side up, with the write-protect notch on the
left. Gently slide the disk into the drive opening until it is completely inside
the drive. (If the disk meets resistance. check to see if another disk is
already in the drive.) Flip the drive latch down to lock the disk in place.

20
To remove the disk. flip the drive latch up and gently pull out the disk.

To insert or remove a 3V2-inch disk. follow the instructions supplied with

the drive.

Warning: To avoid damaging your disks. make sure the drive's busy
light is off before you insert or remove a disk.

WRITE-PROTECTING DISKS
When you write to a disk. the drive and computer work together to put
information from RAM onto the disk. where it is stored. Write-protecting
a disk is a security measure you take to prevent new information from
being written to the disk. This keeps you from inadvertently changing disk
contents you want to preserve.

Most 5V4-inch disks have a write-protect notch on the left edge of the
casing. To write-protect the disk. cover the notch with the write-protect
tab supplied with the disk. Fold the tab over the notch to cover it on both
sides of the casing. Remove the tab when you no longer want the disk to
be write-protected.
5Y4·1nch Disk · 3Y2-lnch Disk (Back View)

Write-Protect Tab
\
E3

Sliding Tab

Most 3V2-inch disks have a write-protect notch in the lower left corner of
their casing. On the back of the disk. the write-protect notch has a sliding
tab. To write-protect the disk. slide the tab until you can see through the
notch. To remove the protection. slide the tab back so it covers the notch.

Note: Some commercial program disks do not have write-protect notches.

These disks are permanently write-protected.

21
Copying the Program Disks
You must make backup copies of all disks supplied with your Atari PC3
before beginning to work with them routinely. This protects you from
losing information if you lose or damage the disks. After copying, store
the. original disks in a safe place protected from dust, grease, extreme
temperatures, and sources of electric power or magnetism. Always use
the copies as your working disks.
MS-DOS provides a DISKCOPY command for copying an original disk
to a blank disk. If the blank disk is not formatted, DISKCOPY formats it
before copying. To use DISKCOPY. follow these steps:
1. Have a blank disk ready for each disk you're going to copy. Do not
write-protect the blank disks.
2. Switch on your system as described in Chapter 1 to display the A>
prompt
3. Type
DISK COPY

then press [Enter].

4. MS-DOS will ask you for the source disk. Leave the original MS-DOS
Disk 1 in the drive and press any key.
5. Next, MS-DOS will ask for the target disk. Replace the source disk
with a blank disk and press any key. You may be asked to swap the
source and target disks several times.
6. When formatting and copying are complete, MS-DOS will ask if you
want to copy another disk. Press [YJ.
7. When MS-DOS asks for the new source disk, remove the disk from
drive A, replace it with the next disk you want to copy, and press any
key. Then repeat steps 5, 6, and 7 until all original disks are copied.

8. When MS-DOS asks if you want to copy another disk, press [NJ.

22
Note: For more information. see DISKCOPY in Chapter 3.

After removing each backup disk from the drive. immediately label it
using the same name as on the original disk's label. Write on the label
before affixing it to the disk. or if the label is already on the disk. write
with a felt-tipped pen. (Writing on the disk with a hard-tipped pen or
pencil can harm the media.) Store the original disks and always use the
copies as your working disks.

The CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT Files

After you switch on the computer and before MS-DOS displays the A>
prompt. the system goes through its initialization process. During initial­
ization. MS-DOS is installed. CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT are
two special files you can create to customize your MS-DOS installation.
MS-DOS will read these files during initialization.
Newly created or modified CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files take
effect after you restart the Atari PC3. To create the files. see the fol­
lowing two sections. To modify an existing file. use a text editor such as
MS-DOS EDLIN (described in the MS-DOS User's Reference).

THE CONFIG.SYS FILE

The CONFIG.SYS file tells MS-DOS how to use certain devices. To
create CONFIG.SYS. type the following at the A> prompt:
COPY CON CONFIG.SYS [Enter)
DEVICE = ANSI.SYS [Enter)
[F6) [Enter)

The first line creates and names the file. The second line enables an
ANSI standard terminal emulation. required by many applications. The
third line ends the file and allows it to be saved to disk.
Note: CONFIG.SYS can also be used to configure the Atari PC3 to handle
nonstandard floppy disk drives. create a RAM disk, and customize some
MS-DOS performance parameters. For complete information. see the
MS-DOS User's Reference.

23
THE AUTOEXEC.BAT FILE

The AUTOEXEC.BAT file tells MS-DOS what commands to automatically

execute during system initialization. This saves you the work of entering
routine commands after switching on your computer. To create an
AUTOEXEC.BAT file. type the following at the A> prompt:

COPY CON AUTOEXEC.BAT [Enter)

This line creates and names the file. Now you can add commands to the
file by typing each command on a separate line and pressing [Enter). For
example. the line

DIR [Enter)

displays a list of files in the current directory every time you start up your
system. Other useful commands to add to the AUTOEXEC.BAT file are
CHKDSK. PATH. CHOIR. and commands for executing specific applica­
tions. (For r-QOre information on these commands. see Chapter 3 and the
MS-DOS User's Reference.)

When your AUTOEXEC.BAT file contains the lines you want. press [F6J
[Enter). This ends the file and allows it to be saved to disk.

You can make other .BAr (batch) files to run often-used commands. To
do that. create a .BAT file consisting of the sequence of commands you
want to run as a group. Then run the commands by entering the first part
of the filename (without the .BAT extension) at the prompt.

For example. you may find that you often print the same groups of files
from different directories, each time typing separate PRINT commands
for each group, like this:
PRINT \TABLES\*.OAK [Enter)
PRINT \PAYROLL\TEMP\*.CHK [Enter)
PRINT \ADS\RADIO\WKEND.TXT [Enter)

24
An easier way to print the groups of files is to add the three command
lines to a batch file named. for example. P.BAT. When you want to print
the files. simply type P (the filename without the .BAT extension) and
press [Enter].

Note: Refer to the MS-DOS User's Reference for more information on

AUTOEXEC.BAT and batch files in general.

The Tree Structure of Directories and Files

Files are collections of information. such as applications or documents
you create using applications. Directories are groups of files.

When you first start up your Atari PC3 using MS-DOS Disk 1, a root
.directory already exists which contains most of the MS-DOS commands.
The new directories you create are branches of the root directory. Once
a director� exists. you can create other directories within it.

The following table illustrates how a disk could be organized. It shows the
branching of directories within the root directory. leading to files and groups
of files.

A Tree Structure of Directories and Files

Root Directory

I
Directory

I
Directory

I
File File File Directory Directory

I
File
r-1--i
File File

25
Filenames
Files and directories are identified by their filenames. When you create
a file or directory. you must name it in order to save it and to list and
identify it later. Filenames are used along with commands to send instruc­
tions to MS-DOS.
A filename has two parts: the name and the extension.
SAMPLE.EXE
I _extension (optional; up to three characters)

name (mandatory; up to eight characters)

A name can have up to eight characters (letters. symbols. or numbers).

An extension is optional and can have up to three characters. (Direc­
tories do not usually have extensions.) A period always divides the
extension from the name. The following characters CANNOT be used
in a name or extension:
."/\[]:I<> +=:.•?
In addition. the names and extensions listed below are reserved by
MS-DOS for special purposes and can only be used for those purposes:
Names Extensions
AUX LPT1 .APP
COM1 LPT2 .BAT
COM2 LPT3 .COM
COM3 NUL .EXE
CON PAN .SYS

Names can be clues to the specific information in the file. such as TAXES
for tax information. or TAXES85. TAXES86. TAXES87 for a series of tax
information files. Extensions often indicate the type of a file. For example .
.TXT may indicate a document file created with a word processor.

26
In many cases you can specify a set of filenames by using two special
characters called wildcards: the asterisk(*) and the question mark(?).
Wildcards are used when you want to perform the same operation. such
as copying or deleting, on a group of files.
An asterisk in a filename stands for all characters and combinations of
characters. and can replace an entire name or extension. For example.
the wildcard designation
••
means all filenames. A filename can often have an asterisk as the name
while spelling out the extension. For example.
•.DOC

means all filenames with the .DOC extension. such as

LETT�R.DOC
. ATARI.DOC
MOM.DOC

but not
FRANCE.TXT

The asterisk must be the last character in the name or extension. For
example,
TAX*.BAS

is valid. but
T*X.BAS

is not.

27
The question mark in a filename stands for all single characters. For
example,
MOM?.LET

means all files that begin with MOM. have any character in the fourth
position of the name. and have the extension .LET. such as
MOM1.LET
MOM4.LET
MOMZ.LET

but not
-JACK.LET
MOM33.LET
MOM1.DOC

Note: Not all commands or programs can accept filenames specified

with wildcardf For more information, see the MS-DOS User's Reference
or the documentation supplied with your application.

Changing the Drive Designation

Sometimes you'll need to change the drive designation in the MS-DOS
command line, depending on the drive you want to access.
If you have a one-drive system. that drive can act as both drive A and
drive B. To change the drive designation. type the following at the -A>
prompt:
B: [Enter]

MS-DOS responds by asking you to "Insert a new disk for drive B: and
strike Enter when ready." Replace the disk in drive A with the one you
want to use for drive B and press [Enter]. The MS-DOS prompt is redis­
played as B>.

28
To restore drive A as the working drive. type
A: [Enter]

at the prompt.
Swap disks when MS-DOS asks you to. then press [Enter]. The MS-DOS
prompt reappears as A>.
If you have a multi-drive system. you can make any drive on your system
the working drive. At the MS-DOS prompt, type the name of the drive
followed by a colon. Then press [Enter]. For example. to set drive C as
the working drive. type
C: [Enter]

The MS-DOS prompt is redisplayed as C >.

If you try to set a nonexistent drive as the working drive. you'll get an
error message.

Atari PC3 Special Features

SETTING THE REAL-TIME CLOCK
A clock battery in your system runs a real-time clock that keeps the cor­
rect time even when your system is switched off. Once the clock is set.
you can skip the MS-DOS date and time prompts when you start up your
system. To set the clock, start your system and enter the correct date
and time when the prompts appear.

29
If your system is already started. you can get the date prompt by typing
DATE [Enter]

and the time prompt by typing

TIME [Enter]

Then type
RTC [Enter]

The RTC utility sets the real-time clock to the current MS-DOS time. To
reset the clock. follow the same procedure.

Note: The lithium battery pack inside the Atari PC3 can be replaced
when it runs down. Buy a fresh battery pack of the same type. Then
remove the cover from the Atari PC3 (see Appendix e), disconnect the
battery wire. and detach the old battery pack from its Velcro strip. Mount
the new battery pack on the same strip and reconnect the battery wire.

CHANGING SYSTEM SPEED

The Atari PC3 can process information in either PC mode or turbo mode.
PC mode runs at 4.77 MHz: turbo mode runs at 8.0 MHz. In turbo mode,
the Atari PC3 performs operations such as arithmetic calculation. graph­
ics generation, and saving and retrieving information more quickly.

When switched on. the Atari PC3 automatically runs in turbo mode
unless you've installed a numeric data processor (8087 chip). When
turbo mode is on. its indicator light (labeled "CPU") on the front of the
computer is lit.

If you have installed a numeric data processor. the Atari PC3 defaults
to standard PC mode when switched on. If your 8087 chip is rated at
5 MHz. you must stay in PC mode. If your 8087 chip is rated at 8 MHz
or faster (8087-2 or 8087-1), you can enable turbo mode after switch­
ing on your Atari PC3.

30
GEM Desktop, GEM Write. and GEM Paint (as well as many other pro­
grams) can run in turbo mode. Other programs, such as games or copy­
protected software, r:nay run only in PC mode. Some applications will
require a specific mode; other applications will let you choose the mode
you prefer. In those cases. you may have to experiment to find which
mode works best with a particular application.

To enable turbo mode, type the command

TURBO ON [Enter]

or use the key combination

[Ctrl] [Alt] (1]

or

[ Ctrl] [Alt] [keypad +]

To disable the mode, type the command

TURBO OFF [Enter]

or use the key combination

[Ctrl] [Alt] [2]

or

[Ctrl] [Alt] [keypad -]

If you've installed a fast (8 MHz or faster) numeric data processor in your

PC3, you can run turbo mode automatically when you start up your sys­
tem by adding the command TURBO ON to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

31
SELECTING MONITOR DISPLAY MODES

Your Atari PC3 includes a video display subsystem and video display
commands that let you select a screen resolution and colors (display
modes) according to your monitor type and software. Generally, modes
with higher resolution offer fewer colors. and modes with lower resolution
offer more color selections.

To set your display mode. first determine what monitor type (color, mono­
chrome. or enhanced display) you have connected to your system. Then
refer to Monitor Display Mode Commands in Chapter 3 for information on
display modes allowed by each monitor type and the screen resolution
and colors available with each mode.

Wben selecting software to run on your Atari PC3, check whether the
program can be operated in a display mode available to you. For exam­
ple, some programs can operate in EGA mode only,.so you won't be able
to use them with an MDA-type monochrome monitor.

Note: The Afari PCM 124 monitor is an enhanced display (EGA) monitor
that you can use with all PC3 display modes.

SETTING THE KEY CLICK FEATURE

The Atari PC3's key click feature provides an audible response (key click)
as you type. To turn on the feature. type the command

CLICK ON [Enter]

or use the key combination

[Ctrl] [Alt] [<]

To turn off key click. type the command

CLICK OFF [Enter]

'·
or use the key combination

[Ctrl] [Alt] [>]

32
INSTALLING THE MOUSE FOR USE
WITH NON-GEM PROGRAMS

Installing a mouse driver file (MOUSE.COM or MOUSE.SYS) lets you

use the mouse in other applications besides GEM Desktop. To install the
mouse. insert your GEM Startup disk in your working drive and type the
command

MOUSE [Enter]

You can also install the mouse by copying the MOUSE. COM file to your
startup disk. Then enter the command MOUSE in your AUTOEXEC.BAT
file or enter DEVICE= MOUSE.SYS in your CONFIG.SYS file.

33
CHAPTER3
INTRODUCTION TO MS-DOS COMMANDS

Commands
Commands are instructions to MS-DOS. They are typed next to the sys­
tem prompt and activated by pressing [Enter]. (Typing a command and
pressing [Enter] is called entering the command.) Commands can be
entered in uppercase or lowercase letters and must be spelled correctly.
The later sections of this chapter describe the most often used MS-DOS
commands. You can practice with the examples or use this chapter as a
reference for specific commands. To practice. make sure you have a
copy of MS-DOS Disk 1 in drive A. and that it is not write-protected. The
A> prompt should be displayed on screen and you should be in the root
directory of the disk. If you're not sure you're in the root directory. enter
CD\

This command puts you in the root directory. (A backslash alone desig­
nates the root directory.)
Note: For complete information on MS-DOS commands. see the
MS-DOS User's Reference.

PARAMETERS
Some commands are entered alone. Other commands are entered with
further instructions. called parameters. which are either optional or
required in order to complete the command.

35
Pathnames

Parameters can tell MS-DOS where to find information by directing it to

particular drives, directories. and files. When a drive. directories. and
filename are included as parameters, they are listed in a specific order
and separated from each other by backslashes(\). The drive is listed
first, followed by the directory or directories. The filename is always
listed last. This type of listing is called a pathname. For example,
A:\MAILBAG\JUL Y87\LETTER. TXT

is a pathname. A: means the disk in drive A; the first backslash desig­

nates the root directory; MAILBAG is a directory in the root directory;
JUL Y87 is a directory in MAILBAG; and LETTER.TXT is a file in JUL Y87.
All items in the pathname are separated from each other by backslashes.
Pathnames can be either absolute or relative. Absolute pathnames begin
at the root directory with a backslash. For example.
'\
\ADS\RADIO\WKEND. TXT

specifies the pathname from the root directory(in the working drive)
through two directories to the filename. A relative pathname begins with
a directory name or filename within the current directory in the specified
drive. For example, if you are in the directory ADS, then the pathname
RADIO\WKEND. TXT

is a relative pathname referring to the file WKEND.TXT in the directory

RADIO in your current directory ADS.

In a pathname. a period(.) can indicate the current directory, and two

periods(..) can indicate the parent directory of the current directory. The
periods offer a useful shorthand when you want to return to the parent
directory and branch off in another direction. For example, the parent
directory might be named ADS. and it might hold two directories named
RADIO and TV. If you're in the RADIO directory, you can move to the TV
directory by entering
.. \TV

36
Switch Parameters

Certain special parameters. called switch parameters or switches. control

how MS-DOS performs the command. Switch parameters always begin
with a forward slash(/). For example. when the DIR command(which
lists the files in a directory) is entered with its switch parameter /w. the
screen output is displayed in a wide format(five columns of information)
instead of the default narrow format(one column of information).

COMMAND SYNTAX
The syntax of each command tells you what parameters and switches
can be used with the command and whether or not they are required.
Each command description in this chapter shows the command's syntax
including its most often used switches.
Certain characters are used in the command syntax descriptions to sep­
arate and describe the parameters. These characters are indicators only
and are not typed with the parameter. The characters and their uses in
syntax description are listed below:
Character Name Use
[1 Square brackets Indicates optional parameters.
<> Angle brackets Indicates needed information.
Ellipsis Indicates an item can be repeated.

An example of syntax follows. It shows the syntax for the command DIR
and gives an explanation of its parameters:
Syntax: DIR [<drive:>] [<pathname>] [/p] [/w]
Example: DIR A:\MAILBAG\JULY87/p/w

Parameter Explanation
[<drive:>] The square brackets indicate that the drive parameter is optional.
Use ii only if you want to access a drive other than the working
drive (given in the MS-DOS prompt). The angle brackets indicate
that you must enter a valid drive designation (a drive letter fol­
lowed by a colon, such as A:, 8:, or C:).

37
 Parameter Explanation
[<pathname>J The square brackets indicate that the pathname parameter is
optional. Use it to list directories and filenames. Items listed in
the pathname must be separated by backslashes (\).

[/p] The /p (pause) switch is optional. It tells MS-DOS to display the

directory one screenlul at a time, pausing between displays. If
the switch is omitted and the directory is longer than one screen­
lul, it will scroll up off-screen as it is displayed.

[/w] The /w (wide) switch is optional. It tells MS-DOS to display the

directory in a five-column format, rather than the default format
of one column.

Follow these guidelines for ent'ering commands and parameters correctly:

• Include all required punctuation characters. Drive letters must be fol­

lowed by a colon(for example, A:), and a backslash(\) must separate
all items in a pathname from each other.

• Commands and parameters can be entered in any combination of

uppercase and lowercase letters. For example, diR/P is just as valid
as DIR/p.

• A space must always separate the command from the drive parameter.
DIR B: is valid; DIRB: is not.

• A space between the command and any parameter other than the drive
parameter is optional. For example, DIR/p and DIR /p are both valid.

·-Spaces between a series of parameters are optional. For example.

DIR/w/p and DIR /w /p are both valid.

• The order of switches is usually not important. For example, DIR/w/p

and DIR/p/w are both valid.

• A command and its parameters together can have a maximum of 126

characters and spaces.

38
EDITING COMMANDS
To edit a command line before pressing [Enter]. use the[<--] ([Back­
space]) key to erase characters to the left of the cursor. then retype. To
erase the entire command, press [Esc].

If you enter a misspelled command or a command with incorrect syntax.

MS-DOS displays a message telling you that it is unable to interpret the
command. The usual solution is to re-enter the command (although you
can also edit it with the MS-DOS editing keys described in the MS-DOS
User's Reference).

Preparing Floppy Disks

FORMAT
The FORM('. T command prepares a new disk to receive information by
dividing it into the tracks and sectors where information will be stored. At
the sa.me time, it can optionally copy the MS-DOS system files to the
newly formatted disk so you can use it as your startup disk.

Warning: FORMAT erases all data on a disk. If the disk you are about
to format contains files you want to save. use the COPY command to
copy them to another disk before proceeding.
Syntax: FORMAT <drive:> [/v] [/s]
Example: FORMAT A:/v/s

The switch parameter /v (volume name) lets you enter a name for the
disk. The switch parameter /s (system files) copies the system files to
the newly formatted disk so you can use it as your startup disk.

To format a disk and copy the system files to it. follow these steps:

1. With MS-DOS Disk 1 in drive A. switch on your system as explained

in Chapter 1. At the MS-DOS prompt, enter
FORMAT A:/s

39
2. When prompted. remove the startup disk and insert the disk to be
formatted. Press [Enter].

3. MS-DOS displays its progress as it formats the disk. tells you when
formatting is complete. and then writes the system files to the disk.

4. When copying is complete, MS-DOS displays the amount of storage

available on the disk plus any space used _by system files or areas that
were found to be defective (and mapped out of the available space).
Then MS-DOS asks if you want to format another disk. Enter [YJ to
format another disk. or [NJ to return to the system prompt.

Note: When used with double-sided drives available for the Atari PC2.
FORMAT will automatically format disks as double-sided.

You can use FORMAT to erase an entire disk all at once rather than
individually erasing each item on the disk with the DEL and RMDIR
commands.

Copying Disks
DISK COPY
The DISKCOPY command copies the entire contents of one disk (the·
source disk) to another disk (the target disk). If the target disk has not
been formatted. DISKCOPY formats it before copying.
Syntax: DISKCOPY [<source drive:>) [<target drive:>)
Example: DISKCOPY A: B:

Warning: DISKCOPY erases all information previously recorded on the

target disk. If the target disk contains files you want to keep,- copy them
(using COPY) to another disk before using DISKCOPY.

40
To copy disks with DISKCOPY. follow these steps:
1. Insert the source disk (the disk to be copied) into drive A. Have a tar­
get disk (the disk to be copied to) ready for each disk you're going to
copy. Do not write-protect the disks.
2. If you have one drive, enter
DISKCOPY

If you have two drives. enter

DISKCOPY A: 8:

3. MS-DOS will ask for the source disk. Leave the disk to be copied in
the drive and press any key.
4. Next. MS-DOS will ask for the target disk. If you have one drive.
remove the source disk and replace it with the target disk. then
press an'y key. You may be asked to swap the source and target
disks several times.
If you have two drives, insert the target disk into drive B and press
any key.
5. When formatting and copying are complete. MS-DOS will ask if you
want to copy another disk. If you do. press [YJ. When MS-DOS asks
for the source disk. remove the disk from drive A. replace it with the
next disk you want to copy. and press any key. Then repeat step 4.
If you do not want to copy another disk. press [NJ.
Note: The target disk must have the same (or larger) storage capacity as
the source disk in order for you to successfully copy data from disk to
disk using DISKCOPY.

41
Copying Files
COPY
The COPY command lets you copy files from one directory to another on
the same disk or from a source disk to a target disk.

Copying a File to a Directory

You can use COPY to duplicate a file from the root directory to an exist­
ing directory on the same disk.
Syntax: COPY <pathname> <directory>
COPY <pathname> <pathname>
Example: COPY \LETTER.TXT MAILBAG

For examRle. you might have a directory named MAILBAG on the disk in
your working drive. To copy the file LETTER.TXT from the root directory
to the MAILBAG directory, enter:
COPY \LETTER. TXT MAILBAG

Notice that the source and destination pathnames must be separated by

a space. If no destination pathname is specified. the current directory is
assumed.

To copy a group of files at once. use wildcards in the source pathname

(for example, L*.TXT).

Copying Files from Disk to Disk

You can use COPY to copy files from a source disk to a target disk.
Syntax: COPY <drive:> <pathname> <drive:> [<pathname>]
Example: COPY A:LETTER.TXT 8:\LEGAL

42
To copy the file LETTER.TXT from one disk to the root directory of
another disk. follow the steps in one of the two next sections. One-Drive
System and Multi-Drive System.

ONE-DRIVE SYSTEM

1. If you have one drive. make sure the source disk (the disk containing
the file) is in the drive. Enter
COPY A:LETTER. TXT B:

2. When MS-DOS asks you for disk B. remove the source disk and insert
a formatted target 1sk (the disk you want to copy the file to) into the
drive. Then press any key. You may be asked to swap the source and
target disks several times during copying.

MULTl-DRIVE SYSTEM

1. If you have more than one drive. insert the source disk (the disk con­
taining the file) into drive A. Insert the target disk (the disk you want to
copy the file to) into drive B.

2. Enter
COPY A:LETTER. TXT B:

When copying is finished, MS-DOS tells you how many files were copied.

To copy a group of files at once. use wildcards in the source pathname

(for example. L *.TXT) and specify a destination pathname. (If no destina­
tion pathname is specified, the current directory is assumed.)

43
Viewing, Renaming, and Erasing Files
TY.PE

The TYPE command displays file contents for you to review. You cannot
edit a file displayed with the TYPE command.
Syntax: TYPE <pathname>
Example: TYPE LETTER.TXT

Entering the example given displays the file LETTER.TXT in the root
directory of the working drive.

When you use TYPE to display a file larger than one screen, the file will
scroll up as it is displayed. To freeze a screen. press [Ctrl] [Num Lock] or
[Ctrl] [S]. Press [Space Bar] to resume the display.

REN (RENAME)

The REN command changes the name of one or more files.

Syntax: REN <pathname> <new filename>
Example: REN LETTER.TXT RESUME.DOC

The example changes the filename LETTER.TXT to RESUME.DOC.

Notice that the pathname and new filename parameters must be
separated by a space.

You cannot rename a file with a filename that already exists in the same
directory. If you try to do so. MS-DOS tells you that a file with that file­
name already exists.

44
To rename a group of files at once. use wildcards in the pathname and
new filename. For example. to rename
TAXTEXT.85
TAXTEXT.86
TAXTEXT.87

to
IRSTEXT.85
IRSTEXT.86
IRSTEXT.87

enter
REN TAXTEXT.* IRS*.*

Note: REN does not rename directories. If you want a directory to have
a new name. you can create a new directory and copy files from the old
directory to 1t. Then erase the old directory and its contents.

DEL (DELETE) AND ERASE

The DEL and ERASE commands erase one or more files. You can use
either command: they both work in the same way. Use these commands
carefully. Once you erase a file. you cannot restore it.
Syntax: DEL <pathname>
ERASE <pathname>
Example: DEL \RESUME.TXT
ERASE \RESUME.TXT

Entering either of the examples given erases the file RESUME.TXT from
the root directory.
To delete a group of files at once. use wildcards in the pathname (for
example. RESUME.*).

45
Working with Directories
DIR (DIRECTORY)
The DIR command displays a list of some or all files in a directory.
Syntax: DIR [<pathname>] [/p] [/w]
Example: DIR /p/w

To display all files in the current directory one screenful at a time, enter
DIR/p

The first screenful will look something like this:

Directory of A:/
ANSI SYS 1651 6-21-87 12:00p
COMMAND COM 237916 6-21-87 12:00p

RESTORE COM 6012 6-21-87 12:00p

Strike a key when ready...

Press any key to view the next screenful.

To see a wide (five column) list of all files with the .COM extension in the
root directory of the working drive, enter
DIR \*.COM/w

The files displayed will be arranged in five columns across the screen.

46
MKDIR (MAKE DIRECTORY)
The MKDIR command is used to make and name new directories and to
create directories within directories.
Directory names can have up to eight characters and usually do not have
extensions. (See Filenames in Chapter 2 for rules on naming directories.)
Syntax: MKDIR [<pathname>] <directory name>

Example: MKDIR \MAILBAG\ADDRESS

Follow these steps:

1. Create a directory named MAILBAG by entering
MKDIR MAILBAG

2. Create � directory named ADDRESS in MAILBAG by entering

MKDIR \MAILBAG\ADDRESS

Note: MD can be used in place of MKDIR. For example: MD MAILBAG.

CHOIR (CHANGE DIRECTORY)

The CHOIR command changes the current directory. It can also be used
to display the current directory. Each drive in the system can have a
different current directory.
Syntax: CHOIR <pathname>
Example: CHOIR \MAILBAG

The example given accesses the MAILBAG directory in the working drive
and makes it the current directory.

47
To display the name of the current directory. enter the command followed
by the working drive. For example:

CHOIR A:

Note: CD can be used in place of CHOIR. For example: CD\MAILBAG.

RMDIR (REMOVE DIRECTORY)

The RMDIR command removes a directory from the disk. Removing a

directory erases it completely.
Syntax: RMDIR <pathname>
Example: RMDIR \MAILBAG\ADDRESS

The example given will erase the ADDRESS directory from MAILBAG.

You must erase all files (with DEL or ERASE) from a directory before you
can erase the directory. This protects you from accidentally erasing files
you want to keep. To preserve files. copy them (with COPY) to another
directory before erasing them. You cannot remove a directory while it is
the current directory.

Note: RD can be used in place of RMDIR. For example: RD\MAILBAG.

TREE

The TREE command displays the pathnames of all directories on the

specified disk. Use TREE to see how a disk is organized.
Syntax: TREE [/1)
Example: TREE/I

The switch parameter /f (file) asks MS-DOS to display a list of all files on
the working disk.

Change to the root directory (enter CD\) and enter the example given to
display all directories on the disk and the files they contain.

48
PATH
The PATH command tells MS-DOS where to look for command files or
executable (program) files (files with the .COM or .EXE extensions) that
are not in your current directory.
Syntax: PATH [<drive:>] [<pathname>];[<drive:>] [<pathname>];[...]
Example: PATH A:\;A:\COMMANDS

Entering the example given tells MS-DOS to look for command and pro­
gram files in the root directory and COMMANDS directory of the disk in
drive A. Notice that search parameters must be separated from each
other by a semicolon (;).
To search the root directory of the current disk. enter
PATH\

To search\the root directory of a specific disk. add the drive parameter to

the PATH command. For example. if you're currently in drive A. entering
PATH B:\

searches the root directory of the disk in drive B.

You can add the PATH command to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. For
example. if you have a directory named WORDPROC that contains
word-processing applications. adding PATH \WORDPROC to your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file lets you enter commands in WORDPROC from
any directory.
To delete any parameters previously set with PATH. enter
PATH;

49
Checking Disks, Directories, and Files
CHKDSK (CHECK DISK)
The CHKDSK command reports the total amount of system memory,
how disk space is currently allocated, and which files. if any. are dam­
aged or fragmented.
Syntax: CHKDSK [<drive:>] [<pathname>] [/I] [/v]
Example: CHKDSK B:/1/v

The switch parameter /f (fix) tells MS-DOS to correct any errors detected
by CHKDSK. The switch parameter /v (view) tells MS-DOS to display the
filenames of the files it checks.
Entering the example given checks the disk in drive 8. A disk check
report looks something like this:
Volume MS-OOSDISK created Jan 16, 1988 2:47p
362496 bytes total disk space
45056 bytes in 3 hidden files
2048 bytes in 2 directories
304128 bytes in 37 user files
11264 bytes available on disk
655360 bytes total memory
610816 bytes free

When CHKDSK reports that files are fragmented, it means that the files
are stored in different. noncontiguous sectors of the disk. There's nothing
wrong with the files: it only takes MS-DOS somewhat longer to find and
read them. You can place files in contiguous sectors by copying them to
a blank, newly formatted disk.
You should correct any errors CHKDSK reports. (Refer to the MS-DOS
User's Reference for information on CHKDSK error messages.) Continu­
ing to work after CHKDSK reports bad sectors or other errors could make
your disk errors worse.

50
It's a good idea to add CHKDSK/f to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file in order
to avoid working on damaged disks. CHKDSK will give you a system
status report when you start up your system. If errors are reported. copy
your usable disk contents to a new disk and reformat the damaged disk.

Printing Files
PRINT
The PRINT command sends files to a printer. To use this command,
make sure you have a printer connected to your system and ready to
print.
Syntax: PRINT <pathname> [/I]
Example: PRINT \LETTER. TXT

Entering the example given prints the file LETTER.TXT in the root direc­
tory. You can specify up to ten files to print with one PRINT command by
using wildcards in the pathname.
PRINT stores the file or files to be printed in a print queue buffer so you
can continue working while printing is underway.
Once printing begins. you can stop it at any time by re-entering the com­
mand and adding the switch parameter It (terminate). Doing this also
empties the print queue buffer. For example. entering
PRINT LETTER.TXT/1

stops printing the file LETTER.TXT. To resume printing, re-enter the

PRINT command and your parameters. Printing begins from the top of
the file.

The first time you use the PRINT command after starting up your system.
MS-DOS asks you for the name of the list device (printer). If you have a
parallel printer. press [Enter] to accept PAN as the list device. If you have
a serial printer. enter COM as the list device.

51
MODE
The MODE command is used to tell MS-DOS whether you have a par­
allel or serial printer. It can also be used to set the parameters for a serial
communications device (modem).
Syntax: MODE <device identifier> <device port number:>
Example: MODE LPT1:
MODE COMl:9600,n,8, 1

Parallel printers are identified as LPT; serial devices are identified as

COM. MODE must be correctly set in order for your computer to be able
to use your printer.

If you are not using a standard parallel printer. add the MODE command
and the correct parameter to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

Note: For information on using MODE for a modem and other param­
eters, refer to the MS-DOS User's Reference.

Monitor Display Mode Commands

Your Atari PC2 includes a graphics display subsystem that emulates the
modes of a variety of other graphics display cards. These modes corre­
spond to monochrome (MDA), color (CGA), or enhanced color monitors
and different screen resolutions. Screen resolution is measured in pixels,
or screen dots. The more pixels there are in your screen resolution. the
crisper the images are in your screen display.

Selecting the correct display mode command lets you run applications
that were developed for a particular mode. If you are unsure which mode
is appropriate for your application. check the manual supplied with the
software. The monitor display mode commands are supplied on MS-DOS
Disks 1 and 2.

52
The modes you can use are determined by your monitor type and the
software you will be using. For example, if you have an EGA monitor and
software developed for EGA. you will want to use EGA mode for best
performance. However. to use some older software packages on your
EGA monitor. you may have to select CGA or MDA mode.
Find your monitor and its available commands in the following table:
Monitor Available Commands
Atari EGA EGA.COM, EGAM.COM, CGA.COM, HGC.COM, MDA.COM,
(SMART On) PALETTE.COM, HCOLOR.COM, CURSOR.COM
Atari EGA EGA.COM, CGA.COM, PALETTE.COM, CURSOR.COM
(SMART Off)
Color CGA.COM, PALETTE.COM, CURSOR.COM
Monochrome MDA.COM, EGAM.COM, HGC.COM, CURSOR.COM

Warning:_ Make sure the switches on the back panel of the computer are
set correctly for your monitor type as described in Chapter 1. If you have
installed a monochrome display adapter card. the switches should be set
to SMART Off. The HGC, MDA. and HCOLOR utilities then become
meaningless.
You can enter any of the following mode commands that are appropriate
for your monitor configuration:
Command Screen Resolution
EGA.COM 640 pixels x 350 lines x 16 selected colors from a palette of 64.
(Requires EGA monitor.)
EGAM.COM 80 characters x 25 lines in text-only mode compatible with EGA
with monochrome display monitor.

53
 Command Screen Resolution
CGA.COM 640 pixels x 200 lines in monochrome or 320 pixels x 200 lines
x 4 colors automatically selected by your applications program.
(Requires EGA or CGA display .)
MDA.COM 80 characters x 25 lines of monochrome text. (Requires EGA
monitor with SMART On or MDA monitor.)
HGC.COM 720 pixels x 348 lines in monochrome graphics mode; 80 characters
(9 x 14 pixels each) x 25 lines in monochrome text mode. (Requires
EGA monitor with SMART On or MDA monitor.)

You can change to EGA. CGA. or MDA mode by entering the mode
command name by itself. For example, to change to CGA mode, enter
CGA

To use HGC mode, enter

HGC FUI..L

This command provides two complete HGC graphics pages. (The com­
mand variation, HGC HALF. provides only one graphics page, leaving
more video memory space available for expansion boards.)
The Atari PC2 EGA subsystem has a mode save feature that lets it
remember the current configuration, even after you perform a warmstart
by pressing [Ctrl) [All] [Del]. This feature is very helpful when running self­
booting programs that are written for a mode other than the one the
monitor select switches are set for.

Note: While the mode save information survives a warmstart. it does

not survive switching the Atari PC2 off and on. When the computer is
switched on with the on/off switch, it reads the monitor select switches to
determine the initial display mode.
When your system is in EGA mode. you can use PALETTE.COM to
specify which 16 of the 64 colors you want to use. For a menu of colors
you can select. enter
PALETTE.COM

54
Use the [Up Arrow) and [Down Arrow) keys to move to the address of the
color you want. Use the number keys to assign a number ( 1 to 16) to the
color.

When you finish selecting colors. press [Esc). then respond to the
enable palette save prompt. Press [YJ to save the palette and keep it in
effect even when using software with another palette or doing a warm­
start with [Ctrl) [All) [Del). Press [NJ if you want the software you use to
keep its own palette and if you want the system default palette restored
when you restart the system.

If you already know the addresses of the colors you want. you can enter
them at the system prompt. For example. to select the first 16 colors and
save the palette. enter
PALETTE c1 c2 c3 c4 c5 c6 c7 c8 c9 c10 c11 c12 c13 c14 c15 c16 /s

Omit Is if you don't want to preserve the palette across warmstarts.

When in HGC mode on an EGA monitor. you can use HCOLOR.COM to

select a shade for the screen dot color. Enter

HCOLOR

Use [Pg Up) and [Pg On) to view the selections. Enter the number of the
shade you want. Press [EscJ to save the change and exit. or [Q] to quit
without saving the change.

A Few Other Useful Commands

CURSOR
The CURSOR command lets you set a blinking or nonblinking cursor at
the system prompt.
Syntax: CURSOR <parameter>
Example: CURSOR NOBLINK

55
When you turn on your system. the cursor will appear as a blinking bar.
If you'd like a nonblinking cursor. enter the example given.
Jo restore the blink. enter
CURSOR BLINK

PROMPT

The PROMPT command may be used to add the date. time. current
directory. and other information to the system prompt.
Syntax: PROMPT [$DJ [$T] [$NJ [$P] [$_]
Example: PROMPT $D$_$T$_$N$P

In the PROMPT syntax. D stands for date. T for time. N for the working
drive. P for the current directory, and_ for a line break. Each parameter
i.s preceded.by the dollar sign ($).
Entering the example given creates a three-line prompt that displays the
date. time. working drive. and current directory.
You can add the PROMPT command and its parameters to your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file so it will automatically be in effect when you
start up your system.

CLS (CLEAR SCREEN)

The CLS command clears the screen. then displays the system prompt.
Syntax: CLS

56
 Common MS-DOS Error Messages
Sometimes MS-DOS displays an error message when you start up your
system or enter a command. There's usually no reason to be alarmed.
In most cases. you'll simply need to load the proper disk or re-enter the
· command.

The following is an alphabetical list of common error messages with an

explanation of what they mean and a description of the action you should
take when you see them. (For a complete list of error messages. see the
.MS-DOS User's Reference.)

<TYPE> <ACTION> DRIVE <X>

ABORT, IGNORE, RETRY

MS-DOS is unable to read or write to the specified drive because of

some problem. The problem (type), whether it occurred while the drive
was trying. to read or write (action). and the drive letter (x) are specified in
the first line of the message.

The most common reasons for this message are that you are specifying
a drive that isn't loaded with a disk or a drive that doesn't exist. Some­
times the problem type suggests what action to take. (For example.
"Write-protect error" means you should remove the write-protection from
the disk.) Remedy the problem and then respond by entering [R]. If you
like. you can enter [AJ to stop the command and return to the system
prompt.

BAD COMMAND OR FILENAME

You entered a command or filename that MS-DOS cannot recognize. If

you're entering an external command (a command that is not built into
the MS-DOS COMMAND. COM command interpreter) or feel certain the
file exists, run the DIR command to make sure it's on the working disk (or
in your execution PATH). Also, make sure the command or filename is
· spelled correctly before you enter it.

57
BAD OR MISSING COMMAND INTERPRETER

MS-DOS could not find the COMMAND.COM file it needs in order to start
up. Either COMMAND.COM is missing or damaged or a startup disk is
not loaded. Make sure a valid startup disk is loaded in drive A before you
s�itch on your system.

BAD PARTITION TABLE

There is no MS-DOS partition on the hard disk. Create an MS-DOS

partition by running option 1 on the FDISK menu as described in
Appendix D and in the MS-DOS User's Reference.

ERROR READING/WRITING PARTITION TABLE

The FORMAT command could not read or write the partition table
created when you ran FDISK. Run option 1 of FDISK again.

FILE NOT FOUND

See the explanation for "Bad command or filename."

INSERT DISK CONTAINING COMMAND.COM IN DRIVE A:

AND STRIKE ANY KEY WHEN READY

This message may appear when you exit a program. It tells you that
MS-DOS couldn't find COMMAND.COM. Reload COMMAND.COM by
following the instructions in the message.

INTERNAL STACK ERROR

Enter the following line in the CONFIG.SYS file:

STACKS= 16, 128

58
INVAUD DRIVE SPECIFICATION

The drive you specified is not recognized by MS-DOS. Make sure all
drives on your system are correctly installed and the cables secure. then
re-enter the drive specification.

INVALID NUMBER OF PARAMETERS

You specified an incorrect number of parameters. Check the command

syntax and re-enter the command.

INVALID PARAMETER

You entered an incorrect parameter with the command. Check the

command syntax and re-enter the command.

INVALID PATH OR FILENAME

You specified a pathname or filename that does not exist on the current
disk. Make sure the pathname or filename exists and is spelled correctly.

NO FIXED DISK INSTALLED

Your hard disk drive cables are improperly attached or the disk needs to
be low-level formatted. Check your cable connections. If this message
appears again. low-level format the disk as described Appendix D or in
your hard disk manual (or contact your hard disk dealer tor·assistance).

NON-SYSTEM DISK OR DISK ERROR

REPLACE AND STRIKE ANY KEY WHEN READY

Either the startup drive does not contain a disk. or the startup disk does
not contain the system fil es. Make sure the proper disk is loaded and
press any key to continue.

59
SYNTAX ERROR

You incorrectly entered a command. Check the command syntax and

re-enter the command.

TRACK n BAD--DISK UNUSABLE

The disk media at track n (where n is the number of the track) is defec­
tive and the disk cannot be formatted. Contact your hard disk dealer.

60
APPENDIX A
SYSTEM MAINTENANCE

In Case of Problems
If you run into problems operating your Atari PC3, don't panic. Chances
are the difficulty is something you can easily remedy.

CHECK THESE FIRST

If your Atari PC3 just won't work--for instance. the power light won't come
on or the monitor screen has no display--check these areas:
Power Switches Check that the computer. monitor, and all peripherals
with power switches are switched on. and the brightness and contrast
controls on,your monitor are properly adjusted.
Cable Connections Test all cables to make sure they're correctly and
securely connected. Check the integrity of electrical outlets by plugging in
a working desk lamp or other appliance.
Keyboard and Mouse If either your keyboard or mouse doesn't
respond, it may be that it is not operational with the application you're
using. With GEM Desktop, the keyboard generally doesn't respond
except when you are naming items in a dialog box or using the mouse
control keys. When you're working at the MS-DOS command line or in
a program operated from the .keyboard. the mouse isn't operational.
Extra RAM After installing extra memory chips, check the amount of
RAM displayed during system initialization. If the total amount of RAM
(the standard 512 kilobytes plus the amount you installed) isn't shown.
switch off and disconnect your system and carefully reseat the RAM
chips. (For instructions, see Appendix e.)

61
Expansion Boards and Internal Drives If an expansion board or
internal drive isn't performing its intended function. switch off and discon­
nect your system. Remove the cover and make sure the board is firmly
seated in its connector and the internal drive's controller and power
cables are securely connected. (For instructions. see Appendix c.)
Real-Time Clock If the message "Real-Time Clock Error" appears
when you start your system. the clock chip may be improperly initialized.
Reset the clock with the ATC command and restart your system.
If the message "CMOS RAM Error" appears when you start your system.
either the battery pack needs to be replaced or a newly installed battery
pack is not yet recognized by the computer. Press [Fl) to continue. If the
message appears again. replace the battery pack. Remove the cover
from the Atari PC3 (see Appendix e), disconnect the battery wire. and
detach the old battery pack from its Velcro strip. Mount a fresh battery
pack of the same type on the strip and reconnect the battery wire.

HARDWARE PROBLEMS

If something goes wrong with your hardware. your Atari PC3 beeps dur­
ing system initialization and displays error codes. When this happens. try
to identify the problem using the tables in this section. Then correct the
problem by fallowing the suggestions in Check These First in this appen­
dix. If the problem persists. contact an authorized Atari service center.
Beeps Typical Problem

One short beep Normal operation; no problem

No beep, continuous beep, Power supply

or short repeating beeps

One long beep and one System board

short beep

One long beep and two Monitor cable, display, video subsystem
short beeps

One short beep and the Disk drive or floppy controller

drive busy light stays on

62
 Error Code Problem Area

010-019 Undetermined problem

020-030 Power supply
101-199 System board
201-203 Memory (RAM)
301-304 Keyboard
401-432 Monochrome video subsystem
501-548 Color monitor
601-626 Floppy disk drive or controller
700-799 Numeric data processor
901 Parallel printer connector
1101 Serial connector
1400 series Printer (general)
1700 series Hard disk subsystem
2400 series Enhanced graphics subsystem

IT JUST WON'T WORK

If you experience operating problems that you can't resolve, take your
Atari PC3 to an authorized Atari service center. For the location of the
nearest center, contact your Atari dealer or see customer Support at the
end of this manual.

Caring for Your Atari PC3 System

Follow the guidelines in this section to ensure continuing excellent
performance from your Atari PC3.

HARDWARE CARE

•Set up your system on a sturdy, level surface protected from dust.

grease. extreme temperatures. direct sunlight. moisture, and high
humidity.

• Avoid smoking near your system. Set coffee cups, soft drinks. and
other liquids at a safe distance to prevent spilling them on your system.
Don't let small items drop between the keys on the keyboard.

63
• Always switch off your computer and peripherals before connecting or
disconnecting components.

• When you switch off the computer. wait at least ten seconds before
switching it on again.

• Switch off your computer before cleaning it. Clean only the outside of
the components, using a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth. Do not use
cleansers. abrasives. or solvents.

• Touch the metal frame of your computer to ground yourself after

removing the cover and before installing chips, expansion boards.
or internal drives.

• To ship or store your system. repack it in the original packing materials.

Replace protective inserts in floppy disk drives and use a head par.king
program (if available) to park the heads on the hard disk.

'
FLOPPY DISK CARE

• Switch on your computer before inserting disks into the disk drives.
Remove the disks before switching off the computer.

• Insert and remove disks from the drive only when you're sure the drive's
busy light is off.

• Store your disks upright in their protective envelopes away from

extreme heat. moisture, direct sunlight, and sources of magnetism
(monitor. television. electric motor. telephone. and so on).

• Never touch a disk's magnetic media. Don't bend disks or use paper
clips on them.

64
APPENDIX B
INSTALLING EXTRA RAM AND
THE NUMERIC DATA PROCESSOR
Your Atari PC3 can accommodate extra RAM chips and a numeric data
processor. The extra RAM increases the system's memory to 640 kilo­
bytes and the numeric data processor speeds calculations. Many appli­
cations require extra RAM to run or are designed to take advantage of
a numeric data processor. You can obtain these chips from your Atari
dealer.

Installing these chips is done by removing the computer's cover and

inserting microchips on the motherboard. While the installation is not
difficult, you should take care to follow the instructions exactly.

The RAM s,ockets hold four 64 kilobyte x 4 dynamic RAM chips. The
chips (labeled 41464-15 or 41464-12) should be rated at a speed of
150 ns or higher. You should install all four chips. You can also install
any of the following Intel numeric data processors:
8087 (5 MHz)
8087�2 (8 MHz)
8087-1 (10 MHz)

Warning: If you install the 5 MHz numeric data processor. you will not be
able to use the Atari PC3's turbo mode.

The following steps describe how to install the chips.

Warning: If you perform any operation or modification to the inside of

your computer other than those described in this manual. Atari Corpo­
ration reserves the right to disclaim warranty for your Atari PC3 or any
other adversely affected component. Also. your Atari PC3 warranty does
not cover damage caused by hardware or software not manufactured by
Atari Corporation.

1. Be sure your computer is switched off. unplugged. and disconnected

from all other peripherals.

65
2. Remove the four computer cover screws (two on each side of the
computer). Then wiggle the cover to loosen it and pull it straight up
to take it off.

Warning: To avoid electrical shock, NEVER open the power supply

housing inside your Atari PC3.
3. Ground yourself by briefly touching the metal frame of the computer.
Doing this prevents static discharge that could damage the computer.
4. To ensure a good fit. press the pins on one side of a chip against a
flat surface to bend them slightly towards the center of the underside
of the chip. The pins should be at a 90-degree angle to the top of the
chip. Bend the pins on the other side of the chip in the same way.
Repeat for each chip yi,u are installing.

66
5. Find the correct socket in the illustration below for the chip or chips
you're installing. Hold the chip so its notch matches the notch on the
socket. Line up the pins on the chip with the holes in the socket and
gently push the chip into the socket. Be careful not to bend the pins.
(If you do bend the pins. gently remove the chip and carefully bend
the pins back into their original position. Then reinsert the chip.)
Repeat for each chip you're installing.

Chip Sockets
on the Motherboard

Expansion Slots

Numeric Data
Processor

Notches c:J D
�c:J
Iii'

D c::::J
c::::J
c::::J

67
6. If you installed a numeric data processor. locate the jumper next to
the 8087 chip. You must move this jumper to a different pin position
when you install the chip. Use your fingers or a tool such as needle­
nose pliers to remove the jumper and replace it in the position shown
below.
Jumper in Original Position Jumper in Position with 8087 Installed
1�3 1 lllllll!l 3

7. Replace the computer cover and reinstall all screws.

The Atari PC3 automatically tests the installed RAM during system initiali­
zation. After installing additional RAM. you should see the message
640 KB MEMORY GOOD

whenever you switch on the system with a coldstart. If you don't see
that message, carefully disassemble your system and make sure the
RAM chips are inserted correctly.

68
APPENDIX C
INSTALLING EXPANSION BOARDS
AND INTERNAL DRIVES
Adding optional expansion boards and internal drives to your Atari PC3
increases the functionality of your system and lets you customize it to
suit your needs. You can install optional devices yourself by following
the instructions in this appendix.
Warning: If you perform any operation or modification to the inside of
your computer other than those described in this manual. Atari Corpora­
tion reserves the right to disclaim warranty for your Atari PC3 or any
other adversely affected component. Your Atari PC3 warranty does not
cover damage caused by hardware or software not manufactured by
Atari Corporation.
Your Atari PC3 has five slots for full-size or half-size expansion boards.
You can add XT-compatible hard disk controller. network. modem. or
other boards in these slots. The system also has two drive bays for
floppy disk. hard disk. tape, removable data cartridge, or other PC XT­
compatible internal drives.
The Atari PC3 is equipped with a floppy drive controller that can be con­
nected to two drives (generally floppy disk drives. but some tape drives
also use the floppy disk controller). Hard disks and other types of drives
require separate controller boards.
Follow the instructions in this appendix to secure a board or internal drive
in the Atari PC3 and find the connectors and/or cables you'll need to
complete the installation. Use the instructions supplied with the device for
specific information on preparing the device and connecting cables. (The
instructions supplied with the device may assume a PC system built dif­
ferently from the Atari PC3.)
Note: When setting up internal options in your system. install the RAM
and 8087 chips BEFORE you install expansion boards. (See Appendix B
for instructions.) Full-size expansion boards cover the chip sockets and
must be removed in order to access them.

69
Selecting and Configuring an Expansion Board
The Atari PC3 includes on its motherboard many features that require
adapter or expansion boards on other PCs. These features (video sub­
system. floppy disk controller. and serial, parallel. and mouse interfaces)
use part of the 8088 processor's 1/0 address space and available inter­
rupts. Optional expansion boards for the Atari PC3 must be configured
so they don't conflict with these built-in controllers and interfaces.
Configuring a board involves selecting an 1/0 address and interrupt
channel with the board's jumpers and/or switches. (See the documen­
tation supplied by the manufacturer for information on locating and
changing jumpers and switches.) The 1/0 address is the storage location
the processor uses for the exchange of data between itself and the
board. The interrupt is the channel the board uses when it needs to
interrupt an operation in order to communicate with the processor.
Two peripherals cannot have the same 1/0 address. but interrupt chan­
nels can sometimes be shared, depending on your software. When
selecting an interrupt, keep in mind that when all the Atari PC3's con­
trollers and interfaces are employed, all available interrupts will be used.
To avoid the possibility of interrupt conflicts. select an unused interrupt
channel. For example, if you are not using the mouse and do not load its
driver (either MOUSE.COM or MOUSE.SYS). select interrupt 3 (IR03).
Interrupt 2 (IR02) is a good choice if you don't use EGA mode. If the
interrupt channel you select conflicts with another peripheral. the board
will not be able to communicate successfully with the processor.

70
The table below lists the Atari PC3's built-in controllers and interfaces
and their 1/0 addresses and interrupts. When selecting a board for your
computer. make sure it can be configured for an 1/0 address and inter­
rupt you are not using.
Interlace 1/0 Address Interrupt
Video subsystem 3CO - 3CF (in EGA mode) IR02
380 - 3BF (in MDA mode)
300 - 3DF (in CGA or EGA mode)
Mouse interface 23C - 23F IR03
Serial interface (COM 1) 3F8 - 3FF IR04
Hard disk controller 320 - 32F IR05
Floppy disk controller 3FO - 3F7 IR06
Parallel printer interface 378 - 37F IR07

Note: For information on configuring your expansion boards. see the

documentation supplied with the expansion board or contact the board's
manufacturer.

Installing an Expansion Board

The slot you choose for an expansion board depends on the particular
requirements of the board. If your board connects to a cable. choose a
slot that allows the cable to be connected easily and properly. If the
manufacturer recommends that you position the board for maximum
airflow. choose a slot next to a vacant slot (if one is available).

Follow these steps to install a board:

1. Switch off your computer system and unplug it from the electrical
outlet.

71
2. Remove the computer's cover as described in Appendix B. You will
see the interior of the computer.

Warning: To avoid electrical shock. NEVER open the power supply

housing inside your Atari PC3.

Expansion Slots

3. Ground yourself by briefly touchin g the metal frame of the computer.

Doing this p revents static discharge that could damage the computer.

4. Remove the slot cover screw and slide out the slot cover. Save the
screw for step 6.
Y -s1ot Cover Screw

�Slot Co,e1
�

72
5_ Holding the board by its sides. align the bracket side of the board with
the slot opening, and the opposite side of the board with the board
edge guide. Gently push the board down until the gold-striped con­
nector on the bottom is firmly seated in the board connector. You'll
feel a slight resistance as you push the board into place.

Full-Size Board

Board Connector

Board Edge Guide

6_ Secure the board by replacing the slot cover screw you removed in
step 4.

7 _ If you're installing a monochrome display adapter for use with an EGA

monitor. either disable SMART mode or select CGA mode. You can­
not have two of the same type video card installed in the system; how­
ever. the motherboard video card can be set to CGA, EGA. or MDA.

8_ Replace and secure the computer's cover. Plug the system's power
cable into an electrical outlet.

73
Installing an Internal Drive
Your Atari PC3 has two internal drive bays which accommodate both
5V4-inch and 3V2-inch floppy disk drives and hard disk drives. Drives can
go in either bay. though a hard disk drive should go in the top bay for
maximum airflow.

Note: If you're going to install a 3V2-inch floppy drive. you'll need an

accessory kit. See your Atari dealer for details.

Follow these steps to install an internal drive:

1. Switch off your computer system and unplug it from the electrical
outlet.

2. Remove the computer's cover as described in Appendix B.

3. To prevent static discharge that could damage the computer. ground

yourself by briefly touching the metal frame of the computer.

4. As necessary, remove the cover plate or drive from the bay you want
to use. To remove the cover plate. remove the cover plate screws and
pull off the plate. To remove a drive. follow the steps in the next
section. Removing an Internal Drive.

Note: If the top bay is occupied by a drive and you want to install a drive
in the bottom bay. remove the top drive to give yourself room to work.
When you finish installing the bottom drive. reinstall the top drive.

5. Position the drive in the bay and slide it partially into place.

6. Locate the floppy drive controller cable at the back of the drive bay. If
you are installing a drive that connects to a floppy drive controller: use
this cable. Attach the top connector to the top drive and the bottom
connector to the bottom drive.

If you are installing a drive that connects to its own controller board.
use the interface cable supplied with the controller board or drive.

74
7. Locate the power cable stemming from the power supply housing and
attach either of its connectors to your drive.

Installing an Internal Drive

Power Connectors

Floppy Drive Controller Cable

Power
/
Cable /- Top Connector

5 '.4 -Inch Internal

Floppy Drive

8. Slide the drive completely into the drive bay and secure it to the bay
with eight screws (four on each side, supplied by the manufacturer).
Note: A 3V2-inch hard disk can also be mounted on the internal frame of
your Atari PC3. For more information. contact your Atari dealer.

75
REMOVING AN INTERNAL DRIVE
Follow these steps to remove an internal drive from the drive bay:

1. Switch off and unplug your computer system.

2. Remove the computer's cover as described in Appendix e. To prevent
static discharge that could damage the computer, ground yourself by
briefly touching the metal frame of the computer.

3. Remove the eight screws (four on each side of the drive) that secure
the drive in the drive bay. Disconnect all cables at the back of the
drive.

4. Gently slide the drive out of the drive bay.

76
APPENDIX D
CONNECTING EXTERNAL
FLOPPY DRIVES
You can connect one or two external floppy disk drives to your Atari PC3.
These can be Atari PCF554 (5V4-inch) drives, Atari SF314 (3V2-inch)
drives. or one of each. Connecting additional drives streamlines data
storage and retrieval.

Connecting One External Drive

To connect one external (5V4-inch or 3V2-inch) drive, follow these steps:
1. Make sure both the computer and external drive are switched off. and
you've removed the protective insert from inside the drive. Plug the
drive's,interface cable into the port marked "Floppy Disk" on the back
of the computer. Then plug the cable into the port marked "In" on the
back of the drive.
2. Insert the r-0und plug on the drive's power adapter cable into the jack
labeled "Power" on the back of the drive. Then plug the cable into a
grounded electrical outlet.

Connecting One External Floppy Drive

Back of
5�-lnch Disk Drive

77
Connecting Two External Drives
It's possible to connect two external floppy disk drives to your Atari PC3.
The two drives can use the same disk size (5V4-inch or 3V2-inch). or
different disk sizes (one using 5V4-inch and one using 3V2-inch). If the
drives use different disk sizes. you must connect the 5 V4-inch drive to
the computer first. then connect the 3V2-inch drive to the 5V4-inch drive.
Follow these steps to connect the drives:
1. Make sure the computer and both external drives are switched off,
and you've removed the protective insert from inside the drives. Plug
a drive interface cable into the port marked "Floppy Drive" on the back
of the computer. Then plug the cable into the port marked "In" on the
back of the first drive. (If you are connecting two different drive types.
this will be the 5V4-inch drive.)
2. Plug a drive interface cable into the port marked "Out" on the back of
the first drive. then plug the cable into the port marked "In" on the
back of the second drive. (If you are connecting two different drive
types. this will be the 3V2-inch drive.)
3. For each drive. insert the round plug on a power adapter cable into
the jack marked "Power" on the back of the drive. Then plug the cable
into a grounded electrical outlet.
Note: The 5V4-inch and 3V2-inch drives use different types of power
adapters.
Connecting Two External Floppy Drives

�
Back of

' :i
Back of
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5 V.-lnch 3V2-lnch
I
�@ Disk Drive Disk Drive
/ l111111111111111SES:JI!!!) ...0
G�-�iJ �iiJ
JLJl_¢1
Power

1¢ Power
Adapter
Adapter

78
APPENDIX E
PREPARING AND WORKING
WITH A HARD DISK
If your Atari PC3 arrives equipped with a hard disk. you must prepare the
disk before you can use it to store data. Instructions for preparing the disk
are given in Preparing a Hard Disk in this appendix. If you have installed
another manufacturer's hard disk in your Atari PC3. follow the manufac­
turer's instructions to prepare your hard disk.
After preparing the hard disk. read Working with a Hard Disk in this ap­
pendix for information on organizing and protecting your hard disk data.

Preparing a Hard Disk

In order to' store information on a hard disk. you must prepare it with the
FDISK and FORMAT commands.

FDISK
The FDISK command creates a partition that identifies all or part of the
hard disk to the operating system. A partition is a storage area on disk
normally used to hold files created with a specific operating system. You
can have from one to four partitions on your hard disk.
If your system has an Adaptec hard disk controller. you can create sepa­
rate logical drives. Each drive can have a total of four partitions. If you
want to create logical drives. do so before running FDISK. (See Low­
Level Formatting in this appendix for more information.)

To use all of your hard disk storage for an MS-DOS partition. follow the
steps below to run FDISK. To create a smaller MS-DOS partition so you'll
have room for up to three other operating systems. see FDISK in your
MS-DOS User's Reference.

79
1. With the MS-DOS disk containing FDISK in drive A. start the program
by entering
FDISK

Warning: If the hard disk needs to be low-level formatted, the message

"No fixed disk installed" will appear when you attempt to run FDISK. See
Low-Level Formatting in this appendix for further instructions. When you
finish low-level formatting the disk, run FDISK again.
2. When the FDISK menu appears. press [Enter] to select the default
choice of 1. Create DOS Partition.
3. If the disk has already been partitioned. a message indicating this fact
appears. You can begin formatting the disk by running the FORMAT
command described in the following section, FORMAT.
If the disk has not yet been partitioned. a message appears asking if
you want to use the entire disk for the DOS partition. Press [Enter] to
respond "Yes."
4. When prompted to insert a DOS disk into drive A. make sure MS-DOS
Disk 1 is in drive A. then press any key. MS-DOS reboots and the
system prompt appears.

FORMAT

Like a floppy disk, a hard disk must be formatted before you can store
information on it. Use the FORMAT command to format each MS-DOS
partition on your hard disk.
Warning: Running the FORMAT command permanently erases all infor­
mation on the partition you're formatting. If there are any files on the
partition that you want to keep, copy them to another disk before
proceeding.
Syntax: FORMAT <MS-DOS partition letter> [/s) [/v)
Example: FORMAT C:/s/v

80
Entering the example given formats MS-DOS partition C. The /s (system)
switch copies the system files to the partition. making drive C your startup
drive. (To use the /s switch. make sure MS-DOS Disk 1 is in drive A.)

Note: Only the startup MS-DOS partition requires the system files.
The /v (volume) switch asks you to enter a volume name for the partition.
Type a name and press [Enter]. The volume name of 11 characters or
less will now appear each time you display a directory of the partition.

When you restart the Atari PC3, the system will attempt to boot from a
floppy disk. To allow the system to boot from the hard disk, remove the
disk from drive A before restarting the system (either with a coldstart or
warmstart). The system prompt appears as C> instead of A>.

Working with a Hard Disk

Working with a hard disk is essentially the same as working with a floppy
disk except you'll enjoy speedier disk operations. greater storage capacity,
and the convenience of having most of your files on one disk.

ORGANIZING YOUR HARD DISK

Larger disk storage capacity means that careful directory and file organi­
zation is more important than ever. When planning and using your tree
structure of directories and files. keep the following hints in mind:

• Keep as few files as possible in the root directory. Normally. the only
items you need in the root directory are the first level of directories and
the COMMAND.COM. AUTOEXEC.BAT. and CONFIG.SYS files.

• Keep the programs and files you use most often in the first level of
directories.

• Stay within the first few levels of directories. It's easiest to find direc­
tories and files when your directory structure consists of no more than
three levels (the root directory and two levels of directories).

81
• To check the name of the current directory, enter the CHOIR command
by itself. Or use the PROMPT command in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file
to include the current directory name in the system prompt.

• Free disk space for new files by deleting directories and files you no
longer need.

PARKING THE DISK HEADS

Always run a hard disk head-parking utility before moving or shipping

your hard disk. A head-parking program protects data on the hard disk by
parking the hard disk heads over a safe zone (one that contains no data).

It's a good idea to run the head-parking utility after every work session.
just before you switch off your system. If your hard disk was supplied with
your Atari PC3, use the HDSHIP program (supplied on the MS-DOS
disks). To run HDSHIP. enter
HD SHIP

When you restart your system. the heads will automatically "unpark."

Note: If you have a hard disk supplied by another manufacturer. use the
manufacturer's head parking program. If a program was not supplied with
the disk. contact the manufacturer for more information.

BACKING UP THE HARD DISK

It's important to frequently back up data on the hard disk. To do that.

regularly copy important files onto floppy disks and store them in a safe
place. Otherwise. files that are accidentally deleted or damaged will be
lost forever. As a general rule. it's good practice to back up all files on
your hard disk every week or so and back up new or modified files each
time you work on them.

82
In addition to the BACKUP, RESTORE. XCOPY, and COPY commands
in MS-DOS, you can use any of the handy hard disk backup programs
available through dealers and user groups. You can also use a tape
backup system. Enter the command examples that follow or refer to the
MS-DOS User's Reference for additional command variations.

Note: The command examples assume you are backing up or restoring

files between hard disk drive C and floppy disk A. To back up or restore
files between other physical or logical hard disk drives. substitute the
appropriate drive letters.

The BACKUP and RESTORE Commands

The BACKUP command backs up all files on your hard disk or all files
modified or added since the last time you used BACKUP. If files on your
hard disk are accidentally deleted or damaged, you can recover them
with the RESTORE command.
'
You'll need a number of formatted, double-sided floppy disks to complete
the backup. The exact number depends on how full your hard disk is. If
you have a 20-megabyte hard disk filled to capacity. you'll need about
fifty 5V4-inch double-sided disks to complete the backup.

Enter this command to back up all directories and files on hard disk C by
copying them to floppy drive A:
BACKUP C:\*.* A:/s

The BACKUP command displays the directory names and filenames

as they are backed up. When a floppy disk is full. you'll be prompted to
insert a new disk. Label and number each backup disk consecutively so
you'll be able to restore the hard disk data properly if they are damaged
or lost.

To back up only the files modified or added since the last time you used
BACKUP on the disk, enter:
BACKUP C:*.* A:/m/s

83
Once you've backed up files with BACKUP. you can restore them to the
hard disk if they're accidentally damaged or deleted. Use the RESTORE
command to restore all files by entering
RESTORE A: C:\•. *Is

You will be prompted to insert the backup disks in the order you backed
them up.

The XCOPY and COPY Commands

The XCOPY command backs up a directory and all the items (directories
and files) it contains. For example. to back up the directory LETTERS
and all its items from hard disk C to floppy drive A. enter
XCOPY C:\LETTERS A:/s

To restore directories and files backed with XCOPY. use the COPY com­
mand for each directory you want to copy from the floppy disk to the hard
disk. For example. to copy the directory LETTERS and all its items. enter
COPY A:\LETTERS\*.* C:

Use the COPY command to copy a single file or group of files in the
same directory to another disk. For example. to copy all files with the
extension .TXT in the directory LETTERS. enter
COPY C:\LETTERS\*.TXT A:

To restore these files. enter

COPY A:*.TXT C:\LETTERS

84
Low-Level Formatting
Most hard disks are low-level formatted during production. The low-level
format divides the disk into sectors and cylinders and determines what
portions of the disk will be used to store data. If the disk hasn't been low­
level formatted or the low-level format becomes partially erased during
shipping, you must low-level format it before you can create and format
an MS-DOS partition. Always low-level format the disk when you're
certain it's properly connected to your system but you see the message
"No fixed disk installed" when you run FDISK.
Follow the instructions in the next sections to low-level format your hard
disk. After low-level formatting, run the FDISK and FORMAT commands
as described in Preparing a Hard Disk in this appendix.

STARTING THE LOW-LEVEL FORMATTING PROGRAM

To run the l'Ow-level formatting program. follow these steps:
1. Insert the MS-DOS disk containing the DEBUG command into your
working drive and enter
DEBUG

The system prompt reappears as a hyphen (-).

2. To display on screen what type of controller board you have in your
system. enter
D = C800:0

If your controller board is an Adaptec. follow the steps in the next section.
The Adaptec Low-Level Formatting Program. If your controller board is an
Epson, follow the steps in The Epson Low-Level Formatting Program. If your
controller board is an OMTI. follow the instructions in The OMTI Low-Level
Formatting Program.

85
THE ADAPTEC LOW-LEVEL FORMATTING PROGRAM

Use the following specifications if you are prompted for them while
running the low-level formatting program:
Prompt Specification

Interleave value 3
Detect byte offset encoding . RLL
Buffered seek pulse rate 13 microseconds
Control byte 10
Heads 4
Cylinders 615

Warning: If you are unable to low-level format your hard disk success­
fully with the specifications given. your Atari PC3 may have a hard disk
that uses different specifications. Contact your Atari dealer for the correct
specifications to use with your hard disk.
If you are iristalling a hard disk from another manufacturer. use the speci­
fications supplied with the drive or contact the manufacturer for the correct
specifications.

To run the Adaptec low-level formatting program. follow these steps:

1. Start the program from the DEBUG prompt by entering
G = C800:CCC

2. Respond to the sector interleave prompt by entering the interleave

value recommended by the manufacturer. For example. to set the
interleave to 3, enter
3

An interleave value of 3 means that your hard disk requires three

revolutions to read an entire track. This is usually the most efficient
value for your system.

86
3. Respond to the Drive ID prompt by specifying which hard disk you
want to low-level format. If you have one hard disk in your system. it
is drive 0. If you have two hard disks. one is drive O (the startup drive)
and the other is drive 1.

To low-level format drive 0. enter

0
To low-level format drive 1. enter

4. Respond to the default parameters prompt. To accept the default

parameters. enter
y

and go on to step 5.
,
To divide the disk into logical drives (accessed by separate drive
letters) enter
N

As prompted, enter the number of logical drives (from 1 to 8) and a

buffered seek step pulse rate code. Find the rate recommended by
the hard disk drive manufacturer in the following table and enter the
corresponding code.
Seek Step Pulse Rate Code
3.0 milliseconds O
30 microseconds 2
13 microseconds 3
200 microseconds 4
70 microseconds 5

If you can't find the manufacturer's recommended rate. use code 3.

Respond to the heads and cylinders prompts with the correct values
for your drive.

87
Note: Your system treats each logical drive as a separate drive that can
be accessed with a drive letter(C. D. E. and so on). Using the FDISK
command described in your MS-DOS User's Reference, you can divide
each of these logical drives into partitions for different operating systems.
Each logical drive can have only one MS-DOS partition..

5. Respond to the defective track prompts by specifying a defect byte

offset encoding type(RLL) and a defect list format(Cyl/Head/Byte
or Head/Cyl/Byte).

Enter
R
to select RLL.

If you don't have a defective track list, enter

c
to select Cyl/Head/Byte for the defect list format and press [Enter) to
continue.

If you do have a defective track list. enter it in the selected format.

Separate cylinder, head, and byte values with slashes(/) and press
[Enter) after each set. For example. 32/4/4055 in Cyl/Head/Byte
format means cylinder 32, head 4. byte 4055. A list in this format
might look like this:
32/4/4055 [Enter)
255/3/2266 [Enter)
543/2/3418 [EnterI

As prompted. enter [YI if the values are correct or [NJ if they are
incorrect. If you enter [NI. you return to the beginning of the low-level
formatting program.

88
The low-level formatting begins. When it is finished. all tracks are verified
(this takes about 40 seconds per megabyte). Status messages inform
you of the progress of the formatting and verification. (The cylinder num­
bers displayed are physical. not logical.)

Note: For a list of error codes that may appear during formatting and track
verification. see the next section, Adaptec Low-Level Formatting Errors.

When formatting and verification are complete, you'll be prompted to press

(VJ to run the program again or [NJ to return to the MS-DOS system
prompt.

Adaptec Low-Level Formatting Errors

The following is a list of error codes that may appear during low-level
formatting with the Adaptec low-level formatting program. Some errors
are normal and mean that defective tracks are being flagged as intended.
Any error that terminates low-level formatting before it is finished should
be reported to your authorized Atari service center.
Code Error
01 Bad command passed to disk 1/0
02 Address mark not found
04 Requested sector not found
05 Reset failed
07 Drive parameter activity failed
09 Attempt to DMA across 64 kilobyte boundary
OB Bad track flag detected
10 Bad ECC on disk read
11 ECC corrected data error
20 Controller failure
40 Seek operation failed
80 Attached/failed to respond
BB Undefined error occurred
FF Send operation failed

89
THE EPSON LOW-LEVEL FORMATTING PROGRAM
To run the Epson low-level formatting program. follow these steps:
1. Enter the following at.the DEBUG prompt:
A100

2. Enter the following parameters exactly as shown to low-level format

drive 0.
MOV DX, 80 [Enter]
MOV ex, 1 [Enter]
MOV AX, 0702 [Enter]
INT 13 [Enter]
INT 3 [Enter]
[Enter]
G = 100 [Enter]

To low-level format drive 1, enter the same parameters, but change

the first line to
MOV DX, 81 [Enter]

Low-level formatting begins. When it is finished. you'll see three lines of

values (beginning with AX = 00 if no defects were found).
To quit the DEBUG program and return to the MS-DOS system prompt.
enter
Q

THE OMTI LOW-LEVEL FORMATTING PROGRAM

To run the OMTI low-level formatting program. follow these steps:
1. Enter the following at the DEBUG prompt:
G = C800:6

90
2. Respond to the format prompt by ·entering
y
3. To low-level format drive 0, respond to the drive number prompt by
entering
0

To low level format drive 1, enter

1
4. Respond to the defaults prompt by entering
N
Respond to the next prompts as follows:
Total cyls: 615 [Enter)
Total heads: 4 [Enter)
Write Precomp Cyl: [Enter) (No value required.)
Control Byte: 1 [Enter)

5. The logical partitioning prompt lets you determine whether or not your
drive will be divided into logical partitions. To divide the disk into logical
partitions. enter
N
at this prompt and enter the cylinder size of each logical drive (up to
eight logical drives).
To use the entire disk as one partition. enter
y

91
6. The defects prompt lets you enter the values on your defective track
map. (This map is usually on a sticker affixed to the drive.) If you don't
have a defective track map, enter
N

If you do have a defective track map, enter the cylinder and head
values of each defect as prompted. When you are finished entering
defect values. respond to the "More entries?" prompt by entering
N

7. Respond to the interleave prompt by entering

3

8. The final prompt gives you a chance to exit the program before low­
level formatting begins by entering
N

Or you can go ahead with the formatting by entering

y

When low-level formatting is finished, press any key to reboot the system.

92
APPENDIX F
ATARI PC3 SPECIFICATIONS
COMPUTER
Processor 8088
Clock Rate 4.77 MHz standard PC mode. or 8.0 MHz turbo
mode (switchable under keyboard or program
control)
Memory:
RAM 512 kilobytes standard ,. 640 kilobytes with extra
RAM chips (four 64 kilobyte x 4 dynamic RAM;
41464-15, 41464-12, or equivalent)
ROM 32 kilobytes
Ambient
Temperature:
Operating/idle 41' to113' F (5' to 45' C)
Storage -4' to140' F (-20' to 60' C)
Transport -40' to140' F (-40' to 60' C)
Relative Humidity
(noncondensing):
Operating/idle 20% to 80%
Storage/ Up to 95%
transport
Power Supply 130 watts. internal
Consumption
Power 200 watts maximum
Operating System MS-DOS version 3.2

93
Interfaces XT-protocol keyboard jack
Quadrature mouse port
Video monitor connector
RS 232C serial port
Parallel printer port
Floppy disk drive port
Two internal disk drive connectors
Expansion Slots Five vertical XT-type
Numeric Data Uses an 8087 ( 5 MHz). 8087-2( 8MHz). or 8087- 1
Processor Socket ( 10 MHz) numeric data processor chip
Dimensions:
Height 6in. ( 15.2cm)
Width 15 in. ( 38. 1cm)
Depth 16.25 in . ( 41.3cm)

VIDEO GRAPHICS ADAPTER

Monitor Types Monochrome display
Color display
Enhanced display (EGA)
Display Modes:
EGA Monitor: EGA
Screen resolution and colors: 640pixels x 35 0
lines x 16selected colors from palette of 64
Typical character cell size: 8x 14pixels
CGA Monitors: EGA. color
Screen resolution and colors: 640x 200lines in
monochrome or 320pixels x 200lines x 4colors
(automatically selected by the application)
Typical character cell size: 8x 8pixels

94
 MDA Monitors: EGA. monochrome
Screen resolution: 80 characters x 25 lines of text
Typical character cell size: 9 x 14 pixels
HGC Monitors: EGA. monochrome
Screen resolution and colors: 720 pixels x 348
lines in monochrome graphics mode or 80 char­
acters x 25 lines in text mode
Typical character cell size: 9 x 14 pixels

5Y•-INCH FLOPPY DISK DRIVE

Tracks 40
Sector Size 512 bytes
Storage Capacity 360 kilobytes
Rotational Speed 300 rpm
Data Transfer Rate 250 kilobytes/second
Step Rate Less than 6 microseconds
Controller Support for two internal and two external devices

KEYBOARD
Features IBM PC AT layout: IBM PC XT protocol com­
patible; 84 keys including 56 typewriter keys,
10 function keys, and 18 keypad keys
Dimensions:
Max. height 1.5 in. (3.8 cm)
Width 17.75 in. (45 cm)
Depth 7.75 in. (19.5 cm)
Weight 3.5 lb. (1.6 kg)

95
APPENDIX G
ATARI PC3 CONNECTOR PINOUTS
EXTERNAL FLOPPY DRIVE
1 -- IN Read Data
2 -- OUT Side Select
3-- Ground
4 -- IN Index
5 -- OUT Drive Select 1
6 -- OUT Drive Select 2
7 -- Ground
8 -- OUT Motor On
9 -- OUT Direction
10 -- OUT Step
11 -- OUT Write Data
12 -- OUT ' Write Gate
13-- IN Track O Detect
14 -- IN Write Protect

SERIAL
1 -- Chassis Ground I 1 ) • !) 6 1 8 9 IQ II 11 I)

2 -- OUT Transmit Data •••••••••••••

3-- IN Received Data ••••••••••••
4 -- OUT Ready to Send (RTS)
5 -- IN Clear to Send (CTS)
6 -- IN Data Set Ready (DSR)
7 -- Ground
8 -- IN Carrier Detect
20 -- OUT Data Terminal Ready (DTR)
22 -- IN Ring Indicator (RI)

97
PRINTER
1 -- OUT Strobe I] I] 11 10 9 8 I f, !t • J ] I

2 -- OUT Data O •••••••••••••

3 -- OUT Data 1 ••••••••••••
4 -- OUT Data 2
5 -- OUT Data 3
6 -- OUT Data 4
7 -- OUT Data 5
8 -- OUT Data 6
9 -- OUT Data 7
10 -- IN Acknowledge
11 -- IN Busy
12 -- IN Paper Error
13 -- IN Select
14 -- OUT Auto Feed
15 -- IN Error
16 -- OUT Initialize Printer
17 -- OUT Select Input
18-25 -- Ground

VIDEO
1 -- Ground
2 -- Secondary Red (The internal DIP switch allows this output pin to be
grounded for use with older CGA and MDA compatible monitors.)
3 -- Primary Red
4 -- Primary Green
5 -- Primary Blue
6 -- Secondary Green/Intensity ••••
7 -- Secondary Blue/Monochrome Video 9 8 7 6
8 -- Horizontal Sync
9 -- Vertical Sync

98
KEYBOARD
1 -- Clock
2 -- Data
3 -- Reset
30·
• •• ·
4 -- Ground 5 •

5 -- + 5 voe

MOUSE
1 -- XB Quadrature Signal
2 -- XA Quadrature Signal • ' • •
3 -- YA Quadrature Signal
4 -- YB Quadrature Signal
5 -- Center Button (optional, switch closure to ground)
6 -- Left Button (switch closure to ground)
7 -- vcc
8 -- Grourid
9 -- Right Button (switch closure to ground)

INTERNAL FLOPPY DRIVE CONNECTOR

1 -- Ground 2 -- Unused
3 -- Ground 4 -- Unused •••••••••••••••••
5 -- Ground 6 -- Unused •••••••••••••••••
7 -- Ground 8 -- Index
9 -- Ground 10 -- Motor Enable A
11 -- Ground 12 -- Drive Select B
13 -- Ground 14 -- Drive Select A
15 -- Ground 16 -- Motor Enable B
17 -- Ground 18 -- Direction (Stepper Motor)
19 -- Ground 20 -- Step Pulse
21 -- Ground 22 -- Write Data
23 -- Ground 24 -- Write Enable
25 -- Ground 26 -- Track O
27 -- Ground 28 -- Write Protect
29 -- Ground 30 -- Read Data
31 -- Ground 32 -- Select Head
33 -- Ground 34 -- Unused

99
EXPANSION SLOTS

.•.............................
A 1 2 3 4 5 8 1 8 9 tO 11 1 2 13 1,4 15 16 17 18 19 2021 2223 2-4 25 262728 29 3031

B
......................
1 2 3
.........
4 5 15 7 8 9 10 11 12 3
1 14 15 18 17 1 8 19 20 2122 232425 26 2728 29 30 31

81 -- Ground A1 -- Reserved
82 -- +Reset A2 -- Data 7
83 -- +5V A3 -- Data 6
84 -- Interrupt Request 2 A4 -- Data 5
85 -- - 5V AS -- Data 4
86 -- + OMA Request 2 A6 -- Data 3
87 -- .::.12V A7 -- Data 2
88 -- Reserved A8 -- Data 1
89-- +12V A9-- Data O
810 -- Ground A10 -- 1/0 Channel Ready
811 -- - Memory Write A11 -- Address Enable
812 -- -Memory Read A12 -- Address 19
813 -- -1/0 Write A13 -- Address 18
814 -- -1/0 Read A14 -- Address 17
815 -- - OMA Acknowledge 3 A15 -- Address 16
816 -- + OMA Request 3 A16 -- Address 15
817 -- - OMA Acknowledge 1 A17 -- Address 14
818 -- + OMA Request 1 A18 -- Address 13
819-- - OMA Acknowledge O A19-- Address 12
820 -- Clock A20 -- Address 11
821 -- + Interrupt Request 7 A21 -- Address 10
822 -- + Interrupt Request 6 A22 -- Address 9
823 -- + Interrupt Request 5 A23 -- Address 8
824 -- + Interrupt Request 4 A24 -- Address 7
825 -- + Interrupt Request 3 A25 -- Address 6
826 -- - OMA Acknowledge 2 A26 -- Address 5
827 -- + OMA Terminal Count A27 -- Address 4
828 -- + Address Latch Enable A28 -- Address 3
829-- + 5V A29-- Address 2
830 -- + Oscillator A30 -- Address 1
831 -- + Ground A31 -- Address O

100
APPENDIX H
POWER CONNECTION
IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

In the United Kingdom. the Atari PC3 operates on -240V. 50 Hz mains

supply. The wires in the mains lead of the Atari PC3 are colored as
follows:
Green/Yellow
Wire Color
Green/Yellow Earth (E)
Blue Neutral (N) Blue Fuse
Brown Live (L)

Brown
---Cord
Grip

If the colors of the wires do not correspond to the colored markings

identifying the terminals in your plug, proceed as follows:

Connect the GREEN/YELLOW wire to the terminal in the plug marked by

the letter E or by the safety earth symbol�. or colored GREEN or
GREEN/YELLOW. Connect the BLUE wire to the terminal marked with
the letter N or colored BLACK. Connect the BROWN wire to the terminal
marked with the letter Lor colored RED.

If a 13-amp (BS 1363) plug is used. a 3-amp fuse must be fitted. or if any
other type of plug is used, a 3- or 5-amp fuse must be fitted either in the
plug, adapter. or on the distribution board.

101
GLOSSARY

access To retrieve data from storage.

alphanumeric keys The letter. number. and symbol keys on. the key­
board. The alphanumeric keys are positioned on the computer keyboard
just as they are on a standard typewriter keyboard.

ANSI American National Standards Institute. This institute defines ter­

minal emulation standards as well as other computer data standards.

application A program written to solve a specific problem or produce a

specific result, and that can be executed by a computer. That is. the
computer is "applied" to the task. (See program.)
AUTOEXEC.BAT AUTOmatically EXECuted BATch file. A file you
create that automatically executes the commands it contains during
system initialization.
back up To copy a disk or file. Backing up provides you with a good
copy of a disk or file in case its information is damaged or lost.
batch file A file containing one or more commands. providing a
convenient way to run those commands by entering the batch file name
at the system prompt. Commands in the file execute sequentially until the
file ends. (See AUTOEXEC.BAT file.)
bit The smallest unit of computer memory capable of representing ON
or OFF. Eight bits equal one byte. (See byte.)
boot To begin the computer's operation. Booting is usually accom­
plished by switching on your system. (See coldstart and warmstart.)
boot disk The disk you use to boot your Atari PC3. The boot disk must
contain the system files. (See system files.)
busy light The light on a disk drive that indicates it is reading from or
writing to a disk.

103
byte A unit of computer memory. Each byte consists of eight bits. and is
a unique character within the computer. For example. the letter "a" is
stored in memory as one byte. (See bit and kilobyte.)
CGA Color Graphics Adapter. One of the available monitor display
modes. CGA can be selected by the applications that use it, and gives
you a maximum screen resolution of 640 pixels x 200 lines in mono­
chrome or 320 pixels x 200 lines x 4 colors. (Compare to EGA, HGC, and
MDA.)

CMOS RAM The nonvolatile (permanent) RAM in your real-time clock

battery that keeps the correct date and time for your real-time clock.
coldstart Booting the computer by switching on the power. A coldstart
is initiated while the computer is running by switching off the power for at
least ten seconds, then switching it back on. A coldstart completely initial­
izes the system. (Compare to warmstart.}
commands . Instructions for controlling MS-DOS or running programs.
CONFIG.SYS A file you can create that lets the operating system soft­
ware be configured to your needs and recognize peripherals.
configuration A particular arrangement of peripherals on a computer
system. or software installed to your preferences.
control keys Single keys or key combinations used to control computer
operations. For example. the keys [Ctrl], [Alt]. and [Dell when pressed
simultaneously as a key combination. restart the system.
copy To duplicate the information in a file. directory, or disk.
current directory The directory currently accessed. To identify the
current directory, enter CD at the MS-DOS prompt. Each drive on your
system can have a different (independent) current directory.
cursor A marker that appears on screen to indicate the position of the
next action. The standard MS-DOS command line cursor is a blinking
horizontal bar.
data file A collection of information used by an application.

104
default A value. option, or setting that the computer automatically
selects until you direct it otherwise.

device See peripheral.

directory A list of files. (See root directory and working directory.)

disk drive The primary data storage device for your Atari PC3. The
computer uses the disk drive to retrieve information from or store
information on a disk.

DISKCOPY A command that duplicates data on one disk to another

disk.

display mode commands Commands that change screen resolution

and the number of available colors. (See CGA, EGA. HGC, and MDA.)

double-sided Having both sides of a disk's magnetic media certified as

safe for storing data. A double-sided 5V4-inch disk stores up to 360 kilo­
bytes of data; a double-sided 3Y2-inch disk stores up to 720 kilobytes.

EGA Enhanced Graphics Adapter. One of the available monitor display

modes. EGA gives you a maximum resolution of 640 pixels x 350 lines
x 16 selected colors from a palette of 64 colors. (Compare to CGA, HGC,
and MDA.)

EGA video subsystem The chip on the Atari PC3's motherboard that
lets you have EGA screen resolution and color selection. (See EGA.)

enter To instruct MS-DOS to run a command. To enter a command.

type the command on the MS-DOS command line and press [Enter].

error message An on-screen message indicating that MS-DOS or an

application is unable to process a command.

expansion board An integrated circuit board that expands or enhances

the capabilities of a computer system. Hard disk controllers. network
controllers. modems. and extra memory can all be supplied on expansion
boards. You can add four expansion boards to your Atari PC3.

105
expansion slot A slot in a computer that accommodates an expansion
board. The Atari PC3 has four expansion slots that accommodate PC
XT-style boards.

extension The file type appended to the name of a file and separated
from it with a period(.). An extension is optional and can have up to three
characters. Some common extensions are .DOC, .TXT. and .BAT.

file A collection of information that can be stored on disk or held tem­

porarily in RAM.

floppy disk The magnetic media used to store programs and informa­
tion generated on the Atari PC3. The media is made of material similar to
audio tape and is encased in a protective covering. The Atari PC3's inter­
nal disk drive uses 5V4-inch floppy disks. If you add an optional 3V2-inch
floppy disk drive to your Atari PC3 system. you can use 3V2-inch disks.

format To set the patterns on a floppy disk that enable it to store infor­
mation. Formatting erases any information previously stored on the disk.

function keys The keys [Fl] through [Fl OJ along the left edge of the
Atari PC3 keyboard. These keys are used for special purposes in many
applications.

GEM Graphics Environment Manager. A graphics-based operating

environment that includes GEM Desktop, a desktop metaphor environ­
ment that lets the user "point and click" to execute and control programs
and applications.

GEM Desktop A screen graphics representation of a desktop used for

running GEM applications and some MS-DOS commands.

GEM Paint A design and paint program you can run from GEM
Desktop.

GEM Write A word-processing program you can run from GEM

Desktop.

hardware The actual physical apparatus of your computer system.

(Compare to software.)

106
HGC Hercules Graphics Card. One of the available monitor display
modes. HGC gives you a screen resolution of 720 pixels x 348 lines in
monochrome graphics mode. or 80 characters (9 x 14 pixels each)
x 25 lines in monochrome text mode. (Compare to CGA, EGA, and MDA.)

initialization The process that sets the computer to its starting config­
uration.

integrated circuit The circuitry ·contained in a microchip. The mother­

board and expansion boards contain a number of microchips for perform­
ing specific functions. (See microchip.)

interface An electronic connection that allows communication between

the computer and a peripheral.

interface cable A cable that connects the computer to a peripheral. or

a peripheral to another peripheral.

interrupt channel A channel that a device (controller. interface, or peri­

pheral) uses when it needs to interrupt an operation to communicate with
the processor. Depending on the needs of your application. each device
should have its own interrupt channel. The interrupt channels you can
use on the Atari PC3 are identified as IR02 through IR07.

1/0 address The storage location the processor uses to exchange data
between itself and a controller. interface. or peripheral. 1/0 addresses are
expressed in hexadecimal (base 16).

jumper Clips that connect pins on a jumper block. The position of a

jumper on the pins determines functions on the motherboard or an
expansion board.

kilobyte 1.024 bytes of memory. (See byte.)

MDA Monochrome Display Adapter. One of the available monitor

display modes. MDA gives you a screen resolution of 80 characters
x 25 lines. (Compare to CGA, EGA, and HGC.)

megabyte One million bytes or 1,024 kilobytes of memory. (See byte

and kilobyte.)

107
memory The electronic circuits that the Atari PC3 uses to store data
and programs. There are two kinds of computer memory: RAM and
ROM. RAM loses its data when the computer loses power; ROM retains
its data whether the computer has power or not. (See RAM and ROM.)

microchip An integrated circuit contained in a small block. The micro­

chips you install in your Atari PC3 have pins on their undersides that plug
into sockets on the motherboard.

modem MOdulator/DEModulator. A device that enables you to establish

a communication link between your computer and other computers and
online information networks via telephone lines.

monitor See video display.

motherboard The integrated circuit board inside the Atari PC3 that
includes the processor chip, RAM chips, the video subsystem. and sock­
ets that car: accept additional optional chips.

mouse A small. hand-manipulated device connected to your Atari PC3

that controls the movement of a pointer within GEM. The mouse is used
with GEM applications and some other programs specifically written to
use a mouse.

MS-DOS Microsoft Disk Operating System. The software that coordi­

nates all computer operations on the Atari PC3.

MS-DOS command line The line on screen containing the MS-DOS

prompt, where you enter MS-DOS commands and the names of pro­
grams you want to run.

network board A board that enables your Atari PC3 to become part of
a network of computers. Computers linked on a network can share hard
disks, printers. and other peripherals.

numeric data processor An optional chip that performs math calcula­

tions normally done by the system's main processor (such as calculating
spreadsheets). This processor has instructions that are carefully tuned for
fast and accurate floating point calculations.

108
parallel interface An industry-standard interface that connects parallel
printers and other parallel peripherals to the Atari PC3. The parallel inter­
face sends and receives data eight bits at a time. The parallel interface
port on the back of the Atari PC3 is labeled "Printer."

parameter Information entered with a command that specifies how the

command will operate.

pathname A list of items that specify the path through the directories
on disk to the current directory. A pathname contains a string of
directories and a filename. separated by backslashes (for example.
\ADS\TV\WKEND.TXT).

PC mode The Atari PC3's standard operating speed of 4.77 MHz.

(Compare to turbo mode).

peripheral Any kind of exterior device. such as a disk drive. monitor. or

printer. that you connect to your computer.

pixel A dot on the Atari PC3's video display. Pixels are arranged in a
grid and set according to your monitor type and selected display mode.
Pixel is short for picture element.

program A detailed and explicit set of instructions for accomplishing

some purpose, expressed in a language that can be read by a computer.
( Compare to application.)

prompt Any symbol or message on screen indicating that the computer

is awaiting input from the user. The default MS-DOS prompt is A> fol­
lowed by a blinking horizontal bar.

RAM Random Access Memory. The part of the computer's memory that
is used to write data to and read data from a disk. When you work with
your Atari PC3. the information displayed on screen is in RAM. Informa­
tion in RAM is lost when you switch off the computer. The Atari PC3 has
512 to 640 kilobytes of RAM depending on whether additional RAM chips
have been added.

real-time clock A battery-operated clock inside the Atari PC3 that

keeps the correct time and date regardless of whether the computer is on
or off.

109
removable data cartridge drive A drive that uses removable high­
capacity disk cartridges.

resolution The number of pixels on a monitor screen. More pixels

mean crisper screen images. On the Atari PC3. you can change the
resolution with the display mode commands. (See display mode
commands.)

ROM Read Only Memory. The part of the computer's memory that is
permanently recorded on a chip on the computer's motherboard. ROM
contains the information needed to start and operate the computer and
its peripherals. ROM cannot be altered and retains its factory program­
med information with or without power to the computer. The Atari PC3
has 32 kilobytes of ROM.

root directory The main directory on every disk. In MS-DOS. the root
directory is indicated by a backslash (\).

ATC Real-Time Clock. The Atari PC3's utility program that lets you set
your real-time clock. (See real-time clock.)

scroll To display data that is longer than one screenful by rolling it up or

down the screen.

sector A section of a track on a disk. On 5V4-inch disks, sectors are

generally 512 bytes long. (See track.)

serial interface An industry-standard interface for connecting modems

and other serial peripherals. A serial interface sends data one bit at a
time. The serial interface on the back of the Atari PC3 is labeled "Serial."

software The programs and applications you run on your computer.

(Compare to hardware.)

source disk The disk that information is written from during a

DISKCOPY procedure. (Compare to target disk.)

startup disk See boot disk.

110
switch parameters Options that can be used with commands to control
how MS-DOS performs the command. A forward slash(/) always pre­
cedes each switch parameter included with a command.

syntax The form used to enter commands correctly. Syntax tells you
what elements follow a particular command. whether they are required or
optional, and what punctuation must be used.

system files The files COMMAND.COM. 10.SYS, and MSDOS.SYS.

which MS-DOS must read from a boot disk in order to boot. 10.SYS and
MSDOS.SYS. if present. do not appear in the disk directory listing
because they are hidden files.

system prompt The prompt on the command line that indicates that
MS-DOS is ready to accept a command. For example. A> is the default
prompt for drive A.

tape drive A drive that uses magnetic tape cartridges for backing up
disk data.

target disk The disk that information is written to during a.DISKCOPY

procedure.(Compare to source disk.)

track One of the patterns on a disk that contains the data written on the
disk. Each track is made up of smaller sections called sectors.(See
sector.)

tree structure The method MS-DOS uses for organizing directories. A

tree-structured filing system has levels of directories that branch out from
the root directory.

turbo mode The Atari PC3's fast(8.0 MHz) operating speed. In turbo
mode. your system calculates. generates graphics. and saves and
retrieves data more quickly than in standard PC mode.(Compare to
PC mode.)

video display A video screen device used for viewing computer entries
and responses.

warmstart Rebooting the computer by pressing [Ctrl) [Alt) [Dell A

warmstart only partially initializes the system. (Compare to coldstart.)

111
wildcard A question mark (?) or asterisk (*) character used in a filename
specification to specify the search criteria. ? matches one character; •
matches any character to the end of the first name or extension.

write-protect To mechanically prevent a disk from being written to. To

write-protect a 5V4-inch disk, place a write-protect tab over the notch. To
write-protect a 3V2-inch disk. move the write-protect tab so you can see
through the notch.

112
CUSTOMER SUPPORT

Atari Corporation welcomes inquiries about your Atari computer products.

We also provide technical assistance. Write to Customer Relations at an
address listed below.
Atari user groups also provide outstanding assistance. To receive a list
of Atari user groups in your area, send a self-addressed, stamped enve­
lope to an address below.
In the- United States, write to:
Atari Corporation
Customer Relations
P. 0. Box 61657
Sunnyvale, CA 94088
In Canada.·write to:
Atari (Canada) Corp.
90 Gough Road
Markham. Ontario
Canada L3R 5V5
In the United Kingdom. write to:
Atari Corp. (UK) Ltd.
P. 0. Box 555
Slough
Berkshire SL2 582
Please indicate User Group Lisi, Technical Assistance, or the subject of
your letter on the outside of the envelope.

113
 INDEX
A c
A> prompt, 12. 22. 28-29 C> prompt, App. E
Adaptec low-level formatting program. cable connectors, 15, App. A
App.E [Caps Lock] key, 14, 15
alphanumeric keys, 14 caring for your system. App. A
[Alt] key, 14 CGA command, 52-54
angle brackets. 37 CGA mode, 52-54
ANSI standard terminal emulation, 23 CHOIR (CHange DIRectory) command,
applications. 19, 23, 25, 31 24, 47-48
[Arrow] keys, 15 CHKDSK (CHecK DiSK) command, 24,
AUTOEXEC.BAT file, 23-24. 31, 33, 49, 50-51
51, 52 CLICK command, 32
creating, 24 clock, real-time, 29-30, App. A
CLS (Clear Screen) command. 56-57
coldstart. 13
B colors, selecting, 54-55
command line, 12, 13, 14. 19, 28
B> prompt, 28-29 command syntax, 37-38
back panel, computer, 15-17 commands, 19, 24. 25, 33
backing up a hard disk. App.E editing, 39
backslash. 33, 34 entering, 38
[Backspace] key, 14, 39 pausing, 14
BACKUP command. App. E computer
backup disks. 10, 22-23 back panel, 15-17
.BAT files. 24-25 connecting, 7-10
batch files. 24-25 right side panel, 17
battery, real-time clock, 29-30, App. A Config switches. 8, 16
brackets, 37 . CO NFIG.SYS file. 23, 33
angle, 37 creating, 23
- square. 37 configuring expansion boards. App. C
connecting
external floppy disk drives. App. D
peripherals, 15-17
the system. 7-10

115
connectors D
expansion slots. 17, App. C, App.G
external floppy disk drive. 17. App. D. date prompt. 11. 29-30
App.G default drive. 12
internal floppy drive, App. C. App. G DEL (DELete) command. 45
keyboard, 9. 10. 16. App.G [Del] key. 14
monitor (video). 9, 16, App.G DEVICE command. 23. 33
mouse. 16, App. G DIR (DIRectory) command, 24, 37, 46
pinouts, App.G directory. 25, 26. 38, 46-48
power. 8, 16 changing, 47-48
printer (parallel), 7. 15, App. G checking, 50-51
serial. 7. 16, App. G creating, 25. 47
control keys, 14 current. 24, 47-48
COPY command. 42-43, App. E displaying, 46. 48
copying erasing, 48
disks. 22-23, 40-41 naming, 26. 45, 47
files. 42-43 root, 25
creating files. 24 disk A. 19, 29
[Ctrl] key. 14 · disk 8, 19, 29
[Ctrl][Alt] key. 14 DISKCOPY command, 22-23, 40-41
[Ctrl][Alt] [>] keys, 14. 32 disk. floppy. 19. 20-23, 39-41
[Ctrl][Alt][<) keys, 14. 32 3Y2-inch. 19, 20-21
[Ctrl] [Alt] [1] keys, 31 5Y•-inch. 19. 20-21
[CtrlJ [Alt][2) keys, 31 backup, 10, 22-23
[Ctrl][Alt][Del] keys, 14, 54 checking. 20. 50-51
[Ctrl][Alt][keypad+] keys, 14. 31 copying, 22-23, 40-41
[Ctrl][Alt][keypad -] keys, 14, 31 erasing, 20
[Ctrl] [Num Lock] keys, 14. 44 errors. 52
[Ctrl][PrtSc] keys, 14 formatting, 20. 22. 39-40
[Ctrl][SJ keys, 14. 44 inserting, 11, 20-21
[Ctrl][Scroll Lock] keys,14 labeling, 23
current directory. 24 memory capacity. 20
cursor. 12. 15, 55-56 preparing, 39-40
CURSOR command, 55-56 removing, 21
source. 22
storing, 22
target, 22
working, 10, 22-23
write-protecting, 21

116
disk drive. 5,7,17. 19,28, 38 error messages
busy light. 21 Adaptec low-level formatting, App. E
connecting,App.C,App.D MS-DOS, 50, 57-59,App. A
connector pinouts. App.G [Esc] key, 14, 39
default. 12 expansion boards,6,8,17, App. A.
external floppy, 7,17, App.D App.C
external hard,7 configuring, App.C
internal floppy,5, 7, 8,19,App.A. installing, App. C
App.C expansion slots. 5,17,App.C
internal hard,5,7. 19,App.C,App.E connector pinouts. App.G
nonstandard. 23 extension. 26-28
port. 17. App.D reserved,26
removing,App. C external floppy drive. 7. 17, App. D
startup,12 connector pinouts. App. G
working, 28-29 installing,App.D
drive 0,12 port. 17
drive A,12,19. 28
drive 8,12. 19,28
drive C,12, App. E F
drive designation
changing, 28-29 If (file) switch, 48
drive latch,11,20-21 If (fix) switch, 50
[F2] key,12
[F3] key, 12
E FDISK command,App. E
file. 12. 25,26, 42-45
editing commands, 39 checking, 50-51
editing keys,13,39 copying, 42-43
EGA command. 53 dating,12
EGA mode, 32,53 erasing, 45
ellipsis. 37 finding,49
[End] key,14 fragmented, 50
[Enter] key, 11,24,33 naming,26-28
entering commands. 33. 38 printing, 51
Epson low-level formatting program, renaming,44-45
App.E saving, 25
ERASE command, 45 viewing,44
erasing filename. 24, 26-28
directories,48 reserved. 26
disks. 20,40 floppy drive controller. 7,App.C
files,45 FORMAT command,39-40. App.E

117
formatting (Ins] key. 14
floppy disks, 20. 22. 39. 40 Intel 8087 chip, 6, 12. 30-31. App. B
hard disks. App. E installing,App. B
forward slash. 37 interference. radio or television reception,
freezing a screen. 44 16,App.A
function keys, 13 internal drives. 5, 7. 8, 19. App. C
connector pinouts. App. G
floppy disk. 5, 7, 19. App. C
G hard disk. 5, 7, 19, App. C,App. E
installing, App. C
GEM Desktop, 31. 33 removing, App. C
GEM Paint, 31 interrupt channel. App. C
GEM Write. 31
K
H
key click, 14. 32
hard disk controller board, 6 key combinations. 14
hard disk drive. 6. 12. 19. App. E keyboard. 6. 9. 13-15. 17. App. A
hardware. 5-7 connecting, 9. 17
care. App. A connector pinouts. App. G
problems. App. A jack. 9, 17
HCOLOR command. 9, 53-55 keys, 13-15
HGC command, 9. 52-54 alphanumeric. 13
HGC mode, 9, 52-54 [Arrow], 14
[Home] key. 14 control. 14
editing, 13, 39
function. 13
numeric keypad. 15
1/0 address. App. C
IBM PC XT computer. 6. 7. 17 L
indicator lights. 12. 15
[Caps Lock], 15 labeling disks, 23
disk drive. 21 list device. 51
[Num Lock], 15 low-level formatting,App. E
power. 10
(Scroll Lock], 15
turbo mode, 12. 30
initializing the system. 10-13, 23

118
M N

magnetic media, 20, 23 name. 26-28

MDA command, 9, 53 network board, 6
MDA mode.52-54 [Num Lock] key, 14-15
microchips, 5 numeric data processor. 6, 8, 12.30-31
MKDIR (MaKe DIRectory) command.47 installing, App. B
MODE command.52 numeric entry.14
modem.6, 7, 16, 52 numeric keypad, 15
monitor.6, 8-9. 16. 32.52-55
Atari PCM124. 32
color.6, 8, 16, 52 0
connecting, 8-9
connector pinouts. App. G OMTI low-level formatting program.
EGA, 6, 8, 16, 52-54 App. E
monochrome.6, 8, 16, 32, 52 on/off switch, computer.13
port. 9, 16 one-drive system, 19, 28, 43
monitor display modes, 32, 52-55 optional devices, 6-7
CGA 52-54 · installing, 6
com�ands, '52-55 output, 14
EGA. 52-54
HGC, 52-54
MDA.52-54 p
selecting, 32, 52-54
monitor type selection switches. 8, 54 /p (pause) switch. 38
setting, 8-9 PALETTE command, 54-55
motherboard. 5, App. C parallel devices. 17
mouse, 6, 9. 11, 17.33, App. A connector pinouts, App. G
connecting, 9 port.7, 17.
connector pinouts. App. G parameters, 33-38
port.9, 17 switch, 37-38
MOUSE command, 33 PATH command, 24.49
mouse driver file. installing, 33 pathname, 34-38
MOUSE.COM, 33 absolute. 34
MOUSE.SYS. 33 relative, 34
MS-DOS, 11.12.19, 23, 26 pausing a command, 14
MS-DOS command line, 12, 13, 14, 19, 2 PC mode. 12. 14, 30-31
MS-DOS Disk 1. 10-12. 19, 22, 25. 52 PCM124 monitor (Atari). 32
MS-DOS Disk 2, 19, 52 peripherals, external, 10, 15-17
MS-DOS prompt, 12. 19, 28-29 connecting, 10, 15-17
multi-drive system, 19, 29, 43 [Pg Dn] key, 14, 55

119
[Pg Up] key, 14, 55 R
pinouts. App. G
pixels. 52 RAM. 21, App. A. App. B
ports, 15-17 system total, 6
external floppy drive. 17 RAM chips, optional. 6. 8, App. B
keyboard. 9, 16 installing, App. B
monitor (video). 9, 16 testing, App. A
mouse, 9, 16 RAM disk, 23
power. 8, 16 real-time clock. 29-30. App. A
printer. 7. 16 changing the battery, 29-30. App. A
serial, 7, 16 setting, 29-30
power connection in the United Kingdom. removable data cartridge drive, 7
App. G REN (REName) command. 44-45
power jack. computer. 8, 16 resolution. screen. 32. 52
power supply. 5 RESTORE command. App. E
power switch. 16 right side panel. computer. 17
preparing disks. 20. 39-41 RMDIR (ReMove DIRectory) command,
PRINT command. 24-25. 51 48
print queue buffer. 51 root directory. 25. 33. 34
printer. 7, 14. 17. 51. 52 ATC command. 30
connector pinouts, App. G
naming, 51. 52
port. 7. 15. 17 s
printing, 14. 51
program disks. 10, 22 /s (system files) switch, 39
backing up, 10, 22 screen resolution. 31. 50
prompt, 11 [Scroll Lock] key. 14. 15
date. 11 scrolling, 14
system. 12. 19. 28-29. 56 freezing a screen. 44
time, 11 sector. 20. 40
PROMPT command, 56 serial devices. 16. 52
[PrtSc] key. 14 connector pinouts. App. G
port. 7. 16
setting up the system, 5-10
a [Shill] key, 14
[Shift] [PrtSc] keys, 14
[QJ key, 55 software care. App. A
source disk. 22
[space Bar] key, 44
specifications. App. F
square brackets, 37

120
startup drive, 12 v
choices. 12
static discharge, preventing, 15, App. B /v (view) switch. 50
storing disks, 22 /v (volume name) switch. 39
switch parameters. 37-38 video display subsystem. 32. 52-55. App.
switching off the system, 13 c
switching on the system, 10-12 video (monitor) port. 9, 16
problems. App. A connector pinouts. App. G
syntax. command. 37-38
[Sys Req] key, 15
system components. 5-7 w
system maintenance, App. A
system prompt, 12. 19, 28-29, 56 lw (wide) switch, 37, 38, 46
system speed, 12, 30-31 warmstart. 14, 54
changing, 30-31 wildcards. 27-28
default, 30 working disk. 10. 22. 23, 29-30
setting, 14, 30-31 working drive, 28-29
system status report. 50-51 working environment. 5
write-protect notch, 11. 20-21
write-protecting disks. 21
T
It (terminate) switch, 51 x
[Tab] key. 14
tape drive. 7 XCOPY command, App. E
target disk, 22
time prompt, 11, 29-30
track. 20
TREE command, 48
tree structure. 25
TURBO command, 31
turbo mode, 12. 14. 30-31
indicator light, 12. 30
TYPE command, 44

u
United Kingdom. power connection in.
App. G
unpacking the system. 5

121
)l'-ATARr
Copyright © 1988, Atari Corporation.
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
All rights reserved . JI\. C300317-001 Rev. B
Printed in Taiwan
K. 1. 3. 1988