[comp.sys.ibm.pc] MODE COM3:xxxx problem

jrw@bridge2.3Com.Com (Jim Weisert) (04/21/89)

I'm having problems executing the command MODE COM3:9600 on my AT clone
running MS-Dos 3.3 . The DOS reference says that COM3: and COM4: are now
legal parameters for the MODE command, yet when I try to enter the command,
I get the reponse: "Invalid parameter: COM3" (or something to that effect).
I've tried this same command on a PS/2 model 50 running PC-DOS 3.3 with 
the same result. Is there some driver that needs to be loaded in order for
the MODE command to recognize COM3?

On a related note, after properly initializing COM3 via a terminal emulator
(BITCOM), I try executing the command "COPY MUMBLE.TXT COM3:". At 9600
bps, I know this should take about 30 seconds for the file of interest.
DOS accepts the command (it doesn't complain about COM3:), but it returns
a prompt within a second. And of course, nothing came out the serial port.
Again, do I need to load a special driver to be able to spit things out
COM3 ? BTW, the clone runs a fairly recent version of Phoenix BIOS (I think
it's 3.10). Thanks for any help/advice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jim Weisert
...sun!bridge2!jrw
jrw@bridge2.3com.com