[comp.os.msdos.misc] menu driver to boot up the correct congif.sys ?

conslt01@zeus.unomaha.edu (The Oracle) (04/13/91)

> I haven't looked at or used MBOOT.SYS, but I have used multiconfig 2.0
> (multic20.zoo) and it works GREAT!  Lets you have up to three different
> configurations within a single config.sys file, and also includes a program
> that checks which version (returns the value in ERRORLEVEL) so you can
> have conditional sections in autoexec.bat!  VERY cool.

I am looking for a menu-driven utility that will, upon bootup, give me a menu
that will ask me what config.sys I would like to use.  I currently have programs
that need a coprocessor (I have a tsr emulation), some that need expanded, some
that need extended.  I hate to have to make 10 different boot disks to run all
my program, but that is about what I'm going to have to do unless I can come 
accross something like this.
Is this what the MBOOT.SYS or MULTICONFIG 2.0 does?  If so, where can I lay my
greedy little hand on it?  If not, then is there something that I can lay my
other greedy little hand on to do this, or am I SOL as far as this goes?
	Thank you in advance,
				John G. Schroeder
				The Oracle
				Conslt01@Zeus.UnOmaha.Edu
				Conslt01@UnOma1

smsmith@hpuxa.acs.ohio-state.edu (Stephen M. Smith) (04/17/91)

conslt01@zeus.unomaha.edu (The Oracle) writes:
>> I haven't looked at or used MBOOT.SYS, but I have used multiconfig 2.0
>> (multic20.zoo) and it works GREAT!  Lets you have up to three different
>> configurations within a single config.sys file...
>
>I am looking for a menu-driven utility that will, upon bootup, give me a menu
>that will ask me what config.sys I would like to use...
>I hate to have to make 10 different boot disks to run all
>my program, but that is about what I'm going to have to do unless I can come 
>across something like this.
>				John G. Schroeder
>				The Oracle
>				Conslt01@Zeus.UnOmaha.Edu
>				Conslt01@UnOma1

I am fairly familiar with 3 boot programs that you can get
at wuarchive.wustl.edu in /mirrors/msdos/sysutl.  The first
is recfg32.zip.  This program simply allows you to change your
config.sys and autoexec.bat files quickly BEFORE you boot
up; up to 20 configurations can be separately maintained.
But this is not what you want--You would like to be able
to choose a different configuration WHILE BOOTING, right?
The other two programs can do this:

The first is mentioned above, and it's calledi multic20.zip
(not multic20.zoo).  I downloaded it and looked through the
documentation and it looks good if you only have 3 config.sys
and 3 autoexec.bat configurations.  Also, as far as I can
tell it is not a menu-driven program; instead, you simply
choose between the 3 options you want by pressing either
SHFT, ALT, or CTRL upon bootup.  If no key is depressed,
a default (SHFT I think) is used.

Since you have more than 3 configurations, the program
you need is called boot127.zip.  This is really a remarkable
program, and the documentation is excellent.  It can have
menus within menus within menus...with over a dozen levels
of menus if you like!  You can either quickly use it if
you have 9 config.sys files or less, or you can read the
documentation to learn how to nest different options within
each of your config.sys sections.  The documentation deals
with all kinds of situations, including Windows, QEMM,
lans, etc.  It also allows you to set screen colors for
each of the menus and submenus, allows timeout features,
and allows for automatic autoexec.bat choices for each
of the possible variations you might have for your config.sys
file (it does this by returning fairly sophisticated
errorlevel codes, such as "2a3c1d" etc.).  In other words, 
it is extremely sophisticated.  The documentation gives you
lots of practical examples to illustrate different scenarios.

Note: I am still reading through the documentation and have
not tried it yet.  But if it works as great as I hope, I
will be sending my registration in!  ($39 + $4 S/H).

Hope that helps.

P.S. Again, all 3 of the programs are available at
wuarchive.wustl.edu in /mirrors/msdos/sysutl.

Steve Smith
smsmith@hpuxa.ircc.ohio-state.edu

itkin@mrspoc.Transact.COM (Steven M. List) (04/17/91)

conslt01@zeus.unomaha.edu (The Oracle) writes:

>> I haven't looked at or used MBOOT.SYS, but I have used multiconfig 2.0
>> (multic20.zoo) and it works GREAT!  Lets you have up to three different
>> configurations within a single config.sys file, and also includes a program
>> that checks which version (returns the value in ERRORLEVEL) so you can
>> have conditional sections in autoexec.bat!  VERY cool.
>
>I am looking for a menu-driven utility that will, upon bootup, give me a menu
>that will ask me what config.sys I would like to use.  I currently have programs
>that need a coprocessor (I have a tsr emulation), some that need expanded, some
>that need extended.  I hate to have to make 10 different boot disks to run all
>my program, but that is about what I'm going to have to do unless I can come 
>accross something like this.
>Is this what the MBOOT.SYS or MULTICONFIG 2.0 does?  If so, where can I lay my
>greedy little hand on it?  If not, then is there something that I can lay my
>other greedy little hand on to do this, or am I SOL as far as this goes?
>	Thank you in advance,
>				John G. Schroeder
>				The Oracle
>				Conslt01@Zeus.UnOmaha.Edu
>				Conslt01@UnOma1

Yes, that's what MULTICONFIG does.  It allows you three optional configurations
that you choose between using the SHIFT, ALT, and CTRL keys.  There's also
a timeout you can specify that will allow it to default to the Normal (SHIFT)
configuration.  Using the ERRORLEVEL, you can then do the same thing in
autoexec.bat.

Steven
-- 
 +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
 :                Steven List @ Transact Software, Inc. :^>~                  :
 :           Chairman, Unify User Group of Northern California                :
 :                         itkin@Transact.COM                                 :

ce1zzes@prism.gatech.EDU (Eric Sheppard) (04/18/91)

smsmith@hpuxa.acs.ohio-state.edu (Stephen M. Smith) writes:

>it is extremely sophisticated.  The documentation gives you
>lots of practical examples to illustrate different scenarios.

>Note: I am still reading through the documentation and have
>not tried it yet.  But if it works as great as I hope, I
>will be sending my registration in!  ($39 + $4 S/H).

>Steve Smith
>smsmith@hpuxa.ircc.ohio-state.edu

The address given in the documentation says to send in so much money
in STERLING dollars.  I would very much like to register this excellent
package (it does everything I need, and it's easy to use as well), but
I can only send US funds.  What to do?

Eric
-- 
Eric Sheppard      Georgia Tech    |   "Of course the US Constitution isn't
Atlanta, GA                        | perfect; but it's a lot better than what
ARPA: ce1zzes@prism.gatech.edu     |             we have now." -Unknown
uucp: ...!{allegra,amd,hplabs,seismo,ut-ngp}!gatech!prism!ce1zzes

gxv8597@tesla.njit.edu (04/23/91)

In article <1991Apr17.163857.13672@mrspoc.Transact.COM>, itkin@mrspoc.Transact.COM (Steven M. List) writes:
> conslt01@zeus.unomaha.edu (The Oracle) writes:
> 
>>Is this what the MBOOT.SYS or MULTICONFIG 2.0 does?  If so, where can I lay my
>>greedy little hand on it?  If not, then is there something that I can lay my
>>other greedy little hand on to do this, or am I SOL as far as this goes?
> 
> Yes, that's what MULTICONFIG does.  It allows you three optional configurations
> that you choose between using the SHIFT, ALT, and CTRL keys.  There's also
> a timeout you can specify that will allow it to default to the Normal (SHIFT)
> configuration.  Using the ERRORLEVEL, you can then do the same thing in
> autoexec.bat.
> 
on the other hand, mboot allows you to have not only multiple configuration 
files ( autoexec, config ) , but different boot sectors as well.  this 
effectively allows you to have different dos versions and even (yecch) os/2
installed on your hard drive at any given time.  it stores the boot sectors 
as separate files and then moves them into the actual boot sector when
you ask.  

if you're going to use mboot, though, take heed and back up your drive first,
because anything that futzes around with the boot sector is dangerous!

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