mudpit@lamont.ldgo.columbia.edu (dan quoidbach) (07/27/90)
Hello, I've just tuned in to this news group and I have a few questions about 4DOS. Could someone please tell me exactly what this is? Is this an alternative to DOS or an enhancement? Where can I get it and is it free or share or commercialware? Most importantly, what do you gain by using it and what problems will it cause compatabilitywise? I'd really appreciate some background on this so I can understand the posts I've seen. Please email a reply to mudpit@lamont.ldgo.columbia.edu. Thank you very much. Dan Quoidbach
leonard@qiclab.uucp (Leonard Erickson) (07/30/90)
4DOS is a replacement for COMMAND.COM. It's shareware. I like it and the compatability problems are minor. It's worth the $50. -- Leonard Erickson ...!tektronix!reed!percival!bucket!leonard CIS: [70465,203] "Oregon Guild Gold Card -- don't leave home without it!"
CTuna@cup.portal.com (Image - BBS) (03/06/91)
I just added 4DOS to my system, and have fallen in love with it... however, since adding it, I cannot shell to DOS or any DOS functions from within any programs. Did I do something wrong, or is this going to wait to be fixed until I get the registration in and get the swapping version?
rlarson2@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu (Robert S larson) (03/06/91)
CTuna@cup.portal.com (Image - BBS) writes: >I just added 4DOS to my system, and have fallen in love with it... >however, since adding it, I cannot shell to DOS or any DOS functions >from within any programs. Did I do something wrong, or is this going >to wait to be fixed until I get the registration in and get the >swapping version? It should allow you to shell out -- it sounds like 4dos is not swapping. An easy test is to type 4dos at the dos prompt -- it will swap out and tell you where it is swapping out to (XMS, EMS, etc.) Try the following lines in your configuration: In config.sys: shell=4dos.com /s:b /P In autoexec.bat: set comspec=c:\4dos.com set 4dshell=/s:b The /s:b sets the swapping to what 4dos determines to be the best location. If memory serves me right, the order is XMS,EMS,disk, no swapping. You can also add parameters to the shell and 4dshell lines to set the size of your environment, history, and alias. If you only have 640k w/o any extended or expanded memory, I think it won't swap unless you specify a disk for it to swap to.
ralphs@seattleu.edu (Ralph Sims) (03/06/91)
CTuna@cup.portal.com (Image - BBS) writes: > I just added 4DOS to my system, and have fallen in love with it... > however, since adding it, I cannot shell to DOS or any DOS functions > from within any programs. Did I do something wrong, or is this going > to wait to be fixed until I get the registration in and get the > swapping version? 4DOS is fully functional, and not crippled in any way. Actually, all you get when you register it (aside from warm, fuzzy feelings and all that goes with paying for what you use and the registered support) is that the beeps on boot-up are removed as well as the short delay that comes up. Anyway, make sure you have a statement similar to the following: 'set comspec=c:\4dos.com' in your autoexec.bat file. Also, not knowing what sort of memory, machine type, etc. you having, but hoping it has EMS, 'use shell=c:\4dos.com /e:1024U /U /a:2048 /s:b /p' or something similar in your config.sys. The /s:b will use 'best way' swapping. You can rename 4DOS.COM to COMMAND.COM and use it in 95% of all applications--there may be some programs that patch the memory-resident 'kernel' of command.com and look for specific things in specific parts of memory to play with (you'll know pretty soon which programs these are--they'll either lock the machine or will fail to run). Another thing to look for is copies of MS-DOS's command.com in the root directories of the applications you're trying to run--get rid of them, or rename 4dos.com to command.com and replace them. -- halcyon!ralphs@seattleu.edu The 23:00 News and Mail Service - +1 206 292 9048 - Seattle, WA USA +++ A Waffle Iron +++