Microsoft KB Archive/80300

= Microsoft Knowledge Base =

FastTips: MS-DOS 5.0 Commands Sequence Questions and Answers
Last reviewed: May 1, 1997

Article ID: Q80300

5.00 MS-DOS kbtool kbdisplay kbenv

The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft MS-DOS operating system version 5.0

SUMMARY
This article contains the complete text of the &quot;MS-DOS 5.0 Shell and Commands Sequence&quot; fax script.

This fax script is available to customers who call the Microsoft FastTips Service for Operating Systems at (800) 936-4200.

MS-DOS 5.0 SHELL AND COMMANDS SEQUENCE
1.Q. How can I automatically load an application into the MS-DOS SHELL

Active Task List when I start the MS-DOS SHELL.

A. To automatically load an application, you must edit the DOSSHELL.INI file located in the DOS directory. For more detailed information, order FastTips Technical Library item Q74734, titled &quot;Loading Programs Automatically into MS-DOS Shell Task List.&quot; 2.Q. When I run MS-DOS Shell, my computer hangs. What can I do?

A. MS-DOS Shell may hang if you are running other memory-resident programs simultaneously with Shell or if you are using incorrect Shell video files.

Make sure you are not using any other memory-resident programs before you start Shell by remarking out or removing the command lines that start these applications from the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files.

Shell may also hang if incorrect Shell video files are being used. This situation may occur if the MS-DOS 5.0 Setup program incorrectly detects the video state of your computer system and installs incorrect Shell video files. To correct this problem, delete the incorrect files and expand the correct Shell video files from the MS-DOS 5 Upgrade disks. The correct Shell video files for particular video monitors are listed in your Microsoft MS-DOS &quot;Getting Started&quot; manual. 3.Q. What version mouse driver should I use with MS-DOS Shell?

First, for your mouse to function properly, the correct mouse driver must be loaded, usually in either the CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT file. If you are using a Microsoft Mouse with version 6.2 or earlier of the mouse driver, you must update the driver if problems are occurring in    Shell. To do this, call Microsoft Technical Support at (425) 646-5104.

If you are using the Logitech mouse driver version 5.01, contact Logitech to update your mouse driver.

If you are using a Packard Bell mouse driver version 3.0 or earlier, contact Packard Bell to update your mouse driver.

If you are using a third-party mouse not mentioned above, contact the manufacturer to determine whether the mouse driver is compatible with Shell version 5.0. 4.Q. I am using the correct mouse driver with MS-DOS Shell, but I am still

having problems using my mouse in Shell. What should I do?

A. If you are using Microsoft Mouse driver version 8.0 with the /y switch on the MOUSE.SYS command line in the CONFIG.SYS file, your computer may hang in the graphics mode of Shell. To work around this problem, remove the /y switch, or load MOUSE.COM in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

If you are using the Microsoft Mouse driver version 8.0 with the /U switch and are loading MS-DOS high, Shell may hang while running the Task List. To work around this problem, either load MS-DOS low, or    remove the /U switch to correct this problem. 5.Q. When I first ran MS-DOS Shell, I received message beginning &quot;Warning!

You do not have a current mouse driver...&quot; What should I do?

A. This message occurs when Shell detects that a mouse driver may not function correctly. If you select Disable after the message is    displayed, the mouse is unavailable in Shell. To enable the mouse after selecting Disable, use the following steps:

1. Edit the DOSSHELL.INI file by changing to the DOS directory and typing:

edit dosshell.ini

2. Delete the line beginning with &quot;Mouse=&quot; located in the [savestate] section. This line reads &quot;Mouse= , disabled&quot; (without the       quotation marks, where  is a mouse driver version number).

3. From the File menu, choose Save, and then quit the editor.

4. Start Shell and select &quot;Use mouse anyway&quot; to enable your mouse.

NOTE: If you select &quot;Use mouse anyway&quot; when the warning message appears, you may have problems with the mouse or with Shell itself. 6.Q. The RESTORE command states &quot;Warning! no files were found to

restore&quot;. What should I do?

A. When using the RESTORE command it is necessary to specify a full destination path. To RESTORE all backed up files from a set of    backup disks, use the following command:

restore a: c:\*.* /s.

This command will restore all backed up files and subdirectories starting at the root directory of the C drive.

For more information on the RESTORE command, please see pages 555 to 557 in the MS-DOS 5 User's Guide and Reference manual. 7.Q. I receive the MS DOS 5 error message &quot;Out of environment space.&quot;

What should I do?

A. The MS-DOS environment consists of variables, such as the PROMPT and PATH statements, that are defined or associated with a specific string. To display the environment, type &quot;set&quot; (without the quotation    marks) at the MS-DOS command prompt. The &quot;Out of environment space&quot; message appears if there are not enough memory resources to define the variables and their associated strings. The default environment size is 256 bytes. To increase the environment, include a SHELL statement in the CONFIG.SYS file and use the /E parameter to specify a larger environment.

For more information on the SET and SHELL command, refer to pages 559 through 561 and pages 566 through 567 of the MS-DOS &quot;User's Guide and Reference&quot; manual. 8.Q. What is the SETVER program and how can I use it?

A. Some applications run only with specific versions of MS-DOS. If    the current version of an application is compatible with MS-DOS 5.0, you can use the MS-DOS SETVER command to change the version number that MS-DOS reports to the application.

You can use SETVER to allow these applications to run by changing the MS-DOS version number reported to the application.

For more information on SETVER, refer to pages 561 through 564 of the Microsoft MS-DOS &quot;User's Guide and Reference&quot; for version 5.0.