DOS ain't dead

stable release ready BUT... (Announce)

posted by Ninho , 03.12.2009, 12:53

> P.S. Interestingly, it seems that WRAPPER cannot be used to load a driver
> if the system needs the LASTDRIVE command to be used.

Hmmm... in general, for real /block devices/ I don't think there is a problem. UIAM, the LASTDRIVE command is processed by MS-DOS to build the System File Tables /before/ processing installable device drivers. Note: MS/PC-DOS make several passes of the Config.sys (3 in total, I think), you should not believe they haven't "seen" the lastdrive=... line before they present it to you!

But the CD (and DVD) drivers are special devices which don't fit well in the old DOS driver model, being treated as network drives, hence each of these devices need both a /character/ mode driver specific to the device model and the MSCDEX or compatible redirector. The latter, not the CD/DVD driver proper, is what creates/rearranges/messes with SFTs & drive letters as needed to provide the illusion of a block mode device.

> In my system, i
> have three logical hard drives (C: D: E:), a CD drive (F:), and a DVD
> drive (G:). When i tried loading a CD/DVD redirector (MSCDEX or SHSUCDX)
> with WRAPPER, each complained that there were not enough drive letters
> available. They loaded fine using an INSTALL command and a LASTDRIVE=G:
> line... but not with WRAPPER, even with a LASTDRIVE=G: line. By doing a
> step-by-step boot, at least in PC 7.1, LASTDRIVE is executed after all the
> DEVICE commands and before the INSTALL commands, so WRAPPER must load
> whatever driver using the default LASTDRIVE setting.

Interesting indeed. Does it work with LASTDRIVE=Z ?

A question of mere academic interest anyway, I can't see whatsoever could be gained by loading the MSCDEX with WRAPPER.

--
Ninho

Complete thread:

• HK31.SYS *beta* announce & discussion thread - Ninho, 26.11.2009, 17:04 (Announce)
  • HK31.SYS *beta* announce & discussion thread - Ninho, 28.11.2009, 22:07
    • HK31.SYS *new version* beta 0.9 - Ninho, 29.11.2009, 16:58
      • HK31.SYS *new version* beta 0.9 - ecm, 29.11.2009, 17:15
        • HK31.SYS *new version* beta 0.9 - Ninho, 29.11.2009, 17:25
  • stable release ready BUT... - Ninho, 01.12.2009, 17:50
    • stable release ready BUT... - ecm, 01.12.2009, 19:46
      • stable release ready BUT... - Ninho, 01.12.2009, 20:00
        • stable release ready BUT... - ecm, 01.12.2009, 22:56
    • stable release ready BUT... - Japheth, 01.12.2009, 21:03
      • stable release ready BUT... - Ninho, 01.12.2009, 22:38
        • stable release ready BUT... - Rugxulo, 01.12.2009, 23:17
          • stable release ready BUT... - Ninho, 02.12.2009, 00:00
            • stable release ready BUT... - Rugxulo, 02.12.2009, 00:16
              • stable release ready BUT... - Ninho, 02.12.2009, 17:51
            • stable release ready BUT... - ecm, 02.12.2009, 18:25
    • stable release ready BUT... - Doug, 02.12.2009, 01:15
      • stable release ready BUT... - Ninho, 02.12.2009, 09:23
        • stable release ready BUT... - ecm, 02.12.2009, 18:34
          • stable release ready BUT... - Ninho, 02.12.2009, 19:24
            • stable release ready BUT... - Doug, 02.12.2009, 22:08
              • stable release ready BUT... - Rugxulo, 03.12.2009, 01:12
              • stable release ready BUT... - Ninho, 03.12.2009, 12:53
                • stable release ready BUT... - ecm, 03.12.2009, 14:20
                  • stable release ready BUT... - Ninho, 03.12.2009, 16:39
                    • stable release ready BUT... - ecm, 03.12.2009, 18:04
  • "HACKWRAP.SYS" out of beta (so I hope...) - Ninho, 03.12.2009, 20:25