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the algorithm, sketched for review. Nitpicks ? (Miscellaneous)

posted by Ninho E-mail, 17.12.2009, 17:14

>> [...] this step is to please CM [...]
>> Use Int 2F/1000. -> AX=0 or 1, OK for us to continue; else bail out.

> A. The Int2F installation check doesn't return ax, it only returns al.
My bad. Be sure I check every detail when actually coding, the above sketch is just that... a rough sketch done to give you all something to chew (or bite) at ;-)

> B. If it returns al = 01h then something strange is going on as well.
> Better to abort.
Disagree. 01 signifies DOS cannot accept SHARE installation at this moment. In no way does it prevent us from setting up FIXWRAP. To us 01 just means SHARE is not installed. Nor do I expect it to ever be installed, again, we're a driver initialising itself. Share is a regular program. At the very soonest your mad tester would load share using WRAPPER (not sure it will work, just hypothesing), and as you know that must come after FIXWRAP !

> C. Int2F.1000 is not reliable. If you really want to please me you
> have to use a reliable installation check.
Postponed.

>> CS from IOSYS share hooks (0070:0092),
> You mean from DATA:0092.

Of course. Good catch, I've edited the posted sketch.

>> IF this routine entry is NOT in the HMA, GOTO step 3 below.

> Make sure to add the offset*16 and segment for this check. An overflow
> (CY) means it's in the HMA.

This is exactly how it is coded, Christian :-)

>As you probably know MS-DOS 7 doesn't use
> segment FFFFh to address it's DOS code segment in the HMA. (FF39h here.)
The exact CS it uses was fetched and found in step 1.

>> -4. TEST and SET Ninho's bit in the MTI. This establishes the fix proper
>> (and could be applied permanently to the IO.SYS file, if desired). If the
> > bit was set already, put a message (notice, rather than an error).
> This notice might annoy those who patched their kernel file. Might just
> leave it out, or at least display it on the same line as the program name.
How's that annoying exactly ? Are you annoyed at every line of scrolling boot-up time messages?
Assuming they are not hidden behind the Windows logo screen, that is.
What's annoying in my book is if a program doesn't give a clue of what it's doing and what maybe going wrong.

Besides, the /sketch/ is that of the test version which we will have to try and make misbehave in all possible manners, so better it details what it's thinking it's doing. The final will have less messages, and may sport a /Quiet switch even.

Thanks for the nits...

---
Ninho

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