485 lines
18 KiB
Plaintext
485 lines
18 KiB
Plaintext
Title: Config.sys Options
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Configuring your DOS system for use:
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------------------------------------
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When booting DOS, you will find it only supports a subset of
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the devices available on many computers. To support additional
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devices and advanced features, device specific driver and
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memory resident software most be loaded. This allows the
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kernel to be easily extended to support hardware not presently
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available and take better advantage of installed hardware
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without wasting resources on computers lacking it. This
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software is generally loaded during the kernel initialization
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phase, with details describing what to load expressed in the
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file CONFIG.SYS. The FreeDOS kernel will first look for a
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file named FDCONFIG.SYS, should it exist, it will will be used
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instead of CONFIG.SYS; this allows the FreeDOS kernel to coexist
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and be configured differently than another DOS kernel. There
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are additional options available to adjust other aspects of the
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kernel's behaviour. Note: some options listed below are FreeDOS
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specific and will not work when using other/older DOS kernels.
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Below is list of all documented FreeDOS config.sys supported
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options; additional undocumented options may exist but are not
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meant for normal usage.
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BREAK
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Usage: break=on|off
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Set extended Control-C/Control-Break checking to on [default] or off.
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When set to on, the kernel will perform the check (and invoke current
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handler if pressed) prior to most int 21h calls. When set to off,
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the kernel only performs the check on I/O calls using standard streams.
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Example: break=off
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BUFFERS
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BUFFERSHIGH
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Usage: buffers=nn[,m] where nn is in range 1-99 & m is in range 1-8
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Memory buffers used by the kernel; primary[,secondary]
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The secondary buffer option is available for compatibility with
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other DOS kernels, but is ignored by the FreeDOS kernel. In MS DOS,
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a secondary buffer can used to read-ahead data. FreeDOS does not do
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this. Buffers are stored in HMA by FreeDOS, unless you select nn to
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allocate more buffers than fit in HMA. If nn is smaller, unused HMA
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space will be used for further buffers until something else allocates
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the HMA space for something else. Even then, at least nn buffers will
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always be available. You can set nn to a negative value to disable
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the use of unused HMA space: BUFFERS=-10 only uses 10 buffers, further
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free space in the HMA will just stay unused. Because the buffers can
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use the HMA anyway, BUFFERSHIGH does the same as BUFFERS for now, but
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shows a note about that to inform the user that it does not use UMB.
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Example: buffers=20
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COUNTRY
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Usage: country=nnn[,[mmm][,[d:][path]file]]
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Enables/sets international features of DOS by selecting a country
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code and (only with the unstable / devel kernel) optionally also
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a codepage and country file. The stable kernel only uses the nnn
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value. For full support, use the unstable / devel kernel. You also
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need a COUNTRY.SYS file for the latter, while the former ignores the
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filename argument and only sets date/time/number formats, using values
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compiled into the kernel for a few common countries. It does not set
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sort order and upper/lower case translation tables. NLSFUNC can only
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be used with the unstable kernel.
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nnn is country code (001==US)
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mmm is code page (437 is default, 850 is updated form, 1252 for Windows)
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[drive][path]file specifies file with country specific data
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Example: country=001,850,C:\FDOS\BIN\COUNTRY.SYS
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DEVICE
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Usage: device=[d:][path]file [options]
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Load the device driver specified by d:path\file (into conventional
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[low 640KB] memory). The options are for the driver itself; refer
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to documentation that came with your particular device for supported
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options and their usage.
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Example: device=himem.sys
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DEVICEHIGH
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Usage: devicehigh=[d:][path]file [options]
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This is just like device= statement, except it attempts to load
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the device driver into high memory first (failing that it should
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load it in conventional memory).
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Note: The order you load devices may have a large impact on amount
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of free memory available. In general try to load large (in memory
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usage) programs into high memory first.
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Important: You should have a high memory manager such as FDXMS or
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HIMEM installed (prior device=FDXMS.SYS or device=HIMEM.SYS) before
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using this option.
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Example: devicehigh=xcdrom.sys /D:FDCD0001
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DOS
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Usage: dos=high|low,umb|noumb
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Indicates whether the kernel should try to load itself into
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high memory or only conventional (low), and whether to link
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upper memory blocks in with normal memory or not.
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Note: only one set need be given, ie dos=high and dos=noumb are ok.
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Important: if you specify dos=high[,umb|noumb] then you must also
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load a high memory manager (first), ie FDXMS or HIMEM
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Example: dos=high,umb
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Example: dos=low,noumb
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DOSDATA
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Usage: dosdata=umb
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Try to load kernel data into Upper Memory Blocks; effectively
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same as using the [name]HIGH variant of kernel parameters,
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such as fileshigh, lastdrivehigh, and stackshigh (does not
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effect drivers loaded using device= or install=).
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Example: dosdata=umb
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ECHO
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Usage: ECHO Message to be displayed to user.
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ECHO displays (echos) its arguments to the console during
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config.sys processing when device drivers are loaded (when
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DEVICE= lines are executed).
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Example:
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ECHO loading driver 1
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device=Driver1.sys
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ECHO driver1 successfully loaded
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EECHO
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Usage: EECHO Message with ANSI Escape Sequence
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EECHO allows for echo-ing ANSI Escape Sequences
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(redefines keyboard input for example). Use a dollar sign ($)
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to represent the ANSI Escape character. Note: requires an
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ANSI driver like NANSI loaded prior to use.
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Example: EECHO feeling $[33;44;1m blue :-)
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FCBS
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Usage: fcbs=nnn
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where nnn is in range 1-255
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Sets the number of File Control Blocks to reserve room for.
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As file control blocks have been replaced by file handles
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(see files) and FreeDOS dynamically simulates FCBS from the
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handle data as needed, nnn is simply ignored by FreeDOS.
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Example: fcbs=4
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FILES
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FILESHIGH
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Usage: files=nnn
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where nnn is in range 8-255 (default 8)
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Specifies how many files allowed open at once (reserves
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memory necessary to support opening this many files).
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Note: there are other restrictions, so a given program
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may not be able to actually open this many
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A good number is 20, though some programs suggest/require
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30, 40, or even 255
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Example: files=20
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IDLEHALT
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Usage: idlehalt=n
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where n can be -1, 0, 1 or higher (default 0)
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Activates built-in kernel energy saving functionality if n is
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not 0. Value -1 enables all hooks, 1 enables only "safe" hooks,
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CPU halted only if kernel is waiting for CON char device input.
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Further hooks for n=-1 and n>0 depend on the kernel version:
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In addition to the safe hooks, other hooks can get activated,
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for example one for int 0x2f, ax=0x1680 "release time slice".
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Note: In rare cases, entering or leaving HLT mode (which causes
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big changes in CPU power consumption) can cause crashes if
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cheap power supplies or mainboards cannot properly filter
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the transients. Underclocking the whole system may help.
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Linux always does a few HLT at boot time, to force a hang
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on buggy systems early (boot with no-hlt to disable HLT).
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P90 may have buggy HLT? www.tavi.co.uk/ps2pages/ohland/halt.html
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INSTALL
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INSTALLHIGH
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Usage: install=[d:][path]file [options]
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Load the program specified by d:path\file. Generally used to
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load TSR (terminate and stay resident) programs with a minimal
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environment block. The options are for the program itself; refer
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to documentation that came with your particular software for
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supported options and usage.
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Example: install=nansi.com
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KEYBUF
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Usage: keybuf=n[,m]
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where n is in 0xac-0xde or 0x106-0x1de range and m is max 0x200
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Relocate keyboard buffer from the default location at
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0x40:0x1e-0x3e to 0x40:n-m. The buffer must be more
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than 32 bytes and must not touch offsets 0x100-0x105.
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Default for m is "next multiple of 0x100 after n".
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Note: Some BIOSes store data in the 0xac-0xff area. BASICA will
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use the 0x106-0x120 area. Other hardware, drivers or apps
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can collide with KEYBUF, too, so use it at your own risk.
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A reasonably safe choice should be "keybuf=0x140,0x1c0".
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LASTDRIVE
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LASTDRIVEHIGH
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Usage: lastdrive=x
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where x is last drive letter available for use; A-Z
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Example: lastdrive=z
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MENU
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Usage: menu [text]
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where text is the text you want to be shown while running
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config.sys. Menu displays a menu while running config.sys.
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Use menudefault to set a time delayed default option.
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Lines that begin with 1? will only be processed if the user
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presses 1. Lines beginning with 23? will be loaded if the
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user presses either 2 or 3. Options other than 0 can only
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be selected if at least one "numbers?" line actually uses
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them, as shown in the example below.
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Example:
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menu Please Select Configuration:
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menu
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menu Option 0 basic stuff only
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menu Option 1 CD-ROM
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menu Option 2 TROUSERS
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menu Option 3 CD-ROM and TROUSERS
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0?echo you selected option 0
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13?device=xcdrom.sys /D:FDCD0001
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23?install=trousers.com
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MENUCOLOR
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Usage: menucolor foreground[,background]
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Use Menucolor before the menu config command, to create a
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full screen menu which supports the arrow cursor keys.
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The following colors can be used for foreground and background:
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0=Black; 1=Blue; 2=Green; 3=Cyan; 4=Red; 5=Magenta;
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6=Brown; 7=Light Gray
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The following colors can only be used for the foreground:
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8=Dark Gray; 9=Light Blue; 10=Light Green; 11=Light Cyan;
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12=Light Red; 13=Light Magenta; 14=Yellow; 15=White.
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If you do not use MENUCOLOR, the menu will not be full
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screen, so some of the BIOS, bootloader and kernel init
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messages (list of drives, version info...) stays visible.
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To change the colour to white text on blue, use the following:
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Example: menucolor 15,1
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MENUDEFAULT
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Usage: menudefault=defaultoption,delay
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where delay is the delay time in seconds and defaultoption is the
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used standard option if the delay time is over. Menudefault sets
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a time delayed default option for a config.sys menu: If no key
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has been pressed during [delay] seconds, the default choice is
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activated. Pressing a key stops the countdown, the kernel will
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wait infinitely for the user to make a selection. Note that some
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virtual machines like Bochs can have broken (too fast) timing.
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Example: menudefault=0,5
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NUMLOCK
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Usage: numlock=on|off
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Set the keyboard number lock to on or off.
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Example: numlock=off
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REM
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Usage: rem Your remarks!
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This provides the ability to place comments within the configuration
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file. The text following the rem until the end of the line is
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reached is ignored. This may also be used to temporarily disable
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loading a particular device or other option. A synonym for REM is
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the semicolon, see the examples.
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Example: REM DOS=HIGH,UMB
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Example: ;DOS=HIGH,UMB
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SCREEN
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Usage: screen=xx
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Switches into videomode xxx (INT10/11xx/000)
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where xx should be 0x11 for 8x14 font (28 lines VGA, 25 lines EGA)
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or 0x12 for 8x8 font (43 lines EGA, 50 lines VGA) or 0x14 for the
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default VGA font (25 lines VGA). Some newer graphics cards may not
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have 8x14 fonts in the BIOS. In that case, a driver can be loaded
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to load a suitable font in RAM, but SCREEN=0x11 should not be used.
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If xx is less than 15 (0x0f), it is treated as screen mode number,
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for example 1 for CGA 40x25 color text or 7 for monochrome text.
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Example: SCREEN=0x12
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SET
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Usage: set ENVVAR=value
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Sets the environment variable to provided value.
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Example: set HOME=C:\home\me
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SHELL
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SHELLHIGH
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Usage: shell=[d:][path]file [options]
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Indicates the shell to use; often used to alter COMMAND.COM's behavior.
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Note: it is command.com that processes AUTOEXEC.BAT; by using the
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shell option, you can get command.com to process a differently named
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file (such as FDAUTO.BAT for coexisting with another DOS using different
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configuration options) or run a completely different command interpreter
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such as 4DOS or a (unix) sh variant.
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Example: shell=C:\4DOS.COM /E:256 /P
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Example: SHELL=C:\FDOS\bin\command.com C:\FDOS\bin /E:1024 /P=C:\fdauto.bat
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STACKS
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STACKSHIGH
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Usage: stacks=nn,mmm
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where nn is in range 0,8-64 and nnn is in range 32-512
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Changes number and size of hardware interrupt stacks available
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nn is number of different stacks and mmm is size in bytes of each one
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In some cases you can use "stacks=0,0" to use only standard stacks
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instead of letting DOS allocate extra stacks for hardware interrupts.
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Example: stacks=16,256
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SWITCHAR
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Usage: switchar=c
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Sets the default switchar to character c. Where c is a single character
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that is used to indicate a command line parameter is an option switch.
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The default is a forward slash (/). Note: This simply sets the value
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returned by a get switchar query, it will not effect programs that use
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hardcoded switch characters. The switch character is the sign used to
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mark options, for example the "/" in "DIR /w". Good values: "/" and "-".
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Example: switchar=-
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SWITCHES
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Usage: switches=/E[:xxx] /F /K /N /W
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Adjusts boot time processing behaviour.
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/E specifies how to handle moving of EBDA (Extended BIOS Data Area),
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if a size in bytes is specified [xxx, in range of 48-1024]
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then the EBDA will be moved from the top of conventional memory
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to a lower address (allowing for potentially larger free block
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of conventional memory if video memory at A0000 is available).
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without a size, the EBDA will not be moved
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/F skips the delay checking for F5/F8 keystroke before processing
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config.sys [equivalent to SYS CONFIG skipconfigseconds=0]
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F5 and F8 are only processed if pressed before DOS boots but
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after the keyboard is set up - right moment is easy to miss.
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/K forces treating of keyboard as 86 key keyboard, not 102/105 key.
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Might be useful with BIOSes or drivers which have no or broken
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handling for 102/105 key keyboards.
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/N disables F5/F8 support [equivalent to kernel config (SYS CONFIG,
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run SYS CONFIG /? for explanations) skipconfigseconds=-1]
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F5 (skip config) and F8 (single step config.sys) are ignored.
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/W is NOT supported in FreeDOS. This option in MS DOS would set a flag
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for Windows 3.0 to skip loading wina20.386 from the root directory.
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VERSION
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Usage: version=x.y
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FreeDOS specific command to specify what DOS version to report. For
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a kernel with FAT32 support, 7.10 is a good choice. Otherwise, 5.0
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and 6.22 are common values. FreeCOM command.com "ver /r" displays
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both the reported and the FreeDOS internal version numbers.
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Example: version=6.22
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Advanced - FreeDOS specific CONFIG.SYS menu processing:
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-------------------------------------------------------
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normal
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FILES=20
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DEVICE=MyNetWorkDriver.sys
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'?' - ALWAYS ask if a single line shall be executed
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FILES=20
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DEVICE?=MyNetWorkDriver.sys
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'!' - NEVER ask if a single line shall be executed, even if single stepping
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!FILES=20
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!DOS=HIGH,UMB
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!BUFFERS=30
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!DEVICE=MyNetWorkDriver.sys
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configuration management - you may compose several configurations,
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using following special commands:
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MENU
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MENU select your configuration
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MENU
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MENU use (1) for CDROM operation
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MENU use (2) for NETWORK configuration
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MENU use (3) to load neither CDROM nor NETWORK drivers
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MENU
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MENUDEFAULT=3,60 (configuration 3, wait 60 seconds)
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rem CDROM
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1? device=CDROM.SYS
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rem NETWORK
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2? device=MyNetworkDriver.SYS
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rem Menu items can only be selected if at least one line uses them:
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3? echo Basic configuration selected
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Although this is different than MSDOS menuing possibilities, it
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allows for selecting from multiple options during bootup while
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remaining simple. It, however, does not allow for multi-level
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menuing based configuration schemes.
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It's also possible to combine menu options, to avoid writing thing every
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time again.
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constructions like 0?devicehigh?=cdrom.sys are also possible
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("if menu option 0 chosen, ask if you want to load this driver")
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the selected configuration can be determined in AUTOEXEC.BAT in the
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environment variable CONFIG like
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if %CONFIG% == 0 echo configuration 0 selected
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however, if you have no MENUs in config.sys, then %config% has no value,
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thus resulting in "IF == 0 echo configuration 0 selected."
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(which causes syntax errors as there's nothing on the left side of == )
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That's why you better use something like:
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if [%config%]==[0] echo configuration 0 selected. -or-
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if "%config%"=="0" echo configuration 0 selected.
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then if there is no menu you have: "IF []==[0] echo configuration 0 selected."
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(which will of course output nothing)
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thus my config.sys now looks like
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!files=20
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!dos=high,umb
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!break=off
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!buffers=30
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!screen=0x12
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!lastdrive=z
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!shell=\command.com /p /e:512 /MSG
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MENU
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MENU 0 - SoftIce+HIMEM+Network (default)
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MENU 1 - SoftIce+HIMEM
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MENU 2 - HIMEM+EMM386
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MENU
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MENUDEFAULT=0,0
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01? DEVICE=C:\NUMEGA\S-ICE.EXE /TRA 3000 /SYM 400
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012?DEVICE=himem.exe
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01? DEVICE=UMBPCI.SYS
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2? DEVICE=EMM386.EXE NOEMS
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0?device=c:\ntclient\ifshlp.sys
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DEVICE=xcdrom.sys /D:MSCD000
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Full Screen Menus (thanks to Rune Espeseth)
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Use MENUCOLOR=foreground[,background] to obtain a full screen menu
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where you can use the arrow keys. Example (note that box drawing
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characters are used that look strange in other character sets):
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REM *** This is the FreeDos Config.sys ***
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REM *** executed before autoexec.bat ***
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REM *** Set white foreground, red background ***
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menucolor=7,4
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files=20
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buffers=20
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REM *** The Menu ***
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MENU
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MENU *-------------------------------------------------------*
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MENU ! My Menu - FreeDOS rules! !
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MENU *-------------------------------------------------------*
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MENU ! !
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MENU ! 1. Test with border !
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MENU ! !
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MENU ! 2. Another test... !
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MENU ! !
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MENU ! 3. Third choice !
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MENU ! !
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MENU ! 4. Fourth choice. !
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MENU ! !
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MENU *-------------------------------------------------------*
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MENU
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MENUDEFAULT=1,10 ( configuration 1, wait 10 seconds)
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REM 1st choice
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1?ECHO You selected menu #1
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REM 2nd choice
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2?ECHO You selected menu #2
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REM 3rd choice
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3?ECHO You selected menu #3
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REM 4th choice
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4?ECHO You selected menu #4
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2002-11-28 - Tom Ehlert
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2003-07-15 - Bernd Blaauw
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2003-09-18 - Bart Oldeman
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2004-07-24 - Jeremy Davis
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...
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2008-22-01 - Fritz Mueller / Eric Auer
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