~ F il es COPY CON C:\CONFIG.SYS Inside Your Computer: 3 System FILES = 2 0 BUFFERS = 20 And HowThey Work CTRL-Z

C:\) u. nT" by:PetrBrym oCDLUMN (note: to type CTRL~Z hold down the CONTROL key & press Z) Badormissing command interpreter... insufficient file handles... badcommand The message "I file copied" appears. orfile name...where have youseen this? This copies the FILES and BUFFERS lines You may have deleted, modified or into a file called CONFlG.SYS directly from overwritten oneof three important your keyboard (the "CONsole"). system files: COMMAND.COM, Ifyou need to modify an existing CONFIG.SYS andAUTOEXEC.BAT. CONFlG.SYS file, use EDLIN (see your 100S COMPUTER DOS manual) or a text editor of your choice. This article describes the function of You must treat this file as a text file, not as a • ••••••• ••• •••• O t •• •••• •••• •• ••• ,., • •• " . these three important files, and how you can ..... , ., ,...... ,' , •• •• •• I • ••••••• •• • ",., ••• •• • •• • • • •• • • • word processing document (i.e. WordPerfect, safely change or replace them. The WordS tar, MS-Word). Ifyou save your COMMAND.COM file is loaded into DO NOT delete this file, or attempt to type it CONFlG.SYS file as some word processing memory when you turn on the system. Each or edit it with a word processor. document, it will not function properly. This time you start your machine, the operating is because it will contain word processing system (DOS) searches for a CONFlG.SYS If your COMMAND.COM does become formatting codes that DOS cannot read. file and, if it finds one, it references the damaged or deleted, you can boot your After you save your file as a text or non­ information contained in the file. Next,DOS machine with a backup disk (see Making a document, be sure NOTto save the file again searches for the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. If boatable backup disk latter in this article) as a word processing file when exiting your DOS finds an AUTOEXEC.BAT file, it and copy the COMMAND.COM file back to word processor. performs the commands in that file. your bootable disk. To copy this file from a floppy in drive A: to your hard disk C:, use AUTOEXEC.BAT CAUTION: Get some help before you the following command: work on these files, unless you feel very Commands to execute at comfortable with the information in this COPY A:\COMMAND.COM C:\ startup article. A good place to go for help is the AUTOEXEC.BAT is a text file New Hampshire Technology Transfer This makes a copy of COMMAND.COM in containing commands to be automatically Center. Call our toll free number at 1-800­ the root directory of drive C:. executed when youstart your computer. The 423-0060. DOS command PROMPT $P$G is often ' CONFIG.SYS found in the AUTOEXEC.BAT so that the COMMAND.COM Configuration, System re­ command prompt reflects the current drive Basic commands in memory and directory (e.g., C\:wp51» . source allocation COMMAND.COM is the DOS CONFlG.SYS is a text file containing a command interpreter which provides you One of the most important commands to description of resources and devices to be with the basic DOS commands such as include in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file is the made available to the computer. Among COPY, DEL, and RENAME. This file must PAm command: other things, this file specifies the number of be present in the root directory of your hard files and buffers that computer programs (i.e. disk (usually the root directory on your hard PATH = C:\;C:\DOS;C:\WP your word processor or spreadsheet) can use drive is C:\), or in the root directory (A:\) on at the same time. Without specifying the your floppy bootable disk at the time you This PAm command lists all the correct number of files in the CONFlG.SYS turn on and start up your computer. During directories the computer should search for file, for example, when you try to run this process, vital commands are loaded into programs. The PAm command makes it WordPerfect 5.0, the program will fail with the computer's temporary memory or easier to use your machine. Because the WP the following message: "Insufficient file "RAM" (this stands for Random Access subdirectory is listed in the PATH command, handles to run WordPerfect." In its simplest Memory). If the COMMAND. COM file is executed at startup by AUTOEXEC.BAT, form, the CONFlG.SYS file would look like missing from the root directory or damaged the computer will find the program and run it the one shown below: the error message''Bad or missing com­ when you type "WP" even if you are not mand interpreter" appears. Also, be sure currently in the WP subdirectory. by that the COMMAND. COM file is the correct FILES = 20 contrast, when you type "DBASE", the version (you can type VER to see what . BUFFERS = 20 program will not run unless you first set version of DOS you are running). The default to the DBASE subdirectory by typing Keep a copy of your CONFlG.SYS file wrong version COMMAND. COM can couse "cd DBASE" at the DOS prompt to change basic commands suchas FORMAT not to ' on the same backup disk that contains a copy directory. When the AUTOEXEC.BAT file of your COMMAND.COM, so you can copy work. Without the proper is accidentally deleted or damaged, your it to your working bootable disk if necessary. COMMAND.COM you will not .be able to machine will appear to respond differently to ) Ifyou do not have a CONFlG.SYS file you use your Jilachine because the basic com­ your commands, and you will have to work can make one by typingthe.following line mands loaded into memory from harder to use your machine. You should and pressing after each line: COMMAND.COM will not be available. have a copy of your AUTOEXEC.BAT file continued on p. 6 page S 3 system files ... When incorporated into a pavement continuedfrom p. 5 A Diet Tip for structure, the nonwoven geotextile normally performs three basic overlapping functions on the same backup disk as Gravel Hungry consisting of separation, drainage/filtration, COMMAND.COM and CONFIG.SYS, so and load distribution/reinforcement. It is you can copy it back to the startup disk if it Roads becoming apparent through exhumations and is deleted or damaged. performance case histories that the separa­ You canimprove yourgravel road's tion effect is of primary importance in many To create the file from scratch, use the health by adding fiber -- in theformofa applications involving both wet and dry following commands (type RETIJRN after geotextile -- to its diet subgrades. each line and CTRL-Z as described above) : As movement occurs along the road by David Smiley, Phillips Fibers surface, usually in conjunction with COPY CON : C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT environmental stresses on the road, a mixing PROMPT 4P4G Corporation of dissimilar materials within the road TIME structure occurs. It has been estimated that DATE Recently I read an article dealing with as little as 10 to 15% intermixing of some the cost of gravel lost on gravel roads PATH C:\iC:\DOSiC:\WPi subgrade materials with clean aggregate can CTRL-Z because of improper blade angles used by render the aggregate dysfunctional as a motor grader operations. There is another structural component. In the case where reason for lost gravel which requires another This copies the PROMPT, TIME, aggregate is the surfacing material, it's answer to solve the problem. DATE and PATH lines into a file called effects as a dust palliative, friction course, Hundreds of tons of aggregate are lost AUTOEXEC.BAT directly from your and stable driving surface are compromised each year due to gravel-hungry roads which keyboard. as soon as the inevitable mixing with simply "eat up" much of the aggregate after subgrade fines occurs. it is placed. This causes a frequent need for Ifyou need to modify an existing Lightweight nonwoven (4 oz. per square replacement of the gravel and additional AUTOEXEC.BAT file, use EDLIN or a text yard) geotextiles have a history of money editor of your choice as described above. grading. saving success in some parts of the county The common use of nonwoven where they are routinely used in gravel roads geotextiles in modern road design addresses Making a "Bootable" Backup to separate imported gravel from the native this problem and is directly applicable to road base such as areas in Oklahoma (New Disk unpaved roads. . Hampshire has also experienced positive A "bootable disk" is one that contains outcomes due to nonwoven fabrics). You the file COMMAND.COM used to start up a can improve your gravel road's health by machine. It also contains two hidden system adding fiber -- in the form of a geotextile -­ files that are necessary for starting your tofts diet. machine. To make a bootable backup disk, place a blank disk in drive A: (check your Reprinted from P Newsletter, Vol. 7, No. DOS manual under FORMAT for specific 2,Spring 1991,a publlcatlon of the Wyo­ directions about disk density) and type: ming 12Center. _

FORMAT A: /S

This formats the disk and copies the system, i.e, COMMAND.COM and the two hidden files to the floppy.

To make a bootable backup disk with COMMAND.COM, CONFIG.SYS, and AUTOEXEC>BAT, follow the directions SEPARATION above, and then type:

COpy C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT A: COPY C:\CONFIG.SYS A: Surface water moving Remove the disk from drive A:. Place a into the cleanbasedrains write -protect tab over the notch in the disk off laterally (5.25" disk). Slide the write protect slider to open (3.5" disk). Label the disk, "BACKUP g BOOTABLE DISK." Store the disk in a safe place.

Edited and reprinted from on-line, Vol. 16, No.1, Fall 1991, a publication of Computing and Information services, University of New Hampshire. _ DRAINAGE

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