In each of the following, d:
represents a drive
letter, path
represents a full pathname, and
file
represents a full filename, or a file mask including
*
and ?
.
break
Sets the control-c check.
break=on break=off
break=on turns on the control-c check. If the user presses control-c, it will be intercepted by the kernel and ignored. break=off turns this behavior off.
buffers
Allocates memory for disk buffers during kernel startup.
buffers=nn[,n]
nn is the number of buffers, in the range 1-99. n is the number of secondary buffers, in the range 1-8.
country
Sets the international behavior of DOS.
country=nnn[,[mmm][,[d:][path]file]]
nnn is the country code, as shown in the table below. mmm is the code page, as listed in the Appendix, Country Codes. If not specified, a code page will be chosen automatically. d:path\file is the pathname to a country-information file. If not specified, the file 'COUNTRY.SYS' is used instead.
device
Loads a driver into memory.
device=[d:][path]file [options]
d:path\file is the driver to load. 'options' are the options to the driver program, not to the 'device' instruction.
devicehigh
Loads a driver into high memory.
devicehigh=[d:][path]file [options]
d:path\file is the driver to load. 'options' are the options to the driver program, not to the 'device' instruction.
dos
Tell the DOS kernel how to load itself.
dos=high|low[,umb|noumb] dos=[high|low,]umb|noumb
dos=high tells DOS to load itself into high memory. You must first load a high memory manager. dos=low tells DOS to load into conventional memory. dos=umb tells DOS to keep a link between UMA and conventional. dos=noumb tells DOS not to keep a link between UMA and conventional.
driveparm
Defines parameters for block devices.
driveparm=[options]
/d:nnn is the physical drive number, in the range 0-255. 0=A: /c says if the drive can detect when the door is open/closed. /f:n is the drive type, in the range 0-9 0=160/180k or 320/360k 1=1.2M 2=720k (the default) 3=[not defined] 4=[not defined] 5=hard disk 6=tape 7=1.44M 8=R/W optical 9=2.88M /h:nn is the number of heads, in the range 1-99. /i says the disk is a 3.5-inch drive /n is a non-removable disk /s:nn is the number of sectors, in the range 1-99 /t:nn is hte number of tracks per side
fcbs
Sets the number of File Control Blocks.
fcbs=nnn
nnn is the number of File Control Blocks, in the range 1-255 (default=4)
files
Sets the number of allowed open files.
files=nnn
nnn is the number of files that DOS will allow to be open at once, in the range 8-255 (default=8)
install
Runs a TSR program, without an environment, instead of using a
something like LH or LOADHIGH.
install=[d:][path]file [options]
d:path\file is the TSR to run options are for the TSR, not for the 'install' instruction
lastdrive
Sets the last letter of the alphabet that can be used as a drive
letter.
lastdrive=c
c is a letter, in the range A-Z. It may be upper or lowercase.
rem
A comment.
rem [comment]
'rem' will ignore everything that follows it on the same line.
shell
Says what DOS shell to run.
shell=[d:][path]file [options]
d:path\file is the shell program to run. For example, COMMAND.COM 'options' are for the shell program, not the 'shell' instuction.
stacks
Adds stacks to handle hardware interrupts.
stacks=nn,nnn
nn are the number of stacks in the range 8-64, and 0. nnn are the size of each stack, in bytes, in the range 32-512.
Sep 1998: First revision.
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