Article
Getting DESQview up and running
by Roger C. Thompson

At the inaugaral meeting of the DESQSIG I displayed an annotated copy of my 
config.sys and autoexec.bat files.  Several members have asked for copies.  I
have found that these tips are useful for anyone starting DESQview(tm) with
QEMM(tm).

To tune DESQview(tm) to have the largest possible amount of memory available 
for applications it is necessary to make changes to your autoexec.bat and 
config.sys files.  The installation program will make all the changes it can
to try to configure your system but since all 386's were not created equal...

Before changing your files.
!!KEEP A BOOT FLOPPY HANDY JUST IN CASE!!

This disk needs to be formatted with 
FORMAT A: /S
and then,
COPY c:\command.com a:.
COPY c:\autoexec.bat a:.
COPY c:\config.sys a:.

You will notice that I always include a full path in all the statements of my 
autoexec and config files.  If I need to boot of of a floppy, everyting will 
start normally and I can immediately use my editor to correct any errors I 
have made .  When changing autoexec.bat and config.sys, be careful.  Make 
certain it is saved as a TEXT or ASCII file.  DOS does not care for embedded 
word processing commands and special characters. 

***************************************************
*This is a sample config.sys file with annotation.*
***************************************************

(1) DEVICE=c:\qemm.sys extmem=1024 i=a000-b7ff x=c000-cfff i=f000-f7ff ram  rom
(2) DEVICE=c:\loadhi.sys c:\dmdrvr.bin
(2) DEVICE=c:\loadhi.sys c:\mouse.sys
(3) FILES=40 
(4) BUFFERS=2
(5) SHELL=c:\command.com /p/e:512

(1) 
DEVICE=c:\qemm.sys extmem=1024 i=b000-b7ff x=c000-cfff i=f000-f7ff ram  rom
extmen=1024  --> leave some extended memory available. 
My disk cache program uses EXTENDED memory.  This reserves 1 MEG for that 
program.                           
                                           
i=a000-b7ff  --> let QEMM(tm) have this area of memory
This area is used by MONO cards only  and can be used by CGA. EGA and VGA can 
use this area if you want to give up high resolution graphics.  Graphics will
be displayed as CGA.  Note that each package should be lied to.  Tell them you
have a CGA system. If you need to use high res graphics do not use noega and 
use i=b000-b7ff.  If you make a mistake and use i=a000-b7ff without using noega
you will find that boot disk you made very useful!

x=c000-cfff  --> do NOT let QEMM(tm) have this area of memory.
Some VGA cards will try to use memory in this region no matter what.  In that 
case, you must not let QEMM(tm) mess with it.  Garbage on the screen on boot 
up is a good indication.  Aren't you glad you made that boot disk.

i=f000-f7ff  --> let QEMM(tm) have this area of memory
IBM(tm) used this for casette BASIC.  Rarely used now, so its fairly safe to 
let QEMM(tm) have it. 

ram
Allows QEMM(tm) to fill-in unused areas of low memory and will significantly 
increase available memory to applications.  Without running DESQview(tm), I 
have about 685K of FREE ram for applications. 

rom
If you want to use shadow ram, include this option and turn off any shadow ram 
that came with your system, if possible.  If you cannot turn off this ram then 
you must extmem= whereever your system copies the video rom.   Personally, I 
don't use shadow ram because I like to keep as much memory available for 
applications as possible. 

(2) DEVICE=c:\loadhi.sys c:\dmdrvr.bin
    DEVICE=c:\loadhi.sys c:\mouse.sys
These statments load device drivers high and out of the way. Just place 
loadhi.sys in front of the driver.  Include the space.  Again.
!!HAVE A FLOPPY BOOT DISK AVAILABLE JUST IN CASE!! 

(3) FILES=40
Uses lots of files.  I really wouldn't recommend less.

(4) BUFFER=2
Use DESQview(tm) buffers, these just take up space.

(5) SHELL=c:\command.com/p/e:512
I like to use a lot of environment variables at times so I include this
line.

******************************************************
*This is an example autoexec.bat file with annotation* 
******************************************************

(1) @ECHO OFF
(2) PROMPT $p$g
(3) c:\loadhi c:\noega
(4) PATH=c:\;c:\bin;e:\pcw;c:\qb45;c:\qc2;c:\msc50
(5) c:\loadhi c:\fastp c:1024 ob:128 oc df:0:1
(6) SET LIB=c:\lib
(6) SET INCLUDE=c:\inc 
(6) SET TERMID=\THOMPSON\ 
(7) dv 

(1) @ECHO OFF 
Patrick Mahoney told me about this.  It keeps echo from being echoed.

(2) prompt $p$g
displays dirname> for a prompt
    
(3) c:\loadhi c:\noega
loadhi
This command will free up a lot of memory for applications by placing a TSR 
program in high memory out of the way.  Use the command repeatedly, once for 
each program loaded.  Some programs bypass bios and dos calls to accomplish 
whatever it is they do.  Consequently, DESQview(tm) cannot know what is 
happening and BLAM >> SYSTEM LOCKUP!!  Either avoid such programs like the 
plague or if you really must use them, you must sacrifice the additional 
memory and load them without the benefits of loadhi. 

noega
This works with EGA and VGA adapters -- USUALLY!  It is hardware dependant 
whether it will actually work.  Have a DOS boot disk handy in case it doesn't 
work.  Also, some programs are REALLY ill-behaved and will still lock up your 
system.  Note that when I use noega, I even load it high.  

(4) PATH=c:\;c:\bin;e:\pcw;c:\qb45;c:\qc2;c:\msc50 
I happen to like to access a lot of programs from any directory.

(5) c:\loadhi c:\fastp c:1024 ob:128 oc df:0:1
This is the disk caching program I use. FAST(tm) uses extended memory which I 
leave open via the extmem= command in config.sys.  Note that this is totally 
unrelated to the memory caching function available on some 386 machines.  Note 
also, this is a program that will loadhi without problems. 

(6) SET LIB=c:\lib 
    SET INCLUDE=c:\inc 
These are just some environment variables I use for programming. 

(7) dv
I always boot into DESQview(tm)
END

Roger C. Thompson
(W) 744-4826
(H) 492-6917
         --------------------end-of-author's-file---------------------

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