To customize Config.sys and autoexec.bat (sometimes also named fdconfig.sys and fdauto.bat), use any suitable text editor. In FreeDOS, you can view these configuration files in various ways:

• internal command named TYPE. Example: TYPE C:\CONFIG.SYS (if the MORE program is installed, use TYPE C:\CONFIG.SYS | MORE to pause at each full screen)
• textfile viewers like PG. Example: PG \FDCONFIG.SYS
• use the EDLIN or EDIT texteditor. Example: EDIT C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT

If you want to change contents of a configuration file, open this file in the same way as just mentioned in the EDIT example, and start changing the file's text.

The purpose of the config.sys file is twofold. First, it serves for loading device drivers, which control hardware. Second, it optimizes the memory footprint of FreeDOS. when both FDCONFIG.SYS and CONFIG.SYS are present, FDCONFIG.SYS is preferred for use with FreeDOS. Other DOS flavours can then use CONFIG.SYS

Hardware not configured by FreeDOS might require you to install drivers manually or through a setup program. This is often the case for items such as sound cards, SCSI controllers and additional support for USB (most systems already support keyboards and mice on USB, all other devices require drivers). There's more information on USB available at this wiki on the USB page.

To optimize config.sys, load drivers with DEVICEHIGH instead of DEVICE, and use DOSDATA=UMB and DOS=HIGH if using an upper memory manager and XMS manager.

To load a device driver, use the command "DEVICE (or DEVICEHIGH)=Drive:\AND\PATH\TO\COMMAND.EXT Options" where Drive is the drive containing the drive, "AND\PATH\TO" is the path containing the driver, "COMMAND.EXT" is the filename of the driver itself, and "Options" are the options to pass to the driver. One can also load many device drivers in autoexec.bat or fdauto.bat with help of a separate program called DEVLOAD. Use "devload" instead of "DEVICE" or "devload /h" instead of "DEVICEHIGH" if you attempt to load drivers in autoexec.bat instead of config.sys. To load TSRs? (Terminate and Stay Resident programs) into Upper Memory Blocks or high memeory in fdauto.bat or autoexec.bat add "lh " before the path to and name of the TSR. To add a TSR in autoexec.bat, use the same command as for a device driver, but without the "DEVICE" or "DEVICEHIGH". Use "LH" if you wish to load the TSR high. (note that LH doesn't have any effect on some 8086-compatible versions of FreeCOM)

FreeCOM can also be replaced by 4DOS by acquiring 4DOS, and replacing the occurance of "SHELL=C:\COMMAND.COM" (or the path and name of FreeCOM) with "SHELL=C:\FDOS\BIN\4DOS.COM" (or the path and name of 4DOS). 4DOS is preferred by some as it contains advanced features not currently available in FreeCOM.

If you want a very lightweight replacement for FreeCOM, check out DataLight?'s ROMDOS. It contains a program named MINICMD. To see it in action, check out binaries available from Rayer's embedded DOS page(approve sites)

< Copy utilities | Installation Overview | WhatNow >