MS-DOS 5 Upgrade README.TXT: Hardware Compatibility (71873)



The information in this article applies to:
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 5.0

This article was previously published under Q71873

SUMMARY

The following information was taken from the Microsoft MS-DOS 5 Upgrade README.TXT file.

MORE INFORMATION

5. MAKING YOUR HARDWARE COMPATIBLE WITH MS-DOS 5.0

5.1 Acer 1100/33 and CTRL+ALT+DEL

If you have an Acer 1100/33 computer with an Award BIOS, you may not be able to restart your system by using CTRL+ALT+DEL. Contact Acer for a ROM BIOS upgrade.

5.2 Amstrad Systems and KEYB.COM

If your Amstrad system has a ROM BIOS version earlier than 1.4, and you can't use your keyboard after loading KEYB.COM, contact your vendor for a ROM BIOS upgrade.

5.3 Apricot Qi 386 Systems

If your Apricot Qi 300 fails to start while loading EMM386.EXE, contact Apricot for a ROM BIOS upgrade.

Some Apricot Qi660 and Qi900 computers may not work if MS-DOS 5.0 is loaded into the high memory area. Run MS-DOS 5.0 in conventional memory, or contact Apricot Computers for more information.

5.4 Arrow Keys and QBasic/MS-DOS Editor

If you can't use the arrow keys on your numeric keypad when running QBasic or MS-DOS Editor, a memory-resident program named FIXSHIFT.COM may help. To obtain FIXSHIFT.COM, call Microsoft Product Support Services; see your registration card for the phone number.

5.5 AT&T Computer with an VDC 750 Display Adapter Card

Before using the MS-DOS Shell Task Swapper on an AT&T computer with a VDC 750 display adapter card, remove the DEVICE=EGA.SYS command from your CONFIG.SYS file.

5.6 Commodore PC III and Task Swapper

You may not be able to use Task Swapper in MS-DOS Shell on a Commodore PC III.

5.7 Compaq EXTDISK.SYS Driver

The Compaq EXTDISK.SYS driver is incompatible with MS-DOS 5.0. Contact your system vendor for an upgrade.

5.8 Corel Corporation Disk Drivers

If your Corel Corporation disk driver doesn't work correctly, contact your vendor for an upgrade.

5.9 External Floppy Disk Drives

If you can't use your Nth, Procomm, or Sysgen external floppy disk drive, contact your vendor for an update.

5.10 Hardcard II

If you can't use Plus Development Hardcard II or Hardcard II XL when running EMM386.EXE, specify the exclude (x=) switch to prevent EMM386 from conflicting with the card's BIOS address.

See your Hardcard II manual to determine the BIOS addresses that Hardcard II or Hardcard II XL uses. See the "MS-DOS User's Guide and Reference" for more information about the exclude switch.

5.11 NCR VGA BIOS

If you have an NCR VGA BIOS and can't switch between screens when running MS-DOS Shell or QBasic, see your NCR manual for information about making your VGA BIOS PS/2 compatible.

5.12 Olivetti System with a CGA Video Board

An Olivetti system with a CGA video board may not scroll correctly. Add the /s switch to the DEVICE=ANSI.SYS command in your CONFIG.SYS file.

5.13 Toshiba T3100SX

Toshiba T3100SX computer's suspend/resume feature is incompatible with EMM386.EXE. Either disable the feature or do not use EMM386.EXE.

5.14 Using a Mouse with MS-DOS Shell

If you have a Logitech or Microsoft mouse, use the following driver versions with MS-DOS Shell:

Logitech mouse version 5.01 or later
Microsoft mouse version 6.21 or later

5.15 Western Digital VGA Card

If you have a Western Digital VGA card and are using RAMBIOS.EXE and RAMBIOS.SYS, load RAMBIOS.SYS before ANSI.SYS and DISPLAY.SYS in your CONFIG.SYS file, and RAMBIOS.EXE before GRAPHICS.COM in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

5.16 WonderCard 3.x

Using MS-DOS 5.0 with an ATI WonderCard 3.x in 50-line mode may cause the lower part of your display to be truncated. Contact your vendor for more information.

5.17 XGA and EMM386.EXE

If you use an XGA display with EMM386.EXE, you may need to exclude certain memory ranges with the EMM386 EXCLUDE option (x=). To determine which memory ranges to exclude, use your reference disk to view the memory map.

5.18 Zenith Computer

To use the GRAPHICS command with a Zenith computer, set the STACKS command in your CONFIG.SYS file to at least STACKS=9,256. For information about the STACKS command, see Chapter 14 of the "MS-DOS User's Guide and Reference."

5.19 Zeos 486 and Task Swapper

If you have a Zeos 486 computer with a Mylex BIOS, you may not be able to use Task Swapper in MS-DOS Shell. Contact Zeos for a ROM BIOS upgrade.

Modification Type: Major Last Reviewed: 1/31/2002
Keywords: KB71873