BigCopy 386/286 A Diskette Utility Copyright (C) 1991 Robert Thomas BigCopy 386/286 Copyright (C) 1991 Robert Thomas Table OF Contents ----------------------------------------------------------------- PREFACE................................................1 GETTING STARTED........................................2 COMMANDS...............................................3 BC286 TECHNICAL NOTES..................................4 BC386 TECHNICAL NOTES..................................4 ERROR MESSAGES.........................................5 UPDATE INFO............................................7 LICENSE................................................8 FIXES..................................................9 BigCopy 386/286 Copyright (C) 1991 Robert Thomas PREFACE ----------------------------------------------------------------- What is BigCopy ? BigCopy is a program designed to make copying diskettes easier. After you have copied more than one high density diskette using diskcopy or xcopy you will know what I am talking about. Using the above mentioned MS-DOS programs you will have to swap diskettes about four times to make a copy using diskcopy, and xcopy depends on how many files are contained on the source disk. If you have a full diskette and use xcopy, you will have to swap disks a number of times just to make a copy. My two diskette utilities will save you time and trouble by only requiring one pass of the source disk. The GETTING STARTED section explains how to install the two programs on to a hard disk or floppy diskette. The COMMANDS section explains how to run BC286 and BC386. Their command structure is identical. The sections BC286 and BC386 deal specifically with the requirements of each program, as each program is targeted for a different type of processor. Finally, a special section has been designed to deal with error messages that you may encounter. 1 BigCopy 386/286 Copyright (C) 1991 Robert Thomas GETTING STARTED ----------------------------------------------------------------- The BigCopy package consists of three files: BC386.EXE BC286.EXE BCDOC.TXT If installing the files on to a hard disk drive, simply copy the files into a subdirectory which contains a path in the autoexec.bat file. For example, most hard disks autoexec.bat file should contain the line; path=c:\;c:\dos. This is how the MS-DOS command interpreter finds programs and runs them when you are not logged into that current drive or subdirectory. So with that in mind simply type; copy a:bc*.* c:\dos This command will place the three files into the dos subdirectory. If you do not have a hard drive, just leave the programs on the disk, and insert the disk when ever you wish to use them. 2 BigCopy 386/286 Copyright (C) 1991 Robert Thomas COMMANDS ----------------------------------------------------------------- The BC286 program should be used under the following: * When executing on a 286 processor. * When executing on a 386 processor when a VCPI program is running such as an EMS program (CEMM). The BC386 program should be used under the following: * When executing on a 386 processor. * When there is not an EMS installed that is VCPI. * Windows 386 (3.X) and higher. See the technical notes section for more information. BC386 SOURCE DRIVE TARGET DRIVE [/V] [/M] [/N] BC286 SOURCE DRIVE TARGET DRIVE [/V] [/M] [/N] The SOURCE DRIVE is the diskette drive which you want to make a copy of its contents. The TARGET DRIVE is the diskette drive which will receive the contents of the SOURCE DRIVE. The optional parameter /V, will verify the disk is copied properly. The optional parameter /M, will make multiple copies of the source disk. The optional parameter /N, will disable the copy prompts. EXAMPLE: BC386 A: A: - Will copy a disk in drive a: to a disk in drive a:. BC286 B: A: /V - Will copy a disk from drive b: to drive a: and verify the copy. BC286 B: B: /V /M - Will make multiple copies of the source disk and verify them. NOTE: BC386 and BC286 have the same command structure. 3 BIGCOPY 386/286 Copyright (C) 1991 Robert Thomas GENERAL TECHNICAL NOTES ----------------------------------------------------------------- * Both programs require formatted diskettes prior to copying. BigCopy does not perform formatting services. The SOURCE disk and the TARGET disk must be formatted to the same type. Drive types supported are: 360K, 720K, 1.2M, and 1.44M. BC286 TECHNICAL NOTES ----------------------------------------------------------------- * BC286 requires that a Extended or Expanded Memory Manager (EMS) software or hardware be present at run time. There are several of these programs on the market. Such as QEMM from Quarterdeck, EMM386 from Microsoft, and CEMM from Compaq. * The EMS program you use should be compatible with LIMS 4.0 or higher. LIMS is the Lotus/Intel/Microsoft Expanded Memory Specification. Most EMS software comply to this spec. * BC286 will run under Windows and or MS-DOS 3.X and higher. * As the name implies BC286 needs at least a 286 processor and 2.5 megabytes of expanded or extended memory. BC386 TECHNICAL NOTES ----------------------------------------------------------------- * BC386 does not use an EMS but uses DPMI. DPMI is the Dos Protected Mode Interface. * BC386 is compliant with DPMI 0.9. * BC386 will NOT operate with VCPI dos extenders such as those from Phar-Lap or Compaq's CEMM (there may be others). * BC386 will run with Windows 3.X and or MS-DOS 3.X or higher. * As the name implies BC386 needs at least a 386SX processor and 2.5 megabytes of extended memory. 4 BigCopy 386/286 Copyright (C) 1991 Robert Thomas ERROR MESSAGES ----------------------------------------------------------------- * "Had problems reading from the disk." Diskette has bad sectors, cannot be copied using BigCopy. * "Had problems writing to the disk." Diskette has bad sectors, try reformatting or a different disk. * "No drive(s) specified." No drive(s) were specified when BigCopy was run. See the COMMANDS section. * "Drive argument not valid." The drive specified was not a valid drive letter, or drive does not exist. * "Media density could not be established." The diskette is not a valid MS-DOS disk, or the disk has not been formatted. * "Unable to reset drive." BigCopy was not able to talk to the diskette drives. * "Not enough extended memory." BigCopy needs more memory than is in your system. * "The target disk is not the same as the source disk." The target disk has a different format than the source disk, or the disk has not been formatted. 5 BigCopy 386/286 Copyright (C) 1991 Robert Thomas * "The specified drive is a fixed disk drive." BigCopy cannot copy to or from fixed disk drives. * "No Extended or Expanded Memory Manager found." BC286 BigCopy cannot find an EMS Memory Manager. Check your config.sys file. * "Malfunction in Extended or Expanded Memory Manager." BC286 An error occurred in the EMS Memory Manager. * "EMS Version 4.0 or greater needed." BC286 Your version of EMS software is outdated. * "Conflicting protected mode environment." BC386 Another protected mode program is currently executing which does NOT support the DPMI dos extender. 6 BigCopy 386/286 Copyright (C) 1991 Robert Thomas UPDATE INFO & OTHER STUFF ----------------------------------------------------------------- Updates will be performed on a as needed basis. Bugs and enhancement suggestions may be sent to the following address: Robert Thomas 12662 Hickory Bend Houston, Texas 77070 Contributions will be accepted. Enhancement suggestions accompanying a contribution will get my attention. For contributions greater than or equal to thirty dollars will get you the next release shipped on diskette. 7 BigCopy 386/286 Copyright (C) 1991 Robert Thomas LICENSE ----------------------------------------------------------------- THIS SOFTWARE PRODUCT IS PROVIDED AS IS, NO WARRANTY IS EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. I WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGES OR LOSSES THAT MAY ARISE FROM USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, INCLUDING LOSS OF PROFITS AND DATA. THE USER OF THIS PRODUCT ASSUMES ALL RISKS PERTAINING TO THE USE OF THIS PRODUCT. THIS REFERENCE MANUAL IS PROVIDED AS IS. I WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR TECHNICAL OR EDITORIAL ERRORS OR OMISSIONS CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT. THE USER ASSUMES ALL RISKS TO THE USE OF THIS MANUAL. THIS SOFTWARE PRODUCT AND ITS ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. THIS SOFTWARE AND DOCUMENTATION MAY BE TRANSMITTED BY ANY MEANS POSSIBLE AS LONG AS THE EXECUTABLE PROGRAMS AND THE DOC FILE ARE TOGETHER. THIS SOFTWARE IS NOT IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN AND MAY NOT BE SOLD FOR PROFIT WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF ITS AUTHOR. 8 BigCopy 386/286 Copyright 1991 (C) 1991 Robert Thomas FIXES ----------------------------------------------------------------- VERSION DESCRIPTION ------- -------------------------------------------------------- 2.1 BC286 - Fixed EMS errors on 1.44M copies. 2.1 BC386 - Changed prompt message line feeds.