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STACKER NOTE                                                   STACKER NOTE
Title: DOS startup message: "Bad or Missing Command Interpreter"
STAC FAX Index #2702 - 7/2/92                           
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Background.

   Although this message can mean that Command.com is corrupt, it usually 
   indicates that DOS is unable to locate it.  DOS attempts to load 
   Command.com after executing the last command in Config.sys.  Therefore, 
   on a system where the boot drive has been Stacked, this means Command.com 
   will usually be loaded from the C: Stacker drive and not the original boot 
   drive.  This is O.K. as long as Command.com is in the place that DOS is 
   looking.            

Telling DOS where to look.

   It is possible to instruct DOS where to find the command interpreter by 
   using the shell statement in Config.sys.  For example, the following:  
              
              SHELL=C:\DOS\COMMAND.COM /p 
   
   tells DOS to load Command.com from the DOS directory on the C: drive. 
   (Having no Shell command is the same as using shell=C:\COMMAND.COM /p.)
   
   If you wish to load Command.com from the uncompressed (swapped) boot 
   drive, the command would be something like: 
              
              SHELL=D:\COMMAND.COM /p    
   
   where D: is the drive letter of the uncompressed, stacked boot drive.  
   Make sure Command.com exists in the location you are pointing the SHELL 
   statement!  

Getting the system up and running.

   When getting the "bad or missing command interpreter" message, there are 
   a couple ways to get the stacked system "up".  

        1. To disable the Stacker SSWAP and read Command.com from the 
           uncompressed drive, restart the system and hold down the 
           2 shift keys. (Do this after the diagnostic beep or you 
           will get a keyboard error.)  
                 
         * SSWAP will then prompt: "proceed with SWAP y/n?"
                                 
         * Type "N"o (or F10) to disable SSWAP.
                        
           The system will now read Command.com from the C: boot
           drive.  Examine the Shell statement in C:Config.sys and
           make sure Command.com is in the right place (on the 
           Stacker drive).  

        2. Or, boot from a system diskette, edit C:\Config.sys and 
           redirect the SHELL to the uncompressed host boot drive.
           For example:   SHELL=D:\COMMAND.COM   
           In this example, Command.com needs to be in the root 
           directory of the boot drive.  
                    
           Note: If swapping, make sure the /SYNC parameter is in 
           place on the SSWAP device line.  For example:   
                           
                DEVICE=C:\STACKER\SSWAP.COM C:\STACVOL.DSK /SYNC 
                    
           This tells Stacker to make sure Command.com is in the       
           same place on both the Stacker drive and uncompressed
           host.

   If you are still encountering the message, try replacing Command.com with                    
   a copy from the system startup disk.  Still no luck ? It is possible that 
   the file is residing on a bad sector.  Try running a surface test utility 
   on the drive to locate and mark any bad areas.  You can also rename 
   Command.com and recopy from the system diskette to write it to another 
   area on the disk.

Q: I'm getting the message "Incorrect DOS version"  "Bad or missing Command 
   Interpreter" after running the STACDOS5 (DOS 5.0 upgrade batch file).

A: Stacker's DOS 5.0 upgrade batch file will occasionally not finish because
   DOS doesn't like the current partitioning of the hard disk.  Upon system 
   restart, the user encounters this message because the new version of 
   Command.com is on the Stacker drive while the old versions of the 
   system files are on the Boot drive.  To remedy this situation:        
        1. Get the system started by using one of the above methods.
        2. Insert disk #1 of the MSDOS 5.0 Upgrade and run Setup /F to 
           install to floppies. ( You will need some extra floppies for 
           this operation and you will be asked to label them.)
        3. Restart your system with the new STARTUP diskette in drive A:
        4. Insert the new SUPPORT diskette and type:   SYS C:
           Note: this diskette may be labeled STARTUP/SUPPORT.  
           (If prompted to insert the system diskette, place the startup disk
           back in A:)
        5. The message "system transferred" tells you the hard disk is now 
           ready to boot under DOS 5.0.   
        6. Before restarting your system, examine the C:\DOS directory and 
           replace any of the old DOS files.  Just compare the file dates 
           with those on your new diskettes, delete the old and copy in the
           new.          
        7. The DOS 5.0 Upgrade should now be complete.

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Copyright 1993, Stac Electronics