
                                Dos Fix V1.1

                              by John Augustine

  "Dos Fix" will allow "MAKELIST.BAT" to get a complete list of every file in
your hard disk drive.

  A "bug" in Dos's "COMMAND.COM" prevents you from searching hidden
directories/folders for a file/s.  Example: If you use the command (without
quotes) "DIR/S *.INI" to locate all ".INI" files in the current directory
(directory you are in), including "all" sub-directories, if there is a hidden
sub-directory/s, if any .INI files are there, they will be missed.  Note:
Hidden sub-directories are common in the "WINDOWS" (95/98/ME/?).

  The directory "search" bug involves not setting the proper attribute to
include hidden directories!  It is possible that this "bug" was intentional,
allowing users to hide files in a hidden directory?

  IMPORTANT NOTE:

  You MUST "fix" every "COMMAND.COM" in the hard drive/disk, otherwise, it is
possible to get a system halt with the "invalid command.com" message.  All the
"COMMAND.COM" files must match.  Sometimes, when you exit certain
applications, the checksum of the "transient" portion of COMMAND.COM (the part
of COMMAND.COM that was relocated in high memory) will not match because the
application used that upper memory.  Therefore, COMMAND.COM must be reloaded.
If the checksum still doesn't match, then the system halt occurs and the error
message appears.  The checksum is created during startup of the computer and
remains unmodified.  Another way of looking at it, the first COMMAND.COM
installed when the computer is turned on, becomes the "reference".

  BEFORE AND AFTER TEST, FIRST BEFORE:

  In the root directory, type (without quotes) "DIR/S/A *.*" and press Enter.
When finished, write down the total number of files found.

  GETTING READY TO FIX "COMMAND.COM":

  Copy "DOS-FIX.EXE" to a floppy in A: drive ("COPY DOS-FIX.EXE A:") and
leave the floppy in the drive.

  Note: For those of you who are cautious, I don't blame you, "Dos Fix" will
rename the original COMMAND.COM to "COMMAND.BAK".

  COMMAND.COM:

  In the hard drive/disk, you must be at the location (directory/folder)
of "COMMAND.COM".  There is a minimum of two "COMMAND.COM" files.  One
is always in the root directory and one is in the "WINDOWS" (95/98/ME/?)
directory, or "DOS" directory on PCs with Windows 3.1 or Dos only systems.

  LOCATING COMMAND.COM(S) TIP:

  I recommend you start at the root directory and type (without quotes)
"DIR/S/P COMMAND.COM" ("/P" will pause when the screen is full) in order to
see what locations have "COMMAND.COM".  Make a note of those locations.

  FIXING "COMMAND.COM":

 1. Starting at the root directory, simply execute (without quotes)
"A:DOS-FIX" and press Enter.

 2. Enter the other location(s) with "COMMAND.COM" and repeat the "A:DOS-FIX".

 3. Restart your computer after you have fixed all the "COMMAND.COM" files.

  AFTER TEST:

  Go to the root directory and again type (without quotes) "DIR/S/A *.*" and
see what the total number of files are.  Compare that total to what you wrote
down.  If you have a PC with Windows 95/98/ME/?, you should see a noticeable
difference.

  DIRECTORY WITH THE "SYSTEM" ATTRIBUTE SET:

  The fixed "COMMAND.COM" will also "search" a directory with the system
attribute set.  There is one sub-directory in the "WINDOWS" (95) directory
with such a setting.

  FINAL NOTES:

  I have fixed "COMMAND.COM" on several computers and never had a problem.

  If "Dos Fix" can't find the "bug" pattern, it will let you know.

  "Dos Fix" is FREE.  Comments or complaints are welcomed.

            E-Mail:  jaugust@bellatlantic.net

                     John Augustine N3AOF
                     3129 Earl St.
                     Laureldale, Pa 19605
                     (610) 929-8850

