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D. Using Microsoft MS-DOS
After having explained the installation of the ICP Controller and the Host Drives in chapters
B and C, we now explain how to install the operating system MS-DOS. By using some ex-
amples, we shall demonstrate how to use a CDROM drive (standing for any other
Not Direct
Access Device ) under MS-DOS. In addition, we will give you further information on how to in-
stall Windows 95 and Windows 98. The required ICP disks for DOS and Windows 95/98
can be created from the ICP System CDROM.
D.1 Transparency of Host Drives
The structure of the Host Drives, which have been installed with ICPCON (in chapter C), is
not known to DOS. i.e., the operating system does not recognize that a given Host Drive
consists of a number of hard disks forming a disk array. To DOS this Host Drive simply ap-
pears as one single hard disk with the capacity of the disk array. This complete transpar-
ency represents the easiest way to operate disk arrays under DOS; neither DOS nor the PCI
computer need to be involved in the administration of these complex disk array configura-
tions.
D.2 Partitioning a Host Drive and Transferring MS-DOS
You can partition the Host Drives installed in chapter C with ICPCON as well as with the
MS-DOS program FDISK. Some users ignore that an MS-DOS boot partition has to have the
state
"active" . If the partition is not active, the system will attempt to boot MS-DOS, but
will "hang" straight away. Very often, the system message "ROM BASIC NOT FOUND,
SYSTEM HALTED" is displayed (in the 40 lines of text mode). You can easily remedy this
problem by booting the system from an MS-DOS floppy disk, and then activating the parti-
tion with ICPCON or FDISK (for more information on FDISK please refer to the MSDOS
user's manual).
After creation of a primary MS-DOS partition use the MS-DOS program FORMAT to transfer
MS-DOS. To do so, enter
A:\> FORMAT C: /S ENTER
To complete the installation of MS-DOS, use the MS-DOS commands COPY or XCOPY to
transfer the desired MS-DOS files.
A different and maybe even more elegant method of installing MS-DOS is to use the SETUP
program of MS-DOS versions 5 and 6. In this case, you only have to create and activate a
partition with ICPCON or FDISK. Then boot the system from the first floppy disk delivered
with MS-DOS. MS-DOS SETUP will take care of all the rest.
D.3 CONFIG.SYS and the Driver GDTX000.EXE
GDTX000.EXE is the high performance MS-DOS driver for all ICP Controllers. In order to
obtain the best performance of the ICP Controller under MS-DOS, this driver should be
listed in the first line following the HIMEM.SYS device command in the CONFIG.SYS file.
When loaded, GDTX000.EXE replaces the BIOS EPROM (the so-called INT13H interface) of
the ICP Controller, and also offers a VDS (Virtual DMA Services) interface. This is of particu-
lar importance for Windows 3.x. When using GDTX000.EXE please observe the following: