Cannot Access Hard Drive After Installing DoubleSpace on PS/1 (98736)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.0
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.2
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.22

This article was previously published under Q98736
This information applies to both Microsoft DoubleSpace and Microsoft DriveSpace. For MS-DOS 6.22, use DRVSPACE in place of DBLSPACE for commands and filenames.

SYMPTOMS

If MS-DOS is installed on an IBM PS/1 and drive C is compressed with DoubleSpace, the following problems occur:

  • You cannot access your files on the compressed drive when you use the read-only memory (ROM) startup procedure.
  • When you run the ROM startup procedure, you can no longer change your settings because the CUSTOMIZ program is on your compressed drive (which is unavailable when you run the ROM startup procedure).

CAUSE

The ROM startup procedure (invoked by holding down both mouse buttons at system startup) resets the ROM option to load the operating system from ROM. Since you don't have MS-DOS 6.0 or 6.2 and the DBLSPACE.BIN file in your ROM-DOS, DoubleSpace does not load, and you cannot access your compressed data.

When you invoke the ROM startup procedure and your primary partition is compressed with DoubleSpace, the following error message is displayed:
Error in CONFIG.SYS, line 0
Other error messages may also appear, depending on what commands are in the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files.

The CUSTOMIZ program allows you to change the configuration options (such as boot sequence and the source for system files). Since CUSTOMIZ is located in the directory that contains your MS-DOS files (usually C:\DOS), if drive C is compressed you cannot change your ROM startup options. For example, you cannot configure your computer to do any of the following:

  • Start from the MS-DOS command prompt
  • Boot from drive A
  • Boot from drive C
  • Read the CONFIG.SYS file from disk
  • Read the AUTOEXEC.BAT file from disk
You are essentially locked out of your system; if you choose any of the ROM menu options, you are prompted to insert an IBM DOS boot disk.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, do the following:

  1. Turn the machine on and move to the IBM PS/1 ROM System menu (four windows [quadrants] providing four basic options).
  2. Press the ALT+PRINT SCREEN key combination, which tells the PS/1 ROM to boot from the hard disk drive.

    NOTE: This key combination does not change the configuration settings; it works for one restart only.
  3. The screen displays a window with arrows pointing to the F1 key. Press the F1 key. The PS/1 now boots from the hard disk drive.

    NOTE: If the F1 key does not work, try SHIFT+F9.
  4. When the MS-DOS command prompt appears, run the CUSTOMIZ program. This program allows you to set your startup options. Change your options as follows:
       Option                           Select
       ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
       Choose where the computer looks
          for the operating system:     Try Diskette First, Then Try Fixed Disk
       Read Config.sys:                 From disk
       Read Autoexec.bat:               From disk
       Disk to read from:               C
    						
Your IBM PS/1 should function properly with MS-DOS 6.0 or 6.2 with these settings.

Additional Troubleshooting

If ALT+PRINT SCREEN does not work, call the IBM PS/1 bulletin board service (BBS) at (919) 543-9706 to obtain the latest version of CUSTOMIZ.EXE. You can then run CUSTOMIZ.EXE from the floppy disk to change your startup configuration.

NOTE: For convenience, you should keep a copy of CUSTOMIZ.EXE on the uncompressed portion of your hard disk drive.

ROM-Based System Menu

If your ROM-based System menu (started with a SHELLSTB.COM command in the CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT file) does not work with MS-DOS 6.0 or 6.2, you need to obtain a patch called PS1DOS5.EXE from IBM. You can obtain this patch through the IBM PS/1 bulletin board service (BBS).

If your ROM-based System menu doesn't work and you have already installed DoubleSpace, obtain a patch called 4QUADMS6.EXE instead. This file is also available from the IBM PS/1 BBS.

Both self-extracting patch files contain the following files:

AUTOEXEC.BAT
DOSSHELL.BAT
INSTALL.EXE
README.DOC
RSSTUB.COM

To use the patch, copy these files to a floppy disk (for example A), and run the Install program from the floppy disk. The RSSTUB.COM file is added to the AUTOEXEC.BAT file on drive C. When you restart your computer, the ROM System menu should run.

According to IBM, the ROM software does not load with MS-DOS 5.0, 6.0, or 6.2 unless the RSSTUB.COM file is run.

The products included here are manufactured by IBM, a vendor independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these products' performance or reliability.

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:11/16/1999
Keywords:KB98736