Whats the best DOS upgrade path?

[Bill Pechter]

In article <39457 at linus.UUCP> mhg at mitre-bedford.ARPA (Granoff) writes:
>After a total mishap and 98% recovery, I am now ready to try and
>upgrade the DOS on my PC.
>
>As I understand it, I cannot use SYS to upgrade DOS from 2.x to 3.x
>because 3.x is bigger.  I must reformat.  (Once I get to, say 3.1, I
>could then use SYS to go to 3.2 without formatting, right?)
>
You don't have to reformat if you can clear enough free space in
the area where the dos files go to put the new ones there.  There are
a number of public domain programs that do that.  AT&T's DOS has a 
new install program that replaces the older files with the new ones
but I don't know about it working with DOS v2.11.

Reformatting and re FDISKing the disk will allow you to use the smaller
cluster size that'll give you a bit more free space on your 20 meg
though.

>I have read quite a bit lately (here, in fact) that BACKUP/RESTORE
>between DOS versions doesn't work.  Whether that's true or not (is
>it?), I am not planning on using DOS BACKUP and RESTORE.  I got a copy
>of FastBack+, which I am told by others, works just fine on AT&Ts.
>Any comments?  Will I be able to read FastBack+-written disks (under
>DOS 2.11) under DOS 3.x?

Fastback Plus works under all Dos versions and it it reliable.  You'll have 
no problems.

>Since I will have to reformat, what is the exact procedure?  I think I
>know, but I would like to check it out before I start:
>
>     1. DOS BACKUP my FastBack+ directory, to RESTORE later onto 3.x
>        disk, rather than reinstall it from scratch

I recommend just reinstalling the fastback plus directory or do what I did.
I made a bootable version 3.x disk with fastback plus, fdisk and format on it
and used that to format /S C: and to begin the restoration.

>     2. Low level format with interleave factor 3.

Your best interleave may be 4 or 6 instead of 3.  I recommend getting
a copy of Spintest to see what works best.  My fastest interleave was 6 using
the WD1002-wx1 Superbios Rom, 4 with the AT&T internal disk rom and now
is 3 after using qfresh to tighten up my refresh time to memory.

>     3. FDISK to create partition.

>     5. DOS 3.x RESTORE of FastBack+ directory.
>     6. FastBack+ restore (all but DOS 2.11 stuff)
>Right??  Will I be able to run DOS 3.x RESTORE on DOS 2.11 BACKUP
>disks????
probably not.  But if you do what I put in #1 it shouldn't be necessary.

>Next, I can go to either AT&T MS-DOS 3.1 or AT&T MS-DOS 3.2.  Which should I 
use.

I've used AT&T's 2.11, 3.1 and 3.2.  There's an annoying bug in 3.2 that causes
the clock to lose time.   AT&T's just released DOS3.3.  It's a little more money
but it's probably worth being at the latest rev.

I've never had problems reading different rev floppies with the AT&T dos 
versions.

The 3.2 Dos clock fix is to get Biopatch 12 from some BBS. (I recommend the
Right Choice BBS (201) 974-8317.  Or the AT&T run support bbs systems --
(201) 769-5616,or 6397.

>What am I forgetting?  Tell me.

You've got the right idea.  DOS3.x is much better than 2.11.  I re-low-leveled
the disk and got 4mb more free space due to the smaller cluster size.
-- 
Bill Pechter          {sun!hoptoad,cmcl2!phri}!dasys1!pechter
 USnail 103 Governors Road, Lakewood, NJ 08701
 AT&T 201-370-0709 Evenings