OS/2 Technical Support - Tips and Tricks

Adding ATAPI devices (LS-120) to your system

To enable a LS-120 (or any other supported ATAPI device) simply add the following line to your CONFIG.SYS file.

BASEDEV=IBMATAPI.FLT

It should go right after the IBM1S506 line:

BASEDEV=IBM1S506.ADD
BASEDEV=IBMATAPI.FLT

This file should be in D:\OS2\BOOT. If not you can get it by downloading the IDEDASD.EXE package from the IBM Device Driver web site.

Enabling long file name access on CD-ROMs

Add the "/W" switch to the CDFS.IFS statement in your CONFIG.SYS file.

IFS=D:\OS2\BOOT\CDFS.IFS /W

Miscelaneous CONFIG.SYS settings

AUTOFAIL=YES

Causes error conditions such as "Drive not ready" to be returned to the program rather than being displayed in a pop-up window.

SET RESTARTOBJECTS=STARTUPFOLDERSONLY

Causes only the objects in the startup folder to be executed on boot up. The default without this setting is to restart any program that was running when the system was shut down.

Installing OS/2 Warp 4 for trouble free use

This is the way I setup OS/2. There certainly are other ways. I have used this method on multiple systems, and I have never had to re-install or restore from backups, ever. Your mileage may vary.

If you have a large disk (>4GB) make sure you have updated your install disks with the latest FDISK and disk drivers. If you want, you can download OS2INSTALL.ZIP (2MB), which has install disks 1 and 2 already updated. This ZIP file does not contain disk 0, which does not need to be modified. You will need LOADDSKF.EXE and 2 floppies to recreate the diskettes.

Start by placing install disk 0 into the A drive, the OS/2 CD in the CD-ROM drive and restarting your computer. Then follow the on-screen directions until you get to the point where it asks you to choose between Easy Installation and Advanced Installation. Choose Advanced Installation.

Then when it asks you to choose between Accept the drive, and Specify a different drive or partition, choose Specify a different drive or partition. Then press ENTER to continue past the warning screen. This will start FDISK. Create a partition structure like one of the following:

Boot Manager
Primary

C
Primary
20-100MB
HPFS or FAT
Unused

D
Logical
200-400MB
HPFS
OS/2 Boot

E
Logical
20-400MB
HPFS
Maintenance Boot

F
Logical
The Rest
HPFS
Data

Boot Manager
Primary

C
Primary
20-100MB
HPFS or FAT
Unused

D
Logical
200-400MB
HPFS
OS/2 Boot

E
Logical
The Rest
HPFS
Data

The C partition is there so that install programs that don't know what they are doing can write stuff there and it won't break anything. You could also install DOS there if you wanted to. You can also use it as a scratch disk. Anything that ever gets written there can be trashed. Choose a size depending on your usage plans. If you never intend to put anything there, choose 20MB. If you want to use it for temporary storage, pick a larger size.

The D partition should be at least 200MB. This is about the minimum size that OS/2 needs if you install everything including VoiceType. This includes some space for the swapfile. If you have a large enough disk, go with 400MB. This will give you plenty of swap space, plus space for updates and additions.

If you go with a maintenance partition, choose a size depending on what you intend to install there. If you intend to use BOOTOS2, this partition can be quite small. If you intend to install a second full copy of OS/2, use the same criteria as for the D partition.

Make the D partition installable and exit FDISK. Follow the directions and restart the installation from disk 0.

When the installation resumes, select Advanced Installation again. Then when it asks if you want to accept the drive, make sure it says drive D, and then select Accept the drive.

If you are asked if you want to format the partition, say yes. Always let the installation program format the partition. When it asks for you to select a file system type, select High Performance File System.

The installation program will now do lots of file copying. Follow any instructions given for swapping floppies, etc. You will be asked to press ENTER to restart the computer. The computer will reboot into the Setup and Installation program. This is where you will select all the options. The first screen you are presented with is the System Configuration. Some steps are required to make sure you have a trouble free installation.

Regardless of what type of display adapter you have, change the Primary Display to "Video Graphics Array (VGA)". You can leave everything else alone. Click "Next". You can leave everything on this page alone, too. Click "Next". You may select a default printer if you want. You will always be able to add printers later. I recommend "Do not install default printer". The philosophy is to make sure the installation does not encounter any errors and completes successfully. Once you have a successful installation it is much easier to go back and change video drivers, printers, etc. afterwards.

Now you get to select all of the programs and utilities you want installed. You can do pretty much what you want here except for the following items:

In "Assistance Center", you may want to deselect the "OS/2 Tutorial" because it is so big, and the "WarpGuide User Interface Agent" because it is so annoying (and big).
If you don't want Win-OS/2 support, deselect that item. Otherwise, under Win-OS/2 Support, select "Advanced Configuration". Then select "Install standard WIN-OS/2 Desktop".

Click "Next". The next screen is about migrating existing programs to your desktop. I have found that this is always a bad idea, so I recommend deselecting all the options.

The next section deals with networking. With Warp 4 you must install some type of networking. Of the items shown, I recommend that you select only "File and Print Client", and "TCP/IP Services".

Now select and fill in all the options in the order below, even if it says that the service has acceptable default settings.

Under "File and Print Sharing Services", pick a name, description, and domain for your computer. You can leave the domain as IBMPEERS if you want to.
Under "Network Adapters and Protocol Services", start at the bottom and delete all the entries in the list. Select "No Network Adapter" and click OK. Click "Add Protocol" and select "IBM OS/2 NETBIOS" and click OK. Click "Add Protocol" and select "IBM TCP/IP" and click OK.
Under "Network Adapters for File and Print Sharing", make sure "0 No Network Adapter" is selected.
Under "User ID and Password", enter a user name and password. Pick something that you can remember, or write it down. You will need this username and password later.
Under "TCP/IP Services", you can fill in the information if you know it, otherwise, leave it blank and you can setup this stuff later.

Click "Install", and the installation starts. Go take a coffee break. Then go take a rest room break. Then go to lunch. It will probably be done when you get back. (Unless you want to go crosseyed staring at those spinning circle things.) Fortunately, you don't have to be there while it is working.

As soon as the system comes up (after rebooting 2 or 3 times), format the C, E, and F partitions. I recommend that they all be HPFS. The Warpcenter will do funny things until they are formatted. I also recommend that you install the latest fixpacks imediately.

Removing ArtChron (The Dancing Elephant)

You must follow this procedure. Do not try to use a file manager, or browser to do this.

Open the OS/2 System folder.
Open the Drives object.
Open the D drive (your boot disk).
Open the OS/2 folder.
Open the INSTALL folder.
Open the Installed Features folder
Open the Install Object - Inventory object.
Click on "ART - Inventory" and click "Uninstall". (If the Uninstall option is not available, right click on "ART.." and select uninstall.