Was posting in wrong forum. Need to know how to print in DOS.

[davea4]

Please, I am starting a new class learning MSDOS. It is using a text book "DOS 5 principles with practice" with a supplement from dos 6. I would like it if you would be so kind as to go read my original post in the 98 forum, and reply to it. either place you reply to me will be OK. Thanks http://discussions.virtualdr.com/Forum2/HTML/015896.html

[Double_Dutch]

After reading everything for me there are 2 possibilities left:

1. Your loading the wrong keyboard definition
Test this by hitting F5 when MS-Dos boots. You'll start up without loading Config.sys and Autoexec.bat. After entering on Date and Time you type at the prompt (the printer expected at Lpt1):
C:>echo test>lpt1[enter]
If the printer does work now, you also try a "PrintScreen".
Solution:
Your keyboard definition has to be edited. So bring here back your Autoexec.bat, Config.sys and Dos version.

2. Your printer is not Dos-compatible (IOW is a Windows-printer).
Solution:
You can try to use an older printer, or you can use a "printscreen to file utility". You find those here: http://www.simtel.net/pub/simtelnet/msdos/screen/lamneth.zip http://www.simtel.net/pub/simtelnet/msdos/screen/prtsr110.zip
If you use one of those you save the screendump in a textfile, which you can print from any computer or OS.

Ate Rowaan

[This message has been edited by Double_Dutch (edited 03-26-2000).]

[davea4]

This is my first time trying to do anything other than simple DOS commands like Formatting,installing windows,ect...and doing very, very basic "few" little DOS things. Thats why I thought taking it in school would be a good Idea. I am not going to "load" any DOS into my system during this course or load any TSR's into it "ever" so I need to know whether my printer is just not "DOSable" and just do this on the lab computer's and the rest at home. I would like to learn about how this ios supposed to work nowdays, after seeing there are different types of printers that may or may not print in DOS, I am really curious and anxious to find out just exactly how you do it nowdays if the printer is compatible. Thanks for taking the time to answer me, and if you feel like explaining what the heck you are talking about in the part where you told me to load the keyboard function, and how that works I would appreciate it.
My printer is a Canon BJC 2000.

[Double_Dutch]

The Canon BJC 2000 is not Dos compatible!
If you want to know more about Dos: just stay around in this forum. Look for the questions of your interest and in the answers you'll find very often interesting links. Read the Dos Help. Look between second hand and remaindered books about MS-Dos. And! Try it out. Write batch-files. Fdisk, format (re)install. Eventually buy yourself a simple 386 with a monochrome monitor, 4 Mb Ram, a 1.44 floppy drive and a 100+ Mb HD. It cost me in Amsterdam (NL) $35 including mouse and keyboard. And in California computer stuff is really cheap. Maybe buy yourself a phillips screwdriver too. Then you'll have real fun http://discussions.virtualdr.com/smile.gif

Ate



[This message has been edited by Double_Dutch (edited 03-26-2000).]

[Eeyore]

Hi!
If you want to learn, don't be afraid to experiment. One trick I suggest is to dreate a boot disk using DOS 5.0 or whatever you want to experiment with. On that boot disk create a Ramdrive (http://www.geocities.com/politalk/docs/ramdrive.htm). In the BIOS SETUP, turn off your hard drive. Now boot from the FLOPPY. The C drive will be a ramdrive. This only exists until the computer reboots. You can experiment all you want without affecting the hard drive.

You can leave the hard drive on. But the RAMDRIVE Letter will shift. If you have a FAT32 drive, it won't be accessable in any of the DOS's anyway.

------------------
My
http://www.geocities.com/politalk/docs/coin.gif
Dennis
Politalk (http://www.geocities.com/politalk)

[davea4]

Thanks Double dutch, and Eeyore. It just so Happens, that I was just given an old 386 with Windows 3.11 on it and a box full of floppies including DOS 5. I have no Idea what to do with it all, but have fired it up and it works. It has had the hard drive upgraded though because I see a "drive overlay" come up on the screen as it boots up.its a "Tandy 2500 SX\33. Here is a link to the so called online manual which I really dont know how to decipher in a way that I can determin how to use the thing. http://support.tandy.com/support_computer/1730.htm
It has been modified a bit though. I intend to do exactly as yopu suggested to practice DOS on it. I will be asking alot of questions.
I have no Idea how to create a Batch file. Or a Ramdrive.

[eyesee]

Maybe someone can correct me im Im wrong but I believe that the Tandy's used their own version of DOS called TRS DOS or something like that.
Go to DOS & type "ver" for version (sans quotes) & it will tell you the version.
That was your first lesson! http://discussions.virtualdr.com/smile.gif
Your system is uising a drive overlay because the hard drive that is on it is bigger than the system BIOS can support natively. Basically, its a little bit of system trickery to get the hard drive to work.
Ask lots of questions. Theres lots of great info & minds here


[This message has been edited by eyesee (edited 03-26-2000).]

[davea4]

I cant fire it up again yet because I had to borrow my power cords, mouse, and keyboard from my 98 computer to run the thing just to see if it works (it does) so after I get paid I am going to buy a set of those items for it.
I know what a drive overlay does but not how to check the thing to see what size drive or if there are more than one because I cant use windows 3.1 very good and theres no msinfo32 or any of that good s**t like 98 has and I dont know where to go to find it out.

I have "NEW" PRINTER developements I dont want to post twice so go back over to the 98 thread and read about it if you care to maybe you can help me get this thing to print after all. http://discussions.virtualdr.com/Forum2/HTML/015896.html