Using Device Manager under Ms-Dos

Intro

A peripheral is considered as a piece of r hardware that is added to a host computer, in order to expand its abilities. More precisely, the term is used to describe those devices that are optional, on the contrary of hardware that are always required by your system.

Peripherals like the: keyboard, mouse, floppy drive, monitor, printers..Etc, each of them can be personalized base upon you needs.

To use the Device Manager under MS-DOS, firstly it must be installed; this is achieved by adding the device command to the CONFIG.SYS file. When MS-DOS is started the Device Manager is automatically loaded in the memory.

E.g To load the device manager MOUSE.SYS found in the C:\ MOUSE directory; simply insert the following command device=c:\mouse\keyboard.sys

When MS-DOS read the below command, it loads up the device manager MOUSE.SYS stored in memory, allowing you to use your mouse.

Device manager supported by MS-DOS

Here is a list of plug&play Device manager supported by MS-DOS.

ansi.sys

Manages ANSI terminal (American National Standards Institute) emulation. For further information type: help ansi.sys in the MS-DOS command Window.

display.sys

Manages communication code pages for the monitor. For further information type: help display.sys in the MS-DOS command Window.

dblspace.sys

load within the command devicehigh command, indicates MS-DOS to move DBLSPACE.BIN from conventional memory to main memory. DBLSPACE.BIN is the part of MS-DOS giving access to compressed readers using DoubleSpace.For further information type: help dblspace.sys in the MS-DOS command Window.

driver.sys

Make use of the floppy drives not managed by the ROM BIOS of your system.For further information type: help driver.sys in the MS-DOS command Window.

ega.sys

Saves and restores displays when a graphics program is used by an EGA monitor.For further information type: help display.sys in the MS-DOS command Window.

emm386.exe

Simulates and allows access to the area of memory on PC with a 80386 processor or higher and using extended memory. At its first use, the optimization program memory Microsoft MemMaker automatically installs the device manager

himem.sys

Manages the use of extended memory to a computer with a 80286 processor or higher. On such systems, this device manager is automatically installed by the Install MS-DOS software.

ramdrive.sys

Simulates a hard disk by creating a virtual disk into RAM.

setver.exe

Load MS-DOS table of version on memory.

smartdrv.exe

Execute a double buffer to ensure compatibility to hard drive controllers who can not use the memory provided by EMM386.EXE, or by Windows 386 extended mode.