#Startup Sequence Changes
18 messages in this thread
Hi everyone, I have a few minor questions. (Major to me, likley minor to
you) :> I have an Amiga 500, 1 meg ram, two floppies. I'd like to have a
virus checker installed onto my workbench disk that can be run using the
Startup or StartUp II sequence. I have a few problems, though. One, even
after going through the documentation on changing the startup sequence, I
am not sure what the proper command sequence should be to get the program
executed upon startup. Also, since my workbench disk (V1.3) does not have
enough room for the virus checker utility, I need to access the DF1: drive
to get the checker started. Any help on the proper sequence to get this
accomplished will be *most* appreciated!
Randy
Randall,
Changing the Startup-Sequence file is not really a big deal, but it can be
scary the first few times you do it. Let me stress that you modify a
_copy_ of your workbench disk. I said a COPY. If something should go
wrong, you will still be able to boot with the original one to fix the
problem. I can still remember the feeling I got the first time my
startup-sequence failed to complete.
If you are working with a stock Commodore workbench disk, there are lots
of candidates for elimination to make more room on the disk. But that's
another message. If this is the case, speak up and there will be
suggestions from everyone.
Most virus checkers are designed to detach when you run them. Before I
got OS2.04, I ran VirusX for years. If memory serves, the command was:
RUN >NIL: VirusX
(This was explicitly spelled out in the documentation, and the
requirements for your antivirus program should be also.) The RUN command
tells the OS to create a seperate cli task to execute the program in.
This allows the rest of the S-S to continue without waiting for the virus
checker to end (which it won't). The >NIL: part tells the OS to supress
the "[CLI 2]" type message. It doesn't really affect anything except the
screen display.
In your case, you will need to be a bit more specific. You will need a
command like:
RUN >NIL: <path>VirProg
with <path> being where the program is stored, and VirProg being the
actual program name. Although the device name DF1: would work for <path>
it is better to use the disks name, (e.g., Utils:). By using the name, if
the wrong disk is in drive DF1: the OS will pop up a requester asking you
to insert disk NAME: in any drive. If you use DF1: it will look at that
disk and fail because it could not find the program. Also, if the virus
checker is in a drawer other than the root, that information needs to be
included in the <path> specification, (e.g., Utils:Virus-checkers/).
Using my earlier example, you could end up with:
<continued>
RUN >NIL: Utils:Virus-checkers/VirusX
I hope that this helps. If I have just succeeded in confusing you, speak
up and I or someone else will clarify the situation. That's what we're
here for.
-Homer
Flying on Auto
Hi Homer, thanks for your input. I have captured the messages you've left
for me and will make a hard copy so I can see it all at once. Scrolls by
too fast otherwise. :> I am indeed using a copy of WB, I've had a bad
experience with original program disks before. I just hate it when those
nasty things happen. :> Again, thanks very much for your help,
Randy
Randy,
Your last message made reference to capturing my message…. May I
suggest that you G AMIGAVEND and download the latest version of Whap! from
the ATI Library (section 9, I believe), and make life easier for
yourself?
Whap! is an automated CI$ frontend for forums. It handles logging you on,
collecting headers or messages, up- and downloading, and posting replies.
It is a commercial program, (costs $49.00, I THINK- it has been a loooong
time) but before you can pay for it, you must get the demo version up and
running. The advantage to Whap! is that you do all of your reading,
replying, and decision making off-line.
Many people claim that Whap! saves you money. I contend that it makes the
money you spend more productive. After I got Whap! I became much more
active on CI$, so even though my time was spent more ecconomically, the
bills stayed about the same. Without it, I would probably have canceled
my membership several years ago. [Now that I am testing AutoPilot, my
usage has gone up by several orders of magnitude. Thank God for
high-speed modems.]
As they used to say: Try it, you'll like it.
-Homer
Flying on Auto
Homer,
Excuse me butting in but what is auto pilot? A new CIS front end for
Amigas?
– via Whap!
Malcolm…
AutoPilot is a not-yet-released Amiga front-end for CIS mail and forums. It
is WB 2.x only and runs in hires-interlaced mode (so a deinterlaced screen
is highly recommended). It does everything that Whap! (WHP19H.LHA in
Amigavendor library Whap/ATI) does, and much more. You'll see announcements
in the near future regarding its release.
Thanks for the info… I guess the time for me to splash out in a 2.0
upgrade is drawing near!
Do the new screen modes in 2.0 work with a Commodore 1084 monitor (like
mine?)
– via Whap!
Malcolm:
To fully take advantage of the new graphics modes you would also need the
ECS agnus and a monitor that multisyncs from 15.75MHz to 31.5MHz. But you
don't need to make that upgrade until you decide you want a) a deinterlaced
screen (very desireable) and/or, b) to use the super-hires mode (which I
think is pretty useless).
Malcolm,
Yes, AutoPilot is Steve Ahlstrom's ADOS 2.0 replacement for Whap!. It is
greatly enhanced, and a pure joy to use. I would guess that he will be
releasing it to the public in about 3 – 6 weeks, but with software
development, there are no sure things.
Watch for it- it's worth the wait! There will be a $20.00 upgrade fee for
Whap! users.
-Homer
Flying on Auto
Thanks Homer, I'll wait and watch….
– via Whap!
Randall,
You just need to insert the path and name of the virus checker into your
startup-sequence. For instance, if you wanted to use VIRUSX (though that
one is getting a bit outdated now) and it was on the disk in df1:, you
would add to your startup-sequence:
df1:VirusX
That's all. When the sequence reaches that point, it will look on df1:,
find VirusX, and run it – and then go on with the rest of the sequence.
Betty, thanks very much for your help. I have several virus checking
programs, VirusX is one of them. I'm trying to decide which is the best one
at the moment and use that for the time being. I appreciate your help very
much, you've been a big help to me in the various Amiga forums since I
first bought this machine.
Randy
Randy,
Virus_Checker 6.15 is the "standard" nowadays. It's been endorsed by Steve
Tibbett, who's discontinued work on VirusX.
Denny,
I hadn't heard that. Time to change Virus checkers. Thanks.
Brian Bartlett
Denny, thank you for the info. I'll take a look at that one and perhaps use
it in my startup sequence.
Randy
Any time, Randall. That's what we are here for.
Randy,
I strongly recommend that you use the volume name of the disk in your
startup-sequence, rather than the device name. (E.g., "run >nil:
boot2:virusx", rather than "run >nil: df1:virusx".) This way, if you have
the wrong disk in df1:, the system will ask for the correct disk, rather
than simply trying to find the virus checker on the disk that happens to be
there. This will also help if your second drive quits working for some
reason. You'll be prompted for the right disk, and you can swap it with
the Workbench disk in DF0:.
–dds Whappeta-whappeta-Whap!