Configuring Stacker for your system

 

Most books on PC software skip a chapter on installation, primarily because it's redundant. The INSTALL or SETUP program handles the details for you. Stacker is different. In addition to giving you more disk space, Stacker changes the way you use a PC. Because of this, special care should be taken before and after installation. That's what this chapter concentrates on.

This chapter covers setting up Stacker for your particular PC. It does so in the following sections:

 

    Stacker behind the scenes

    Preparing for Stacker

    Running the SETUP program

 

Stacker behind the scenes

 

There's a science fiction story where these scientists devise a plan to eliminate hunger and over-population. Their idea is to shrink everyone on earth to half-size. The reason behind that was that half-sized people require half the food and half the space of full-sized people. The twist was that the scientists would themselves remain full-size to control the rest of us.

Shrinking things to half size makes some sense (although not for people). For computers, it's possible to shrink files on disk so that they take up less space on disk. This is the magic that Stacker performs. It's done via file compression.

 

Making files smaller

 

File compression is a method of making a file take up less space without losing any of its information. This is something that's unique to the information in a computer file, which can't be done to other things. For example, you can compress a car in a giant steel maw, but don't expect to drive the car home. Shrinking sweaters is done routinely by college freshmen who live too far away from home to have Mom do the wash. In either case, the ``compressed'' item lacks the integrity of the original. Files are different.

A file is composed of bytes, which are composed of bits. Bits are the most basic element of computer storage; a single switch that can be turned either on or off. Because of this, you can't make anything smaller than a bit on a computer. However, you can eliminate repetitive bits of information. This is how file compression works.

As an example, consider the following:

 

Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

 

Using special mathematical algorithms, it's possible to shrink down that sentence without losing any information. (An algorithm is a collection of rules for solving a problem in an efficient manner.) For example, suppose our algorithm works like this:

 

1.    Take a chunk of text from two to four characters long.

 

2.    Compare it with all other chunks of text the same size.

 

3.    If there is a match, create a code, or token, representing that text. Replace all matching text with the token.

 

4.    Go to step one until no more shrinking can take place.

 

This is a simplified algorithm (it's full of holes, so don't bother writing in about it). However, here's how it would work. Take the combination our, which appears twice in the text. Substitute the token $ for it and you have:

 

F$ score and seven years ago, $ fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

 

The text is shorter, but not by much. However, if you continue to work the algorithm, eventually you'll have the first line of the Gettysburg address down to the following:

 

F$ sc^e!seven ye+s ago, $ fa#*s brought f^# upon #is %tinent a new na&, %ceiv@ in lib*ty,!d@ic?@ to #e proposi& #at ~l men +e cre?@ equ~.

 

Eleven tokens have been used to compress this text:

 

$     = ``our''

*     = ``er''

!      = ``and ''

^     = ``or''

&    = ``tion''

+     = ``ar''

#     = ``th''

~     = ``al''

@   = ``ed''

?     = ``at''

%    = ``con''

 

Each token represents two or more letters. This is how one type of compression works. The text now is shorter than it was before, but it still maintains its original integrity. Using a reverse algorithm, it's possible to un-compress, or expand, the text back to its original form. While it would take you or me a few minutes to do this, a computer can do it in an instant.

Compressing such a short amount of text, such as that in this example, really doesn't show how well compression can reduce a file's size. The longer the text file, the better the compression. Spreadsheets and databases compress nicely, too. Programs and other highly formatted files might offer less compression. For graphics files, compression is the highest, with the end result being perhaps 10 percent the original file's size.

Compressing files is nothing new. If you've ever used a modem to download a file from a BBS or CompuServe, you probably have seen it packed into a single archive or ZIP file. That's a single file that might contain several other files, each of which is stored in a compressed state. Unzipping the archive file expands its original contents. Because the files originally were compressed according to an algorithm, expanding them to their original states is easy.

Why compress files? Because the end result uses less disk space. For modem uses, a single archive file containing many compressed files takes up less phone time. However, file compression need not be limited to modem users. Any time you have a bunch of files you want to store in less space, you can use a compression utility to shrink and compact them. This is the same logic that Stacker uses to double your disk space.

 

How Stacker uses compression

 

Stacker doubles your disk storage by compressing files. It does this as files are written to the disk drive. So, while you create a full-length file, Stacker saves it to disk as a compressed one. Unlike the modem archiving utilities, this happens automatically to any file you save to disk.

When you read the file back from disk, Stacker expands it back to its original state. This is how Stacker doubles your disk space. It doesn't create a new hard drive, it just makes better use of the one you already have.

Stacker's compression is much more sophisticated than the example in the previous section. Stacker uses its own LZS algorithm, based on the Lempel-Ziv compression algorithm originally published in 1977. (LZS stands for Lempel-Ziv Stac.) It works like many of the archiving programs modem users favor, but it all happens automatically as you save and read files from disk.

 

Stacker terminology

 

There are two important terms you should know before you set out to work with Stacker: host drive and Stacker drive. The host drive is your original hard drive. For example, if you have one hard drive C, that's the host drive. If you have several hard drives, then they could all be potential host drives.

The Stacker drive is the new drive Stacker creates. Because Stacker doesn't magically make a new hard drive, the Stacker drive is created from a file on the host drive. The Stacker software is what makes this possible. In Fig. 3-1, Stacker creates a Stacker drive D using the file STACVOL.DSK on the host drive C.

 

Figure 3-1. The Stacker drive is created from the STACVOL.DSK file on the host drive.

 

Don't get hung up on the terms and how they relate to your drive letters. You should remember that only files copied to the Stacker drive will be compressed, saving you valuable disk storage space. Files kept on the host drive will not be compressed, taking up as much room as they did before you installed Stacker.

 

Preparing for Stacker

 

Stacker is about to double your disk storage space. I'll elaborate on how and what it does in a few pages. Yet, to double your storage space, Stacker must be doing some interesting things. To make sure those interesting things are swallowed properly by your PC, the following is a list of things you should do before installation. Obey these laws and your woes will be few.

 

Before installation checklist

 

Go over each of the items covered in the following sections before installing Stacker.

 

Upgrade and Install New Software before Installing Stacker ­This specifically applies to DOS. If you're planning on upgrading to a newer version of DOS in the future, do it now, before installing Stacker. DOS versions 4 and later support hard drives up to 2048Mb (2 gigabytes) in size, well above the old 32Mb limit of DOS 3.3 and before. (For the most part, this book assumes you have DOS 5 or later. If you don't, remember that the size of your Stacker drives is limited to 32Mb.)

 

If You Have the Stacker Hardware, Install It First­ Installing the Stacker co-processor before you install the software will give you maximum performance from Stacker. Refer to chapter 2 if you haven't yet installed the hardware.

 

Un-Install Copy-Protected Software ­Stacker's installation process will create the new Stacker drive and optionally copy your files from the host drive to it. If you have any copy-protected software, un-install it first, then re-install it after Stacker has created the larger hard drive.

 

Backup! ­Backing up your hard drive always is a good thing to do before any major software or hardware upgrade.

 

Disable Any Disk Caching Software ­Stacker is fussy about disk caching, so disable any cache before installation -- especially the FASTOPEN command (which I don't recommend you use anyway). To disable the cache, put a REM command in front of it in your CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT file. (Refer to the section titled ``Using Stacker's editor'' later in this chapter for more information. Chapter 10 offers detailed information on using the REM command in CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT.)

 

           Common disk caches include the following: DOS's FASTOPEN command; DOS's SMARTDrive disk cache, named SMARTDRV.SYS (in CONFIG.SYS) or SMARTDRV.EXE (in AUTOEXEC.BAT); the Norton Cache; Golden Bow's Vcache; and PC-Kwick.

 

After installation, you can continue to use the cache; however, do not cache the Stacker drive. For information on doing this with DOS's SMARTDrive disk cache, refer to the section titled ``Caching under Stacker'' in chapter 6. For information on third-party caching programs, refer to their manuals.

 

Log Off Your Network You shouldn't try to stack hard drives your PC doesn't own. Stacker's automatic "express" setup will attempt to do that if you don't log off your network, and the result will be net-havoc! To avoid that, log off of your network. (You can, however, "share" Stacker drives on the network -- but do so after you've installed Stacker.)

 

           In some cases you should manually disable your network drivers. Stacker's Setup program will do this in AUTOEXEC.BAT, but you must manually disable any network commands in CONFIG.SYS. Yell for your network administrator if you require assistance.

 

Remove Any Memory Resident Programs, or TSRs ­These usually are installed in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Most of them are okay, including any pop-up utilities -- although you don't want to accidentally activate them while Stacker is installing. If you're unsure as to what's a TSR, don't sweat it; Stacker automatically will disable a few problem TSRs it knows about during installation (primarily the Norton Utility's Erase Protect and PC Tools' Data Monitor). Otherwise, you can do it yourself now by editing your AUTOEXEC.BAT file and putting a REM command in front of each TSR. Remember to un-REM the commands after Stacker is installed. (These instructions are elaborated upon in the section ``Using the Stacker Editor'' in this chapter.)

If you make any edits to CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT before installing Stacker, remember to restart your PC for the changes to have effect.

 

Disable Anti-Virus Software The Stacker device driver should appear before any anti-virus software loaded in CONFIG.SYS. This is a switch that must be done after Stacker installs. The reason is that the anti-virus software cannot detect any viruses on your Stacker drives until they're mounted. Also, Stacker drives may choke some anti-viral software.

Generally speaking, viruses are nasty but rare. If your memory resident virus software is causing Stacker trouble, disable the virus checking on the Stacker drive. You should then practice manual scans of your files at regular intervals, as well as thorough scans of all alien floppy disks.

 

Remember Windows Permanent Swap File The key issue for Windows uses is to keep space around for the permanent swap file, which must remain on the host drive. If you're creating only an empty Stacker drive, it's nothing to worry about. When stacking an entire drive, however, leave enough space on the host drive for the swap file -- at least 3Mb. (That's assuming a 2Mb swap file.) The installation program will spot any existing permanent swap file and keep room for it. But if you plan on a larger swap file in the future, you'll need to manually reserve that much space.

 

Get Out of Your Startup Shell or Menu. You can install Stacker from within Windows. Anything else -- a menu system, Direct Access, the DOS Shell, DESQview or any other program that makes life easier -- must be abandoned. You should only start Stacker's SETUP program at the command prompt (or from within Windows).

 

In Windows, Quit All Your Applications Stacker's SETUP program actually quits Windows to run the DOS-based version of SETUP. To prepare for this, save your files to disk and close down any application other than SETUP.

 

Don't Worry about Anything Else ­Stacker is smart. It doesn't require you to re-install DOS, re-work CONFIG.SYS, or mess with anything (other than copy-protected software -- which is a pain anyway). There are a few special programs Stacker does know about and will make an extra effort to work with during installation. (A summary of what these programs are and how they affect Stacker is given in chapter 4, ``Special issues,'' if you want to check ahead.)

 

Running the SETUP program

 

Installing Stacker is easy. The SETUP program will create a Stacker hard drive on your system and then copy all your files from the host drive to the Stacker hard drive, compressing them as it goes. When installation is done, expect twice as much room on your hard drive.

Before you begin, expect the installation process to take anywhere from 10 minutes to over an hour. There's no reason to sit and watch the whole thing. The instructions in the ``Installation'' section will let you know when you can stop watching the SETUP program churn away and instead go watch CNN Headline News or bug someone else in the office.

 

Setup scenarios

 

The following sections list several different ways to set up the Stacker drive on your system. Mull them over, then select one that best matches your situation.

 

Almost Full Hard Drive, Single Partition ­If your hard drive is full, direct the SETUP program to Stack the "entire drive." This can instantly be done by opting for the Express setup method. SETUP will create a Stacker drive, and all your files and data from your original hard drive will be copied to it. This will give you twice as much disk space as you had before. For most users, this is the best option.

 

Almost Full Hard Drive, Multiple Partitions­ This is going to be a chore. Your drive probably was set up using an older version of DOS, so you might have two, three, or more 32Mb partitions. (My workhorse PC has six partitions.) There are two courses of action you can take.

The first is to re-partition your drives as larger drives. If you don't have DOS 4.01 or later, then it also means you need to upgrade DOS. After doing that, you need to make a complete backup of your files, run DOS's FDISK to destroy the old partitions and create the new and larger one, and finally restore all your files to the new partition. It's a pain, but it will make using Stacker more efficient. You then can stack the single drive and be done with it.

Second, if you elect not to re-partition (and I understand why), then here's a healthy tip: do not stack drive C! Start by stacking drive D or E. (Do only one drive first in this chapter; additional drives can be stacked according to the instructions in chapter 5.) Why not drive C? If you're like me, then drive C probably contains all your boot files, device drivers, and other startup information. It's just easier to leave all that alone and take advantage of Stacker on your other drives instead. (A complex, multi-drive system is hairy enough to run.)

If you do want to stack drive C, fine. However, if you're running QEMM, 386MAX, or have an involved PC setup, I'd recommend stacking another drive first, then returning and stacking drive C later.

 

Older, DOS 3.3 or Earlier System ­Okay, you're stubborn. You avoided DOS 4 and were thankful, and now you're leery of the latest version as well. Fine. Stacker can live with that. You, unfortunately, must live with Stacker drives no more than 32Mb in size. Even though Stacker can take a 32Mb partition and build a 64Mb drive out of it, your version of DOS can't handle it. So, you must double up. Create two Stacker drives for each of your 32Mb partitions. Each Stacker drive will be only 32Mb in size. Welcome to drive letter hell.

 

Empty or Near Empty Hard Drive, One Partition ­Stacking the existing drive is possible and painless. Another option is to create an "empty" Stacker drive using available, or free, disk space. This is done by selecting the "Create Drive from Free Space" option when you run the SETUP program.

For example, suppose you have a 200Mb disk formatted as a single partition (drive C) under DOS 5. The drive is relatively unused, so you can tell Stacker to use 100Mb of that to create an empty Stacker drive. The result will be 100Mb left on the host drive, plus a Stacker drive with a size of 200Mb -- 300Mb of storage. (If you want 400Mb of contiguous storage, stack the entire drive instead.)

 

Any Laptop Stacker and Laptops were made for each other and soon both will be deeply in love. I can't think of running a laptop without Stacker: they all have puny hard drives to keep their weight down. With Stacker, that puny hard drive becomes a multi-megabyte monster. On any laptop system you should Stack the entire drive C, thusly doubling your disk space. Remember to leave ample room for a Windows permanent swap file if need be.

 

 

ZIP Files, Archive Files, and Other Compressed Data ­If you store quite a few ZIP, PAK, ARC, or other archive files or compressed data files, then it's best to keep them off the Stacker drive. GIF graphics files are also stored in a pre-compressed format, so you should keep them off the Stacker drive as well. The reason for this isn't because Stacker can't deal with those files. It's just that storing them on an un-stacked drive or a Stacker drive makes little difference in space savings. My suggestion is to leave a larger portion of your drive uncompressed and keep the files there. If you have multiple partitions, keep the compressed files on their own, un-stacked partition (drive).

 

Installation

 

Make sure your computer is on. (If it's not, refer to the previous section for some things you might need to do before installing Stacker.) Exit from any DOS menus or shells, or environments such as DESQview, etc. Wind your way on down to the DOS prompt, which usually is seen as C> or C:\> on most PCs. (If you're using Windows refer to the box ``Installing Stacker while running Windows.'')

To start installation, slip the first diskette that came with Stacker into your PC's A drive, the first floppy drive (the one on top). The first diskette will be marked with a 1 or say Disk 1 of 3 or something. Stick that disk into your PC's A drive, the drive on top most of the time. Close the drive door latch if it's a 5¼-inch disk drive.

 

 

At the command prompt, type A: to log to drive A:

 

C:\>A:

 

Type SETUP and press the Enter key to run the installation program:

 

A:\>SETUP

 

           If you're using the Stacker hardware, then you must specify a special switch after SETUP at the command prompt. For the MC/16 co-processor, add the /MC switch. For the AT/16 co-processor, add the /AT switch. For the XT/8 co-processor, add the /XT switch. For example, the AT/16 coprocessor hardware setup command is:

 

        A:\>SETUP /AT

 

               This only needs to be done for first-time hardware installation. If you're upgrading from a previous version of Stacker, the optional switch isn't necessary.

 

Press Enter and stand back for some fun graphics. You'll see a normal hard drive, then "Stacker" drops in and the hard drive increases in size. Cool. This should mildly entertain you while the setup program acquaints itself with your PC.

 

Figure 3-2. The Stacker SETUP program.

 

The installation program is fairly self-explanatory so I won't bother going through it all in detail. However, not to leave you totally hanging, the following are my hints and survival suggestions to follow while using the SETUP program:

 

Read Everything­ Read everything on the screen even if you're an advanced user. This includes the README file.

 

           Windows Tip: The best tip is to press the F1 key whenever you need help. F1 displays helpful information about whatever it is SETUP is asking you or trying to do. Otherwise, here are my survival suggestions, more or less in the order in which you'll encounter the situations:

 

Generally Speaking, Select All the Suggested Options ­Select all the suggested options for installing Stacker. This includes the subdirectory into which Stacker will copy its files. Do this regardless of your hard drive setup (assuming you've read my book on hard disk management, Hard Disk Aerobics, also from Windcrest, book #????).

 

           If you're installing a new version of Stacker, the SETUP program will locate the old version on your hard drive and install the newer files over the old.

 

Figure 3-3. Here the SETUP program asks whether you want an Express or Customize setup.

 

To express or customize? The biggest decision you'll need to make is whether you want the Express "do everything automatically for me because I don't want to mess with anything" setup, or the more involved Customize setup. Here's how to decide which you want:

If your hard drive is full and you need extra space right now, then select Express. That directs Stacker to compress all your hard drives, offering immediate relief. If you choose this option, skim through the following sections to familiarize yourself with what's going on.

If things aren't in a bind, or you like to have more control over the installation process (or at least be lulled into thinking that's true), then select Customize. I'm ballsy, so I always select Customize. The majority of the following hints apply to that selection.

 

Watch the Magic Thermometer As the Setup program installs Stacker's programs and files from the distribution floppy disks to your hard drive, you'll see a magic thermometer mark your progress. Pay attention, remove and insert the floppy disks one after the other according to the instructions on the screen. Remember to remove the final disk from your floppy drive when the file copying is done.

 

You Don't Need to Add the Stacker Subdirectory to Your Path­ Don't elect to modify AUTOEXEC.BAT. In chapter 9, I'll discuss how to properly access the special utilities in the Stacker subdirectory. Note that, if you're hooked into a Novell network, you shouldn't modify the PATH command to add Stacker's subdirectory. (This conflicts with the Novell MAP utility.)

 

Use EMS Memory ­If Stacker detects EMS memory and asks to use it, select Yes or Use EMS memory. This greatly improves Stacker's performance.

 

Set Up and Configure Stacker Hardware ­If you've installed the Stacker hardware, you'll need to set up and configure it. Figure 3-4 shows the configuration screen for the AT/16 co-processor. If you don't have the co-processor installed, skip to the section, ``Tune Stacker for Speed.''

 

Figure 3-4. The SETUP program configures Stacker for use with the AT/16 co-processor.

 

The XT/8 Co-Processor. You'll see a list of high-memory addresses, which are locations where the co-processor card can sit. The idea here is to be sure that the card doesn't sit on anything that already is there. (PCs are dumb when it comes to knowing who sits where; they'd make poor ma”tre d's.)

You need to select a base address for the Stacker hardware. Seven of them will be displayed on your screen. The one highlighted probably will work best. Stacker will test to make sure that area is unoccupied.

 

           If you are using the XT/8 co-processor on a system running Windows in the 386 Enhanced mode, take note of the address selected for the co-processor. Jot it down, then refer to the section ``Using the XT/8 co-processor with Windows'' in chapter 8 after installation.

 

The AT/16 Co-Processor. You'll see a list of seven base addresses for the Stacker co-processor card. The object is to select one that isn't currently being used by anything else. (If it is, the two devices will conflict and you won't be able to use the co-processor.)

The installation program already has selected and highlighted one of the addresses for you. This probably is the best choice, so press Enter (unless you really are smart and know it's not the best choice, in which case you pick another one).

 

For Both the XT/8 and AT/16 Co-Processors. After pressing Enter to select an address, Stacker will deliberately check out the card. If the tests pass, the card is installed; if the test's fail, you must try again. Note that the test messes up your computer, so the program will reset your PC whether the test passes or fails.

Once you're done, skip to the section, ``Select the Type of Stacker Drive.''

 

The MC/16 Co-Processor. IBM PS/2 systems and compatibles with the Micro Channel architecture have one blessing other computer owners miss: not having to futz with port base addresses. MC/16 cards are smarter than their XT/8 and AT/16 cousins. However, the installation program still will check them out. If there are any problems, you'll have to check your hardware installation. Otherwise, the card is set up and ready to go. Skip up to the section, ``Select the Type of Stacker Drive.''

 

Tune Stacker for Speed At the Tune Stacker panel, you'll be given three options for customizing the way Stacker works: Fast with low compression, medium with medium compression, and slower but highest compression. My advice is to select the "fast" option -- unless you have a pretty zippy computer already. If so, then the "Best compression" option gives you the most space, but I only suggest that if your PC is very fast to begin with. Otherwise, I think you'd be happier with the speed.

 

You Don't Have to Restart ­Stacker will ask if you want to restart your PC at the "Prepare to Stack" panel. If you already have edited out your TSRs from AUTOEXEC.BAT, you don't have to do this; select Continue without rebooting. Otherwise -- and certainly if you're not sure -- select the Restart option.

 

Select a Disk to Stack The SETUP program displays a scrolling list of available disk drives (see Fig. 3-4). From the list select a drive to stack. You can select a floppy disk, hard drive or RAM drive, however select a hard drive for now. Choose either drive C or a second hard drive, depending on which scenario you're following. (Instructions in chapter 5 describe how to stack floppies and RAM disks.)

 

Figure 3-5. Here you select a drive to stack.

 

Figure 3-6. SETUP asks if you want to stack the entire drive or only free space.

 

Stack the Entire Drive or Free Space ­Stacker allows you two ways to create a Stacker drive, as shown in Fig. 3-6. If your hard drive is fairly full, select the Entire Drive option. This doubles available space on your hard drive. Otherwise, create an "empty" Stacker drive if you're swimming in disk space; select Free Space.

If you choose to create an empty Stacker drive from free space, be sure not to allocate too much disk space to it. The installation program usually suggests all of your free disk space. That is way too much, so enter an amount smaller than that. (The subject of creating additional Stacker drivers is covered in chapter 5.) Remember that Stacker will create a drive twice the size you specify.

 

           If you're stacking all of drive C and plan on using Windows, be sure to select the Advanced Options item before creating the Stacker drive. Highlight the Space to Leave Unstacked input box and enter 3 for three megabytes of storage. This will give you enough room for Windows' permanent swap file. If you have a permanent swap file larger than 2Mb, specify a value appropriately larger than three.

 

If you've elected to create an empty Stacker drive, skip to the section, ``Speed Disk Optimizes the Host Drive.''

 

Time for a Break ­As soon as you see Building Stacker Drive (the second thermometer after the files are installed) feel free to get up and get another cup of coffee or saunter by the water cooler to find out how the local sports team is doing (unless you're from Seattle). This process will take a while and there's no reason to sit and stare at the computer.

 

Figure 3-7. Norton's Speed Disk is run to optimize the drive.

 

Speed Disk Optimizes the Host Drive ­Now, the installation program will run Norton's Speed Disk program (Fig. 3-7). Speed Disk will optimize the host (uncompressed) drive, which includes any files Stacker wisely chose not to copy to the Stacker drive. This will take several minutes to complete.

Disk optimizers, such as the Norton Speed Disk, do one thing: reshuffle the files on your hard drive and eliminate fragmentation. After running a disk optimizer, all files on your hard drive will be contiguous. Running a disk optimizer is a regular part of maintaining your hard drive. Stacker has utilities for optimizing its Stacker drives, which are covered in chapter 6.

 

The Results Are In The final panel will describe your new hard drive situation. You'll see before and after information, telling you how much more space Stacker has made available on your hard drives. If you've created any empty Stacker drives, they'll be added to the list.

 

Figure 3-8. The final results of Stacking drive C.

 

You may see a new drive letter, such as drive E: that appears in Figure 3-8. Don't worry about it just yet; Stacker will take care of everything and you won't notice any new drive letters or any other differences between your PC before or after Stacker -- beyond the extra hard disk space. (The next chapter mulls over the details of what just happened.)

 

Restart­ Once optimization has taken place, you'll be given the option of creating more Stacker drives or restarting. Restart for now.

 

           If you un-installed any copy-protected software, now is the time to re-install it back to the Stacker drive -- as well as re-enabling any of your TSRs or disk caches you might have turned off before installing Stacker.

 

Figure 3-9. SETUP detects defects in the disk.

 

If Stacker detected any disk defects while scanning the drive, you'll see a warning, such as that shown in Fig. 3-8 (which was done on a defective floppy disk). Stacker carefully scans the drive for defects. If any are found, you'll be alerted to them. My suggestion is to press E to exit the SETUP program. Start over with a new disk or use a disk repair utility on the drive and start over again with SETUP.

 

 

Using the Stacker editor

 

Stacker does most of the dirty work for you, but there are times when you might need to edit your CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT files. These are two important system files, yet Microsoft has made them text files so that you can edit them (and customize your system). To edit either file you need a text editor.

A text editor is not a word processor. It's designed primarily to edit text files, such as CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT. As such, you won't find any fancy features: no text formatting, no underline, no printing, no nuthin' but blood-and-guts text editing.

DOS comes with two text editors, EDIT and EDLIN. Of those two, I recommend using EDIT, which is only available with DOS 5 and later. EDLIN is awful. I would rather eat dinner off the floor of the local movie house than use EDLIN. Third-party text editors, such as Semware's QEdit (my favorite), also will do the job. If all that intimidates you, however, Stacker comes with its own simple, friendly text editor, ED, which is probably named after my friend Ed. (In prior versions of Stacker, the editor was named SEDIT.)

To run ED, type ED at the command prompt. You optionally can follow ED with the name of the file you want to edit:

 

C:\STACKER> ED C:\CONFIG.SYS

 

This command loads the CONFIG.SYS file into ED for modification. What you'll see on your screen will look similar to Fig. 3-9. The top part of the screen shows the file you're editing. The bottom line contains useful information. From left to right, you will see important key commands, the name of the file being edited (in square brackets), a percentage indicator to show you how deep the cursor is in the text file, and a column indicator to show you which column the cursor is on.

 

Figure 3-9. ED allows you to edit your CONFIG.SYS file.

 

To make changes in a file, use the arrow keys to move the cursor. You can type your changes into the text or use the Del or Backspace keys to erase. A full list of the editor's key commands is provided in Appendix B for your browsing enjoyment. ED really is quite rich, but don't expect fancy formatting or any printing, which is the earmark of all good text editors.

For example, to put a REM in front of a command, thusly disabling it, you would march the cursor down to that line with the down arrow key. Then, you would type REM and a space. That's it.

To save the file, press Ctrl-Z: press and hold the Ctrl key and type a Z, just as you would press Shift-Z to make a capital letter Z. The file will be saved to disk and you'll be ceremoniously dropped back to the command prompt.

If you don't want to save your file (e.g., if you really botched it up), then press the Esc key. That drops you back to DOS without saving the file, although if you've made changes you'll be asked an are you sure? question. You can start over at that point by pressing the F3 key, then Enter. (That's a magic trick you can do at the command prompt to repeat the last command entered.)

 

Review

 

This chapter covered using Stacker's SETUP program. Advice was given on certain pre-installation rituals, as well as instructions and tips on using the SETUP program.

Stacker stores more data on disk by using data compression. That's the ability to mathematically shrink a file down in size without losing any of the file's original flavor or content. Stacker compresses files as they're written to the Stacker drive, then de-compresses them when DOS reads the files back.

Before you install Stacker you should make any software upgrades (such as upgrading to the latest version of DOS), back up your hard drive, un-install any copy-protected software, and install the Stacker hardware.

You run the SETUP program by logging to drive A and typing SETUP at the DOS prompt. The installation program is very informative. The easiest way to work it is to select all the suggested options.

If your hard drive was full, then you probably have created a Stacker drive that now contains all the files that were formerly on your old hard drive. If you've created an empty Stacker drive, then it's simply a new hard drive on your system, awaiting data.

 

           If you want to create additional Stacker drivers, go to chapter 5. If you're ready to use your Stacker drive, skip to chapter 6.