SCO OpenServer Handbook
Chapter 7, Using other operating systems with an SCO system
Managing DOS files with doscmd(C)

Managing DOS files with doscmd(C)

SCO systems include special tools to manipulate DOS files that are described in Chapter 6, ``Working with DOS'' in the Operating System User's Guide and the doscmd(C) manual page. Note that you must have a bootable, although not active, DOS partition on the hard disk or a DOS floppy disk to use these SCO system commands. For example, you can only transfer a file from a UNIX partition on the hard disk to a DOS floppy disk if either the DOS floppy disk is bootable or there is also a DOS partition on the hard disk.

NOTE: Mounting DOS filesystems and accessing the files directly with UNIX commands is faster and more efficient than using the doscmd(C) utilities. See ``Mounting DOS filesystems or partitions'' for more information.

You may also be able to use the UNIX system dd(C) and diskcp(C) commands to copy and compare DOS floppies. The UNIX system dtype(C) command tells you what type of floppies you have (various DOS and UNIX system types).

Also, the file /etc/default/msdos describes which DOS filesystems (for example, A:, B:, C:, ...) correspond to which UNIX system devices.

NOTE: You cannot execute (run) DOS programs or applications from an SCO system unless SCO Merge is installed.

SCO systems do not record bad tracks in the DOS area of the hard disk. If a bad track develops in the DOS area, an operation such as doscp that attempts to access the affected area may fail (resulting in the Error on fixed disk message). 

NOTE: When trying to use the DOS utilities to access files on your DOS partition, you may see the error message bad media byte. This message indicates that the DOS partition on the hard disk is not bootable. You can make your DOS partition bootable by first backing up the files on the DOS partition, booting DOS from the floppy, and formatting the DOS partition using the command:

format c: /s

You should now reinstall your DOS files.