INSIDE first carefully reads data and will then evaluate and verify it before changing anything in the system. Some tests need to work deep in the system to deliver results. If the system crashes, INSIDE should display the last test that was executed (and presumably caused the crash) respectively a switch to disable the test. In case of doubt, a test will not be executed, so that no crash should occur.
If nothing of the following suits to you and/or your system, it should be no problem to run INSIDE without changing any switch in the INSIDE.INI file after having read the whole documentation.
Execute SETLANG after unpacking to choose the language of the help texts.
When INSIDE or SETLANG is started for the first time, the INSIDE.INI file is built. This causes high harddisk or diskette activity. As SETLANG doesn't build a complete INI file, the first start of INSIDE will also cause higher activity. This higher activity only happens once and will only repeat if the INSIDE.INI file is deleted.
If INSIDE shall be run directly from a CD-ROM, the CD-ROM should not contain an INSIDE.INI file. Besides, a directory name for the INSIDE.INI file should be set with "SET INSIDE=<directory>", typing "SET INSIDE=C:\" or "SET INSIDE=A:\" is the easiest way. If you want to keep your root directory clean, create a directory on your harddisk (e.g. C:\CDDATA\) and set the environment variable correspondingly ("SET INSIDE=C:\CDDATA"). See also 3.8.
Once again: Read this documentation very carefully. If you don't understand something read that section again before making a mistake. You should especially study the switch list. After that you can run INSIDE, perhaps with some switches to skip tests that you think to be critical. When running INSIDE for the first time, you should hold one finger close to the reset button or the mains switch of the computer, because some (really very few) crashes require a very fast reaction. The faster you turn off the computer, the more data on the harddisk may be rescued... (We never lost a bit of data on harddisk or floppy disk by running INSIDE) Harddisk caches (SMARTDRV, NCACHE, hardware cache...) should be disabled before INSIDE executes a CPU Reset (i.e. before INSIDE is executed in real mode).
You should create a boot disk by executing the BOOTDISK.BAT from the INSIDE directory and the restart your system from this disk.
INSIDE will very likely not run with DOS versions 1.x, as DOS 1.x only uses FCBs to control files, but no handles that are necessary for INSIDE to work. For those who like to run a risk: the switch AnyOS=On disables the operating system check.
With "Advance MS-DOS 2.11", INSIDE works in most cases, but displays some wrong values. For all those who want to try: the switch AnyOS=On disables the operating system check.
On our computers, INSIDE works in a Windows 3.11 for Workgroups or Windows 95 DOS Box without causing any damage or crashes but the results shown by INSIDE are not always valid, so don't run INSIDE from a Windows DOS Shell or DOS Window but directly from DOS.
Problems with OS/2 are similar to those Windows causes. On our computers, INSIDE works under OS/2 Warp 3 and Warp 4, but not all results are correct. Besides, INSIDE can't execute all tests under OS/2.
Under DR-Multiuser-DOS and Concurrent Multiuser-DOS the graphics card detection via BGI doesn't work and is disabled by default. The CPU and FPU detection is disabled, too.
Memory managers that can not work with DMA (direct memory access) in first 640 KBytes of memory could cause trouble with SoundBlaster DMA detection. (You should replace such a memory manager by a better one.)
You should not use task switchers with INSIDE, especially not with other programs working close to the computer's hardware.
Neither the Norton Commander (Versions 1 to 5) nor VGAShell 1.0 caused any trouble. Similar user interfaces (e.g. the numerous NC-Clones like DCC, DCC pro, Volkov Commander, XTree) and DOSSHELL should not cause any trouble, either, except they may occupy too much memory, so that there is not enough space left for INSIDE. For GEM, GEOS and so on: the results should be somewhere between those of Windows and Norton Commander.
Programs that are installed in memory like SideKick, volume control applications for sound cards, background MOD- and CD-players, DOS screensavers, ASCII tables, clocks and so on should be removed from memory before INSIDE is started, or even better, not be loaded at all.
Standard drivers for keyboard, mouse, memory managers (like QEMM, EMM386, 386Max and so on), ANSI.SYS, COUNTRY.SYS (no driver, only data), RAMDrive, CD-ROM, harddisk and so on will in common not cause any problems.
Harddisk caches should not be loaded, should be switched off or should be configured as "read cache", "no delayed write" or "write-through". Type in the following for SmartDrive: SMARTDRV /X- /C
Background programs, that use IRQ lines 2, 3, 5, 7, or 10 (sound players, printer spoolers, communication and network software), could cause trouble with the SoundBlaster IRQ detection. I recommend to remove such programs from memory before running INSIDE. If you don't want to remove them, please turn off SoundBlaster DMA and IRQ detection using the switch SBDMAIRQ=Off.
When you're logged into a network, you should disable the switch CPUReset, during data transfer with another computer (modem, null modem cable, parallel cable, ISDN etc.), INSIDE should not be run at all.
Virus Protection Software may (and should) display that a virus was found when function $1300 of the interrupt $2F ("Disk Handler Address", page 15) is executed. Disk Handler Address detection can be turned off using the switch DiskHandler=Off.
The switch INT25=Off disables direct reading of the boot sector. Under OS/2 the boot sector can't be read, the test is always disabled under OS/2.
No problems known yet. EZ-Drive uses the [Ctrl]
key, that you
need to disable INSIDE.SYS temporary, for disk boot. If you want to bypass
INSIDE.SYS, you'll have to wait until DOS ist started and then press the [Ctrl]
key.
I recommend to disconnect or at least to switch off external devices like harddisks, CD-ROM drives, ZIPDrives, streamers, scanners and so on. Later you may disable the switches StOn1 and/or PS2LPT. This is not valid for a D/A-converter (Stereo-on-One, Disney Sound Source), because the detection function for it would not make any sense then.
Follow this suggestions for data transfer cables, e.g. from LapLink, Interlink, Drivemap or Norton Commander Link, too: first disconnect the cable, later disable the switches StOn1 and/or PS2LPT. The data transfer software must in any case be passive, i.e. no data transfer, no drive mapping, no port mapping.
The switches Joystick, AdLib, SBlaster, GUS and MPU disable access to port ranges $200 to $28F, $300 to $37F and $388/$399 when they're disabled.
Possible port addresses for network cards can be found in the NETCARDS.HTM file.
The switch CPUFPU disables the CPU and FPU tests.
Documentation: Copyright © 1997 by Hendrik Foken
Program:
Copyright © 1997 by Alexander Foken