MS DOS Command: LASTDRIVE

Reference from Microsoft MS-DOS cmd help

Description

Specifies the maximum number of drives you can access. You can use this command only in your CONFIG.SYS file.

The value you specify represents the last valid drive MS-DOS is to recognize.

Syntax

LASTDRIVE=x

Parameters

Remarks

Default setting

If you do not use the LASTDRIVE command, the default value is the letter following the last one in use. For example, if you are using drives A and C, the default value is D.

Effect on memory

MS-DOS allocates a data structure in memory for each drive specified by LASTDRIVE, so you should not specify more drives than are necessary.

Examples

To set the last drive to M, giving your computer access to 13 drives, you would include the following command in your CONFIG.SYS file:

lastdrive=m

MS DOS Command: LOADHIGH (LH)

Reference from Microsoft MS-DOS cmd help

Description

Loads a program into the upper memory area. Loading a program into the upper memory area leaves more room in conventional memory for other programs. (For more information about optimizing memory, see the chapter "Making More Memory Available" in the MS-DOS User's Guide.)

Syntax

LOADHIGH [drive:][path]filename [parameters]

To specify the region(s) of memory into which to load the program, use the following syntax:

LOADHIGH [/L:region1[,minsize1][;region2[,minsize2]...] [/S]] [drive:][path]filename [parameters]

You can abbreviate LOADHIGH as LH.

Parameters

Switches

Related Commands

For information about loading device drivers into upper memory, see the DEVICEHIGH command.

For information about using the MemMaker program to move programs to the upper memory area, see the MEMMAKER command.

Remarks

DOS=UMB command required

To use the LOADHIGH command, you must include the DOS=UMB command in your CONFIG.SYS file. For more information about the DOS=UMB command, see the DOS command.

Using MemMaker to optimize the upper memory area automatically

The MemMaker program, included with MS-DOS, automatically optimizes your system's memory. MemMaker surveys the upper memory area, analyzes the memory use of your drivers and programs, and determines which drivers and programs fit best into the available UMBs. MemMaker then adds the LOADHIGH command to selected lines in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file and adds /L and /S switches as necessary. For more information about using MemMaker to optimize your computer's memory, see the chapter "Making More Memory Available" in the MS-DOS User's Guide.

Upper-memory-area manager must be installed

Before you can load a program into the upper memory area, you must install an upper-memory-area manager. MS-DOS provides EMM386.EXE, which manages the upper memory area for computers with an 80386 or higher processor. To install EMM386, you add a DEVICE command to your CONFIG.SYS file. (The DEVICE command for the HIMEM.SYS extended-memory manager must precede the DEVICE command for EMM386.)

How LOADHIGH works

When you use the LOADHIGH command to load a program, MS-DOS attempts to load it into the upper memory area. If there is insufficient space in the upper memory area, MS-DOS loads the program into conventional memory. To determine which UMB(s) the program is using, use the MEM /M command and specify the program name as an argument.

Using LOADHIGH in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file

The most convenient way to use the LOADHIGH command is to include it in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. (If you use the MemMaker program, it automatically adds any necessary LOADHIGH commands to the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.)

Examples

The following command loads the DOSKEY program into the upper memory area and specifies that MS-DOS should load the driver into region 1:

loadhigh /l:1 c:\dos\doskey

The following command loads the MYPROG.EXE program into region 1, and also gives it access to upper memory regions 3 and 4:

lh /L:1;3;4 c:\programs\myprog.exe

The following command loads the MYPROG program into conventional memory (region 0) and also gives it access to upper memory region 1:

loadhigh /l:0;1 c:\programs\myprog.exe

MS DOS Command: GOTO

Reference from Microsoft MS-DOS cmd help

Description

Directs MS-DOS to a line in a batch program that is marked by a label you specify. You can use this command only in batch programs.

The GOTO command directs MS-DOS within a batch program to a line identified by a label. When MS-DOS finds the label, it processes the commands beginning on the next line.

Syntax

GOTO label

Parameters

Remarks

Valid values for label

The label parameter cannot include separators such as spaces, semicolons or equal signs.

GOTO uses the first eight characters of each label

The GOTO command uses only the first eight characters of a label. Therefore, the labels "hithere01" and "hithere02" are both equivalent to "hithere0".

Matching the label parameter with the label in the batch program

The label value you specify on the GOTO command line must match a label in the batch program. The label within the batch program must be preceded by a colon.

If your batch program does not contain the label that you specify, the batch program stops and MS-DOS displays the following message:

Label not found

MS-DOS recognizes a batch-program line beginning with a colon (:) as a label and does not process it as a command. If a line begins with a colon, MS-DOS ignores any commands on that line.

Using GOTO for conditional operations

GOTO is often used on the same command line with other commands to perform conditional operations. For more information about using GOTO for conditional operations, see the IF command.

Examples

The following batch program formats a disk in drive A as a system disk. If the operation is successful, the GOTO command directs MS-DOS to a label named "end".

• echo off
• format a: /s
• if not errorlevel 1 goto end
• echo An error occurred during formatting.
• :end
• echo Successfully formatted the disk in drive A.