Glenn, You are talking about configuring windows so that it starts up in dos, and does not load all the extra drivers and so on for windows, until you tell it to, by typing win <ENTER> at the dos prompt. Windows provides a version of this ability by allowing you to define special `dos modes' for dos programs, each with its own specialized autoexec.bat and config.sys, if you want. Windows will exit to dos, leaving only a win stub. But when you are done, you must restart windows, which takes almost as much time as a new windows boot.
Yes one can work in does for a while this way, UNTIL you start windows (by the win.com command). They you are in my dilemma. Loading windows, is a time consuming process. I want to have windows ALREADY loaded, and execute dos commands, without starting another, unnecessary instance of command.com. Then I can return to windows instantly, without waiting for all the drivers, dills and so on to load. Basically, I want the windows shell to use the command.com already loaded to run the dos program, and then return to windows, instantly. I think the other folks are correct that the win OS, and/or command.com do not permit reentrant shells, and will always run multiple instances. If one starts a dos box, and types, mem /c /p within the box, one easily sees 2 instances of command.com running. Perhaps my goal can be accomplished by using other shells than command.com, that can execute dos functions. NT had cmd, norton had its version of command.com, etc. Perhaps I can run one of these dos compatible shells, and it will run dos commands, as I wish. The advantage is adding lots of favorite dos programs to the windows repitiore, without the extra time, memory, and overhead of an extra shell. Glenn Wrote: ------------------------ When you've got the attributes set to allow editing, need to make sure the line that reads BOOTGUI=0 (that's a ZERO, not letter OH) is set to BOOTGUI=1 (I think that's right) And, while you are at it, get the old style Boot Menu like this: BOOTMENU=1 Note that you may have to ADD the bootmenu line! Anyway, the total file size should remain the same...put this in front of the "filler" stuff MS put in there.
