Newsgroups: comp.sys.ti,comp.sys.ti.explorer
Path: cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!das-news2.harvard.edu!news2.near.net!news.mathworks.com!newshost.marcam.com!charnel.ecst.csuchico.edu!psgrain!m2xenix!justinb
From: justinb@psg.com (Justin Bousquet)
Subject: TI TravelMate 2000 Hints/Tricks
Organization: PSGnet, Portland Oregon US
Date: Sat, 31 Dec 1994 10:02:22 GMT
Message-ID: <1994Dec31.100222.24129@psg.com>
Lines: 102
Xref: glinda.oz.cs.cmu.edu comp.sys.ti:4659 comp.sys.ti.explorer:1268


Here is a file I made after working wita TI TravelMate 2000 laptop without a
disk drive. I hope this can save you HOURS upon HOURS as that is how long it
took me to learn this stuff. Well enjoy and if you have any
suggestions/comments please email me at the following address.

justinb@psg.com

---

For all of you fellow unfortunate persons out there that have a TI TravelMate
2000 WITHOUT an external floppy drive (TI P/N 2568031-0001), here is some
free hints and tips.

1.  I crashed my system...nothing loads up anymore...

        When you load you TI TravelMate 2000 and it locks up before getting
        you to a usable spot, just hit the following keys TWICE:

                        CTRL + ALT + SETUP

        This will get you to a REAL technical setup screen. You want to press
        down until you get to the drive assignment section. Highlight drives
        C: & D: and press space. This will change the assignment of C: to the
        ROM drive. Save the settings and exit. You will go right into the ROM
        drive, you can install DOS 4.01 and many other diagnostic utilities.
        Just reinstall DOS, it will automatically format the HD, IF (AND ONLY
        IF) totally necessary. Then it will reboot and you SHOULD go right
        to you regular DOS prompt.

2.  I am fed up with DOS 4.01, I want to update DOS to a newer version...

        For this you will only have ONE choice...LAPLINK!!! I COMPLETELY
        RECOMMEND YOU PURCHASE A LAPLINK RS-232 CABLE YOU WILL USE IT VERY
        OFTEN, especially without that floppy drive... Okay you purchased
        your LAPLINK cable and have it tested its usability. Now we need to
        INSTALL DOS onto another system first, or just use the preinstalled
        version you already have. (JUST REMEMBER THAT SOFTWARE PIRACY IS A
        FEDERAL CRIME AND YOU CAN BE PROSECUTED FOR USING MORE THAN ONE COPY
        OF ANY SOFTWARE ON MORE THAN ONE COMPUTER IF IT IS NOT LICENSED TO DO
        SO!!!!) Now you need to use PKZIP to compress the NEW DOS, just zip
        up everything in the DOS directory. Now you need to copy the zip file
        over to the laptop, with laplink. Unzip the file INTO the laptop's
        DOS directory and then just delete the DOS zip file. Now go back to
        laplink and copy over the following files into the laptop's root
        directory (C:\).

                      COMMAND.COM - IO.SYS - MSDOS.SYS

        (I am amazed that laplink let's people over write system and hidden
        files, make sure you enable laplink to display the hidden/system
        files, via the options menu) Now after copying those files over you
        SHOULD boot right up into the upgraded DOS.

3.  My HD is too small...I have all my programs installed and no room to save
    my work...

Note:   To do this you need to purchase STACKER or another HD compression
        program, I don't suggest that you use DBLSPACE. DBLSPACE has been
        known to have several problems. And since Microsoft stole STACKER's
        algorithm, it is also just fair to STACKER to not use DBLSPACE. In
        any case I did my testing with STACKER, therefore I can only help
        with their installation procedures.

        Okay this is a little hard to do...first you need to use another
        computer and ZIP up each disk with the options "-r -p" (or recursive
        compression). Then copy the zipped files over to the laptop. Make a
        directory to unzip BOTH disks into, title it anything like "A". (When
        you unzip the files remember to use the "-d" option, & DO NOT over
        write the "STACKER.LBL" file!) Next just delete the stacker zip files
        that you made. Now we need to run the SUBST program that comes with
        DOS. (For those who aren't familiar with SUBST, it substitutes a drive
        letter for a directory. OR in other words makes a virtual drive with a
        certain directory on an actual drive.) Type the following command:

                         SUBST a: c:\%directory%
   (Where %directory% is where you uncompressed the zipped disk files.)

        Now I am not sure that this is necessary, but I edited my STACKER.LBL
        file to say disk 1 of 1 instead of 1 of 2. Then I just ran the install
        program from the virtual drive. Now it will install STACKER and
        compress your drive. When it is done you should go ahead and delete
        the directory that you unzipped the disks into. Now you should have
        your drive stacked up and much larger!

Hint:   Since the 286 can only handle DOS based programs, you should be able
        to just install the program onto another computer then zipping the
        program's directory with the "-r -p" options. And finally copying the
        zipped file back over to the laptop and unzipping it (Make sure you
        use the "-d" option when unzipping). If you have any troubles with the
        program once copied over, then check to see if there are any
        occurences of the original directory in either your CONFIG.SYS or
        AUTOEXEC.BAT.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DISCLAIMER: STACKER, Microsoft, PKZIP/PKUNZIP, and any other possible
            referrences from within the text above are in no way in
            cooperation with the author of the text. The author takes NO
            responsibility for your actions, expirementation, or piracy
            if any.

