VOGONS


First post, by JeffeSilva

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I know that this can be a boring question, but I'm looking a way to list all running process in MS-DOS 6.22 . There are some programs that when are running , they keep running indeterminable even after its "conclusion" and this ends up in trouble because you think the operation had finished when it didn't, then you need to know what is going on, because the next operation will depend if a task is really finished. One example, is when one is using windows 9x, then you decide to start in MS-DOS mode to run an application, then after run this application you to go back to windows again by just typing "win", and system complains that there are one or more MS-DOS applications running. You can use the "exit", but the application will be still running even when it gets back to windows mode, and the program that should had concluded the operation keeps running indeterminable. So, I'd like to know if it's possible to list all running tasks in MS-DOS 6.22(purely DOS only) by also showing information in real time like memory being taking, etc. There are some programs that I'm running and they are running indeterminable even after its "conclusion", I need to analyze this case because there are important tasks that will be concluded if only the previous task be concluded correctly. And lastly, a way to force a specific task to end in MS-DOS, that is, one lists all the running tasks, then you select which one you want to kill forcefully.

Reply 1 of 4, by the3dfxdude

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Use the mem command to see the TSRs and drivers are running. I particularly use the options "mem /c /p".

Rarely you ever interactively "kill" a DOS driver or TSR. The easiest is to reboot, and instead set up your config.sys with a boot menu to select which drivers to load on start up based on memory requirements for your session.

Remember, DOS is not a multi-tasking protected mode operating system. It doesn't work like Windows.

Reply 2 of 4, by ntalaec

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The only way I know to kill a TSR which does not have an unload option, is using utilities like MARK and RELEASE included in the TSR Utilities from Kim Kokkonen.
You can donwload them here: http://ftp.lip6.fr/pub/pc/garbo/pc/memutil/tsrcom35.zip

To be able to kill a process, you have to load MARK, load the process and run RELEASE to unload. RELEASE won't work if the TSR has been loaded before running MARK.

Don't know if it will work with all TSRs.

Reply 3 of 4, by JeffeSilva

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Thank you the3dfxdude and ntalaec for the fast reply! Seems like the "mem" command is being enough. But I will try this tsrcom utility too. As the3dfdude said, MS-DOS isn't a protected multitask system, I was even aware of this fact, but sometimes I got surprised of how my brain has a great facility for ignoring these tiny details(dummy mind)😅. Anyway, thanks again for the assistance.

Reply 4 of 4, by Jo22

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MEM is a good recommendation, I agree. 🙂👍

If experimenting is also a thing.. DESQView or DESQView /X can limit amounts of memory to DOS programs.
Windows 2.x (unlike 3.x) can multi-task DOS programs in Real-Mode, too.
The MS-DOS Shell has a task-switcher, but I didn't use it much.
DR-DOS or Novell DOS have TaskMAX/ViewMax instead.
The DOS compatible OS PC-MOS/386 has a real task manager and can start/end programs and multi-task them (has virtual consoles, like *nix).

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