No. They are compressed versions of those files and if I recall correctly you can decompress them with the EXPAND utility.

files on the installation discs that end with _ are compressed, so no, you can't just copy them over. IIRC you need to use "expand.exe" to uncompress them. I may have the file name wrong though.

Thanks both. I'll try that!

I've read EXPAND cab expand a single file and also files. However I can't find anywhere to show me the right syntax? Any ideas? Single files are working fine.

EXPAND C:\SOMEPATH\SOMEFILE.EX_ C:\SOMEOTHERPATH\SOMEFILE.EXE

Just that simple. It DOES NOT accept wildcards.

I suggest using a batch file--

EG:

DIR *.??_ > LISTING.TXT

Edit LISTING.TXT

Use the list of files ending in an underscore, to build a comprehensive list of EXPAND invocations, and cut off all the cruft.

Save it as some batch file, eg, "MANUDOS.BAT" or something.

Run it.

Profit.

Reference, for the most part, these are the compressed->expanded extensions, as far as I can remember.

.CO_ -> .COM
.EX_ -> .EXE
.HL_ -> .HLP
.DR_ -> .DRV
.TX_ -> .TXT
.DL_ -> .DLL (MSAV has some, iirc)
.IN_ -> Either .INI or .INF, caveat emptor!
.BI_ -> .BIN
.SY_ -> .SYS

Is there a way to identify what version of DOS is running?

The reason I ask is the ver command just seems to return text, ie it tells me MS Dos 6.22 but I think this is due to the command coming from Dos 6.22 rather than what's running.

Most of the files from my DOS 6.22 disks are working fine. But some do trigger "Incorrect Dos version" and so it would be interesting to know.

Also as I'm running off a bootable floppy is there a particular outdated file in the config.sys or autoexec.bat that would cause the 'incorrect dos version'. I tried dropping the command.com file from Dos 6.22 onto the Floppy but that caused loads of issues so I'm back using the command.com on there.

Cheers.

There's an utility called "DOSVER".
It can display and set the current DOS version.
What it can't do, however, is changing the OEM bit. So MS-DOS stays MS-DOS, DR-DOS stays DR-DOS etc.
MSD can also display the DOS version.

ldare1000 wrote on 2023-09-23, 13:44:

Most of the files from my DOS 6.22 disks are working fine. But some do trigger "Incorrect Dos version" and so it would be interesting to know.

Which files are the ones triggering that message?

SETVER can be used to deal with the version numbering if it is available.

If you already have a boot floppy. Just copy all the files to c:\DOS and put c:\DOS in the path in autoexec.bat

Most needed files are there and the ones missing... use expand.

To see what DOS version is running, just use command: ver

kixs wrote on 2023-09-23, 14:44:

If you already have a boot floppy. Just copy all the files to c:\DOS and put c:\DOS in the path in autoexec.bat

Most needed files are there and the ones missing... use expand.

To see what DOS version is running, just use command: ver

Ver says dos 6.22 but I think that's because the ver command is from the dos 6.22 disks rather than the actual version running as some files from the dos 6.22 disks say " incorrect dos version"

Ver says dos 6.22 but I think that's because the ver command is from the dos 6.22 disks rather than the actual version running as some files from the dos 6.22 disks say " incorrect dos version"

Ver is an internal command, embedded within command.com. Which files give you the incorrect dos version message?

ldare1000 wrote on 2023-09-23, 19:09:

kixs wrote on 2023-09-23, 14:44:

If you already have a boot floppy. Just copy all the files to c:\DOS and put c:\DOS in the path in autoexec.bat

Most needed files are there and the ones missing... use expand.

To see what DOS version is running, just use command: ver

Ver says dos 6.22 but I think that's because the ver command is from the dos 6.22 disks rather than the actual version running as some files from the dos 6.22 disks say " incorrect dos version"

Then you need to get a DOS 6.22 disks and manually expand and replace the wrong files.

Here is a list of files on one boot disk. You don't need much more.
https://packet-radio.net/ms-dos-6-22-files/

Back a few years ago helped someone do similar and attached some batch files to do the expanding. Installing DOS 6.22 Setup Disks without Floppy drive
Note all MS DOS 6.22 files have year 1994 and time stamp of 6:22 AM, if MS DOS 6.20 then 6:20 AM 🤣.......If you need a set of DOS 6.22 disk images you can get them from REMOVED

Gmlb256 wrote on 2023-09-23, 14:36:

ldare1000 wrote on 2023-09-23, 13:44:

Most of the files from my DOS 6.22 disks are working fine. But some do trigger "Incorrect Dos version" and so it would be interesting to know.

Which files are the ones triggering that message?

SETVER can be used to deal with the version numbering if it is available.

I'm fairly certain SETVER ironically was one. The laptop is in peices at the moment having the caps replaced.

The laptop is in bits at the moment, once rebuild.Ive reading running the sys command and starting again might solve my problems