PK Aware

PKWare is a compression and extraction utility for Windows AND for DOS.

I used PKWARE 2.5 for DOS which can be downloaded as a self-extracting file from PKWARE... it’s free if it’s for non commercial use.

The Manual is in amhryic...

You will save the utility in a floppy.

Now run it from the floppy by typing this after the C:\> a:
when you get to a:\> type in this

pk250dos.exe -d c:\pkware

this copies the program to a directory name pkware which it will create automatically for you.

Now, the juggling part.  Modify the AUTOEXEC. BAT

WHAT?!!!!

My DOS is basic. So can’t do nothing.  So I did this:

c:\>path
path =

So there was nothing in my path, so I typed the following:

c:\>path=C:\;C:\DOS;C:\PKWARE

then I got the hell out of there.

Reboot.

Now go to the directory where I want to compress and SPAN my diskettes...

c:\windows\mydocs\stupid>

and I typed in

c:\windows\mydocs\stupid\pkzip a:zipfile -&f –rp

where a:zipfile is the name of the zip file you want to store in the floppy

All the files in the Stupid folder will then be compressed and stored in various floppies.

Just stay awake.... the program will prompt you to change diskettes. It helps to number them as you go.... The prog formats the diskettes for you.

Then when it’s all done, take the LAST diskette, go to the working computer (mine is running on XP with Winzip) and extract onto the hard – disk.

Job done.

Opening More Dos

Forgot to mention that in dos, you will see subdirectories which are usually coated in [] so a directory will have subdirectories (also known as folders) which look like this
[stupid]  [idiot]

so if you type
c:\windows\mydocs\cd stupid
c:\windows\mydocs\stupid>dir/w

you will find all the stupid jokes you had archived.... which can be big files... and this brings me to PKWARE

Opening DOS

This is DOS for real emergencies, like when the registry is so messed up there’s nothing much to do except format the whole hard disk. But there’s info you need to retrieve.  So, I taught myself DOS.  

How to get into it.

Powerup the computer... and while it’s working its way around, like within the first 2 seconds press f2, or delete, or whatever it is is necessary until the whole computer goes quiet and this thing stares at you from the black screen

C:\>

This is Dos.  First thing to note is to pay attention to the \ and the >
The former tells you where you are, the latter asks you where you want to go. That’s my take anyway. Dos is not case sensitive, so any case will do.

C is your hardrive.  To see what’s in it type
DIR
which will be followed by a strong shower of letters which you can’t read. To control the shower, type
DIR/W    (OR)
DIR/P

There will be names of files and folders and subdirectories... to go to subdirectories or folders, type eg. windows

c:\>cd windows

This tells Dos to go into the directory (cd) windows which will lead you to

c:\windows>

see the > comes after windows which means “Now that you’re in windows, where do you want to go today?”  

Imagine you have a directory called mydocs then type

c:\windows>cd mydocs

which will lead you to

c:\windows\mydocs>

type in dir/w (OR dir/p) to see what’s in it.  Suppose there’s a file called blog.txt then and you want to read it, then type

c:\windows\mydocs\type blog.txt

but before you press enter, stand by the PAUSE key ‘cos another verbal shower awaits you. If you don’t press PAUSE you won’t read a thing.

To go back one level on directory type

c:\windows\mydocs\cd..

to go back to root directory, type

c:\windows\mydocs\cd\

which will take you back to

c:\>

Here are some commands.  

Copy blog.txt to a: drive

c:\windows\mydocs\copy blog.txt a:

Delete blog.txt

c:\windows\mydocs\del blog.txt

The objective here is to save files, so you probably want to practise the COPY command. If your files are too big, then use PKZIP for DOS.  But don’t expect me to teach you anything, cos’ I’m still learning.

Useful DOS site:
http://dos.rsvs.net/index1.htm

http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~jchap/
(check out his Dos tutorial)

http://www.jegsworks.com/Lessons/index.html
(Look under Dos basics section)