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From: andyross@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Andrew Rossmann)
Newsgroups: comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d,comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: SYSID confusion
Message-ID: <1990May29.213936.3400@ddsw1.MCS.COM>
Date: 29 May 90 21:39:36 GMT
Reply-To: andyross@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Andrew Rossmann)
Organization: ddsw1.MCS.COM Contributor, Wheeling, IL
Lines: 28


  I've pretty much had it with all the confusion going around with SYSID.
Yesterday, I got mail from someone saying that a SYSID 5.2 had scrambled
their computer (a 386SX). I sent them a copy of the corrected 5.0 (mine),
and got a hold of the 5.2. It turns out that the 5.2 version is by the
original author, Steve Grant. It came with NO source code, and has a fairly
strict Copyright message in it, too.
  So, I looked at the documentation (actually just comments at the
beginning of the program) from the SYSID 4.4 that I've based my versions
on. It states that both the source and object code are released into the
Public Domain. I, therefore, hope I am on legal ground in continuing work
on my own version. To prevent confusion, I am re-naming my version to
INFOPLUS (unless someone can think of something better.) I'll be adding
some features, and re-start version numbering at 1.0.
  I do have a question on one of the features I want to add. When DOS
creates an Extended partition, the first sector of that extended partition
contains another partition table, which is for the 'logical drives' in it.
My question is, what other partitioning schemes use this format? Do others
use something different? How does Disk Mangler (err.. Manager) get 16
partitions on a disk?
  I'm also looking into getting info on XMS and VCPI.

  Andrew Rossmann
  andyross@ddsw1.MCS.COM

P.S.> Unless there are legal problems with doing my own version, all
releases of INFOPLUS will be public domain, and include source code!!
Maybe it can grow like FRACTINT.