
                                Vamos  V 1.1.9

              Versatile Advanced Manager for Operating Systems

                                 (Bootmanager)


The main reason for the prerelease state is the incomplete documentation. 
There is a german version (45 pages, WinWord 6 format), that has to be 
translated. I appreciate any help concerning the translation process.

The license policy and the registration has changed between version 1.0.x
and 1.1.x.

Content:
--------
  0. Infos on bootmanager Vamos
  1. Features
  2. The package
  3. License Agreement
  4. Installation (short version)
  5. Configure Vamos to your own needs
  6. Restrictions
  7. Questions or problems
  8. Changes up to Version 1.1.9


0. Infos on bootmanager Vamos
-----------------------------

Vamos is a Bootmanager to load different operating systems from different
partitions like the OS/2 Bootmanager does. I built it because of the problem
to install OS/2 and Windows NT on one PC and integrated many features that
give you new options of configuring your computer.
You are guided by dialogs and menus through the installation program and
the bootmanager itself, so that the handling is easy. Everyone who knows
the structure of a harddisk (partitioning, installed operating systems etc.)
should be able to use the program intuitively.
If you really are inconfident with Vamos you can deinstall it completely
with the help of the installation program and the undo file.


1. Features: 
------------

 - Vamos needs no primary partition.
 - Vamos is configurable while booting.
 - Vamos can boot an operating system from a secondary partition.
 - Vamos can boot from a second harddisk (if OS support).
 - Vamos has password protection: You can use different passwords for every
   boot configuration.
 - Vamos automatically starts a configuration after a chosen delay time 
   if no key is pressed. This may be the last booted configuration 
   or a fixed chosen configuration.
 - Vamos can put keyboard events to the keyboard buffer which may start
   an action in the operating system (if OS support).
 - Vamos can 'hide' partitions to solve conflicts between different 
   operating systems.
 - Vamos can activate the boot partition (for an OS that needs this) .
 - Vamos can replace the OS/2 bootmanager.
 - The installation program carefully tests the configuration before writing
   any changes to the harddisk.
 - There are some commandline options to manipulate the partition table 
   (activate, hide, unhide a partition, change the type flag), activate a
   boot menu and to copy harddisk regions (for duplicating harddisks, 
   backup, restore). See "VAMOS -h" for more help.


2. The package
--------------
The complete vamo????.zip archive should contain the following files:
          VAMOS.EXE            the installer and helper tool
          FILE_ID.DIZ          short description

          LICENSE.TXT          licensing terms
          README.TXT           this file
          REGISTER.TXT         registration informations
          HANDBOOK.DOC         TODO: english documentation

          LIZENZ.TXT	       German version of licensing
          LIESMICH.TXT	       German readme
          D-REGIST.TXT         registration informations for Germany
          D-HANDB.DOC          German documentation

          BUG-REP.TXT          some questions which help in case of problems
                               

3. License Agreement
--------------------

The license policy has changed between version 1.0.x and version
1.1.x. Commercial and private users are no longer distinguished. 

This software is distributed as SHAREWARE. If you use Vamos 
after a 3 weeks evaluation period, purchase of the appropriate 
license is required (see REGISTER.TXT for pricing).

For details you should carefully read the file LICENSE.TXT.
If you do not agree with this, do not use the software.

   Registered users of version 1.0.x can optain a new key 
   at no extra charge.  
   EMail:  update@vamos.de 

Remark:
	There is no SHAREWARE reminder or NAG-screen. 
	I hope, you can honour that.


4. Installation (short version)
-------------------------------
 
 The documentation has a more verbose version of the installation steps
 with screen shots of the installer program.
 
 1. Copy the installation program "VAMOS.EXE" and the documentation to 
    a floppy disk. 
    Leave space for the undo file (about 100 kB), that is built during 
    the installation. This extra disk is the best way to save your data 
    for undoing. 
 2. Boot DOS. 
    (You can as well install Vamos with Windows 3.x (DOS shell) or 
    Windows 95/98 (console mode), but the configuration tests are more 
    reliable when running in "real" DOS.)
 3. Start the DOS program "VAMOS".
 4. Follow the instructions of the dialogs.
 5. The bootmanager itself is configured while booting. 
    After writing Vamos to your harddisk remove any floppy disk and 
    restart the computer.

There is a small online help available by pressing <F1>.
The installation program has some additional command line features. 
Call "vamos -h" to see a list of options (e. g. activate a primary partition 
like fdisk or change the type flag of a partition).



5. Configure Vamos to your own needs:
-------------------------------------

 - Vamos creates an initial boot menu when booting the first time. You can 
   change the names of the items, passwords and other options by using the 
   Tab- and Cursor-Keys or highlighted letters + Alt-Key. 
 - You can duplicate items e. g. to assign different passwords for the same 
   operating system or to assign different keyboard events for a following 
   bootmanager. 
 - With <F1> you get help to some special functions that may not be obvious.



6. Restrictions:
----------------

 - There is a BIOS extension for disk access which enables the BIOS to 
   handle harddisks > 8 GB. 
   VAMOS support this extension but on some PCs this extension does not 
   work. 
 - I still have no information about the ONTRACK Diskmanager. 
   But, Vamos now can detect the Diskmanager "EZ-BIOS" (perhaps not all versions).
   MBR-Installations are possible with EZ-BIOS. 
   It is important to always start the Diskmanager before Vamos is started. 
   Additionally some regions which are used by the Diskmanager cannot be used 
   by Vamos.
 - The keyboard driver (especially the German and French) does not
   support akcent + key handling. 



7. Questions or problems
------------------------

See  http://www.deer-corner.com
for actual information. 

If you have any questions regarding Vamos or any of the above
information, please feel free to contact me at the address below :

EMail:  info@vamos.de



8. Changes in Version 1.1.9:
----------------------------

Changes in Version 1.1.9:
-------------------------
 I had an internal test version 1.1.7 and 1.1.8
Bootmanager:
 - Fixed: a security hole in the passwort protection
   (miraculous, nobody has reported this before)
Install Program:
 - experimental diagnostic/support for EZ-BIOS 
 - changed "disk size detection" and new option to disable it (-S)
 - bug in type 15 extended partition handler fixed
 - copy command now accept memory range 
   (e.g. to create an image file from the BIOS memory area)
 - a lot of small changes/bugfixes in the installer/undo handler
  
Changes in Version 1.1.6:
-------------------------
Price:
 - lower price for vamos licenses: 
    $15 (single) to $7 (multi, over 100 licenses)
Install Program:
 - diagnostic output and exception handler for conflicts with some 
   int 13 BIOS extension versions
 
Changes in Version 1.1.5 (internal test version):
-------------------------------------------------
Bootmanager:
 - found another bug which disables handling of partitions 
   behind track 1023
Install Program:
 - diagnostic output for conflicts with some BIOS extension versions
 - changed partition scanner to handle extended partition chain behind 
   track 1023 even if unusual/wrong partition alignment is used
 
Changes in Version 1.1.4:
-------------------------
Install Program:
 - official release
 - minor changes in bootmanager detection
 
Changes in Version 1.1.3:
-------------------------
Bootmanager:
 - Some minor changes in the dialog display routines.
 
Install Program:
 - new commands to change/display some of the global bootmenu
   settings. (-hidesetup, -showsetup, -delay)
   see: "vamos -h"
 - additional routines inserted to check the BIOS for bugs in
   the int 13 extension.
 - bug in "-s<123..>" option fixed.
 
Changes in Version 1.1.2:
-------------------------
Bootmanager/Setup:
 - There is a new Keyboard driver for the French "AZERTY" keyboard layout.
Bootmanager:
 - now you can hide the setup button in the main dialog.
   see: <main boot menu> -> <setup> -> <general>
   (maybe usefull for administrators)
 - <Numkeypad-+>,<num1>,<num2>,<num3> now can be used similar to
   the <Alt>+<1>,<2>,<3> feature of DOS keyboard-drivers.
   <num1>,<num2>,<num3> is interpreted as decimal number and converted to
   the ascii character.
 
Changes in Version 1.1.1:
-------------------------
Bootmanager:
   There were some problems with the "int 13 BIOS extension" which cause
   errors when writing to the harddisk. (fixed)
 
Changes in Version 1.1.0 :
--------------------------
 I had some internal Version 1.0.80...
Lizense:
 - The policy has changed. Now private and commercial user are no longer 
   distinquished. The "commercial versions" registration fee is recuced.
Bootmanager:
 - Das registration keys have changed. Now the visual name can be 
   38 characters long and the problems with the key has been solved.
 - the bootmanager now supports big harddisks > 8 GB.
   The PC must have the new "int 13 extension" for big harddisks. 
   Some PCs (compaq) reports to have the extension but it does not 
   work correctly.
Install program:
 - Many changes to support two VAMOS versions 
   (one with int 13 extension and one without).
 - The resource needs of the Installer is reduced. 
   It now needs about 410 kb (360 kb) of free memory for executing
   interactively (in batchmode).
 - minor bug fixes
 - probably dozen of new bugs 

 
Changes in Version 1.0.18 h:
----------------------------
Bootmanager:
 - workaround added for destructive bios interface 
   (IBM Thinkpad 760.. and probably other)
Install program:
 - command-line options "-s" to scan only defined harddisks
   (workaround for some situations with ZIP drives which produces a 
    huge timeout delay)
 - new commands  (see "vamos -h"): 
 	"menu"   shows/activates the actual bootmenu
 	"hide"   hides a partition with type 160
 	and "unhide"  restores to the default partition type
   Due to the many questions (EMails) about lost hidden partitions
   I inserted the "unhide" command. It should solve 95% of all 
   restoration situations with hidden partitions.
 - a lot of small changes to the commandline interface:
   most of them to make the interface more informative and smarter.
 - a lot of bugs fixed (probably new bugs inserted), most of them 
   concerning the command line.
 - Changed: the display of the OS indicator
   now the installer always shows the number AND the information string
   The following partition types are detected without using the 
   type indicator:  FAT12, FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, HPFS, OS2 Bootmanager.
 - bug fixed which cause a blocking of the installer on some 486 
   (error in compression tool "diet").


Changes in Version 1.0.16 beta:
-------------------------------
install program:
 - command-line options "-x"
    some bugs and restrictions fixed
 - bug fixed, (a dump one)
    Installation breaks in last step with 
    "Cannot write bootmanager to harddisk (18) !"


Changes in Version 1.0.15 beta2:
--------------------------------
bootmanager:
 - floppy disk hiding should now work with Windows 95 und Windows NT
install program:
 - command-line options changed: commands have long names  
    vamos activate hd1:p3		activate 3. partition
    vamos change hd1:p1 bigdos		change type of partition 1
    vamos -h  				shows a (more complete) list of options
 - add a new command to copy, safe or write regions of the harddisk
    vamos copy hd1:track0-100 hd2:0  	   copy track 0-100 from harddisk 1 to 2
    vamos copy hd1:20-23 file:c:\bill.tmp  copy sectors 20-23 to file bill.tmp
    vamos copy file:c:\bill.tmp hd2:100    write file to sector 100... 
 - add a 'workaround' for a DOS 5.x 6.c bootsector restriction
    MS DOS cannot boot from a DOS Fat16 partition, which starts behind a track 256
    of the harddisk (If the standard bootsector is installed). 
    vamos fix hd1:P1     fix the problem for a partition hd1:P1.


Changes in Version 1.0.15 beta1:
--------------------------------
- support for FAT32 (installer + bootmanager)
- experimental support for LBA-mode FAT
- installer can handle BIOS Int13 extension for HDs > 8 GB
    command line option -x to enable extension 
    Bootmanager is still limited to <= 8 GB
- bug fixes


