
                        Driver Silencer version 1.1 
                 Copyright (c) Effe Software MCMXCIV - XCV


0. Legal stuff

   This utility is provided "AS IS" without warranty of any kind, either
   express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties
   of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. In no event
   shall Effe software be liable for any damages whatsoever including
   direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, loss of business profits
   or special damages.


1. General

   Silencer is a MS-DOS driver that disables initialization sequence messages
in a MS-DOS boot-up. Silencer  also informs about problems in boot procedure.
This utility can be installed in multiconfig systems.

   Version 1.1 implements executable-EXE virus detection.

   Silencer  allocates only  1050  bytes of  conventional memory. There are't 
known incompatibilities with drivers and/or applications.

   Under  Windows 95,  Silencer can be  installed only in  the old-MSDOS boot
(Windows 95 disables most of the messages in CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT).


2. Installation

   In order to install Silencer in your system follow the steps:

   a) Copy SILENCER.EXE to the DOS directory (for example)   

   b) If you haven't a multiconfig boot:
      
      b1) Edit CONFIG.SYS (EDIT C:\CONFIG.SYS) and insert in your FIRST LINE 
          the sentence:

          DEVICE=C:\DOS\SILENCER.EXE

      If you have a multiconfig boot:

      b2) Edit CONFIG.SYS (EDIT C:\CONFIG.SYS) and insert in the FIRST LINE
          of each option:

          DEVICE=C:\DOS\SILENCER.EXE N

          where N is the identification number of each option (in hexadecimal
          format from 00(hex) to FF(hex)).

   c) Edit AUTOEXEC.BAT (EDIT C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT) and place in the LAST LINE 
      the sentence:

      C:\DOS\SILENCER

      If you have a multiconfig boot remember that this sentence must be 
      the LAST command for every option.

   d) Reboot your system (CTRL+ALT+DEL)

   c) The system will boot normally and Silencer will show a message
      informing that Silencer is succesfully configured (in multiconfig
      systems you must restart ONCE for EVERY OPTION).

      If Silencer shows an error message then you have a copy of Silencer 
      already configured in other computer. If so, execute SILENCER /R in
      the MS-DOS command-line.
   
      If all is right, then Silencer is ready to work.


3. Command-line options

   Valid command-line options are:

   a) /H, /?, ? Shows information about parameters.

   b) /V Selects visible boot sequence, that allows seing the boot sequence.
      Use this option when Silencer founds an error in boot sequence. To  
      disable this option execute SILENCER /R.

   c) /R Saves the last boot sequence. If you change the boot sequence then
      you must reconfigure Silencer through /R option.

   d) /C:Aa,Bb,Cc,Dd,Ee,Ff Configures colors for silencer (See bellow).


4. Boot errors

   When an EXE virus infects the system Silencer will show an error message.
If so, you must clean the system with an antivirus as soon as possible 
(remember that most viruses don't cause damages if removed soon). Silencer
message dissapears when the file returns clean (when virus is removed).
   
   When Silencer detects an abnormal boot (does not match with the saved
one) an error message will be shown. This is caused by:

   a) An error in some installed driver/application.

   b) A change in CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT (Add or remove some startup
      archive).

   c) Some driver shows messages that are not constant. (Free disk space,
      for example).

   In order to detect the problem, execute SILENCER /V and restart your
system (CTRL+ALT+DEL). The boot sequence will be visible. Solve the problem
with the driver (if it exists), and restart again. If the problem is solved
execute SILENCER /R to save the new boot sequence.

   If there aren't errors and SILENCER continues showing the error message, 
then is possible that a driver or application is showing messages that are
not constant. If so:

   a) If it is located in CONFIG.SYS, then put it BEFORE SILENCER.

   b) If it belongs to AUTOEXEC.BAT, then add a >NUL at the end of the line
      or put it AFTER SILENCER.

      Example: C:\PROGRAM.EXE >NULL

   c) Restart your machine (CTRL+ALT+DEL) and execute SILENCER /R to save
      the new boot sequence.
   

5. Color configuration.

   To configure Silencer colors, execute SILENCER /C:Aa,Bb,Cc,Dd,Ee,Ff.
Uppercase letters represent background colors, lowercase letters represents
foreground colors.

   Colors are given in hexadecimal format; that is:

   0 Black       4 Red          8 Gray            C Intense red 
   1 Blue        5 Magenta      9 Intense blue    D Light magenta
   2 Green       6 Brown        A Intense green   E Yellow
   3 Cyan        7 White        B Intense cyan    F Intense white 
   
   X Do not change

   The list of sorted colors is: Border, Title, Percent bar, Percent number,
Window text, Driver name. For example:

   SILENCER /C:XX,X0,4F

   Border color is not changed, sets a black foreground for the title and
intense white on red for the percent bar. 


6. Support.

   For troubleshooting, bug reporting, suggestions ... send a mail to

   effesoftware@geocities.com  


                              Effe software
              http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lakes/3884

                This program is freeware. Please distribute it

