Reading Serial Port Information Impossible (36011)



The information in this article applies to:
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 4.0
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 5.0
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 5.0a
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.0
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.2
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.21
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.22

This article was previously published under Q36011

SUMMARY

In MS-DOS, it is possible to configure a serial port (COM1, COM2) with the MS-DOS MODE command or by using interrupt 14H. It is not possible to obtain the settings of a serial port using the MS-DOS MODE command. The ability to obtain this information through the interrupt 14H is an OEM ROM BIOS issue. If it is supported through the ROM BIOS, the information can be obtained. The standard IBM ROM BIOS does not support this functionality, but the IBM Advanced BIOS (ABIOS) does. The ABIOS services are only available on IBM (or compatible) PS/2 systems.

Modification Type: Major Last Reviewed: 5/12/2003
Keywords: KB36011