MS-DOS 6.22 Hardware Detection Utility

This article explains the primary built-in utility used for detecting and displaying hardware details in MS-DOS 6.22. It covers Microsoft Diagnostics (MSD), how to launch the program, the specific hardware and system metrics it reports, and how to export its findings for troubleshooting legacy PC configurations.

In MS-DOS 6.22, the utility that provides detailed hardware detection to users is Microsoft Diagnostics, executed via the command MSD.EXE. First introduced in earlier versions of DOS and Windows, MSD was bundled directly with MS-DOS 6.22 to help users and technicians identify system components without opening the computer chassis.

How to Run MSD

To launch Microsoft Diagnostics, type the following command at the DOS prompt and press Enter:

C:\> MSD

Executing this command opens an interactive, text-based graphical interface where users can navigate different categories using a mouse or keyboard shortcuts.

Hardware Details Detected by MSD

MSD scans the system architecture and provides detailed technical specifications across several core areas:

  • Computer: Identifies the BIOS manufacturer, BIOS date, system model, and processor type (e.g., 80386, 80486, Pentium), as well as the presence of a math coprocessor.
  • Memory: Displays a visual map of the first megabyte of RAM, detailing conventional memory, upper memory blocks (UMBs), and totals for extended (XMS) and expanded (EMS) memory.
  • Video: Reports the display adapter type (CGA, EGA, VGA, SVGA), manufacturer, and video BIOS version.
  • Network: Detects network hardware, active network drivers, and client software if installed.
  • Operating System: Shows the exact MS-DOS version, environment settings, and location of system files.
  • Mouse: Identifies the mouse type, driver version, and hardware port assignment.
  • Disk Drives: Lists all available local and mapped drives, partition sizes, free space, and drive geometry (cylinders, heads, sectors).
  • LPT/COM Ports: Displays active parallel (printer) and serial communication ports alongside their base I/O port addresses.
  • IRQs and TSRs: Shows the current assignments for Interrupt Request lines (IRQs), helping resolve hardware conflicts, along with a list of terminate-and-stay-resident (TSR) programs running in memory.

Generating Hardware Reports

For automated troubleshooting or archiving, MSD can run in non-interactive batch modes:

  • MSD /P [filename]: Creates a comprehensive text report without launching the user interface. For example, MSD /P REPORT.TXT writes all hardware and software detection data directly to a file.
  • MSD /F [filename]: Prompts the user for basic contact details before generating the complete hardware summary report.