================================================================================ MICROSOFT WINDOWS VERSION 2.1 ================================================================================ DOCUMENTATION CORRECTIONS Page 182, "Microsoft Windows User's Guide" The manual says the PIF Editor, PIFEDIT.EXE, may be located in the PIF directory, a subdirectory of the main Windows directory. Actually, it is in the main Windows directory. Page 228, "Microsoft Windows User's Guide" The manual says that if "you don't specify an amount of memory, SMARTDrive will receive 256K (the default size)." This is true if you are using extended memory. However, if you are using expanded memory for SMARTDrive, then the default is all of available expanded memory. ADDITIONAL FEATURES Minimize MS-DOS Executive ------------------------- You can automatically reduce the MS-DOS Executive to an icon each time you run an application. This frees up memory and reduces screen clutter. 1. Select the MS-DOS Executive File Run command. A dialog box is displayed. 2. Turn on the check box option called Minimize MS-DOS Executive; then choose the OK button or press the ENTER key. Once you turn on this option, it remains in effect until you turn it off. Spooler will Terminate After Printing is Completed -------------------------------------------------- A feature has been added to the Spooler. If the Spooler is running as an icon, Spooler will terminate (and free up the memory it was using) when printing is finished. If Spooler is running as a window, it will not terminate automatically. NOTES ON EARLIER VERSIONS OF WINDOWS Following are notes of interest if you have used earlier versions of Windows. New Font File Format -------------------- Some applications designed for use with Windows include font files (files with a .FON extension). For example, Aldus Pagemaker 1.0A includes several font files. Font files designed for use with earlier versions of Windows will not work correctly with Windows 2.1. Included with Windows 2.1 is a program, NEWFON.EXE, that converts your old font files to the new Windows 2.1 format. This file is located on your utilities disks. Copy it to the directory where your fonts are located. Here's how to create the new font files: 1. Change directories to the disk drive and directory in which the old font file(s) is located. 2. Create a backup copy of the old font file(s). You do this by typing the following command: COPY *.FON *.BAK 3. Start the Newfon program. The form of the Newfon command is the following: NEWFON [old-font-filename] For example, to create a new PageMaker font file, PMFONTE.FON, you would type: NEWFON PMFONTE.FON NOTE: You may also specify a new font file name. The form of the Newfon command for doing this is the following: NEWFON [old-font-filename] [new-font-filename] WARNING: You will lose the old font file if you do not make a backup copy. Be certain to backup your old font files. Using Windows 2.1 Paint Files with Applications Designed for Windows 1.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Windows 2.1 Paint file format differs from that of earlier versions of Paint. Thus applications designed to read Windows 1.0 Paint files can no longer do so. To work around this problem, either use Copy and Paste to move images from Windows 2.1 Paint into those applications designed to read Windows 1.0 Paint files, or use CVTPAINT.EXE to convert 2.1 Paint files into 1.0 Paint files. Paint version 2.1 can read Paint files having the version 1.0 format. CHANGING SETTINGS IN THE CONFIG.SYS FILE The following notes relate to changing command lines in the CONFIG.SYS file. Using SMARTDrive ---------------- Appendix C, "Speeding Up Windows with SMARTDrive" in the Windows User's Guide contains detailed instructions on installing the disk-caching program SMARTDrive provided with Windows 2.1. The following is updated information on adding SMARTDRV.SYS to your CONFIG.SYS file: - Set the buffers= command line to 20. Setting buffers= to higher values uses memory without additional performance benefits; setting it to a lower value reduces performance benefits. - Put the "device=smartdrv.sys" command line after the "device=" command line for any expanded memory manager you may be using (i.e. emm.sys, remm.sys, ps2emm.sys, etc.). - If you have a Compaq Deskpro and ENHDISK.SYS is listed in your CONFIG.SYS file, and you wish to use SMARTDrive, you must list the SMARTDRV.SYS command line after ENHDISK.SYS. - If you intend to use expanded memory for SMARTDrive, be sure to use the /A flag. Using RAMDrive -------------- In general, SMARTDrive gives better overall performance than RAMDrive. One exception is output performance for frequently written files. We recommend that you use SMARTDrive; however, a new version of RAMDrive is included with Windows 2.1. This version performs significantly better than older versions and is the ONLY version that works with Windows 2.1. For detailed documentation on RAMDrive, see RAMDRIVE.TXT located on your Utilities Disk. Using EGA.SYS with an EGA Display Adapter ----------------------------------------- If your display adapter is an EGA (Enhanced Graphics Adapter), you can improve the quality of standard applications by using the device driver file EGA.SYS included on the Utilities Disk. Here's what to do: 1. Copy EGA.SYS from the Utilities Disk to your hard disk. 2. Add a line of the following form to your CONFIG.SYS file: device=[drive:][path]EGA.SYS If you have a mouse installed on your computer, be sure to add the EGA.SYS line before the MOUSE.SYS line. Adding the EGA.SYS device driver is optional; it will enhance the performance of standard applications, but it is not required. NOTES ON USING EXPANDED MEMORY Windows 2.1 can utilize any expanded memory board which implements the LIM 4.0 expanded memory specification in its memory management software. To determine if your expanded memory board implements LIM 4.0, see your board's documentation or contact the manufacturer. Windows 2.1 contains software supporting the AST RAMpage, the IBM Personal System/2 Memory Expansion Option, the AT&T Expanded Memory Adapter, and the Intel Above Board. This software is located in four files, REMM.SYS, PS2EMM.SYS, AEMM.SYS and EMM.SYS located on your Utilities disks. The software for the AST RAMpage is named REMM.SYS. For detailed instructions on how to install REMM.SYS, see the file REMM.TXT on your Utilities disks. The software for the IBM Personal System/2 80286 Memory Expansion Option is named PS2EMM.SYS. For detailed instructions on how to install PS2EMM.SYS, see the file PS2EMM.TXT on the Utilities Disk. NOTE: This driver does NOT work with the "IBM 80286 Expanded Memory Adapter /A", also known as the XMA board. If you wish to use the XMA board with Windows 2.1, you will need to have a LIM 4.0 compatible expanded memory manager, which is not supplied with Windows 2.1. The software for the AT&T Expanded Memory Adapter is named AEMM.SYS. For detailed instructions on how to install AEMM.SYS, see the file AEMM.TXT on your Utilities disks. The software for the Intel Above Board is named EMM.SYS. For detailed instructions on how to install EMM.SYS, see the file EMM.TXT on your Utilities disks. The performance of expanded memory boards is enhanced by disabling some of your computer's main memory, and replacing that memory with some of your expanded memory board's memory. If your computer supports the disabling of main memory, and your expanded memory board supports the use of its memory as main memory, then you should disable your computers main memory down to 256K, and use your expanded memory board's memory to fill main memory back up to 640K. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Slow Response When Running DOS Apps on the IBM PS/2 Model 50, 60, & 80 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- If you have a Microsoft Mouse installed on your IBM PS/2 Model 50, 60, or 80, keyboard and mouse response may seem slow when switching from Windows to a standard DOS application. When you switch to a DOS application, Windows re-enables your DOS mouse driver. On the IBM PS/2 Model 50, 60, & 80, this process causes some delay. Thus, the keyboard and mouse may seem unresponsive during the switch. Disk Space Needed to Run DOS Applications ----------------------------------------- Windows will not allow you to execute a DOS application if ample disk space is not available. To calculate the needed disk space, add 128K to twice the amount of memory requested by the application's PIF file. THINGS TO AVOID Deleting Fonts When More Than 40 Fonts Are Installed ---------------------------------------------------- If you want to delete a font when more than 40 fonts are installed, you should use Notepad to modify the WIN.INI file rather than Control Panel. Control Panel can only handle 40 fonts. In WIN.INI, locate the [fonts] header and delete the entire line for the fonts you wish to delete. Using the DOS JOIN Command with Windows 2.1 ------------------------------------------- From Windows, using the DOS command, JOIN, to join floppy drives on a single drive system may cause your system to halt. Using APPEND During Setup ------------------------- Do not use the DOS command, APPEND, before running the Windows Setup process. Doing so may confuse Setup and cause it to fail. Using TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) Applications with Windows ----------------------------------------------------------------- Most TSR applications, such as Borland's SideKick, do not function properly under Windows, especially if they modify the screen. We do not recommend using TSR applications with Windows. If you choose to risk using a TSR, be sure to start it BEFORE starting Windows. Running with Low Memory ----------------------- As you run out of memory, Windows' graphics will deteriorate, e.g. icons become black, menu bars do not display. Also, the clipboard may malfunction, and Windows may give "Not enough memory" messages. In this situation, close an unused application to enhance performance. Using Display Drivers Designed for Earlier Windows Versions ----------------------------------------------------------- Most display drivers designed for earlier Windows versions will not work with Windows 2.1. If a driver for your display is not included, then contact your display's manufacturer for an updated driver. If no driver is available, try installing your old one. Install your old driver by choosing "Other" when Setup asks you to choose a display adapter. After Setup, replace files in your Windows directory having a .FON extension with the corresponding files from your Windows 1.0 Fonts Disk. For example, replace HELVA.FON with the HELVA.FON file on your Windows 1.0 Fonts Disk. Setting Up Windows 2.1 Over Earlier Versions of Windows ------------------------------------------------------- We do not recommend setting up over an earlier version of Windows. Instead, copy files you wish to keep to a temporary directory (be sure to copy modified PIF files), delete the old version of Windows, set up Windows 2.1, and then copy the temporary files into the new Windows setup. If you do set up over an earlier version of Windows, the WIN.INI file will be renamed WIN.OLD. You may wish to rename this file to WIN.INI if you had important information in your old WIN.INI file. Optionally, you may want to use Notepad to copy information from WIN.OLD into your new WIN.INI file. Having Multiple Versions of Windows on the Same Fixed Disk ---------------------------------------------------------- Windows 2.1 and other versions of Windows have many filenames in common. If you have multiple versions of Windows on your computer, avoid problems by including the path to only one version in your PATH environment variable. Problems Using Special Format ----------------------------- On some DOS configurations, you cannot use the Special Format command from the MS-DOS Executive. If you experience this problem, you can still format a diskette by running DOS FORMAT with the File Run command from the MS-DOS Executive. Using EGA.SYS with Compaq EGA Cards Running Under DOS 3.0 --------------------------------------------------------- EGA.SYS does not function properly with a Compaq EGA card running under IBM DOS 3.0. If you experience this problem, do not use EGA.SYS or upgrade your DOS. Running Certain MS-DOS 3.1 Commands ----------------------------------- Due to the way some MS-DOS version 3.1 commands are implemented, they will not work when run from Windows 2.1. If you must run these commands from Windows, upgrade your MS-DOS. Running BASICA Version 3.2 in a Window -------------------------------------- BASICA version 3.2 will not run in a window because it directly modifies the keyboard. It will run full screen if you change the PIF file such that "Directly Modifies Keyboard" is checked. Wyse-700, AT&T DEB or Indigenous Display Adapters on 720K versions of Windows ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The display drivers for these devices are not available on the 720K diskette release of Windows 2.1. In order to get these drivers, contact Microsoft Product Support. Using himem.sys on 286 or 386 machines with extended memory ----------------------------------------------------------- On 286 or 386 machines with extended (NOT expanded) memory, it is possible to use a 64K region at segment FFFE. In order to gain access to this memory, Windows needs to have the device driver himem.sys installed in your config.sys file. Setup will automatically install this driver in your config.sys file if it detects the presence of extended memory. If you install this device driver in your config.sys file and you do not have any extended memory available, either because you don't have memory that is mapped to FFFE, or because smartdrv.sys or ramdrive.sys have already been allocated that memory, you will get an error message saying "WARNING: Himem Memory Area Unavailable" at boot time. Make sure that if you are using ramdrive.sys or smartdrive.sys in addition to himem.sys that you leave sufficient memory to himem.sys. If you have an EXPANDED memory card, you can usually adjust jumpers so that some part of the memory is allocated to extended memory (64K would be optimal), and the rest is allocated to expanded. Unfortunately several of the expanded memory cards only allow you allocate extended memory in 128K portions, which means that the extra 64K allocated to extended memory after himem.sys has used the 64K it needs will NOT be used unless you install ramdrive.sys or smartdrive.sys to use that extended memory. Consult your expanded memory adapter and the associated readme files on your Windows Utilities disks for additional information. Run the memset program on your setup disk for information on how memory is configured in your machine. ================================================================================ END OF README.TXT ================================================================================