------------------------------------------------------- System Information v1.7 for Windows 95/98 ReadMe.txt October 1998 ------------------------------------------------------- (c) Copyright Stevens Systems, 1998 ------------------------ How to use this document ------------------------ To view Readme.txt on screen in Notepad, maximize the Notepad window. To print Readme.txt, open it in Notepad or another word processor, and then use the Print command on the File menu. -------- Contents -------- Product Description Why else use System Information 1.7? Changes from 1.6 to 1.7 Installation Uninstalling System Information Special requirements Registering Distribution Warning Disclaimer Beta testers Special thanks ------------------- Product Description ------------------- System Information 1.7 for Windows 95/98 analyses your computer and lets you discover a wealth of information about it's hardware and how it's being used. The CPU module for example can give you peace-of-mind that your 200MMX CPU is really running at 200MHz, and that it's really an MMX chip. Are you thinking of upgrading? First find out with the display module what video card you have, how much memory it has and what it's capabilities are. A report can be generated across all modules to include CPU, display, disk drive, joystick, memory, operating system, mouse, keyboard, BIOS, CD-ROM, sound and MCI device, environment variable and printer information. Putting you in a position of control to combat technical problems. Also included is a server resource monitor to keep an eye on how efficiently Windows is utilizing your hardware. Being Internet aware it also returns your user name, Internet Protocol (IP) number, the number of bytes sent and received, the current download speed, and the number of disk reads and writes per second. A set of Internet tools is included to explore more technical Internet details. The Ping program can verify connectivity to a computer on the Internet. Traceroute can trace the route a packet took to reach a host computer. DNS Lookup queries domain name servers for information about the host server, and Whois searches a whois server and returns information about a domain name or IP address. ------------------------------------ Why else use System Information 1.7? ------------------------------------ To help you decide what hardware or software to purchase. To aid Y2K compliancy checks. To assist with a computer stock inventory of your company. To find out how well Windows is managing your system resources. ----------------------- Changes from 1.6 to 1.7 ----------------------- What's been left out? 1. The following files has been made redundant: sndchk.ocx, drvfacts.ocx, sysfacts.ocx, sysinfo.ocx and wave.ocx. This reduces the programs size while increasing it's execution speed. 2. Removed "remote drive name" from the Drives section. 3. Removed "screen saver running" from the Display section. 4. Removed "drive letters" from the Miscellaneous form. 5. Removed "scroll bar width" from the Operating system section. What's been put in? 1. Full text file reports can now be generated. 2. Added a Sound card capabilities section. 3. Added a MCI devices section. 4. Added an Installed devices section. 5. Added a Running processes section. 6. The Display section can now detect multiple video cards. 7. The Printer section can now detect multiple printers. 8. Both the Printer and Display sections has been bolstered to include "clipping and line", "curve and polygonal", "raster capabilities" and "text capabilities" 9. Server Monitors "Disk space %used" value works more correctly on hard drives greater than 2 gigabytes in size and progress bar flickering has been greatly reduced. The operating systems running time will now be displayed in an [xx hrs xx mins] format instead of [xxxx mins]. 10. Internet Tools handles bad domain names with more grace. 11. Added "Number of colours" and "Bits per pixel" to the Display section. 12. No flickering is present on the Display and Memory forms progress bars. 13. On the Operating System form "Windows type" will now successfully detect Windows 98 and the Windows sub version letter will now appear with the build number. The operating systems running time will now be displayed in an [xx hrs xx mins] format instead of [xxxx mins]. 14. On the drives section "Drive type" has been changed to "Drive class". 15. Shifted the "Type of CD ROM" from the Miscellaneous form to the Drives form. 16. The CPU section can now detect the Xeon Pentium II processor. 17. The click sound option in the File menu is now off by default. 18. More room has been allowed for the "path" variable in the Environment section. 19. New help files has been added for the new sections and existing files have been expanded. 20. In previous versions of SI if the computer was not running Win98 or Win95 with IE 4 installed then no F1 help was available. Now the .html files have been placed into c:\program files\system information\help. When a user presses F1 SI first looks for Win98 or Win95 with IE 4, then if it can't find either of them SI opens up the uncompiled .html file in the default browser (probably Netscape). 21. The words "Screen saver starts in" in the Miscellaneous module and it's value will be grayed out if the value of "Screen saver active" is set to false. 22. Server Monitor now has two new fields 'disk reads' and 'disk writes'. 22. Many bug fixes. ------------ Installation ------------ 1. System Information 1.7 consists of 1 file: sysinf.zip 2. Place this file into a temporary folder. 3. Extract the file with WinZip or a compatible utility. 4. Double click the file named Setup. 5. Follow instructions when prompted. ------------------------------- Uninstalling System Information ------------------------------- To remove System Information from your computer: 1. Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel. 2. Double-Click the Add/Remove Programs icon. 3. Click System Information 1.7, and then click Add/Remove. -------------------- Special requirements -------------------- The HTML help files require an Internet browser. ----------- Registering ----------- This program has been released as shareware and is NOT free software. If you intend on using System Information 1.7 for longer than the 30-day free trial period please support future program development by purchasing the program. Why register? * A registered version does not have the shareware reminders at start up. * You will be entitled to one free System Information upgrade deliverable over the Internet. * Unlimited E-mail support. * Registered users suggestions take priority for future program development. * Unregistered use of System Information after the 30-day evaluation period is in violation of U.S. and international copyright laws. You can purchase System Information for US $12.95 online through a secure SSL web site by pressing the "Purchase online" button at the bottom of the start up screen or by going directly to https://www.setsystems.com/cgi-bin/buy-sysinfo/ . The information you enter at this site will be encrypted using a 128-bit RC4-40 public key. Registering System Information entitles the purchaser to a single user license. One backup copy of the program is allowed to be made. If you wish to run System Information over a network please contact Stevens Systems for a site license. E-mail: cameron_stevens@hotmail.com ------------ Distribution ------------ Provided that you verify that you are distributing the unregistered Shareware Version (select About from the System Information Help menu to check) you are hereby licensed to make as many copies of the Shareware version of this software and documentation as you wish; give exact copies of the original Shareware version to anyone; and distribute the Shareware version of the software and documentation in its unmodified form via electronic means. There is no charge for any of the above. You are specifically prohibited from charging, or requesting donations, for any such copies, however made; and from distributing the software and/or documentation with other products (commercial or otherwise) without prior written permission, with one exception: Disk Vendors approved by the Association of Shareware Professionals are permitted to redistribute System Information, subject to the conditions in this license, without specific written permission. ------- Warning ------- You may not reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble System Information. ---------- Disclaimer ---------- THE INFORMATION AND CODE PROVIDED IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. IN NO EVENT SHALL STEVENS SYSTEMS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF THE AUTHOR HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. DO NOT USE SYSTEM INFORMATION UNLESS YOU CAN FULLY AGREE WITH THIS DISCLAIMER. ------------ Beta testers ------------ Ken Rumsey Mark Formo Quentin Christensen Mylene Reiners shultz Jon Windle -------------- Special thanks -------------- Ray Mercer Dan Appleman Joe LeVasseur Karl E. Peterson Randy Birch Enzo Maini Jim Huff Other brands and names are the property of their respective owners.