#: 7914 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 30-Jun-91 23:15:13 Sb: screen garbage Fm: Victor Silva 73757,1510 To: sysop (X) I have noticed a few other screen garbage bugs reported on this forum so I am posting mine. I am using an ATI VGA wonder 1024 (512K RAM) installed in a 386/33 AMI motherboard with an AMI BIOS dated 04-09-90. I get a good amount of screen garbage in both the sysinfo->system and sysinfo->benchmarks screens. I am running MSDOS 3.30 and have tried to boot with a plain system, ie. CONFIG.SYS contained: DEVICE=C:\DOS\ANSI.SYS BUFFERS=25 FILES=40 AUTOEXEC.BAT contained: SET PCTOOLS=D:\UTIL\PCT\DATA I didn't even use a mouse and the garbage still appeared. Ihave tried ruuning with the /NF parameter, same problem. ÿORIGIN:CENTRAL #: 7894 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 30-Jun-91 21:59:49 Sb: Mouse Problems Fm: Ron Jarnagin 72406,2445 To: ALL I just installed PCTOOLS V7 on my machine (previously had V6) and now it can't seem to find my mouse. The previous version had no problem with the mouse. I am running DOS 4.01 on a Northgate 386/20 with an ATI VGA Wonder board with the bus mouse installed. I also run WIN 3.0. Every other program that needs the mouse can find it, but not PCT V7. I use the mouse driver supplied by ATI. Can someone help me find my mouse? There is 1 Reply. #: 8019 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 11:48:46 Sb: #7894-Mouse Problems Fm: Michael Vario 71620,3324 To: Ron Jarnagin 72406,2445 (X) PCTools currently bugs out with the ATI driver. My suggestion is to replace the driver. If you have windows it comes with MSMouse driver ver 7.04, if it's not on your hard disk you can expand it off the windows installation floppies. Remember, with the ATI bus mouse you have to load the MS driver with the /b switch, but it will work just fine. For a full set of switches, check out the Microsoft Knowledgebase. -Misha #: 8023 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 12:05:07 Sb: Logitech Problem Fm: Kenneth Albanowski 70705,126 To: Kristin Haywood 75300,1172 Kristin, If I load the Logitech mouseware utilities (version 5) and then load DATAMON, the Logitech software can no longer detect that it's already loaded. - Ken #: 8028 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 12:17:11 Sb: DesqView bug Fm: Jim Duberg 73747,2147 To: Stephen Hornyak 71410,36 Same problem here. DOS5, DV2.34 (latest). Probably something in the .DVP file that is wrong. If you discover a fix, please post it. Thanks. #: 8089 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 16:17:11 Sb: Mouse problem w/V.7 Fm: Michael David Schulman 76220,344 To: Sysop (X) I use PC shell as a stand alone program and DOS5 as my OS. My problem is with my mouse: it won't work on the next-to-bottom line of the screen. Neither will the letter commands. So, for example, if I click on a file name and the click on "View", nothing happens. Same result if I type "V" to view the file. Any ideas? Thanx! #: 7921 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 30-Jun-91 23:49:25 Sb: Yet more PCT V7 bugs... Fm: Carl Rosen 71121,2373 To: Sysop (X) This is an upgrade? I have never seen so many bug reports on a new product (with the possible exception of dBase IV 1.0). I must say that I am underwhelmed and seriosly disappointed with PC Tools Version 7. To tell you the truth, I expected PCSHELL to be a WinApp. Imagine MY surprise. The amazing part is that someone thought that this was a good idea (and managed to convince several others!) Now to the point- When I run PCShell (in or out of Windows) I frequently find that my Logitech mouse (diver version 5.01) hangs in a small square of the screen, and the entire screen will scroll in a small 2 character square window. I can restore fuctionality in Windows by "Alt-Esc"-ing to program manager and then double clicking back to PCShell, although the display is still corrupted with an invalid mouse cursor in an invalid 2 char square window. I have a 25 MHz 386 clone with 8 megabytes of ram (using HIMEM.SYS and EMM386 I configure 2MB as LIM 4.0) Apparently I am not the only one to report problems with V7. I was going to check the CPS Forum to see if my problem had already been fixed, but I was not going to spend th time to read 250+ different message threads all pertaining to V7 bug reports. It is obvious to me that CPS has a problem. When CPS has it fixed, I expect that CPS will inform their registered users of the bug fixes, and ship the bug fixes as soon as possible. We all came to expect quality products and services from Central Point Software, and I beleive that we should give them a chance to make it right before we get our return authorizations, and switch to Norton (F)Utilities (ugh!). Hopefully, Carl #: 8014 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 11:09:59 Sb: Yet more PCT V7 bugs... Fm: Russell Mueller 76662,1623 To: Carl Rosen 71121,2373 (X) Carl, are you loading PCSHELL with the /NGM (no graphical mouse) parameter? This fixed the mouse-in-a-box for me. -Russ (one of the rare, contented PCT7 users). There is 1 Reply. #: 8130 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 18:19:47 Sb: #8014-Yet more PCT V7 bugs... Fm: Carl Rosen 71121,2373 To: Russell Mueller 76662,1623 (X) No Russ, I am not. I will try it, though. However, my dissatisfaction goes deeper than just the bugs I have encountered. But I'm not going to start on that now. Thanks for the response. I'll let you know via easyplex how it turns out. Carl #: 7881 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 30-Jun-91 21:32:58 Sb: DOS Undel bug workaround Fm: Ron D. Troy 76064,252 To: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 (X) Tim, all I have is an accellerated xt equiv using an 80386sx with conventional ram and EMS 3.2 ram. Unless there's some way to use it as extended ram I doubt I could afford to use DataMon. Ron There is 1 Reply. #: 8136 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 19:03:20 Sb: #7881-DOS Undel bug workaround Fm: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 To: Ron D. Troy 76064,252 (X) Ron, I had thought that we might be talking about different things, and now am more sure of it. DataMon won't use Expanded memory or Extended memory to load it's code. It will use the 384k of Upper memory between Conventional memory and Extended memory. By definition, Extended memory starts at an address of 1024k, and Conventional memory ends at 640k. This leaves a "no-man's land" of 384k of memory that memory managers such as Qemm386, 386Max, and DOS 5's EMM386 can load programs into. This is the area, rather than Extended memory, that I'm talking about DataMon loading into automatically. If your system has a different means of addressing memory, or if this is something that you already understood, then please disregard, as it sounds like we're talking about apples vs oranges. Thanks, Tim Elmer CPS Tech Support There is 1 Reply. #: 8191 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 21:20:43 Sb: #8136-DOS Undel bug workaround Fm: Ron D. Troy 76064,252 To: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 (X) Tim, I don't have any extended or 'upper', etc. I have a 640k conventional plus 750k or so EMS 3.2. Period. Obviously, I can't run DataMon. The real question; is there anything in V7 I can safely and reasonably run? Or should my order be cancelled? Ron #: 7965 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 03:54:43 Sb: DOS Undel bug workaround Fm: Michael Vario 71620,3324 To: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 (X) Hi, Tim, thanks for the reply. Yes, a 486 makes Windows *almost* useable. As for loading order, that sounds right, but where does MSMouse 8.0 come in? If you haven't used it yet, it comes compressed, has an installation menu, changes your autoexec.bat (sets up as .com though both files are available) and your windows system.ini files, and even set a mouse group into windows. The mouse .drv it sets changes the one in windows that PCTools has previously changed. If I go that route should I load mouse 8.0 THEN re-install PCTools??? Windows is still in crash mode till I get to play around with it tomorrow. /r doesn't work either, and it's documented that standard mode won't work with emm386 (so form reading messages, I'll probably be acquiring QEMM soon: loads more high with greater EMS flexibility). And I am using the dos 5 versions of himem and emm386, they both worked fine on my old system. And yes, this crash thing seems to be a VERY common problem, though various people have fixed it in a plethora of different ways, so it's not an easily diagnosable symptom. I'm not using either smartdrive, just PC-Cache, worked with the old setup, and it seems to be faster. One thing with the mouse 8.0: I know that usualy it's loaded high with either LH/LOADHIGH (for .com) or DEVICEHIGH= (for .sys), *BUT* MSMouse 8.0 has an option switch, /U that is also supposed toload the driver high, just to add to my confusion. Which is preferrable is beyond me. And lastly, I have 8 megs, of which I'm working with 1 meg as expanded, one, because Aladdin (GEnie) can use it, but mainly because FALCON 3.0 is going to utilize it, and I want to get the system working with that capability. Thanks for the response, and I WILL talk to you soon! -Misha #: 8209 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 22:02:49 Sb: PCT 7 out with known bug Fm: Jeffrey Marchi 72230,3523 To: ALL A PC tools 7 beta tester was on Fidonet leaving messages today. He said he had found at least 12 SERIOUS problems with PC Tools 7 and had reported them all. Within 1 week of the report the product was released without any fixes for these SERIOUS bugs. It's a pity that CPS is so hungry to send out product and get some cash flow that they are willing to do it on the backs of their customers. As many people are noting PC Tools 7 is one of the buggiest products to hit the streets in a long time. I thought after version 6 came out with it's seriously defective PC-Cache that they would learn a lesson....apparently not. I am still keeping my update because I know they will EVENTUALLY fix the problems but they are making a real BLACK MARK with their name in the industry. There is 1 Reply. #: 8219 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 22:37:31 Sb: #8209-PCT 7 out with known bug Fm: Steve Carter 70260,211 To: Jeffrey Marchi 72230,3523 (X) Alas. I have discovered another problem I've not read about here; the new PCSHELL simply stops when trying to move from one directory to another, hanging the computer (a 386) up. CPBACKUP doesn't work with the same disks that PCBACKUP loved; it says I have incompatable media. Phooie! It has a pretty user interface, but there ain't nothing under the hood. Too bad; I've erased all of version 7.0 from my hard disk and restored 6.0; I'm advising everyone who will listen to avoid 7.0 like the plague. Is there a trend here? Managing Your Money (Andy Tobias' program from MECA) had a disaster with a version 7.0 upgrade. Maybe that's the unlucky number?? #: 8223 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 22:40:08 Sb: CMOS/Direct writes Fm: Charles Ruether 71241,2003 To: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 (X) Hello, I was wondering if PCTools v7, hereafter Tv7, used CMOS drive type information or made direct writes to disk. Tv7 does not run for long on my machine. Installed it several times in several old familiar ways. Corrective action on my part was to low level format the drives, partition with DOSv5, and format with DOSv5 (after 3 days, everything is up except Tv7). Fault list todate: 1 has not worked in Windows3 (couldn't find its overlays, but could under DOS, environment variable PCTOOLS= my installed path to DATA) 2 crashed after Options/Colors difficulty accepting color assignements and then Tree/Expand ALL (blinking colors and no keyboard type crash -> DOS data segment trashed) 3 locked up in CPBackup loading a set just defined with Tv7 4 can't switch drives in Locate 5 removed other Windows program groups when Tv7 utilities groups and Launcher were deleted prepatory to re-install I'm back to Tv6 until I can figure out why standard installation of Tv7 doesn't seem to be working for me. It dawned on me to inquire about CMOS. I don't have a standard drive, but have two non-standard. CMOS -thinks- I have two standard drives. Physical drive access managed by mapping drive card. If Tv7 does physical access at hardware level, who knows what will happen, or when, which is pretty much what I have expirenced since trying to install Tv7. What say CPTech, its been a tough weekend past. c.ruether #: 8228 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 22:50:41 Sb: V7.0 stinks Fm: Charles Ruether 71241,2003 To: Dennis Wicks 72240,1071 Yes, I'd agree that you lucky indeed. I am running a 386SX that doesn't run v7. The Error3 disappeared after I had to reinstall windows and then reinstalled v7. CPBackup locked up loading on of the set files defined in CPBackup v7. Options/Colors does not keep assignments. And there's more.. As to vendors and software and variety of target environments, that the cost of doing business. MicroSoft, Borland, Lotus and seem to have nuke proof apps out there. That's why we spend the big dollars for software. PCT is a needed program that meet a variety of needs with style in v6, but in v7 the quirks seem to have developed in earthquakes. c. ruether #: 8230 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 22:56:27 Sb: V7.0 stinks Fm: Charles Ruether 71241,2003 To: Gordon McComb 73155,353 (X) Hang in there Gordon, I'm on your side. There is something amiss here with v7. I was unaware that there was data corruption in DiskFix, but by the sheer numbers of messages on this board, there has to a fundamental flaw in v7's design. I have a theory that its writing directly to disk for a speed advantage. Whatever it is, CP needs to know user's problems, that's why they have this forum. While my image of CP is dented, they've been around for a while now, and I think that they will use our input to get it right the 2nd time out. c. ruether #: 8020 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 11:50:29 Sb: 7.0 destroys HD Fm: James Schmidt 73447,607 To: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 (X) Tim, I run PCSHELL from the command line NOT resident. I have 605K available prior to invoking PCSHELL. I have QEMM, CMDEDIT, PUSHDIR, VGA dimmer resident (none do async i/o). Programs and all resident on local C: drive. Network is Netware 286 (version 1.? I think). If an EXACT release is required I'l have to get back to you. Thanks, James #: 8031 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 12:22:38 Sb: 7.0 destroys HD Fm: James Schmidt 73447,607 To: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 (X) Tim, Attitional information: I also have IPX and NET3 resident. Netware 286 V2.15 Rev C James #: 8241 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 23:23:16 Sb: 7.0 destroys HD Fm: Matthew Ackerman 76011,2465 To: david sayson 73707,1507 I have not tried that yet, and it is unlikely I will. I have now found what I consider over 50 bugs and have "UPGRADED" to 6.0! If and when CPS decides to Correct these Problems I might consider putting 7.0.9999 up. The number is no TYPO... It simply states my response as a Software Engineer for a Major Software Development Firm to the number of problems and obvious bugs in this software. Best of luck with your machine using this S.W. Matt #: 7893 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 30-Jun-91 21:54:57 Sb: Diskfix Problem Fm: Ed. Mueller 70441,3720 To: ALL I'm also having a problem with Diskfix, ver. 7.0. Whenever I try to do a surface scan, the machine displays "Reading System Areas" and locks up after brief disk activity requiring a re-boot. When I enter the "Revitalize" menu, I get errors on the hard disk controller tests, but then it locks up when running timing tests so I can't see what errors it's talking about. I never saw these problems with version 6.0 and the "normal" Diskfix checks report nothing is wrong. I have not seen any disk related problems during normal machine operation. My configuration: 286 IBM clone, Microscience HH1120 120 MB drive w. 1313 cyls, 7 heads, 17 sectors/track configured to run as 80 MB using a WD 1006 1:1 MFM controller. The drive is partitioned into two logicals drives of 32 MB & 48 MB using MS-DOS 3.20 with Ontrack's Disk Manager ver. 4.04. Considering all the "bugs" and concerns regarding ver. 7.0 posted here, should I revert back to ver. 6.0 until 7.x comes out? Will upgrades to the various tools be posted here on CompuServe like many other vendors do? I'd open to any advice/comments. Thanks for your help. - Ed. There is 1 Reply. #: 8286 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 01:26:24 Sb: #7893-Diskfix Problem Fm: John A. Plozay 72407,651 To: Ed. Mueller 70441,3720 (X) Ed - As a System House and VAR we were buying and installing V6 on all our machines having been a steady customer of CPS from day one. However, we have had DISKFIX and other V7 Utilities not only not work correctly but CAUSE problems. This is a major NO NO. I am not happy if a utility doen't do much good; but its an absolute Rule that such utilities should add to the problems. We have removed V7 from our machines and shelves, returned all copies for resale that we had ordered from distributers and madly bought up all the V6 we could find. We have had MAJOR problems with a phases of DISKFIX and UNDELETE and FORMAT found in V7 on MFM, RLL, ESDI and SCSI Hard Disks (Esp. with DOS 5.0) I would be very careful of your use of ANY of the "Utility" functions and make sure that you have good system and data backups. We have had over five instances of V7 opening up previously "locked out" bad sectors and then placing files into them -- with the usual bad results. --jp-- #: 7935 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 00:34:57 Sb: pctools v7.0 bugs Fm: Steve Konicki 71640,3311 To: Jerry Lerman 73557,1453 (X) Central Point Software Technical Support C/O Teresa Warsop 75300,1174 --I am writing to express my dismay at some of the malfunctions I am experiencing with PCTools v7.0. Specifically, here are the problems I -- The MOVE command in PCShell deletes files without moving them, and otherwise gets confused about the task it is to perform. -- Often when I launch PCShell, either from DOS or from Windows, it will not permit me to switch from my C: drive to my D: drive. Pressing make it switch, and hitting CTRL DRIVELETTER doesn't work. -- Using the mouse to scroll through a lengthy list of files in the files window of PCShell causes an extremely jumpy display. In fact, it E AREA, and then scroll BACK ONTO THE SCREEN a second time. -- Besides this jumpiness, scrolling through the file list Window of PCShell when there is more than a screenfull of files is so slow that -- Using the graphics mouse cursor in PCShell under Windows results in lockups and crashes. I was trapped in PCShell several times this pas based PCTools v7.0 utilities I have run under DOS 5.0 or Windows. -- About the Windows CPBackup program, I have had one unexplained lockup mid-backup. As usual with a CPS backup program, upon being launche e and capable of doing backups at any speed I choose. My windows setup is as virtually bullet-proof as Windows gets. e/ e There is 1 Reply. #: 8001 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 10:20:32 Sb: #7935-pctools v7.0 bugs Fm: Bob Paulsen 74020,54 To: Steve Konicki 71640,3311 (X) Steve, I may be able to help with one of the things mentioned in your message. The "jumpy" scrolling occurs for me too -- when I use the LEFT mouse button. Using the RIGHT mouse button works fine. Give it a try! (I am not associated with Central Point, just a user hoping the problems with PCTools get fixed soon since it will then be a GREAT set of programs.) Bob P. There is 1 Reply. #: 8297 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 02:15:10 Sb: #8001-pctools v7.0 bugs Fm: Steve Konicki 71640,3311 To: Bob Paulsen 74020,54 (X) Thank you. I usually don't try to leave messages in the forums, and got this one twisted up funny. Thanks very much for your reply. #: 8200 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 21:42:33 Sb: Screen Blanker Problems Fm: Dave Jackson 71021,2710 To: Kristin Haywood 75300,1172 Kristin, I have had a couple of problems with the Screen Blanker. The first problem is that when I was at the DOS prompt (DOS 5) and the screen blanker kicked in, I was unable to get a cursor or see anything I typed when I came back to my machine. When I typed PCShell the program loaded fine and I had no problem with the blanker while it was running. The second problem was when I was using the CompuServe Information Manager using only the mouse for a period of time, the screen blanker kicked in and I was unable to disconnect or exit the program. I had to reboot and log on to CIS again. Maybe future versions of the blanker could check for idle time on the mouse as well as the keyboard . Are there any command line switches to fix these problems or is there something else I can do? Thanks, Dave There is 1 Reply. #: 8318 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 07:59:04 Sb: #8200-Screen Blanker Problems Fm: Neil Judell 71401,136 To: Dave Jackson 71021,2710 I also have a few problems with the screen blanker. I use Aladdin as my communications program with GEnie (wash my mouth out with water, but I run the C and C++ sections for Borland over there). If I set up Aladdin to download a file, and it takes longer than the limit for screen blanking, the PCTools screen blanker kicks in during the download, and Aladdin gets locked up, while the blanker asks for the password. Not too swift. I junked the screen blanker and went back to fansiconsole for screen blanking, since Aladdin continues to run even with the screen blanked that way. #: 8340 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 10:49:28 Sb: MIRROR CRASHES Fm: Kenn Johnston 70671,1401 To: Teresa Warsop 75300,1174 Teresa: I have left three messages on the tech support # (503-690-8080) but still no response. Whenever I have either mirror, or pc-cache ver 7 loaded in autoexec my fifth generation menu system locks up. With the lines removed it runs fine. HELP !!!!! Kenn #: 7884 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 30-Jun-91 21:36:11 Sb: Cancel Order Fm: Teresa Warsop 75300,1174 To: TOM MORRIS 71441,2260 (X) Tom, If you leave a message for Kimberly Sell in the Customer Service section, she will have UPS come pick it up. Thanks for your patience. Teresa Warsop CPS - Tech Support There is 1 Reply. #: 8349 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 11:35:03 Sb: #7884-Cancel Order Fm: Dr.Daniel Porecki 70156,1426 To: Teresa Warsop 75300,1174 (X) Hi, Theresa- I am reposting a question to CPS- in the manuals that came w/ PCTOOLS 7, low level format refresh for interleave is mentioned twice in the tables of content, but, apparently wrong page numbers. It is my understanding that PCTOOLS 7 can refresh low level format. How does one go about it? Thanks, Dan #: 8353 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 11:55:12 Sb: Lesson for Corey Smith Fm: R. Chris Cowles 73347,2452 To: all I think Corey Smith should call Ed Esber to discuss the folly of releasing unfinished software just to meet one's own self-imposed marketing deadline. Chris Cowles Houston, TX #: 8165 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 20:12:06 Sb: Desktop print bug Fm: Ron Young 73030,2515 To: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 (X) Hopefully someone can help me with this one. I have a database of approx 170 records maintained using the database function of Desktop. It was created using PCT v6 and I've added a couple records since upgrading to V7. Now the problem is when I try to print the contents of the database. No matter what settings I use to set the page layout (i.e. margins, etc.) I get 12,500+ BLANK lines BEFORE it finally prints out the contents of the database. Also, the contents are not broken up into appropriate pages, margins, etc. Never had a problem printing this file using V6. So far, I guess you could say that I've been lucky. This is the only bug that I've encountered using V7. Do you have any suggestions and has this occurred to anyone else? BTW, I'm using a PS/2 50, DOS 5.0, and the only TSRs are from either DOS or PCT. There is 1 Reply. #: 8218 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 22:31:45 Sb: #8165-Desktop print bug Fm: Bill Devlin 70640,342 To: Ron Young 73030,2515 (X) Ron, I also have a PS2 50Z, and earlier today encountered a similar problem trying to print a work.tm file from an earlier version of PCTOOLS (5.5) in Ver.7.0 Appt. Schedlr. The print command directed my printer (HP Deskjet Plus) to send an number of blank pages equal to the length of the document itself before printing the document. I discovered by t&e that the default printer was configured as HP laserjet, so I changed the device selection and it printed fine. Hope this helps. It seems that there are some other problems with files created in earlier versions (like cursor response time). Thought I would pass it along. Bill There is 1 Reply. #: 8381 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 14:01:47 Sb: #8218-Desktop print bug Fm: Ron Young 73030,2515 To: Bill Devlin 70640,342 (X) Thanks. I'll check into it and see what happens. If I get REALLY desparate, maybe I'll even try re-creating the entire thing in V7 and see what happens. Anyways, thanks for the info. #: 8166 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 20:13:03 Sb: 7.0 Major Bugs Fm: Jerome W. Bressler 76264,1321 To: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 (X) Tim, I'm sorry that I had the trouble with your product. For the short time I used it, I was very impressed with the speed, flexibility and features that were included. It is a much improved interface over the previous versions. I don't have a copy of the Config.sys or Autoexec.bat from the 7.0 installation, so here is the current configuration: Config.sys DEVICE=C:\QEMM\QEMM.SYS RAM FILES=20 BUFFERS=1 STACKS=0,0 LASTDRIVE=D Autoexec.bat CHO OFF C:\QEMM\LOADHI /R:2 C:\QEMM\BUFFERS=15 C:\QEMM\LOADHI /R:1 C:\DOS\UTIL\COLORSET 23 3 C:\DOS\UTIL\FASTATKB 00 C:\QEMM\LOADHI /R:2 C:\DOS\RAT\MOUSE PROMPT $P$G CD C:\PCTOOLS MIRROR C: C:\QEMM\LOADHI /R:2 PC-CACHE /SIZEXT=256/ID/QUIET PATH C:\QEMM; C:\WS5;C:\;C:\PCTOOLS;C:\BATCH; PCSHELLL/TR0/350 Before installing, I removed the Mirror and PC-Cache lines from the Autoexec.bat file and used install to reconfigure the system. The only other thing that was added was the delete tracker. The system would boot and run fine, but Optimize in QEMM386 would not run under this configuration. I reloaded PC-Cache into high memory using the same parameters that had worked before and left the others alone. Everything ran great for about 10 hours of use. Then I ran a routine disk compression. What came up after re booting was a bare C: prompt; no color, no shell, no Autoexec.bat, and only about half of the Menu system. Diskfix found about 12 detached clusters and saved them to the root directory. Putting them back together in a usable order is not in my line of experience. The only thing I could do then was re-load my previous backup of 6.0. Any suggestions would be appreciated. There is 1 Reply. #: 7888 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 30-Jun-91 21:48:42 Sb: CPBACKUP problems Fm: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 To: Vincent Chen 76636,415 (X) Vince, For your question regarding the Include/Exclude list, how many entries are in the list, and how deeply nested are any subdirectory paths in the list? I have seen a problem with several included directories that are along the order of: \dirname\dirname\dirname\*.* How many lines are in the Include/Exclude list, and how long are each of them? I suspect that the program runs out of memory with a highly complicated list. Thanks, Tim Elmer CPS Tech Support There are 2 Replies. #: 8070 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 15:26:27 Sb: #7888-CPBACKUP problems Fm: Vincent Chen 76636,415 To: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 (X) Thanks for your reply. My Include/Exclude list has around 10 entries, but not very deeply nested. The number of entries is below the published maximum. It hung, however, even when I had only 2 entries. When you said run out of memory, do you mean the memory used to keep the Include/Exclude entries or the memory to keep the file list that is generated from the entries? (The latter seems to make more sense, since I'm using it on a 100MB partition that is almost full.) Maybe it is just not deallocating memory correctly (?) Anyway, what is the /V1 switch for PC-CACHE? It's not in my /? list either. Thanks for your trouble. -vince There is 1 Reply. #: 8387 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 14:13:37 Sb: #8070-CPBACKUP problems Fm: Rich Zuris [WSI] 76702,520 To: Vincent Chen 76636,415 (X) The /V1 switch is supposed to prevent an exPanded memory cache from being disabled in Windows Standard mode. #: 8236 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 23:07:10 Sb: #7888-CPBACKUP problems Fm: Bob Tilewick 70153,614 To: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 (X) FYI, I've had a very frustarting problem w/ CPB 7.0, installed on a Novell LAN network. When I've tried to back up my own hard disk (C drive), it reads all the files, checks all of them for virsuses, accurately calculates the # of files, begins to run through with the % clicking away, and then stops before it's through, acting as if it normally completed the backup. If I immediately run Compare, it spots the missing files. This bug has occurred in different locations along the directory tree, depending rouhly on the relative size of the directories. Any ideas on this one??? I've rebooted, taken down all TSRs, run Diskfix -- which reports no errors, and then, after a 5th or 6th try, it sometimes gets it right.!.?. #: 8051 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 14:01:24 Sb: PCShell v7 problems Fm: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 To: Jeff Simmons 70401,2257 (X) Jeff, What mouse and mouse driver are you loading? I've had conversation with a couple of Logitech mouse users that have similar problems, so please let me know. Regarding the launching of files with V7 vs V6, it should be primarily the same type of setup, but it looks different. First set up the initial screen so that you are sure that the program will load. Once that's been established, make sure that on the command line for the program in question, you have pressed F8 to get some sort of file argument, such as . After that, go into the Advanced options and make sure to add your Filename Associations (*.doc *.txt). That's all there should be to it, but if still having trouble let me know. Thanks, Tim Elmer CPS Tech Support There is 1 Reply. #: 8245 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 23:33:56 Sb: #8051-PCShell v7 problems Fm: Jeff Simmons 70401,2257 To: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 (X) Thanks for the note. Some background on the mouse drivers. I checked in at Logitech's BBS and read a bulletin that said that Logitech mouse users would have to upgrade drivers in order to use DOS 5. Cost - $20. When I called to order one, they said I could download it for free from the BBS. My guess is the drivers have "undocumented features" (I can't get it to load high either) and they'll charge when they get rid of them :-) What I really need to do re program launches is to launch WordPerfect with ANY file. I use WP for some strange things (even occasionally as a programming editor) and besides, text files aren't just .doc and .txt anymore. In v6 I could do that, but it looks as if I won't in v7. Best of luck with the other problem. Jeff There are 2 Replies. #: 8396 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 14:55:13 Sb: PCT Ver 7.0 Update Reqst Fm: Lawrence B. Toperoff 73740,2317 To: SYSOP Gentlemen: I have just received my Ver 7.0 upgrade. The installation of the disks went very smoothly. I have installed this copy on a 386/20Mhz machine, with MS-DOS 4.01, VGA monitor, MS Mouse with driver of Version 7.04, and on hard disk. I also have Windows 3.0 operating, and Quarterdeck QEMM 5.1 as a memory manager to free up RAM. When I attempted to use PCSHELL to copy files from my hard drive to a floppy, the following occured. I used the right mouse button to highlight the first file. Then I pressed the left mouse button to highlight continuous files. However the highlight bar moved down one line, nad would not highlight another file. The mouse pointer stayed in place, and would not allow me to move out of the highlight selection. Another mouse pointer device showed up on the screen, but I could not control it. In order to get out of the screen, I had to reboot the system. When I select the files by using ENTER key, it properly selects and advances to the next file. This is also the case if I strike the left mouse button each time I select a file to copying. This is my first experiment with Version 7.0, and may experience other problems. But right now, lets just try to fix this one. Lawrence B. Toperoff P.S. I have run into this problem again. Just using the left mouse button to click on an item. The mouse pointer hangs in one place, and characters, appear in the line, as "[" or letters. Then another mouse pointer will appear on the screen and I can continue processing information at times. Other times the system will hang up in entirety, and reboot is required. #: 7995 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 09:45:22 Sb: Tech support Fm: Thomas E. Wolff 76346,420 To: sysop (X) Some more concerns about PCT version 7: 1. On version 6, when a DOS line command was invoked, one could see the DOS session in progress. Isn't this true on version 7? The screen is blank but the disk is churning away. Can I change something or do I have to live with this disconcerting new "feature"? 2. I can't get my editor (Kedit) to work correctly from the program list. I have associated file extensions and checked off the Force launch with selected file (I'd like it to work with highlight file as well), but when Kedit is called, it prompts me with "What file do you wish to edit"? This prompt is a sure sign that no parameters, i.e. filename, have been passed to Kedit. What am I missing, please? There is 1 Reply. #: 8008 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 10:37:51 Sb: #7995-Tech support Fm: Paul Todd 70474,3351 To: Thomas E. Wolff 76346,420 (X) Thomas, I have also experienced that problem on my machine at home. I will put in a problem report for you so when it gets fixed you will be notified. In the meantime I suggest that you create a batch file like this: CHO OFF MODE CO80 %1 Call it DO.BAT, then just issue your command as DO MI or DO DIR. Make sense? Regards, Paul Todd CPS Tech Support There is 1 Reply. #: 8301 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 02:35:02 Sb: #8008-Tech support Fm: Thomas E. Wolff 76346,420 To: Paul Todd 70474,3351 (X) Thanks for this answer. I'll give it a try, tho it is an obvious quick fix. I wish to refer you back to my tech support note #7977. I have also found that the system "violates system integrity" in Windows when I try to invoke the move command in PCSHELL run from a window. When I try to move a file to the c: drive, it reads hundreds of directories, presumeably from the Novell network somewhere. Eventually the counting ends and I get the UAE message. This is a serious problem! I call on PCSHELL all the time for copy and move commands, and they don't work. Please help. Of all my requests, this seems the most critical. Thanks. There is 1 Reply. #: 8357 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 12:04:47 Sb: #8301-Tech support Fm: Paul Todd 70474,3351 To: Thomas E. Wolff 76346,420 (X) Thomas, I hope a quick fix is better than no fix, and rest assured that I did put in a problem report for you. Since I am also experiencing the same problem I'll be waiting as eagerly as you for a fix. For the Windows problem you mentioned, I would try to see if the Expanded memory emulation is our problem. Add a line in your SYSTEM.INI file in the [386Enh] section that says: NoEMMDriver=yes. If the problem goes away, you may want to try changing the EMM page frame location. Regards, Paul Todd CPS Tech Support There is 1 Reply. #: 8399 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 15:15:02 Sb: #8357-Tech support Fm: Thomas E. Wolff 76346,420 To: Paul Todd 70474,3351 (X) I'm not sure we are communicating. My principal concern is that I can neither copy or move files from the c: drive to the c: drive (different path of course). The system gets hung up reading hundreds of directories, presumeably from the network drives since the c: drive has fewer than 70 directories. I believe that the matter that PCSHELL is running in a DOS window is not germain to this problem. Windows is fragile and I could imagine some thing might get confused after PCSHELL reads hundreds of directories. My messages have had several parts and I have a hard time figuring out which part you are referring to. But in any case, I would like to know the answers to each part. Thanks. #: 8033 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 12:30:54 Sb: Ver7 & Windows Fm: David R Schulman 72740,2541 To: All Is anybody else finding more frequent unrecoverable error messages when running ver. 7 Cache with windows? I use the /WIN and /V1 parameters. But it seems that the system is crashing several times a day now, as opposed to the once per week it used to. Help. Anybody else feeling like re-installing ver. 6 of PC-Tools? There are 3 Replies. #: 8038 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 12:52:51 Sb: #8033-Ver7 & Windows Fm: Paul Todd 70474,3351 To: David R Schulman 72740,2541 (X) David, Is that the only change you made, ie. V7 Cache? Are you running any other V7 programs resident (DATAMON, VDEFEND, etc. )? Are you running the Windows "resident" software (WNLAUNCH, WNSCHEDL, WNTSRMAN)? Regards, Paul Todd CPS Tech Support #: 8208 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 22:02:44 Sb: #8033-Ver7 & Windows Fm: Jeffrey Marchi 72230,3523 To: David R Schulman 72740,2541 (X) I am running V7 cache with Windows...I don't use the /Win option and I have not had a crash that is attributable to it. If you still have the Launcher enabled (in WIN.INI) DISABLE IT IMMEDIATELY. I have had numerous crashes (over 12) that I was able to SPECIFICALLY pin on Launcher. Once it was disabled the problems stopped. #: 8247 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 23:39:05 Sb: #8033-Ver7 & Windows Fm: Scott Mottonen 70441,1741 To: David R Schulman 72740,2541 (X) Windows crashes so frequently with PC-CACHE V7 that I've turned it off. Used PC-CACHE V6 for months with Windows with no problems. Have stripped the machine down to QEMM/PC-CACHE/Windows, but no help. UAEs within minutes of starting Windows. Since the problem doesn't seem to be generic, I wonder if it is hardware related. Only time will tell. I joined this forum looking for an easy answer ... guess it's back to PC-CACHE v6 Scott There is 1 Reply. #: 8401 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 15:48:09 Sb: #8247-Ver7 & Windows Fm: Jeffrey Marchi 72230,3523 To: Scott Mottonen 70441,1741 If you have not removed Launcher from your system do it immediately. I have found that IT causes crashes in Windows...I have no problems with PC CAche without Launcher. (Check the WIN.INI). #: 7996 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 09:58:37 Sb: V7 disappointing Fm: Kimberly Sell 73227,3554 To: Oliver Costich 71121,3161 (X) Hello Oliver, Thank you for contacting me. I'm sorry to hear that you're not completely happy with V7 of PC Tools Deluxe. I have made copies of your comments, and have passed them on to our R & D Dept. I've also asked our SysOp to transfer your message to our Tech Support Area. I do believe that you have the option of running the V6 interface with V7. Unfortuantely, I'm not sure how this is accomplished. In regards to the Anit Virus program, there are two types of updates. One is called a signature update. Which means whenever we are able to detect new viruses, we put these "signatures" up on our BBS, CompuServe, or we can FAX the signatures to you. Then you add these signatures to your current program. These signature updates are no charge. The other update that we will offer is called a quarterly update. Every quarter we will be coming out with a new update for the Anti Virus program which will be new features etc. The coupon in your box is for one free quarterly update. The quarterly updates will be approximately $20.00. Notifications will be sent out as soon as we have a quarterly update available. Thanks again Oliver for contacting me, I do hope this information is helpful. If I can be of further service, please be sure to contact me. Sincerely, Kimberly Sell CPS Customer Service #: 8390 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 14:14:04 Sb: #8077-V7 disappointing Fm: Rich Zuris [WSI] 76702,520 To: Robin Collins 100015,416 (X) Isn't there a way to select tiled windows in PCCONFIG and/or PCSHELL? It seems that I selected this option one time out of curiousity. With tiled windows, there are (obviously) no drop shadows. Don't know what effect this has on multi-layer menus, since the alternative to tiled windows is cascading. There is 1 Reply. #: 8406 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 15:50:09 Sb: #8390-V7 disappointing Fm: Robin Collins 100015,416 To: Rich Zuris [WSI] 76702,520 (X) Not sure about that. I'm still in the early days of pushing the buttons and seeing what happens (manuals, what are they? ). #: 8079 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 15:47:19 Sb: Version 7 concerns Fm: Robin Collins 100015,416 To: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 (X) Tim, OK, I guess there's nothing I can do about it, though I appreciate your offering to send me any files which I may need. Your UK sub. does in fact have a BBS, but I've never managed to get a clean link to it, and can't find anyone in the office who will admit to _knowing_ anything about it (I waited all afternoon for a call back, never got one ). FYI, I have now received the V7 upgrade. I am pleasently surprised! Bear in mind that I only trust NU with handling my disk restructuring, use Hyperdisk for caching and run Back and Forth which alleviates your problems with Ultravision. Having said that, I find I quite like much of V7. I even managed to do a 25 disk backup with WNBACKUP which verified completely (this surprised me a lot, considering several nasty problems have been reported with it here). As I said, COMPRESS and PCCACHE won't get near my machine, problems with that sort of software I don't need (and anyway, SD and Hyperdisk work very well, so I don't see any need to change). I know CPS's and Symantec's marketing departments think they're in direct competition, and I suppose you are, but for users like me who've used the products for some time, NORTON = disk management PCTOOLS = shell and desktop utilites and backup I'll stick with this, even if it does cause your marketing manager apoplexy, and with that in mind PCT V7 looks good, _SO FAR_!!! However, why can't you and Norton agree on the speed of my machine. You say it's 11.2 an XT, but Norton says 15.7! Robin #: 8080 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 15:47:25 Sb: Version 7 concerns Fm: Robin Collins 100015,416 To: Michael Vario 71620,3324 (X) QEMM will run standard mode with the approrpiate patches, available in QD's section in PCVENB. Robin There is 1 Reply. #: 8018 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 11:48:40 Sb: PC Tools V7 complaints Fm: Michael Vario 71620,3324 To: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 (X) And Tim, in my futher adventures in exploring PCTools, I just realized that you finally added prune and graft across directories!!!! as well as deleting branches without having to manually delete all the files therein. Thanks!!!! I can finally bag PRUNE off my disk. Oh and after a little creative .INI editing, and reinstalling MSMouse 8.0, windows is up and working A-OK. Though I think I'm going to have to get QEMM. Talk to you soon. -Misha #: 8078 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 15:47:00 Sb: PC Tools V7 complaints Fm: Robin Collins 100015,416 To: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 (X) Tim, I've got a problem viewing PCX files where an image in 800x600x256 mode gets displayed in alternating 'image' and 'blank' strips, around 100 pixels heigh. This was created by the Image Alchemy image processor, converting a TIFF file. Robin There is 1 Reply. #: 8343 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 11:02:28 Sb: #8078-PC Tools V7 complaints Fm: Teresa Warsop 75300,1174 To: Robin Collins 100015,416 (X) Robin, Send it to us and we'll look at it. Teresa Warsop CPS - Tech Support There is 1 Reply. #: 8408 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 15:50:25 Sb: #8343-PC Tools V7 complaints Fm: Robin Collins 100015,416 To: Teresa Warsop 75300,1174 (X) Teresa, I'd like to, but it's 274K! I'll try to cut it down, or else generate a smaller one which exhibits the same problem. Presumably you'd like it binary mailing? Robin There is 1 Reply. #: 8419 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 17:04:58 Sb: #8408-PC Tools V7 complaints Fm: Teresa Warsop 75300,1174 To: Robin Collins 100015,416 Robin, Or on disk through the mail, depending on how quickly you would like us to receive it. Let me know, either way. Teresa Warsop CPS - Tech Support #: 8096 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 17:13:08 Sb: PC Tools V7 complaints Fm: Brad Allen 72467,1306 To: Robert J. Smith 72007,533 (X) I agree, I don't like Windows and I don't like Tools looking like it! I don't like the colors, and since the Short cut keys are not available with the V7 menu's it is also harder to use. I also agree that the color change program is a pain to use. I have just about decided to wipe it off the drive and put good 'ole v6 back where it belongs! Brad There is 1 Reply. #: 8226 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 22:45:36 Sb: #8096-PC Tools V7 complaints Fm: Robert J. Smith 72007,533 To: Brad Allen 72467,1306 (X) I still don't like the cutesy little windows-like graphics they added to the screen. But I have found that V7 has grown on me. After using it for a while I settled on the new menus, since the V6 menus didn't really work the same the V6 did. I have discovered I can live without the short cut keys though I still find myself reaching for them sometimes out of habit. After spending a lot of frustrating time with the color setup, I managed to get the colors almost to something that I find bearable. Although I have had a couple of problems - such as SI and MI won't run on my machine when I have the EMS manager installed - I have decided to stick with V7. Some its features are just too good. But I do wish that CPS and all the other software houses would realize that they do not have to copy the look and feel of windows! If I really wanted to use a Mac i'd buy one. Personally I have found the program to run faster in most cases on my machine than V7. And I got it to fit in almost the same space as V6 by eliminating the programs I never use such as PCSecure, Commute and PCCache. Actually it would have fit in the same space if I had done away with the help files for what was left. So even though SI doesn't work on my machine, I decided to stick with it for a while. #: 8109 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 17:45:21 Sb: PC Tools V7 complaints Fm: Rich Zuris [WSI] 76702,520 To: Jerry Rivers 71477,2663 (X) Jerry, There's an undocumented /V1 switch for PC-CACHE to prevent it from being disabled by Windows Standard mode. However, I recommend that you use extended memory for the cache, since it's faster than expanded, according to reports here. There is 1 Reply. #: 8142 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 19:32:03 Sb: PC Tools V7 complaints Fm: Jerry Rivers 71477,2663 To: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 (X) Thanks for the reply, Tim. The benchmark for PC-CACHE is simply the time to load Windows 3.0 complete with a background wallpaper. I'm evaluating some other cache programs including the one with Norton utilities 5.0. I agree that there's no way to make V7's cache faster than V6 using similar technology. It was just curious to me that V7 is slower by several seconds on the Windows load. No big deal, I just won't use V7 for that. Again, the V7 menus using the V6 menu option ain't the same! I'm still stuck with a variety of V7 stuff I don't like. another e.g. is the F6 view menu. You switched from numbered options, which I memorized, to letter mnemonics which are illogical. For example, the best starting letters are reserved for the items you can choose to display like date, time, file size, etc. The ones I use most often are to change from name to ext to date sort. These are not mnemonic to me. Worse, like everything else in V7, the view select is slower because I must press alt-O to select. I really liked "8-A-enter" in V6. Even with V6 menus selected, I'm still stuck with the dumb V7 view select. The PCX files all are B & W, mostly EGA, that I got from a shareware library. I'll test some more that aren't from the shareware library. Maybe I can find something specific for you. These same PCX pictures display OK in Win Paint, PC Paintbrush, Paint Shop shareware, and VPIC shareware, so I suspect the problem is yours. I'm not sure what I want to do with V7. I haven't found anything so far that either a) doesn't work, b) isn't slower, or c) I don't care about (e.g. of c is the Windows stuff. neat, but I can do all that from a DOS shell, so why tie up megabytes of storage?). I appreciate the extensive work CPS must have done to upgrade this software, but for me, its for naught. I use utilities to speed my work, but V7 just slows me down and fills up more of my hard disk. A step backwards in my view. Thanks for listening, even though there's not much you can do for me. -- Jerry #: 8081 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 15:47:33 Sb: PCTools 7.0 - boo! Fm: Robin Collins 100015,416 To: Terry Eisenberg 76577,21 Terry, My feeling is that CPS took the easy way out and forced an install of _every_ tool which PC Shell uses. IMHO they would have produced a better product by allowing _us_ to install the bits we want, and making PC Shell find out what we'd selected and 'graying out' those menu options which would not be available. Like you, there's a load of stuff I don't need, but manually delting the bits and pieces that aren't wanted is getting to be a real pain. Robin #: 8447 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 19:34:47 Sb: PCTools 7.0 - boo! Fm: Ben Charron 72540,1155 To: Terry Eisenberg 76577,21 Terry, Like you, I have been using PCTools for a long time. I remember the good ol'days when it came on one floppy! Now it's really big! I think the product has grown perhaps too much - trying to include everything and a couple of kitchen sinks. V 7.0 may be big but at least they have done something I find GREAT - they have included a lot of standalone modules you can use from the DOS prompt. I was horrified by the size when I installed (only 8MB left). When I finished and checked it out, I decided to remove PCSHELL and DESKTOP. With MS-DOS 5.0 I use the DOSSHELL and have a group for utilities where I can invoke the standalone modules like DM, FF, UNDELETE, UNFORMAT, FORMAT, CPBACKUP, COMPRESS, and DISKFIX. This reduces the PCTOOLS directory to a reasonable size and still gives me what I want. The DOS 5.0 shell is not bad at all and has a good app launcher and file manager which I use instead of PCSHELL. I use DM for prune & graft and deleting a directory tree with all files. I was a bit disappointed do see all the viewers in a library because now I can't delete the ones I never use. Paring down V 7.0 can be a bit tricky but one of the manuals has a list of utilities and the files it needs to have to work properly. Regards, ...Ben #: 8090 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 16:23:21 Sb: Ver 7 -slow ,slow! Fm: ARCH WILLINGHAM 71021,2747 To: anyone I have just finished reading the 250+/- comments on ver 7.0 and I hate to give you guys any more crap but ......why is it so slow? It used to be so easy to edit a file, prune/delete directories..... now you have to hit about 10 million keys to do anything and when you do it wouyld appear that the different programs are not in r ram so pct has to go to the disk and get it. i use a 25mhz 386- i would hate to see it on an XT. Good luck Arch Willingham There are 2 Replies. #: 8159 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 20:07:03 Sb: #8090-Ver 7 -slow ,slow! Fm: Stephan Brocoum 76056,1275 To: ARCH WILLINGHAM 71021,2747 (X) Arch: I have an XT (Tandy 1000SX), and I find ver 7 to be much slower on my machine than ver 6. I'm almost tempted to reinstall ver 6. Steve #: 8450 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 19:35:08 Sb: #8090-Ver 7 -slow ,slow! Fm: Ben Charron 72540,1155 To: ARCH WILLINGHAM 71021,2747 (X) Arch, Can't comment on editing since I don't use PCSHELL, but prune & graft works pretty quick using the standalone DM utility. Regards, ...Ben #: 7950 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 01:39:10 Sb: Ultarvision Conflict Fm: Juergen Wondzinski -FRG- 100015,676 To: Teresa Warsop 75300,1174 (X) Hi Teresa, Please put me on the UltraVision's list too! -------------------------------------------- I had another problem with DISKFIX: I am running a Future Domain SCSI Controller with a Quantum and a Maxtor SCSI disk attached. Regarding the Note on page 32 in DataRecovery, I just played around (all the new features...) and choosed "Revitalize" and ran the "System Integrity Test". When DF tested the "Controller Ram", it displayed a message similar ".. STOP COMMAND ERROR" in the Completion Status window, the drive light remained on; after waiting about 2 minutes with no further action (the bar stayed at 57%), I did a three finger salute... The Drive didn't wake up.... I did a Cold boot with a DOS-diskette, got an invalid drive when entering to C:.... The only solution was a real power off and startup again. Thanks God, nothing went to never-never land... You should check your testing for SCSI's sometime.... Servus wOOdy There is 1 Reply. #: 8469 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 20:11:10 Sb: #7950-Ultarvision Conflict Fm: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 To: Juergen Wondzinski -FRG- 100015,676 (X) Juergen, We have tested DiskFix on SCSI drives, and there shouldn't be any problem. Was the message "Invalid COMMAND.COM" or something similar to that, or was it something else? Also, if you boot the system with no AUTOEXEC.BAT and a minimal CONFIG.SYS file, do you have the same or similar results? Thank you, Tim Elmer CPS Tech Support #: 8344 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 11:16:40 Sb: Ultarvision Conflict Fm: Craig Hallett 71510,75 To: Teresa Warsop 75300,1174 Teresa- Please add me to the Ultravision fix list. Also I have a problem with my MS mouse in some programs. When running in 50 line mode on my VGA the mouse won't go past the 25th line in Find Find and Anti-Virus programs. Maybe others - haven't tried them all yet. I am running in character mode cause of the UV problem. Thanks - Craig... #: 7891 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 30-Jun-91 21:51:44 Sb: cpbackup7 Fm: Dorr Altizer (TrainNet) 76702,402 To: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 (X) Teresa has already put my 'short-cut keys, please' on the R&D list in the other half of this mini-thread, Tim. I appreciate yer support, as one of favorite TV heros keeps saying. Dorr There is 1 Reply. #: 8308 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 03:18:57 Sb: #7891-cpbackup7 Fm: Chris Fox 70154,153 To: Dorr Altizer (TrainNet) 76702,402 I have seen wierd problems with BACKUP. Under Windows. (1) After a setup with windows files only there was no pctools\system subdir and therefore no DLLs, and PCBACKUP aborted with "can't find WNFB.DLL". Actually it didn't abort, it reported completion. When I tried it after a full install I got "Central Point VFB.386 not found!" regardless of how many places I put it. Windows, windows\system, pctools, pctools\system... appears to be a path error. Or worse. Good news is, on the mail version the shortcut keys are back. ChrisFox, SDE There are 2 Replies. #: 8383 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 14:13:14 Sb: #8308-cpbackup7 Fm: Rich Zuris [WSI] 76702,520 To: Chris Fox 70154,153 Have you tried specifying a path to the .386 files in SYSTEM.INI. For example, I used "device=c:\pctools\system\vfd.386" and similarly for VDMAD.386 and it worked fine. But if you have Windows 3.00a rather than 3.00, you supposedly don't need the .386 files anyway. . . . #: 8394 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 14:54:01 Sb: #8308-cpbackup7 Fm: Nick Pavlina 71520,3654 To: Chris Fox 70154,153 Chris: I have experienced the second problem you describe...VFD.386 not found. I think it's a V7 INSTALL problem. Page 134 of the Windows Utility manual says that INSTALL should update "the SYSTEM.INI file... with the new VFD.386 ....drivers". This did not appear to happen with my INSTALL. So far, I have not been able to determine how SYSTEM.INI was supposed to be modified, and my only attempt to manually modify caused WINDOWS to barf. So...if anyone out there has the details on SYSTEM.INI modification for CPBACKUP DMA drivers, send them along. (By the way, INSTALL also failed to update PROGMAN.GRP or back it up in PROGMAN.SAV as stated in the manuals. I had to add the PC TOOLS group to PROGMAN manually. Further confirmation of my belief that V7 Windows INSTALL is broke). Nick Pavlina...PCTOOLS faithful since V4 There is 1 Reply. #: 8426 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 17:44:01 Sb: #8394-cpbackup7 Fm: Bob Siegel 71621,3452 To: Nick Pavlina 71520,3654 You should have two statements in the drivers section of your SYSTEM.INI: device=VDMAD.386 device=VFD.386 (See page 118 of "Getting Started" book.) Good luck! There is 1 Reply. #: 8480 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 20:27:57 Sb: #8426-cpbackup7 Fm: Denys Howard 74017,760 To: Bob Siegel 71621,3452 Note, too, that you will most likely have to modify SYSTEM.INI yourself -- it's a task that V7 Install supposedly took care of, but certainly failed to do for me and many, many others. Once I made these two changes, my WinBackup finally worked, but I have not yet recovered sufficient trust in this product to carry out an actual backup with it. #: 8268 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 00:40:03 Sb: cpbackup7 Fm: Jacques Laufer 73777,471 To: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 (X) Tim, Here is another vote for putting the short-cut keys back in the V7 menus. I'm at a loss to understand why they were taken out!?! >> Jack << There is 1 Reply. #: 8421 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 17:10:51 Sb: #8268-cpbackup7 Fm: Walter Worland (UK) 100015,2175 To: Jacques Laufer 73777,471 Hi, The UK version that I received IS version 7.01 and HAS the short cut keys thank goodness. No problems with it as yet though. Cheers Walter (UK) #: 8307 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 03:15:01 Sb: cpbackup7 Fm: Chris Fox 70154,153 To: Dorr Altizer (TrainNet) 76702,402 I just got my upgrade in the mail and the shortcut keys are back. I missed them..but there are other problems! In the setup and in backup! #: 8017 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 11:37:56 Sb: Well I'm not alone! Fm: Paul Todd 70474,3351 To: Colin Whipple 70347,2314 (X) Colin, I am responding for Teresa since other duties prevent her from responding to you directly. Have you done a surface analysis to insure that PC Shell is sitting on a good portion of the hard drive? Use Diskfix to do this. Is it only PC Shell that is not working? If so, do you have Expanded memory on that system? If you do, try disabling it to see if a paging error is occurring. Be sure you have a DOS environment variable that points to the PC Tools Data directory. You should have a line like this in your A UTOEXEC.BAT file: SET PCTOOLS=C:\PCTOOLS\DATA And of course we need to be in your path. If none of the above helps, EMAIL me your phone number so I can have someone call you and try to isolate the problem in "real time" . There are 2 Replies. #: 8075 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 15:37:18 Sb: #8017-Well I'm not alone! Fm: Tom Price 75300,620 To: Paul Todd 70474,3351 (X) Paul, My situation is similar but probably not the same as Colin's. PCSHELL V7 won't work on my Tandy 1000A. I'm reasonably sure that PCSHELL is running but the CGA display is blank - no video at all. I can exit back to DOS with either F3 or ESC followed by ENTER, which is what leads me to believe that PCSHELL is functioning. All of the other stand-alone PCT7 programs run flawlessly and the video display conforms to whatever parameters I've selected with PCCONFIG. I've already tried all the things you suggested to Colin, as well as those suggested by Kristin Haywood and Tim Elmer over the past few days and a few ideas of my own. These include: [1] doing a complete surface analysis with DISKFIX - no errors of any kind [2] Doing a complete COMPRESS [3] re-installing PCT7 from scratch. [4] installing PCSHELL.EXE and PCSHELL.OVL in a separate directory. [5] Trying every switch listed when I type PCSHELL /VIDEO [6] Trying TANDYFIX.EXE that came with PCT7 [7] Making sure of the SET PCTOOLS=C:\PCTOOLS\DATA environment variable. [8] Running the Tandy 1000A with and without the 8mHz 286-Express card. [9] Booting clean with no CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files. I've tried this from both HD and floppy. ..... None of these has made any difference whatever. My hardware is a Tandy 1000A HD (10mb MFM HD), 640K RAM, Tandy 286-Express card, Phoenix BIOS version 01.01.00, both 5.25" and 3.5" floppy drives (360K and 720K) and I'm running MS-DOS 5.0. No extended/expanded memory of any kind. Only PCSHELL is not working. All the rest of PCT7 and DOS 5.0 are working normally. All of PCTools V6, including PCSHELL worked fine and I may have to go back to it if we can't get this resolved. Thanks, Tom There is 1 Reply. #: 8354 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 11:55:15 Sb: #8075-Well I'm not alone! Fm: Paul Todd 70474,3351 To: Tom Price 75300,620 (X) Tom, We've are getting several reports like yours on the Tandy 1000A. Clearly we have a video conflict on that machine. I will put a problem report in for you and as soon as the conflict is resolved you will be contacted. I appreciate all the effort you took to get the program working on your machine. I am sorry for the inconvenience. Just a piece of tech data in case your wondering. All but two of the PC Tools programs use a shared Video library, but as you can probably guess, PC Shell doesn't. That's why the other programs worked ok. It would be interesting to see if Desktop runs ok, because it is the other program that does not use the video library. Regards, Paul Todd CPS Tech Support There is 1 Reply. #: 8424 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 17:34:57 Sb: #8354-Well I'm not alone! Fm: Tom Price 75300,620 To: Paul Todd 70474,3351 Paul, Thanks much for the response. I'll look forward to getting this resolved. I did try DESKTOP, by the way, and it functions perfectly, just like everything else with the exception of PCSHELL. Oh well, while I'm waiting for PCSHELL to get fixed, I still have DOSSHELL from MS-DOS 5.0 to use, which does many of the same things as PCSHELL, but not quite as easily. regards, Tom #: 8180 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 20:55:14 Sb: #8017-Well I'm not alone! Fm: Colin Whipple 70347,2314 To: Paul Todd 70474,3351 (X) Thanks for responding. I deleted all the V.7 directories and reinstalled the program from scratch (I had previously tried reinstalling over the previous attempt with no success). The program now comes up and seems to function. It tends to blow up when QEMM is loaded, so I run it without QEMM. Colin There is 1 Reply. #: 8355 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 11:57:18 Sb: #8180-Well I'm not alone! Fm: Paul Todd 70474,3351 To: Colin Whipple 70347,2314 (X) Colin, If deleting the whole directory and re-installing worked, my guess is that a temporary file (.THM, .IMG, etc.) was corrupt causing the problems. If those files exist, Install does not delete them. As far as QEMM problems go, quite often it is a problem in expanded memory emulation. Try NOEMS on the line in your CONFIG.SYS that loads QEMM. If the problem goes away, the next step is to try different locations for the Expanded memory page frame. Regards, Paul Todd CPS Tech Support There is 1 Reply. #: 8498 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 21:33:11 Sb: #8355-Well I'm not alone! Fm: Colin Whipple 70347,2314 To: Paul Todd 70474,3351 Thanks, I will try the NOEMS option. Colin #: 7987 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 09:37:27 Sb: P.C. Tools Version 7 Fm: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 To: Jeffrey Marchi 72230,3523 (X) Jeffrey, I'm sorry to read that you find CP Launcher "very buggy". If you could provide a specific set of steps that will lead to a UAE, I will be very glad to file a report with R&D so that we can look into the matter. If it is easier, we can have someone call you, or can do this via the Forum or CompuServe Mail. Whatever your preference is, we are eager to be of whatever assistance we can. Regarding our Beta testers, we try to choose them based on a variety of knowledge levels and hardware/software configurations. The fact that your friend is more of a novice user merely indicates that we want to assure that all levels, from novice to expert, test the product. If I can be of further assistance, please don't fail to let me know. Regards, Tim Elmer CPS Tech Support There is 1 Reply. #: 8064 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 14:31:22 Sb: #7987-P.C. Tools Version 7 Fm: Jeffrey Marchi 72230,3523 To: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 (X) I have already reported the Launcher problems and it is being worked on. It is so bugggy I am sure you will see LOTS more people complain...once they realize Launcher is causing problems....it is hard to narrow these things down sometimes....I have PINNED it down. #: 7988 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 09:37:40 Sb: P.C. Tools Version 7 Fm: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 To: Matthew Ackerman 76011,2465 (X) Matthew, In your message you indicate that you do not recommend the product for your users, but I don't see any specific problem. In what program or programs are you having trouble, and in what circumstances do the programs occur? If you can let me know where you are running into the problems, I can either help clear up any misunderstanding, or report actual problems to R&D for a resolution. Given the facts, though, I can't do a lot on either front. If you or anyone here is having a problem with the software, there is a file consisting of the Tech Support Checklist from the documentation. In order to fully troubleshoot any problems we get we need the kinds of information that the checklist calls for. If you will download the file and provide the information by CIS Mail, FAX, mail, or phone, we are anxious to assist you or any other of our users. Thank you, Tim Elmer CPS Tech Support There is 1 Reply. #: 8251 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 23:45:40 Sb: #7988-P.C. Tools Version 7 Fm: Matthew Ackerman 76011,2465 To: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 (X) Tim, Here is a partial list (all called in to your so called "TECHNICAL SUPPORT Phone number". 1) FILE VIEW LOCKS UP MY PC CONTINUOSLY! 2) SI REPORTS INCORRECT INFORMATION. (NORTON 5.0 reports correctly) 3) PC-CACHE is ERRATIC THE /OFF switch does not allways take. 4) CP-BACKUP HUNG UP on a 32 meg partition with only 2 meg free. 5) COMPRESS DID THE SAME! I reported these and other things to your so called support line. with no results. That cost me over $22 (Operator supplied Time and Charges) and still all they could suggest was I try playing arround until they could come up with something. TOTALLY UNSATISFACTORY!!!! There are 2 Replies. #: 8351 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 11:45:19 Sb: #8251-P.C. Tools Version 7 Fm: Teresa Warsop 75300,1174 To: Matthew Ackerman 76011,2465 Matthew, I talked with two of the people in Technical Support staff that you have talked with (Michelle Ballew for about 2 hours and Doug Whitney for an additional 45 minutes). Doug said you uploaded additional information to our BBS yesterday. He will be in contact with you. Teresa Warsop CPS - Tech Support #: 8473 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 20:11:54 Sb: #8251-P.C. Tools Version 7 Fm: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 To: Matthew Ackerman 76011,2465 Matthew, Thanks for giving some instances where you are having difficulties. If you've reported the problems I'm sure that whomever you spoke with forwarded a report to R&D and we'll let you know when we have a resolution. If I am to help you, also, I'll need more information. >> 1) FILE VIEW LOCKS MY PC CONTINUOSLY! << Are you running View from the command line, from PC Shell, from Windows, or some other place. Also, at what point does it lock? >> 2) SI REPORTS INCORRECT INFORMATION. << SI puts out a many-paged report. Which information is incorrect, and what should be there instead? >> 3) PC-CACHE is ERRATIC THE /OFF switch does not allways take. << It's not clear which "/OFF" parameter you mean, the /WRITE=OFF or the /OFF to turn off the cache but leave it in memory. Which did you mean, and in which circumstances does it not work? >> 4) CP-BACKUP HUNG UP on a 32 meg partition with only 2 meg free.<< >> 5) COMPRESS DID THE SAME!<< Again, at what point do the hang ups occur, and where are you running the programs from? Also, what are the contents of the AUTOEXEC.BAT & CONFIG.SYS files when any of the above occur? Thank you, Tim Elmer CPS Tech Support #: 8112 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 17:45:45 Sb: P.C. Tools Version 7 Fm: Rich Zuris [WSI] 76702,520 To: Chris Monro 76236,472 (X) Hi Chris, I don't think it's fair to say that CPS "hasn't done anything" to address the many complaints here. New releases cannot be completed and release overnight, as I'm sure you're aware. I'm confident that the CPS Tech Support Reps are dutifully passing on the information collected here to the programmers, who are dutifully working on bug fixes. But the product has only been publicly available for a month, approximately, which is too short a time to re-release the product. Yet, CPS has already contradicted that statement, because they have already released a maintenance version, the one that shipped to most upgraders, the 6/9/91 version. I think that represents good faith on the part of CPS to fix broken software. There is 1 Reply. #: 8235 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 23:07:02 Sb: #8112-P.C. Tools Version 7 Fm: Chris Monro 76236,472 To: Rich Zuris [WSI] 76702,520 (X) Rich, You point is well taken, and I was not aware of the maintinece release. It still however does not explain the poor first release. As a long time customer and advocate of CPS and it's products, I want to know why this happened. Moreover, for those users who do not access CIS, how would they know of the info you just relayed to me? I have searched in vain to find articles in many of the trade mags reguarding this subject. I haven't yet gotten through to CPS to talk to someone. Chris Monro There is 1 Reply. #: 8262 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 00:31:37 Sb: #8235-P.C. Tools Version 7 Fm: Gordon McComb 73155,353 To: Chris Monro 76236,472 (X) Chris, Just to let you know: The 6/9/91 shipment (7.01) was _not_ a maintenance release. It's a poor application of the word to suggest otherwise. Most of the changes were minor, or for interface purposes (like adding the function key choices to PC Shell). A true maintenance release corrects errors and integrates enhancements made by users (not beta testers). I don't think most people would have known the difference in the versions -- I certainly didn't (as far as I know the boxes aren't marked) -but it was caught here by a few eagle-eyed persons as well as by a reporter for AP. I'm not saying CPS was trying to pull a fast one, but the original 7.00 was not out long enough to have received ANY bug reports or enhancement requests to be integrated by June 9. I'm sure the 7.01 master was already finalized before most people got their 7.00 package. I might note that probably most of the people who got an update shipped to them received the 7.01 "maintenance" release. According to statements made here, the 7.00 copies went directly to dealer's shelves. The incidence of bug reports is about the same for both. -- Gordon There is 1 Reply. #: 8248 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 23:39:15 Sb: P.C. Tools Version 7 Fm: Matthew Ackerman 76011,2465 To: Chris Monro 76236,472 (X) The FIrm I work for (BCR aka BELL COMMUNICATION RESEARCH) suggests the SOE (Standard Opperating Environments) used by the Seven Regional Phone Companies and their Bell Operating Companies. I'd say the result of a good recomondation internally in BCR alone could net 400+ orders, and externally (one package in example (FOXBASE) sold 2000+ copies on our recomondation. Then their is my Private consulting (100+ customers). All now have been notified that I have encountered "problems" and am still waiting C.P.S.'s response. #: 8489 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 20:48:16 Sb: PCT Buggs & Sugg Fm: Mike McCollister 72117,1227 To: Sysop I have a long list of bugs and suggestions for PCTV7. Who should I send this to and what other info should I include? Thanks, Mike There is 1 Reply. #: 7936 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 00:37:11 Sb: bugs in PCTools v7.0 Fm: Steve Konicki 71640,3311 To: Douglas Cohn 76526,2065 (X) Central Point Software Technical Support C/O Teresa Warsop 75300,1174 (continued) -- Choosing to edit a document in PCShell now requires the loading of DeskTop, a utility I find so useless I always have killed it off as s d from PCShell. -- Since desktop is loaded into memory already when I call it as the editor from PCShell, why can't I use the spell-checker? -- Since the Desktop editor is a separate module from PCShell, is it possible for me to configure PCShell to call another editor not so lar -- I cannot figure out how to get Desktop's telecomm module to communicate with my Hayes Ultra 9600. I have made an attempt at reading the two-node PCBoard BBS and have set up numerous comm programs. -- I am trying to take these utilities a few at a time, and may not have found more than a small number of the bugs. -- Given that, I wish now to request ALL bug fixes, minor rewrites, silent releases, reconfigurations, redesigns, and any and all other new --I would prefer not having to hear fourth hand from someone who heard from someone about new code and then have to plead for it. I want to --I am concerned about this issue because of some of the vague answers CPS has given on how bug-fixes will be distributed. If you were a Ce lso. A/list There are 2 Replies. #: 7898 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 30-Jun-91 22:31:53 Sb: PCT V7 swapping problem Fm: Ron D. Troy 76064,252 To: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 (X) Tim, let me repeat, hopefully in better words, a question I've tried more then once; Is there some way to install 7 in a way to only install what one wants of it; shell, minimum viewers, backup, mirror, fix and not much more? In a way to minimize disk space usage and conventional ram usage? Or are we condemned to try to install most of it and then to try and pick out the individual files we don't want? Or even worse, be forced to keep stuff we don't want but is required for unknown reasons? Ron There is 1 Reply. #: 7923 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 00:04:54 Sb: #7898-PCT V7 swapping problem Fm: Sinclair Cohen 74065,345 To: Ron D. Troy 76064,252 (X) I've been able to de-install version 7 OK, and just use its Windows' Backup and both Undeletes, SI, Compress, Format, and that's about it. I installed version 6 PC Shell allright, and am down to just one lousy "bug". Using backup i can get to around diskette #15 before i get an UAE. I've tried everything on my computer -- I'm certain it's the fault of Tools 7.0 Backup. Version 7.0 ain't such a good deal. In this case more isn't always better. Version 6 is a lot faster and easier to use -- plus it works!! Good luck. There are 2 Replies. #: 8190 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 21:20:36 Sb: #7923-PCT V7 swapping problem Fm: Ron D. Troy 76064,252 To: Sinclair Cohen 74065,345 (X) While I won't use Windows backup (not having or wanting windows), do you think the V7 regular PCBackup is safe? I know V6 works, but ... Ron There is 1 Reply. #: 8243 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 23:24:55 Sb: #8190-PCT V7 swapping problem Fm: Sinclair Cohen 74065,345 To: Ron D. Troy 76064,252 (X) Yea, that worked OK for me. I'm pretty much tied to Windows, since I use Corel Draw, Pagemaker 4.0, Excel, etc. the PC Tools 7.0 backup seems to be real simple to operate, but I've read other messages here regarding problems. My computer is set up perfectly - no TSRs, just Microsoft devices drivers. I'm sure the bug lies with Central Point Software. There is 1 Reply. #: 8455 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 19:42:12 Sb: #8243-PCT V7 swapping problem Fm: Ron D. Troy 76064,252 To: Sinclair Cohen 74065,345 (X) I'm thinking I should just stick to V6. Ron There is 1 Reply. #: 8546 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 22:45:56 Sb: #8455-PCT V7 swapping problem Fm: Sinclair Cohen 74065,345 To: Ron D. Troy 76064,252 (X) That's what I'm doing, except for the new Compress and Format and Undelete and Windows' Backup if i can get it to work. #: 8451 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 19:35:16 Sb: #7923-PCT V7 swapping problem Fm: Ben Charron 72540,1155 To: Sinclair Cohen 74065,345 (X) Sinclair, I have had the same backup problem you had but with v 6 (I haven't tried a big backup yet with 7). I took out SMARTDRV.SYS from the config.sys file and bingo, no problem. I have found that SMARTDRV.SYS can cause probs with other products as well. It's the first thing I take out now when I have probs. I have just started using PC-CACHE v 7 to see if this clears up. So far no probs. Regards, ...Ben There is 1 Reply. #: 8547 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 22:47:51 Sb: #8451-PCT V7 swapping problem Fm: Sinclair Cohen 74065,345 To: Ben Charron 72540,1155 Thanks for the tip. I'll try removing Smartdrv to see if problems clear up. I tried to use the new PC-CACHE, but couldn't get it to "Loadhigh" from Autoexec.bat file under DOS 5.0, and went back to Smartdrv.sys. #: 7899 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 30-Jun-91 22:31:59 Sb: PCT V7 swapping problem Fm: Ron D. Troy 76064,252 To: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 (X) And one other question you guys don't seem to want to answer; can I install just v7's backup and mirror? Ron #: 8009 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 10:38:48 Sb: PCT V7 swapping problem Fm: Roy J. Gromlich 73627,262 To: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 (X) Tim: Thanks for the reply. Please refer to my most recent reply to Kristen. The problem is with SWAPSH only --- even if I open PCShell by itself, then launch an application from [F10], the same thing happens. For some reason SWAPSH doesn't seem to care if there is already a PCSHELL.THM file there when it is invoked ---- it simply write a NEW PCSHELL.THM over the one that is already there. The weird thing is that SWAPDT does it correctly, as I said ---- if it finds a copy of DESKTOP.THM it creates a new image file called DESKTOQ.THM ---- but SWAPSH doesn't. Maybe I have a trashed copy of SWAPSH.COM, but that seems rather unlikely, since everything else seems to be OK. Just to make sure --- DESKTOP works correctly --- its PCSHELL which has the problem and overwrites its own image file. Thanks --- Roy #: 8244 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 23:33:42 Sb: PCT V7 swapping problem Fm: Matthew Ackerman 76011,2465 To: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 (X) Tim, I am Quoting your Companies so called "Technical Support" representative that answers when I call the Technical Support Phone number on the back of one of those books you call a manual. One of you (CPS Tech Support) is obviously wrong, since there is a large difference between 750k and 2 Meg. Also I had NO PCTOOLS other than PC-CACHE with /SIZEXP=256k parm active. At the C\> prompt I typed PCSHELL. Then selected the Config.sys (clicked my mouse on it) and then tried to select VIEW .. FILE / VIEWER ... System locked. Tried same and Quick View (after using the reset button .. ALT-CNTL-DEL would not even work) and got the same thing... A LOCKUPPED SYSTEM! This problem is consitant and YOUR REP SAID I NEEDED 2 MEG on my E: drive freed. I did so but STILL CANNOT USE THE FILE VIEW. ALSO I HAVE A 1 MEG SVGA CARD... SI REPORTS 256K... AND DO NOT EVEN SUGGEST THAT THAT IS CORRECT as 10 other PROGRAMS REPORT my 1 MEG CORRECTLY! I could list the other problems with this software, but many of the people here are already reporting them to you. #: 8264 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 00:32:02 Sb: Return Authorization Fm: Jeff Martin 72770,520 To: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 (X) I left you two messages, both of which were marked as read. Neither were replied to. There are several problems I have had with PCT 7.0. The compress seems much slower and doen't allow CTRL to choose drives. It requires several key strokes to change drives. I prefer to do a full optimize everytime I run it, but I can't seem to get it to default to full. If I change drives I have to choose full again each time. PC-Cache is slower than smartdrive if I don't choose write through. I get a "modem received error" from commute and I see nothing in the manual to explain what the cause could be. If I load the fax TSR my screen blanks out several times a day and I have to reboot in order to continue. I would prefer to keep the package because I think it could be a great set of programs. I am concerned that I will have to purchase several maintainance releases before I get a working copy. I don't want to have to wait until I have a problem before I get a find out about a problem. What is CP stand on bug fixes. Will I be notified of updated utilities? Will have to purchase each fix? I just have th feeling that 7.0 wasn't ready for release and should have been better tested. JM #: 8465 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 20:10:34 Sb: Return Authorization Fm: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 To: Jeff Martin 72770,520 (X) To anyone, If, in the regretable event, you decide that the Version 7 update is not appropriate to your needs and you got the product directly from Central Point Software, you can leave a message for Kim Sell in Section 6 (Customer Service). Just let her know that you would like to return the package and ask what is required of you. If you have purchased the programs from a dealer, you will need to go through that vendor in order to get a refund. Thank you, Tim Elmer CPS Tech Support There is 1 Reply. #: 8551 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 23:02:35 Sb: #8465-Return Authorization Fm: Jeff Martin 72770,520 To: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 I have left you 4 messages now about my problems with PCT 7.0 you have yet to offer any assistance. Why haven't you responded to them? Am I typing to a real person or is this a recording? I know you are VERY busy and I wouldn't want you job for anything. Please give me some answers/suggestions. I also would like to know what CP's policy is on notification of bug fixes. Will we be required to purchase them? JM #: 8380 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 13:56:57 Sb: Reported Bug list?? Fm: Craig P Brady 73670,257 To: Sysop - CPS Support Is there, or could there be, a list of the reported issues/bugs/problems with V7? It would appear that such a list, with how-to's on fix's (if they exist) would be useful to the user community and to your own staff (they might not have to answer the same question 6000 times!) Best wishes.... Craig There is 1 Reply. #: 8488 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 20:46:34 Sb: #8380-Reported Bug list?? Fm: Mike McCollister 72117,1227 To: Craig P Brady 73670,257 I second that suggestion. Mike There are 2 Replies. #: 8531 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 22:22:12 Sb: #8488-Reported Bug list?? Fm: Michael Cohen 76326,2535 To: Mike McCollister 72117,1227 I third that suggestion. I have decided to deinstall PC Tools 7.0 until the dust settles. CPS compares themselves to Microsoft but their testing program did not even come close to MS testing of DOS 5.0. #: 8554 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 23:16:52 Sb: #8488-Reported Bug list?? Fm: Gregory Urbiel 74166,1663 To: Mike McCollister 72117,1227 Please! Wonderful idea! #: 8084 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 15:59:37 Sb: Another problem... Fm: Paul Todd 70474,3351 To: 76704,71 (X) Mickey, I'm stepping in for Kristin while she's on vacation and I read your posting about FF and DESQVIEW. I've tried it on a couple of systems without problems. When you open a DOS box, try doing a SET command and also MI to see just what we're working with. If nothing obvious shows up, the next step in troubleshooting is to try to re-create it. You probably don't want to do that, but if you're willing, and if it happens again, I'll take a report for you so we can get R & D working on whatever is in conflict there. Regards, Paul Todd CPS Tech Support There is 1 Reply. #: 8271 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 00:40:35 Sb: #8084-Another problem... Fm: Mickey Applebaum-NetWire 76704,71 To: Paul Todd 70474,3351 (X) Paul.. I believe (as I stated to Kristin last week) that the problem wasn't with FF, but rather the PC-CACHE and DesqView with DOS 3.3 and the SpeedStor disk driver to allow for a larger than 32 meg DOS partition with DOS 3.30, which is why she suggested the /V1 option.. But I would REALLY like to know what it does... It isn't documented anywhere. Since rebuilding the disk with DOS 5 there hasn't been any problem... There is 1 Reply. #: 8356 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 12:02:08 Sb: #8271-Another problem... Fm: Paul Todd 70474,3351 To: Mickey Applebaum-NetWire 76704,71 (X) Mickey, The /V1 parameter switches the batch transfers off and allows single sector transfers only. The reason this was added was to track down a problem when using a cache larger than 300k in Expanded and running Windows. Obviously this will slow cache down quite a bit, so it's not the recommended solution. I would use Extended if at all possible. Just in case your wondering, (because I was), even though PC Cache can sense that your running Windows, it can't change the type of transfers like that "on the fly", hence we have to load it with that parameter. Regards, Paul Todd CPS Tech Support There is 1 Reply. #: 8573 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 03-Jul-91 00:18:17 Sb: #8356-Another problem... Fm: Mickey Applebaum-NetWire 76704,71 To: Paul Todd 70474,3351 But I am not running WINDOWS... I am running DesqView.. which is NOT the same thing #: 8491 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 21:05:44 Sb: PCFORMAT BOMBS Fm: MICHAEL MEMPHIS 71660,1036 To: ALL I'm amazed! Don't tell me I'm the only one whose system hangs when running PCFORMAT v7. When I run it from PCSHELL I get garbage o n the screen... When I invoke it from the command line I get blackness. I'm running DOS 5 and that may be the problem. When I run PCFORMAT v6 I now get the message WRONG DOS -- and it kicks me back to a C: prompt... Does anybody have a fix?Thanks, MICHAEL There is 1 Reply. #: 8578 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 03-Jul-91 00:24:59 Sb: #8491-PCFORMAT BOMBS Fm: Ron D. Troy 76064,252 To: MICHAEL MEMPHIS 71660,1036 I believe that it is a known bug that you can't run pcformat v6 with dos 5, but that the new dos format is a much improved format so use it instead. As to pcformat 7, ... Ron #: 8524 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 22:14:57 Sb: PCCACHE vs. SMARTDRV Fm: Lee M. Wetzler 70471,2300 To: SYSOPS First, I have had minimal problems with v7 but i decided not to load PCSHELL and DESKTOP since it takes up 1.5 mb and DOSSHELL on DOS 5.0 is excellent. If you could give me any reasons to load it otherwise I would consider it. I use Windows almost exclusively on my 386/25 clone with 4 meg RAM. I run some DOS programs out of it. I have not had any problems with backup, undelete or launcher. The main question I have is the comparison of PCCACHE and SMARTDRV. I use SMARTDRV now since DOS handles it well. Objectively, is there any advantages to using PCCACHE and if there are could you explain them to me. Thanks Lee/NYC There are 2 Replies. #: 8570 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 03-Jul-91 00:16:22 Sb: #8524-PCCACHE vs. SMARTDRV Fm: Jim Morrow 74415,253 To: Lee M. Wetzler 70471,2300 I can tell you their is no contest between Smartdrv and Pc-cache. Smartdrv is 5 or 10 times faster and causes no conflicts I have ever heard about. jrm #: 8585 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 03-Jul-91 00:45:42 Sb: #8524-PCCACHE vs. SMARTDRV Fm: Kevin Tyrrell 73700,3346 To: Lee M. Wetzler 70471,2300 First PCShell is far superior to dosshell as it does ALOT more stuff! I use windows 95% of the time but I always use PCShell for file/directory managment. It works flawlessly('cept for the graphics mouse problem!) and is always on hand from CPLaunch. As for Smartdrive vs PC-Cache...Smartdrive does not behave well when using Compress and PC-Cache works fine. I found that PC-Cache is a little faster also(but just a little). Read the section on PC-Cache installation carefully cause it has to be in the right place in your autoexec.bat to work. Also remember to delete the smartdrive line from your config,sys or who knows what might happen! Gee maybe that would fix the Commute problem....hmm... #: 7902 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 30-Jun-91 22:34:22 Sb: Returning PC Tools 7.0 Fm: Michael Wacey 72627,236 To: All My only problems with OCTools 7.0 are Can't use DOS 5.0, PCCache and Windows - Machine locks up on boot Windows version of backup never succefully completes - it makes it through several disks and then hangs I have to uninstall smartdrive to use disk utilities - mthis is more trouble than it is woth Otherwise the tools I have used (few of them) seem to work as advertised. So based on my experiences and thos of oythers on this forum, I am returning PCTools 7.0 and waiting for good reviews of 7.1. Mike There is 1 Reply. #: 8184 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 21:04:19 Sb: #7902-Returning PC Tools 7.0 Fm: Dave Marsh 72510,2326 To: Michael Wacey 72627,236 Michael, Unfortunately, good reviews are not necessarily indicative of robust software. In all of the reports, reviews, etc., I read in the trade mags before getting my copy of PCT7, I never *once* saw a single comment about problems of the sort we are reading about on this forum or that I have experienced myself. I'm afraid you'll just have to buy it and hope for the best. Dave There is 1 Reply. #: 8261 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 00:19:09 Sb: #8184-Returning PC Tools 7.0 Fm: Gordon McComb 73155,353 To: Dave Marsh 72510,2326 (X) So far, the magazines (including PC Week and Infoworld) have run "previews," and they were clearly identified as such. The full reviews we should expect later. I can tell you that in the reviews I have done (one for my syndicated newspaper column for Copley News Service) I _did_ mention the bugs. That review was shipped out today, and should appear as soon as tomorrow, depending on the paper (though most papers carry it for Saturday or Sunday). I know PC Magazine and PC Computing are doing more in-depth reviews now, but we won't see them for a few months. I assume the weeklies will come back and do larger scale reviews, plus perhaps some stories on the goings-on. Darn! I just realized I missed the conference that was scheduled for today (it was today, right?) Did anyone capture it? -- Gordon There is 1 Reply. #: 8500 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 21:36:40 Sb: #8261-Returning PC Tools 7.0 Fm: Dave Marsh 72510,2326 To: Gordon McComb 73155,353 (X) Gordon, Thanks for the reply. Even in "previews," however, I'd have thought someone would have made a comment like, "The review copy I had was full of bugs" or words to that effect. Surely all those folks at PC Week and Infoworld couldn't have been blessed with fully functional, bug-free preview copies. Dave There is 1 Reply. #: 8586 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 03-Jul-91 00:49:25 Sb: #8500-Returning PC Tools 7.0 Fm: Gordon McComb 73155,353 To: Dave Marsh 72510,2326 Yeah. It makes you wonder. I'm west coast editor for one of the smaller computer magazines, and we have a policy against reviewing or previewing pre-release software. It also means the other guys get the jump on the stories. I like PC Mag's approach of the "First Looks." It's pretty much just an overview of the features of the product, and little else. -- Gordon #: 7933 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 00:34:26 Sb: Ultravision conflict Fm: Teresa Warsop 75300,1174 To: MELIH YARAMANOGLU 73437,351 (X) Melih, I'll add your name to the list. And thanks for the tip! Teresa Warsop CPS - Tech Support There are 3 Replies. #: 7985 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 09:34:27 Sb: #7933-Ultravision conflict Fm: John Mandrekas 76517,535 To: Teresa Warsop 75300,1174 (X) Teresa, Please add my name also to the list of those waiting for the UV compatibility fix. I like PCT7, but I am not ready to give up Ultravision! Thanks, John Mandrekas #: 8249 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 23:40:06 Sb: #7933-Ultravision conflict Fm: Ozzie Alfonso 75116,1275 To: Teresa Warsop 75300,1174 (X) The list is getting longer. Please do add my name also. I find PCTools v7 potentially very useful but full of bugs and buglets. The UV problem is one of the medium size ones. --Oz- There is 1 Reply. #: 8328 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 10:03:48 Sb: #8249-Ultravision conflict Fm: Teresa Warsop 75300,1174 To: Ozzie Alfonso 75116,1275 (X) Ozzie, I will put your name on the list. I'll send you a note when we have discovered something about the UV compatibilitly issue. Teresa Warsop CPS - Tech Support There is 1 Reply. #: 8496 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 21:24:31 Sb: #8328-Ultravision conflict Fm: Ozzie Alfonso 75116,1275 To: Teresa Warsop 75300,1174 Thank you. Any idea as to when this problem will be soved? Is this a high priority item? --Oz- #: 8316 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 06:37:05 Sb: #7933-Ultravision conflict Fm: J. Greg Jones 76505,10 To: Teresa Warsop 75300,1174 (X) I too would like my name added ~~to the list of those waiting for the UV compatibility fix. Greg There is 1 Reply. #: 8076 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 15:46:47 Sb: Ultravision conflict Fm: Robin Collins 100015,416 To: Teresa Warsop 75300,1174 (X) Teresa, Wouldn't it be easier if you told _everyone_ when you get UV sorted out? I too would like to know, though since I use Back & Forth, which handles UV perfectly and can fire-up PCT stuff without UV active, it's not such a big issue with me. I would be _most_ aggrieved if I didn't have B&F to take care of things for me, and would want the UV compliant PCT ASAP! Robin There are 2 Replies. #: 8330 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 10:16:17 Sb: #8076-Ultravision conflict Fm: Teresa Warsop 75300,1174 To: Robin Collins 100015,416 (X) Robin, I have already said that I would post an announcement regarding UV when we had some information. The people who are contacting me would like to be personally notified so they don't have to keep scanning the board. Did you want to be added to that list, or is public notification sufficent? Teresa Warsop CPS - Tech Support There is 1 Reply. #: 8405 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 15:50:04 Sb: #8330-Ultravision conflict Fm: Robin Collins 100015,416 To: Teresa Warsop 75300,1174 (X) Teresa, Sorry, I hadn't seen your comment about a public message when the time come. That'll be fine for me, as I said, B&F solves the problem 95% of the time for me. Robin #: 8464 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 20:10:25 Sb: #8076-Ultravision conflict Fm: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 To: Robin Collins 100015,416 Robin, The easiest thing to do here will be to put an message to ALL when we have a version of PC Tools or any other information regarding compatibility with UltraVision. Thanks, Tim Elmer CPS Tech Support #: 8094 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 16:50:01 Sb: Ultravision conflict Fm: Paul Todd 70474,3351 To: 70132,1310 (X) Dave, I'm responding to Kristin's messages while she's on vacation, and I wanted to let you know that you CAN run Version 7 standalone Undelete from Version 6 PC Shell. Regards, Paul Todd CPS Tech Support #: 8216 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 22:27:32 Sb: Ultravision conflict Fm: michael payne 70164,3333 To: Teresa Warsop 75300,1174 (X) Could you please also send information and / or software revision to me? Thanks Michael Payne There is 1 Reply. #: 8331 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 10:17:37 Sb: #8216-Ultravision conflict Fm: Teresa Warsop 75300,1174 To: michael payne 70164,3333 Michael, Yes, I'll let you know. Teresa Warsop CPS - Tech Support There is 1 Reply. #: 8623 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 03-Jul-91 10:21:09 Sb: #8331-Ultravision conflict Fm: Jeff Garbers 76004,232 To: Teresa Warsop 75300,1174 Teresa - I'd also like to know when the UV conflict is resolved. I've gotten pretty good results using /NF and configuring for color text rather than graphics. The only one I haven't been able to work around is switching from text to graphics while viewing .PCX files in PCSHELL... returning from the graphics, the attributes are all there, but there aren't any characters! Thanks /// JPG #: 7986 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 09:35:12 Sb: SI hangs machine Fm: Bruce O'Neel 72737,1315 To: Jim Betts 72017,470 (X) Interestingly, I had the exact same symptoms on an IBM PS/2 M25 with MS-DOS 5.0 when I ran SI from the PCTOOLS menu, but when I ran it from the C: prompt it ran fine.... bruce There is 1 Reply. #: 8129 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 18:15:21 Sb: #7986-SI hangs machine Fm: Jim Betts 72017,470 To: Bruce O'Neel 72737,1315 (X) Thanks for the tip, Bruce, but I tried running SI from the command-line prompt and still got to crash city the short way. I'm really puzzled, especially since SI runs just fine on my 80286 laptop. Oh, well, maybe I'll win the sweepstakes and be able to afford hardware with a "3" or "4" in the model number... Jim There are 2 Replies. #: 8448 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 19:34:52 Sb: #8129-SI hangs machine Fm: Ben Charron 72540,1155 To: Jim Betts 72017,470 (X) Jim, Some PS/2's are not 100% IBM compatible ! I have noticed some documentation for other products which advise different procedures and incompatibilities with PS/2's. Regards, ...Ben #: 8581 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 03-Jul-91 00:27:15 Sb: #8129-SI hangs machine Fm: David Goudie 72537,13 To: Jim Betts 72017,470 (X) Jim, I saw another msg here that referred to your (our) problem with SI. It was suggested to try a program on the IBMSYS area of CS. It's called lowfix.zip. It is a patch for SI and any other PCT v 7.0 programs that run from the DOS line and seem to be in an executable .zip format. (PK-Lite). I d/l it and it does patch and SI causes no more problems here. I also used it on several other problem children in this package and it solved their problems too. Th problem seems to be in memory conflicts stemming from the zip algorythm and what it does. Central Point needs to look into this and do a fix. (Hope they're reading this.) They also need to be aware and recommend it to us poor customers who are debugging their product for them. With all due respect to fine people and a fine product, it looks more and more like competitive pressures are giving us a beta version. There is 1 Reply. #: 8637 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 03-Jul-91 12:33:30 Sb: #8581-SI hangs machine Fm: Jim Betts 72017,470 To: David Goudie 72537,13 Thanks for the advice. As it happens, I got SI running by doing a reinstall and resetting some of the Datamon parameters, but don't ask me why it worked. Re. your beta-test comment: I think Central Point wanted to make sure that PCT7 hit the market at the same time as MSDOS5 (remember the extra mailing?), and may have rushed things a bit. Jim #: 8467 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 20:10:53 Sb: SI hangs machine Fm: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 To: Jim Betts 72017,470 (X) Jim, Actually we rarely if ever delete any messages, but the traffic has increased so dramatically that the messages scroll off after about 48 hours. This brings me to my apology. I'm sorry that we didn't get a reply out to you. For SI on your system, what results do you get if you run the program with a /NOVID on SI's command line? This will disable the extended video checking, and I've seen other cases where this was needed. If that is of no avail, do you have an Expanded memory board in the system, or have you upgraded the RAM to bring the machine up to 640k from a lesser amount? If so, are you sure that the speeds of all the RAM chips are the same? Thank you, Tim Elmer CPS Tech Support There is 1 Reply. #: 8634 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 03-Jul-91 12:29:26 Sb: #8467-SI hangs machine Fm: Jim Betts 72017,470 To: Tim Elmer 75300,1173 Tim, I tried /NOVID, with /NOLUCK! Anyhow, I figured things were bad enough to make a reinstall worth trying, so I did, this time changing a few of the Datamon parameters, and now SI works fine. If you can explain that, then try explaining why formatting a system disk from the disk menu produces a "Internal Engine Failure" message, while running format /s from the file list works just fine... Jim #: 7955 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 01-Jul-91 02:31:03 Sb: INSTALLATION Problem Fm: Bill Oudemolen 72740,2177 To: Teresa Warsop 75300,1174 Teresa, Been feeling bad for the "workout" you and fellow sysop's are getting. Just got V7...have V6. Computer is 286, AT clone, DOS 4.0, 40 meg. hard drive(Western Digital WD93044-A, IDE drive), 1.2 MB 5 1/4 floppy, 640 K memory, 384 K extended memory, 256 K video VGA. AUTOEXEC. BAT ECHO OFF SET COMSPEC=C:\DOS\COMMAND.COM VERIFY OFF PATH C:\DOS;C:\PCTOOLS MIRROR C: /TC PROMPT $P$G CER \IMOUSE PCSHELL and, CONFIG.SYS BREAK=ON FILES=20 LAST DRIVE=E SHELL=C:\DOS\COMMAND.COM /P /E:256 buffers=16 And...I can't install V7 Every time I try, it hangs the system, plus, does something to make it impossible to get back to original PCSHELL. So, I have to run SETUP from V6 before I can get shell back. It's a mystery to me. And I am no wizard in this field. I love V6, but have anxiously awaited V7. Can you help? Thanks, Bill There is 1 Reply. #: 8517 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 22:04:58 Sb: #7955-INSTALLATION Problem Fm: Edward C. Mack 76234,1020 To: Bill Oudemolen 72740,2177 (X) I need help also with installation. I have a Tandy 1000SX with a Seagate 84 meg SCSI drive. When I get to the part where I 'skip' windows, I'm told that the drive is being analysed. The keyboard then locks up. Only way to reboot is to hit the reset button. I was successful with the installation at work (both copies purchased for the record) and haven't used it much at all yet. I have the same drive as home. When I checked the system I was told that I have 2 floppies, 1.2 and 1.44 meg which is correct. I was told that I have 2 hard drives, C and D. I was also told that I have 'another' drive. Actually, the 84 meg drive is divided equally into C, D, and E. Something seems wrong here. I really like the new look and features and would like to start using ver. 7, but I can't at home and am not sure if I should at work. Thanks for any help. -Ed Mack There is 1 Reply. #: 8535 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 02-Jul-91 22:25:28 Sb: #8517-INSTALLATION Problem Fm: Bill Oudemolen 72740,2177 To: Edward C. Mack 76234,1020 (X) Ed, Someone told me to remove PC Cache from V6 and try to install. I did and it worked. However, I am having trouble with undelete. And in my opinion, V7 is not as USER FRIENDLY as V6. I may reinstall 6. I'm actually pissed off. And...I still haven't heard from Tech Support after six days! Bill There is 1 Reply. #: 8638 S2/PC Tools V7 ú 03-Jul-91 12:34:11 Sb: #8535-INSTALLATION Problem Fm: Edward C. Mack 76234,1020 To: Bill Oudemolen 72740,2177 Bill, I didn't have PC Cache activated. It still won't install onto my Tandy 1000SX's Seagate HD. Fortunately, I kept version 6 on each of my PC's. I only changed the name of the subdirectory to install 7. I hope 'someone' is listening and I hope we will all receive 7.1 (free) that fixes all these bugs. -Ed Mack #: 8525 S7/Suggestions for R&D ú 02-Jul-91 22:16:29 Sb: PC Tools v 7.5 ideas Fm: R. Chris Cowles 73347,2452 To: sysop I've gotten PCT 7 working fairly well, but haven't tried getting everything back into UMB's with QEMM. That said, I have some suggestions for the next release (which will be soon, I hope). 1) Put Z-modem into Desktop Modem Telecommunications. 2) Make the screen blanker work in DOS Graphics modes as well as Windows. Since Commute, as well as other programs, requires your keyboard driver in Windows, this shouldn't be difficult. 3) Give me my text editor back in PC Shell. I really don't appreciate waiting for Desktop Notepad to load, just to edit a batch file. 4) Make the ShortCut Keys available with Version 7 menus, if loaded as a Function key. I currently have F6 configured to toggle Short Cut Keys. With V7 menus configured, F6 does nothing. In my opinion, it should disable the speed search functions available in V7. I *like* the speed search, but also like Short Cut Keys. It would be nice to toggle between the two. 5) I use PC Shell as a menu (ie, display Program List Only). When changing colors, I can't seem to get the Main and sub menus to display the same colors as the PC Shell function menus. Where do I vary that, if anywhere? Can this get fixed? 6) When using Program List Only, with descriptions displayed, hit home and end and few times. Watch what happens with the descriptions. They don't change as the menu selections do. Arrows work fine, but home and end don't. Please fix it. I'm sure I'll have more in the future. This note isn't written with *too* much irritation, but I honestly feel this product really wasn't ready for the market. Chris Cowles Houston, TX There is 1 Reply. #: 8575 S7/Suggestions for R&D ú 03-Jul-91 00:19:18 Sb: #8525-PC Tools v 7.5 ideas Fm: Hopkins 70054,745 To: R. Chris Cowles 73347,2452 I would really like to see a few more file viewers for graphics formats, GIF for example!!!. And I hate reverse Polish notation calculators. How about making your calculator like the one from the Word Perfect Shell? #: 8047 S7/Suggestions for R&D ú 01-Jul-91 13:24:10 Sb: The NEXT Pctools Fm: Elias Davis 71725,706 To: Dave Marsh 72510,2326 (X) Dave, I appreciate the time you've taken to give me your answer, but I think there's a touch of arrogance in it. You can't really believe that users of less than state of the art computers should be consigned to the rag bin of old software because they don't constantly upgrade their hardware. I made a simple comment that I think CPS screwed up by limiting one's ability to trim out the aspects of the software one doesn't need. Even if I had all the disk space in the world I *wouldn't want the calculators taking up room on my disk*! I don't use them. I'm sure others don't use them. V. 6 allowed me to get rid of them. V 7 doesn't. I think that's a mistake. If you don't think so, fine, but I find your comment about the file list a bit patronizing. Just a bit. You're probably a sweet fellow. I love CPS. I will continue to support CPS, but I think there should be some awareness that there's a large user base out there that doesn't care for GUIs, doesn't have state of the art hardware, but would still like to take advantage of software advances as they become available. Elias There is 1 Reply. #: 8185 S7/Suggestions for R&D ú 01-Jul-91 21:04:35 Sb: #8047-The NEXT Pctools Fm: Dave Marsh 72510,2326 To: Elias Davis 71725,706 (X) Elias, I'm sorry if you felt my response was arrogant -- it wasn't intended to be so. But yes, I truly do feel that, given the pace of hardware evolution, software developers must necessarily move away from older hardware. Yes, much of today's software can "run" on anything from an 8088 to an 80486, but it certainly won't run equally well on all platforms. Why, then, should PCTools 7.0 be any different? If it weren't riddled with so many problems, it, like its predecessors, would be a wonderful program. I agree with someone's comment that several of the features that once were simple have been obscured in the menus; hopefully, those minor annoyances will be remedied. The other side of the coin is that version 7 has added quite a bit. You don't have to install it all, but if you want it, it's there. BUT, if you want it, and your hardware (i.e., hard drive capacity) doesn't support it, I see no alternative but for you to upgrade your hardware. If you thought my previous message was arrogant, you're gonna think this is downright rude, but let's face it: a 12 MHz 286 with a 20MB hard drive is not exactly a state of the art configuration. I'd guess you probably have something like a 65 ms Seagate ST-225. That worked when you got it; it obviously won't any longer. For a couple hundred $ you could upgrade to a 40- or even 80-MB drive and double your throughput (or better) in the process. As for pointing out the file list: I did that only because I thought you might not have run across it yet. After all, the documentation is somewhat voluninous! IOW, I was just trying to help, which is what I thought these fora were all about. I can't imagine how that came across as "patronizing." Dave There are 2 Replies. #: 8420 S7/Suggestions for R&D ú 02-Jul-91 17:10:30 Sb: #8185-The NEXT Pctools Fm: Elias Davis 71725,706 To: Dave Marsh 72510,2326 (X) Dave, All you say is true about my machine and about programs becoming more complex. However, the purpose of this forum is to make one's feelings known regarding software and to get advice on its use. I'm a user who finds the program disappointing for the reasons I outlined. My guess is it's of interest to Central Point. I don't think you'd question the argument that it would be possible for a software company to outrun the technology of the market. To write programs which would only work on a 486 machine today would be foolhardy. I have a feeling there are others out there like me who still have equipment like the seagate ST - 225 -- you were right on the money with that -- which, in your opinion, doesn't work. If enough of us have this equipment as opposed to network terminals or whatever they're called or high powered work stations or 386 33 mhz machines with 100 meg 17ms hard drives then Central Point might want to consider some options such as keeping the desktop calculator files discrete so that some of us can delete them. Seems simple to me. If they decide otherwise that's their decision and I'll have to make my choices. By the way this AT type doesn't run at 12 mhz. It runs at 10. Elias There is 1 Reply. #: 8501 S7/Suggestions for R&D ú 02-Jul-91 21:36:55 Sb: #8420-The NEXT Pctools Fm: Dave Marsh 72510,2326 To: Elias Davis 71725,706 Elias, To be sure, it would indeed be foolish to write programs that will only run on a 486. Just about any program you can buy off the shelf will "run" on your machine. It's just that they will run less well; in some cases far less well. That's a simple fact of life. You'll also agree that as these newer programs add functionality, the get bigger. When you consider all that PCT7 does, 6.5 MB isn't all that much. I mean, WordPerfect 5.1 takes more than 3 MB, and it just does word processing. I do agree that it would be nice if you could be more selective in deleting files you don't need. But maybe you should be asking yourself the question I've been asking myself for the last couple of days: I already have pcAnywhere (which works), so I don't need commute; I have Spinrite (which works), so I don't need the new Diskfix; how many times does one need to be told that his system is umpteen times faster than an IBM PC (who cares); I already have CPAV (which works), so I don't need VDefend; I don't use Desktop *at all*; and so on. In short, are there that many neat and wonderful *new* features in this release to make me want it at all. I was delighted with PCT6 (yes, I would love to be able to prune and graft directories across drives and delete a directory without first having to delete all its files -- oh, well). Maybe I'll just stick with it. That way I save space and aggravation. (And $49! ) After seeing this release, I definitely agree with those who have suggested a "PCT Lite." Dave #: 8452 S7/Suggestions for R&D ú 02-Jul-91 19:35:35 Sb: #8185-The NEXT Pctools Fm: Ben Charron 72540,1155 To: Dave Marsh 72510,2326 (X) Dave, I just picked up on the message exchange between yourself and Elias about 'state-of-the-art' hardware. Hardware technology progress has been running rampant in the past few years and prices for bigger stuff is going down. A few years ago a PC with a 10MB hard drive and 640K of memory could cost you more than $2,000. That same money will now get you a nicely configured 386sx. Problem is, not everyone can justify upgrading hardware, home or business. It is an expensive touch. Software back then was tight, well-written and optimized to run like a hot dam on an 8088. Today, I'm afraid the rush to market and 'portability' has resulted in less than impressive performance of the programs and their ever increasing size, not to mention bug problems. When I first got PCTOOLS, it came on one, yes one, diskette and did what it was supposed to do - uncomplicated and solid. Version 7 comes on 7 diskettes (5.25") and can use up more than 6MB on the hard drive. I've whittled that down quite a bit by using only the standalone modules and not using PCSHELL or DESKTOP or the Windows apps. But I must admit that this version looks pretty shaky. What would really be nice is to see all this stuff go back to (oh no!) assembler to make them small and fast again. I have a 386/25 with 4MB and an 80MB drive (now full) and would welcome smaller. Every product now seems to take 2 to 6 meg off my disk - like Windows 3.0 (5.5MB), Excel (2.5MB), DOS 5.0 (2.5MB), FoxPro (3.5MB), WordPerfect (3MB), Ami Pro (2MB), Paradox 3.5(4MB), SuperBase 4 (2MB), Perform Pro (2MB), etc, etc... (Yes, I'm a developer!). I will soon have to get a 200MB drive just to keep up with the bigger upgrades to those products and THAT is hard to justify. But enough rambling, maybe someone out there will listen and ..... Regards, Ben There is 1 Reply. #: 8502 S7/Suggestions for R&D ú 02-Jul-91 21:37:05 Sb: #8452-The NEXT Pctools Fm: Dave Marsh 72510,2326 To: Ben Charron 72540,1155 Ben, I hear you, loud and clear. I have a 120MB drive and I'm screaming for space. Talk about big programs -- just one of Sierra's games can take up 4-5 meg! And have you tried Borland C++, yet? 11, count 'em, *11* 3.5" disks, over 15MB. I'm saving up for a 44MB external Bernoulli so I can keep all this stuff on separate platters. I'm inclined to agree that software developers today may be relying too much on peppy hardware to make their software look good. But I can honestly say I don't ever remember *anything* that ran "like a hot dam" on my 8088! Yes, I'm a developer, too. But if anyone *ever* seriously asked me to go back to assembler I'd quit in a heartbeat and take up real estate (and that's really saying something given the state of the housing market!). Dave There is 1 Reply. #: 8596 S7/Suggestions for R&D ú 03-Jul-91 01:30:36 Sb: #8502-The NEXT Pctools Fm: Gordon McComb 73155,353 To: Dave Marsh 72510,2326 Interesting comments in your two messages about the space requirements for WordPerfect and writing in assembler. The DOS version of WordPerfect is almost entirely hand-coded in assembler. Imagine the size it would be had they used something like C! For those three megabytes (which includes fatty-prone dictionary and hyphenation files) you do get a lot, even though the program is "only a word processor." I personally would be agreeable to a single utility package that takes up no more than 4M of my hard disk space. Eight megabytes is too much (it's actually more on my system, because I have a a single huge partition in my 336 MB drive, and the minimum cluster size is 8K; I run out of allocation units before my hard drive is full, and that's causes by so many blasted files...). -- Gordon ÿ