PRAM-Reader reads and writes the original parameter RAM data and the extended parameter RAM data of the Macintosh in a file on a disk. You can make a backup of the content of your PRAM with PRAM-Reader and rewrite this backup back to your PRAM in case the content of the PRAM is lost or you would like to restore old settings in control panels.
About the parameter RAM
The parameter RAM is a small piece of storage where the Macintosh saves information, for example, about the blinking rate of the cursor. In the extended PRAM there are saved more technical informations, for example, the default AppleTalk zone or the hilite colour. If the battery which supplies the parameter RAM with power goes dead, the contents are lost. If a program crashes, it could write garbage into the parameter RAM, also.
How to clear and restore the PRAM ("Zap" the PRAM)
If the parameter RAM data is not valid, the macintosh might not start up. In this case, hold the command key, the option key, the "P"-key and the "R"-key down at startup. This deletes your parameter ram and should solve your problem, but your settings in some control panels are lost and revert to default. Now you can use PRAM-Reader to restore the old settings from your Backup-PRAM-file back into the parameter RAM. After a restart, your settings and those of the system software will be there again!
Using PRAM-Reader
When you start PRAM-Reader, a window with four buttons appears. The first one in the upper left corner saves the parameter RAM settings of your Macintosh on a (hard)disk. You should always have a disk with a copy of your actual PRAM-content and with the application PRAM-Reader at a safe place. The button in the upper right corner restores your parameter RAM settings from a disk file. Be careful! The entire old PRAM data will be lost. Changes are effective after a restart. The button in the lower left shows the “About...” dialog box. The button in the lower right quits PRAM-Reader. All commands can be accessed by the menus, also.
Thanks, Source Code, Address, Bugs, etc.
Thanks to Eric from Los Angeles at "EELEEL@aol.com" and Bob Eidson who corrected some of my mistakes in this file.
Thanks to Kiselyov Oleg at "oleg@ponder.csci.unt.edu" who helped me with the extended parameter RAM.
Please report to me any errors or bugs (in the documentation and its spelling, also).
Matthias Wuttke
Hilterweg 14
33803 Steinhagen
GERMANY
Internet: wuttke@stein.teuto.de
You can get the source code if you send me a disk and a self-addressed envelope. I can send it to you via e-mail, also. PRAM-Reader was developed with THINK Pascal 4.0.2 and ResEdit 2.1.3. It works fine with System 7, but it should work with older systems, too.
