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VBBS 6.11 Documentation -- B-1
╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ APPENDIX B RUNNING VBBS UNDER MICROSOFT WINDOWS 3.x ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
Running VBBS under Microsoft Windows <tm> 3.0 or 3.1 can
sometimes seem to be an impossible dream, but with a little twea-
king, it can not only be done, but done well enough to run two
high-speed remote nodes as well as a local login.
Minimum Requirements
════════════════════
For a single remote node and a local node, you'll need a
386DX/25 (or higher) CPU and an absolute minimum of four megs of
RAM. Performance improves dramatically with additional RAM (8
megs is recommended) and higher CPU speeds. For a two remote node
and local node, your machine should be a 386/33 with eight megs of
RAM (again, a minimum baseline).
Setting Up Your .PIF
════════════════════
The most critical single element is your .PIF (Program
Information File). The more care you use designing the .PIF, the
better your system will run. Below are suggested "starter" set-
tings for yours:
In Basic .PIF Setup
───────────────────
Program Filename: C:\VBBS\BBS.EXE
Window Title: VBBS Online
Optional Parameters: 1 (BBS.EXE commandline parameters go
here)
Start-up Directory: C:\VBBS
Video Memory: Text
Memory Requirements: KB Required: -1 KB Desired: -1
EMS Memory: KB Required: 0 KB Desired: 0
XMS Memory: KB Required: 0 KB Desired: 0
Display Usage: Full Screen
Execution: Background (selected)
Close Window on Exit: Yes (selected)
In Advanced Options
───────────────────
1) Multitasking Options:
Background Priority: 200 (400 for high-speed modems)
Foreground Priority: 200 (350 for high-speed modems)
Detect Idle Time: Yes (selected)
VBBS 6.11 Documentation -- B-2
2) Memory Options:
Lock Application Memory (selected)
3) Display Options:
(none)
4) Other Options:
(none)
In Windows Control Panel -- 386 Enhanced
────────────────────────────────────────
1) Device Contention:
See discussion on COMports, below
2) Scheduling:
Windows in Foreground: 200
Windows in Background: 1 (see Note 1)
Exclusive in Foreground: OFF (unchecked)
Note 1: This setting can be higher if you really need
WinApp activity in the background.
3) Minimum Timeslice:
10-12 (for 25 MHz CPUs)
8-10 (for 33 MHz CPUs)
6-8 (for 40+ MHz CPUs)
4) Virtual Memory:
This option controls Windows' "swap file" where it can
move inactive applications out of RAM and onto the hard
drive temporarily. It is imperative that you create a per-
permanent Swap File of 2-6 meg to speed any swapping ac-
tivity.
Select 32-Bit Access to maximize data transfer to and
from the hard drive.
--> IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are creating a Permanent Swap File
for the first time, be sure to optimize
your selected partition BEFORE you create
the Swap File!
5) COMports:
If you are running a 9600 baud or faster modem, be sure
to lock that port in Control Panel, Ports. Windows 3.1
will allow locking up to 19200 baud; if you are running a
FOSSIL driver (such as BNU or X00), you can safely lock
the FOSSIL at a higher rate without threatening your Win-
dows environment.
VBBS 6.11 Documentation -- B-3
Also, make sure you set Flow Control to "Hardware" for
high-speed modems.
6) Conflicts:
Often, computers ship with bizarre hardware configura-
tions, some with COMports 1 and 4 occupied by a modem
and a mouse. Make sure you do not introduce problems by
introducing a second modem on an already-occupied port
address or IRQ. Just because you have four COMports on
an ISA-bus computer doesn't mean you can use all four
without conflicts.
In Control Panel, 386 Enhanced, select "Never Warn" for
your active COMport. This will prevent Windows from
opening a "COMport Contention" dialog box when an online
user selects a game that does its own COM writes (thus
locking the port until you intervene).
Just make sure that you do not inadvertently attempt to
seize the BBS COMport for your own use from another window.
In SYSTEM.INI
─────────────
Under the heading [386Enh], add or modify the following
lines as necessary for your system:
COMxBuffer=1024 (where x is your modem port)
COMBoostTime=8
COMxFIFO=1 (where x is a port controlled by a
NS16550AFN buffered UART)
COMxAutoAssign=0 (where x is a "no conflict" COMport)
Additional Hints
════════════════
■ The use of a FOSSIL driver for the BBS can many times resolve
nagging problems with BBS-external programs, such as games.
Two widely used FOSSIL drivers in the BBS community are BNU
and X00. As discussion of FOSSIL drivers and setup is beyond
the scope of this document, please refer to the documentation
accompanying the drivers.
■ Since VBBS is DesqView-aware, consider using the small TSR,
DV2WIN.EXE. This utility will make a DV-aware program yield
unneeded time slices more readily under Windows. Also, in
VCONFIG set MultiTasker Awareness to the Windows/OS2 setting.
VBBS 6.11 Documentation -- B-4
■ Replace your DSZ protocol driver with the newer GSZ, which is
much better suited to sharing resources in a Windows environ-
ment. With a 14400 data transfer in background, DSZ effec-
tively locks the local user's window; with GSZ, the transfer
is barely noticeable.
■ Make sure all .PIFs for DOS applications have a Background
Priority of 1 and have the Exclusive Execution box deselected.
■ If at all possible, put your mouse on COM1 and your modem on
COM2. Avoid the COM1/4 or COM2/3 setups (and certainly do NOT
use COM1/3 or 2/4 together on an ISA-bus machine). Remember,
COM2 is serviced before COM1.
■ Avoid running the BBS in a windowed display, especially if
there are other windows open on the desktop. Video conflicts
can wreak havoc with the BBS!
■ Consider replacing Windows' COMM.DRV with one of several
after-market COM drivers, such as TurboCom (Bio-Engineering
Research Labs, Berkeley, CA) or, for multi-port COM cards
(such as the VBBS supported DigiBoard), W3COM9 (Cherry Hill
Software, Marlton, NJ).
■ Never be afraid to experiment with .PIF and Control Panel
settings. Your results are dependent on your machine, setup
and use of the computer.
╔═╗ Running VBBS under Windows can sometimes overwhelm you.
╚═╝ It CAN be done (and is being done by many SysOp's). Feel
free to ask questions in any of the VirtualNET support
subs; you may also want to consider carrying "Windows
Workshop" listed in the Subslist.
More Windows reading: Windows 3.1 Secrets, by Brian
Livingston (IDG Books Worldwide, San Mateo, CA)