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-------------------------------------------------------------------
PowerStrip 2.76 Release Notes
October 31, 2000
-------------------------------------------------------------------
(c) Copyright EnTech Taiwan, 1995-2000.
HOW TO USE THIS DOCUMENT
========================
To view pstrip.txt on screen in Notepad, maximize the Notepad
window. To print pstrip.txt, open it in Notepad or another word
processor, and then on the File menu, click Print.
CONTENTS
========
LICENSE, REGISTRATION AND SUPPORT
POWERSTRIP DESCRIPTION
LIMITATIONS IN THE POWERSTRIP DEMO
INSTALLING AND CONFIGURING THE POWERSTRIP
UPGRADING THE POWERSTRIP
REMOVING THE POWERSTRIP
POWERSTRIP REFRESH RATE SUPPORT
NON-ADMINISTRATORS UNDER WINDOWS NT
NOTES ON SPECIFIC CHIPSETS AND DRIVERS
KNOWN LIMITATIONS
HISTORY
LICENSE, REGISTRATION AND SUPPORT
=================================
This version of the PowerStrip is shareware. You must read and
accept the terms of the legal disclaimer below before you
can use this software.
LEGAL DISCLAIMER - This software is provided "as is" without
warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including,
but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability
and fitness for a particular purpose. The entire risk as to the
quality and performance of the software is with you. Should the
software prove defective, you assume the cost of all necessary
servicing, repair or correction.
In no event will EnTech Taiwan be liable to you for damages,
including any general, special, incidental or consequential
damages arising out of the use or inability to use the software
(including but not limited to loss of data or data being rendered
inaccurate or losses sustained by you or third parties or a
failure of the software to operate with any other programs), even
if such holder or other party has been advised of the possibility
of such damages.
REGISTRATION - The PowerStrip can be purchased for US$29.95
through RegSoft's Registration Service. For on-line registration,
please follow the link at http://www.entechtaiwan.com/ps.htm.
Voice and fax orders can be placed by calling 1-888-REG-IT80 or
770-497-9126 (voice), or 1-770-497-9234 (fax). Please refer to
Product ID #3573.
SUPPORT - PowerStrip support is available from EnTech Taiwan via
Internet e-mail addressed to support@entechtaiwan.com. Program
updates are made available over the Internet at
http://www.entechtaiwan.com.
POWERSTRIP DESCRIPTION
======================
The PowerStrip is a desktop enhancement and display control utility,
specifically optimized for use with current and future 32-bit versions
of Microsoft Windows. The PowerStrip works in conjunction with your
display driver and graphics hardware, supporting on-the-fly color depth,
resolution, and refresh rate switching, user-defined presets, program/
shortcut associations, an optional toolbar, graphics system information,
screen saving, power management, cursor controls, color correction, and
extensive monitor support. A full description of PowerStrip features
can be found in the online documentation.
LIMITATIONS IN THE POWERSTRIP DEMO
==================================
The PowerStrip Demo is fully functional, but will randomly discard
your preferences from one session to the next. The single exception is
DPMS settings, which are maintained but stay in effect for only 30
minutes. Licensed versions of the PowerStrip do not display the
"PowerStrip Demo" splash screen on start-up, and - naturally -
save and restore all your preferences.
INSTALLING AND CONFIGURING THE POWERSTRIP
=========================================
To install PowerStrip, you must have a PC running Windows NT/2000 or
Windows 95/98, and a graphics card or monitor specifically approved for
use with the PowerStrip. These instructions assume that you have already
successfully installed the very latest display drivers provided
by your graphics card manufacturer or by Microsoft.
NB: The PowerStrip is NOT designed for use with proprietary display
drivers and/or firmware which deviates significantly from the chip
vendor's reference designs.
To install PowerStrip software, carry out the following steps:
1. Run the included Setup program. Or to install manually, right-click
the file pstrip.inf file using the Windows Explorer, and then click
Install.
2. Run the PowerStrip from the PowerStrip folder in the Start menu and
double-click the PowerStrip icon on the system tray, or select
PowerStrip configuration... from the PowerStrip popup menu or
toolbar.
3. Select color depth, resolution and refresh rate combinations of
your choice and drag-and-drop on Preset button to save settings,
or on monitor image to preview settings.
To remove the PowerStrip from your computer, select the Add/Remove
option from the Control Panel, and select "PowerStrip (remove only)"
from the list. Detailed instructions follow below.
UPGRADING THE POWERSTRIP
========================
When you upgrade the PowerStrip from an older version, all your presets
and associations are preserved, but custom monitor information and
refresh rates will be lost. This is a deliberate safety precaution. There
is no need to uninstall an older version of the program prior to upgrading.
REMOVING THE POWERSTRIP
=======================
To completely remove the PowerStrip from your system, follow these
steps:
1. Open the Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs applet, and select the
"PowerStrip (remove only)" option from the list.
2. Re-install your display drivers to ensure that driver registry
information has been restored to its original state.
3. Re-confirm your Windows monitor type (under Windows 95/98/NT5) to
ensure that monitor registry information has been restored to its
original state.
4. If you have a secondary 3D accelerator (e.g., PowerVR PCX1/2, Voodoo
Graphics or Voodoo II card), re-install the drivers for this device.
POWERSTRIP REFRESH RATE SUPPORT
===============================
The PowerStrip may include extensive refresh rate support which goes
far beyond the level of support provided by the chip vendor's BIOS and
drivers. However, this additional support requires that the PowerStrip
be running. Since the PowerStrip will, of course, be loaded after the
Windows desktop appears, Windows will first start up at the closest
refresh rate supported directly by the driver, and only then switch to
a custom refresh rate (if enabled) when the PowerStrip loads. For
example, if you have a Rendition or Riva128 accelerator and have used
the PowerStrip to set the refresh rate to 150Hz, Windows will
typically startup at 120Hz (the closest rate supported directly by
Rendition and nVidia), and then switch automatically to 150Hz when the
PowerStrip loads.
NON-ADMINISTRATORS UNDER WINDOWS NT
===================================
By default, the PowerStrip provides direct hardware support under NT
only to administrators. Non-administrator access to the PowerStrip is
available by using the Setup program. Note that it is very important
to follow the Setup program instructions to the letter, to ensure the
PowerStrip is properly registered as a service. A registry patch to
facilitate non-Administrator use is available from the link below:
http://www.entechtaiwan.com/files/psntuser.zip (~25kb)
NOTES ON SPECIFIC CHIPSETS AND DRIVERS
======================================
AGP cards in general - Under Windows 95 you will need OSR2.1 (with USB
support installed), as well as a special VXD provided by your mainboard's
chip vendor. Many graphics card vendors are automatically installing Intel's
VXD driver with their display driver, but this will only work with Intel
core logic. If you have one of the several Socket 7 AGP boards from VIA, SiS
ALI or ETEQ, you will need to ensure you have the appropriate GART manager
installed.
AGP transfers - If you find you need to force AGP transfers to 1X for
purposes of stability, you can do so by adding the switch "/AGP:nX" to the
command-line or shortcut you use to launch the PowerStrip, where "n" is 1, 2
or 4. Fast writes and sideband addressing can be similarly turned on or off
with the switches "/SBA:nn" and "/FW:nn", where "nn" is either On or Off.
Note that many cards do not support dynamic adjustment of the transfer rate
and will crash, either immediately or on initiating AGP transfers.
Non-DDI compliant drivers - Some display drivers report support for
downloadable gamma ramps, when in fact this support is not implemented and
may result in a GDI illegal instruction error. To circumvent this
problem, you may need to manually add a "No-DDI=1" switch to the [Options]
section of the pstrip.ini file.
ATI - PowerStrip refresh rate support may not work with ATI cards under
Windows 95/98 unless you are using a Microsoft driver. Because of ATI's
PLL settling characteristics, programmable refresh rates are not supported.
Also note that all clock settings are critically dependent on the reference
oscillator, which can vary from one ATI board to another. If the PowerStrip
reports abnormally high or low clock speeds, please contact tech support
for instructions on how to fix this problem, which involves manually setting
the "OSC=n" switch in the pstrip.ini to match the oscillator on the card (e.g.,
"OSC=14" or "OSC=27").
S3 ViRGE/GX2 - PowerStrip TV output controls for the GX2 under NT
requires BIOS version 2.16.08 or a later release.
Voodoo Rush - The PowerStrip has been tested and approved for use
with the AT3D and AT25 only. While the program can detect earlier Alliance
chips like the AT24 and 6422, timing characteristics are likely to be very
different. BIOS version will not be reported.
Trident ProVidia 96xx - The PowerStrip is designed for use with the 3Dimage/
Blade3D series of chips. It is unlikely to work correctly with earlier ProVidia
96xx chipsets. Also, under NT, the PowerStrip may occasionally set an incorrect
custom refresh rate.
Cirrus Logic Alpine - The PowerStrip contains optimized code for the
5436/46 and 5480; earlier 5430/34/40 chipsets are also supported in API mode.
Intel740/752 - The PowerStrip should not be used with Asus drivers for
Intel chips, under Windows 95/98.
NVidia - Under NT, DPMS services may appear to work correctly, but be
unable to wake up with certain BIOS and driver combinations. Setting the
"Force DPMS" switch on the PowerStrip Trouble shooting page may fix this
problem. Suspend mode should not be enabled.
Dedicated 3D Acceleraters - PowerStrip support for dynamically switching
between primary and auxiliary D3D devices has been tested with 3Dfx Voodoo
Graphics I and II, and Matrox M3D/Videologic PowerVR cards only. Note that
for PowerVR support, you must be using driver release 4.0 or higher. If
you have a Voodoo card which uses proprietary drivers, a special undocumented
switch may need to set before you can safely change the default D3D device.
3dfx cards - Banshee drivers will normally overwrite Voodoo I/II
Glide files with Banshee files of the same name. In the event, you can use
the "Disable Banshee Glide support" option on the PowerStrip 3Dfx page, and
then proceed to re-install your Voodoo drivers. From that point on you can
safely switch between Banshee and VoodooI/II Glide support from within
the PowerStrip. Note also that PowerStrip clock support mirrors the
native registry support provided by the drivers. Changes take place in real-
time, without restarting, and are also written to the registry where they
will be read by the display driver. As a reult, you should always reset the
clocks to their default values before un-installing the PowerStrip.
KNOWN LIMITATIONS
=================
Icon Corruption after Changing Color Depth On-the-fly
-----------------------------------------------------
Under Windows 95 it is possible that icons (even PowerStrip icons)
may be corrupted after switching color depth dynamically.
Multi-language Support
----------------------
Some of the translated text strings may be either too long or less than
accurate. If you encounter a translation error and/or can suggest a
more accurate or abbreviated translation, we would appreciate your
input. Naturally, we apologize in advance for any translations that
are inaccurate. Translations are not available for extended Plug and
Play monitor information.
BSoD/Crash under Windows 2000
-----------------------------
If starting the PowerStrip results in a BSoD, you may need to create
or edit the pstrip.ini in your WinNT directory, and add a "Mechanism=2"
switch to the [Options] section. An attempt is made to do this
automatically, but to be sure you should check to ensure the switch
is present before running the PowerStrip again.
ACPI Problems under Windows 2000
--------------------------------
If you find that the PowerStrip prevents Windows from switching into a
power-saving state, you may need to disable the hardware keyboard monitor
on the PowerStrip Trouble Shooting page.
Screen Saver under Windows 2000
-------------------------------
The pstrip.scr screen saver is a compact, "lite" version of the
EnergySaver, which is free to all registered PowerStrip users. The
EnergySaver can be found here: http://www.entechtaiwan.com/dpms.htm.
HISTORY
=======
2.76 - 31/10/2000
Maintenance release - R128 MAXX compatibility fix
2.75 - 20/09/2000
Validated with 6.2x Detonator drivers
Trapped phantom devices on bus
Added display cache device info
2.74 - 27/08/2000
Beefed up diagnostic module
Isolated but could not trap D3 NVDISP bug
Improved multimonitor ID
Patched around VIA sub-class code bug
2.73 - 20/08/2000
Maintenance release - NVidia D3 compatibility fixes
2.72 - 28/07/2000
Maintenance release - several small bug fixes
2.71 - 23/07/2000
Added preliminary Radeon support
2.70 - 15/07/2000
Revised VSA100 support for quad configurations
Fixed DOS compatibility problem under Win2K
2.69 - 17/06/2000
Upped NV DDR default ceiling to 420MHz
Fixed up ATI MAXX CLKDAC sychronization
Added support for 3dfx custom resolutions
2.68 - 04/06/2000
Upped NV DDR ceiling to 450MHz
Fixed memory detect problem with 64MB cards
Fixed docs/embedded font problem
Fixed NT5 installation drive problem
Bumped gamma hotkeys to provide +/-5 clicks
2.67 - 20/05/2000
Qualified AGP config against master and target
Fixed up Internet keybrd conflict
2.66 - 12/05/2000
Disabled ICH check
Enabled 1080i NV support
Upped NV15 core clock range
Corrected NV Windows 2000 driver switches
Corrected S2K clock routines
Revised keybd hook
Fixed to scan multiple PCI buses
2.65 - 26/03/2000
Added visual controls for AGP run-time configuration
Sync'd screen saver with EnergySaver 2.0
Sync'd multimonitor support with MultiRes 1.16
Added W2K 3dfx & ATI R128 driver switches
Added V/H sync off support for Number Nine T2R4
Rewrote Tseng PClk calculator
Fixed broken monitor/refresh selection
Added NVidia overlay gamma control (disabled)
Added NVidia interlacing support (disabled)
Upd - added gamma mini-toolbar
Upd - maintenance for non-admin users, etc.
Upd - monitor support fix
2.64 - 15/02/2000
Fixed up W2K installer
Fixed up 3dfx screen saver anomoly
Fixed up gamma compatibility with Word 2000
Fixed up broken Matrox sync support
Optimized application launcher
Added desktop icon management for Win9x/ME
Added W2K D3D driver switches for 3dfx, 3dlabs and ATI R128
Added W2K OGL driver switches for NVidia
Enhanced AGP configuration routines
2.62 - 03/02/2000
Added explicit support for Rage128 Pro and MAXX
Added undocumented support for forced GeForce pclk scaling
Patched around Neon250 and T2R4 VESA calls
Added composite sync switch for ATI
Added sync-on-green switch for Number Nine
Fixed up compatibility issue with W2K ACPI
Rewrote screen saver message handler
Added HW support for NeoMagic color correction
Revised ATI access mechanisms
Validated with Windows Millennium and Win2K RTM
2.60 - 12/31/1999
Full support for Windows 2000
Fixed ATI Rage support under W2K
Finalized Savage2000 support
Added full Number Nine T2R4 support
Improved GeForce256 DDR support
Fixed Rendition CRTC calculator
Tapped NV Detonator drivers to provide custom resolutions
Fixed Intel/Real3D LUTDAC support under NT and W2K
Raised clock ceiling for TNT2 M64
Added command-line switches for vsync and AGP bus configuration
2.54 - 10/28/99
Validated with NT4 SP6
Fixed resource leak in 2.53
Added transparent NV 2.x and 3.x driver switch support
2.53 - 10/23/1999
Fixed Voodoo3 LUTDAC support under NT
Added preliminary Savage2000 support
Added GeForce256 DDR support
Broadened range of in-game gamma hotkeys
Added custom refresh rates for P3/R3 under NT
Added R/O CRTC timing details to screen adjustment screen
Added multimonitor on/off support to associations and presets
2.52 - 10/10/1999
Added Voodoo3 LUTDAC support for video overlays
Revised Savage4 clock support
Raised clock ceiling
Updated monitor database
Improved Windows 2000 B3 support
Added preliminary GeForce256 support
Impoved P3-Oxygen/VX1 routines
Tapped MGA PD to provide custom resolutions
Added sync-on-green for Matrox & 3Dlabs
Broadened range of color controls
Added Desktop support for DX modes
2.51 - 06/24/1999
Added prelimary i810, SiS620 and VIA MVP4 support
Restored SiS6326 VCLK and MCLK support
Fixed up Voodoo Graphics gamma
Revised 3dfx, Intel, Matrox, S3, NVidia, Rendition VClk
Validated Windows 2000 Beta3 RC1 support
Beefed up Blade3D support
Added i752 and G400 support
Revised Intel and MGA VClk routines
Fixed up TNT clock support
Added V3 custom refresh rates at up to 2046x1536
Added undocumentated support for <60Hz refresh rates
Enabled gamma controls by default
2.50 - 05/31/1999
Added Rage128 and Voodoo3 support
Added vsync switch for i740
Fixed non-US time format conversions
Added memory recovery hotkey
Fixed V3 22 bit switches and NT LUTDAC support
Revised NVidia VClk, MClk and NVClk routines
Padded V3 VClk routine
Replaced DX properties menu link with Performance link
Resolved reappearing toolbar issue
Validated TNT2/Vanta/Savage4 support
Fixed Rage3D SClk error
Altered NT installed service detection
Rewrote VClk routines for all S3 chips
2.40 - 03/13/1999
Added Banshee and NVidia support for 56Hz
Added DX hotkey support for color correction w. alternate modifiers
Fixed Banshee blank screen after closing screen saver
Reduced level of hardware support for SiS6326
Changed i740 refresh rate implementation
Added some LCD portrait-mode support
Changed installation
Added support for new V2K driver switches
Added more Savage vclk support (720xNNN)
Disabled HW support for NT5B3 Build 1946 (BSoD)
Added Blade3D support
Added dual MGA monitor support under NT4
2.35 - 01/20/1999
Added stand-alone DPMS screen saver for NT
Eliminated redundent register checks
Improved ATI support
Added command-line clock parameters
Added programmable TNT memory timings
Fixed up S3 CommandDMA and AGP aperture size switches
Added support for G200 1280x1024x32bpp at 85Hz
2.30 - 11/28/1998
Added color temperature control (RG:B ratio)
Updated monitor database and added best-match DDC routines
Bolstered NT DPMS routines with direct hardware calls
Re-instated aggressive memory timing option for nVidia chips
Revised MGA base address aquisition
Improved Glide switcher
Added Savage3D AGP texture size control
Changed default association method to CreateProcess/suspend
Added physical memory flush controls and methods
Added undocumented support for Obsedian and Pure3D2
Added full support for S3 LC2X
Validated NT5B2 multi-monitor support
Added Polish language support
Added programmable refresh rates for the P2 under NT
Added IE4 shell crash handler
Added LUTDAC support for TNT under NT
Reduced resource consumption
2.29 - 10/10/1998
Added LUTDAC support for TVP3026 (Permedia/1, Millenium, etc.)
Updated monitor database
Relaxed standard refresh rate some more
Fixed up TNT and Banshee memory size/type issue
Fixed G200 CREXT error
Added preliminary Glide switcher
2.28 - 10/06/1998
Reworked the AGP diagnostic report
Fixed up compatibility problems with NT5B2
Relaxed standard refresh rate support
Revised G200 clock support
Fixed AGP/PCI multi-monitor priority
Added IDirectDraw4 support
Improved Savage3D TV-out support
Added new method for screen positioning
2.27 - 09/25/1998
Moved color controls to the toolbar
Right-click on Info icon now brings up Performance page
Added BIOS code to support ATI chips
Prioritized LUTDAC over DDI support
Reworked the DPMS code to support NT security
Added TV-out for Savage3D (needs work)
2.26 - 09/20/1998
Added preliminary TNT and Banshee support
Fixed GX2 TV hotkeys and DuoView control
Revised and validated MGA G-series clock controls
Refined color calibration controls
2.25 - 08/18/1998
Revised monitor calc
Fixed V2k refresh rates
Added DPMS command-line support
Added DDC disable switch
Relaxed Riva memory timing optimizations
Added specific FPU code word support
Revised GX3 support and added D3D switches
Added G100 and G200 support
2.24 - 07/14/1998
Updated monitor database
Added some hardware support for ATI and Matrox
Improved 3Dfx support under Win98
Added support for flat panel controllers
Added timing optimizations for i740 and Riva
2.23 - 06/25/1998
Updated monitor database
Added support for 100MHz ZX parts
Added polygon mipmap support for Rendition ICD
Fixed CRTC/VClk conflict under NT
Expanded PCI latency support to cover all PCI devices
Revised monitor and cursor dialog boxes
2.22 - 06/12/1998
Added multi-monitor support
Optimized NT hardware calls
Improved (?) installation
2.21 - 05/30/1998
Added Savage3D support
Fixed up some Voodoo and PVR methods
Improved non-admininistrator support under NT
2.20 - 05/20/1998
Added DDI and CLUT color calibration
Revised Verite clock and other controls
Shifted some routines to secondary threads
Fixed compatibility problem with SiS 6326 NT driver
Fixed broken associations with color depth
Fixed GX2 PAL uder/overscan support
Added Voodoo support for NT
2.17 - 05/01/1998
Added 3Dfx Voodoo I and II controls
Revised D3D HAL selection
Revised NT DPMS support again
Added PowerVR controls
Revised RivaZX support
2.16 - 04/17/1998
Fixed up broken GX2 TV-out support
Revised 3Dimage and i740 MClk
Added I/O access to PCI configuration registers
2.15 - 04/12/1998
Added overview
Revised 3Dimage and i740 support
Reduced default monitor to 75Hz/48kHz
Added support for NV3T
Added PCI device enumerator
Moved some code to new pstrip.dll
2.11 - 03/21/1998
Added non-administrator support under NT
Revised DPMS support under NT
Fixed 3Dfx D3D bug under 95/98
Revised monitor override support
Changed Rendition methods under NT
Added support for Permedia P2v and P2a
2.10 - 02/26/1998
Initial shareware release
[..]
1.00 - 02/01/1996
Initial OEM release for Permedia