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1993-02-17
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The Windows Box
by John Martin, Madison PC User's Group Windows SIG Chair
Windows can run in three different modes. The three modes are
standard, real, and enhanced. Each of the three modes has there good
and bad points. Usually the good points outweigh the bad when we talk
about enhanced mode run on a properly configured computer. Granted,
working in Windows 3.0 at times caused some small problems when a UAE
(Unrecoverable Application Error) appeared on the screen. With the
release of version 3.1 we can rest a little easier. The problem of
UAE's has been virtually eliminated because of the fault tolerant
technology that has been incorporated.
There are also many undocumented features in Windows. The after-market
books can help you discover what they are. You could also drop by the
Windows SIG meeting in the Union South one hour before the general
meeting on the second Wednesday.
Some of the undocumented features that you can find are short cuts,
applications (small and useful programs) and time savers. Lets start
at the beginning. The modes that Windows will run in are:
Real Mode: is the least powerful, but the fastest of the three modes.
It is designed for Computers with only 640K RAM and those who have PC
and XT class computers (8088 and 8086 processors). The slow
performance of these computers makes them a poor platform to run
Windows on. Windows 3.0 will run on this class of machine but version
3.1 is not backwards compatible to this mode.
You will also be limited to pre-version 3.0 Windows applications.
These computers served us well and were ground breaking for their time.
If you are intent on running Windows a hardware upgrade should be in
your future.
Standard Mode: Windows automatically runs in standard mode on computers
with 80286 processors and 1 MB RAM. The actual requirements are 640K
base and 256K extended memory. In standard mode you can start as many
applications as you like, limited only by the memory you have. This
mode is faster than enhanced mode. Non-windows applications will run
only on a full screen.
Enhanced: This mode is also known as 386 enhanced because you need a
least a 80386SX to run in this mode. RAM requirements are 2 MB RAM
and 5 MB disk space. Enhanced is the most powerful of the three modes.
You can run more than one program at as time (multitasking) and you
are not limited to the amount of resident RAM.
Don't make the mistake of confusing task switching and multitasking.
Task switching, which occurs in standard mode, does not allow for
programs that you have started to process concurrently. Multitasking,
which occurs in enhanced mode, does allow for multiple programs to be
processed at the same time. Windows 3.1 running in enhanced mode can
create a virtual memory on your hard drive approximately twice what
your resident RAM. You can run non-windows applications in a window,
that is not full screen.
Switches: When Windows is started it will try to run in 386 enhanced.
If the requirements for enhanced mode are not present Windows will try
to run in standard mode. Finally, if the requirements for standard
mode are not present Windows will run in real mode. You can also take
things into your own hands by using switches on the WIN.COM command.
Some of the switches are:
Win /R forces Windows to start in real mode.
Win /S or Win /2 forces Windows to start in standard mode.
Win /3 forces Windows to start in enhanced mode.
If you want to save a little time when Windows starts up use:
Win :
or
Win ^@
(^@ = Ctrl+At, hold down the control key and tap the @ sign lightly
once.)
If you want to have a program start automatically type the program
name after
WIN:
WIN AMIPRO
You can also start the application with a document by using:
WIN AMIPRO WINBOX09.SAM
Now for a short learning device (test). (a) What mode will Windows be
in, and (b) what programs will be running when the following command
is issued?
WIN /3 : EXCEL MONEY.XLS
The answer is that Windows will start up in 386 enhanced mode,
bypassing the Microsoft advertisement for Windows. Once Windows is
running, EXCEL will load with the MONEY.XLS document ready for
processing.
The generic syntax for the WIN.COM command is:
WIN [mode] [program] [parameter]
("Mode" is the /R, /S, /2, /3 switches. "Program" can be a colon or
any executable program. "Parameter" is any parameter the program
supports or a filename.)