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- Joe's OS/2 Tips.
-
- Number 7
-
- Written by Joseph Mckinnon (61:560/0@Worldnet)
-
- Downloaded from Proteus OS/2.
-
- Phone +61-7-800-3521
-
- Hours 24 hours a day
-
- Speeds 300-14400, MNP, V42Bis (NETCOMM)
-
- =========================================================================
-
- A] OS/2 ver 2.1 Beta (6.479).
- B] More DOS_SETTINGS.
- C] CONFIG.SYS Thingos.
- D] Removing Un-Delete able objects.
-
- Introduction.
- Well, what can I say, IBM seems to have decided not to release
- WinOS2 ver 3.1 as originally planned, and will release it along with
- OS/2 ver 2.1, on the 16th of March (that is if there are no serious
- problems in the betas, before then).
-
- The Flame of the Month
-
- IBM Australia requires a MAJOR Brain transplant, in that it seems to
- believe that OS/2 will succeed with out their help. In that there is
- very, very limited advertising, limited DAP support in relation to Beta
- drops, and other hassles. IBM Australia finally announced that they
- would give out the current beta, only a month after it had shipped on
- CD-ROM in the USA. Even then, they still didn't produce a CD-ROM
- version, but the same old floppy one. I think that IBM Management
- (Overseas) had better start re-arranging the Australian Management
- team, as they are simply standing to old traditions, in thinking that
- the only important things in IBM's domain (in Australia) are Mainframes.
- Ok Enough said, we can only hope for a change, before NT comes along,
- otherwise when MS starts to REALLY advertise NT, here, it will be
- noticed, even if the average user can't run it.
-
- ==================================================================
-
- OS/2 ver 2.1 Beta
-
- As usual, IBM has increased the space requirements of OS/2. The
- reasons are as follows from the New Features List, found in the new
- Readme file.
-
- The following new functions have been added
- since OS/2 2.0 was delivered:
-
- o Support for Microsoft** Windows** V. 3.1
- applications (WIN-OS/2* V. 3.1 replaces
- WIN-OS/2 Version 3.0)
- o Window-session support for popular Windows
- V. 3.1 and Presentation Manager* 256-color
- Super Video Graphics Adapters (SVGAs)
- o Support for additional popular printers
- o Support for additional popular small
- computer system interface-based
- (SCSI-based) CD-ROM drives
- o A fax program which allows you to send and
- receive a 1-page fax from your computer
- o Support for the Advanced Power Management
- (APM) specification
- o Personal Computer Memory Card International
- Association (PCMCIA) enabling for I/O
- devices
- o Enhanced enabling code for pen-based
- systems
- o Enhanced enabling code for multimedia
- applications
- o Support for OS/2 as an AS/400* client (with
- a PCSupport program)
-
- The following (Hand-typed, so excuse any Part number typos) is a list of
- SCSI cards, CD-ROM drives and SVGA drivers now supported directly by
- OS/2.
-
- CD-ROMS
- ManuFacturer CD-ROM Models
-
- Hitachi CDR-1650S, CDR-1750S, CDR-3650, CDR-3750
- IBM CD-ROM I, CD-ROM II
- NEC CDR-36,CDR-37,CDR-72,CDR-73,CDR-74,CDR-82,CDR-83,CDR-84
- Panasonic CR-501, LK-MC501S
- Sony CDU-541,CDU-561,CDU-6111,CDU-6211,CDU-7211
- Texel DM-3021,DM-3024,DM-5021,DM-5024
- Toshiba XN-3201,XM-3301
-
- SCSI Cards
- Manufacturer SCSI Adapter or Interface
-
- Adaptec AIC 6260
- AHA 1510,1512,1520,1522
- AHA 1540,1542,1544
- AHA 1640,1642,1644
- AHA 1740,1742,1744 (Standard & Enhanced modes)
- DPT PM 2011,2012
- Future Domain TMC-850,860,875,885
- TMS-1660,1670,1680
- MCS-600,700
- TMC-7000EX
- TMC-850IBM
- IBM PS/2 SCSI Adapter
- PS/2 SCSI Adapter with cache
-
- Video Cards
-
- ATI Technology VGAWonder
- CGA
- 8514/A
- EGA
- XGA
- VRAM II
- IBM VGA 256c
- Generic SVGA
- Trident
- Tseng Labs 4000 (Diamond Speedstars DIP Settings 1,2,4 Must be OFF)
- VGA
-
- Sound Cards (if it's bundled with MMPM)
-
- Creative Labs range
- Roland
- Adlib
- IBM Audio cards
- MORE on the way.
-
- Network Cards
- There are several Ethernet and token ring adapter drivers on the
- installation disks, I don't know what these do, as I haven't got a LAN.
-
- As you can see this is a pretty impressive list of new device support!
- And IBM states they will have more in the release! Dare I say it, IBM
- is really doing things right (except for IBM Australia).
-
- There appears to be little in the way of nasty bugs, except for the
- print spooler, which was caused by unfinished code. Plus the usual
- Swapper.dat problem.
-
- HOT TIP
- On installing a new level of OS/2, boot from a floppy and delete
- the SWAPPER.DAT file, as I suspect that OS/2 doesn't do this and
- tries to utilise the SWAPPER.DAT file and finds invalid code. This
- has occurred to me on several betas, so I believe that they don't
- actually init the SWAPPER.DAT file, but instead reuse it.
-
- ==================================================================
-
- More DOS_SETTINGS
-
- DOS_AUTOEXEC
- HW_NOSOUND
- HW_ROM_TO_RAM
- HW_TIMER
-
- DOS_AUTOEXEC
- Instead of running your Standard OS/2 Autoexec.bat, you can
- specify which Batch file is automatically loaded for that
- session. Handy if you have a massive environmental requirements
- for particular applications.
-
- HW_NOSOUND
- As it sound, will disallow MOST sounds from the PC speaker, made
- by dos programs. I say most, because there are some games
- around which can by-pass this, maybe something to do with BIOS
- and direct addressing.
-
- HW_ROM_TO_RAM
- Transposes your ROMs into RAM, for faster response. Ideally used
- on a system where you can configure your Shadow RAM off, and the
- BIOS will allow the memory used by Shadow RAM to be accessed by
- normal programs (more than I can say about my old box).
-
- HW_TIMER
- OS/2 Emulates the Hardware timer's ticking, and hence may cause
- hassles with sensitive DOS programs that rely on the hardware
- version. EG Games like Wing Commander 2 go a lot better with
- this turned ON.
-
- ==================================================================
-
- More Config.sys Thingos
-
- There are several SYS files that aren't really essential if you don't
- require them.
-
- VWIN.SYS For Windows. YucK!
- VCOM.SYS For DOS coms
-
- Some interesting drivers
-
- VNPX.SYS Emulates a Maths Co processor.
-
- Special Recommendation.
-
- Ray Gwinn's SIO coms driver is an essential is a must for any serious
- OS/2 coms user. It's much faster than the COM.SYS, that comes with
- OS/2, and is by far the best coms driver I have used to date under OS/2.
- Ray has also made a VSIO.SYS to replace the VCOM.SYS, which according to
- many sources has fixed DOS comms problem. I have included the latest
- beta in with these tips, for people who haven't had the chance to grab a
- copy.
-
- ==================================================================
-
- Removing Un-deletable Objects from the WPS
-
- Have you ever come across a Folder Icon which refuses to be deleted?
-
- If so, use the following method to remove it.
-
- Say the ill behaved folder is called NAUGHTY, and resides inside of
- the Folder "OS2 Tools".
-
- And your OS/2 system resides on a HPFS partition.
-
- Step 1.
- Start an OS/2 Command Line session.
- Step 2.
- CD "OS!2 2.0 Desktop"
- Step 3.
- CD "OS2 Tools"
- Step 4.
- DIR
- And you should see at least NAUGHTY listed as a Sub-Directory.
- Step 5.
- CD Naughty
- Step 6.
- Attrib -r -h -s *.*
- Step 7.
- Del *.*
- This removes any hidden, System or read only files.
- Step 8.
- If there are any sub directories, enter the sub directories and follow
- the above steps 6-8.
- Step 9.
- RD
- Remove any LISTed sub-directories from Naughty
- Step 10.
- CD..
- so that you have on your prompt something like
- [X:\OS!2 2.0 Desktop\OS2 Tools]
- Step 11.
- RD Naughty.
- Step 12.
- EXIT
- Step 13.
- Press the Right Mouse button and select Refresh
- ==================================================================
-
- The End
-
- Continuing with the Idea of Team OS/2, I have included a list of all the
- OS/2 applications I have available for request in this tips issue. This
- will give you something to look through, plus if you are a sysop of any of
- the listed networks, you can frequent these files.
-
-
- If you wish to contact me, about various topics I have covered, or if
- you have suggestions, the easy method is via a message in one of the
- following mail networks, in their OS/2 area.
-
- WORLDNET 61:6700/1
- INTLNET 58:1100/300
- FIDONET 3:640/830
-
- Or via SNAIL MAIL
-
- Joe's OS/2 Tips
- 540 Johnson Road
- Forestdale, QLD, Australia, 4118.
-
-
- Or via the BBS
-
- +61-7-800-3521
- Hours 0600-215 Australian Eastern Standard Time
- 1200-14.4k baud rates.
-
- Or Via VOICE
-
- +61-7-800-4447
-
- Most times I am around the phone, but the answering system will take
- care of you, otherwise. Sorry, I can't afford to return an international
- call.
-