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PC Direct 1996 January
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readme.txt
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1995-08-29
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====================================================
Skill Builder README - Optimizing CD-ROM Performance
====================================================
If you are experiencing sluggish performance from your
CD-ROM, here are a few suggestions to optimize your
system's performance. Optimizing your system's
performance will not only improve how NETG's courses
run, but also should improve the performance of any
other CD-ROM software products you may have.
=====================
For Windows 95 users:
=====================
When Windows 95 installs over Windows 3.X and DOS,
older drivers for devices such as your CD-ROM may not be
removed. This can result in much slower performance.
Drivers for most devices like CD-ROM drives are built
into Windows 95. You may need to remove references to
old drivers in your AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files
in order for Windows 95 to recognize your CD-ROM drive.
If you are unfamiliar with this procedure, please
contact your hardware manufacturer for assistance.
Many hardware manufacturers maintain support forums on
CompuServe, the Internet, America Online, etc. If you
have access to one of these services, you may want to
check there for updated drivers or procedures.
======================
For Windows 3.1 users:
======================
1. If you are not running DOS 6.0 or later, upgrade to
DOS 6.0. DOS 6.0 supports CD-ROM disk caching. (Disk
caching means storing frequently used files in the computer's
memory so that when they are needed the computer does
not have to search for them on the CD-ROM.)
2. If you are running DOS 6.0 or later and you are
experiencing sluggish performance with various CD-ROMs,
check whether your system is set up to use disk caching
with your CD-ROM drive. To do this please go to the DOS
prompt (DOS icon is in your MAIN group) and type,
SMARTDRV
and press the enter key. The SMARTDRV program will display
disk caching status information. Check that your CD-ROM
drive is included in the list. If it is in the list, your
system is configured properly.
However, if your CD-ROM drive does not appear in the list
you will need to change your system setup. To do this
please follow these steps:
(Please note, if you are familiar with the SysEdit tool
in Windows you can also use that tool to incorporate the
following edits.)
A. In your DOS window change to your root directory by
typing,
CD\
and then pressing enter.
B. Make a backup file of your AUTOEXEC.BAT by typing,
copy AUTOEXEC.BAT AUTOEXEC.BAK
and then press enter.
C. Edit the AUTOEXEC.BAT file by typing,
EDIT AUTOEXEC.BAT
and then press enter.
D. Find the line which has SMARTDRV.EXE in it. Copy this
line to the clipboard by highlighting it and then using
the Edit/Copy menu item.
Note: If your AUTOEXEC.BAT file does not include a line
with SMARTDRV.EXE in it, you will want to add one. Since
SMARTDRV varies with each version of DOS, we suggest you
refer to your DOS documentation for the correct statement
to add. Please refer to the rest of our steps here to
ensure you add your SMARTDRV statement in the proper
sequence within AUTOEXEC.BAT.
E. Find the line which has MSCDEX.EXE in it. Paste the
SMARTDRV.EXE line in AFTER the MSCDEX.EXE line. (To paste
a line, place your cursor at the beginning of the line
following the MSCDEX.EXE line and use the Edit/Paste menu
item.)
F. Go back to the original SMARTDRV.EXE line and insert
the letters REM followed by a space at the beginning of
the line.
G. Exit the editor by using the File/Exit menu item.
When prompted, save the file.
H. Close the DOS window by typing,
Exit
and pressing enter. Exit Windows and then re-boot your
computer. When your computer re-boots, please repeat step 2
to verify that disk caching is now enabled for your CD-ROM
drive.