>I've just gotten Remote Access BBS to properly handle incoming phone calls.
>Now, I've just discovered another problem. It seems that when I run RA_111 BBS
>in a Windows DOS window, windows tries to take over the COM3 port when I alreadyhave the X00 FOSSIL driver controlling that port. Windows gives me a sharing COM port error message and I have to manually type in 'N' so that Windows will
>not take control of the port.
>
>No, I can't sit on my computer all day to type that in whenever I get a call (
>(I get this message whenever a call comes in). Is there some way for me to
>prevent this sharing, such as setting Windows (just once) NOT to take over the
>COM3 port? Any help would be very appreciated. Setting up a PC BBS has been
>quite a work-out so far.
You might try running the BNU FOSSIL instead of X00. The .EXE file has more
control over the port, and therefor YOU have more control over the port. BNU
is also a bit more see-thru, whereas X00 often jumps right up and proclaims
"This is MY port, leave it alone!" and Windows doesn't appreciate it.
You also might try running BNU at the start of your window, like when you
open RA from Windows. With the .EXE file, you are allowed to load it at
any time, and likewise allowed to unload it when you don't need it anymore.
The X00 .SYS device driver (as well as BNU's device driver, if you should
use it) normally has to be loaded at boot-time, making it a lot less
flexible.
Another suggestion is to throw Windows in the trash and buy a copy of
DESQview. I have successfully been running QuickBBS under FrontDoor under
DESQview for several years. I have played around with Windows, but have
found the GUI to be bothersome, and the program as a whole runs extremely
slow without a lot of RAM -- and I like to use my RAM for Ramdrives.
Don't be afraid to call the Microsoft Customer Service 800 number. It's
not there for good looks on the Window's manual, you know, they expect
