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Text File | 1997-02-25 | 14.4 KB | 334 lines

>>> This is the English version of agSI. If you want the German version, you should get it from where you got this in the file agsiXXXd.zip! SSSSS III S S I S I S I AAAA A GGGG G SSSSS I A AA G GG S I A A G G S I A AA G GG S S I AAAA A GGGG G SSSSS III G GGGGGGGGGGGGGGG SystemInfo English Version 1.2.2 Copyright (c) 1994-97 Andreas Grögel Brief Guide ~~~~~~~~~~~ >>> PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE FILE, AND THE FURTHER INFORMATION THAT CAN BE FOUND IN THE ONLINE HELP; should you have troubles (lock-ups) starting agSI, you can run AGSIHELP - this starts only the documentation without querying any information from your system. WHAT IS agSI? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ agSI is a system information tool running under DOS which gives hundreds of items of information about hardware/system, operating system, memory, software, and drives, for example - processor (incl. Pentium specific things), BIOS, BIOS extensions, PCI, Plug and Play, CMOS RAM, interrupt vectors - interfaces, graphics and sound cards, IRQ assignments - operating system version, system file tables, country settings, Windows modules (e.g. VxDs); with additional "Windows Services", i.e. a Windows program to get some info for DOS-agSI - DOS memory usage, EMS,XMS,DPMI etc. - mouse driver, many installed resident programs and operating system services and extensions (almost 100) - logical drives (A: to Z:) with many details, including directory tree, table of contents for CDs, and CD-ROM benchmark - connected hard disks, including benchmark and IDE drive detection, and SCSI host adapters and devices - disk cache and online compressor - configuration files from DOS and Windows - extensive and detailed online documentation (help system) - optional continuous updating of the information in the current window (where sensible) - some actions can be done (e.g. change date/time, disk cache settings) - memory dump window to browse through your systems (real-mode) memory - also offers formatting floppy disks - with higher capacity - batch mode to operate without interaction - option to print to COM1-4, LPT1-3, or a file - runs of course under several operating systems and versions, like MS-DOS, Novell DOS, PTS-DOS, a DOS session under Windows 3.1x, Windows 95 or OS/2 since version 2. I must admit that many of what agSI shows will be of no interest to average users, but useful for users with interest in internal stuff. IMPORTANT NOTES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The faultless working of agSI can, especially because several undocumented things are used, not be guaranteed, for there are many different system configurations possible. Should agSI crash on your system, try to localize the reason for the error, and notify my about it, for I cannot adapt agSI if you don't. I (THE AUTHOR) DO NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITIES OF ANY KIND! Not for the suitability of the program for any particular purpose, nor in particular for damage which may result from the use of the program or its documentation. By using this software, the user agrees to these conditions. Use agSI at your own risk. All trademarks belong to their respective owners. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Minimum: - an "IBM-compatible" computer with 80286 processor or better - MS-DOS from version 3.3 or so, or compatible - ca. 500 KB free DOS memory - runs also from floppy disk (but slow due to overlay use) Recommended: - 80386 processor or better [better said: at least a 486; in what times do we live?!?] - Mouse - sufficient XMS memory and/or cache to load the overlay part of the program - on hard disk, ca. 1.3 MB is needed SHAREWARE ~~~~~~~~~ agSI is distributed as SHAREWARE, i.e. you have to keep to the following rules: You may: - give the shareware version to anybody (taking only a fee for handling); this has to be done completely and unmodified (recommendedly the original ZIP archive files) - upload it to any BBS or software server, or put it on a CD-ROM (here also: completely); if the latter, it would be kind of you to inform me so I can keep track about how far agSI is spreading - use (test) it for a period of 21 days; if you want to use agSI after this period, you must register with the author, paying a small amount of money. You may NOT: - pass the full version, i.e. a registration code, to anyone, any way - use a single license on more than one computers, unless you make sure that only one at a time can be used. agSI is no "crippleware", i.e. there are no limitations to the shareware version; you are just being reminded about that by a window at startup and a blinking title line. REGISTRATION AND PRICING ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ = The registration fee is US-$ 23 or DM 30 for a single license. (Quantity orders: see online help) - You will then recieve a registration code (which consists of eight let- ters) which you enter along with your name in the Register dialog (in the main menu). (The name will be displayed in the background (visible when selected About); so if you want a different (nick-)name displayed there, tell me.) - This fee is guaranteed to remain the same up to Dec.31, 1997. - This registration is valid at least for all 1.x.x versions of agSI for DOS. - For the planned agSI for Windows 95 (native Windows 95 program, due out some time in 1997...), there will be special upgrade offers for registered users. (agSI for DOS will most probably be continued to be developed and updated, anyway.) = Normally, no disks will be sent; but if you want it that way, that's pos- sible, of course (price: US-$ 4 / DM 5 per disk; plus an additional $6/ DM 8 for postage&packing if outside of Europe). - This disk contains the same files as the freely distributable shareware version ─ as you just (once) have to enter the registration key. - Note that sending of the disk will be delayed until the next version is available if you already have the current one (which the order form tells) (unless you specify differently). - Also, by default only the English version will be on a disk; however, you can specify on the order form if you want only the German version, or both (on a single disk). = As payment you may either mail me a cheque (or cash), or you order ─ in- side of Germany only! ─ by C.O.D., which adds a DM 5 fee. - Credit cards: American Express, VISA, Diners Club, and Mastercard/Eurocard accepted! Note: Credit cards will be charged in DM at the current exchange rate. = You may also let me inform you about new "major" upgrades (by letter or ─ preferably ─ e-mail accessible from the Internet). = Please use the order form in ORDERFRM.TXT which you may print and mail to me, or (C.O.D./credit cards) e-mail to me. - Or use the online registration form on my WWW pages. PACKAGE CONTENTS AND INSTALLATION ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ agSI is distributed in ZIP archives, with the name AGSIxxxD.ZIP for the German and AGSIxxxE.ZIP for the English version; xxx means the version number. (Exception: you ordered agSI on a diskette from me.) As you are reading this file, you already have the files in an unpacked state; you should have the following files: AGSI.EXE - the program file AGSI.OVR - overlay program file AGSI.HLP - file for the online help AGSIWINS.EXE - the "agSI Windows Services" - starts agSI from Windows and offers some more information about Windows AGSI.PIF - PIF file for running agSI under Windows AGSIHELP.BAT - short batch file that runs agSI in DocMode (for viewing the online documentation only) README.TXT - this file WHATSNEW.TXT - lists what's new in this release (plus revision history for older versions) ORDERFRM.TXT - order form for registration AGSI-WWW.URL - URL for agSI's World Wide Web site ─ can be started under Windows 95/NT with Internet connection (maybe also Win3.1 with newer browser) to directly view the Web pages FILE_ID.DIZ - short abstract file for BBS use FDREAD.COM - TSR to allow DOS to read high-capacity floppies (taken from the FDFORMAT 1.8 package by C.H. Hochstätter, available as FDF18.ZIP from, e.g., SimTel in msdos/diskutil) Any other file you may find in your archive has been added by someone else; for instance, I do not distribute an AGSI.INI file. (The first two files are needed for agSI to run; strongly recommended is the help file.) You may place the files in a directory of your choice (but all in the same); during execution, the file AGSI.INI will be created which contains several settings; including the registration code - so don't pass it to someone else (without editing)! ! If you haven't received agSI from one of the places below (myself, my WWW pages, SimTel, c't BBS, CIS Benchmark, CSL), you should verify that you have the original version, or a version altered ("hacked") by someone - for this purpose, you can find a reference output of PKZIP (with CRC32 checksum) on my WWW page. START FROM THE COMMAND LINE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The command line of agSI has the following syntax: [d:\path]AGSI[.EXE] {[/|-]Option} with: d:\path is where agSI is located Option is one of the followin options (optionally with a preceding slash (/) or dash (-)): ? and H shows a brief help text DOC starts agSI in DocMode, i.e. you can only look at the online documentation, no information detection routines are executed (good if it hangs somewhere and you want to find out how to correct that). B Batch mode - see online help I disables usage of bright background colors U disables continuous updating of the info windows R Real mode only, don't use the few protected mode calls agSI can make to gather a little more information D runs agSI in debug mode: the amount of free heap memory is displayed in the lower right corner DX "eXtra Debug" displays what's done at startup (use this if agSI hangs before the main screen comes up) DW (AGSIWINS.EXE only) debug-mode for agSI\WinServ. The options I and U may also be set in the Options dialog in the main menu; these and other settings are stored in the AGSI.INI file, further information about which you may find in the online help. USING THE PROGRAM: see online help KNOWN BUGS: see online help REVISION HISTORY: see online help and WHATSNEW.TXT CONTACTING THE AUTHOR AND SOURCE OF NEW VERSIONS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My address: --NEW ADDRESS!-- Andreas Groegel Hesserweg 3 D-70374 Stuttgart Germany Internet e-mail: ag@studbox.uni-stuttgart.de and groegeas@cip.mathematik.uni-stuttgart.de Anyway, if you encounter any problem with agSI - as it is partially programmed very close to the hardware, this is pretty likely (I can't test hundreds of systems and configurations - or anything you don't like, tell me; only this way agSI can be more and more improved. New versions of agSI are available at the following places: (usually in the files agsiXXXd.zip (German version) and agsiXXXe.zip (english version)) - In the World Wide Web: info about agSI, download of the latest versions: http://www.mathematik.uni-stuttgart.de/CIP-WWW/Studierende/groegeas - on Simtel in the /msdos/sysinfo directory, *the* FTP server for DOS, which has many mirror sites, primarily oak.oakland.edu/SimTel. See msdos/filedocs/download.inf there for a list of official mirror sites, or ask your Internet access provider about the nearest (see also next item). (SimTel is also available on CD-ROM.) - Compuserve: in the library of the Benchmarks and Standards forum (GO BENCHMARK) - BBS of the German c't magazine: +49-511/5352-301 (analog), -351 (ISDN). - (German version only:) from the PD/shareware vendor Computer Solutions Software GmbH Postfach 1180 D-85567 Grafing Tel. 08092/5018, Fax 31727, BBS 84099; Btx *CSL# as CSL Number 10021 - Maybe on some BBSs around the globe ;-) -- this is, however, out of my reach, so ask the SysOp for a ne version if you discover an old one... - If you have no access to new versions the above-mentioned way, you can have me inform you about new major upgrades (see the order form ORDERFRM.TXT), and I can send you new versions then. Have fun with agSI! Andreas Grögel (The End)