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1994-10-19
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15 of august,1994
Overcontrol V1.0
----------------
0. Overview
-----------
This CLI tool fixes an annoying aspect of the Overdrive HDs:they're
truly fast,but they often (too often I think) freeze the other tasks during
long accesses...With OverControl you can avoid this,that's it!
INSTALLATION:Copy the OverControl file to your C: dir for example...
The Xovercontrol file is only an IconX script for those who'd like to run
from the Workbench.
1. The problem with Overdrives
------------------------------
Well,this proggy is dedicated to all those who own an A600/A1200 and
an Overdrive PCMCIA HardDrive.A well know fact is that these harddrives are
really fast..much faster usually than the internal IDE ones.OK it's really
nice to see your Workbench setup quickly,but there is a small disadvantage:
° Internal IDE use DMA channels,so the microprocessor is free to do something
else while the drive is working.
° Whereas Overdrives don't use DMA,and rely EXCLUSIVELY on the CPU,using 100%
of the machine-time...you have a fast processor?yeah!loading is even faster!!
BUT...BUT...We spoke of a 'Disadvantage' ,so what is it?? Well,as the Amiga
is a Multitasking machine,you may want to do something else while your
hardrive is scanning a big directory,or optimizing/repairing a partition....
Well,just try...the other applications are COMPLETELY frozen during disk
accesses,and they hang until the overdrive has finished ; Sometimes even,the
mouse pointer gets blocked (That means even input device is stopped !! Wow !)
I hate waiting 30 minutes in punishment,because I just dared to **TRY**
loading a file on AQ1: while AQ2: was being optimized!!
30 minutes with a FROZEN SYSTEM...except the HD led blinking!
30 minutes with a FROZEN screenblanker!! thanks for my screen!!!!
Another example
***************
I have configured a Key for swapping screens (Fkey commodity),and as I'm used
to a MULTITASKING machine since my old 1.3 A500,I sometimes have a bad reflex:
During a big directory scan/access,I try to swap screen to do someting else.
Aouch! No way! remember, old'boy:you have an OVERDRIVE! no way!! just wait....
Example #3
**********
You may think that people don't spend their days repairing/optimizing their
partitions...it's true.So there's a more common example:try to launch 2
progs,on the same partition,and watch...
Example #4
**********
If you have Eagleplayer,you know that at startup it may need sometimes,loading
players,and scanning a modulelist
During that time,you can't load anything else.(try)
And when you load a module,all your analyzers/vumeters BRUTALLY freeze...
2. So what ???
--------------
I could multiply examples,that would convince you or not,wether you have or
haven't noticed such annoyances caused by an OverDrive.Well,If you have,even
once,screamed 'Damn! Everything's blocked again' ,while a friend of yours 'd
say "hahaha...my IDE may be slower but ME,I still can control my machine!!",
I may have a solution:
OVER CONTROL just...CONTROLes (!) the OVERdrive speed,by adjusting
the Overdrive device/partitions priorities,so that they don't hang up
everything else.During 'normal' (single) disk accesses,the speed of your drive
will remain the same,except if you have a raytracing prog working in the
background!!...Well,the HD can be slowed by any other tasks,such as the
Eagleplayers analyzers etc,but don't be afraid,your HDspeed still won't look
like a Floppy's!! (if you load 2 files in the same time,the access will
really get slowed,but the other tasks WON'T HANG [ I insist!! ])
3. Parameters
-------------
° UNIT + "name" "name"....:
---------------------------
ex: UNIT "AQ0" "AQ3" "AQ4"
action: choose the units you want to alter.
(unit names must be between quotations,and are case-dependent:usually
everybody keeps the "AQ" types,but if yours are "MyPartition0" or
"MylovelyHD4",just type them EXACTLY like this)
° MIN/MED/NORM
--------------
set the speed rate:
NORM: normal speed (as usual,hangs etc etc)
MED: less hangs but still does it!!
MIN: No more hangs...feel free to load/save what you want,and
when you want.(but access may be slowed a bit...a lot,depending
the background tasks you have)
° PRI
-----
ex: PRI 10
action: set the priority by yourself
corresponding values are: NORM: +10
MED: 0
MIN: -10 (!)
° QUIET
--------
equivalent to >NIL: redirection.no output in the current
window.(use this in the startup-sequence/user-startup)
° ?
----
Quick command summary
When you DON'T specify UNIT (ex: Overcontrol MIN),only the amiquest.device
will be affected,so only the progs that directly access disk will be altered
(optimizers,sector-coders/readers,Diskdoctors).
examples: Overcontrol UNIT "AQ0" "AQ2" MIN
Overcontrol UNIT "AQ1" MED QUIET
Overcontrol UNIT "AQ3" PRI -15
Overcontrol MED
Now that you know how to configure overcontrol,just add it at the END of your
startup-sequence/User-Startup.Why at the end? Well,just take advantage of
the speed for configuring quickly!!!
4. Conclusion
-------------
Well,this program is not much code...anyway,I find it really useful as
it gave me back my comfort...I don't have to beg my Overdrive to finish its
activity anymore...You may never have noticed all the hangs I've been writing
about:in that case,you don't need OverControl.Otherwise,I hope I'm not the
only one,and that this prog will help a few users.
You'll find out if this prog may be useful to you,by using it with
MIN/NORM,and comparing your general impressions...
Tell me about it,you'd be nice!
5. Bugs ?
---------
You use this program at your own risks! It is provided "as-is",
without any warranties on its reliability.I may not,by any means, be held
responsible for any bugs/breakdowns/damages caused to your software/hardware,
by Overcontrol.(Pfiuu I had to write it but it's so boooring each time)
I've noticed a kind of bug:I use the Superdark Blanker (by Thomas
Landspurg)...and this blanker can freeze the overdrive access while the
blank-animations are playing...(a Frozen Overdrive,what a revenge!!).But
it's not a specific problem,as it also freezes a Wbench's floppy-formatting
operation. so what?
Note:In all this text,I spoke of OverDrives,but I think it should work also
with Amiquests.I've never seen any,so I really don't guarantee anything!!
6. the end
-----------
You're free to write to tell me wether you find this tool useful,or
for suggestions etc...And well (as usual),I'm looking for any modules,
specially synthetic formats (soundmon,FC1.3/1.4,Hippel etc)...but trackers
are absolutely not excluded!! I have a few modules myself (hehe) so...
[The Cyborg/NGC]
Nasr Alexis
27,Rue Formigé,Residence RENOIR
33110 Le Bouscat, FRANCE
Long life to the Amiga...(let's hope and pray !!)