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!SpinCtrl
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1995-03-21
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Instructions for !SpinCtrl by Andrew Sellors (v1.01)
*****************************************************************************
* NOTE: *
* !SpinCtrl is FreeWare. *
* This means that you may freely copy and distribute it, provided that it *
* is complete with all original files, and that you do not sell it. *
* PD libraries may charge a nominal fee for the cost of duplication, *
* postage etc. *
* In no circumstances shall the author be liable for any damage, loss of *
* profits, time or data or any indirect or consequential loss rising out of *
* the use of this software or inability to use this software. *
*****************************************************************************
Contents:
---------
Aims
Pros and Cons of spindown
Compatibility
Operation
"ADFS Spindown Control" window
Setting the 3D bit
Contacting the author
********************************************************************************
Aims:
-----
This program allows the configuration and control of the power management
facilities provided by ADFS for IDE hard drives:
Immediate operation of drive spindown/spinup.
Setting of the drive spindown delay time.
********************************************************************************
Pros and Cons of spindown:
--------------------------
Pros:
Quieter operation.
No wear takes place when drive is stationary.
Less power consumption when stationary (important for portables).
Cons:
Delay as drive spins up when accessed after being stationary.
Possible greater stress on motor as is spins up offsets advantages of less
wear when stationary if motor stops and starts very often.
********************************************************************************
Compatibility:
--------------
This program is for RISC OS 3 only and only with machines with IDE ADFS hard
drives.
It has been tested on a Risc PC with the standard 210Mb IDE hard drive.
NOTE: Some IDE drives do not support motor spindown. Unpredictable results may
occur when setting the spindown for these drives.
********************************************************************************
Operation:
----------
When the !SpinCtrl icon is double-clicked, it installs itself on the icon bar.
Clicking on the iconbar icon with Select opens up the "ADFS Spindown Control"
window (see later). If the computer does not have any ADFS hard drives or the
hard drives are not ADFS IDE ones then an error message is reported and the
window is not shown.
********************************************************************************
"ADFS Spindown Control" window:
-------------------------------
This window provides control over ADFS's power-management facilities for IDE
hard drives.
"Immediate" group:
The top left icon in this group shows the drive that the options apply to, by
default this is drive 4 (the first hard drive).
The drive can be changed by clicking on the up and down arrows to the right of
the drive name.
The icon below the current drive shows whether this particular drive is spinning
or not.
This icon is updated when ever the drive spins up or down.
Clicking on "Spin Down Now" will cause the current drive to immediately spin down.
Clicking on "Spin Up Now" will cause the current drive to immediately spin up.
"Autospindown" group:
This group allows the autospindown delay time to be configured.
This delay is the amount of time that the drive waits after being last accessed
before spinning down.
When the window is displayed, the delay icon shows the currently configured
delay time or "Off" if autospindown is turned off.
Clicking on the up and down arrows by the delay time changes the setting shown.
By clicking on "Change" the delay setting shown is applied and stored.
Any changes made to the delay time only take affect when "Change" is clicked upon.
Clicking on "Read" refreshes the delay time shown with that currently used by
the computer.
********************************************************************************
Setting the 3D bit:
-------------------
If you want to use the 3D windows in this program (and the handful of others
that support it) then you need to set the 3D bit in the CMOS RAM. In RISC OS
there is no *configure command to change it so you can either:
Use !DeskCtrl (another program I have written, well worth getting and
hopefully released soon on the Acorn User coverdisc)
OR
By cutting out the following BASIC program and running it.
Note: this program toggles the bit, so if its off and you run it twice then
it is still off!
10REM Toggle state of '3D look' bit in CMOS
20REM Read byte
30SYS "OS_Byte",161,140 TO ,,byte%
40REM EOR byte with mask for bit 0
50byte% = byte% EOR 1
60REM Write byte back again
70SYS "OS_Byte",162,140,byte%
80END
OR
If you have a RiscPC then it will probably be on, otherwise you will have
to then turn off "2D window tools" in the "Window Manager" part of
!Configure.
********************************************************************************
Contacting the author
--------------------
I, Andrew Sellors, can be contacted either at
57 Boundaries Road
Feltham
Middlesex
TW13 5DR
Or via Internet email at
k946949@king.ac.uk
Any feedback from users (bugs reports, requests for new features, praise,
money etc.) is gladly received.