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OS2 Discussion Forum Volume 9205 Issue 02 - Part III
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Subject: OS/2 Discussion Forum 920502 - Part III
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OS/2 DISCUSSION FORUM 920502 - Part III
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From: bgm@cray.com (Bert Moshier)
Subject: FYI: IBM BBS' Q&A for OS/2 2.0 & applications
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Date: 10 May 92 12:23:01 CDT
OS/2 2.0 Questions and Answers
By Mark Chapman
IBM NDD National Support Center
Marietta, GA 30067
Marketing Qs & As
Q. Is it true that DOS users can upgrade to OS/2 2.0 for only $99
through the end of June 1992? If so, where do I get the upgrade form
needed?
A. Yes, it is true. Just contact your dealer, or call 800-3IBM-OS2 to
upgrade.
Q. Is it true that MS Windows users can upgrade to OS/2 2.0 for only $49
through the end of July 1992? If so, where do I get the upgrade form
needed?
A. Yes, it is true. Just contact your dealer, or call 800-3IBM-OS2 to
upgrade.
Configuration and Setup Qs & As
Q. I've heard lots of rumors, but what are the real hardware
requirements for OS/2 2.0?
A. Any PC with a 386SX (or higher) processor, 4MB or more of RAM, and a
60MB hard drive. In many cases more memory and disk will be needed,
depending on the user's needs. The base operating system itself uses
about 3.5MB of RAM and 16-29MB of fixed disk (depending on what you
choose to install). The remainder is available for application and data
use. As most users eventually run more programs concurrently than they
anticipated at first, make sure your system allows for growth if you are
starting with near the minimum. Currently more than 200 non-IBM PCs
have passed IBM's OS/2 compatibility testing, with more coming. (This
list can be found in the OS/2 2.0 Tips section of the Technical
Assistant.) Others are being tested, and the list is updated monthly.
Q. If I install OS/2 2.0 on a PC that is not on the compatibility list,
am I out of luck if I run into problems?
A. No. Call the IBM Defect Support Center at 800-237-5511 and explain
your problem. They will attempt to resolve your problem. If they can't
step you though a workaround to the problem, or develop a patch to fix
it within 90 days, you will be offered your money back for the OS/2
purchase.
Q. Can OS/2 2.0 be installed from any drive besides A:?
A. Yes, to a degree. The operating system itself, and Extended Services
can be installed from a network drive (which can be any letter above
C:). As far as physical diskette drives are concerned, it must be the
A: drive. However, on many systems (such as the PS/2 Models 57/90/95),
the system can be configured to boot from any internal diskette drive,
making that drive the "A:" drive, regardless of cabling or physical
position. Some systems also allow the cables to be swapped (perhaps
with other adjustments) to produce a new "A:" drive. Consult your
system vendor for directions.
Q. In the README file that comes with OS/2 (in the root directory,
viewable in the Information folder), there is reference to a SCSI driver
called OS2SCSI.SYS, supposedly in \OS2, yet I can't find it. Where is
it?
A. This is a typo in the README file. The name is actually OS2SCSI.DMD,
not .SYS.
Q. I understand that most DOS and Windows apps should run under OS/2,
but what kinds of programs are likely to fail?
A. 1) Those that could compromise the integrity of the operating system,
such as VCPI memory extenders and certain low-level disk utilities; 2)
Those requiring extremely high interrupt rates (typically more than
1,000 interrupts per second), including software to support some fax and
sound boards. 3) Those requiring a specific version of DOS. OS/2 2.0
provides an emulation of DOS 5.0, but some applications may need DOS
3.3, for example, and won't work with anything else. In this case,
start a DOS image of the DOS 3.3 diskette (within a VDM), and run the
the application under real DOS 3.3 inside a VDM.
Some other applications may require special DOS Settings, and some may
run with limited function. But overall, the large majority of programs
will run "as is", and as faster or faster than before, with greater data
integrity.
Q. In OS/2 1.3 there was a Program Properties option to start an
application on bootup. How do I "autostart" apps under 2.0?
A. Two ways: 1) Use Create Shadow from an application pull-down menu to
copy the application icon to the Startup folder; or 2) Leave the
application running when you Shutdown the system. All running apps will
autostart upon bootup.
Q. Is there any way to set different execution priorities for individual
DOS applications?
A. No. Application priority is set by the application programmer.
Since DOS, unlike OS/2, doesn't provide for multiple execution priority
levels for apps there is no reason or way to build them into DOS apps.
Therefore when they are run in a DOS session under OS/2 there is no
inherent priority level distinction, and no way for a user to impose
unique priority levels externally to the programs.
Q. What's the minimum OS/2 version required for the CL57 color laptop?
A. OS/2 V2.0 is the minimum requirement for the CL57.
WPS/User Interface Qs & As
Q. I'm tired of always using the Sort option on a folder pulldown to
arrange the icons the way I want them. Is there any way to make the
icons sort automatically?
A. Yes. Just Open the Settings for a folder, select the Sort notebook
tab, and click on the check-box called "Always maintain sort order."
Then close the Settings. This will make the change permanent for that
folder, using whichever sort order you select. You can always change
the sort order later, and the "auto-sort" will stay in effect, using the
new sort order.
Q. I went into the Desktop pulldown to change some settings, including
"Minimize to desktop", so that my icons don't disappear when I minimize
them. But now only some objects minimize to the desktop, while others
still hide. What's wrong.
A. By using the Desktop settings you changed only the behavior of icons
on the Desktop; not icons contained in other folders. To make global
changes to the way objects hide/minimize, go to the OS/2 System folder,
then the System Setup folder, then open the System icon. From the
Window notebook tab make the changes you want for all folders.
Q. Is there any way to disable the Print Screen function?
A. To enable or disable Print Screen, go to the OS/2 System folder, then
the System Setup folder, then open the System icon. From the Print
Screen notebook tab make your choice.
Q. Why are the titles of some of my icons lighter in color than the
others?
A. These icons represent "shadows" of the original object. The lighter
text is a way of distinguishing between originals and shadows.
Q. What are "Shadow" icons and why would I want them?
A. Each folder represents a directory on your disk. Each icon/object
represents a file in that directory. If you copy an object from a
folder to the Desktop, for example, you are also copying the file
associated with that object. By creating a shadow of the original
object you can put "pointers" to the file in many different folders or
on the Desktop (which is actually a folder itself) for convenience,
without also duplicating the file multiple times (and wasting a lot of
disk space). In addition, if you duplicate the file, each is a separate
copy, and updating one doesn't affect the others. By using shadows you
can access the same copy of the file from multiple places, insuring that
you are always working with the same version of the file.
Q. If I shred an object (icon), does that delete the data file or
program that it represents?
A. No. Objects are independent of the physical disk files. There can
be multiple objects representing the same files. Therefore there must
be a way to delete some of them without also deleting the file they
represent.
Q. Is there a difference between deleting a shadow object and the
original?
A. Yes. If you delete a shadow, it does not affect other shadows of the
original, or the original object itself. However if you delete the
original, all shadows are deleted with it.
Q. Am I limited to 11 character icon/object names on a FAT system?
A. No. Like HPFS partitions, FAT partitions will support up to 254
character object names (however the physical file names on disk are
still limited to 11 characters; that is a FAT limitation, not a
Workplace Shell limitation).
Q. I would like to get more icons side by side on my Desktop, but some
of the icon names are so long that I can only get a few icons on each
line. What can I do?
A. You have two options 1) Rename the icons to something shorter (such
as Windows Apps #2, instead of Additional Windows Programs); or 2)
Insert carriage returns (using the Enter key) in the name to break the
name into multiple short lines of text.
Q. How do I copy or move an object with the mouse?
A. To move, just press and hold the right mouse button over the object
you wish to move, while dragging and dropping it elsewhere. To copy,
press and hold the Ctrl key while dragging and dropping with the mouse.
Q. I have noticed that different people have the icons on their desktop
arranged differently. Some have them all over the screen, others have a
single column down the left side of the screen with the icon text to the
right (and a scroll bar to see those of the screen), and still others
have multiple columns of icons. How do I select which way I want it?
A. Press the right mouse button on a blank part of the Desktop to bring
up the Desktop menu; then select Open, Settings. Finally, from the
Settings screen select "Flowed" for multiple columns, "Non-Flowed" for
single-column, or "Non-grid" (the default) for left-to-right,
top-to-bottom arrangement all over the screen. Then close the Settings
to save.
Q. What is a "work area"? I see that option in a number of Settings
notebooks under the File tab.
A. A work area is a special kind of folder. The Desktop is a work area.
When a work area is minimized or maximized, all active objects within
that work area are also minimized or maximized. When a work area is
closed, all open objects are also closed. When a work area is opened,
all previously open objects are reopened (this is how the Desktop
restarts your apps when you boot the system). For more information,
open the Settings to the File tab and press the Help button, or search
for "work area" in the Master Help Index object.
Q. I see objects across the bottom of my desktop that have "halos" or
boxes around them. What are they?
A. They are minimized objects. Depending on how the desktop is setup,
objects can be minimized on the desktop, minimized inside the Minimized
Viewer folder (which can be opened on the desktop to see the minimized
icons), or Hidden. Hidden objects can be seen by double-clicking on the
original object. To specify which way you would like your objects to
appear, go to the Desktop settings (right mouse button, Open,
Settings.), go to the Window tab, and make your selection in the
"Minimized Window Behavior" box. If you specify one of the Minimized
options, make sure to also change the "Button appearance for windows"
box to "Minimize button". If you leave it set to "Hide button" the
icons will be hidden rather than minimized.
Q. How do I start another copy of a program from an icon without having
to duplicate the object? When I click on the icon the already-running
session pops up.
A. Go to the Desktop settings (right mouse button, Open, Settings.), go
to the Window tab, and specify "Create new window" in the "Object open
behavior" box. Then close the Settings to save the changes.
Q. Where is the Shutdown option? There is no Desktop Manager, as there
was in OS/2 1.x.
A. Just press the right mouse button with the pointer over any blank
part of the desktop. This will bring up the Desktop menu.
Q. Where is the keyboard Lockup option? There is no Utilities Group, as
there was in OS/2 1.x.
A. Just press the right mouse button with the pointer over any blank
part of the desktop. This will bring up the Desktop menu. From there
select Lockup now to initiate it, or open the Settings to the Lockup
notebook tab to change the Lockup settings (note that there are three
pages of Lockup settings to be changed).
Q. Is there a "screen blanker" program in OS/2 2.0?
A. Yes; two in fact. One is the Lockup program, which allows you to
specify a timeout value after which to blank out the screen, and replace
it with a bitmap image. The program also prompts for a keyboard
password to use when locking the keyboard. There is also an autodim
feature. There is no way to use this program as a screen blanker
without the keyboard password feature, though. The other program, Cat
and Mouse, offers a "hide" button that blanks the screen and displays
only the icon of a cat running around the screen. This feature does not
require a keyboard password, but also doen't offer an auto-timeout
feature (unlike the Lockup program). Cat and Mouse must be manually
started.
Q. Is there a way to printscreen the entire WPS desktop?
A. Yes. Simply use the left mouse button to click on an empty part of
the desktop and then use the Print Screen key. Or to print only one
window on the desktop, select that window and then use the Print Screen
key.
Q. Does OS/2 2.0 require a mouse?
A. No, 2.0 is fully enabled for keyboard-only use; however most users
will find the mouse more convenient for many tasks.
Q. Is there any way to get to the Selective Install panel from a command
prompt?
A. Yes. Just type INSTALL.
Q. I understand that OS/2 is supposed to be completely keyboard
accessible, but I can't seem to figure out how to select icons without a
mouse.
A. Use the cursor (arrow) keys to move from icon to icon, then press the
Enter key to select the one you want.
Q. Is there an easy to change a DOS or Windows full-screen session into
a windowed session, or vice-versa?
A. Yes. Just use the Alt-Home key combination to toggle between
full-screen and windowed. This procedure does not work for OS/2
sessions; just DOS or Windows apps.
DOS/Windows Sessions (VDMs) Qs & As
Q. I understand that most DOS and Windows apps should run under OS/2,
but what kinds of programs are likely to fail?
A. 1) Those that could compromise the integrity of the operating system,
such as VCPI memory extenders and certain low-level disk utilities; 2)
Those requiring extremely high interrupt rates (typically more than
1,000 interrupts per second. 3) Those requiring a specific version of
DOS. OS/2 2.0 provides an emulation of DOS 5.0, but some applications
may need DOS 3.3, for example, and won't work with anything else. In
this case, start a DOS image of the DOS 3.3 diskette (within a VDM), and
run the the application under real DOS 3.3 inside a VDM.
Some other applications may require special DOS Settings, and some may
run with limited function. But overall, the large majority of programs
will run "as is", and as faster or faster than before, with greater data
integrity.
Q. Are there any restrictions to what versions of DOS can be used in a
Boot Image (Virtual DOS Boot)?
A. Only that you must use a version of DOS that supports your hardware.
(For example, you can't use DOS 2.0 on a system with 1.44MB diskette
drives, because DOS 2.0 doesn't recognize anything larger than 360K
diskette drives). Other than that, you are free to use any operating
system that will run on an 8086 processor (including IBM DOS, MS DOS, DR
DOS, and even CPM/86).
Q. Is DDE supported?
A. Yes; between any combination of Windows and OS/2 applications.
Q. Is OLE supported?
A. Yes; between Windows applications.
Q. I just tried to cut-and-paste between an OS/2 application and a
Windows program, but the Paste option in the Winapp's menu was
"grayed-out". What do I have to do to cut/paste between applications?
A. Either your Windows clipboard or your OS/2 clipboard, or both, were
set to "private". Both must be set to Public before you can do any
cutting and pasting back and forth. When you start the full-screen
Windows session, or a Windows app, there will be a clipboard icon opened
on the Windows Desktop. If you start a Windows or OS/2 app in a window,
the clipboard icon will appear on the OS/2 desktop. From within both
the Windows and OS/2 clipboard icons, there is an Option choice on the
action bar. Clicking on this will show whether the clipboard is Public
(indicated by a check-mark) or not. If not, click on the line that says
Public clipboard. This will change the clipboard to public. After you
have ensured that both clipboards are public, you should have no trouble
cutting and pasting between applications. If you still can't paste,
close the program you can't paste into, and restart it. It should work
now.
Q. I know that OS/2 2.0 comes with Adobe Type Manager for OS/2, but will
I have to buy ATM for Windows for my Windows apps?
A. No. OS/2 2.0 supplies ATM for both OS/2 and Windows applications.
Q. When I "migrate" DOS and Windows apps to OS/2 to "register" them with
the OS/2 Workplace Shell, how do I know what DOS Settings to use for
each application.
A. In most cases the default settings will work, but in some cases
tuning may be required or desirable. OS/2 2.0 ships with a database of
settings for more than 225 of the most popular DOS and Windows
applications. These are automatically applied when you migrate these
applications. Settings for other applications will be added with future
versions and Corrective Service (patch) Diskettes.
Q. I have a DOS application that requires Alt-ESC (or Ctrl-Esc) to
switch between screens. But OS/2 reserves those key combinations for
switching between sessions. Is there any way to free up one or both of
these combinations for DOS apps?
A. Yes. From a Virtual DOS Machine (VDM) that will be running such a
DOS app simply go into the DOS Settings (right mouse button from the
application icon, then select Settings, O pen; then Session DOS
Settings) and find the setting called KYBD_CTRL_BYPASS. Select this and
from the selection box in the upper right-hand corner choose either
ALT_ESC or CTRL_ESC. Finally, press the Save pushbutton and close the
Settings.
Q. Can I use my favorite DOS memory manager in a VDM (DOS session)?
A. No, but there is no need for one, since each VDM already includes
EMS, XMS, and DPMI memory managers.
Q. Can I use my favorite DOS memory manager from inside a bootable DOS
image?
A. Even inside a bootable DOS image (actually named a Virtual DOS Boot,
or VDB) the answer is the same, since the OS/2 memory managers are still
available inside a VDM running a VDB image.
Q. Can I use my favorite DOS/Windows disk caching utility in a VDM (DOS
session)?
A. No, but there is no need for one, since each all applications, DOS,
Windows, and OS/2 are automatically cached by OS/2.
Q. What EMS (Expanded Memory Specification) level is provided in a VDM?
A. EMS V4.0, the same as DOS 4.0/5.0 provide.
Q. Does using multiple Virtual DOS Machines for several different DOS
programs simplify the complicated process of finding available address
space between 640K and 1MB for Expanded memory (EMS) and certain kinds
of adapters?
A. Yes, since network adapters, SCSI controllers, and most other device
addresses are actually loaded in the address space above 1MB, there
should be few conflicts with EMS memory drivers.
Q. Are DOS TSRs supported in VDMs?
A. Yes. Even though they have never been officially supported in true
DOS (due to a lack of any standard TSR specification, and the likelihood
of system lockups when using multiple TSRs concurrently) they will be
supported under 2.0. Because TSRs are loaded into a VDMs Upper Memory
Blocks (UMBs), they run in Protected mode and are prevented from
touching other VDMs or OS/2 sessions. There is no opportunity for a TSR
to crash the entire system. The worst it can do is lock up its own
sessions, which can then be terminated from the OS/2 desktop. No
rebooting of the system (with possible loss of data) is necessary.
Q. Can EMS/XMS/DPMI drivers be loaded globally for all VDMs, or must I
set them separately in each VDM?
A. Either. Global settings are done from CONFIG.SYS using device
drivers. In addition, individual VDMs can enable or disable this
support from the DOS Settings. For driver details, refer to the OS/2
Command Reference.
Q. When EMS memory is enabled in CONFIG.SYS, what is the default memory
allocation?
A. 4MB, but up to 32MB may be specified, per VDM, if needed.
Q. Will all EMS-compatible DOS and Windows programs work in a VDM?
A. It depends on the application. All DOS apps that use the EMS 4.0
driver provided with DOS 4.0 and higher, including all Windows apps,
will work. Older applications that directly invoked EMS memory (without
using an external DOS driver) may not work.
Q. Are there any suggestions for the order in which to load EMS and XMS
drivers?
A. For the best performance, load the EMS driver (VEMM.SYS) first, then
all drivers that use expanded memory; then load the XMS driver next,
followed by all drivers that use XMS. Lastly, load all drivers that use
UMBs.
Q. If an application supports more than one choice of EMX/XMS/DPMI
memory, is there any preference?
A. For performance reasons, choose XMS or DPMI over EMS. On the other
hand, EMS and DPMI support more total RAM than XMS (32MB, 512MB, and
16MB, respectively).
Q. Does the XMS (Extended Memory Specification) driver support the use
of the High Memory Area (HMA)?
A. Yes. The HMA (the 64K immediately above 1MB) is supported for Upper
Memory Block (UMB) usage. To enable the HMA for UMB use specify
DOS=HIGH in CONFIG.SYS.
Q. Are there any limitations to High Memory Area (HMA) use?
A. Yes. If multiple device drivers access HMA, make sure the XMS driver
is loaded last, to avoid conflicts.
Printing/Printer Driver Qs & As
Q. What printers are supported by OS/2 2.0?
A. For a complete list of the nearly 200 printers supported, see the tip
entitled Printers/Plotters Supported by OS/2 2.0 in the OS/2 2.x Tips
section of the IBM PS/2 Technical Assistant.
Q. How do I install downloadable (soft) fonts for my printer?
A. First, find the printer object (icon) you wish to install the fonts
for. Next, use the right mouse button to bring up the menu. From there
select Open, Settings, Printer driver. Then select the driver you wish
to install the fonts to, and use the right mouse button to bring up the
menu. Again select Open and Settings. At the bottom of the Printer
Properties dialog box press the Fonts button. Finally, specify the
drive letter and path where the fonts can be found and press the Open
button. You will see a list of the soft fonts you can select.
Single-click on each one you want to add. When you have highlighted all
you intend to add, press the Add button. The highlighted fonts will
disappear from the "New Soft Fonts" window on the left and appear in the
"Installed Fonts" window on the right. When they have all been
installed, press the OK button to end and save your work. Then press OK
on the Printer Properties dialog to return to the Settings book. From
there close the settings and you are done.
Q. Is there an OS/2 driver for the IBM 4216-020?
A. Not from IBM; OS/2 only includes drivers for the 4216-030 and -031
models. There is a company, called David Goodenough & Associates,
Limited that developed an OS/2 1.1/1.2 driver for the model 20. It is
possible that they also offer 1.3 and/or 2.0 versions of the driver.
For more information, contact the vendor at:
David Goodenough & Associates, Ltd.
283 City Road
London, ECIV 1LA
United Kingdom
Phone: 44-71-490-2266
Fax: 44-71-490-2343
Note: This is not an endorsement of the product, nor a recommendation
by IBM; simply information for your benefit.
Q. If I have Windows drivers for printers not supported by OS/2, is
there any way to use them?
A. Yes. They can be installed through the Windows desktop, and made
available to all Windows applications, however OS/2 programs will not be
able to use them.
Q. Is there any way to print to a disk file, instead of printing?
A. Yes. From the printer icon, press mouse button 2 (usually the right
button), then Open...Settings, then press the Output notebook tab. From
the Output panel click on the Output to file checkbox, then close the
Settings. Now when you send a print job to the printer, you will be
prompted for a disk file name to print to.
Other OS/2 Device Driver Qs & As
Q. In the README file that comes with OS/2 (in the root directory,
viewable in the Information folder), there is reference to a SCSI driver
called OS2SCSI.SYS, supposedly in \OS2, yet I can't find it. Where is
it?
A. This is a typo in the README file. The name is actually OS2SCSI.DMD,
not .SYS.
Q. Is Super VGA (SVGA) supported by OS/2 2.0?
A. Yes, to some extent. The following Super VGA boards have been tested
and found to work with OS/2 2.0 for DOS applications (only) that make
use of SVGA modes:
o Orchid ProDesigner IIs by Orchid Technology (ISA and MCA versions)
o Trident TVGA by Trident Microsystems, Inc. (8900b and c levels)
o STB PowerGraph VGA by STB Systems, Inc.
o Video Seven VRAM II, by Video Seven
o Boca Super VGA by Boca Research Inc.
o VGA Wonder XL Series by ATI Technologies, Inc.
o 8514 Ultra by ATI (Must be installed as an 8514 and as a primary
display; it will default to high-resolution mode. Do not install it
as VGA.)
Additional SVGA support, as well as SVGA drivers for Windows and OS/2
applications will be shipping in a free update later this summer. For
more information about SVGA support in OS/2 2.0, refer to the README
file in the Information folder.
HPFS/FAT Qs & As
Q. What is the maximum partition size supported by 2.0?
A. The maximum is 64GB (raised from 2GB in 1.3), but a practical usable
size is 5-7GB per partition.
Q. What enhancements have been made to FAT partitions for 2.0?
A. Better performance, partly due to adding Lazy Write support, and
Autocheck support; both previously available only with HPFS.
Q. I have heard rumors that due to the performance enhancements made to
"super FAT" in 2.0 it is now faster than HPFS. Is this true?
A. At one point during beta testing the enhanced FAT support was
improved to the point that it was faster than the early HPFS code; but
subsequent tuning of HPFS turned this back around. In nearly all
instances, HPFS is faster, has better data integrity, and uses less disk
space than FAT.
Q. In what cases would FAT be better than HPFS?
A. If you have the minimum 60MB hard drive, there may be no performance
advantage to HPFS (unless there are more than about 100-200 files in
some directories), access on an HPFS drive would be faster than FAT.),
and the savings in disk space produced (allocation unit) size used by
HPFS would be offset by the 300K disk overhead for an HPFS partition.
But HPFS would still have the edge in data integrity, due to Hot Fixes.
In all cases of >60MB partitions, HPFS has the performance edge.
Q. What was that about cluster size?
A. In a FAT partition, to get around a hard limitation of the number of
clusters (now called allocation units) available that produced the
infamous "32MB limit", the cluster size doubles every time the partition
size doubles (64MB partition=4K cluster; 128MB=8K; 256MB=16K; 512MB=32K;
1GB=64K; 2GB=128K). And since a 5 byte batch file takes a minimum of 1
allocation unit, and since on average each file wastes half of an
allocation unit, large FAT partitions waste a lot of space. Because
HPFS partitions always use 512 byte (1 sector) allocation units, it
wastes far less space, especially on large partitions, than FAT. Cases
have been reported where a user reformatted a 1GB drive from FAT to
HPFS, restoring all the same files as before, and "recovered" 100MB of
previously wasted disk space. (Obviously, the amount of wasted space
depends on how many small files are on the drive).
Q. What is a "Hot Fix"?
A. Hot Fixes are a mechanism whereby HPFS works around bad sectors on
the disk and temporarily uses "spare blocks" of disk space to store the
data that would normally have been written to the bad sector. Then when
the system is rebooted, AUTOCHECK runs CHKDSK, marks the defective
sector as bad, copies the spare block to a good sector, and makes the
spare block available for reuse. In a FAT partition, on the other hand,
the data would have been written to the bad sector, and the user would
not have known until the next time he tried to access the data and
received an error. The corrupted data would have been lost, at the
least, and in the case of an indexed file all data after the bad sector
may have been lost. If a binary file, such as a word processing
document, spreadsheet, or other, it is possible that the entire file
would have been rendered unusable. This is the big data integrity
aspect of HPFS. (By the way, when a Hot Fix is applied OS/2 presents an
informational message to that effect, letting you know what has
occurred.)
Q. Under DOS, directory file names appear on the left side of the
directory listing. But I installed OS/2 and now the names are on the
right side? Why?
A. File names in DOS and OS/2 FAT partitions are limited to 11
characters (XXXXXXXX.XXX). Because filenames in an HPFS partition can
be up to 254 characters long, putting the names on the right side of the
DIR list allows the filenames to wrap to the next line (or more than one
line) as necessary without disrupting the orderly columns of file size,
date, and other information.
Q. When I do a DIR of an HPFS partiton there is a column of numbers
immediately to the left of the file and directory names that doesn't
appear on a FAT partition directory listing. What is this information?
A. It is the number of bytes of extended attributes associated with
those files and directories.
Q. Is there any way to format a diskette or optical disk drive to HPFS?
A. Only FAT formats are supported for removable media in OS/2 1.0-2.0.
Productivity Apps/Games Qs & As
Q. Are any of these so-called "productivity" applications really useful,
or are they just "toys" to give us a chance to "play" with OS/2 before
buying useful software.
A. Certainly it depends on your definition of "useful," but many of the
Productivity apps are adequate for the needs of many users, without
additional software. The PM Term async communications program, Enhanced
Editor, PM Chart, calculator, notepad, Sticky Pad, alarm clock,
calendar, to do list, Seek and Scan file browser, and others can all be
used productively.
Miscellaneous OS/2 2.x Qs & As
Q. How does the "free 60 day OS/2 support" work?
A. Users experiencing difficulty installing or using OS/2 2.0 may call
the IBM Defect Support Center at 800-237-5511. From the time of the
first call the user gets 60 days of unlimited free technical and service
support through this number. After 60 days, if the user wishes to
continue the service they may subscribe for $129 per year.
Q. How does this differ from SystemXtra?
A. SystemXtra is IBM's premier level of support for Personal System
products, including OS/2. For more information about SystemXtra, call
800-IBM-XTRA.
Q. Can you explain how the "OS/2 BBS" works?
A. That can mean either of two different services. 1) There is an
official BBS, accessed through an 800#, offered on a subscription basis
for a fee, and only available to subscribers. For more information
about this BBS and what it offers, call 800-547-1283; or 2) The IBM NSC
BBS, which is open to the public, for free but as a long-distance call
for those outside the local dialing area. It contains a number of
"conferences" for the discussion of such products as OS/2, DOS, PS/2s
and Networking. There is a large variety of downloadable software and
software patches available. In addition there are online bulletins and
databases of OS/2 software, non-IBM adapters for Micro Channel systems,
and local PC User Groups. The number call for the IBM NSC BBS is
404-835-6600 (N,8,1). Registration is done on the fly for new users.
Q. How many COM ports does OS/2 2.0 support?
A. COM1-COM4 are supported on Micro Channel systems, and COM1-COM2 are
supported on AT bus (ISA) computers.
Q. I understand why I would want to limit the available drive letters on
a LAN, using LASTDRIVE= in CONFIG.SYS, but is there any reason to do so
in a standalone environment?
A. Yes. Each drive letter that is available for use reserves about 100
bytes of memory. So limiting the drive letters to E:, for example,
frees up about 2K of RAM for other use.
Q. What versions of OS/2 support Extended Services 1.0?
A. OS/2 1.30.1 (CSD level 5015 or later), and OS/2 2.0.
Q. Does the OS/2 2.0 Developer's Toolkit include a kernel debugger and a
PM application debugger?
A. Yes. Unlike the OS/2 1.3 toolkit which only includes a source code
debugger (CodeView), the 2.0 toolkit includes all three.
Q. Does the SWAPPER.DAT file ever shrink in OS/2 2.0?
A. Yes. Unlike OS/2 1.3, where SWAPPER.DAT was always as large as the
largest block of data swapped to disk during the day (then reset to 512K
at bootup), 2.0 expands and shrinks SWAPPER.DAT as needed, in 512K
increments.
Q. Does OS/2 2.0 offer an UNDELETE command, like DOS 5.0?
A. Yes. All deleted files are temporarily stored in a \DELETE directory
in each partition. These files are purged upon bootup, so files must be
undeleted before shutting down the system. Note: During installation
the statement SET DELDIR=... that defines the directory to hold the
deleted files is installed in CONFIG.SYS but disabled (to save disk
space). To activate UNDELETE, you must remove the "REM " from the
statement: REM SET DELDIR=....
Q. What is a "thunk" or "thunking layer?"
A. It is the code that allows 16-bit applications to run correctly in a
32-bit address space.
ES/2 Comm Manager Qs & As
Q. Has anything been done to improve LAN support?
A. Yes. Adoption of the new LAN Adapter and Protocol Support (LAPS)
provides more efficient processing of the IEEE 802.2 and NETBIOS
protocols with increased performance in both cases across tsupported
LANS.
Q. How many simultaneous workstations are supported through the Comm
Manager SNA Gateway?
A. 254 attached via either single or multiple adapters. (Successful
operation in a given environment may depend on other factors, such as
application load and/or line speed, so the ability to exploit a full
complement of 254 workstations should not be assumed for all cases.)
Q. What is the maximumnumber of LU sessions per gateway?
A. 254, the same as EE 1.3.
ES/2 Database Manager Qs & As
Q. Does an ES Database Server support the use of EE 1.x clients?
A. Yes. EE 1.2 or 1.3 SQLLOO and APPC clients may access shared
databases on a LAN, or host (via DDCS/2).
Q. What is the maximum number of configurable applications under ES
Database Server?
A. 252, however successful operation in a given environment may depend
on other factors, such as application load and/or available memory, so
the ability to exploit a full complement of 252 applications should not
be assumed for all cases.
LAN Server 2.0 Qs & As
Q. Have there been any performance enhancements made to LAN Server 2.0?
A. Yes. LS 2.0 is significantly faster than LS 1.3 for a number of
reasons. The Entry package includes a much improved LAN transport, at a
lower price than 1.3. In addition to faster LAN transport, the Advanced
package includes HPFS386 (32-bit). As a result, the Advanced package is
2-5 times faster than LS 1.30.1 for server functions, and 1.1 to 2.5
times faster for requester activity. The superior performance of the
Advanced package is particularly evident in heavy workload environments,
such as the remote IPL of OS/2 Requesters.
Q. Does LAN Server 2.0 support the IBM Token-Ring 16/4 Busmaster Server
Adapter/A, unlike LAN Server 1.x?
A. Yes.
- End -
------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: sidney@borland.com (Sidney Markowitz)
Subject: Re: Beta testers for BC++??
Organization: Borland International
Date: Fri, 1 May 1992 03:17:28 GMT
In article <1992Apr30.220754.23892@cs.umn.edu>
setera@cs.umn.edu (Craig Setera) writes:
>I'm not, but would love to be (as soon as my copy gets here!). How does
>one go about becoming a beta-tester?
The beta testing program for BC++ OS/2 is full. Because of
unprecedented demand, Borland will be running an "Early Experience
Program" (EEP), which will make available two betas, a gamma and the
final release, with the first beta coming sometime in June. We usually
charge beta testers nothing and give them a free copy of the product
when it ships. That is the case for this product too, for those people
who were accepted into the beta program before it filled up. The EEP
is supposed to pay for the additional support resources required to
allow more people to get the beta versions. The price I heard for this
was somewhere in the $750 range.
BIG DISCLAIMER: Even though I work at Borland in Languages R&D, I only
heard of this program secondhand through people telling me of an
interview in one of the trade magazines with Gene Wang, our Vice
President of the Languages Business Unit. My information can only be
as accurate as you would expect from anyone reporting hearing of such
an article. I haven't yet confirmed more than the existence of an EEP.
For more details, I suggest contacting customer-support@borland.com.
If they can't provide information, let me know and I'll post a
correction to this message.
-- sidney markowitz <sidney@borland.com>
Borland International (Languages - R&D)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
END OF OS/2 DISCUSSION FORUM 920502
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