Category : Alternate Operating Systems - Quarterdeck DesqView, CP/M, etc
Archive   : DRTIPS.ZIP
Filename : 1206.TXT

Document 1206
SUPER PC-KWIK

DESCRIPTION:

Using Super PC-Kwik and Windows 3.0

Disk caching with Super PC-Kwik is recommended for improved
performance with Windows. Important notes on using PC-Kwik with
Windows are in Chapter 13 of the DR DOS 6.0 User Guide.

Although PC-Kwik attempts by default to use all available
extended memory, it lends back up to half of that to
applications as requested.

Windows is unique in that it allocates all extended memory as it
is loaded. Other applications use varying amounts of extended
memory as they need it.

Because Windows needs 2 Mbytes or more of extended memory to run
efficiently in enhanced mode, you must force PC-Kwik to lend at
least 2 Mbytes of extended memory back to Windows on systems
with insufficient extended memory for both the cache and Windows
(i.e., those with less than 4 Mbytes of extended memory).

For example, on a system with a total of 4 Mbytes of memory (3
Mbytes extended), Super PC-Kwik would lend only 1536 Kbytes by
default (3072 / 2 = 1536). Because Windows prefers 2048 Kbytes
or more, increase the default by using the following command:

SUPERPCK /L:2048

If total system memory is 5 Mbytes, or more, the Super PC-Kwik
default lending of one-half of extended memory is sufficient to
have an effective cache and run Windows in enhanced mode. If you
run several applications through Windows and run out of memory,
you can increase the lending amount with the PC-Kwik /L:xxxx
switch.

If total system memory is large, for example 8 Mbytes or more,
and you use Windows extensively, turn off lending completely and
set the allocated amount for the cache buffer. For example, on a
system with a 10 Mbyte total (9 Mbyte extended) use the
following PC-Kwik switch: SUPERPCK /L- /S:3072. This keeps the
cache buffer high, while giving Windows 6,144 Kbytes of extended
memory for its own use. Once again, enable lending if Windows is
running out of memory.


Using Super PC-Kwik

Size of Cache

Super PC-Kwik moves as much of its code into upper memory as
possible; you do not need to use HILOAD or HIINSTALL on Super
PC-Kwik. Super PC-Kwik will use the least amount of memory for
its executable code if it is configured to cache in expanded
(EMS) memory. The Super PC-Kwik code "footprint" is typically
about 17 Kbytes in upper memory.

When Super PC-Kwik is configured to cache extended memory, the
code footprint in the first 1 Mbyte of memory varies in size
according to the amount of extended memory that is cached.

The Super PC-Kwik footprint in upper memory can be controlled by
limiting the amount of extended memory allocated to the cache.
If your system has more than 8 Mbytes of RAM, you might want to
use the Super PCKwik /S:xxxx switch to limit the cache buffer
size.

The Super PC-Kwik maximum cache buffer size is 16 Mbytes.

For information about running Super PC-Kwik with Windows, see
"Running EMM386.SYS with Windows" on page 22 and Chapter 13 of
the DR DOS 6.0 User Guide.

Using Super PC-Kwik with Networks

You can load Super PC-Kwik on a DOS-based network server (e.g.,
Lantastic 4.0). However, advanced cache reads and writes should
be disabled (use the Super PC-Kwik /H- and /D- switches.)

If you are using Novell NetWare, load Novell drivers before
loading Super PC-Kwik to permit unloading the cache. You can
load the Novell drivers after, but you must then leave Super
PC-Kwik in memory.

Super PC-Kwik will not cache remote network drives (i.e, across
the network). However, local drives can be cached.

When used on a network, the DR DOS 6.0 operating system must
reload COMMAND.COM after Super PC-Kwik loads. You must use the
DR DOS SHELL and SET COMSPEC commands to point to the location
of COMMAND.COM. See Chapter 11 of the DR DOS 6.0 User Guide for
a discussion of how to use the SHELL command, and Chapter 10 on
how to use the SET command.

Do not use the DR DOS VERIFY=ON command when using a network as
it will negate any gain from caching.

Also, when using Super PC-Kwik, the BUFFERS=4 command in the
config.sys file is adequate, and the FASTOPEN command is
generally not needed.

Generally, Super PC-Kwik should be loaded early in autoexec.bat.
TSRs loaded after Super PC-Kwik must be unloaded from memory
before Super PC-Kwik can be unloaded with the /U parameter.

If you use Lotus 1-2-3 v3.1, note that it uses the Rational
Systems DOS Extender. Use the DR DOS SET DOS16M=:384 command in
the autoexec.bat file and use the Super PC-Kwik /R:400 switch.

Troubleshooting Super PC-Kwik

If, after eliminating the factors listed above, Super PC-Kwik
still malfunctions, check the parameters used when loading Super
PC-Kwik. Begin with the simplest settings, such as /H-, /T-, and
/D-.

If you suspect an upper memory conflict, use the Super PC-Kwik
/&U- switch to prevent parts of Super PC-Kwik from moving into
upper memory.

If you are having problems reading a drive, try the Super
PC-Kwik /I+, /X /I+, or /T- switches. Also, see "Upper Memory
Conflicts" on page 17.

Floppy Drive Does Not Work

If you have installed Super PC-Kwik and have enabled the /D+
switch, your disk controller must be 100% IBM compatible. Reset
the /D+ switch to /D- (the /D# switch works on some controllers)
to turn off PC-Kwik's advanced caching for the floppy drives
(advanced caching for your hard drive remains in effect).