Category : Alternate Operating Systems - Quarterdeck DesqView, CP/M, etc
Archive   : QTEC9306.ZIP
Filename : AMSTRAD.TEC

ID:AM QEMM-386 & DESQview on the Amstrad 386
Quarterdeck Technical Note #243 Filename: AMSTRAD.TEC
by Quarterdeck International Ireland CompuServe: AMSTRA.TEC
Last revised: 5/27/92 Category: HW3

Subject: Information on the use of Quarterdeck products with Amstrad
computers.


QEMM-386 VERSION 5 ON AN AMSTRAD 386

When installing on any Amstrad machine, QEMM-386 version 5 will lock up at the
QEMM-386 logo if you proceed to run Optimize on installation. Therefore, when
you see the prompt:

" Esc to return to DOS
Enter to start Optimize " ,

you should press ESC.

If you had pressed ENTER, restart the machine and hold down the ALT key after
you hear a beep until the boot sequence stops and displays the following
message:

"QEMM-386: Press ESC to unload QEMM or any other key to continue with QEMM."

Press the ESC key.

Then, you should modify the QEMM386.SYS line in your CONFIG.SYS file to add
the parameters NCF X=E400-EBFF.

Edit the line as follows:

DEVICE=C:\QEMM\QEMM386.SYS NCF X=E400-EBFF

If you have other parameters already configured at the end of the QEMM-386
device line, then just add these two to the end of the line.

Then run OPTIMIZE from your QEMM directory.

NCF is an abbreviation for NoCompaqFeatures. Although the BIOS in the Amstrad
does not indicate that it is a Compaq compatible machine, QEMM-386 is "fooled"
into attempting Compaq features on this non-Compaq machine because the machine
promises some of these features. This causes QEMM-386 to malfunction and the
NCF parameter stops QEMM-386 from doing so. No loss of expanded memory or
High RAM is incurred due to NCF.

X=E400-EBFF is necessary because the Amstrad "shadows" video ROM into this
memory region and therefore it must be excluded from use by QEMM-386.


QEMM-386 VERSION 6 ON AN AMSTRAD 386

The QEMM-386 configuration on an Amstrad 386 is similar to QEMM 5 EXCEPT the
X=E400-EBFF is NOT necessary if you are using the Stealth feature of QEMM 6.

We recommend you follow the procedure of QEMM 5 as above but adding NCF ST:M
instead to the end of your QEMM386.SYS line in the CONFIG.SYS.

Then run OPTIMIZE from your QEMM directory.


AMSTRAD AND THE KEYBOARD IN DESQVIEW-386

Users often experience "sticky shift keys" inside DESQview with this machine--
the symptom is that the CapsLock, Control, or NumLock keys appear to take
effect even though they have not been pressed (e.g., holding an arrow key down
displays numbers on the screen, instead of moving the cursor). The IA
parameter to QEMM-386 can sometimes fix this problem. To use it, simply add
IA to the end of the QEMM-386 line in CONFIG.SYS as follows:

DEVICE=C:\QEMM\QEMM386.SYS IA

Alternatively, just hit the relevant "shift" key (It could be the Shift key,
or it could be the control, alt, numlock, or even scrollock key) a couple of
times.

This problem happens with non-Quarterdeck products also and may be specific to
your machine's setup.

For more information on the reasons for this keyboard behaviour, obtain
Quarterdeck Technical Bulletin #221, IA.TEC, "QEMM-386 and Keyboard
Behaviour". This is available on:

Quarterdeck USA's BBS 310-314-3227
Quarterdeck USA's QFAX service 310-314-3214
(A FAX-back service: request by number)
Compuserve GO QUARTERDECK
BIX JOIN DESQview
GENIE

Quarterdeck International's BBS (U.K ) 071 9730661
Quarterdeck International's QFAX service 071 9730665

************************************************************************
*This technical note may be copied and distributed freely as long as it*
*is distributed in its entirety and it is not distributed for profit. *
* Copyright (C) 1992 by Quarterdeck Office Systems *
************************ E N D O F F I L E *************************