Category : Paradox DBMS
Archive   : TECH91.ZIP
Filename : TI794.ASC

PRODUCT : Paradox NUMBER : 794
VERSION : 3.5
OS : DOS
DATE : September 11, 1991 PAGE : 1/5

TITLE : Troubleshooting DOS 5.0 and Paradox 3.5.




Our experience to date has been that DOS 5.0 and Paradox work
well together. However, because Paradox 3.5 was released before
DOS 5.0 they were not fully tested together. As the real
"experts" on DOS, Microsoft Technical Support can often provide
the best solutions to problems concerning DOS 5.0.

As with earlier versions of DOS, memory resident programs and
device drivers loaded in AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS may
interfere with Paradox's efforts to secure enough memory. Before
exploring this document, you may want to try starting Paradox on
a "clean system"; a system with only FILES and BUFFERS in
CONFIG.SYS and an empty AUTOEXEC.BAT. If Paradox runs smoothly,
then the problem may be localized to a conflict with a memory
resident program or device, loaded in your start-up files.

The following lines are a recommended set of CONFIG.SYS files
based upon our experience with DOS 5.0 and PARADOX 3.5. These
are not the only parameters that will work, but users tell us
these parameters are dependable. Be sure to place these
statements at the top of the CONFIG.SYS file and watch the order
of placement. Please read the rest of this document for a
general discussion of the DOS concepts involved and Refer to your
DOS 5.0 manual for more complete information.

FOR 286 Processors:
DEVICE=HIMEM.SYS [options]
Other device drivers and statements...
DOS=HIGH

FOR 386 Processors:
DEVICE=HIMEM.SYS [options, if any]
DEVICE=EMM386.EXE 512 RAM FRAME=E000
DOS=HIGH,UMB
Other devices and statements, .
Devices loaded high (using DEVICEHIGH=...)

Notes:
When specifying device drivers such as HIMEM.SYS and EMM386.EXE,
always include the appropriate path (eg DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS).

On PS2s the FRAME=E000 parameter may need to be changed to some
other memory address.














PRODUCT : Paradox NUMBER : 794
VERSION : 3.5
OS : DOS
DATE : September 11, 1991 PAGE : 2/5

TITLE : Troubleshooting DOS 5.0 and Paradox 3.5.




With QEMM or 386MAX loaded on 386 machines, do not use EMM386.exe
or HIMEM.SYS at all. Also, do not add the UMB switch to the
DOS=HIGH statement. Both memory managers take care of these
parameters themselves.

A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF DOS 5.0

Part I: DOS 5.0

DOS 5.0 requires a 286 or higher machine and a minimum of 1 MB of
RAM for optimal performance. If your system does not meet these
standards, DOS cannot utilize some important new features. DOS
5.0 uses two memory managers, HIMEM.SYS and EMM.EXE (or
EMM386.EXE).

The ability to load the command shell into high memory (DOS=HIGH)
may be the premier new feature of DOS 5.0. With 386+ systems,
you can also load memory resident programs and devices into high
memory, using DEVICEHIGH and LOADHIGH.

Problems:
* Running Paradox with 1MB RAM. Symptoms:

- "Insufficient memory to run Paradox" error message
- System freeze after an attempt to load Paradox

With only 1 MB on your machine, protected mode does not bring
about a real improvement in Paradox's performance. In this
circumstance, you should run Paradox in real mode. Do this using
the command line:

PARADOX -REAL

(see Chapter 14, Page 266 of the Paradox 3.5 User's Guide for an
explanation of command line options and see Chapter 14, page 243
for directions on customizing Paradox 3.5 for default real mode
operation).

* Memory managers and systems with more than 1 MB


















PRODUCT : Paradox NUMBER : 794
VERSION : 3.5
OS : DOS
DATE : September 11, 1991 PAGE : 3/5

TITLE : Troubleshooting DOS 5.0 and Paradox 3.5.




Paradox cannot run in protected mode on 286 systems with a memory
management program loaded. (EMM and other devices are not VCPI
compliant on the 286.)

With 386+ systems, EMM386.EXE allows you to load memory resident
programs and devices into high memory (in addition to
COMMAND.COM). If all you plan to load into high memory is DOS,
and your other programs do not utilize expanded memory, leave
EMM386 out of your CONFIG.SYS file.

When placing memory resident programs and devices into high
memory, carefully plan the load order. The structure of UMB's
(upper memory blocks) demands that each memory resident program
or device be loaded in a certain sequence. That sequence depends
on the size of each program (see your DOS Guide).

Problems:

* Loading EMM386.EXE with the NOEMS switch. Symptoms:

- "Incompatible memory manager" error message

If this message appears, you must remove the NOEMS switch from
EMM386.EXE or run Paradox in real mode.

Part II: DOS 5.0 & QEMM and 386MAX

QEMM386.SYS or 386MAX.SYS replace both of the files HIMEM.SYS and
EMM386.EXE in the task of memory management; QEMM and 386MAX
incorporate HIMEM/EMM386 memory management techniques, in
addition to other unique capabilities. Of course, they fully
support the placement of the command shell into high memory with
the DOS=HIGH command. However, QEMM386 version 5.11 or earlier
does not recognize the UMB switch following DOS=HIGH.

Part III: Other Topics

* "Unable to record lock/unlock in ..\paradox.net"

This error message can arise in the network environment or in the
Quattro Pro/Paradox Access.















PRODUCT : Paradox NUMBER : 794
VERSION : 3.5
OS : DOS
DATE : September 11, 1991 PAGE : 4/5

TITLE : Troubleshooting DOS 5.0 and Paradox 3.5.




If using a network refer to the DOS 5.0 Getting Started Manual
for instructions on proper network configuration (if your network
is not listed, call Microsoft and/or the network company for
further assistance.) Common sources of this error message
include incompatible network drivers as well as network drivers
loaded in high memory; you cannot safely load all network drivers
high. Also follow the Installation Overview section discussed in
the Paradox Network Administrator's Guide.

Paradox Access can generate the "record lock/unlock" message when
so many devices are loaded into high memory that insufficient
memory remains for allocation to Quattro. Usually, removing
devices from high memory or adding new memory to your system will
provide a solution.

You can try starting Paradox on a "clean" system (see page 1),
and then tuning Paradox to run in protected mode. If this does
not work, reinstall Paradox and reconfigure the PXAccess. This
step resets all values to their defaults and allows for more
proficient record-keeping when these defaults are changed.

* Tune

In order to run Tune from the Custom Configuration Program, start
Paradox on a "clean" system with the command line PARADOX -REAL
and play the script CUSTOM. After running TUNE, restore your
previous configuration.

* Share

Generally, DOS 5.0 users no longer need to load SHARE as DOS 5.0
automatically incorporates extended partition support (partitions
larger than 32 MB in size). SHARE does not necessarily indicate
the support of multiple users or multitasking.

If you run Paradox under Windows, Desqview, and other multiuser,
multitasking environments (including networks not listed in the
Paradox Guides), you must run SHARE.EXE and start Paradox with
the -SHARE command line option. The DOS Share program is
required by Paradox to do file and record locking and thereby
allow users to concurrently access data.















PRODUCT : Paradox NUMBER : 794
VERSION : 3.5
OS : DOS
DATE : September 11, 1991 PAGE : 5/5

TITLE : Troubleshooting DOS 5.0 and Paradox 3.5.




386Max is a product of Qualitas Software. QEMM386, QRAM, and
DESQVIEW are products of Quarterdeck Office Systems. DOS 5.0 and
WINDOWS are products of the Microsoft Corporation.