Marcos, > I also have a couple of questions about UIDE. > > Question 1. > > Can we continue using the /PM switch with the new release of UIDE?
You can, but it will be ignored! I deleted the "protected mode" logic from UIDE in 2010, as the "standard" UIDE using XMS caching became 96% as fast as the /P and /PM caches, from better handling of XMS memory. No further need for the "protected mode" logic! > Question 2. > > Readme.Txt says "Power-saving features such as a 'drive spin-down > timeout' should be DISABLED". My setup (AMIBIOS Version 2.5, > 1997) does not have a feature with that specific name, but it > does have: > Hard Disk Time Out > > Is that what I should disable? Yes. Hard disk "time-outs" are not part of the ATA disk spec, and many "laptop" vendors have unusual "schemes" for supporting them. So, there is no way I can program UIDE for all of that! > If so, does this mean that the hard disk must keep running all > the time if UIDE is used? Correct, for the reason I note above. > The setup also has the following: > > Hard Disk Power Down Mode > Standby Time Out > Suspend Time Out > > Are these three also involved? Yes. ANYTHING that would cause a hard-disk or CD/DVD drive to appear "not ready" for extended time spans should be disabled! > Currently my pertinent FDCONFIG.SYS lines are: > > BUFFERS=4 ; (Recommended by Jack Ellis) > devicehigh=C:\FDOS\UIDE\uide.sys /S40 "Looks good to me"! I recommend "BUFFERS=4", since UIDE caches all directory sectors it handles, as well as data files. This performs MUCH better than the DOS "BUFFERS=" command, unless one can set "BUFFERS=32" or more, which gives a "slight" increase in speed even with UIDE. But few systems can spare the HMA memory for "BUFFERS=32", so using UIDE is the better "bargain"! Also, do try /S50 or /S100, if you can afford 50-MB or 100-MB of XMS memory assigned to UIDE. /S40 sets only 1280 cache blocks, while the 50/100-MB caches have 1600 cache blocks. More blocks gives better directory handling, as there are a LOT of directory sectors handled by DOS, and extra cache blocks help with them. Jack R. Ellis ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Achieve unprecedented app performance and reliability What every C/C++ and Fortran developer should know. Learn how Intel has extended the reach of its next-generation tools to help boost performance applications - inlcuding clusters. http://p.sf.net/sfu/intel-dev2devmay _______________________________________________ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
