This file contains information relating to SoftWindows, Version 2.0 (alpha version)
------------------------------- IMPORTANT NOTE -------------------------------------
This is a preliminary release of SoftWindows, Version 2.0. It is not of final quality, size or performance, and is for evaluation purposes only. If you have any problems or questions in connection with this release, please contact the Insignia Solutions employee who provided you with this copy.
• More Performance Tips - Getting the best out of SoftWindows
• Other Tips
• SoftNode - Networking Support for SoftWindows
• CD ROM Support
• AccessPC compatibility
• External floppy drive support
• Miscellaneous
• Acknowledgements
2. What's New in SoftWindows
===========================
2.1 Version 2.0 (alpha version)
---------------
This major revision of SoftWindows adds the following new features:
• 486 functionality: lets you run Enhanced mode Windows
• Windows Waveform sound driver: lets you record and play digital sound samples
• SVGA video graphics adaptor
• AppleScript support
This version of SoftWindows requires a Power Macintosh.
3. Memory settings
=================
The amount of memory that you dedicate to SoftWindows is set up by the SoftWindows installer, depending on the options you select during installation.
This determines:
i) The maximum amount of PC memory available to your PC applications
ii) The maximum size and depth you may specify for the Windows desktop
Stated simply, the more memory you give to SoftWindows, the better it will be. However, devoting a large portion of your Macintosh memory to running SoftWindows will limit your ability to run other Macintosh applications simultaneously.
If you want to dedicate more memory to SoftWindows:
• Make sure SoftWindows is not running: Quit SoftWindows if it is.
• Select SoftWindows in the Finder by clicking its icon once.
• Select “Get Info” from the Finder's File Menu
• Enter a higher number in both the Minimum and Preferred Size boxes.
• Click the close box for the dialog.
If you have given too much memory to SoftWindows, go through the above procedure typing a smaller number into the Minimum and Preferred Size boxes.
4. More Performance Tips - Getting the best out of SoftWindows
• Make sure that SoftWindows is set up to use at least 3Mb of PC Extended memory, by using the PC Memory… command from the SoftWindows Setup menu. Windows runs much better with 3Mb rather than the minimum 1Mb of extended memory - even on a hardware PC.
• Make sure the setting in your Macintosh “Monitors” Control Panel matches the number of colors you have selected for the Windows Desktop. This is displayed by selecting the Windows Desktop… command from the SoftWindows Setup menu.
• Make sure the Windows Desktop is entirely on one monitor.
• Make sure the Windows Desktop is unobscured by other windows.
(Note that when the Windows desktop is in an optimal position, the title bar will have a check mark (√) appended. If there is no title bar then holding down Command and option keys will display a hand icon with a dot in the middle).
• Try turning File Sharing off, it can slow down your applications on the Power Macintosh.
• Make sure you do not have the MacsBug debugger installed - it slows down the entire Power Macintosh.
5. Other Tips
============
5.1 Loading DOS High
-------------------
In order to maximize the amount of available conventional memory to PC applications, you may load DOS high by adding the line
DOS=high
to the CONFIG.SYS file.
6. SoftNode - Networking Support for SoftWindows
==============================================
6.1 Ethernet card compatibility
----------------------------
SoftNode is compatible with the on-board Ethernet fitted in all Power Macintoshes and virtually all Macintosh Ethernet cards.
If you are using third party Ethernet solutions, please ensure with the manufacturer that you have the latest version of the driver software.
The Apple Ethernet NB card has had a number of problems in the past. These are all believed to be addressed in version 1.4.2 of Apple's Network Software Installer disk.
SCSI based Ethernet - A number of SCSI Ethernet adapters have drivers which pad out the packets of the Ethernet II frame type. This causes illegal instructions in PC applications using this frame type, although other frame types work well. If it is not possible to use a different frame type, this problem may be solved by connecting via a SoftNode Ethernet Gateway for IPX protocols. This applies to the Focus Nuvo-Link SC and to Dayna's DaynaPORT SCSI/Link products.
6.2 Token Ring card compatibility
------------------------------
SoftNode is compatible with Token Ring cards which support the Apple .TOKN standard. At the time of writing, only the Apple 4/16 card works, and it has some restrictions. Other third party cards are likely to be fixed by the time the Power Macintoshes are available. These include cards from DCA, Asanté and CableTron (which work in SoftPC on today's 68k Macintoshes). Please contact the relevant manufacturers to check on the PowerPC compatibility of their cards.
The driver for Apple's Token Ring cards does not support the Token Ring 802.2 frame type. However, Apple are aware of the problem and a fix is expected from Apple shortly.
You can use SoftNode in an environment where other cards are installed by:
- installing a supported card in one Macintosh
- installing a SoftNode Token Ring Gateway on that Macintosh
- using the SoftNode ATALK.BAT batch file from other Macs to access the Novell file server via the SoftNode Gateway
6.3 Windows for Workgroups Support
---------------------------------
There is a problem with two files in the \INSIGNIA\SOFTNODE directory on newly created SoftWindows hard disks. The files NET.WFW and NET.WFT are example NET.CFG configuration files for using Windows for Workgroups client software over Ethernet and Token Ring respectively. Both contain the line:
protocol IPX 0 ETHERNET_802.3
instead of the line:
protocol SMB f0 ETHERNET_802.2
This stops Windows for Workgroups working when the Network Control Panel is set up to use the Ethernet or Token Ring card for AppleTalk. There is no problem if the Network Control Panel is set up to use LocalTalk.
To fix the problem, you must replace the first line with the second line, or if you need simultaneous NetWare and Windows for Workgroups support, you may add the second line to the file, immediately after the first line.
7. CD ROM Support
================
Audio CD ROM support is much improved over previous versions of SoftPC. In addition, it is now possible to use CD ROMs that have both a Macintosh (HFS) partition and a PC (ISO 9660) partition. Use of these hybrid CDs requires that you have a CD ROM driver that is capable of accessing both partitions. The Apple CD ROM driver is not one of these, but Insignia's RapidCD product will replace the Apple CD driver to enable this functionality. FWB's CD ROM Toolkit is also compatible.
8. AccessPC compatibility
========================
Insignia's AccessPC product allows you to mount SoftPC hard disk files on the Macintosh desktop so that you can see the DOS files and directories as documents and folders. Version 3.0.2 of AccessPC also allows you to mount SoftWindows hard disk files. If you have an earlier version (3.0 or 3.01) you may patch it to give this extra feature. Simply run the application called “PatchAccessPC” which is on the first SoftWindows installation disk and follow the instructions in the subsequent dialogs. Note that the AccessPC control panel should be closed when you patch it, and you will need to restart the Macintosh afterwards.
9. External floppy drive support
============================
At the time of writing, the only diskette drive that may be set up as SoftWindows A: or B: drive is the internal FDHD drive (also known as the “SuperDrive”) in the Power Macintosh. Other diskette drives supplied by third party manufacturers work with SoftPC on 68k Macintoshes and are expected to work as soon as the drivers for these devices are fixed to work on Power Macintoshes.
Since every Power Macintosh is equipped with a SuperDrive, lack of support of 3rd party 3.5" drives is not expected to be a big issue. If you really need to use 5.25" PC diskettes, the DaynaFile drives from Dayna Communications and the DOSFloppy from PLI work with SoftPC on 68k Macintoshes. No information is currently available for when these devices will work on Power Macintoshes.
10. Miscellaneous
================
10.1 Tutorial Error
------------------
Some configurations of SoftWindows are NOT supplied with a tutorial diskette. If this is the case, you may install the tutorial application from your SoftWindows hard disk. To do this, you should choose Run… from the Windows Program Manager File menu, and type C:\WNPST\SETUP in the command line field and click OK. (The manual incorrectly uses the WINPST directory instead of the WNPST directory).
10.2 Windows Desktop Size
------------------------
Note that changing monitors, or monitor resolutions, between invocations of Windows, can lead to a Windows Desktop which is larger than the current monitor size. This may be fixed by manually resizing the Windows desktop from the SoftWindows Setup menu. The changes will take effect the next time Windows is run.
11. Acknowledgements
=====================
11.1 WinPost
------------
The tutorial Windows application supplied with SoftWindows is WinPost, by Eastern Mountain Software. Please note that this is a shareware version of WinPost: if you decide to continue using it, please send the registration fee of $30 (USA/Canada/Mexico) or $35 (all other countries) to
Eastern Mountain Software, P.O. Box 6394, Bellevue, WA 98008-0394, USA. Telephone: (206) 391-3483.
11.2 DEVLOD
-----------
SoftWindows is supplied with a version of DEVLOD.COM from "Undocumented DOS" by Schulman et al. (Addison-Wesley, 1993). Copyright (c) 1993 Andrew Schulman, Ralf Brown, Jim Kyle, David Maxey, Ray Michels.
11.3 DOS for Dummies/ Windows for Dummies
-----------------------------------------
The SoftWindows User Guide is not intended to be a reference guide for using DOS and Windows. If you need a DOS or Windows reference, we recommend DOS for Dummies by Dan Gookin and Windows for Dummies by Andy Rathbone, both by IDG books. These excellent books are used and recommended by the Insignia Technical Support specialists who are certainly not “dummies”!
