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-
- PC-Task 4.10
-
-
-
- *** Important **
-
- We recommend you install the PC-Task program using the installer
- utility provided. While the program is set up for running from this
- distribution disk, we do not recommend that you do so.
-
- You should also make a backup of both your original disks.
-
-
- Installing Windows with PC-Task
- -------------------------------
- You should have no problems installing MS Windows 3.0, MS Windows 3.1
- and MS Windows 3.11 under PC-Task's emulation. We suggest that when
- installing any version of Windows the following steps are followed:
-
- 1) Start PC-Task in VGA with the Mouse option selected. Remember
- to allocate at least the minimum suggested Extended RAM (see
- Windows documentation)
-
- 2) Do NOT start PC-Task's internal DOS mouse driver
-
- 3) Install Windows as per the Windows documentation
-
- 4) Always select VGA when installing Windows. You can always change
- your Video preferences later.
-
- 5) Always select Microsoft compatible Mouse.
-
- 6) Have a ready supply of coffee. Installing Windows from floppy can
- take a while!
-
- The installation process can be sped up considerably by doing the
- following (requires an additional 10MB free HD space):
-
- a) Create a directory on your MS-DOS hard disk called WINSETUP. Do
- this by typing MKDIR WINSETUP while in your root directory.
-
- b) Insert the first Windows Installation Disk into drive A and copy all
- the installation files by typing COPY A:\*.* C:\WINSETUP
-
- c) Repeat step b for all remaining Windows Installation Disks.
-
- d) Change to the WINSETUP directory by typing CD C:\WINSETUP
-
- e) Start the installation by typing SETUP
-
- The Windows Installation process will now commence and even given the
- time required to copy the files will still be up to two times faster
- than installing from floppies.
-
-
- Using a Mouse with Windows
- --------------------------
- PC-Task's internal DOS mouse driver is not for use with Microsoft
- Windows as Windows has its own specific mouse drivers. Use the
- Microsoft or PS2 mouse when installing Windows and select Mouse
- from the PC-Task Main Options screen.
-
-
- Using SVGA / Video 7 Modes under Windows
- -------------------------------------------
- The 256 Colour SVGA Video drivers provided with Windows will not work
- with PC-Task. You are now able to use the Video 7 drivers in order to
- access 256 colour screens under Windows. Modes available are:
-
- Video 7 1Mb, 800x600 256 colors
- Video 7 1Mb, 1024x768 256 colors Large Fonts
- Video 7 1Mb, 1024x768 256 colors Small Fonts
- Video 7 512K, 640x480 256 colors
-
- In order for mouse to work, please change the Graphics Update in the Advanced
- Video Options to 1 Frame or more (instead of immediate)
-
-
- Using a 3rd party graphics card with PC-Task
- --------------------------------------------
- PC-Task has been extensively tested with the EGS-Spectrum and Picasso
- display boards. It has also been tested on both of these boards with
- the CyberGraphics RTG software.
-
- A few recommendations when using graphics boards:
-
- 1) Upgrade to AmigaOS 3.1. This is considerably more stable when using
- 256 colour screens on non-AGA Amigas. It is also the current release.
-
- 2) For best performance use native Amiga screen modes where possible for
- MDA and CGA screen modes.
-
- 3) Do NOT use any promotion utilities to force PC-Task onto a graphic
- boards screen. This will not work! Screens should be selected in
- Advanced Video Options from the screenmodes database.
-
- 4) If using the EGS libraries we would suggest that you try the
- CyberGraphics demo. This is available from the support BBS (see your
- User Manual for details), AmiNET and most BBS's. It considerably speeds
- up PC-Task's display when used for VGA and SVGA video modes.
-
-
- If you are having problems starting PC-Task with Cybergraphics
-
- 1) If PC-Task doesn't seem to be loading, use the ToolType
- PUBSCREEN=Workbench, and PC-Task will open its configuration screen
- on the Workbench.
-
-
- General notes
- -------------
-
- If using Cybergraphics software, and PC-Task will not start, try using
- the ToolType PUBSCREEN=Workbench, so the configuration screen appears
- on your Workbench.
-
- It is very important for speed that PC-Task is not using chip(graphics)
- memory for CPU emulation make sure you are not trying to get too much
- PC memory (or Dynamic Buffer) and ending up have some of it allocated
- in your slower memory. You can if in doubt use the FORCEFASTMEM
- keyword/tooltype which will make sure PC-Task will not use slow memory
- to get the PC memory you requested.
-
- PC-Task_Dynamic takes a long time to execute a CONFIG.SYS with a
- HIMEM.SYS line that doesn't have the option /TESTMEM:OFF in it. eg:-
-
- PC-Task_Dynamic is considerably slower loading/start software but excels
- when all that is done and code is just executing (but not continually
- self modifying like some games do including Doom).
-
- PC-Task_Dynamic is very memory instensive so performance may be
- disappointing with some programs compared to PC-Task_Interpretive if you
- have slow memory (like A3640 that is in stock A4000/040/25).
-
- PC-Task_Dynamic's buffer settings currently use Tiny(512K), Small(1.5Meg),
- Medium(5Meg), Large(9Meg), Huge (PC memory round up to nearest power of two
- plus 1 Meg) memory. The amount is never more than 1 Meg plus 4*PC memory
- (640K conventional counts as 1 meg). The huge setting is usually gives the
- fastest CPU emulation.
-
- PC-Task_Interpretive does not do paging so you cannot run emm386, Windows
- in 386 enhanced, and generally programs that have a swap file with that
- version.
-
- If you are unhappy with graphics update please go to advanced options and
- change the update method (for every PC mode or just the one you are unhappy
- about) to after 4 frames and see if that is better, or if already at that
- setting try the immediate update method.
-
- Don't run EMM386 (check your config.sys) unless you really want to as
- it slows doesn PC-Task.
-
- Windows runs faster in standard mode so if you don't need 386 enhanced you
- might want to use win/s command line to force windows into standard mode.
-
- When running Windows in 386 enhanced you probably have to use the command
- line "Win /D:X" or edit your SYSTEM.INI file so Windows doesn't use
- A000-FFFF for memory.
-
- If the mouse is not working under Windows, make sure the file called
- MOUSE.INI in the Windows directory says MouseType=SERIAL2 in it.
-
-
- Manual Changes & Additions
- --------------------------
-
- Page 16 - Addition
- TIMERFACTOR keyword/tootype allows changing of the PC system timer.
- Normally a timer interrupt happens 18.2 times a second. The problem is
- when games and other programs change this to a more frequent value and then
- excute a large amount of code in the interrupt causing slowdown or halt of
- the CPU emulation if PC-Task cannot keep up. So this keyword fixes the
- timer to the factor you set eg:-
-
- TIMERFACTOR=1 Timer 18.2 times a second and never change from this
- TIMERFACTOR=2 Timer 9.1 times a second and never change from this
- etc
-
- The TIMERFACTOR ToolType can also give a noticeable speed increase
- for programs, so you might wish to try altering this to see the affect
- on your system speed.
-
-
- PC-Task 4 Program History
- -------------------------
-
- V4.0
-
-
- V4.1 Changed default to update after 2 frames for some PC display modes
- because it is usually faster for them.
-
- Improved after # frames EGA/VGA 2/16 color modes compatability, for
- some games. Now more compatible than immediate update.
-
- Fixed some CPU problems with some DPMI's.
-
- Improved CPU emulation speed when paging.
-
- Improved CPU emulation speed a bit when in protected/virtual86 mode.
-
- Improved cybergfx support for some PC display modes.
-
- Fixed Dynamic CPU emulation for some BASIC programs.
-
-