Subject: [os2genau_digest] No. 272
From: "Digest" <newsatos2site dot com>
To: "OS/2GenAu Digest" <deadmail>
Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2002 01:00:00 +1100 (EDT)

Date:- 11 February 2002

1================================================

From: "Daryl Pilkington" <u3232athome.dialix dot com>
Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 01:26:09 +1100 (EDT)
Subject: Re: [os2genau] HP Deskjet Drivers

Virtually all printers that are true bi-directional need a 25 conductor
printer cable.
Really cheap cables only have 18 conductors.

Virtually all dot-matrix printers are OK with 18 conductors, most early
B/W Deskjets, but thats about it.

You can check by putting a multimeter to each pin at one connector &
checking it has continuity with 1 & only 1 pin at the other connector.

With a 18 way cable, a whole pile of the pins are connected together at
each end.

I ended up marking with black felt-tip all the 18 conductor cables with
"18 Way" & 25 conductor cables "25 Way" for a site I worked at. I did
the same with each printer, based on the specs of the printer.

They had a mix of 25 & 18 conductor interface printers.

This requires some electronics knowledge to read the printer specs, or
the ability to dis-assemble the printer & check :)

Rather than replace all the cables with 25 conductor flavours, the
marking ensured the correct cable was used.

On Sat, 09 Feb 2002 17:17:02 +1100, Ed Durrant wrote:
>
SNIP
>Cheaper parrallel cables don't have all required connections running
>though - sometimes they only have half of the possible 25 cores
>installed. These cables work fine with Canon and Epson printers and
>some (but not all) IBM/Lexmark printers. ALSO don't forget the maximum
>allowed length of a parrallel cable of 10 feet or 3 metres.
>
SNIP
>

Regards,

Daryl  Pilkington 

//// The PC-Therapist, Business Computing Integration
O<O  AUSTRALIA
\_/
<O>  OS/2 Warp, Redhat Linux, DB2
     IBM Certified Systems Expert

        email: darylpatpc-therapist dot com dot au
          ICQ: 91914134
          Mob: 0425-251-300

2==============================================

From: "Ian Manners" <newsatos2site dot com>
Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 01:30:18 +1100 (EDT)
Subject: Re: [os2genau] HP Deskjet Drivers

Hi Ed and Kris

>> some (but not all) IBM/Lexmark printers. ALSO don't forget the maximum
>> allowed length of a parrallel cable of 10 feet or 3 metres.

Standard shop cables (ie, the AU$5 variaty) should only be purchased
to a maximum length of 6 metres. The main problem that occurs,
even in some of the bodgy brothers shielded cables, is
capacitance, this is the main limiting factor. 

Be aware that the cables between 3-6 metres, unshielded can
suffer from some strange print problems if you have a digital
mobile phone, or other pulsed RF source near by.

Most cheap printer cables fall in the unshielded catagorie, and
I do not include a few strands of silver wire rapped around the
outside of the wires but under the sheath as shielded !

The important factor is the cable quality and capacitance.

If you use shielded cable, with ALL pins through to ALL pins then
you can use 10 metres without any problems, generally speaking.

In the past I have used 20-30 metre self made cables on printers
located at mine sites with no problems, but with all BIDI required
leads soldered to earth.

If I were to leave all pins connected to all pins, and use a true
Bi Directional printer on a 20 metre cable, I would be asking
for trouble, as this is the limit, unless RF grade cable(s) are
used, it is cheaper to simply purchase a network printer, or
a Lexmark/HP Printer Network Port.

I have also demonstrated printer problems, printers that issue
blank pieces of paper etc simply by placing my mobile about
30cm from a cheap 6 metre cable, and ringing it.

>It's an "expensive" cable of course. But as has been told already, one
>should spend his money on cheap cables.

Sounds like you have a proper shielded cable. Your cable is probably
a Bi-Directional cable, with shielding, and the unused cable strands soldered
to earth. 

Cheers
Ian B Manners
http://www.os2site dot com/

3==============================================

From: "Ian Manners" <newsatos2site dot com>
Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 01:41:43 +1100 (EDT)
Subject: Re: [os2genau] HP Deskjet Drivers

I should elaberate a bit more here

>Sounds like you have a proper shielded cable. Your cable is probably
>a Bi-Directional cable, with shielding, and the unused cable strands soldered
>to earth. 

The good quality longer printer cables normally use 30 strand cable,
24pins are normally required for BIDI cables, the remaining 6 are
earthed, one give away about these cables is they are normally
thicker, and there bend resistance is also greater.

Cheers
Ian B Manners
http://www.os2site dot com/

4==============================================

Date: Sat, 09 Feb 2002 16:37:54 +0100
From: Kris Steenhaut <kris.steenhautathccnet.nl>
Subject: Re: [os2genau] HP Deskjet Drivers

Ian Manners schreef:

>
> Sounds like you have a proper shielded cable. Your cable is probably
> a Bi-Directional cable, with shielding, and the unused cable strands soldered
> to earth.
>

And thank you for the lecture, very educational. :-))

--
Groeten uit Gent,

   Kris

5==============================================

Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 08:29:05 +1100
From: Ed Durrant <edurrantatbigpond dot net dot au>
Subject: Re: [os2genau] HP Deskjet Drivers

The specification states 3 metres max. It's true you can often get away
with longer cables, especially if they are the expensive, low loss,
screened type, but there's no gaurentee that this'll work and it
depends on the interface at the PC and at the printer.

Cheers/2
Ed.

Kris Steenhaut wrote:
> 
> Ed Durrant schreef:
> 
> > some (but not all) IBM/Lexmark printers. ALSO don't forget the maximum
> > allowed length of a parrallel cable of 10 feet or 3 metres.
> >
> 
> ?? What I'm I missing now?? I have now a 15 m // cable attached to a Laserjet 4V, and it's still
> working excellent. On an add-on PCI //-card as port 2. I had for a year the came cable attached to a
> HP 970 Cxi, and it worked all the way excellent. I just swapped the printers last month in order to
> make room at my desk.
> It's an "expensive" cable of course. But as has been told already, one should spend his money on cheap
> cables.
> 
> --
> Groeten uit Gent,
> 
>    Kris
> 

6==============================================

From: "voytek" <voytekatsbt dot net dot au>
Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 08:31:35 +1100
Subject: [os2genau] SmartCache, Squid, N461 Re: [os2genau] Fwd: Other Password questions (KMM44281428C0KM)

On Sat, 09 Feb 2002 23:29:25 +1100 (EDT), John Angelico wrote:

>A different support person explained the symptoms better and pointed me to
>the source of the problem: my local cache (using Smart Cache).  

are you using SmartCache *instead* of N461's own cache ?
is it: a little ? a lot better ?
I don;t have SmartCache, but, use Squid on the LAN, should I disable N461's cache, and, just use Squid ?

or, should I run SmartCache on my own PC, fed from my Squid ?

7==============================================

From: "Gavin Miller" <drumextremeatimpulse dot net dot au>
Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 10:40:20 +1000 (EST)
Subject: Re: [os2genau] HP Deskjet Drivers

Hi Ed, Ian and Kris,

This lesson on cables is FANTASTIC!!!  My boss is the cheapest tight ass on the 
planet.  So I'm exceptionally pleased to find out that instead of purchasing half a dozen 
new printers, he could have replaced the dodgey printer cables he insisted we use 
instead.

Thanx guys, you've made my day :-)

Cheers
Gavin

8==============================================

From: "Dr Graham Norton FRACP Neurologist" <gnatsmart-road dot com dot au>
Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 12:33:01 +1000 (EST)
Subject: Re: [os2genau] Dual Boot

I am about to attempt to set up a  laptop with W2000 and Warp 4.5....  

any helpful comments and suggestions, warnings etc gratefully received!  

is it possible with Boot Manager?  other choices?

On Sun, 10 Feb 2002 10:40:20 +1000 (EST), Gavin Miller wrote:

>Hi Ed, Ian and Kris,
>
>This lesson on cables is FANTASTIC!!!  My boss is the cheapest tight ass on the 
>planet.  So I'm exceptionally pleased to find out that instead of purchasing half a 
dozen 
>new printers, he could have replaced the dodgey printer cables he insisted we 
use 
>instead.
>
>Thanx guys, you've made my day :-)
>
>Cheers
>Gavin
>
>

Graham Norton
President
OS2 Users Group SA

9==============================================

Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 15:10:51 +1100
From: Ed Durrant <edurrantatbigpond dot net dot au>
Subject: Re: [os2genau] Dual Boot

W2k professional or server ?

Either way, I'd install W2k first, leaving say half of the drive as
freespace, then insdtall boot manager at the end of the drive and
last of all OS/2 Warp 4.

As you know, you'll need to consider file systems. If you want security
and user disk quotas, compression or file encryption you'll have to go
with NTFS on the W2k partition. Although Microsoft don't advertise it,
it appears that HPFS is still recognised by W2k as it is mentioned in
some W2k training I am doing. So if yoy don't need any of the "special
features" of NTFS, then HPFS could be a winner for you.

The Warp partition should of course be HPFS.

If you have to go with NTFS for W2K, then, if you want to exchange data
between the two OS environments, then you'll need a FAT data transfer
partition, but keep this below 2 GB in size otherwise W2k will want to
make it into FAT32.

You may experience problems betwwen W2k's Disk manager and LVM if you
either change to Dynamic drives undfer W2k or use JFS under Warp, so
you'd probably better avoid both of these.

Since you are buying licences for both W2k and Warp, another option
could be Virtual PC. Either with OS/2 as the host and W2k as the guest
or the other way around. I think Virtual PC is supposed to cost around
US$ 100.

Cheers/2

Ed.

Dr Graham Norton FRACP Neurologist wrote:
> 
> I am about to attempt to set up a  laptop with W2000 and Warp 4.5....
> 
> any helpful comments and suggestions, warnings etc gratefully received!
> 
> is it possible with Boot Manager?  other choices?
>

10==============================================

Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 15:12:40 +1100
From: Ed Durrant <edurrantatbigpond dot net dot au>
Subject: [os2genau] Apple Quicktime 5 under OS/2

Has anyone been able to get Apple's Quicktime viewer to work under OS/2 
- if so what are the tricks ??

It seems to install pretty well through ODIN but when I start it, all I
get is a small black box displayed on the screen.

Cheers/2

Ed.

11==============================================

From: "Paul Smedley" <psmedle1atbigpond dot net dot au>
Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 14:53:22 +1000
Subject: Re: [os2genau] Dual Boot

The other consideration should be to install at least SP1 for Win2k before Installing 
Warp, as Win2k with no service clobbers IBM Boot Manager on each reboot as it 
doesn't recognise the partition type so decides to "fix" it.

Regards,

Paul.

On Sun, 10 Feb 2002 15:10:51 +1100, Ed Durrant wrote:

>W2k professional or server ?
>
>Either way, I'd install W2k first, leaving say half of the drive as
>freespace, then insdtall boot manager at the end of the drive and
>last of all OS/2 Warp 4.
>
>As you know, you'll need to consider file systems. If you want security
>and user disk quotas, compression or file encryption you'll have to go
>with NTFS on the W2k partition. Although Microsoft don't advertise it,
>it appears that HPFS is still recognised by W2k as it is mentioned in
>some W2k training I am doing. So if yoy don't need any of the "special
>features" of NTFS, then HPFS could be a winner for you.
>
>The Warp partition should of course be HPFS.
>
>If you have to go with NTFS for W2K, then, if you want to exchange data
>between the two OS environments, then you'll need a FAT data transfer
>partition, but keep this below 2 GB in size otherwise W2k will want to
>make it into FAT32.
>
>You may experience problems betwwen W2k's Disk manager and LVM if you
>either change to Dynamic drives undfer W2k or use JFS under Warp, so
>you'd probably better avoid both of these.
>
>Since you are buying licences for both W2k and Warp, another option
>could be Virtual PC. Either with OS/2 as the host and W2k as the guest
>or the other way around. I think Virtual PC is supposed to cost around
>US$ 100.
>
>Cheers/2
>
>Ed.
>
>
>Dr Graham Norton FRACP Neurologist wrote:
>> 
>> I am about to attempt to set up a  laptop with W2000 and Warp 4.5....
>> 
>> any helpful comments and suggestions, warnings etc gratefully received!
>> 
>> is it possible with Boot Manager?  other choices?
>>

12==============================================

From: "Robert Traynor  (BobT)" <rtraynoratoptushome dot com dot au>
Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 16:22:04 +1100 (EST)
Subject: Re: [os2genau] Dual Boot

Replying to BOTH Ed and Pauland Graham.

First to Paul, Win2k MUST have SP2 to prevent the clobbering of IBM BootManager
(Not just SP1).

And second, to Ed, I have Win2k professional (ie workstation)
and it DOES NOT see a HPFS partition at all.!  
I doubt the validity of any MS documentation that it can see a HPFS partition.
The blasted thing kept offering to format my HPFS partitions for me
when I tried to click on the HPFS drives.  I finally hid the HPFS partitions
entirely and removed their drive letters from within Win2k.

Now to Graham, 
Another option to consider would be to install Win2k on a fat32 partition.
Reading the MS documentation (now its my turn to read M$ docos) SAYS that
Win2k can be installed to fat32.  At least you would have emergency access
to your Win2k partition in the event of problems. Either by a win98 boot disk or
via os2/eCS with the os2Fat32.IFS driver.

I have had zero access to my Win2k NTFS partition 3 times now and it is a right
royal pain.  IF I ever have to reinstall Win2k again, I am going to try fat32.
Next time.! 

Regards,
BobT

Paul said:-
> The other consideration should be to install at least SP1 for Win2k before Installing 
> Warp, as Win2k with no service clobbers IBM Boot Manager on each reboot as it 
> doesn't recognise the partition type so decides to "fix" it.

> Regards,
> Paul.

On Sun, 10 Feb 2002 15:10:51 +1100, Ed Durrant wrote:

> W2k professional or server ?
> 
> Either way, I'd install W2k first, leaving say half of the drive as
> freespace, then insdtall boot manager at the end of the drive and
> last of all OS/2 Warp 4.
> 
> As you know, you'll need to consider file systems. If you want security
> and user disk quotas, compression or file encryption you'll have to go
> with NTFS on the W2k partition. Although Microsoft don't advertise it,
> it appears that HPFS is still recognised by W2k as it is mentioned in
> some W2k training I am doing. So if yoy don't need any of the "special
> features" of NTFS, then HPFS could be a winner for you.
> Ed.

<ULTRA BIG SNIP>

Opps. Snipped out Graham. Apologies.
BT.
   ,-._|\       Robert Traynor        (BobT)
 /  Oz  \      email            rtraynoratnetstra dot com dot au
 \_,--.x/ 

13==============================================

Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 17:39:01 +1100
From: Ed Durrant <edurrantatbigpond dot net dot au>
Subject: Re: [os2genau] Dual Boot

Hi Robert,
  You should note from my original post, I stated Microsoft didn't
state that HPFS is supported. The reference I have is from non-MS
training material. I would expect pinball.dll would need to be 
present and the ifs added into the registry as with NT 4.

  The usual work-around to get access to the NTFS partition in an
emergency (assuming ERD etc. hasn't worked and you haven't installed
the recomended by M$ recovery manager options) is to use a linux boot
diskette with NTFS drivers (yes there are now drivers for NTFS V5).

  There is also a varient of this disk that allows you to crack the 
SAM, which is one of the reasons M$ went Active Directory for domain
security.

  I would only install to FAT32 if I needed to dula-boot within the 
partition to a Win 9x platform. 

Cheers/2

Ed.

P.S. I'd be interested if anyone on the list has got even the beta 
version of Virtual-PC installed yet and if so, how well does it work ?

"Robert Traynor (BobT)" wrote:
> 
> Replying to BOTH Ed and Paul and Graham.
> 
> First to Paul, Win2k MUST have SP2 to prevent the clobbering of IBM BootManager
> (Not just SP1).
> 
> And second, to Ed, I have Win2k professional (ie workstation)
> and it DOES NOT see a HPFS partition at all.!
> I doubt the validity of any MS documentation that it can see a HPFS partition.
> The blasted thing kept offering to format my HPFS partitions for me
> when I tried to click on the HPFS drives.  I finally hid the HPFS partitions
> entirely and removed their drive letters from within Win2k.
> 
> Now to Graham,
> Another option to consider would be to install Win2k on a fat32 partition.
> Reading the MS documentation (now its my turn to read M$ docos) SAYS that
> Win2k can be installed to fat32.  At least you would have emergency access
> to your Win2k partition in the event of problems. Either by a win98 boot disk or
> via os2/eCS with the os2Fat32.IFS driver.
> 
> I have had zero access to my Win2k NTFS partition 3 times now and it is a right
> royal pain.  IF I ever have to reinstall Win2k again, I am going to try fat32.
> Next time.!
> 
> Regards,
> BobT
> 
> Paul said:-
> > The other consideration should be to install at least SP1 for Win2k before Installing
> > Warp, as Win2k with no service clobbers IBM Boot Manager on each reboot as it
> > doesn't recognise the partition type so decides to "fix" it.
> 
> > Regards,
> > Paul.
> 
> On Sun, 10 Feb 2002 15:10:51 +1100, Ed Durrant wrote:
> 
> > W2k professional or server ?
> >
> > Either way, I'd install W2k first, leaving say half of the drive as
> > freespace, then insdtall boot manager at the end of the drive and
> > last of all OS/2 Warp 4.
> >
> > As you know, you'll need to consider file systems. If you want security
> > and user disk quotas, compression or file encryption you'll have to go
> > with NTFS on the W2k partition. Although Microsoft don't advertise it,
> > it appears that HPFS is still recognised by W2k as it is mentioned in
> > some W2k training I am doing. So if yoy don't need any of the "special
> > features" of NTFS, then HPFS could be a winner for you.
> > Ed.
> 
> <ULTRA BIG SNIP>
> 
> Opps. Snipped out Graham. Apologies.
> BT.
>    ,-._|\       Robert Traynor        (BobT)
>  /  Oz  \      email            rtraynoratnetstra dot com dot au
>  \_,--.x/
> 

14==============================================

From: "David Forrester" <davidforatterrigal dot net dot au>
Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 18:23:07 +1100 (EDT)
Subject: Re: [os2genau] Dual Boot

On Sun, 10 Feb 2002 16:22:04 +1100 (EST), Robert Traynor  (BobT) wrote:

>Replying to BOTH Ed and Pauland Graham.
>
>First to Paul, Win2k MUST have SP2 to prevent the clobbering of IBM BootManager
>(Not just SP1).

That's right.  Or use a different boot manager.  Currently, my vote
goes to XOSL (see www.xosl dot org).

>
>And second, to Ed, I have Win2k professional (ie workstation)
>and it DOES NOT see a HPFS partition at all.!  
>I doubt the validity of any MS documentation that it can see a HPFS partition.
>The blasted thing kept offering to format my HPFS partitions for me
>when I tried to click on the HPFS drives.  I finally hid the HPFS partitions
>entirely and removed their drive letters from within Win2k.

Also right.  But, there's a package called hpfs_w2k.zip on hobbes. 
That patches PINBALL.SYS to make W2K see HPFS.  I have a 1GB HPFS
partition that is shared on my laptop.  I only use it for PMMail.  The
boot and apps partitions (one each for OS/2 and W2K) are hidden from
the other OS.  I also have 2 FAT32 data partitions that are visible to
both OSes.  The HPFS partition for PMMail is because FAT32 under OS/2
is slow when lots of files are being handled.

--
David Forrester
davidforatterrigal dot net dot au
http://www.os2world dot com/djfos2/

15==============================================

From: "Robert Traynor  (BobT)" <rtraynoratoptushome dot com dot au>
Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 19:10:07 +1100
Subject: Re: [os2genau] Dual Boot

Ok Ed,
I stand corrected.

But you should read the reply about Pinball.sys in the other
reply to, and post from, David.
The old Pinball.sys file from NT is dangerous in later MS systems.
And there was allegedly a 2gb limit on the HPFS partition size.
It has to be patched or use the one from hobbes for Win2k and may not
work for XP either.

MS is constantly altering the specs for NTFS from OS version to version.
Some of the Windows programming groups even  complain about it too.

As regards the means by which to access a NTFS partition, there are 
indeed many and varied ways of EVENTUALLY getting access.
I now have multiple entries in my boot.ini file for possible partition numbering
changes that may arise if the MBR is rewritten and the partition data is then
written in a different order.  
Beware of MCP or eCS LVM.EXE which can do this with no warning,
with the result that Win2k will no longer boot.

Regards,
Robert Traynor (BobT)
   10 February 2002

On Sun, 10 Feb 2002 17:39:01 +1100, Ed Durrant wrote:

> Hi Robert,
>   You should note from my original post, I stated Microsoft didn't
> state that HPFS is supported. The reference I have is from non-MS
> training material. I would expect pinball.dll would need to be 
> present and the ifs added into the registry as with NT 4.
> 
>   The usual work-around to get access to the NTFS partition in an
> emergency (assuming ERD etc. hasn't worked and you haven't installed
> the recomended by M$ recovery manager options) is to use a linux boot
> diskette with NTFS drivers (yes there are now drivers for NTFS V5).
> 
>   There is also a varient of this disk that allows you to crack the 
> SAM, which is one of the reasons M$ went Active Directory for domain
> security.
> 
>   I would only install to FAT32 if I needed to dula-boot within the 
> partition to a Win 9x platform. 
> 
> Cheers/2
> 
> Ed.
> 
> P.S. I'd be interested if anyone on the list has got even the beta 
> version of Virtual-PC installed yet and if so, how well does it work ?
> 
> "Robert Traynor (BobT)" wrote:
> > 
> > Replying to BOTH Ed and Paul and Graham.
> > 
> > First to Paul, Win2k MUST have SP2 to prevent the clobbering of IBM BootManager
> > (Not just SP1).
> > 
> > And second, to Ed, I have Win2k professional (ie workstation)
> > and it DOES NOT see a HPFS partition at all.!
> > I doubt the validity of any MS documentation that it can see a HPFS partition.
> > The blasted thing kept offering to format my HPFS partitions for me
> > when I tried to click on the HPFS drives.  I finally hid the HPFS partitions
> > entirely and removed their drive letters from within Win2k.
> > 
> > Now to Graham,
> > Another option to consider would be to install Win2k on a fat32 partition.
> > Reading the MS documentation (now its my turn to read M$ docos) SAYS that
> > Win2k can be installed to fat32.  At least you would have emergency access
> > to your Win2k partition in the event of problems. Either by a win98 boot disk or
> > via os2/eCS with the os2Fat32.IFS driver.
> > 
> > I have had zero access to my Win2k NTFS partition 3 times now and it is a right
> > royal pain.  IF I ever have to reinstall Win2k again, I am going to try fat32.
> > Next time.!
> > 
> > Regards,
> > BobT
> > 
> > Paul said:-
> > > The other consideration should be to install at least SP1 for Win2k before Installing
> > > Warp, as Win2k with no service clobbers IBM Boot Manager on each reboot as it
> > > doesn't recognise the partition type so decides to "fix" it.
> > 
> > > Regards,
> > > Paul.
> > 
> > On Sun, 10 Feb 2002 15:10:51 +1100, Ed Durrant wrote:
> > 
> > > W2k professional or server ?
> > >
> > > Either way, I'd install W2k first, leaving say half of the drive as
> > > freespace, then insdtall boot manager at the end of the drive and
> > > last of all OS/2 Warp 4.
> > >
> > > As you know, you'll need to consider file systems. If you want security
> > > and user disk quotas, compression or file encryption you'll have to go
> > > with NTFS on the W2k partition. Although Microsoft don't advertise it,
> > > it appears that HPFS is still recognised by W2k as it is mentioned in
> > > some W2k training I am doing. So if yoy don't need any of the "special
> > > features" of NTFS, then HPFS could be a winner for you.
> > > Ed.
> > 
> > <ULTRA BIG SNIP>
> > 
> > Opps. Snipped out Graham. Apologies.
> > BT.
> >    ,-._|\       Robert Traynor        (BobT)
> >  /  Oz  \      email            rtraynoratnetstra dot com dot au
> >  \_,--.x/
> > 

   ,-._|\       Robert Traynor        (BobT)
 /  Oz  \      email            rtraynoratnetstra dot com dot au
 \_,--.x/ 

16==============================================

From: "Robert Traynor  (BobT)" <rtraynoratoptushome dot com dot au>
Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 19:11:28 +1100
Subject: Re: [os2genau] Dual Boot

Ok,

Interesting about the hpfs_w2k.zip hobbes file.
The info I have is that it can cause corruption of the hpfs partition IF
the partition is larger than 2gb in size.  Yours is 1gb so you are safe,
if this is true. Also you have apparently got the right file within hpfs_w2k.zip
as the old Pinball.sys from earlier NT versions is reputed to be not completely
compatible with win2k without it.  
Interesting to see that it works on your system, I will not chance it myself.

I have also seen some newsgroups messages claiming that MS has changed
the specs for NTFS and later versions (XP) are less compatible with the
hpfs_w2k.zip.  I cannot confirm myself.

As regards references to the Os2Fat32.IFS driver for os2, this is fully workable under
os2/eCS and I use it myself.  Some good news is that the source code has been 
given to Netlabs recently.  There has yet to be official message from Netlabs
but if some programmer takes it on then we may see some of the file transfer
limitations removed or minimized in the distant future.

As regards a bootmanager, I use Air-Boot and so far find it very good.
I have not looked at the XOSL other than a brief look at the website.

Regards,
Robert Traynor (BobT)
   10 February 2002

On Sun, 10 Feb 2002 18:23:07 +1100 (EDT), David Forrester wrote:
> On Sun, 10 Feb 2002 16:22:04 +1100 (EST), Robert Traynor  (BobT) wrote:
> 
> >Replying to BOTH Ed and Pauland Graham.
> >
> >First to Paul, Win2k MUST have SP2 to prevent the clobbering of IBM BootManager
> >(Not just SP1).
> 
> That's right.  Or use a different boot manager.  Currently, my vote
> goes to XOSL (see www.xosl dot org).
> 
> >
> >And second, to Ed, I have Win2k professional (ie workstation)
> >and it DOES NOT see a HPFS partition at all.!  
> >I doubt the validity of any MS documentation that it can see a HPFS partition.
> >The blasted thing kept offering to format my HPFS partitions for me
> >when I tried to click on the HPFS drives.  I finally hid the HPFS partitions
> >entirely and removed their drive letters from within Win2k.
> 
> Also right.  But, there's a package called hpfs_w2k.zip on hobbes. 
> That patches PINBALL.SYS to make W2K see HPFS.  I have a 1GB HPFS
> partition that is shared on my laptop.  I only use it for PMMail.  The
> boot and apps partitions (one each for OS/2 and W2K) are hidden from
> the other OS.  I also have 2 FAT32 data partitions that are visible to
> both OSes.  The HPFS partition for PMMail is because FAT32 under OS/2
> is slow when lots of files are being handled.

> --
> David Forrester
> davidforatterrigal dot net dot au
> http://www.os2world dot com/djfos2/

   ,-._|\       Robert Traynor        (BobT)
 /  Oz  \      email            rtraynoratnetstra dot com dot au
 \_,--.x/ 

17==============================================

From: "David Forrester" <davidforatterrigal dot net dot au>
Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 19:50:59 +1100 (EDT)
Subject: Re: [os2genau] SmartCache, Squid, N461 Re: [os2genau] Fwd: Other Password questions (KMM44281428C0KM)

On Sun, 10 Feb 2002 08:31:35 +1100, voytek wrote:

>On Sat, 09 Feb 2002 23:29:25 +1100 (EDT), John Angelico wrote:
>
>>A different support person explained the symptoms better and pointed me to
>>the source of the problem: my local cache (using Smart Cache).  
>
>are you using SmartCache *instead* of N461's own cache ?
>is it: a little ? a lot better ?
>I don;t have SmartCache, but, use Squid on the LAN, should I disable N461's cache, and, just use Squid ?
>
>or, should I run SmartCache on my own PC, fed from my Squid ?

The answer to all the above is:  Yes.  

I do a similar thing.  I have a Linux box with Squid on it and an OS/2
box with SmartCache.  The browsers on all the other machines (Win95 for
the family, my laptop with OS/2 and Win2000) point their proxies to
SmartCache.  SmartCache points to Squid and Squid points to my ISPs
proxy.

The reason for having Squid around is mainly historical (ie. I put it
in first, added SmartCache as an experiment and never removed Squid). 
But, in the past it was useful.  There were some sites that SmartCache
couldn't handle (secure sites) and I could bypass it for the Squid
cache easily.  But, SmartCache has gotten to the point I think I could
get rid of Squid quite happily.

The big advantages of SmartCache are that it will cache things that
other proxies won't.  And it has quite good site or file blocking.  I
block the more annoying ad banners.  It will also change the client
reported.  I've used this in the past so that a site will work with
Mozilla or SSlurp.  But, it's rarely been worth it.

If you are using a local caching proxy, you should set the Netscape
disk cache to a low value but not zero.  In the past (not sure about
the latest version) NS performance drawing large tables was terrible if
the disk cache was set to zero.  An alternative that some people love
(you there Kris?) is to point the disk cache to a RAM drive.  I've
never done this, but I can see it's attractions, especially if you have
some sort of local proxy.

--
David Forrester
davidforatterrigal dot net dot au
http://www.os2world dot com/djfos2/

18==============================================

From: "David Forrester" <davidforatterrigal dot net dot au>
Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 20:09:37 +1100 (EDT)
Subject: Re: [os2genau] Dual Boot

On Sun, 10 Feb 2002 19:11:28 +1100, Robert Traynor  (BobT) wrote:

>Interesting about the hpfs_w2k.zip hobbes file.
>The info I have is that it can cause corruption of the hpfs partition IF
>the partition is larger than 2gb in size.  Yours is 1gb so you are safe,
>if this is true. Also you have apparently got the right file within hpfs_w2k.zip
>as the old Pinball.sys from earlier NT versions is reputed to be not completely
>compatible with win2k without it.  
>Interesting to see that it works on your system, I will not chance it myself.

I'd seen the problems about the size, so that's why I set it at 1GB.  I
could have gone much lower (there's less that 100MB of mail), but I'm
putting other stuff there that I want to guarantee OS/2 access to even
if I've booted from diskettes.  

>
>I have also seen some newsgroups messages claiming that MS has changed
>the specs for NTFS and later versions (XP) are less compatible with the
>hpfs_w2k.zip.  I cannot confirm myself.

Umm, why would changing the NTFS specs affect accessing HPFS
partitions?

>As regards references to the Os2Fat32.IFS driver for os2, this is fully workable under
>os2/eCS and I use it myself.  Some good news is that the source code has been 
>given to Netlabs recently.  There has yet to be official message from Netlabs
>but if some programmer takes it on then we may see some of the file transfer
>limitations removed or minimized in the distant future.

I don't have any problems with FAT32.IFS (I have a 5GB and a 6GB
partition on this laptop) except performance.  And then only when doing
a lot of things.  Just before Christmas, I tried to copy 500MB of small
files from my OS/2 server to one of the FAT32 partitions on my laptop. 
After about six hours, the laptop being completely unresponsive, I
killed it, and did the same thing in W2K in less than 30 minutes.  

>
>As regards a bootmanager, I use Air-Boot and so far find it very good.
>I have not looked at the XOSL other than a brief look at the website.
>

I've seen a lot about Air-Boot recently, and I was setting up a new
machine, I would try it.  One of the things I really like about XOSL,
is that I can setup extra boot options that send some extra keystrokes
at the start of the boot.  This means I have boot options that send the
ALT-F1 or ALT-F2 when booting.  Much nicer than trying to catch the
"OS/2 blob".

--
David Forrester
davidforatterrigal dot net dot au
http://www.os2world dot com/djfos2/

19==============================================

Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 10:37:42 +0100
From: Kris Steenhaut <kris.steenhautathccnet.nl>
Subject: Re: [os2genau] Dual Boot

David Forrester schreef:

>
> That's right.  Or use a different boot manager.  Currently, my vote
> goes to XOSL (see www.xosl dot org).
>

Any particular reason why?

--
Groeten uit Gent,

   Kris

20==============================================

From: "David Forrester" <davidforatterrigal dot net dot au>
Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 21:14:48 +1100 (EDT)
Subject: Re: [os2genau] Dual Boot

On Sun, 10 Feb 2002 10:37:42 +0100, Kris Steenhaut wrote:

>
>>
>> That's right.  Or use a different boot manager.  Currently, my vote
>> goes to XOSL (see www.xosl dot org).
>>
>
>Any particular reason why?

I stopped using BootManager because it didn't handle Win95 on a FAT32
partition properly.  I've forgotten the exact problem, and I think it's
been fixed with one of the Fixpacks.  I tried GAG for a while.  It
worked, but I was never happy with it.  Then I found XOSL (I think
someone on OS2User list mentioned it).  The things that I like about it
are:

- it's by far the best looking boot manager I've seen (unimportant,
but, it made me keep looking at it)
- can use a mouse during the boot and configuration
- configured from within itself
- hiding/unhiding partitions for each boot option
- can boot just about anything from just about anywhere
- sending extra keystrokes as the boot starts (eg. I have a boot option
that sends ALT-F1 when starting OS/2, or another to send F8 when
starting Win2000).
- Its free

The only problem I can see is that it doesn't fit into the MBR.  It
either has its own partition (primary or logical), or can be installed
in an existing FAT partition.

Of course, the main reason I'm using it now, is because it's installed,
it works and I don't feel like messing around with my system in that
way.  There's far to many other ways to stuff it up.  And some of them
are fun :)

--
David Forrester
davidforatterrigal dot net dot au
http://www.os2world dot com/djfos2/