HybriSwitch RAM Disk Documentation version 1.1 - 08/12/88 Copyright 1988 John Eidsvoog SETTING UP HybriSwitch RAM Disk: Copy the file HRAMDSK2.PRG into your AUTO folder (make a folder on your boot disk named AUTO). Whenever the ST boots up, it runs all programs with the extension .PRG in the AUTO folder. If you are booting from hard disk, your AUTO folder will need to be in your boot partition. You may also run HRAMDSK2.PRG directly from the desktop. USING HybriSwitch RAM Disk: When HRAMDSK2.PRG is run from the AUTO folder, it will pause for about 5 seconds. If you don't respond by pressing a key or moving the mouse within 5 seconds, the program will proceed automatically with the rest of your bootup procedure. The action that will be taken will be noted at the bottom of the screen by one of the following 2 messages: (on time-out, will automatically install) or (on time-out, will automatically by-pass) As soon as you press a key or move the mouse, this message will dis- appear, the time-out will be aborted, and you will have as long as you want to decide what to do. The following are valid keys: C-P = set the drive letter to use 1-9, A-W (upper or lower case) = install, using the size shown on screen Esc, or Undo = quit without installing RAM disk Arrow keys and mouse movements = move the cursor around on the screen Space bar = does nothing (expect abort time-out) Help, or any other key = display information about the program Delete = do a cold boot (if already installed, and pressed before run) Every time HRAMDSK2 is run, it saves the current size chosen, the drive letter selected, and whether the RAM disk was installed or by- passed. Then the next time the program is run, the previous settings will be used as default values. If you do not want this information saved every time, you must write-protect your disk. It is still much more preferable (to me) to have your 'favorite' drive and size appear as the default size and action each time you run it, and if you're not there to respond within 5 seconds, it'll go ahead and do the same thing you did last time. In order to use the RAM disk from the desktop, you will have to install a drive icon. Do this by clicking on an existing drive icon. It will become selected by inverting its colors. Now go up to the Options drop-down and click on 'Install Disk Drive...'. A dialog box will appear. Enter the drive letter that you have chosen for your RAM disk, and the name you'd like to appear on the icon. Make sure you click the mouse on 'Install' because using the 'Return' key will 'Cancel'. If you have problems, your Owner's Manual describes this whole process. REMOVING HybriSwitch RAM Disk: In order to remove this RAM disk, you must do a 'cold' reset. One way to do this is to turn off the power switch in the back of your ST. To insure that you truly have a 'clean' machine, you must wait at least 5 seconds, maybe 10, before turning it back on. If this seems a nuisance, just be aware that this feature, depending on your individual ST, might make it possible to recover files on your RAM disk even if the machine is turned off for a few seconds!! You can also do a cold reset by running HRAMDSK2 from the desktop. The alert box that appears will show 'Cold Boot' as one of the choices. One final way to remove the RAM disk is to press the 'Delete' key before HRAMDSK2 runs (re-initializing the RAM disk). This key must be pressed before the installation message appears. This RAM disk only allows sizing by 64K increments. HybriSwitch allows you to configure to any size. If you install a RAM disk from HybriSwitch that is between the available sizes of this RAM disk, the warm reset install message will show the next lower size. The same size RAM disk will still be used internally. To find out the exact number of bytes available, you should do a 'Show Info' from the desktop.