Gold Medal Software 3/Gold Medal Software - Volume 3 (Gold Medal) (1994).iso/comms/zhint394.arj/CONFPORT

Text File | 1994-04-05 | 4KB | 71 lines

1-18-94            Hardware Conflicts & Software Conflicts

     In  your  CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT there are  commands  and  device
drivers  that  load when you boot your computer, If you  get  unpredictable
results,  or  out of memory messages (etc) then you can  re-configure  your
computer.  To test if a device driver or TSR (resident) program is  causing  this,
you can put REM in front of the line in either of the above files. You  use
an ASCII (plain text) editor or your wordprocessor in plain text mode.

an EXAMPLE......
REM DEVICE=C:\DOS\ANSI.SYS

     This  is  only an EXAMPLE, because ANSI.SYS is always OK  to  have  in
there.   The  most  likely to cause problems are  Windows  (anything),  and
drivers for mice, virus checkers, screen savers, etc.

     >>>Another IMPORTANT thing to check is that BUFFERS= and FILES=  are
35  or  higher.<<<

    **Using  the Dos MODE to direct to COM1 (from say LPT1) ALWAYS  locks
Epressfax.  Also  NAV  (Norton Ani-Virus) must be put at the  END  of  your
Config.sys  file. Some other Anti-virus will always stop an  incoming  fax.
Another problem is screen-savers.

                             MEMORY
    If  you have Dos-6.x, I suggest running Memmaker before and  after  you
install  the modem/fax software. Memory is not a  straightforward  computer
feature.  Normal  memory,  where  computer  programs  run,  where  the   OS
(operating  system) and (many) device drivers reside, is limited  to  640K.
     The extra 2meg or 4 meg is used BY certain programs, which are running
in  conventional (640K) memory. They have special features which  can  load
large  blocks  of data into that  (extended/expanded) memory. Then  as  the
program works on the data, it switches 'pages' of memory (16K blocks)  from
that  memory  into conventional memory while it works on  that  section  of
data.  When that section isn't needed it swaps that back, and gets  another
peice to work on. This lets you have HUGE spreadsheets or databases running
yet  only  have 640K to run the program(s).
     The more programs (& TSRs and device drivers) you load, the less  room
there  is in conventional memory to operate. Somewhere along the  line  the
system  will lock or crash if you keep adding programs into 640K. A  loaded
program even not running takes memory. So close each (Windows) program when
you are done using it.

**********************************************************************

     If  you  have an internal modem, it must be set for COM4  90%  of  the
time.  Most  computers  have serial port 1 and  2  already  built-into  the
computer.  A  serial port is just a built-in comport. So you cannot  set  a
modem to be the same comport (1 or 2). Try com4 then com3, see your  manual
for jumper settings.

     There seem to be some video cards using the COM4 address, which causes
the modem to fail on COM4. In that case try COM3 with IRQ 5 or 2 (see  your
manual to set the jumpers on the Modem). *>> Don't forget the software must
also be told when you change IRQs. <<*

     Sometimes one internal modem/or model of modem will work in spite of a
conflict, when set for COM1 or COM2 when there is a serial port. Always try
COM3 and COM4 (and IRQ settings) before deciding the modem is bad.

     A  slot in your computer is NOT, has NOTHING to do with  the  COMport!
The  COMport is what YOU set ON the modem, via jumpers. Some older XT  type
computers  (and an 'odd' new one) won't allow you to 'skip' a port. ie;  if
you have 1 and 2 the next MUST be com3, not com4. Then you'd use com3/irq5.

     An  external modem cannot be set! It uses the address of  the  comport
into which it is plugged via the modem cable.

                                   Don Hinds - Zoom Tech