This file contains the latest information relating to SoftWindows for Macintosh, Version 1.0.2
1. Contents
===========
• What's New in SoftWindows
• Memory settings - for best performance
• 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
• Your Comments Please
2. What's New in SoftWindows
===========================
2.1 Key features in Version 1.0.2
------------------------------
This is the first version of SoftWindows for Macintosh, which is derived from version 1.0.2 of SoftWindows for the Power Macintosh.
It includes:
• improved performance over SoftPC with Windows - SoftWindows for Macintosh uses the latest technology from Insignia, which gives a boost of up to 30% in Windows applications. On the fastest 68k-based Macintoshes, this gives approximately the performance of an entry-level 386 PC.
• Improved SmartCopy - the Windows utility that links the Macintosh and Windows clipboards now allows bi-directional transfer of text and bitmap graphics data between PC and Macintosh applications.
• Improved networking - the list of supported network operating systems now includes Banyan VINES and DEC PATHWORKS, so you can connect to Novell NetWare, LAN Manager, LAN Server, Windows NT Advanced server, Banyan VINES and DEC PATHWORKS servers. Also, using Novell's LAN Workplace for DOS, you can connect to UNIX fileservers through TCP/IP.
2.2 Recent changes in Version 1.0.2
--------------------------------
Version 1.0.2 contains a number of enhancements over previous versions of SoftWindows and SoftPC, in the following areas:
• networking
- 802.2 frame types are supported using Apple's Token Ring cards
- NetBEUI protocols are now supported over Apple's Token Ring cards
- PATHWORKS version 4 or 5 using the DECnet protocol is now supported
- The batch files used to configure Windows for Workgroups have been corrected
- Batch files for configuring Banyan VINES are supplied
• licensing
- support for multiple user licenses has been added
• general
- The LQ2500 printer emulation has been improved
- BACKUP.EXE has been added to the hard disk
3. Memory settings - for best performance
======================================
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 three key features:
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
iii) The performance of SoftWindows.
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.
To see the effect of your changes, select PC Memory… from the SoftWindows Setup menu. The size of the “DeltaCache” (which controls the SoftWindows performance - bigger is better) is displayed in the top right hand corner of the dialog. This should be between 0k (slowest) and 1024k (fastest). For some applications, there is an extra performance boost with a DeltaCache of 2048k. Additional DeltaCache beyond 2048k will have little effect on SoftWindows performance.
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 boosting the DeltaCache to about 2048k, as described above.
5. Other Tips
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5.1 Loading DOS High
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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 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. These include cards from Apple, DCA, Asanté and CableTron. Please contact the relevant manufacturers to check that you have the latest version of the driver software required for their cards.
You will need version 1.4.5 of Apple's Network Software Installer if you need to use the Token Ring 802.2 frame type with Apple Token Ring cards.
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 DECnet protocol support in PATHWORKS
---------------------------------------
The DECnet protocol requires that the Ethernet card you use in your Macintosh has a particular address based on the “area” and “node” you have been assigned in your DECnet network by the system administrator. In order to override the default address, a small utility is provided to install this new address.
This utility may be installed by a new custom option in the SoftWindows installer, called DECnet Address Override Utility. This places the utility in the Utilities folder within the SoftWindows folder. Double-click the utility, then:
• click “Change Address…”
• specify the area and node given to you by the system administrator
• click Generate
• click OK
• restart your Macintosh to use the new address
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
============================
SoftWindows may use a number of external floppy drives in addition to the internal FDHD drive (also known as the “SuperDrive”).
5.25" drives:
------------
DaynaFile and DaynaFile || from Dayna Communications Inc.
DOSFloppy from Peripheral Land Inc.
Drive1200 and Drive360 from Kennect with the Rapport interface
3.5-inch drives:
--------------
DaynaFile and DaynaFile II from Dayna Communications Inc.
TurboFloppy and SuperFloppy from Peripheral Land Inc.
Drive2.4 from Kennect with the Rapport interface
10. Miscellaneous
================
i) 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.
ii) Printing to a LaserWriter LS attached to the Macintosh modem port will cause a system bomb when one of the PC Serial Ports is also set to the Modem port. This is fixed in the version of the LaserWriter driver software that came with System 7.1.
iii) For best results, you should use 32 bit QuickDraw rather than the original Color QuickDraw that came with the MacII, MacIIx and MacIIcx. This is a standard part of System 7, and is available in ROM for all Macintoshes since the MacIIci. Hence it needs to be installed from System disks (6.0.5 or later) for the MacII, MacIIx and MacIIcx.
iv) Users who have MultiDriver (part of Insignia's AccessPC package) version 2.1.1 installed may have problems launching Windows when caching is enabled. This is fixed in newer versions of MultiDriver, such as the one supplied with version 3.0.1 of AccessPC.
v) SoftWindows is compatible with A/UX 3.0 but due to differences in the system software, the following features are not available:
- PC Sound
- PC CD-ROM support
- Formatting low density disks
- Novell NetWare, LAN Manager or Windows for Workgroups access using SoftNode and an Ethernet or Token Ring card in the Mac running A/UX. SoftNode can be used through an Insignia SoftNode Gateway.
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
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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
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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”!
12. Your Comments Please
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The SoftWindows User Guide has details of how to contact Insignia's Technical Support or Customer Service departments. Please contact these departments if you have any problems with the software or wish to get further product information.
If you have any comments about the SoftWindows software or documentation, please send them by letter, fax or AppleLink to:
Insignia Product Marketing or Insignia Product Marketing
