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>>> This is the English version of agSI. If you want the German version, you should get it from where you got this in the file agsiXXXd.zip! SSSSS III S S I S I S I AAAA A GGGG G SSSSS I A AA G GG S I A A G G S I A AA G GG S S I AAAA A GGGG G SSSSS III G GGGGGGGGGGGGGGG SystemInfo English Version 1.1.2 Copyright (c) 1994-95 Andreas Grögel Brief Guide ~~~~~~~~~~~ >>> PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE FILE! >>> IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED TO ALSO READ THE ONLINE HELP BECAUSE YOU CAN OFTEN FIND MORE DETAILED INFORMATION THERE. (and I more likely forget to update information in this Readme than in the online help ;) ). WHAT IS agSI? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ agSI is a system information tool running under DOS which gives dozens of items of information about hardware/system, operating system, memory, software, and drives, for example - processor (incl. Pentium specific things), BIOS, BIOS extensions, PCI, Plug and Play, CMOS RAM, interrupt vectors - interfaces, graphics and sound cards, IRQ assignments - operating system version, system file tables, country settings, Windows modules (e.g. VxDs); with additional "Windows Services", i.e. a Windows program to get some info for DOS-agSI - DOS memory usage, EMS,XMS,DPMI etc. - mouse driver, many installed resident programs and operating system services and extensions (almost 100) - logical drives (A: to Z:) with many details, including directory tree, table of contents for CDs, and CD-ROM benchmark - connected hard disks, including benchmark and IDE drive detection, and SCSI host adapters and devices - disk cache and online compressor - extensive and detailed online documentation (help system) - optional continuous updating of the information in the current window (where sensible) - some actions can be done (e.g. change date/time, disk cache settings) - memory dump window to browse through your systems (real-mode) memory - also offers formatting floppy disks - with higher capacity - option to print to COM1-4, LPT1-3, or a file - runs of course under several operating systems and versions, like MS-DOS, Novell DOS, PTS-DOS, a DOS session under Windows 3.1x, Windows 95 or OS/2 since version 2. I must admit that many of what agSI shows will be of no interest to average users, but useful for users with interest in internal stuff. IMPORTANT NOTES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The faultless working of agSI can, especially because several undocumented things are used, not be guaranteed, for there are many different system configurations possible. Should agSI crash on your system, try to localize the reason for the error, and notify my about it, for I cannot adapt agSI if you don't. I (THE AUTHOR) DO NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITIES OF ANY KIND! Not for the suitability of the program for any particular purpose, nor in particular for damage which may result from the use of the program or its documentation. By using this software, the user agrees to these conditions. Use agSI at your own risk. All trademarks belong to their respective owners. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Minimum: - an "IBM-compatible" computer with 80286 processor or better - MS-DOS from version 3.3 or so, or compatible - ca. 500 KB free DOS memory - runs also from floppy disk (but slow due to overlay use) Recommended: - 80386 processor or better [better said: at least a 486; in what times do we live?!?] - Mouse - sufficient XMS memory and/or cache to load the overlay part of the program - on hard disk, ca. 1 MB is needed SHAREWARE ~~~~~~~~~ agSI is distributed as SHAREWARE, i.e. you have to keep to the following rules: You may: - give the shareware version to anybody (taking only a fee for handling); this has to be done completely and unmodified (recommendedly the original ZIP archive files) - upload it to any BBS or software server, or put it on a CD-ROM (here also: completely); if the latter, it would be kind of you to inform me so I can keep track about how far agSI is spreading - use (test) it for a period of 21 days; if you want to use agSI after this period, you must register with the author, paying a small amount of money. You may NOT: - pass the full version, i.e. a registration code, to anyone, any way - use a single license on more than one computers, unless you make sure that only one at a time can be used. agSI is no "crippleware", i.e. there are no limitations to the shareware version; you are just being reminded about that by a window at startup and a blinking title line. Further information about registering can be found at the end of this file, and in the online help. PACKAGE CONTENTS AND INSTALLATION ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ agSI is distributed in ZIP archives, with the name AGSIxxxD.ZIP for the German and AGSIxxxE.ZIP for the English version; xxx means the version number. (Exception: you ordered agSI on a diskette from me.) As you are reading this file, you already have the files in an unpacked state; you should have the following files: AGSI.EXE - the program file AGSI.OVR - overlay program file AGSI.HLP - file for the online help AGSIWINS.EXE - the "agSI Windows Services" - starts agSI from Windows and offers some more information about Windows AGSI.PIF - PIF file for running agSI under Windows README.TXT - this file ORDERFRM.TXT - order form for registration FILE_ID.DIZ - short abstract file for BBS use FDREAD.COM - TSR to allow DOS to read high-capacity floppies (taken from the FDFORMAT 1.8 package by C.H. Hochstätter, available as FDF18.ZIP from, e.g., SimTel in msdos/diskutil) Any other file you may find in your archive has been added by someone else; for instance, I do not distribute an AGSI.INI file. (The first two files are needed for agSI to run; strongly recommended is the help file.) You may place the files in a directory of your choice (but all in the same); during execution, the file AGSI.INI will be created which contains several settings; including the registration code - so don't pass it to someone else (without editing)! START FROM THE COMMAND LINE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The command line of agSI has the following syntax: [d:\path]AGSI[.EXE] {[/|-]Option} with: d:\path is where agSI is located Option is one of the followin options (optionally with a preceding slash (/) or dash (-)): ? and H shows a brief help text I disables usage of bright background colors U disables continuous updating of the info windows R Real mode only, don't use the few protected mode calls agSI can make to gather a little more information D runs agSI in debug mode: the amount of free heap memory is displayed in the lower right corner DX "eXtra Debug" displays what's done at startup (use this if agSI hangs before the main screen comes up) DW (AGSIWINS.EXE only) debug-mode for agSI\WinServ. The options I and U may also be set in the Options dialog in the main menu; these and other settings are stored in the AGSI.INI file, further information about which you may find in the online help. USING THE PROGRAM ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ agSI presents itself in a, as I think, nice look in DOS text mode (with mouse support). On the left side is the menu, from which you may select items the usual way; sub-menus are shown with a little triangle to the right. If a menu item is to show an information page, there are different options: Press the Space key to open the info window, but leave the (main) keyboard control at the menu; press Tab to open the info window AND activate it; for the Enter key, you may select which of the above functions (default: like Space) it should do in the Options dialog (in the main menu). Pressing Esc brings you back one menu level. This all works of course also with the mouse; simply click. (There is no need to explicitly activate the info window when using the mouse, of course.) The Info Window: Depending on the type of the displayed information, you may scroll the contents of the info window just up/down, or you may highlight each line seperately; for this you may use the cursor keys (including PgUp/PgDn, Home/End, etc.), but the up/down and home/end keys only when the window is active (see above), as they are used for the menu otherwise. Of course you may use the mouse here, too. For the lines in the info window that are marked with a triangle to the right you may get more, detailed information by pressing Enter (if the window is active) or Ctrl-Enter (mouse: double click). If there's a !! in the first column, you can perform some action corres- ponding to the line (change a setting, or execute a command); in most cases, a dialog window will be opened. With the key combination Alt-X you can leave agSI at any time. (Exception: inside the help system; when a dialog is active; if a sub-info-window is active.) The following actions may be performed with the mouse by clicking the status line (the bottom-most line), or by pressing the corresponding key: F1 - Help: With this you get a help page for the current context. If the highlighted menu item is the same that is displayed in the info window, you get a help page (or a certain position inside a help page) for the currently-highlighted line of the info window; otherwise, you get a page for the menu item. F2 - Print: This opens a dialog window in which you may choose what to print to where with which options and highlighting. F7 - previous page: jumps to the previous information page (considering the order of the menu). F8 - next page: jumps to the next page. Alt-U - Update: This key performs two actions: first, the current info window will be updated immediately; second, any further automatical countinuous updating of this window will be suppressed (until you select a new window). Continuous updating may be controlled globally in the Options dialog. Also, the status line sometimes displays some short hints. IN THE HELP SYSTEM you may get help about using the help system by pressing F1 a second time, review the previous topic with Alt-F1, get to the alphabetical index with Shift-F1, and close the help window with Esc. To jump to a cross reference, first highlight the desired cross reference using the cursor keys (the help window will be scrolled if necessary), or a single click with the mouse. To jump to the connected topic, press Space or Enter, or click again. For further information, please see the online help. ATTENTION: Like in any "proper" program, there is something hidden to be discovered in agSI... KNOWN BUGS ~~~~~~~~~~ -please refer to the online help- REVISION HISTORY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (more details can be found in the online help) 1.1.2 (Oct 8, 1995) =================== - NOTE: I'm considering to increase the registration fee in the next release so if you register NOW you'll save money! - Windows Services now has a window. - Plug and Play-Info (via PnP-BIOS or ConfigManager software). - BIOS and 2nd level cache detection routines slightly improved ─ especially the L2 cache wasn't detected on all systems; hope it's better now... - glossary added, taken from Ralf Brown's Interrupt List - Some other new info items: modem info; Linux DOSEMU; CMOS details for AMI WinBIOS, Phoenix, PS/2; details for PCI device info; MegaFLOPS benchmark. - Other minor changes: dir tree scanning may be aborted; mouse driver acceleration profiles corrected; one-floppy-systems without B: in menu; "invisible" HD/CD benchmarks after scrolling; work-around for WfW3.11 LoadLibrary bug. 1.1.1 (June 21, 1995) ===================== - Certain information items may now be disabled (by editing the INI file). - A much too long neglected item has been added: SCSI devices via ASPI - Also, I tried to add information about networks (NetBIOS) - agSI\WinServ has now also a command line switch (/DW) for debug mode. - The /D debug switch for AGSI.EXE now also shows the current test for some functions (including Software/Others, OS/Windows/VxDs). - IDE Info: changed a little in accordance to the ATA-2 and -3 Speci- fications; enabled under Windows; Drive mapping may be specified in INI. - Sub-lists are now scrollable. (Was needed for the next item:) - The directory tree sub-lists show now optionally a list of the files in the directory; also long filenames under Win'95, 4DOS descriptions. - Some other new info items: more APM details; DR-DOS/Novell DOS system variables, and a little more at DPMS; HMA for Novell DOS, MS-DOS 7; WinServ: tasks, modules, number of global heap objects; Protected Mode interrupt vectors - a few jokes ;-) - Other minor changes: Change of focus between menu and info window indi- cated by color change; CPU cache size; Alt-U in PM list now ok; Sound- Blaster IRQ; EMS; S3 VESA modes; SETVER; memory speed. 1.1.0 (April 25, 1995) ====================== - ! Windows program "agSI\WinServ" which starts agSI under Windows and offers some additional information about parts of Windows! - list installed PCI devices - memory dump window to browse through the first MB of your memory - CD-ROM Primary Volume Descriptor - CD-ROM benchmark (transfer rate and access timing) - Protected Mode functions (using DPMI): DPMI info, Windows VxDs. IMPORTANT: Switch it off in Options dialog or with command line switch /R in case of system crash (o.k. with Novell DOS or Windows 3.x/95) [MORE IMPORTANT: Don't select [Update]!] - has been fixed in 1.1.1 - Command line switch /DX shows what's done at startup (useful if agSI hangs before the main screen comes up) - World Wide Web page for agSI! - Floppy disk orders outside Europe additional US$4/DM5 fee - minor things: SoundBlaster IRQ and Mixer (may be changed); more IDE info; CPU detection improved; DRAM refresh interval; printing to auto- matically numbered files; directory tree sorted; can empty Windows clipboard; help page with questions and answers 1.0.1 (Jan 24, 1995): ===================== - Added IDE drive info. - CMOS list for Award BIOS. - Corrected some bugs. (See online help for details) 1.0.0 (Dec 18, 1994): ===================== first public release version. REGISTRATION ~~~~~~~~~~~~ As you know, agSI is distributed as shareware. The registration fee is US-$ 15 or DM 20 for a single license; you will then recieve a registration code (which consists of eight letters) which you enter along with your name in the Register dialog (in the main menu). This registration is valid at least for all 1.x.x versions. NOTE: I'm considering to increase the registration fee in the next release so if you register NOW you'll save money! Normally, no disks will be sent; but if you want it that way, that's possible, of course (price: US-$ 4 / DM 5 per disk; plus an additional $6/DM 8 for postage&packing if outside of Europe). Note that sending of the disk will be delayed until the next version is available if you already have the current one (which the order form tells) (unless you specify differently). Also, by default only the English version will be on a disk; however, you can specify on the order form if you want only the German version, or both (on a single disk). As payment you may either mail me a cheque (or cash), or you order - inside of Germany only! - by C.O.D., which adds a DM 5 fee. You may also let me inform you about new "major" upgrades (by letter or - preferably - e-mail accessible from the Internet). Please use the order form in ORDERFRM.TXT which you may print and mail to me, or (C.O.D. delivery) e-mail to me. For quantity orders, the following scheme applies (prices are "US$ / DM"): ║ price per │ ║ additionally ║ ║ regis- │ total ║ per │ p&p ║ amount ║ tration │ US$/DM ║ disk │ total ║ ──────────────╫────────────┼────────────────╫────────┼────────────╢ 3 and above ║ US$12/DM16 │ 36/ 48 (for 3)║ 1.50/2 │ 4/5 +6/8* ║ 10 " ║ 8/ 11 │ 80/110 (etc.) ║ 1/1.50 │ 8/10 +6/8* ║ 40 " ║ 5/ 7 │ 200/280 ║ ┌(really necessary? ║ 100 " ║ 3/ 4 │ 300/400 ║ ┤I have to copy them║ anyone need more? :-) │ ║ └on my own...) ║ ──────────────╨────────────┴────────────────╨─────────────────────╜ * the additional US$ 6 / DM 8 are only for disk orders outside Europe Of course you don't have to order one disk per registration; as the disk contains the same as the original (shareware) distribution, it may be copied as you like ─ just don't pass a registration code to someone else... CONTACTING THE AUTHOR AND SOURCE OF NEW VERSIONS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My address: Andreas Grögel Gildenstr. 4 D-74074 Heilbronn Germany Internet e-mail: ag@studbox.uni-stuttgart.de and groegeas@cip.mathematik.uni-stuttgart.de Anyway, if you encounter any problem with agSI - as it is partially programmed very close to the hardware, this is pretty likely (I can't test hundreds of systems and configurations - or anything you don't like, tell me; only this way agSI can be more and more improved. If too much in agSI doesn't work on your system, you may even postpone registration if you think it's not worth the money now. New versions of agSI are available at the following places: (usually in the files agsiXXXd.zip (German version) and agsiXXXe.zip (english version)) - In the World Wide Web: info about agSI, download of the latest versions: http://www.mathematik.uni-stuttgart.de/CIP-WWW/Studierende/groegeas - on Simtel in the /msdos/sysinfo directory, *the* FTP server for DOS, which has many mirror sites, primarily oak.oakland.edu/SimTel. See msdos/filedocs/download.inf there for a list of official mirror sites, or ask your Internet access provider about the nearest (see also next item). (SimTel is also available on CD-ROM.) You also find a Simtel mirror on the FTP server of the University of Stuttgart, ftp.uni-stuttgart.de, in the directory /pub/systems/pc/simtel/sysinfo - Compuserve: in the library of the Benchmarks and Standards forum (GO BENCHMARK) - (German version only:) from the PD/shareware vendor Computer Solutions Software GmbH Postfach 1180 D-85567 Grafing Tel. 08092/5018, Fax 31727, BBS 84099; Btx *CSL# as CSL Number 10021 - Maybe on some BBSs around the globe ;-) -- this is, however, out of my reach, so ask the SysOp for a ne version if you discover an old one... - If you have no access to new versions the above-mentioned way, you can have me inform you about new major upgrades (see the order form ORDERFRM.TXT), and I can send you new versions then. Have fun with agSI! Andreas Grögel (The End)