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Orignal Program and Document Copyright 1987-1994 by Roger Cross.
Portions of Program and Document Copyright 1985-1994 by Foley Hi-
Tech.
Portions of Program and Document Copyright 1994 by Dustbowl Designs.
HyperWare, HyperDisk, HyperKey, HyperScreen, Touch Shifting, and
SpeedKit are trademarks of Roger Cross.
MS-DOS is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
Qualitas and 386MAX are trademarks of Qualitas, Inc.
SpeedStor is a trademark of Storage Dimensions.
Disk Manager is a trademark of Ontrack Computer Systems, Inc.
Other programs and/or equipment mentioned herein are trademarks
or registered trademarks of their respective publishers and or
manufacturers.
HyperDisk SpeedKit User's Manual
by
HyperWare
"Extreme PC Performance"
HyperDisk
HyperKey
HyperScreen
HyperRAM
Quick Installation
If you are familiar with IBM PCs and the configuration of your
machine, follow these steps for quick installation of SpeedKit:
1. Back up your system.
2. Exit from all DOS enhancement products or extender software
packages, such as Microsoft Windows, Quarterdeck's DESQview, etc.
3. Place the SpeedKit floppy in drive A (or drive B), and at the
command prompt type:
A: [ENTER]
INSTALL [ENTER]
4. The opening screen of the install program will give the option of
installing each component of SpeedKit separately. The screen
will show [<5B>] by each component on the install disk. A check mark
in the brackets means that component will be installed on your
system. Look to the bottom of the screen for further
instructions.
5. When you are asked to set the parameters for each product, you
can simply accept the default conditions specified by the
installation procedure. If you want to change the option
settings, we recommend that you first read the "Options"
sections for HyperDisk, HyperKey, HyperScreen, and HyperRAM.
For more detailed information about the installation procedure, see
Part 1, "Installation."
Introduction
What's In SpeedKit?
HyperDisk SpeedKit comprises four PC speed-up utilities * HyperDisk,
HyperKey, and HyperScreen, and HyperRAM * that dramatically increase
the efficiency of your personal computer. You can use them together
or separately to completely customize your PC to fit your personal
needs.
HyperDisk
HyperDisk is the most efficient disk caching utility available for
your personal computer system. HyperDisk can improve hard disk
system performance by up to 1000 percent, while simultaneously
prolonging the lifetime of your drive by reducing the wear and tear
caused by frequent and redundant access.
How Caching Works
In recent years, caching has become a common buzzword in the PC
industry. The concept of caching, however, has been around for a
long time and is quite simple. Caching is simply keeping often-used
items accessible. Consider, for example, the way you use items in
your kitchen. You probably use some items every day, others less
frequently, and some only a few times each year. You probably store
the frequently used items in the most accessible place.
Disk caching is simply keeping often-read items readily accessible
in your computer's Random Access Memory, or RAM. Accessing
information from RAM is far faster than accessing it from disk
memory. A disk cache maintains a history of data usage, and when the
buffer is full, the oldest or least-used data in RAM is replaced
with new data. You never run out of space because it is
automatically reused to hold your most recent requests.
How HyperDisk Works
When your application issues a disk read operation, HyperDisk
intercepts the request, copies the data from the disk to its buffer
memory, and then passes the data on to the requesting application.
HyperDisk copies all subsequent requests for the same data from its
buffer memory to the requesting application.
When your application issues a disk write operation, HyperDisk
compares the new data to the data already in the cache memory. If it
is the same data, the time-consuming disk update is bypassed.
HyperDisk copies only active data (data you are actually using) to
the buffer, thus providing much more efficient use of your machine's
RAM.
HyperKey
HyperKey is a powerful keyboard enhancement package that allows each
user to customize all keyboard functions including the type-ahead
buffer size, key repeat rate, length of delay before a key begins
repeating, keyboard clicking sounds, and Touch Shifting for one-
finger typing. By adjusting these functions you can enter data at
your own rate.
HyperScreen
HyperScreen is a video enhancement tool that gives you the most
power and versatility from your existing video hardware.
HyperScreen's state-of-the-art software provides automatic screen
blanking to keep images from burning into your display terminal,
manual screen blanking at the touch of a key to maintain the
confidentiality of your on-screen documents, and video basic
input/output system (BIOS) speedup to increase display speed in all
text modes.
HyperRAM
HyperRAM speeds up the performance of your computer by as much as
10% by reducing the amount of CPU time used managing RAM. HyperRAM
requires no resident memory when installed.
1: Installation
The following procedures give step-by-step instructions for
installing the various components of SpeedKit.
System Requirements
To install SpeedKit, you will need:
* A PC which uses a 386sx or better microprocessor.
* Microsoft's MS-DOS operating system version 3.1 or better.
Installation Procedure
It is a good idea to back up your hard disk before installing any
new program, including the utilities in SpeedKit. This is especially
true if you have a particularly complex or nonstandard system.
Caution: Do not install SpeedKit while operating under one of the
DOS enhancement or extender software packages, such as Microsoft
Windows or Quarterdeck's DESQview. HyperDisk is compatible with
these systems but must be installed before these systems are
executed. SpeedKit operates by intercepting a variety of system
interrupts (8, 9, 10, 13, 15, 19, 21, and 28) and redirecting their
actions accordingly. DOS enhancement packages often change the
system interrupts on a per task basis and create a situation in
which SpeedKit cannot maintain a coherent image of the system's
devices.
To install SpeedKit on your hard disk, place the SpeedKit floppy in
drive A (or drive B). After you have exited from all DOS enhancers,
at the command prompt type:
A: [ENTER]
INSTALL [ENTER]
Installing HyperDisk
1. The installer will ask if you want to install HyperDisk. If you
have a complete system backup, type Y.
2. The second screen of the installer shows all the program files
that can be installed on your system. Here is an example of an
option screen which lists some of the files you may install.
HyperDisk
[<5B>]
HyperKey
[<5B>]
HyperScre
en
[<5B>]
HyperRAM
[<5B>]
HyperCP
[<5B>]
Support
Files
[<5B>]
A [<5B>] means the corresponding component will be installed. To not
install a particular program use the tkey or your mouse to
highlight the program and toggle the bkey. When you see [ ] the
item will not be installed. For online instructions for
installation look to the bottom of the screen. Press the [F10]
key to continue to the next screen. Push s to exit the installer
at any time. To alter the install destination tab to the line
that says Install to C:\HYPER and then write the drive and
directory in which you wish to place your SpeedKit files,
remember to edit your configuration files to so that SpeedKit
will be loaded during the BOOT process. The default location for
installation is drive C directory HYPER.
3. If you are unfamiliar with your computer we recommend you use the
defaults recommended by the installer.
4. You will be asked whether you want to install HyperDisk,
HyperScreen, and HyperKey as device drivers or as TSRs
(terminate-and-stay-resident software). The device-driver method
uses less conventional memory. We recommend this method for all
SpeedKit components except for HyperRAM. HyperRAM is neither a
device driver nor a TSR, it makes an alteration to your system
and is not memory resident. If you have conflicts with your
system then you might try the TSR method.
5. Enter the amount of memory to use for the disk cache, the amount
you enter corresponds to 1K increments. For example, 2048 will
create a 2 megabyte cache size, 1024 will create a 1 megabyte
cache size. If the size of the cache you enter is not available
on your computer, 1/2 the available memory will be used. In most
cases the default size is fine. Press b to select the default
size.
6. Windows users can set a smaller cache size while Windows is
enabled. The purpose for this is to make more extended memory
available for Windows, yet still allow HyperDisk to put that
memory to use when your system is not using Windows. For
precautions necessary to ensure that HyperDisk works correctly
when you are running Windows see Appendix C, "HyperDisk Notes for
Windows Users."
7. Next, you can specify HyperDisk options. Generally, first-time
users do not need to set extra parameters. However, you can fine-
tune your system by using the options available to you. If you do
want to specify options please refer to "HyperDisk Common
Options" and "HyperDisk Technical Options" in Part 2 for a list
and description of available options.
8. HyperDisk will install with the Staged Write features turned on.
HyperDisk's Staged Write functions can greatly improve the
performance of your PC, but you should be familiar with these
functions, explained in detail in "Basic Options" in Part 2,
before using them.
9. The HyperDisk installer, alters your CONFIG.SYS file and sets
BUFFERS=10. A disk cache makes having more than ten DOS buffers
redundant.
10. HyperDisk's Verify Read function is much faster than the DOS
Verify function. The installer by default sets the DOS Verify
function to off in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
Installing HyperKey
1. Select installation as a device driver or as a TSR (if your
system requires it).
2 Next, you can specify HyperKey options. If you are not sure about
how you want to set the options, try using HyperKey's default
parameters. Please read "HyperKey Options" in Part 3 before
changing the parameters for HyperKey.
Note: When Microsoft Windows is active, a device driver such as
HyperKey cannot intercept keystrokes. Therefore, HyperKey is
inoperative in the Windows environment.
Installing HyperScreen
Installing HyperScreen is similar to installing HyperKey. The series
of questions is much the same, and your answers also should be much
the same.
Please read "HyperScreen Options" in Part 4 before changing the
parameters for HyperScreen.
When you have finished all of these steps, reboot your computer to
complete the installation of SpeedKit.
Installing HyperRAM
HyperRAM is neither a device driver nor a TSR, it makes an
alteration to your system and is not memory resident. The default
installation for HyperRAM is the best for almost all systems. Do
not change the parameters during installation unless you have memory
parity errors. If this happens check the section on
"Troubleshooting HyperRAM" in Part 5.
Setting SpeedKit Options
The operation of all SpeedKit products can be customized by using
command-line parameters. These parameters can be used on the line
that installs the utility into memory, whether in CONFIG.SYS or
AUTOEXEC.BAT. You can also use the same parameters once the product
is running by typing them on the command line with the program name.
Parameters can be upper- or lower-case except where noted. If you
specify more than one parameter, separate parameters with a space,
forward slash, or dash (hyphen).
Sample Device Driver Parameter Specifications
The following example illustrates the use of device driver parameter
specifications in the CONFIG.SYS file. This example assumes you are
installing SpeedKit products manually and not with the installer.
The example shown is for HyperKey:
DEVICE=HYPERKEY.EXE D:250 R:25 B:-
With this set of parameters, the following conditions apply:
* The delay to repeat time is 250 milliseconds;
* The minimum repeat delay is 25 milliseconds;
* No type-ahead buffering.
Sample TSR Parameter Specifications
The following example illustrates the use of TSR parameter
specifications in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file or from the command line:
C:\>HYPERKEY D:300 R:35 B:-
With this set of parameters, the following conditions apply:
* The delay to repeat time is 300 milliseconds;
* The minimum repeat delay is 35 milliseconds;
* No type-ahead buffering.
2: HyperDisk
What is HyperDisk?
HyperDisk is the most efficient disk performance utility for your
personal computer system. HyperDisk can dramatically improve the
performance of your hard disk and increase its lifetime by reducing
the wear and tear caused by frequent access.
HyperDisk improves disk performance by using a small amount of RAM
to store the data you use most often, a process known as buffering.
Conventional RAM requirements vary from 0K to 35K, depending on the
model and size of cache selected, your DOS version, and the
available memory of your PC system.
HyperDisk maintains a history of data usage, and when the buffer is
full and space is needed to store new data, the oldest data in the
buffer is replaced. Replacing the oldest data with new data improves
performance because in many cases data is reused frequently.
Many users are familiar with RAM disks as a way to use memory more
efficiently. HyperDisk is similar to a RAM disk but is superior in
several ways. Both a RAM disk and HyperDisk transfer data to and
from RAM. However, if you use a RAM disk you must first copy all the
needed files to the RAM disk and then copy them back to the hard
disk after processing has finished. You must put the entire file in
RAM, even if you are only using part of the file. If you need
additional files, you must stop what you're doing and copy the
necessary files to the RAM disk. If the RAM disk becomes full, you
must decide which files to copy back to your hard disk and then
delete those files from the RAM disk. If you need more files for a
given task than the RAM disk can hold, you cannot use the RAM disk.
If the power fails or your computer crashes, or if you forget to
copy the data back to your disk or diskette, all your work in the
RAM will be lost.
With HyperDisk you can bypass all the shortcomings of a RAM disk.
HyperDisk is fully automatic. If the cache memory is full when an
application issues a new disk request, HyperDisk will make space
available to hold this new data. HyperDisk continually updates your
disk with changes you have made. The updating is done in the
background at times when your computer is idle, to avoid
interrupting your work. HyperDisk automatically writes all new data
to disk, even if you soft-reboot with the va m key combination, so
no updates are lost. When you change diskettes, HyperDisk
automatically updates the cache for the new diskette and beeps to
let you know it recognizes the new diskette.
You can set HyperDisk options to delay immediate updating of the
disks and diskettes, a process that provides much greater disk and
diskette efficiency. Delaying or staging the update allows HyperDisk
to sort data for the most efficient updating. In this way, HyperDisk
minimizes the number of disk rotations and head movements required
to update the disk, thus prolonging the lifetime of your drive.
Additionally updates are performed in the background asynchronously
(Advanced Update Mode), so that you don't have to wait while the
data is being written to the disk or diskette drives.
HYPERDKX.EXE
HyperDisk uses the memory above 1 MB as cache memory. (Technical
note: HyperDisk supports two transfer protocols, XMS and INT 15h-
87h. XMS is the default mode.) For more information on this
HyperDisk, see Appendix E, "Technical Notes on HyperDisk
HYPERDKX.EXE."
HyperDisk Common Options
Although most users readily install and use SpeedKit without setting
any options at all, you can improve your system's performance by
specifying various parameters. We strongly recommend that you read
this section before specifying any installation options, so that you
know how the options will affect your system's operation.
Several of the following functions have hotkey commands, which are
listed after the option name. When you use the hotkey commands, the
speaker will beep once to acknowledge completion of the command. If
the caching process is disabled by the hotkeys, the speaker will
beep again. In other words, if the command is accepted and you hear
one beep, caching is enabled. If you hear two beeps, caching is
disabled.
The following options can be used to tune the behavior of HyperDisk.
Remember that the default values for all options are the optimal
settings for most systems, except for the Staged Write functions.
The default for each parameter is listed at the end of the
description, if applicable. Lowercase, italic nn following a
parameter is a placeholder for a number that you provide.
Basic Options
E * ENABLE/UPDATE HYPERDISK * va E
Enables caching of the selected drive types. If caching is already
enabled, any modified data will be written to update the
disk/diskette. Default setting.
D * DISABLE HYPERDISK * va D
Disables caching of all drive types. You can enable caching later
using hotkeys or at the command line. It may be appropriate to use
this hotkey command before loading a program from a copy-protected
disk. However, several copy-protected programs have been tested, and
no problems are known.
Note: Always disable HyperDisk when you run disk diagnostics or
other system tests, or any program that directly accesses the disk
and/or diskette adapter hardware.
H * HARD DRIVES ONLY
Caches only hard (fixed media) drives.
F * FLOPPY DRIVE CACHING
Caches all drive types. Default setting.
S * STAGED WRITE HARD * va S
Delays writing hard-drive data changes until the computer is idle,
then writes all changes to disk.
With HyperDisk's Staged Write enabled, you should always press va E
to update your disk before either turning off your computer or
pressing the RESET button, if one is provided. This precaution will
ensure that HyperDisk has copied all data to your disk. HyperDisk
will beep once to inform you that the cache is making any needed
disk updates. If any updates are pending, they will be copied to
disk immediately. After your disk access light goes out, feel free
to turn power off.
When HyperDisk accepts data to be written to the disk, it stores
that data in a buffer. Later, when the system is idle (no disk,
keyboard, or mouse activity), the modified data is written to the
disk. This feature increases your computer's performance, since
disks are updated only when your computer is not being used for
other tasks. For removable media such as floppy disks, wait until
the diskette has completely updated before removing it. If you
remove the diskette before the update is complete, HyperDisk will
interrupt your current foreground process, beep three times, and
indicate that an error has occurred. Simply replace the diskette in
the drive and press R for Retry.
Warning: Staged Write is not for everyone. Never turn power off or
press RESET without first disabling HyperDisk! Do NOT use the Staged
Write feature if:
* all users of a shared computer are not familiar with the
HyperDisk Staged Write feature. With Staged Write enabled, your
disks will not be updated immediately, which might cause
confusion for a user not familiar with Staged Write. Select
Staged Write only after all users are aware of how it changes the
behavior of the computer.
* the computer crashes frequently because of poor software and/or
hardware.
* bad weather or an overloaded power network cause the power system
to fail frequently or unpredictably. Most users in this category
should purchase an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). For more
information on UPS, see Appendix G, "Uninterruptible Power Supply
Support."
* new software is being tested or developed that may crash the
system.
* you use a software package that does not support the warm-boot
vam function correctly. Qualitas' 386Max version 4.04 or earlier
and several other public domain programs fail this test.
Additionally, if you use any software to reboot your PC
automatically, disable HyperDisk before running the reboot
program.
You can easily disable or enable the Staged Write features with the
keyboard hotkey commands. HyperDisk has separate controls for hard
and floppy drives. When in doubt, use the Write Through functions
instead of Staged Write.
You can also have stagged writes on specific hard drives by using
S:nn where nn is the physical drive number starting with 0 for the
first drive. You may also specify specific drives for stagged write
floppies as well.
A * STAGED WRITE FLOPPY * va A
Same as Staged Write Hard, for floppy drives.
W * WRITE THROUGH HARD * va W
Writes all data through to the hard disk immediately, rather than
waiting for the Timer Delay or Background Update functions.
HyperDisk performance will be somewhat less efficient than with
Staged Write enabled, since HyperDisk must write data to the disk
immediately, instead of waiting until the system is idle or the
cache is full.
Note: Always select Write Through Hard when you test or install new
programs, debug programs of uncertain integrity, or perform any
operation that may crash your computer.
Q * WRITE THROUGH FLOPPY * va Q
Same as Write Through Hard, for floppy drives. See the note above
for Write Through Hard. Default setting.
XF:file * EXECUTE COMMAND FILE
Directs the program to carry out the commands contained in the
designated file where file is a standard DOS path and filename. You
can use this function to store common procedures or personalized
options. Create a file that contains the command line and parameters
desired for a specific user or application. The command file can
contain multiple lines, and comments should be delimited by a
semicolon. The following example is for HyperDisk:
C:\>>HYPERDKX XF:C:\ANYFILE.EXT
Example of ANYFILE.EXT format:
EH:0 ; enable only first hard drive
OT OC ; disable tone & change line
XB:9 ; update every 1/2 second
Windows users can use the parameter XF:CON to be prompted for
console input/output. Use this option for Windows program
information file (PIF) default command-line parameters.
Display Options
OR * OVERRIDE REPORT
Disables the output report that is normally generated whenever you
run a SpeedKit product from the command line. This option is useful
if you are running from batch files and do not want the report to
fill the screen. Specifying OR:- will disable the installation
report delay, but the report itself will still be displayed.
OX * DISABLE REPORT
Displays report unless Override Report is applied. OX or OX:+
disables report panel; OX:- restores report panel display. OR:- can
be used to override the OX setting. Default is to display report.
OK * OVERRIDE DISPLAY METHOD
Selects the display method. SpeedKit products normally display data
directly by means of the video BIOS. OK or OK:+ forces I/O directly
to the video BIOS, while OK:- forces DOS I/O. Alternatively, the
standard output device can be redirected to any device or file.
Default is direct to video BIOS. In the following example,
HyperDisk will display the report by means of DOS standard output
device:
C:\>HYPERDKX OK:-
In the following example, output from HyperKey is redirected to
console (CON) device:
C:\>HYPERKEY >>CON
OK:nn * OVERRIDE COLORS/ATTRIBUTES
Selects the colors/attributes for the current display. Color
displays provide 16 foreground colors to be applied on either 8
(CGA) or 16 (EGA/VGA) background colors. Monochrome displays provide
a variety of display attributes. Some allow two or more intensities,
underlining, blinking, etc. For CGA displays, there are 120 useful
combinations; EGA/VGA displays, 240. Monochrome displays vary and
are generally less than CGA. You can enter a value for nn in either
decimal or hexadecimal formats. The first example below is a decimal
example with HyperDisk; the second is a hexadecimal example with
HyperScreen:
C:\>HYPERDKX OK:30
C:\>HYPERSCR OK:X1E
Both of the above examples select yellow on a blue background.
Alternatively, you can select the colors manually by specifying:
C:\>HYPERKEY OK:0
OKC:nn * OVERRIDE COLORS ONLY
Same as OK:nn, except only color display attributes are affected.
Useful for systems with both monochrome and color displays.
OKM:nn * OVERRIDE ATTRIBUTES ONLY
Same as OK:nn, except only monochrome display attributes are
affected.
I:nn * FLUSH INDICATOR
Selects a beep indicator tone whenever HyperDisk is updating the
modified data to disk. This feature is useful if you have a system
that does not have a drive indicator light. Experiment with tone
frequencies by specifying nn in hertz (Hz). Also see the P:nn
parameter. Default is disabled (I:0).
P:nn * FLUSH INDICATOR PERIOD
Specifies how frequently the Flush Indicator should sound. Units nn
are in seconds. For example, specifying P:5 will set beeps every 5
seconds during the update flush operation.
R * RESET HYPERDISK HIT
Resets the HyperDisk cache hit percentage after the report is
displayed.
OT * OVERRIDE TONE
Disables the acknowledgment tone. OT or OT:+ disables the tone; OT:-
restores the tone. Default is tone enabled.
KF * ENABLE UPDATE TONE
KF or KF:+ enables the tone sounded when a cache update occurs; KF:-
disables the tone. Default is tone disabled.
KT * DISABLE FLOPPY CHANGE TONE
KT or KT:+ disables the tone sounded when a floppy disk media change
is detected; KT:- enables the tone. Default is tone enabled.
Memory-Related Options
C:nn[:nn] * CACHE SIZE
Sets size of memory (in kilobytes) to install initially for use by
the HyperDisk cache. For example, a value of 2048 for nn means 2 MB.
You can vary the cache size after installation using the XC, XD, or
XA options, but the size cannot be larger than the initial value set
at installation with the C:nn option. Use the second [:nn] to set
the cache size while Windows or DesqView is active. You can add it
instead of the CW:nn, CB:nn, or CP:nn parameters described later.
Example: C:2048:1024 sets a 2 MB cache size when Windows is not
being used and a 1 MB cache size whenever Windows is active.
CW:nn * WINDOWS CACHE SIZE
Sets size of cache memory (in kilobytes) while Windows is active.
For example, a value of 1024 means 1 MB. (This also applies to
DesqView)
CB:nn* ALTERNATE WINDOWS 3.1 SIZING METHOD
Sets the minimum base free memory for use with Windows. Default is
512K.
CP:nn * PERCENT FREE MEMORY
Sets the percentage of free memory HyperDisk can use while Windows
is active. Default is 35 percent.
Windows example
Assume all of the following: Your machine has 6098K of extended
memory. HyperDisk under DOS uses 4096K (C:4096). When Windows
starts up, HyperDisk frees the 4096K and requests the total free
memory size, now 6098K. HyperDisk then subtracts the base free
memory size (default of 512K, set using the CB:nn parameter) for
a result of 5585K and takes 35 percent to obtain 1954K as the new
HyperDisk cache size. The actual cache memory will be rounded
down to the nearest whole-number multiple of cache buffers.
XS * SHADOW RAM LOADER
Loads program in Shadow RAM memory. If you have a Chips &
Technologies NEAT 210 or 300 Series chip set*based computer or use
an XMS-type product that supports upper memory blocks (UMBs) such as
386Max 4.30+, the SpeedKit program will load in this special memory
using none of the lower 640K of conventional memory. This option is
automatically inactive if loaded high with an external loader, such
as DeviceHigh, LOADhi, LOADhigh, etc.
Note: For Chips & Technologies computers, load high occurs in the
E000:0000-FFFF memory area. Therefore, other programs, adapters,
ROMS, or expanded memory specification (EMS) memory banks must not
use this area.
XSL * SPLIT SHADOW RAM LOADING
Load High memory load. Loads code and data tables high and leaves
I/O transfer buffer in low memory. If you have trouble loading
HyperDisk high, try this option. Automatically inactive if loaded
high with an external loader, such as DeviceHigh, LOADhi, LOADhigh,
etc.
XC:nn * RESIZE CACHE BUFFER
Resizes the cache buffers to nn K. You cannot specify more cache
memory than was originally installed. XC without a numeric parameter
will restore the cache to its startup value.
XD:nn * DELETE CACHE BUFFERS
Deletes nn K of memory from the current cache buffer. Use this
parameter in conjunction with XA or XC to adjust the cache buffer
size for the best use of your system memory.
.
XA:nn * ADD CACHE BUFFERS
Adds nn K of memory to the current cache buffer. You cannot specify
more memory than was originally installed. Use XA in conjunction
with XD:nn to adjust the cache buffer size for the best use of your
system memory.
XU * UNINSTALL CACHE
Attempts to uninstall HyperDisk from memory. After writing any
pending updates to the disk, HyperDisk will release the cache
buffers, restore the system interrupt vectors as they were before
HyperDisk was installed, and release the memory used by the program
code and tables. If you load into memory other device drivers and/or
TSRs that use the same vectors as HyperDisk, the uninstall operation
will fail. Only the cache buffers will be released, and the cache
will be disabled.
Keyboard Command Options
KW * KEY WAIT TIME
Selects wait for key after No Parameter status panel. KW or KW:+
enables a pause after the status panel. KW:- disables the wait for a
key. Alternatively, you can select a time delay by specifying KW:nn,
where nn is the number of seconds to wait before continuing
automatically. Default is to wait for a keystroke if no parameters
are specified.
K * HOTKEY ENABLE
Enables or disables the use of HyperDisk's hotkeys. K or K:+ enables
the hotkey functions. K:- disables the hotkeys. Default is enabled.
K:aclr * HOTKEY SHIFT STATES
Alters HyperDisk's hotkey shift states. Normally, you must press a
and v before you select a hotkey letter. However, you can use any
combination of a , v, x, and z. Specify only the first letter of the
shift key name. For example, to select v and x, specify K:cl.
Default is va .
Windows Support Option
KA * FLUSH CACHE AT WINDOWS EXIT
KA or KA:+ will force a flush of all cache buffers when you issue an
Exit command from the Program Manager in Windows. This option is
useful if you want to have all of the modified cache buffers written
to disk before the exiting of Windows is completed. KA:- disables
this option. KA:- is the default.
Write Verification Options
V * VERIFY READ
Verifies the disk and/or diskette after each disk and/or diskette
write. This option replaces the DOS Verify command. Using the DOS
Verify command is not recommended while HyperDisk's Verify Read is
enabled.
N * NO VERIFY
Does not verify the disk and/or diskette after each write. If
HyperDisk's Verify Read is disabled, use DOS VERIFY=ON. Default
setting.
VF * VERIFY FLOPPY WRITE OPERATION
VF or VF:+ enables Verify operations for diskettes only. VF:-
disables the verify after write operation. V, V:+, and V:- affect
both drive types. Default is disabled.
VH * VERIFY HARD WRITE OPERATION
VH or VH:+ enables hard disk Verify operations. VH:- disables the
verify after write operation. V, V:+, and V:- affect both drive
types. Default is disabled.
HyperDisk Technical Options
These are parameters that can be used to access various technical
HyperDisk functions. These parameters should not be used unless they
are specifically needed. If you are not sure about how these
parameters will affect your system, do not use them.
Advanced Drive-Support Options
EH:n:... * ENABLE SPECIFIC HARD DRIVES
Enables only specified hard drives. n refers to the physical drive
number starting with zero. You can specify as many drives as needed,
each delimited by a colon.
EF:n:... * ENABLE SPECIFIC FLOPPY DRIVES
Same as EH:n, for floppy drives.
DH:n:... * DISABLE SPECIFIC HARD DRIVES
Disables specified hard drives. n refers to the physical drive
number starting with zero. You can specify as many drives as needed,
each delimited by a colon.
DF:n:... * DISABLE SPECIFIC FLOPPY DRIVES
Same as DH:n, for floppy drives.
H:dd:ss:hh:ff * HARD DRIVE FORCE PARAMETERS
In the case of translation-type drives where HyperDisk is unable to
figure out what type of physical parameters need to be cached with
your hard drive the H: parameter can be used to tell HyperDisk the
configuration of your drive. Be very careful when using this
parameter and make sure to test without Staged Writes to verify that
HyperDisk can properly cache the drive.
* dd drive number (e.g., 0 for first hard drive)
* ss number of sectors per track
* hh number of heads
* ff first track to start caching on (almost always 0)
Advanced Tuning Options
T:nn * TIMER DELAY
Specifies the computer idle time before writing the modified
HyperDisk cache data to disk, when using Staged Write. You can
specify a value of zero for a 1/2 second delay. Units nn are in
seconds. Default is 1 second.
M:nn * MEDIA CHECK RATE
Specifies the time period for floppy diskette media verification.
Removable media devices (floppies) are checked periodically to
confirm that the media in the drive still matches the media image in
the cache. Units nn are in seconds. Default is 3 seconds.
Z:nn * SECTORS PER BUFFER
Specifies the number of sectors per cache buffer. A track is mapped
to one or more buffers. This value is autoselected by default. Z:0
specifies full-track caching. You can respecify this parameter after
installation, but for the extended memory models, you cannot
increase the sectors per buffer beyond that specified at
installation. If you want to experiment, install with full-track
buffering. Generally the autoselected value will provide the best
overall performance.
XP:nn * BACKGROUND UPDATE PERCENT
Specifies an upper limit on the percentage of modified buffers
before updating the disk and diskette on every access. The oldest
data (LRU data) will be updated on each cache access until the
modified buffer percentage falls below nn. Default is 75 percent.
NR * NO READ AHEAD
Disables read-ahead operations. Improves error handling for some
controllers that time-out when reading over bad sectors. Useful for
debugging. Default is read ahead.
OB:nn * BYPASS SECTOR SIZE
Fine tunes performance when using a small (32K) to medium (384K)
cache size. Normally, HyperDisk disables this value. Specify nn in
sectors, ranging from 0 to 128, to restrict the maximum-sized block
to be stored in the cache. For example, if you set OB:10, all
transfer requests greater than 10 sectors will be passed on to the
system BIOS and will not be stored in the cache. This option is
useful if you are moving a large amount of data through a small
cache, which would immediately be flooded with new data before the
previous data could be reused. Setting OB:0 will disable this
option. Default is disabled.
Advanced Update Options
XB:nn * BACKGROUND UPDATE TIME
Specifies an upper limit on the age of the oldest modified buffer.
After nn system timer ticks (55 milliseconds per tick), the oldest
modified buffer is updated to disk. The Background Update functions
are most useful in systems that are seldom idle, such as network
servers. Default is disabled (XB:0).
XI * ENABLE ADVANCED UPDATE
Enables asynchronous update of the disk and diskette modifications
for AT, PS/2, and some XT-class computers. XI or XI:+ enables
function; XI:- disables. Default is enabled.
XIH * ENABLE ADVANCED HARD DISK UPDATE
Same as XI, except affects hard disk drives only.
XIF * ENABLE ADVANCED FLOPPY UPDATE
Same as XI, except affects diskette drives only.
Advanced Memory Options
VI * QEMM STEALTH SUPPORT
VI or VI:+ enables virtual interrupts; VI:- disables virtual
interrupts. Default is enabled.
XM * XMS MEMORY ALLOCATION MODE
Requests HyperDisk to use the Extended Memory Manager for allocating
extended memory buffers. If your system uses HIMEM.SYS (an XMS of
Lotus-Intel-Microsoft-AST), HyperDisk automatically allocates and
deallocates memory using XMS.
XML * XMS MEMORY BLOCK LOCKING
XML or XML:+ locks XMS memory block; XML:- unlocks XMS memory block.
Some XMS providers and/or applications alter HyperDisk's XMS memory
block if it is unlocked. DR-DOS 6.0's EMM386 and an early Lotus
123R3 release revealed this problem. Locking the block prevents
these bugs in other software from destroying the cache memory block.
Default is to lock XMS blocks.
XT, XTR, XTP * XMS MEMORY TRANSFER MODE
Requests HyperDisk to use the Extended Memory Manager (XMS)
allocation and memory transfer method. See the XM parameter, above.
Recommended for AT&T PCs. XT selects XMS transfer mode in both real
and protected mode. XTR selects XMS transfer mode in real mode. XTP
selects XMS transfer mode in protected mode.
OD * DMA BOUNDARY TEST OVERRIDE
Disables DMA boundary testing.
Diagnostic/Override Options
OC * MEDIA CHANGE SIGNAL
Disables the diskette drive media change signal test. All diskette
drives, other than 160/320/360K types, support a media change
detection function. Basically, a signal from the drive indicates
that the media latch has been opened or the diskette has been
removed from the drive. By default, HyperDisk uses this signal to
detect when a diskette has been changed. Use this option if you
suspect that your diskette drive has an unreliable media change
signal. OC or OC:+ will disable Media Change Signal testing; OC:-
enables it. Default is enabled.
OH:nn * HOTKEY VECTOR METHOD
Provides direct control of the Hotkey Vector Method. If your machine
is an AT-type machine, you can select either interrupt 09h or 15h.
Interrupt 15h is compatible with foreign keyboard support. If your
application has conflicting key assignments, you can disable
HyperDisk hotkeys by selecting K:-.
OI * OVERRIDE INSTALL
If you run the program with this parameter it will only update
previously installed parameters but will not install HyperDisk if it
is not already resident in memory.
KD* UPDATE MODIFIED BUFFER ON DISK RESET
KD or KD:+ will not update modified buffers when a DOS disk reset,
INT 21h, 0Dh is called; KD:- enables update. Default is update
enabled.
Y * DIAGNOSTIC DUMP
Creates a diagnostic file on the current disk and directory of the
resident HyperDisk program memory. The function aids in problem
determination.
YD * DISPLAY SYSTEM ACCESS COUNTS
Displays total system read/write requests, saved accesses (cached
sectors), and disk accesses in a diagnostic report.
3: HyperKey
What is HyperKey?
HyperKey is a powerful keyboard enhancement package that
dramatically improves the speed and performance of your PC keyboard.
With HyperKey you can customize all keyboard functions including the
type-ahead buffer size, key repeat rate, length of delay before a
key begins repeating, keyboard clicking sounds, and Touch Shifting
for one-finger typing.
Your PC has a basic input/output system (BIOS) that normally
controls your keyboard functions. The BIOS provides little support
for many windowing- and scrolling-type applications common in PC
systems. Both the delay to repeat (Typematic Delay) and the period
of repeat (Typematic Rate) are slow and cumbersome. Although the PC
BIOS provides a type-ahead feature, it is only 15 keystrokes. The
BIOS type-ahead buffering can be both an advantage and a
disadvantage. If you are waiting for a slow program, you can enter
data before you are prompted, saving time when the program needs
your input. However, when you are scrolling or repeating a
keystroke, the BIOS type ahead can cause you to overshoot your
target.
HyperKey addresses all of these problems. You can set the Typematic
Delay and Typematic Period to any value. HyperKey type-ahead
buffering provides 128 keystrokes and does not fill with repeated
keys as the PC BIOS does. The Typematic Period is paced to match
your application's needs and will never get ahead of your
application.
HyperKey Options
The defaults for each parameter are listed at the end of their
description, if applicable. Lowercase, italic nn following a
parameter is a place holder for a number that you provide.
D:nn * TYPEMATIC DELAY
Sets the delay time before a key repeats itself, starting from when
you hold down the key until repetition begins. Units are in
milliseconds (1/1,000 of a second). Recommended starting value is
350; decrease it as you become accustomed to a more responsive
keyboard. Default is 300.
R:nn * TYPEMATIC PERIOD
Sets the minimum time between repeats of a key after the initial
Typematic Delay. Smaller values repeat keys faster; larger values
repeat more slowly. Units are in milliseconds. Start with a value of
30. Default is 30.
P:nn * TYPEMATIC PITCH
Decreases the Typematic Period automatically after each repeated
key. The value nn is subtracted from the repeat period after each
repeated key, causing repeats to speed up the longer you hold down
the key. Units are in microseconds (1/1,000,000 of a second).
Default is 500.
S:nn * TYPEMATIC SPAN
Sets the number of repeat characters the Typematic Pitch control
will affect. For example, if you select a Typematic Pitch of 500 and
a Typematic Span of 10, each of the first 10 repeated keys will
repeat faster than the previous one by 500 microseconds (1/2
millisecond), then remain constant for all keys thereafter. Default
is zero (disabled).
H:nn * SPAN HOLDOFF
Delays the initial effects of the Typematic Span function. The
repeat period will remain constant for nn characters before the Span
functions begin to decrease the period, or in other words increase
the rate of repeats. For example, if you have set the span to 30 and
the pitch to 500 and now want the first five characters to repeat
without increasing the rate, set the Span Holdoff to five. Default
is zero.
B * EXTENDED BUFFERING
Enables HyperKey's type-ahead buffer. B or B:+ to enable; B:- to
disable. Default is enabled.
Note: If after installing other enhancement products two or more
keys are delivered for each key you strike, disable this option.
B:nn * EXTENDED BUFFER SIZE
Specifies the size of the extended keystroke during installation.
Values for nn range from 16 to 4096. Two bytes of memory are
required for each keystroke. Default is 128.
I * KEYBOARD LOCK INDICATORS
Changes the keyboard lock indicators, such as c and -. Use the first
letter of the key indicator name; UPPERCASE sets the key active,
lowercase clears the indicator. Indicators are: c, -, g, and f
state. In the following examples, the first sets all indicators
active, the second sets c, clears -:
C:\>HYPERKEY -ICNSI
C:\>HYPERKEY -ICn
Some computers do not accept indicator changes by device drivers;
therefore you may need to run HyperKey during AUTOEXEC.BAT
initialization to change the indicators after booting the machine.
Default is no changes to key indicator states.
A * ACTIVE
Enables all HyperKey functions. A or A:+ to enable; A:- to disable.
If you discover one of your programs is incompatible with HyperKey,
you can disable HyperKey while you are using that program. Default
is enabled.
C * CLICK ON MAKE
Issues a click when a new key is struck. C or C:+ to enable clicks;
C:- to disable. Default is disabled.
C:nn * CLICK PITCH
Sets the pitch of the click. This function depends on machine speed.
Experiment to create the sound you find most pleasing. Default is
100.
CR * CLICK ON REPEATS
Issues a click on all keys, new and repeated. CR or CR:+ to enable;
C:- to disable. Default is disabled.
L:nn * CLICK PERIOD
Sets length of time the click sounds. This parameter also depends on
machine speed. Experiment to find a pleasing value. Default is 32.
T * TOUCH SHIFTING
Sets Touch-Shifting mode active. Makes it possible to enter a
shifted key combination (one that requires you to hold down two or
more keys at a time) by pressing only one keystroke at a time. For
example, to enter v<>, simply press v and release, then press <20> and
release. Touch Shifting is very useful for 101- and 102-key
keyboards. T or T:+ to enable; T:- to disable. Default is disabled.
U * UNINSTALL
Uninstalls the TSR-type model, if it was previously installed. If
HyperKey can be removed from memory, all memory used will be
released. You cannot uninstall the device-driver version. If it's
not possible to uninstall, you will receive a message that the
uninstall failed. You might consider disabling all functions instead
by using the Active option. The following example disables HyperKey:
C:\>HYPERKEY A:-
XS * SHADOW RAM LOADER
Loads program in Shadow RAM memory. If you have a Chips &
Technologies NEAT 210 or 300 Series chip set*based computer or use
an XMS-type product that supports UMBs such as 386Max 4.30+, the
SpeedKit program will load in this special memory using none of the
lower 640K of conventional memory. This option is automatically
inactive if loaded high with an external loader, such as DeviceHigh,
LOADhi, LOADhigh, etc.
Note: For Chips & Technologies computers, load high occurs in the
E000:0000-FFFF memory area. Therefore, other programs, adapters,
ROMS, and EMS memory banks must not use this area.
XF:file * EXECUTE COMMAND FILE
Directs the program to carry out the commands contained in the
designated file where file is a standard DOS path and filename. You
can use this function to store common procedures or personalized
options. Create a file that contains the command line and parameters
desired for a specific user or application. The command file can
contain multiple lines, and comments should be delimited by a
semicolon:
C:\>>HYPERKEY XF:C:\ANYFILE.EXT
KW * KEY WAIT TIME
Selects wait for key after No Parameter status panel. KW or KW:+
enables a pause after the status panel. KW:- disables the wait for a
key. Alternatively, you can select a time delay by specifying KW:nn,
where nn is the number of seconds to wait before continuing
automatically. Default is to wait for a keystroke if no parameters
are specified.
OR * OVERRIDE REPORT
Disables the output report that is normally generated whenever you
run a SpeedKit product from the command line. This option is useful
if you are running from batch files and do not want the report to
fill the screen. Specifying OR:- will disable the installation
report delay, but the report itself will still be displayed.
OX * DISABLE REPORT
Displays report unless Override Report is applied. OX or OX:+
disables report panel; OX:- restores report panel display. OR:- can
be used to override the OX setting. Default is to display report.
OK * OVERRIDE DISPLAY METHOD
Selects the display method. SpeedKit products normally display data
directly by means of the video BIOS. OK or OK:+ forces I/O directly
to the video BIOS, while OK:- forces DOS I/O. Alternatively, the
standard output device can be redirected to any device or file.
Default is direct to video BIOS.
In the following example, HyperKey will display the report by means
of DOS standard output device:
C:\>HYPERKEY OK:-
In the following example, output from HyperKey is redirected to
console (CON) device:
C:\>HYPERKEY >>CON
OK:nn * OVERRIDE COLORS/ATTRIBUTES
Selects the colors/attributes for the current display. Color
displays provide 16 foreground colors to be applied on either 8
(CGA) or 16 (EGA/VGA) background colors. Monochrome displays provide
a variety of display attributes. Some allow two or more intensities,
underlining, blinking, etc. For CGA displays, there are 120 useful
combinations; EGA/VGA displays, 240. Monochrome displays vary and
are generally less than CGA. You can enter a value for nn in either
decimal or hexadecimal formats. The example below is a decimal
example with HyperKey:
C:\>HYPERKEY OK:30
The above example selects yellow on a blue background.
Alternatively, you can select the colors manually by specifying
C:\>HYPERKEY OK:0
OKC:nn * OVERRIDE COLORS ONLY
Same as OK:nn, except only color display attributes are affected.
Useful for systems with both monochrome and color displays.
OKM:nn * OVERRIDE ATTRIBUTES ONLY
Same as OK:nn, except only monochrome display attributes are
affected.
KH * USE ALTERNATE INTERRUPT VECTOR
Forces HyperKey to use Interrupt 9 instead of Interrupt 15. This is for
older BIOS machines that do not support Interrupt 15. Only use if
HyperKey fails to load. KH or KH:+ enables this function. Default is
disabled.
M * SMART CAPS
Turns on the Smart Caps feature that makes the CAPSLOCK work like a
typewriter. When Smart Caps is enabled, pressing a SHIFT key will unlock
the CAPSLOCK function. M or M:+ enables Smart Caps. Default is
disabled
4: HyperScreen
What is HyperScreen?
HyperScreen is a video enhancement tool that gives you the most
power and versatility from your existing video hardware. With state-
of-the-art software, it provides manual and automatic screen
blanking and video BIOS speedup.
The automatic screen blanking function shuts off your video display
after a preset time to prevent a persistent image from burning into
the display's phosphors. Phosphors are the light emitting substances
that make the electronic image visible. If a fixed image is
displayed continuously, the phosphors deteriorate, producing a
burned screen. Although monochrome displays are most often affected
by burning, color displays can lose brightness and contrast if an
image is displayed too long.
With HyperScreen's manual blanking function you can quickly blank
any information displayed on the screen. This feature protects
sensitive data from exposure to unexpected visitors. By specifying
parameters, you can choose which key activates this feature and the
number of times it must be pressed to blank the screen.
The Fast BIOS feature increases the speed of your display by
replacing inefficient portions of video BIOS code. This option
speeds all text mode displays in DOS or any text-based programs, but
it does not speed up graphics displays or direct display access
applications. These functions are based on the individual software
packages rather than the BIOS code on the video card.
HyperScreen Options
The defaults for each parameter are listed at the end of their
description, if applicable. Lowercase, italic nn following a
parameter is a place holder for a number that you provide.
A * GLOBAL HYPERSCREEN ENABLE
Enables all HyperScreen functions. A or A:+ to enable; A:- to
disable. Default is enabled.
F * ENABLE FAST BIOS
Enables the Fast BIOS routines for speeding up all mode operations.
F or F:+ to enable; F:- to disable. Default is enabled.
B * ENABLE BLANKER
Enables the screen blanking function. B or B:+ to enable; B:- to
disable. Default is enabled.
B:nn * SET BLANKING TIME
Sets the inactivity timer, where nn is the number of minutes that
the keyboard has not been used. After nn minutes expire without a
keystroke, HyperScreen will blank the screen. B:0 disables the
timer. Default is 10 minutes.
K * ANY KEY DEBLANKING
With this option enabled, you can strike any key to restore the
display after HyperScreen has blanked it. With some software,
Microsoft Windows for example, only the SHIFT and LOCK keys will
restore the display. However, if you want to specify a single key to
use for restoring the display, disable this option (K-) and use the
Hotkey Selection option. Default is K:+, any key deblanking.
K:nn * HOTKEY TAP COUNT
Specifies the number of successive times the hotkey must be pressed
(tapped) to manually blank or restore the screen. The timing of the
taps is important; they should be spaced no more than about 1/2
second apart. Normally, this is easy to do. If the Any Key
Deblanking option is active, one tap will restore the screen.
Default is three taps.
K:s * HOTKEY SELECTION
You can select any of the hotkeys listed below for manual screen
blanking and restoring. Substitute for s the hotkey you want to use.
For example, K:A selects a as your manual screen blanking and
restoring hotkey. Default is v.
Use
to choose blanking,
restoring hotkey
K:L
x
K:R
z
K:C
v
K:A
a
K:S
g
K:N
-
K:P
c
U * UNINSTALL
Uninstalls the TSR-type model, if it was previously installed. If
HyperScreen can be removed from memory, all memory used will be
released. You cannot uninstall the device-driver version. If it
isn't possible to uninstall, you will receive a message that the
uninstall failed. You might consider disabling all functions
instead. The following example disables HyperScreen:
C:\>HYPERSCR A:-
XS * SHADOW RAM LOADER
Loads program in Shadow RAM memory. If you have a Chips &
Technologies NEAT 210 or 300 Series chip set*based computer or use
an XMS-type product that supports UMBs such as 386Max 4.30+, the
SpeedKit program will load in this special memory using none of the
lower 640K of conventional memory. This option is automatically
inactive if loaded high with an external loader, such as DeviceHigh,
LOADhi, LOADhigh, etc.
Note: For Chips & Technologies computers, load high occurs in the
E000:0000-FFFF memory area. Therefore, this area must not be used by
other programs, adapters, ROMS, or EMS memory banks.
XF:file * EXECUTE COMMAND FILE
Directs the program to carry out the commands contained in the
designated file where file is a standard DOS path and filename. You
can use this function to store common procedures or personalized
options. Create a file that contains the command line and parameters
desired for a specific user or application. The command file can
contain multiple lines, and comments should be delimited by a
semicolon:
C:\>>HYPERSCR XF:C:\ANYFILE.EXT
OR * OVERRIDE REPORT
Disables the output report that is normally generated whenever you
run a SpeedKit product from the command line. This option is useful
if you are running from batch files and do not want the report to
fill the screen. Specifying OR:- will disable the installation
report delay, but the report itself will still be displayed.
OK * OVERRIDE DISPLAY METHOD
Selects the display method. SpeedKit products normally display data
directly by means of the video BIOS. OK or OK:+ forces I/O directly
to the video BIOS, while OK:- forces DOS I/O. Alternatively, the
standard output device can be redirected to any device or file.
Default is direct to video BIOS.
In the following example, HyperScreen will display the report by
means of DOS standard output device:
C:\>HYPERSCR OK:-
In the following example, output from HyperScreen is redirected to
console (CON) device:
C:\>HYPERSCR >>CON
OK:nn * OVERRIDE COLORS/ATTRIBUTES
Selects the colors/attributes for the current display. Color
displays provide 16 foreground colors to be applied on either 8
(CGA) or 16 (EGA/VGA) background colors. Monochrome displays provide
a variety of display attributes. Some allow two or more intensities,
underlining, blinking, etc. For CGA displays, there are 120 useful
combinations; EGA/VGA displays, 240. Monochrome displays vary and
are generally less than CGA. You can enter a value for nn in either
decimal or hexadecimal formats. The first example below is a decimal
example; the second is a hexadecimal example:
C:\>HYPERSCR OK:30
C:\>HYPERSCR OK:X1E
Both of the above examples select yellow on a blue background.
Alternatively, you can select the colors manually by specifying:
C:\>HYPERSCR OK:0
OKC:nn * OVERRIDE COLORS ONLY
Same as OK:nn, except only color display attributes are affected.
Useful for systems with both monochrome and color displays.
OKM:nn * OVERRIDE ATTRIBUTES ONLY
Same as OK:nn, except only monochrome display attributes are
affected.
M * MOUSE DETECT UNBLANKING
If you use this option any movement of the mouse will unblank the
screen. M or M:+ enable this option. Default is disabled.
D * DISPLAY UNBLANKING KEY
Normally the key pressed to unblank the screen is captured by
HyperScreen. If you wish this key to be passed on to the
application the is running in the background use this option. D or
D:+ enable this option. Default is disabled.
5: HyperRAM
What is HyperRAM?
HyperRAM increases the speed of your system CPU by changing the
refresh rate of your system's 8253 timer chip. All Personal
Computers, including the original IBM PC were designed with a very
high refresh rate. The rate used by all personal computers is far
beyond the rate required by the RAM chips used in these machines.
HyperRAM sets the refresh rate to match closer with RAM
manufacturers specifications and in turn frees up CPU cycles. These
free cycles can be used by your software rather than going to waste
by refreshing the RAM too often. The change in refresh rate matches
within specifications of most DRAM manufacturers. Depending on your
system, HyperRAM should increase your CPU's performance from 2% to
10%. You can measure this in many ways such as Landmark's CPU Speed
Test or the Norton Utilities SI program.
HyperRAM options
HYPERRAM [+][-][r:nn]
+ Enable HyperRAM. Entering a + will enable HyperRAM and
set the optimum refresh rate.
- Disable HyperRAM. Entering a - will disable HyperRAM and set
the refresh rate to stock values.
r:nn Set refresh rate to nn Us. Entering r:nn will set the
refresh rate to nn micro seconds. Only use this if you have a
good understanding of the refresh rates. DO NOT set your
refresh rate higher than 65 micro seconds. Setting too high a
refresh rate will cause memory Parity errors or hang your
system. If you find that HYPERRAM + causes parity errors or
hangs your system than you will want to try this option. (See
the section on trouble shooting at the end of this chapter.)
What Is A Refresh Rate And What Does It Do?
The memory in your Personal Computer is called DRAM, or Dynamic
Random Access Memory. This memory is made of banks of 9 chips each
holding up to as much as 4MB of 1 bit data. Each chip in a bank
represents one of 9 bits. In Personal Computers, 8 of the bits
store data and the 9th bit is called a parity bit, used to determine
if the data bits are holding the proper information. DRAM chips can
not hold a charge of electricity for a very long time. In fact, a
new charge of 5 volts (3.3 volts in some sytems) must be supplied
about every 65 micro seconds or it will lose its data. To supply
this charge, that is refresh the memory, the CPU must stop
processing data and direct the 8253 chip to send the refresh charge
to the bank of memory. Once the refresh is done the CPU can
continue processing. By reducing the number of times the CPU has to
stop to refresh the DRAM is how HyperRAM speeds up your system.
Notes
HyperRAM is not a TSR. It does not require any RAM or take any away
from your system. HyperRAM only needs to be loaded once and will
perform until the machine is rebooted.
HyperRAM has now loaded and changed your systems speed. Now try
loading some software to insure that the system is working properly.
Run all the programs that you normally run on your system. Do not
load any data that isn't already saved in case HyperRAM causes a
problem. Any problems caused by HyperRAM will most likely be memory
problems, your system will either hang or you will get a Parity
Error type message. If have any problems refer to the
Troubleshooting section that follows for further instructions. If
everything works fine then you might want to install HyperRAM so it
loads every time you boot your machine.
If you have any type of Memory or RAM test you can further insure
that everything is working properly by running that test. If it
reports no problems than it is safe to assume that HyperRAM has no
conflicts with your machine.
Troubleshooting
HyperRAM has been thoroughly tested on many systems before being
released but due to the complexity and variety of equipment
available we can not guarantee that it will work on every Personal
Computer.
If you notice memory errors, parity errors, or that your machine is
hanging after running HyperRAM + then the rate that HyperRAM has
chosen for your system is causing the DRAM chips to fail. This is
in no way a permanent failure, you will just have to pick a lower
rate at which to run HyperRAM. To use a manual refresh rate with
HyperRAM enter the following:
HYPERRAM r:nn [ENTER]
where nn is the refresh rate you wish to use. Start with 60 and
retest your system. If you continue to have problems keep decrements
the amount by 5 until you reach a value that your system works with.
If the value is less than 18 then you will most likely not benefit
from HyperRAM. If this is the case contact technical support for
further help.
If you have to use a manual refresh rate then install with the rate
override option, and give it the value that worked with your system
when the installation program prompts you.
Some problems in benchmarking are caused by TSR or Memory Resident
software such as screen blankers or print spoolers.
The benchmark ATPERF.EXE from PC Tech Journal which measures
overhead is usually not affected by these programs. It is a very
good sign of the change HyperRAM has with your program.
Norton Utilities SI and Landmark's CPU Speed can be effected by
TSR's and may not show the increase in performance. If notice no
improvement in performance try running the benchmarks without any
TSR's loaded. If you still see no increase, call technical support.
6: Error Messages
General Error Messages
The following error messages are common to all SpeedKit components:
Already Installed!
SpeedKit product has already been installed. The program type and
version of the resident program are displayed, followed by the error
message.
Invalid Parameter: UNKNOWN
An invalid command-line parameter was specified. Verify your
command-line parameters against the definitions in the "Options"
sections for HyperDisk, HyperKey, and HyperScreen. Inserting a
delimiter (/,:,-, etc.) between parameters will ensure that only the
invalid character is chopped; other valid parameters will be
installed.
Incorrect DOS Version
SpeedKit requires DOS version 3.1 or later. SpeedKit product was not
loaded.
HyperDisk Error Messages
Following is a list of HyperDisk error messages:
Extended Memory Not Supported (INT 15h)
HyperDisk could not find the extended memory BIOS software (INT
15h). Your computer does not support INT 15h extended memory
functions. You should use either the Expanded Model or the
Conventional Model instead.
No Extended Available
HyperDisk could not find any free memory in the extended memory
manager. You should free some extended memory from other uses.
Insufficient Extended Memory
HyperDisk could not find enough free memory in the extended memory
manager. A minimum of 128K is required to use HyperDisk.
HyperDisk Error RShft: Retry=LShft Skip=Ctrl Abort=Alt?
This message supports responses by both keystrokes and shift state
hotkeys. Shift state hotkeys allow entry of commands even when the
foreground application has taken normal keyboard control (i.e.,
Microsoft Windows, SmartCom, etc.). The error message is preceded by
three beeps. The following table lists hotkeys and keystrokes you
can use to choose a command:
To
choos
e
press
Retry
R or zx
Skip
S or zv
Abort
A or za
If you don't enter a response within four seconds, a Retry is
automatically entered for you. See the following error message for
the meanings of Retry, Skip, and Abort.
Error [drive]#:n: - [error message]: Retry, Skip or Abort
An error was detected during a disk write operation. The error code
will be either an extended memory, EMS, or BIOS error.
* Retry: pressing R will retry the same disk request.
* Skip: pressing S will skip this disk write and continue with the
next write.
* Abort: pressing A will remove the active drive data from the
HyperDisk buffers without updating the disk. Use this response
only for floppies you are going to discard because of defective
and unacceptable media. This response is not the same as multiple
Skips.
If the error code is ABxx then xx is the EMS error code in
hexadecimal (see your EMS manual error definitions). For an EMS
error (ABxx), the EMS software has been corrupted, and the Retry
option most likely will continue to fail.
If the error code is EDxx then xx is the extended memory error code
in hexadecimal (see the IBM-AT Technical Reference [1502243] BIOS
Listing, Section: BIOS 1, Error Code Definitions). For an extended
memory error, the memory has been corrupted and the Retry option
most likely will continue to fail.
If the error is a disk BIOS error on a diskette drive, the error
condition usually indicates that the diskette latch is open. If this
is the case, replace the diskette and/or close the diskette latch
before giving the Retry response.
Part 7: Troubleshooting
Introduction to Troubleshooting
If you are having problems with any of the SpeedKit products, first
read through this section. If you continue to have problems after
reading this section, please have the following information ready
before calling technical support:
* Computer manufacturer and type;
* Amount of memory;
* Size and type of hard disk;
* DOS version;
* Copy of CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files;
* HyperDisk version number and serial number, both of which can be
found on your diskette.
We prefer that you be at the machine you are having problems with
when you call technical support. A technician can be reached at
(415) 882-1740 during normal business hours, Monday through Friday,
9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pacific Time. Often, a technician is on duty after
business hours as well and will answer your questions if available.
If a technician is not available, you can leave a message on our
bulletin board, (415) 882-1735.
Troubleshooting Tips
If you are unable to boot your machine because HyperDisk causes
system crashes, try pressing vxa to boot your machine without
loading HyperDisk.
If you want to test to see if HyperDisk is causing your problem, try
booting your machine with HyperDisk installed but disabled, using
the va D key combination. If you continue to have the same problem,
it is probably being caused by something other than HyperDisk.
If your problem persists, try turning off your machine, wait 30
seconds, and try again.
Copy Protection
Some products that use copy-protected media may require that the
caching function be disabled during the media verification period.
Press va D to disable HyperDisk and va E to enable it.
Commonly Asked Questions
Can I run HyperDisk with another disk cache?
NO! You must always run only a single software cache. You are going
to have problems if you run two programs that are performing the
same function simultaneously. Never run two caches at the same time,
regardless of which ones they are.
The only exception is caching controllers. HyperDisk has been tested
with many hard disk controllers with built-in caches, and the
combination works just fine. But never run two software caches
together; it will only lead to problems with your hard disk.
HyperDisk automatically prevents conflicting configurations by
detecting other disk-caching software, such as SmartDrive or PC-
Kwik, and stopping installation.
Do I have to remove SmartDrive when using HyperDisk?
Yes. SmartDrive is a disk cache, and you cannot run two software
disk caches at the same time without causing problems.
I'm getting an Internal Stack Overflow message.
Set your stacks line to: Stacks=0,0 in your config.sys file. Beware
of programs that will alter your stacks setting during installation.
Is it okay to use FASTOPEN?
No. We don't recommend ever running FASTOPEN. FASTOPEN is a special
type of program that caches file structures. It has proven to be
very unreliable and only marginally enhances system performance.
FASTOPEN was designed to be used without a disk cache before
Microsoft included SmartDrive with DOS. Most recent versions of
FASTOPEN work with SmartDrive but continue to cause problems with
third party caches, such as HyperDisk.
Why don't I notice any difference between HyperDisk and SmartDrive?
Make sure that HyperDisk's Staged Write options are turned on. This
is the most noticeable difference when comparing HyperDisk to other
caches.
HyperKey isn't working in Windows. What's wrong?
Because of the way Windows works there is no way for HyperKey to
function under Windows. We are working on a version specifically for
Windows, but currently you cannot benefit from HyperKey while
running Windows.
Hotkey Controls
Use the following hotkey combinations to speed your processing with
SpeedKit utilities.
ABORT INSTALLATION * vxa
Suspends installation of HyperDisk. When booting your computer, but
before HyperDisk loads, you can suspend the installation by holding
down vxa . You will be prompted to choose whether to continue or
stop installation.
WARM-BOOT * va m
Warm-boots the computer system. HyperDisk first writes any modified
data to disk. If the disk requires updating, you will hear two tones
and HyperDisk will begin writing to your disk. After the updates are
complete, press va m again, and the system will warm-boot.
If you have other TSRs that also monitor va m, they may restart the
computer without allowing HyperDisk to update your disk. If so,
first disable caching by using va D and then warm-boot the computer.
If you are unsure of the behavior of other resident programs, you
can test your system by copying files to a test floppy diskette.
First, activate HyperDisk's Staged Write feature by pressing va A.
Insert a newly formatted disk in drive A and copy a large number of
files to it by typing copy *.* A:.
When your screen indicates that the copying is finished (or has
failed because of insufficient disk space), immediately issue the
warm-boot command, va m. If you hear two tones and your system
begins to write to the floppy, you can issue warm-boots without fear
of losing any data.
If your system immediately restarts, you will have lost data being
copied to drive A. Your disk integrity will be in question while
using the other TSRs together with HyperDisk's Staged Write options
and issuing the va m warm-boot key combination.
Possible remedies are to:
* remove the other offending TSR;
* always disable HyperDisk before you warm-boot; or
* use the Write Through feature in your installation of HyperDisk,
which is the default setting and requires no extra parameters.
FORCE UPDATE BEFORE PROGRAM LOADS * va F
Updates all changes to disk/diskette before running the next program
load request. Provided for development and testing systems. You can
also use the parameter OF:-.
RESUME STANDARD UPDATE * va R
Resumes normal update conditions. Provided for development and
testing systems. You can also use the parameter OF:+.
MANUAL DISKETTE CHANGE * va C
Changes diskette media indication. If two diskettes have identical
file allocation tables, HyperDisk cannot detect that the diskette
has changed. Use this command to force HyperDisk to recognize the
new diskette.
Appendix A: Compatibility Notes
OnTrack Disk Manager, SpeedStor Hard Disk Packages
Currently Hyperdisk directly supports hard drives formatted with
Disk Manager and SpeedStor. If you have a hard drive using DOS 3.3
or later then you must use Disk Manager version 3.1 or SpeedStor
version 5.14. If you use older versions of these products then you
might run into compatibility problems with HyperDisk.
Stacker, Doublespace, Drivespace, and SuperStor Hard Disk Compression
Programs
HyperDisk should be loaded after these drivers. Load HyperDisk after
stachigh.sys in your config.sys file. If you experience any
compatibility problems then you should load HyperDisk into your
autoexec.bat file. Doublespace and Drivespace users should load
HyperDisk after the dblspace.sys or drvspace.sys line, load
HyperDisk after st-dbl.sys if you are using QEMM stealth
doublespace. You do not need to exclude any logical volumes from
being cached.
Appendix B: HyperDisk Limitations
HyperDisk supports disk and diskette drives accessed by BIOS INT 13h
services. Up to 20 drives can be cached, 10 hard disks and 10
floppies. To be cached, disk and diskette media must be formatted as
512 bytes per sector with 8 to 63 sectors per track.
HyperDisk supports hard drives with up to 256 heads and 1,024
cylinders maximum, or 64 heads maximum and 4,096 cylinders,
accessible with special software such as SpeedStor, Disk Manager, or
AMI/OMTI BIOS-compatible controllers.
Supported floppy diskette systems include: 5.25-inch single and
double sided, double- and high-density formats (8, 9, and 15 sectors
per track); 3.5-inch drives single and double sided, double- and
high-density formats (9 and 18 sectors per track).
HyperDisk supports partitioned hard disk systems (multiple logical
drives per physical drive) and should be installed after the device
driver provided by the disk supplier. PC-DOS versions 3.30 and later
directly support multiple logical drives. No additional device
drivers are required.
If a diskette is removed from a drive and placed in another PC where
it is changed slightly * but no change occurs in the file allocation
table * and then returned to the first PC, HyperDisk may not detect
the media change and fail to update the buffers to reflect the new
changes. Therefore, if you remove, alter, and replace a diskette,
take notice if HyperDisk issues a media change tone. If you don't
hear a tone, use the hotkey combination va C to change the media
indication manually and force HyperDisk to recognize the new
diskette. For more information see Manual Diskette Change in
"Hotkey Controls," in Part 6.
Appendix C: HyperDisk Notes for Windows Users
HyperDisk 4.32 and later revisions have been made with specific
enhancements to provide optimum performance under Windows. Generally
you will not have to change any of the parameters in HyperDisk for
Windows to function at optimal speed. There are two tips that you
should be aware of when using HyperDisk with Windows.
1. Make sure to use the Staged Write features.
Windows is a large and complex environment, which requires that a
lot of temporary data be stored to disk. By having Staged Write
turned on, most of this temporary disk writing can be eliminated,
since the data will be redundant and will write to the area of the
disk that falls into the cache buffer.
2. Beware of Windows memory requirements.
Windows is a memory intensive environment. You should always leave
at least 50 percent of your total system memory available for
Windows and its applications. For example, on an 8 MB machine, never
use more than 3.5 MB (8 MB - 640K for DOS / 2 = 3.5 MB) for the disk
cache or any other programs such as print spoolers or RAM disks. If
you notice sluggish performance under Windows verify that you are
not using all of the extended memory for the disk cache.
3. Windows Control Panel
HyperDisk now includes a control panel for Windows that allows you
to view the current status information of HyperDisk and modify the
parameters that can be changed while running Windows. Just add the
program HYPERCP.EXE to any program group in Windows and double click
on the program.
Appendix D: Manual Installation
1. Copy all files with an .EXE extension from the diskette to your
hard disk. Place the files in the root directory or in any
subdirectory.
2. Make sure no other disk caching software is installed. HyperDisk
works fine with hardware cache controllers, but it may conflict
with other software caches. The following table lists the most
popular software caching products and the associated program
names that might be called from either AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS
files.
Caching
product
Program name
Super PC
Kwik
SUPERPCK,
PCKWIK.SYS
Flash
FLASH
Speed
Cache
SCPLUS, SC
Vcache
CACHE, CACHE-
AT, CACHE-EM,
VKETTE
SmartDriv
e
SMARTDRV.SYS,
SMARTDRV.EXE
PC Cache
PCACHE
FAST!
FAST???.EXE
NetWare
Cache
NLCACHE
Lantastic
LANCACHE
If any of these programs are installed, you must remove them
before attempting to install HyperDisk. Running two or more
caching programs simultaneously may result in the loss of or
damage to your data and program files.
3. Choose whether to install HyperDisk as a device driver or as a
TSR. We recommend installing as a device driver unless you want
to uninstall HyperDisk later in your session. If you will want to
uninstall HyperDisk, use the TSR method.
As a device driver, HyperDisk should be installed after any
special disk device drivers, such as:
Disk
drive
r
Program name
Disk
Manag
er
DMDRVR.BIN
SpeedSto
r
HARDRIVE.SYS
,
SSTOR.SYS
DOS
DRIVER.SYS
Each SpeedKit product can be installed as a DOS device driver or
as a TSR program. Most commonly, they are installed as device
drivers, but for some near-compatibles it may be necessary to
install them after a TSR that makes your system keyboard IBM
compatible. If you choose the device-driver method, you must
include the installation specification in your CONFIG.SYS file.
Use an editor to update the CONFIG.SYS file on your boot drive
root directory.
The device-driver definition is normally installed immediately
after an extended or expanded memory manager, but before any
other device-driver definition. Install them in this order:
HyperDisk, HyperKey, and finally HyperScreen. If you placed the
SpeedKit files in a subdirectory, you should specify a fully
qualified path in the DEVICE = statement.
If you choose the TSR method, you also can run HYPERDKX.EXE at
the command prompt. Alternatively, you can place the HYPERDKX.EXE
specification in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file on your root directory.
The following example of lines in the CONFIG.SYS file installs
HyperDisk with a 512K cache, Staged Write enabled for the hard
drives only, and Verify Read enabled for all disk writes;
installs HyperKey with a Typematic Delay of 180 milliseconds and
a repeat rate of 18 milliseconds and disables the installation
report; and installs HyperScreen with a blanking and restoring
hotkey of x. Each product is installed as a device driver, and
the files are placed in the root directory of drive C:
DEVICE=C:\HYPERDKX.EXE /C:512 /S /Q /V DEVICE=C:\HYPERKEY.EXE
/R:18 /D:180 /OR
DEVICE=C:\HYPERSCR.EXE /K:L /K:-
4. If you are using the TSR installation method, place all SpeedKit
products at the beginning of the AUTOEXEC.BAT file:
C:\HYPERDKX.EXE /C:512 /S /Q /V
C:\HYPERKEY.EXE /R:18 /D:180 /OR
C:\HYPERSCR.EXE /K:L /K:-
5. Reboot your machine to complete the installation of SpeedKit.
Note: Install HIMEM.SYS and EMM386.EXE (or QEMM) before HyperDisk.
Install HyperDisk before Windows.
Appendix E: Technical Notes
Extended memory is only available in 80286 (IBM-AT), 80386, and
80486 computers. This memory is above 1 MB and is normally not
accessible from MS-DOS real mode applications. HyperDisk uses
special BIOS functions (INT 15h, extended memory block move) to
access this memory.
If your system uses QEMM, 386Max, EMM386, HIMEM.SYS, etc., the
following two warnings do not apply. If you are not using one of the
better-known extended memory managers, the extended memory BIOS
functions have some side effects that you should be aware of:
* Interrupts may be lost. Interrupt processing is suspended while
the extended memory is being accessed. High-speed communications
programs are the most likely to encounter problems.
* Pfix and Pfix-Plus (possibly others) may hang when using INT 15h
extended memory block move functions with the Intel Inboard
386/AT. This problem is related to the PC-AT ROM BIOS. Test your
system carefully. Intel's Inboard 386 Utility Software version
1.2 corrects this problem. Disable caching with va D while these
products are being used.
Appendix F: More About Caches
History of Caching
Although the idea of caching is ancient, the science of caching is
quite recent, with most of the fundamental work dating from the
1960s. The Belady replacement algorithm, published in 1967, provides
the baseline by which all caching techniques can be measured and
compared. This algorithm, known as The Greatest Forward Distance, is
not realizable. Due to its noncausal nature it requires perfect
knowledge of the future! Consequently, the Belady algorithm can only
be applied to systems that have already completed operations or are
perfectly cyclic in behavior, which is not very useful in a PC
application environment. Once a realizable algorithm is implemented,
Belady's algorithm can be applied to the request list or reference
string history to assess how close to optimum the test algorithm
performs. It is this comparison upon which the fundamental science
of caching rests.
Many caching algorithms have been published and compared to the
Belady baseline. Leading are the Least Frequently Used (LFU)
algorithms, followed closely by the Least Recently Used (LRU)
algorithms. Differences in performance are less than 8 percent on
the average. However, LFU algorithms are more complex to implement,
and most systems perform better using LRU algorithms, since
executing complex algorithms requires time and space. Common
algorithms for central processing unit (CPU) instruction caches are
Direct, Two-Way Associative, and Four-Way Associative. Programming
systems that support overlay loading commonly use Least Recently
Loaded (LRL) algorithms.
HyperDisk uses a modified LRU algorithm, which is simple and
executes quickly. Weak points in general LRU performance appear when
data is retrieved from the disk in such a fashion that the data is
replaced after being used only once. This type of behavior is termed
overcommitment or thrashing. To avoid overcommitment, HyperDisk uses
a proprietary combination of linear and random access predictors to
identify the onset of the condition.
For more information on caching in computing systems, see the
journals of the Association for Computer Machinery or the Institute
of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
Disk Controller Caches
Many manufacturers now offer disk controllers that feature onboard
caching functions. These controllers generally provide excellent
performance. However, because of cost and space limitations, most
controllers provide only a small buffer to hold data, typically less
than 512K. In addition, access to the controller buffer is slower
than access to normal system RAM. If your system is an 80386 or
80486 32-bit system, the I/O-channel speed is very slow when
compared to system RAM. Another limitation of disk controllers is
that the buffer memory is dedicated to the caching function and
cannot be used in any other way.
For maximum system performance when using a caching disk controller,
we recommend a modest buffer size on the controller (16K to 128K).
Install HyperDisk as you would with a normal controller, using
either extended or expanded memory. The combination of HyperDisk and
a caching controller is unbeatable.
Other Caching Systems
Caching techniques were invented long before the use of personal
computers. Mainframe computer systems have been implementing caching
techniques for some time, and now caching is available for PCs as
well. There are many types of caches, all unique and different.
Memory caches usually allow the use of slower memory chips on new
high-speed machines. Many 80386 and 80486 computers on the market
today implement a memory cache design. They place a small amount of
high-speed memory in the system (usually 64K of static RAM) and then
use that memory to cache up to 16 MB of slower dynamic RAM chips.
This system allows the machine to use the full speed of the
processor while maintaining a very economical memory system.
CPU caches are implemented to allow the stacking of instructions
waiting for the processor, thus increasing the speed of the system.
Print spoolers are another type of cache. Print spoolers use memory
or disk to cache the information being sent to the printer, freeing
the machine to continue with other work.
None of these types of caches is the same as a disk cache. Often
computer users assume that if they have one type of cache in a
system, they don't need any other. In fact, system performance is
best when a cache is built into every area of the machine.
Appendix G: Uninterruptible Power Supply Support
UPS Monitor
HyperDisk can monitor the status of any Uninterruptible Power Supply
(UPS) that has a serial port. This feature is especially useful for
machines that are run unattended, such as file servers and
communication workstations. By monitoring the UPS, HyperDisk can
help prevent data loss by shutting down whenever the computer is not
running on normal power. This helps prevent loss of data that would
be in a "Staged Write" buffer by turning off the Staged Write
options whenever normal power is not being used.
This flexible UPS monitoring function can monitor any I/O port for
active signals. Multiple signals can be monitored as well as signals
with different polarity. It can work in conjunction with other
monitors, such as the monitors built into Lantastic and Novell.
Use the UP: parameter to set up the UPS monitoring function. Items
enclosed in curly brackets are required; items enclosed in square
brackets are optional:
UP:{IoPort}:{IoPolarity}:{IoMask}:{CacheMask}
[:{PollSeconds}[:{PollCount}]]
IoPort: Input port address. This is the address of the port to be
monitored. This number must be in hexadecimal format.
IoPolarity: Inverts sense of input port bits. Normally the monitor
looks for a "high" signal for a true occurrence of a state. By
switching the polarity, the monitor will look for a low occurrence
of the state. Zero (0) does not change value. One (1) inverts bits
sense.
IoMask: Determines which bits to test for non-zero conditions:
0 drops bit from test;
1 retains IoPort bit value;
Non-zero results indicate active UPS (AC power off);
Zero results indicates inactive UPS (AC power on).
CacheMask: A bit field:
1 disables function if this bit occurs;
0 no change to function if this bit occurs.
Bit BitName: A one (1) will disable the function:
0 StagedFloppy Staged Write floppy disk
1 StagedHard Staged Write hard disk
2 VerifyFloppy Verify floppy writes
3 VerifyHard Verify hard writes
4 Reserved0 Reserved always 0
5 Reserved1 Reserved always 0
6 FloppyEnable Enable floppy caching
7 CacheEnabled Enable all caching functions
PollSeconds: Sets the period in seconds to sample IoPort value. The
I/O port will be checked every nn seconds for changes in status.
PollCount: Sets the number of identical IoPort samples before
changing the cache state. This tells the monitor how many times it
should wait after seeing a change in the state of the UPS before
changing the status of the cache. This helps keep the cache from
changing states if the UPS goes onto battery power for a very short
period of time, such as during a brownout.
IoMask values for COM port based UPS monitoring system
To set the IoMask values you must determine which pin on the I/O
port you are going to use to monitor the UPS. Most UPS use the
Carrier Detect Pin on a PC serial port to monitor the UPS status.
To calculate the IoPort address you must first determine which port
you are going to be monitoring, then calculate the offset to the
port register that you will be using. In most cases you will be
using a serial port at either COM1 or COM2 and monitoring the Modem
Status Register. To monitor the Modem Status Register on COM1 you
would calculate the following address:
COM1 is generally located at 3F8.
COM2 is generally located at 2F8.
Modem Status Register is 6 bytes from the port address.
The IoPort address would be 3F8 (COM1) + 6 (MSR) = 3FE for COM1.
The IoPort address would be 2F8 (COM2) + 6 (MSR) = 2FE for COM2.
The following table lists the common pins used to monitor UPS
functions.
9-
Pin
25-
Pin
Signal
Name
IoMas
k
IoPola
rity
Pin
1
Pin-
8
Carrier
Detect
80
00
Pin
6
Pin-
6
Data Set
Ready
20
00
Pin
8
Pin-
5
Clear To
Send
10
00
Pin
9
Pin-
22
Ring
Indicator
40
00
To make your own cable for the American Power Conversion (APC) UPS
follow the pin-out details below:
APC 9 pin interface Computer 9 pin interface
Cable end: Male (Pins) Cable end: Female (Sockets)
Pin 2 - AC Power Fault Pin 1 - Modem Data Carrier
Pin 4 - Signal Ground Pin 5 - Signal Ground
Example:
Monitor COM2, Modem Status port: Bit 7, Carrier Detect, normal
polarity. If power fails disable Staged Write functions on both hard
and floppy drives. Thirty second sample period. Three matching
samples indicates active/inactive UPS.
HYPERDKX UP:2FE:0:80:3:30:3
Appendix H: Product Information
Limited Warranty
In the event of notification of defects in material or workmanship
of the diskette media or manual, within the warranty period of 45
days from the date of the purchase of the license fee, HyperWare
will, at its option, replace the diskette or manual, or refund the
license fee. If you need to report a defect, call the HyperWare
Customer Service Department. The remedy for breach of this warranty
shall be limited to replacement or refund and shall not encompass
any other damages, including but not limited to loss of profit, and
special, incidental, consequential, or other similar claims.
HyperWare specifically disclaims all other warranties, expressed or
implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of
merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose with respect to
defects in the diskette and documentation, and the program license
granted herein in particular, and without limiting operation of the
program license with respect to any particular application, use, or
purpose. In no event shall HyperWare be liable for any loss of
profit or any other commercial damage, including but not limited to
special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. This statement
shall be construed, interpreted, and governed by the laws of the
State of California.
Product Return Policy
You may return any HyperWare product as long as the seal of the
distribution envelope has not been broken and the product is in a
resaleable condition. Resaleable means the condition you would want
to receive the product in if you just bought it new. Call our
Customer Service Department for a Return Merchandise Authorization
number before shipping the merchandise to us. No refunds will be
given for merchandise returned with the envelope seal broken or if
the diskette inside has been copied.
Upgrade Policy
You can get a free upgrade all HyperWare products from HyperWare's
BBS for one year from the date of purchase of the license.
Thereafter, an annual subscription fee entitles you to an unlimited
number of upgrades from the BBS during the following 12 months. You
can obtain a new manual and program diskette at any time for a
minimal cost. Prices and terms are subject to change without notice.
Please call for current information before ordering or subscribing.
Ordering Information
Call your local computer store or order directly from:
HyperWare, 185 Berry Street, Suite 4807, San Francisco, CA 94107,
USA
PHONE: (415) 882-1740
FAX: (415) 882-1733
BBS: (415) 882-1735
CompuServe ID 71333,3657
Technical Support
Each SpeedKit product is meant to be installed as a set-it-and-
forget-it utility. The benefit of the programs will be readily
apparent in the day-to-day improvement of your system performance.
We have taken every step to ensure the compatibility and reliability
of our product. However, it is impossible to test every combination
of hardware and software. For this reason, our technical support
department is ready to assist you, at no charge, with any questions,
comments, or installation problems.
You can call for technical support for this product Monday through
Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time. Please be prepared to
leave a name and number where you can be reached. Before calling,
please read the sections of this manual pertaining to your question.
We'll also need to know the version and serial numbers of the
product about which you are calling.

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