108 lines
4.0 KiB
Plaintext
108 lines
4.0 KiB
Plaintext
AST RESEARCH TECHNICAL BULLETIN TB-0197 6-26-86
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DESQVIEW COMPATIBILITY PROBLEM
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DESQVIEW COMPATIBILITY PROBLEM
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6 new models of the IBM PC-XT and 2 new models of the IBM PC-AT
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were announced by IBM on April 2, 1986:
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o PC-XT: New Models # 267, 268, 277, 278, 088, 089
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o PC-AT: New Models # 319, 339
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These new models offer such enhancements as bigger hard disks,
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more system board memory, faster speed operation, and
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support for the enhanced personal computer keyboard (101 keys).
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SUPPORT FOR THE NEW ENHANCED KEYBOARD BUILT INTO THE NEW ROM BIOS
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CHIPS INCLUDED IN ALL 8 OF THE ABOVE MACHINES MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE
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TO BOOT DESQVIEW 1.02 AND DESQVIEW 1.10 ON THESE MACHINES WITHOUT
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MAKING A MODIFICATION TO THE DESQVIEW SOFTWARE. THIS IS
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INDEPENDENT OF WHETHER OR NOT THESE MACHINES ACTUALLY COME WITH
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THE ENHANCED KEYBOARD.
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Specifically, the new XT and AT models do not recognize the "scan
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code" value generated by pressing the ALT key to bring up the
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main menu in DESQview 1.02 and 1.10. (The situation is the same
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in Quarterdeck's 1.0 and 1.20 versions). This BIOS change has
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also affected other PC software such as ProKey, Framework and
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SuperKey.
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THE SOLUTION: DESQVIEW 1.03 AND DESQVIEW 1.11
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There are two new versions of DESQview:
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o DESQview 1.03 SixPakPlus, Advantage!
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o DESQview 1.11 SixPakPremium, RAMpage, RAMpage AT
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(requires
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AST EEMS product)
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These new DESQview versions are identical to the previous
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versions (1.02 and 1.10 respectively) except for the following:
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- They run correctly on BOTH old and new XTs and ATs
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- They include a Self-Running Demo of DESQview on the
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disk. Simply type "DV" before DESQview is actually
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installed on the PC system. After installation, "DV"
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runs the program, not the demo.
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- With AST EEMS cards, version 1.11 of DESQview provides
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faster, more reliable performance with FlashPak than
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is possible with DESQview 1.10. (FlashPak buyers who have
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RAMpage or RAMpage AT will get a coupon in their FlashPak
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manual for a free DESQview upgrade from Customer Service,
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as well as an upgrade for an updated version of AST's REMM
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software [also required] to be included on SuperPak 6.1 in
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June).
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UPGRADE PROCEDURE FOR BUYERS OF NEW XT'S AND AT'S
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Anyone who purchases a new IBM PC-XT or PC-AT who has also
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purchased an AST product containing DESQview 1.02 or DESQview
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1.10, is entitled to receive a compatible version of DESQview,
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free of charge from AST. Here's the procedure:
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END USER UPGRADE
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1. The end user must send in the following:
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o Title Page to his DESQview manual.
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This has the DESQview version number on the front and
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Table of Contents on the back. (This is NOT the manual
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Cover Page).
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o His Name and Address.
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2. This should be mailed to:
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AST Research
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Customer Service
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2121 Alton Ave.
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Irvine, CA 92714-4992
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Attn: DESQview Upgrade
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HOW TO MODIFY 1.02 AND 1.10 TO RUN ON NEW MACHINES
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It is not difficult to modify DESQview 1.02 and 1.10 to run on
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the new XT and AT. The user simply needs to boot the DESQview
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program on an OLD PC or AT and create a "script" (macro) to
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reassign the ALT key to another keystroke, such as the grey "+"
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key. He should do this in a DOS window under DESQview, which he
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will save as the file "D1-SCRIPT.DVS". Then all he has to do is
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make copies of the file, one named DESQVIEW.DVS and another for
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each of the programs he'll be using under DESQview -
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"LT-SCRIPT.DVS" for Lotus, "D2-SCRIPT.DVS" for dBASEII, and so
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on. These should all be stored in the DESQview subdirectory
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(\DV) and he's ready to go.
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