Path: fnnews.fnal.gov!mp.cs.niu.edu!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!uwm.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!underg!max
From: max@underg.ucf.org (Max Cray)
Newsgroups: comp.os.ms-windows.programmer.win32
Subject: Windows NT FAQ (October 92)
Message-ID: <TqB1sB3w165w@underg.ucf.org>
Date: Wed, 21 Oct 92 14:26:28 EDT
Organization: Underground Computing Foundation
Lines: 1732

Sorry this took so long to come out. Well its good for a week or two
until we get our paws on the new update...

--

Archive-name: ms-winnt-faq
Last-modified: 1992-10-20
Related-archives: ms-windows-faq, ms-winprog-faq

----------------------------------------------------------------

######     ####    ############            Microsoft
#######    ####    ############
########   ####        ####        Windows New Technology (NT)
#### ####  ####        ####
####  #### ####        ####         Frequently Asked Questions
####   ########        ####
####    #######        ####               October 1992
####     ######        ####

---------------------------------------------------------------

TABLE OF CONTENTS

0.  Index

    General Information

    1. How do I get a copy of the preliminary release?
    2. Is this beta software?
    3. How do I sign up for the beta program?
    4. What are the minimum system requirements to run Windows NT?
    5. Will Windows NT run on my hardware?
    6. It will not run on my 386 (B0 or B1 step problem).
    7. Windows NT will not work on my MIPS machine.
    8. Is there a driver for my hardware?
    9. How do I make Windows NT cohabit my hard drive with OS/2 2.0?
   10. I get Trap 0x0000000E.
   11. Windows NT boots, looking for the wrong boot directory.
   12. BOOT can not find NTLDR.
   13. How can I replace the boot sector/recover from a crash?
   14. My SoundBlaster/AudioPro card does not work.
   15. I can not print to LPT1.
   16. I get error 0x00000069.
   17. Dell machine only recognizes 16MB.
   18. Zenith 386/33E lock up problem.
   19. TCP/IP support.
   20. Will it work with my Bernoulli or other removable media?
   21. Adaptec AHA 1542B driver problem.
   22. Does Windows NT support dual SCSI controllers?
   23. Is the system supposed to use 70 threads?
   24. I can not print the postscript documentation on my printer.
   25. Does Windows NT support stackable file systems?
   26. Is there an X Server for Windows NT yet?
   27. Is there a version of EMACS available, yet?
   28. Are there any Internet ftp sites for Windows NT, yet?
   29. Why does Microsoft not provide support via the Internet?
   30. What is the best way to use CompuServe?
   31. Are there any books on Windows NT?

   Programming Information

   31. CVPACK: Fatal error CK1007.
   32. Missing C++ header files.
   33. Errors from ExitWindows function.
   34. Can I use a DLL to implement shared memory?
   35. Unicode level of support
   36. Sample source code requests.
   37. MS Developer Network
   38. Where is the Device Driver Kit (DDK)?

   Appendix A: 0992HW.TXT Latest Hardware Compatibility List
   Appendix B: HWFEED.TXT Form to request MS provide support for
               hardware.
   Appendix C: BUGREP.TXT Form to notify MS of Bugs.
   Appendix D: MIPS specific information.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: How to Get the Windows NT Preliminary Release

1. How do I get my paws on the latest in operating systems?

A. The Win32 Preliminary SDK for Windows NT provides you with access
   to the broader capabilities of the Win32 API with features such as
   preemptive multitasking, multi-threading, 32-bit flat memory
   model, and security. By purchasing the Win32 SDK you will receive
   preliminary and final versions of the Windows NT operating system
   and SDK tools in addition to preliminary versions of a C/C++
   compiler.

   The cost of the Win32 SDK with printed documentation is $399. A
   CD-only version containing the documentation in PostScript format
   is also available for $69. (If you later decide that you want the
   hard-copy documentation from Microsoft, there is a coupon in the
   box for you to order it for $359 plus freight.) To order from
   within the U.S, please call Microsoft Developer Services at
   (800) 227-4679. In Canada, call (800) 563-9048. In all other
   countries, contact your local Microsoft representative.

--

Subject: Windows NT is a Preliminary Release, not a Beta

2. Should I get the beta version of NT now?

A. Windows NT is not yet in Beta.  The Win32 SDK for Windows NT is a
   "Preliminary" release, intended for development of 32-bit appli-
   cations for Windows.  Microsoft's focus has been on the Windows NT
   Kernel and Win32 API.  The SDK does not include POSIX support and
   Microsoft has not yet had an opportunity to complete testing of
   the 16-bit Windows and MS-DOS applications support.  Therefore,
   the SDK is not appropriate for Beta test and evaluation.

--

Subject: Applying to be a Beta Tester

3. How do I apply to become a Windows NT beta tester when the beta is
   released?

A. Currently the only way to apply to the beta program is to either:

   1) Send a letter to

       Microsoft
       One Microsoft Way
       Redmond, WA 98052

       Attn: Windows NT Beta Program 4/1

   2) Send a FAX to 936-7329 also with the note "Attn: Windows
      NT Beta Program" on it.

   In either case you should include your name, company name,
   hardware configuration and any other relevant information.
   Microsoft prefers typed applications if possible.

--

Subject: System Requirements

4. What are the minimum hardware requirements to run Windows NT?

A. Windows NT operating system:

   The first preliminary release of the Windows NT operating system
   requires an Intel 80386 system or higher, or ACE/ARC compatible
   R4000 systems with at least 8MB of RAM and 55MB available hard
   disk space (includes 20MB for a swap file).

   This does not include disk space for applications.

   Win32 SDK development environment:

   For Win32 SDK development, an 80386 33 MHz CPU (or higher) and
   12MB total of RAM is strongly recommended.  A total of 100MB
   available hard disk space (includes 20MB for a swap file) is
   required for complete installation of the operating system, SDK
   tools, and C/C++ compiler.

   The Win32 SDK is only available on CD-ROM and requires a CD-ROM
   drive and SCSI adapter.

--

Subject: Hardware Compatibility List

5. How do I know if my hardware is compatible with Windows NT?

A. Microsoft provides a list of hardware that has been tested and is
   known to work with Windows NT.  It is appendix A of this FAQ, and
   has been posted on CompuServe, forum MSWin32, Lib 17, filename:
   0992HW.TXT.  Hardware listed in this file has been preliminarily
   tested on the July 92 release of Windows NT, and is supported.
   Microsoft does not claim that hardware not on this list will not
   run; however, it has not been tested and it is not supported at
   this time.

--

Subject: B0 and B1 Stepping Machines

6. How come Windows NT will not work with my old 386?

A. NT will not run on 386 chips that are the B0 or B1 versions
   (called the B0 or B1 "stepping").  This is true for all releases
   of NT, so if you're now running the December 91 or another release
   of NT on a particular 386, that PC is OK You can check whether a
   particular 386-based PC is at the B0 or B1 stepping by downloading
   isbste.zip from Lib 17 of Compuserve.  This is a very small zip
   file (6 sec 9600 download), and the time to unzip it and run the
   test is quite small.  Isbstep.exe also shipped on the December NT
   CD.

--

Subject: MIPS Installation

7. Windows NT will not work on my MIPS machine.

A: The July Preliminary release of Windows NT requires an upgrade to
   your MIPs machine.  All manufacturers are aware of this upgrade.
   If they have not contacted you already, please contact them
   regarding it.  The machine's CPU must also have an R4000 revision
   2.0 or greater.

   More Info:

      See Appendix D for MIPS specific info.

--

Subject: Device Driver Requests

8. Is there a driver yet for my hardware?

A. Microsoft's standard means of releasing drivers is with their CD
   releases. Although Microsoft is not committed to continue this
   practice, currently all fixed, updated, or new device drivers are
   being posted on the CompuServe Forum: WinNT, Lib 2.  Microsoft is
   currently making every attempt to keep this library updated with
   drivers as they become available. If you have hardware that is not
   currently supported, or does not have a driver posted in WinNT,
   Lib 2; please make a device driver request by filling out the
   hwfeed.txt form (appendix B to this FAQ) and mail it to Microsoft
   at winnthw@microsoft.com.

   Please be aware that because of Microsoft's support demands right
   now, this is a one way alias; Microsoft is not likely to respond
   directly to you to confirm that they have received your request.

   The hardware compatibility list is appendix A of this FAQ and can
   also be found in MSWIN32, Lib 17 on CompuServe as 0992hw.txt.

   Hwfeed.txt is appendix B of this FAQ, and can also be found on
   CompuServe in MSWIN32, Lib 17; or WINNT, Lib 1.

   You may also find updated drivers at ftp.uu.net in
   /vendor/microsoft.

--

Subject: IBM MOST Not Supported with Windows NT Flexboot

9. How do I make Windows NT cohabit my hard drive with OS/2 2.0?

A. As per the release notes, NT is not compatible with IBM's MOST
   utility. Microsoft does not intend to support IBM's MOST boot
   scheme with Windows NT's Flexboot, and has no plans to support
   installation on a drive with MOST installed on it.

   However, what you can do is install OS/2 using the dual boot
   capability. Boot DOS, and then boot OS/2.

   Another technique is to use an ARCs pathname to replace the drive
   name in your BOOT.INI file. Use a line like:

       multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT

       multi()        Multi-Function Adapter
       disk()         The Controller
       rdisk()        Disk Number
       partition()    Parition Number

   You will probably only need to change rdisk() and/or partition().

--

Subject: Trap 0x0000000E

10. When using the preferred graphical install method I get a
    Trap 0xE. What is wrong?

A. This is a known problem which has several work-arounds available
   depending on the hardware configuration.

   The most common problem is due to a bug in the 3.5 inch BOOT DISK.
   If you are using this disk to install the kit and observe this
   problem, simply make a disk copy of the working 5.25 inch disk.
   You must make an exact duplicate of this disk onto a new 3.5 inch
   1.44MB floppy disk. Assuming you have the 3.5 inch disk as your A:
   drive and the 5.25 inch disk as your B: drive, follow these steps:

    * Boot into your systems CMOS program. 
    * Change the setting for the 3.5 inch disk to a 1.2 MB 5.25 inch
      disk.
    * Boot MS-DOS.
    * Make a copy of the 1.2 MB disk by inserting a blank disk in A:
      and the 5.25 BOOT DISK in B: drive.  Run 'DISKCOPY B: A:'.
    * Boot back into your systems CMOS program.
    * Change the setting for the 3.5 inch disk back to a 1.44 MB
      disk.
    * Insert the new 3.5 inch 1.2 MB format BOOT DISK into A: and
      reboot.

   Note: You may need to remove any existing \winnt directory found
         on your hard disk first before running the install.

   Another common work around is to disable one or more of the
   following:

    * All BIOS shadowing.
    * All video shadowing.
    * All external CPU caches.
    * The Turbo switch (i.e. run the system at the slowest speed).

--

Subject: Windows NT Boots, Looking for the Wrong Boot Directory

11. Windows NT looks in the wrong boot directory. Why?

A. This can happen for a number of reasons.  One being that there has
   been an installation of the PDC release over an earlier release of
   Windows NT.  The boot.ini file is not updated correctly.  Make
   sure that the boot.ini file contains references to the winnt
   directory rather than the nt directory i.e. c:\winnt\ rather than
   c:\nt\.

   Another cause of this problem can be when the IBM MOST utility for
   OS/2 2.0 is installed on the hard drive.  Windows NT uses logical
   partitioning.  The MOST partition is an unknown partition type.
   When an unknown partition type sits between the base partition and
   the Windows NT partition, it can set the logical partitions off by
   one.  MOST is not supported with Windows NT.  You should install
   Windows NT on a machine that does not have the MOST utility on it.

--

Subject: Couldn't find NTLDR

12. While doing the trying the alternate boot method (DOS2NT) I get
    the following error:

      BOOT: Couldn't find NTLDR
      Please insert another disk

A. From: marc@dwp.la.ca.us (Marc Hall x4735)

   In the script file dos2nt.bat the in the dos2nt directory on the
   CD is the line

      copy .\ntldr c:\

   This is attempting to copy dos2nt\ntldr to c drive. On my CD
   dos2nt\ntldr does not exist but dos2nt\ntldr. does. So I copied it
   manually to c:\ and I am able to boot in Windows NT.

--

Subject: Replacing Boot Sector / Recovering from Crash

13. How do I replace my NT boot sector without reinstalling Windows
    NT?

A. From: rion@Ingres.COM (Rion Cassidy)

   I posted this before, but a lot of people just tune in for a quick
   question and didn't see it the first time.  The flexboot question
   keeps coming up so here's the answer again:

   It's a relatively simple matter to get the boot sector back in the
   right place, but the files you'll need are on the NT CD, not on
   your hard disk. I suggest that you put them in a FAT partition NOW
   so that you can get things fixed quickly after a disk crash.  Even
   if you can reinstall NT quickly, the configuration can be very
   time consuming.

   On the NT CD, go to the directory \dos2nt\install.  You will need
   the following files:

      saveboot.sec
      ntboot.sec
      insert.sec
      debug.exe

   Create a batch file that contains the following:

      ren bootsec.dos btsecdos.bak
      debug < saveboot.sec
      debug ntboot.sec < insert.sec

   This similar to what "NT2DOS.BAT" does, but obviously we want to
   skip copying all those files.

   This worked for me and saved the time and trouble of having to
   reinstall all of NT again.  Keep in mind that this is designed to
   work ONLY where the files are all there, but the boot sector is
   misplaced.

--

Subject: SoundBlaster/AudioPro Continually Repeats the Wav File

14. My SoundBlaster/AudioPro card is constantly repeating the .wav
    file with no end.  What is wrong?

A. The SoundBlaster/AudioPro cards are known to have compatibility
   problems with some fast 486 systems and some system chip sets.
   You may be unable to run such a device on such a system.

   Before surrendering this as solely a hardware problem, you may in
   fact have an IRQ or DMA channel conflict with another device.
   Either move these setting on the other device or on the sound
   card.  The recommended settings for the sound card is DMA 1, IRQ 7
   and port 220h (note however that LPT1 also often uses this IRQ).
   If you are unable to resolve the conflict you can disable one of
   the devices in the Registry.

   The utility REGEDIT can be used to alter the Registry Database.
   Note: in many cases you must be logged on as 'Administrator' to
   alter some of the Registry settings.  Hardware configuration
   settings can be altered under the Registry branch
   'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE->SYSTEM->ControlSet001->Services'.
   The SoundBlaster can be disabled/enables by changing the entry for
   the sub-branch Sndblst->Start to 0x4/0x1.

   Warning:

   REGEDIT is a very powerful utility which will allow you to
   directly change your Registry: USE THIS TOOL AT YOUR OWN RISK. The
   preferred work around to this problem is to reinstall with the
   correct configuration.  Using REGEDIT incorrectly can put your
   machine in a state in which you will have to reinstall to correct.
   Microsoft does not support REGEDIT, nor the changes you make with
   it.  Microsoft simply offers it as a faster, but unsupported, fix
   to this problem.

--

From: lothar@cyrcle.uucp (Bob Trembley)

   From the Program Manager, Run REGEDIT
   Goto the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE window.
   Navigate down to System
                      ControlSet001
                        Services
                          Sndblst
                            Device
   Make sure the Port, Interrupt, and DmaChannel settings are
   correct.

   Reboot.

   That should do it (at least it did for me...)

--

Subject: Cannot Print to LPT1

15. I cannot print to LPT1:!  If I issue MODE LPT1: is claims the
    device is not found.  What is wrong?

A. Typically LPT1: uses interrupt 7 with is also the default setting
   of the SoundBlaster sound card.  You may be experiencing a IRQ
   conflict with this or another device.  If you are unable to
   resolve the conflict you can disable one of the devices in the
   Registry.

   The utility REGEDIT is provided to alter the Registry Database.
   Note: in many cases you must be logged on as 'Administrator' to
   alter some of the Registry settings.  Hardware configuration
   settings can be altered under the Registry branch
   'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE->SYSTEM->ControlSet001->Services'.  The
   SoundBlaster can be disabled/enables by changing the entry for the
   sub-branch Sndblst->Start to 0x4/0x1.  Similarly, the parallel
   driver can be disabled/enables by changing the entry for the 
   sub-branch Parallel->Start to 0x4/0x1.

--

Subject: Error 0x00000069

16. I get Error 0x00000069. Is this a joke or what?

A. This is a phase one initialization error, which happens when
   Windows NT tries to talk with the HD controller.  It can be caused
   by any number of things.  Things to try:

   * If the card allows, slow down the DMA transfer rate.

   * Make sure both ends of the SCSI bus are terminated.

   * Make sure there are no IRQ, or memory address conflicts.

   * Make sure you're aren't using a faulty or un-supported driver
     i.e. the FD 1680 SCSI controller is supported, but there is a
     problem with that driver which will be fixed and posted on
     CompuServe in WinNT, Lib 2.

--

From: woodwort@piper.cs.colorado.edu (Lee Woodworth)

   Missing files or missing directories can produce the 0x00000069
   error message. I had to compare the files on the disk to the
   CD-ROM to find out that the copy the batch file performed was not
   complete.

   After you get the files copied check the attributes.  The CD-ROM
   is a read only medium and the files are write protected.  Some
   copying methods produce write protected files on the disk.  I had
   problems during the install until I made sure that all the files
   were writable.  See the attrib command for more information.

--

Subject: DELL Machine Only Recognize 16 MB of Memory

17. Windows NT does not seem to recognize memory above 16MB on my
    Dell box. Do I need to buy a memory manager?

A. The ISA Dell 486D/50 25/50Mhz has a bios problem which prevents it
   from seeing greater than 16MB of RAM under NT.

From: jim@applix.com (Jim Morton [ext 237])

   While the FAQ said that the Dell 486 A09 BIOS fixed the 16meg max
   memory problem, it didn't. BUT: A10 is out and fixes the problem!
   I am happily using NT on a 24meg Dell 486 now. For the others who
   had the same problem:

    1) Call Dell's support BBS at 512-338-8528  (1200/2400/V.32)
    2) Download 486DA10.EXE or 486PA10.EXE depending on which
       model machine you have. You'll need binary download
       protocol support like X/Y/ZModem, Kermit, etc.
    3) Run the .EXE to unzip the Flash burner and ROM files
    4) Run FLASH.EXE to burn the new BIOS into your flash ROM
       (nice touch, Dell - BIOS chips suck!)
    5) Reboot and rejoice!

--

Subject: Zenith 386/33E Locks Up During GUI Install.

18. Why does my Zenith 386/33E lock up during install?

A. This machine sometimes locks up when doing the GUI install with
   the CPU cache enabled.  Disable the CPU cache and the problem will
   be resolved.

--

Subject: TCP/IP Support

19. Hey, where is the rest of that TCP/IP stuff?

A. TCP/IP including ftp and some other tcp utilities are included in
   the July preliminary Win32 development kit for NT.

   Source routing is not included in the July version of TCP/IP,
   which implies TCP/IP isn't supported on token ring cards for this
   release, and LM2.1 clients aren't able to access NT servers across
   TCP/IP, regardless of the net card in the NT server.  Source
   routing will be in later version of NT TCP/IP.

   Source routing is in the July version of NETBEUI, so some token
   ring cards are supported (see appendix A - 0992HW.TXT), and LM2.1
   clients can access NT servers running the July version of NETBEUI.

--

Subject: Bernoulli and Removable Media Not Supported

20. Can I use my Bernoulli drive even though it is not listed in the
    hardware compatibility list?

A. Bernoulli boxes and removable SCSI drives were not tested with
   this release of Windows NT, and do not appear on the hardware
   compatibility list.  Since the release there is evidence that
   Windows NT has some problems with these devices.  Microsoft is
   aggressively pursuing this matter in hopes of having it resolved
   by the next release.

--

Subject: Adaptec AHA 1542B Driver Can Cause Fatal System Error

21. Help! I am having problems and I have an Adaptec controller.

A. There is a known problem with the Adaptec AHA-1542B driver which 
   causes fatal system errors under some circumstances.

   The problem is triggered by simultaneous I/O with the floppy and
   the hard disk.  This will be corrected in the next release.  To
   avoid this you may want to use an alternative floppy controller
   and disable he one on the Adaptec.

--

Subject: No support for Dual SCSI Controllers

22. Does Windows NT support dual SCSI Controllers?

A. This release of Windows NT was not tested with 2 or more SCSI
   cards in the same machine. If you have this in your configuration,
   and you are experiencing any kinds of problems with your SCSI
   devices; try an installation with a single card.  Microsoft does
   not support multiple SCSI cards at this time.

--

Subject: The System Uses About 70 Threads

23. My system is using a lot of threads? Is this normal?

A. With this release of Windows NT, Pview will show that the system
   running without any active applications will use about 70 threads.
   This is normal for this release.  The majority of theses threads
   are system threads.

--

Subject: Printing Postscript Documentation

24. Why can't I print out the postscript documentation on my printer?

A. From: rose@galtee.cs.wisc.edu (Scott Rose)

   I encountered two problems with these files that I had to solve
   before I could get more than a few pages at a time to print:

   1. There is a ^D embedded in the first few bytes of each file.
      Don't know why it's there, much less why it is not always in
      the same place; do know that I got zero pages of output until
      I used an editor to remove it. 
   
   2. The docs use fonts that are not supported by the printers 
      -- three flavors of them -- that are in my shop.  For example,
      Helvetica Narrow and Helvetica Narrow Bold.  I could get a
      number of pages of each doc to print before associated error
      messages from the printer caused lpd to abort the jobs.

   The fix?  Edit the header of each file to redefine the macros to
   use other, supported fonts.  For example, change /HNB to use
   Helvetica Bold.

   After doing these edits, the files printed for me without problem
   on all of my printers.

--

From: stergios@leland.Stanford.EDU (Stergios)

   Here's the perl script I use to filter out the ^D & ^M when
   printing through a unix host.  Name the file "cdps" and run it as

      cat file_name | cdps | lpr -Ppostscript_printer


   #!/usr/local/bin/perl

   while (<STDIN>) {
      s/\004//g ;
      s/\015//g ;
      print ;
   }

--

25. Does Windows NT support a file system switch and stackable files
    systems similar to vnode based UNIXs?

A. From: alistair@microsoft.com (Alistair Banks)

   Windows NT's driver mechanism allows for the layering of drivers
   - file systems are drivers which respond to the set of messages
   that the i/o subsystem generates when requesting file services.
   They're not "special" and don't have a different set of
   interfaces. All drivers respond to messages which interest them,
   and pass them through to the next driver in the chain if they're
   not interested.

   So indeed, you could layer any one file system on top of the
   services of another to implement intelligent archiving systems,
   Sun TFS-like systems, or simply something that turns a file delete
   into a rename! You can implement compression file systems or make
   your 1.4Mb disk image on your C: drive appear to be your I: drive.

--

Subject: X sever for NT?

26. Is there an X server for Windows NT yet?

A. From: alistair@microsoft.com (Alistair Banks)

   Digital Equip have demoed their Windows NT version of "eXcursion"
   and NCD (formerly GSS/Spectrographics) have demoed their Windows
   NT X-Server I know of two other companies that have also started
   porting their X-Servers, but they haven't made any public
   announcements.

   If there are more, please let me know - I'm tracking them -
   - Alistair

--

27. Is there a version of EMACS for Windows NT, yet?

A. Congruent has ported GNU Emacs and many other GNU tools to Windows NT.
   They publish the Toolbuster CD-ROM. Send mail to info@congruent.com.

   Also Pierre Perret (pap@tempel.az05.bull.com) has ported MicroEmacs
   to Windows NT. There is a version for MIPS (MEWMI10E.ZIP) and Intel
   (MEWN11.ZIP) processors. Check ftp.cica.indiana.edu (See next
   question).

--

28. Are there any Internet FTP sites for Windows NT, yet?

A. Yes, check out:

   ftp.cica.indiana.edu      pub/pc/win3/nt.
       (IP: 129.79.20.84)
   ftp.uu.net                /vendor/microsoft
       - Compuserve files    /vendor/microsoft/compuserve-libs.

--

Subject: Microsoft Support on CompuServe

29. I hate CompuServe, and I love the net. Why does not Microsoft
    provide support via the Internet?

A. From: alistair@microsoft.com (Alistair Banks)

   As I've posted many times here and elsewhere - we'd like to treat
   Internet & netnews connected people better, and we're looking into
   it. We don't get provided with comparable host facilities on
   internet & netnews with CompuServe - also, do realize, we don't
   "log on" to CompuServe to provide support - there are many man
   years of SQL Server and other systems built up around Online &
   CompuServe to allow us to provide support, and those systems
   aren't written for Internet or netnews - so again, (put this in
   the FAQ! (Editor's note: done!)) we're trying, we put some stuff
   on ftp.uu.net, but our access isn't easy from our internal net
   [security reasons] so we only put some public stuff there. We're
   working towards an ftp.microsoft.com server, but I can't promise
   any timeframes - until then, CompuServe, or a friend with
   CompuServe, are the only official support routes. Gripes and
   flames are not needed - I'm on your side - I'm here, right? -
   - Alistair

--

Subject: Making CompuServe easier to use.

30. Is there any way to make using CompuServe easier?

A. From: kevinq@Ingres.COM (Kevin Quinn)

   Check out 'OzCIS'!  It's free, it's hot, and it's very easy to
   use. Soon a new version is coming out that should just about blow
   every other navigator and browser away.

   Look in the OZCIS group in the IBMCOM forum (it's group 12).
--

Subject: Windows NT Books

31. Are there any books on Windows NT?

A. Inside Windows NT
   by Helen Custer
 
   $24.95 pb / 385 pages / ISBN 1-55615-481-X / Microsoft Press
 

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#####################################################################

Subject: CVPACK: Fatal error CK1007: invalid Types table in module

32. What do I do about the CVPACK error CK1007?

A. In this release of Windows NT, there is a problem with the cvpack
   utility; which results in the error "CVPACK: Fatal error CK1007:
   invalid Types table in module".  CVPACK is compressing debug
   information in the executable.  This step is required for source
   level debugging.  As a work around to this problem,  to create an
   executable, compile without the /Zi switch.  This will result in
   no debug information in the object modules.

   Alternatively, you can remove the debug options during linking.
   The samples default to -debug:full and -debugtype:full.  Do not
   link with either of these options.

--

Subject: Missing C++ Header Files: (iostream.h)

33. Hey! How come 'cout << "Hello world!\n";' does not work?

A. The iostream.h file was not included on the NT pre-release CD.  It
   is necessary in order for an application to make use of C++ I/O.

   This file will be posted to Compuserve as soon as it is ready and
   tested.  Until then, the suggested work around is to use printf()
   and stdio.h.

--

Subject: Problems with ExitWindows

34. I get errors when I call ExitWindows, but I know my code is right.

A. From: kevin@edscom.demon.co.uk (Kevin Broadey)

   Please will you change the line in WINUSER.H from

   #define ExitWindows(dwReserved, Code) ExitWindowsEx(EWX_LOGOFF,
           (-1))

   to

   #define ExitWindows(dwReserved, Code) ExitWindowsEx(EWX_LOGOFF,
           (DWORD) (-1))
           ^^^^^^^
   to stop the compiler complaining about signed/unsigned problems
   every time I call ExitWindows.  It took me bl**dy ages to track
   this one down!

   BTW ExitWindowsEx isn't documented in api32wh.hlp.

[Editor's note: Both of these problems have been fixed in recent
   builds and versions of the .h files. This problem should be gone
   in the next release.]

--

35. Can I use a DLL to implement shared memory, and if so, how?

A. From: kevin@edscom.demon.co.uk (Kevin Broadey):

   Okay! Here's the answer from the horse's mouth via Compu$erve:

   Put the following in your .DEF file:

   SECTIONS
   .data    READ WRITE SHARED
   .bss     READ WRITE SHARED

   Do it for .data to share initialized variables, .bss for
   uninitialized, but watch out, because Microsoft haven't quite
   sorted out DLLs that have both shared and unshared sections.

--

   Yes, they have. Place variables in a new named section by
   bracketing a set of variables with:

   #pragma data_seg("SECTIONNAME")
     <declare *initialized* variables here>
     <i.e. int x = 0; >
   #pragma data_seg()

   The second pragma resets the section name to what it was before
   the first pragma. Note that you *must* initialize all variables
   that you want to share.

   In your .def file, declare:

     SECTIONS
       SECTIONNAME READ WRITE SHARED

   That's all there is to it! Any variables in section SECTIONNAME
   will be shared between all processes that load the DLL.

--

From: sanzgiri@bombay.metaphor.com (Ajit Sanzgiri)

   In this connection, the compiler no longer recognizes the /ND
   option which would allow one to individually name (and manage)
   data segments.

   Of course one could use the above to make up a work-around. Break
   up the DLL (which is to have both shared and instance data) into
   two DLLs - one for the shared data and the other for the instance
   data and have the latter be the only client of the former one. 

--

Subject: Unicode Level of Support

36. What about Unicode support?

A. The July Preliminary Release of Windows NT SDK is a full unicode 
   implementation.  It supports unicode applications.  However, an
   alternate input editors is not yet available.  Glyphs will be
   suitable for the Roman languages.  Glyphs for Kanji are not yet
   available.

--

Subject: Sample Requests

37. Can Microsoft provide a source code example program for a Cat and
    Mouse game that can be played over a TCP/IP connection?

A. If you have a sample request for the next release (or possibly to
   be released on CompuServe) please write out the details of your
   request and send them to sdksamp@microsoft.com.  Also please
   include any information about your need that might be relevant to
   tailor the sample to your need.
  
   Please note that this is a one way alias, and that Microsoft is
   not likely to respond by confirming the receipt of the request.
   And also note that Microsoft may not have the resources to create
   all the samples requested. 

--

Subject: MSDN: Microsoft Developers Network CD

38. What is this I hear about a Microsoft Developers Network?

A. The MSDN offers a quarterly paper and a CD program.  The CD is 
   intended to help developers with writing Microsoft Windows
   applications.  The first pre-release beta CD contains 34,000 pages
   containing: complete copies of Microsoft Journals (MSJs); samples
   and source code; MS Press books; tools; and articles covering
   programming, technical, and strategic information for Windows.

   Call the Developer Service Team at 800-227-4679 x11771 to get 
   enrolled in the pre-release program for $30.

--

Subject: Requests for DDK or DDK Support

39. How come I can not write device drivers, yet?

A. At present a Windows NT DDK is not available.  Several people at
   Microsoft are currently working very hard to get the Windows NT
   DDK ready for distribution.  If you would like to be placed on the
   mailing list for information about this kit please send mail to:

      winntddk@microsoft.com

   Please be aware that this is a one way alias, and that there will
   be no email response/confirmation to your request.

   Windows NT Device Driver Kit (DDK) will be available in pre-
   release form October 26th in conjunction with the Windows NT
   Device Driver Developers Conference in Anaheim, California.

   The conference will feature highly technical information needed
   to write Windows NT drivers for hardware devices including NDIS,
   SCSI, display, printer, input and communication.  Sessions topics
   at the conference include:

   *   Windows NT Multiprocessing Support

   *   Enhanced Graphics Support

   *   NDIS 3.0

   *   SCSI Support

   Developers can register for the conference by calling (800) MS
   SHOWS (677-4697) or by faxing (800) 936-7329 "Attention Department
   747".  The registration cost is $795 for developers who attended
   the Win32 Professional Developers Conference in July.  For all
   others, the  registration price before September 21st is $845 and
   September 21st it will be $895.  Registration costs include lunch
   each day and a copy of the Windows NT DDK. 

   For Press Information:  Erin Holland/Waggener Edstrom
                           503/245-0905

--

From: dwightm@microsoft.com (Dwight Matheny)

   Thanks to everyone who commented on our pricing/packaging plans
   for the Windows NT Preliminary DDK. In response to your requests 
   we have decided to lower the price for the DDK, and offer a
   CD-only version of the product. Here's the new US pricing: 

	DDK CD-ROM only-			$69
	DDK CD-ROM with hard-copy documentation	$399

   This pricing is consistent with our SDK pricing, and includes
   updates and the final version of the DDK. The documentation will
   be included on the CD in both Postscript and Write format, and all
   the device driver functions will be documented in Winhelp.

   The DDK will be available before the end of November. If you are
   in the US and  currently own the Win32 SDK, you will be receiving
   a mailing on the DDK in mid-November which will include 4 page 
   product datasheet, and an order coupon. We encourage you to order 
   via this coupon since we are unable to keep up with extremely high 
   call volumes the past few weeks. You will receive this coupon in 
   plenty of time before the product ships.

   International customers should contact their local MS office for 
   ordering, pricing, and  availability information.

   One other important change which you should be aware of. Everyone 
   who purchases the hard-copy documentation for the DDK will receive 
   the new book "Inside Windows NT" from MS Press. This book will 
   not be on the CD.

#####################################################################
#                                                                   #
#                     Appendix A: 0992HW.TXT                        #
#                                                                   #
#####################################################################

MICROSOFT WINDOWS NT (tm) HARDWARE COMPATIBILITY LIST

(based on the July release of the Win32 (tm) Preliminary SDK for 
Windows NT)


The Microsoft(R) Windows NT(TM) operating system is designed to
support a broad range of hardware.  This is a preliminary list 
of hardware on which hardware manufacturers and/or Microsoft 
have run the release of Windows NT included in the July release
of the Win32 (TM) Preliminary SDK for Windows NT.  It is a subset
of the hardware we expect to support in the upcoming releases of 
the Win32 SDK and in the initial commercial release of Windows NT.

Please note that we have not tested every machine and/or device in
all possible configurations and that this list is for informational
purpose only. Microsoft has not attempted to reproduce results 
reported by hardware manufacturers. Note also that the omission
of a particular system does not necessarily indicate that it may
be incompatible with Windows NT;  it could indicate that Microsoft 
has not yet performed testing on it. Microsoft does not endorse or 
recommend any particular system in the list

Microsoft makes no warranties express or implied in this document.


Intel 80386/80486 Uniprocessor Systems
======================================
ACER (R) Power 486/33
ADD-X Systemes (R) 386/40Mhz
ALR (R) BusinessVEISA 386/33
ALR BusinessVEISA 486/33
ALR MPS 486/33
ALR PowerFlex Flyer 386sx/25
ALR PowerPro
Apricot (R) Qi 486DX
ASI (R) 9000 386DX
ASI 9000 386SX
ASI 9000 486DX
AST (R) Power Premium 4/33 Model 213V
AST Premium 386/33T
AST Premium 486/33E
AST Premium II 386/33 Model 213V
AST Premium II 486/33
AST Premium SE 4/33 Model 333
Compaq (R) Deskpro 386/20e
Compaq Deskpro 386/25
Compaq Deskpro 386/25e
Compaq Deskpro 386/33
Compaq Deskpro 386/33L
Compaq Deskpro 386s/20
Compaq Deskpro 486/25
Compaq Deskpro 486/33L
Compaq Deskpro 486/33M
Compaq Deskpro 486/50L
Compaq Portable 486c
Compaq SystemPro 486/33
Compaq SystemPro/LT 486sx/25
CompuAdd (R) 420s
CompuAdd 433
CompuAdd 433E
Dell (R) PowerLine System 433DE
Dell PowerLine System 433SE
Dell PowerLine System 450DE
Dell PowerLine System 450DE/2 DGX
Dell PowerLine System 450SE
Dell PowerLine System 486D/50
Dell System 325
Dell System 433e
Dell System 486D/33
Dell System 486P/33
Digital Equipment Corp. (R) DECpc 425ST
Digital Equipment Corp. DECpc 433ST
Digital Equipment Corp. DECpc 433T
Digital Equipment Corp. DECpc 450ST
Digital Equipment Corp. DECstation 425c
Dolch (R) 486/50
Epson (R) 486DX/33 Express Station
Epson 486SX/25 Express Station
Epson EISA Series 486DX/50
Epson EISA Series 486DX/33
Epson EISA Series 486/25
Epson Equity 386DX/33 PLUS
Epson Equity 386SX/25 PLUS
Everex (R) Step 386/33
Everex Step 486/25 Desktop
Everex Step 486/33 ISA
Everex Step 486DX2/50 EISA 12
Everex Step 486DX2/50 EISA 8
Everex Tempo 486sx/20
G2 (R) 80386/40
G2 80486/50
G2 80486DX/50E
G2 80486sx/25
Gateway (R) 2000 386-33
Gateway 2000 386SX-20C
Gateway 2000 486/33C
Gateway 2000 486/33E
Gateway 2000 486DX2/50
Gateway 2000 486DX2/50E
GRiD (R) 486ei-33
GRiD MFP/425s
GRiD MFP/425s+
GRiD MFP/433s+
GRiD MFP/450
GRiD MFP/450+
GRiD MFP/466+
HP (R) Vectra 386/25
HP Vectra 486/25T
HP Vectra 486/33T
HP Vectra 486S/20
HP Vectra RS/25C
IBM (R) PS/2 Model 70 386
IBM PS/2 Model 70 486
IBM PS/2 Model 80
IBM PS/2 Model 90 XP
IBM PS/2 Model 95 XP 486
IBM PS/2 Model P75
ICL (R) Alfaskop DS 458 Eisa
ICL CX486
ICL CXe486
ICL CXe486s
ICL FX486/50
Intel (R) 486DX Workstation
Intel LP 486/33E
IPEX (R) 486DX-33 DESKTOP
IPEX 486DX-33 LOCAL BUS
IPEX 486DX-33 LOW PROFILE
IPEX 486DX-33 MINI-TOWER
IPEX 486DX50 DESKTOP EISA
IPEX CENTRA 2000 486 EISA
Magitronic (R) - B341Q
Magitronic - B433EISA
Magitronic - B451C
Magitronic - B466EISA
NCR (R) 3000 Model 3335
NCR 3000 Model 3345
NCR 3000 Model 3445
NCR 3000 Model 3447
NCR StarStation
NEC (R) Powermate 386/25S
NEC PowerMate 486/33e
NEC PowerMate 486/33i
NEC PowerMate 486/50e
NEC PowerMate 486/50i
NEC PowerMate 486SX/25e
NEC PowerMate 486SX/25i
NEC PowerMate DX2/50e
NEC PowerMate DX2/66e
NEC ProSpeed 486SX/C
Northgate (R) Elegance 433i
Northgate Elegance SP 433
Olivetti (R) 486 LSX5010
Olivetti 486 LSX5020
Olivetti 486 LSX5025
Olivetti M380/XP9
Olivetti M400-40
Olivetti M400-60
Olivetti M480-40
Osborne (R) 450DI
Osborne 450PE
PC Brand (R) Leader 386/40 Cache
PC Brand Leader 486/33
PC Brand Leader 486/50
PC Brand Leader 486/DX2-66
Sidus (R) SCI model 486/33
Siemens Nixdorf (R) PCD-4Gsx/20
Siemens Nixdorf PCD-4Tsx25
Siemens Nixdorf PCE-4C
Siemens Nixdorf PCE-4Rsx/25
Siemens Nixdorf PCE-4T/33
Siemens Nixdorf PCE-4T/50
Siemens-Nixdorf PCD-4T/33
Syncomp (R) Mini 486i-33
Tandon (R) Option 486/33
Tandy (R) 4820SX/T
Tandy 4825sx
Tandy 4833 LX/T
Tandy 4850EP
Tandy 4866LX/T
Tempo (R) 386/25
Tempo 386/33 Modular
Tempo 386SX/25
Tempo 486/33
Tempo 486DX2/50
Tempo 486DX2/50 Desktop
Tempo 486DX2/50 EISA
Tempo 486SX/25
Tempo 486SX25 Desktop
Tempo C-Series 386/25 C
Tempo C-Series 386/33c
Tempo C-Series 486/33 C
Tiki (R) 486/33
Toshiba (R) T4400SX
Tulip (R) DC486sx-20
Tulip DE/TR 486DX E/50
Tulip DE/TR 486DX E/66
Tulip DE/TR 486DX/E
Wang (R) Microsystems EC 480/33C
Wang Microsystems PC 350/40C
Zenith (R) Data Systems Z-486/25E
Zenith Data Systems Z-486/33ET
Zenith Data Systems Z-486/SX 20
Zenith Data Systems Z-486/SX 25
Zenith Data Systems Z386/33
Zenith Data Systems Z386/33E
Zenith Data Systems Z486/33E
ZEOS (R) 386DX-33CDT
ZEOS 486-50CW
ZEOS 486DX-33 ISA
ZEOS 486DX-33CDT
ZEOS 486DX-33EISA
ZEOS 486DX-50
ZEOS 486SX-20DT


Intel 80486 Multiprocessor Systems
==================================
ACER (R) AcerFrame 3000 MP
ALR (R) PowerPro DMP
Compaq (R) SystemPro Dual 486/33
NCR (R) 3000 Model 3450
NCR 3000 Model 3550
Wyse (R) 7000i


MIPS ARC/R4000 Systems
======================
ACER (R) ARC1
MIPS (R) ARCSystem 100
MIPS ARCSystem 150
Olivetti (R) M700-10
Olivetti PWS4000


Video Controllers                                  Video Mode
=================
VGA Class                                          
100% Register Compatible with IBM VGA              640x480x16

Super VGA Class

Headland Technology / Video 7
VRAM VGA, VRAM II                                  1024x768x16
800x600x16

Orchid
ProDesigner IIs                                    1024x768x16
                                                   800x600x16

TSENG Labs
ET4000 chipset                                     1024x768x16
                                                   800x600x16

Others

IBM XGA                                            1024x768x256
DELL DGX                                           1280x1024x256

Built-in Video on MIPS ARC/R4000 systems from      1280x1024x256
Acer, MIPS, Olivetti                               1024x768x256

NOTE: Display support will be expanded greatly over time.  Microsoft
plans to support 8514, S3, ATI, most SVGAs (including hi-res), and 
coprocessor display boards in an update to the Win32(TM) SDK.



Disk Controllers
================
100% Register Compatible with WD1003 - ESDI, IDE, WD1003
Compaq Intelligent Drive Array


SCSI (R) Host Adapters:
=======================
Adaptec
AHA-1540b
AHA-1542b
AHA-1640
AHA-1740

Future Domain
TMC-845
TMC-850, TMC-850M(ER)
MCS-600
MCS-700
TMC-1660
TMC-1680
TMC-7000EX

IBM
IBM SCSI Host Adapter

Maynard
16 Bit SCSI Adapter

NCR
NCR 53C700

Olivetti
ESC - 1 Adapter

	Built-in SCSI on MIPS ARC/R4000 systems from :
	Acer, MIPS and Olivetti



Network Adapters
================
3Com(R)
Etherlink II
Etherlink II / TP
Etherlink / MC
Etherlink 16
Etherlink II / 16

DEC(R)
EtherWORKS LC
EtherWORKS Turbo / TP

IBM
Token Ring 16/4
Token Ring 16/4A

Novell(R)
NE3200

Proteon(R)
P1390
P1990

SMC/Western Digital(R)
EtherCard Plus Elite/A  8013EP/A

Built-In Ethernet on MIPS ARC/R4000 systems from
Acer, MIPS and Olivetti
                	

Tape Devices	
============	
Archive Python DAT (Maynstream 1300DAT)

Note: The SCSI tape functionality has  been successfully tested with
the Adaptec 154X/174X, Maynard
16-Bit SCSI adapter and the built-in SCSI adapters in the Acer,
MIPS/Silicon Graphics and Olivetti MIPS
ARC/R4000.  This is known to fail on other SCSI adapters at this time.



CD-Rom Devices
==============
NOTE: These CD-Rom drives have passed testing with the SCSI host
adapters list previously.

CD Technology
CD Porta-Drive T-3301

Chinon
CDX-431

Denon(R)
DRD 253

DEC(R)
RRD-42

Hitachi(R)
CDR-1750S

NEC
Intersect CDR-73(M)
Intersect CDR-84

Pioneer(R)
DRM-600

Sony(R)
CDU-541
CDU-6211
CDU-7211

Toshiba
XM-3201
TXM-3301


MultiMedia Sound Cards
======================
Creative Labs
SoundBlaster
SoundBlaster Pro


Printers
========
Every driver that shipped with the Windows(TM) 3.1 retail package.
No plotter support included.


Keyboards
=========
100% Compatible with :

101/102 key "enhanced" layout
84 key AT(R) layout


Mice
====
100% Compatible with Microsoft Mouse
 

Microsoft and MS-DOS are registered trademarks and Windows, Windows NT
and Win32 are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

--

Western Digital net and Future Domain SCSI drivers now available!

The latest drivers for Future Domain MCS-700 and TMC-16X0 SCSI and
Western Digital SMC/WD 8003EP, 8013WB, 8013EWC network cards are
available. Ftp to ftp.uu.net and look in /vendor/microsoft for 
FD1800.ZIP and WDLAN.ZIP respectively.

#####################################################################
#                                                                   #
#                     Appendix B: HWFEED.TXT                        #
#                                                                   #
#####################################################################

Customer Computer Hardware Input

If you are interested in providing us input on computer
hardware to the "winnthw" people, we would appreciate you providing
us input on you equipment the in the following format.

If a particular device of yours does not have an explicit category, 
please use the "Other Peripheral" entry to
categorize it.  If there is more than one such device,
simply cut and paste on another line as in the example
below.  Use "N/A" for a category that you do not have
hardware for.

For your convenience, we have provided the below sample and template.  
Simply fill in the template and send it via e-mail to the "winnthw"
address (Editor's Note: That is winnthw@microsoft.com).

Example response :

System
------
Computer System manufacturer : CompuAdd
Computer System model name : 433EISA
Amount of RAM (MB): 8
Total Hard Disk Space (MB) : 120
Video Adapter manufacturer, model : Built in

Peripherals
-----------
Motherboard manufacturer, model : N/A
Video Adapter manufacturer, model : N/A
Video Monitor manufacturer, model : NEC 3FGx
Hard Drive Adapter manufacturer, model : Western Digital, WD-1009
Mouse device manufacturer, model : Microsoft, Serial Mouse
Backup Device manufacturer, model : N/A
Ethernet Adapter manufacturer, model : N/A
CD-Rom Drive manufacturer, model : NEC,  CDR-73M
MM SoundCard manufacturer, model : MediaVision, ThunderBoard
Printer manufacturer, model : HP, LaserJet Series II
Other Peripheral manufacturer, model : Logitech, ScanMan
Other Peripheral manufacturer, model : Iomega, Bernoulli Box
Other Peripheral manufacturer, model : Intel SatisFAXion

Template form :
====================== CUT HERE ===========================

System
------
Computer System manufacturer :
Computer System model name :
Amount of RAM (MB):
Hard Disk Size (MB) :
Video Adapter manufacturer, model :

Peripherals
-----------
Motherboard manufacturer, model :
Video Adapter manufacturer, model :
Video Monitor manufacturer, model :
Hard Drive Adapter manufacturer, model :
Mouse Device manufacturer, model :
Backup Device manufacturer, model :
Ethernet Adapter manufacturer, model :
CD-Rom Drive manufacturer, model :
MultiMedia SoundCard manufacturer, model :
Printer manufacturer, model :
Other Peripheral Device manufacturer, model :


######################################################################
#                                                                    #
#                      Appendix C: BUGREP.TXT                        #
#                                                                    #
######################################################################

[Editor's note: I am not sure where to mail this form if you do not
                have access to CompuServe...]

		Microsoft Windows NT Preliminary Test Release 
			   Bug Report Template


Bug Title:  (66 characters maximum)

Product:  (Windows NT July Preliminary Release)
       Type "winver" at the command line while Windows NT is running.

Description of Bug:  (be as specific as possible)

Duplication Scenario: (be a specific as possible)

Work-around: (if any)

Network Environment (e.g., LAN Manager 2.1 with OS/2 1.3)

File System:  
	FAT
	HPFS
	NTFS

Tools, Services or Applications Running/Versions:  

Machine Configuration :
  Computer Brand and Model:
  Processor Type and Speed: 
  Memory (RAM):
  Peripherals (include make/model):
	network cards:
	network type:
	hard disk size:
	other disk/controllers:
	CD-ROM drive:
	video adapter:

Reproducable:
	Always
	Intermittent
	Not reproducable
	
Severity level:
	Sev 1:  System crashes, data corruption error
	Sev 2:  Does not operate correctly
	Sev 3:  Cosmetic or minor usability problem 
	Sev 4:  Suggestion or documentation error


Date: 
Customer Name:
Customer Company: 
Area Code and Phone: 
CompuServe ID: 
Customer ID (IF no CompuServe ID): 
	
*********************************************************************
* Upload this completed report to Library 3 of WINNT for end-user   *
* bugs. SDK and development bugs should be reported over in MSWIN32 *
*********************************************************************

--

#####################################################################
#                                                                   #
#                   Appendix D: MIPS INFO                           #
#                                                                   #
#####################################################################

 Steps for a clean install of Windows NT on a MIPS machine:
 ---------------------------------------------------------

 1) You need at least a MIPS R4000 version 2.0 or greater to run the
    prerelease version of Windows NT.

    If you don't have a Rev. 2.0 or greater, contact your system
    manufacturer.

 2) You need at least PROM revision # 119 or greater.  The PROM
    version is displayed at the top of the blue ARC multiboot screen.
    If you have an older version (usually 78) contact your system
    manufacturer.

    NOTE: MIPS has shipped several Magnum systems with UNIX (i.e.
    RISC-OS) big endian PROMS.  If you don't get to a blue ARC
    multiboot screen within a minute or so after power up, contact
    MIPS.  These systems have flash PROM; a new PROM revision can be
    downloaded in less than a minute from a floppy disk.

 3) Jzsetup.exe must be run on your system after a PROM upgrade.  The
    symptom of not running jzsetup.exe is setupldr hangs trying to
    jump into the GUI portion of setup.  The last message that is
    displayed is "loading...  fastfat.sys".

    You can run jzsetup.exe from the CD-ROM.  At the "Run a program"
    prompt, type "scsi()cdrom(ID)fdisk()\jzsetup.exe", where ID is
    scsi identifier of your cdrom drive.  If you don't know the
    identifier of your drive, go to the "Execute Monitor" prompt,
    then type "a".  Look for the cdrom() entry that is displayed.  If
    none is displayed, check your SCSI cable or call your system
    manufacturer.  Type "q" to return to the main PROM prompt.

    From jzsetup.exe, select "Load default configuration" and choose
    your monitor resolution and floppy size.  This is the most
    important step to avoiding the "fastfat" hang.

    For a clean install, also select "Load default environment". This
    will wipe out any previous boot selections that you had.  Answer
    the questions to point to your "system partition", i.e.  the FAT
    partition on your hard drive that will end up holding the
    osloader.exe and hal.dll.  You can find the scsi identifier for
    your hard disk in the same manner your found the id for the
    CD-ROM drive, see above.  Select the partition number, usually 1
    for C:.

    AUTOBOOT refers to whether the system automatically counts down
    and boots the default boot selection (YES) or waits for a boot to
    be selected manually (NO) (the usual preference).  You can change
    the default 5 second countdown by creating an environment
    variable called COUNTDOWN and giving it a value (seconds).

    This is a good time to check the date on your system, displayed
    in the upper right had corner.  There is a menu selection to
    change it. 

    MIPS has been shipping systems with valid ethernet addresses but
    without correct ethernet address checksums.  This causes the
    network to not work  after installing NT.  You can reenter the
    ethernet address with jzsetup.exe, and it will append the correct
    checksum, if you are having problems getting the network to work.

    Note: JZSETUP is not a polished user friendly utility. Future
    versions will correct usage problems and user interface design
    problems. 

 4) After jzsetup.exe has been run, the CD-ROM can be accessed from
    the "Run a program" prompt by typing "cd:<name_of_program>".  If
    you have more than one CD-ROM, the one with the lower scsi id
    will be selected with this method.

 5) Run the arcinstaller: "cd:arcinst.exe".  This program will allow
    you to partition your drive.  If you've had an abortive attempt
    at installing NT, the best thing to do is to delete the system
    partition and/or the OS partition (you often choose these to be
    the same partition, see the discussion below) and recreate them
    (they will be REFORMATTED, don't do this if you want to save any
    files there).  The setup process is fast, so this is not painful
    unless you have files you want to save.

    To do this, choose "Configure a System Partition", then "Delete
    Partition", then "Create System Partition".  This is really all
    you should do with the arcistaller this time, you don't need to
    update system files or muck with the system partition list.

 6) Run the setupldr: "cd:setupldr" (note no extension).  You should
    be off and running.


 Background on ARC
 -----------------

 The ARC specification defines an operating environment for OS load
 programs, setup programs, and utilities.  There are two interesting
 parts of this, the System Partition and the boot environment
 variables.

 The System Partition is a FAT partition that contains the hal.dll,
 and in the future will contain other files including vendor specific
 NT drivers that will ship with the system.  The vendor will provide
 a utility to create the system partition and copy the hal.dll and
 other files, something like the arcinstaller, and hopefully will
 ship a preconfigured harddisk.

 There are two philosophies for system partitions.  Some people make
 a  minimal partition (a few megabytes) and use a separate partition
 for NT. Others make one large partition that is both a system
 partition and the OS partition.

 There are six ARC environment variables that control booting:

    LOADIDENTIFIER - a name for the boot selection
    SYSTEMPARTITON - the partition containing the hal.dll
    OSLOADER - a full ARC pathname to the osloader
    OSLOADPARTITION - the partition containing the Windows NT
    OSLOADFILENAME - the subdirectory and filename for the NT kernel
    OSLOADOPTIONS - options for booting

 These environment variables are multi-valued.  You can view all the
 values with jzsetup.exe ("Change the active (displayed) boot
 selection").  There  needs to be the same number of values in each
 variable, and there are a  maximum of five values per variable.

 You can use jzsetup.exe to add and delete boot selections. The setup
 process will add a boot selection for the current install, however,
 so you  should not need to do this.  If your install failed, you may
 want to delete  the added boot selection.

 Playing with these environment variables can be dangerous.  It is
 easy to get them out of whack, at which point it is often better to
 use jzsetup.exe to load the default environment and start over.

--

                                          -= Max =-

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 I program in C because it turns women on...
