The OS/2 Files

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Requirements

1. Hardware

At least a computer with a 486DX33 and 16MB RAM is required. Machines with 386 CPUs or with 8MB or less memory are insufficient. A Pentium or Pentium Pro class processor and - especially - more main memory is recommended.

There are no specific requirements concerning network cards, disk types, or CD-ROM equipment; of course the more powerful, the better.

Depending on the packages installed, a disk space of 20-55MB on a HPFS formatted partition (or a JFS, NFS or ext2fs partition natively allowing long filenames) is required. (Note however that many applications require certain other packages. See Setting up a Unix-like environment for OS/2 on this site.) XFree86/OS2 will not run on FAT partitions.

You will also need a video card, or better a video chipset which is supported by XFree86. Note that the sets of video cards supported by XFree86 on one hand and OS/2 on the other hand overlap, but do not match exactly, i.e. the fact that your card is supported by OS/2 does not mean it works with XFree86 as well, and vice versa. XFree86 does not use the video services of the OS/2 operating system.

2. Software

Supported OS/2 versions are Warp 3 or Warp 3 Connect with at least fixpak 17 applied, Warp Server (including SMP) with the corresponding fixpak, Warp 4, Warp Server for e-Business, the IBM Convenience Packs (aka Warp 4.5x), and eComStation.

XFree86/OS2 may use a local named-pipe connection or a TCP/IP based network connection.

  1. Warp comes with the Internet Access Kit (IAK), which is sufficient. Warp Connect and Warp Server are delivered with a full version of TCP/IP 3.0. Use of this software is preferred over IAK then.
  2. Warp 4 comes with TCP/IP 4.0 which also works. Be sure to apply the available fixes, though.
  3. The 32-bit versions TCP/IP 4.1 and later are available via IBM Software Choice. They also come with Warp Server for e-Business, the IBM Convenience Packs, and eComStation. To use these products you will need EMX 0.9c fix 4 or later. The latest EMX 0.9d is recommended.
  4. The old IBM TCP/IP 2.0, that comes with the IBM PMX product may be used with Warp as well, although it is no longer supported by IBM. Please ensure that you have the latest Corrective Service Disks (CSDs) installed.

Other versions of TCP/IP, such as FTP's, DEC's, or Hummingbird's TCP/IP versions, as well as IBM TCP/IP 1.X are not supported. Nor does any networking support from DOS (packet drivers, winsock), Netware, or NetBIOS work.

This is a slightly changed version of parts of the README.OS2 from the XFree86/OS2 distribution, © Holger Veit.