Author Topic: CFGTool  (Read 7890 times)

Ben

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CFGTool
« on: March 11, 2018, 09:15:13 pm »
I have been looking at the old CFGTool by Dick Goran. This program no longer runs on my machine  refusing to load the CFGTool.dat file for some reason, though I have tried different versions of that file.

I am using version 1.30 of CFGTool with the two upgrades.

Is anyone successfully using this program?

ivan

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Re: CFGTool
« Reply #1 on: March 11, 2018, 10:19:07 pm »
Hi Ben,

CFGTool 1.3.0 runs here on everything from my ancient Warp 4 through WSeB to ArcaOS 5.0.2.

If this is the same machine you have had the other problems with I think you need to run the hard disk through the manufacturers disk diagnostic tools (the full version not the cut-down one) as it may have problems with not enough spare sectors to relocate flaky sections or there may be a firmware problem.

Dave Yeo

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Re: CFGTool
« Reply #2 on: March 11, 2018, 10:47:20 pm »
Never hurts to reseat everything that's easy to do and replug cables and blow or vacuum out the dust bunnies.

Andreas Schnellbacher

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Re: CFGTool
« Reply #3 on: March 11, 2018, 10:58:41 pm »
Yes, ConfigTool uses large ini files. (CFGTOOL.DAT is an OS/2 .ini file.)

The summed size of all .ini files opened by the PM Prf functions seems to be limited. Therefore usually one can't open a second OS2.INI after having used the system a bit. That might apply in your case as well.

I made the experience that the system gets unstable if the size of the WPS handles in OS2SYS.INI exceeds 4 blocks. The OS2.INI is the larger file and seems to grow with that, too.

Ben

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Re: CFGTool
« Reply #4 on: March 12, 2018, 01:08:46 pm »
OK. I have the solution.

I tried CFGTool on two machines with the same problem. It's not a hardware issue; I clean my machines thoroughly once a year and my server machine has had all hardware replaced in the past month and I am now hardware-problem free; both machines are stable in that regard.

I clean my os2*.ini files daily automatically with DMT.exe and by hand with Unimaint. More on that in a moment.

I had looked at CFGTool.dat with NEPM and it is mostly, (though not completely), a text file; not a true INI file. However, upon further thought based on the assumption of it being, (at least like), an INI file I decided to have a closer look at my os2*.ini files.

I cleaned them thoroughly once more with Unimaint then I used Rick Walsh's excellent INI tools and after that I used CheckINI afterwards to par my os2*.ini down further in size.

Then I rebooted.

Now, CFGTool does work and all is well with the world... or at least with respect to my Config.sys file which now has no dupes and no nonexistent paths in it. I also adjusted some of the settings within based upon the recommendations it presented.

Thanks for everyone for their suggestions and particularly thanks to Andreas for putting me on the right track.

Now, I have to follow the same process on my other machine; I am expecting the similar results.

Eventually, I hope to have my OS/2 issues resolved after that latest disasters and I'll be good for another ten years.
;)

But in the meantime, what a f*ckin' mess... *sighs*

Andreas Schnellbacher

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Re: CFGTool
« Reply #5 on: March 12, 2018, 05:51:54 pm »
I had looked at CFGTool.dat with NEPM and it is mostly, (though not completely), a text file; not a true INI file.
No it is. I can open it with Initor (after adding the extension .ini) and Regedit2 and it has the OS/2 ini signature "FFFFFFFF1400".

Ben

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Re: CFGTool
« Reply #6 on: March 12, 2018, 06:37:29 pm »
OK.

Thanks for that Andreas.

I'm wondering if I can add some information to that file via one of the INI tools; CFGTool.dat is in serious need of updating.

xynixme

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Re: CFGTool
« Reply #7 on: June 07, 2018, 12:07:32 pm »
Quote
CFGTool.dat is in serious need of updating.

A quick & dirty test shows that Initor or REXX' SysIni cannot modify the file in a lasting way, but you can edit the file with e.g. a hex editor (to avoid having to find out what the file format is). I'm not familiar with possible DrDialog's INI- nor database-related functions.

If the size of the INI'ish file is a problem, then you could consider to create a full back-up copy and to delete all items which don't occur in your CONFIG.SYS file.