OS/2 Warp FixPack 17 Update

FixPack 17 for OS/2 Warp has been out long enough for some of the dust to settle. Most of the feedback I've seen on FP17 has been favorable, but a number of minor problems have been reported... and a few serious ones as well.

Over the next few weeks I will be revising this document and periodically posting copies to comp.os.os2.bugs, .misc, and in a few other locations in the interests of assisting users trying to apply FP17. Feedback and corrections will be appreciated, but please see the section below on specific information you should provide with a given problem description.

The following assumes that you: If this is not the case, obtain a copy of the FP17 READ17_1.TXT file from the above site or your favorite collection of OS/2-related files and read it before proceeding further.
 * Already know what FixPack 17 is,
 * Have already downloaded copies of the FP17 diskette images from the IBM PSP support machine at service.boulder.ibm.com or another IBM PSP support site, and
 * Have used LOADDSKF to create a set of FP17 diskettes from those files or are about to do so.

A list of official IBM sources for software fixes, and the current fix levels for IBM PSP software, can be obtained from ftp://service.boulder.ibm.com/ps/products/PSPROD.TXT.

Guidelines for Applying FixPack 17
Based on the problems reported by users in the first three weeks after FP17 was released, more than three quarters of these could have been avoided if a few simple steps had been followed: There have been some questions about the text "Build level 8.241 (2nd release)" seen in the FP17 documentation. This text appeared in all copies of the pre-release FP17 documentation as well as the final release. Its presence may or may not relate to a view held by some that FP17 was a re-release of FP16 (-), but in any case it does not indicate that more than one copy of FP17 was publicly released.
 * Read the Corrective Service Facility (CSF) documentation. The README.INF file on CSF Boot Diskette 1 will give you an overview of how the FixPack process works. This document describes the purposes of the "Archive" and "Backup" directories, how to "commit" or permanently install a FixPack, and how to back a FixPack out if you run into problems. It also covers installing FixPacks in a LAN environment and from a response file, which can be handy if you're applying FP17 to 200 machines.
 * Read the FP17 documentation. Even the parts that you don't think will apply to you. Among other things, this may save you from posting a message asking what to do when you see the message "Error opening or creating archive" and then waiting a day or two for someone to suggest that you read the documentation (-).
 * Plan your FP17 installation. Think about what you're going to call the directories when SERVICE prompts you for their names. Make sure you have a partition with at least 20 Mb free for the FP17 Archive or Backup files, and at least a megabyte free on your C: partition. Yes, I know what the documentation says, but there have been cases reported where the combined space required for archiving and locked file processing needed 20 Mb. It's much easier to free up space before starting the installation than halfway through.
 * Prepare your system for installing FP17. Run CHKDSK on all partitions, booting from your Utility Diskettes where necessary.
 * Check for traces of previous FixPacks. More than half of the reports of problems installing FP17 have come from users who had previously installed an earlier FixPack and then deleted the archive instead of using the CSF to Commit the FixPack. Verify that archives from any previous FixPack installation are intact. If they are not, follow the suggested corrective action in the READ17_1.TXT file in the section titled "Unable to open Archive directory".
 * Use the SYSLEVEL command to verify that you are running the proper level of Warp, that a device driver you installed two months ago didn't sneakily modify SYSLEVEL.OS2. If you have a SYSLEVEL file that says you have XR02110 (OS/2 v2.11) installed, the CSF process will (correctly) refuse to service it; you need to correct this prior to installing FP17.
 * Verify that your copy of FP17 is current. The diskette images should be dated January 25, 1996, or later. Any earlier copies are probably limited-release versions for testing purposes only. You can obtain current copies of the FP17 diskette images from the IBM PSP service site in ftp://service.boulder.ibm.com/ps/products/os2/fixes/v3.0warp/ english-us/xr_w017/. Be sure to pick up the accompanying documentation files (READ17.TXT, etc.) from the same location.
 * Verify that you are using release F.127 of the "Corrective Service Facility Boot Diskettes". The simplest way to check this is to make sure that the SERVICE.EXE file on the first diskette has a date of 11-30-95. If yours is older, FTP a new set of diskette images from the IBM PSP service site at ftp://service.boulder.ibm.com/ps/products/os2/fixes/v3.0warp/english-us/wkickr/. This is one directory over from the xr_w017 directory containing the FP17 images.
 * If you plan to use FSERVICE to install FP17 (booting from the CSF Boot Diskettes), make sure you understand what this will, and will not, do. Unless you specifically customize the FSERVICE control file, FixPack 17 will be applied to all copies of OS/2 Warp detected, and FP17 will not be applied to any installed copies of MMPM/2. Perhaps more important, an Archive directory (called \ARCHIVE) will be created for each copy of Warp detected. You should ensure that the boot partition for each installed copy of Warp has sufficient free space to store the pre-FP17 copies of serviced files.

These steps can't guarantee a clean FP17 installation, but they will significantly improve your chances. And if you have followed them, it will make it much easier for you, and those assisting you, to narrow in on the real culprit if you do encounter difficulties.

In the Event of Difficulties...

If you run into problems installing FP17, or see odd behavior afterwards, you have several options. You can:

AOL, CompuServe, etc.
 * Post a message in one of the Usenet newsgroups (comp.os.os2.bugs, for example) or in one of the online coinferences offered by TalkLink,


 * Report the problem to IBM OS/2 Support through an online service (CompuServe, TalkLink), by e-mail, or via voice telephone. This process is described by the text files which can be found in ftp://service.boulder.ibm.com/ps/defect_submission/. An OS/2 program to assist you in preparing your problem report is available from ftp://service.boulder.ibm.com/ps/products/os2/tools/pmproblm/.


 * Selectively restore pre-FP17 copies of some files. If you think you know what file or files are involved, you can attempt to restore those files from the FP17-created Archive or Backup directories. See the READ17_1.TXT file for examples of how to do this. Note that the SERVICE.LOG file created by SERVICE/FSERVICE contains a complete list of all files processed by installation.


 * Back out FP17 completely using A:\SERVICE. The Corrective Service Facility software was designed to do this, using the files stored in the Backup or Archive directory created at FixPack installation time. For an overview of the process, see the README.INF file on CSF Boot Diskette #1.

:BACKOUT :SYSLEVEL C:\OS2\INSTALL\SYSLEVEL.OS2 If a previous Archive directory existed on your system, you would have been prompted at FP17 installation time to specify a Backup directory. If this is the case, you will need to use :TARGET BACKUP instead of :TARGET ARCHIVE.
 * Back out FP17 completely using FSERVICE and a custom response file. This can even be done in cases where severe problems make it impossible to run SERVICE. First, after booting from your Warp Utility Disks or your Warp Install diskettes (or even a DOS diskette), edit the default response file (RESPONSE.FIL on CSF Boot Diskette 2) to create a response file tailored to your system, similar to the following example:

Once your response file has been created, reboot your system from CSF Boot Diskette 1. The FP17 backout should proceed automatically from this point. Note that only one "product" (e.g. OS/2 Base System or MMPM/2) can be backed out at a time.

Reporting Problems With FixPack 17
Unless your problem turns out to be something already covered in the READ17_1.TXT file or due to a backlevel set of CSF Boot Diskettes,


 * 

The list of problems included in this document is a compilation of what I have seen and others have reported in reasonable detail, but there is no guarantee that any of these problems have been reported to IBM. And, generally speaking, a customer problem report is the only way of getting the IBM OS/2 Support "fix" process going.

Even if you know that your problem has already been reported to IBM by another customer, please report it anyway. Your report may not produce an immediate fix, but it let OS/2 Support know that two, or twenty, or two hundred users are seeing the same problem. All it takes is fifteen minutes' effort composing an e-mail message.


 * What Information Should I Report?

As with any other problem report, describe what you are seeing as clearly and specifically as possible. A message that simply says "Things don't work since I added FP17", "I see error messages sometimes", or "the system (or aplication xxxx) dies" may well convey your frustration, but it doesn't provide the information others will need to help you.

If it's possible (and it isn't always), something along the lines of "I see a SYS0123 error reported every time I start up Pulse with my COM2 port in use, but System Clock, the System Editor, and my command prompts don't have any problems" does a lot to eliminate possible problem causes.

Please supply the complete text of any error messages you see. If an error message reports a problem with line 23 of CONFIG.SYS, a copy of the offending line will be helpful.

Whether you report your problem to IBM or post a description in a newsgroup and hope for the best, there are some FP17-specific pieces of information that will make life much easier for those who assist you. Please do your best to provide the following: like "latest version" should be avoided, since the latest version from a non-IBM site may well be six months old - or older. Or did you create a custom response file? In the latter case, be sure to include a copy of your custom response file. D:\OS2\INSTALL\SYSLEVEL.OS2 IBM OS/2 Base Operating System Version 3.01   Component ID 562260100 Type W   Current CSD level: XR03002 Prior  CSD level: XR03002 D:\MMOS2\INSTALL\SYSLEVEL.MPM IBM Multimedia Presentation Manager/2 Version 3.01   Component ID 562260100 Type W   Current CSD level: XR03002 Prior  CSD level: XR03002 This is my system; your CSD Levels may be different. For a list of the releases where FP17 can be applied, review the section of the READ17_1.TXT file entitled "Supported CSD levels".
 * SERVICE.EXE timestamp. You know you have the right diskettes, but let others know it so they don't have to ask you. Ambiguous expressions
 * Application method. Did you use the A:\SERVICE method, or did you boot from the CSF Boot Diskettes (FSERVICE with the default RESPONSE.FIL)?
 * Directory names used for Archive and Backup directories. These should be full path names, including the partition letter (e.g. F:\FPARCHIV).
 * SYSLEVEL results for Base OS and MMPM/2. For my current system these are:

Again, while you undoubtedly checked these before starting, the person who is trying to help you probably wasn't looking over your shoulder at the time. FIND "Initiating" \OS2\INSTALL\SERVICE.LOG will report the time and dates for each time SERVICE started an installation. Look for error messages that may provide some indication of why you are seeing a problem.
 * Amount of free space on C: and Archive (and Backup) partitions.
 * The A:\SERVICE route offers a menu of candidates for service. Which entries did you select? Were any other choices listed?
 * Check the contents of \OS2\INSTALL\SERVICE.LOG. This file is used by SERVICE to record its activity and any problems which are detected. For example, the following command:

FIND:
 * Any special system settings. In particular, whether or not you have activated the "SIQ fix" code, and if so, with what time value. One quick way to do this is by piping the result of the SET command into

SET | FIND "PM_"

Problems Reported After Installing FixPack 17
The following list of problems and workarounds is the best I can provide at this time. It will likely change based on what I learn from others. I'll do my best to make the result intelligible (-).


 * PROBLEM: SYS2070/SYS0182 in WPPRINT.DLL

Two sources have confirmed that this is one of several possible results of installing FP17 using a back-level set of CSF Boot Diskettes. In this particular case, the FP17 version of WPPRINT.DLL has been installed, but the corresponding PMSPL.DLL file has not.

Fix: Obtain the F.127 release CSF Boot Diskettes and reinstall FP17. Since the system has been left in an unusable state, simply rerunning SERVICE.EXE is not an option.

(a) Obtain current level CSF Boot Diskettes and reinstall FP17 by booting from CSF Boot Diskette 1. Note that this will (1) update all serviceable partitions and it will (2) not apply FP17 to any installed copies of Multimedia Presentation Manager extensions (MMPM/2) unless you modify the RESPONSE.FIL control file on CSF Boot Diskette 2.

(b) Re-boot and press Alt-F1 when the boot-blob (small white rectangle) appears, then, at the selection screen, press C to open a full screen command prompt. Using the examples from the READ17_1.TXT file, restore the pre-FP17 copy of WPPRINT.DLL from the FP17 Archive or Backup directory. Reboot. Once the system is operational, obtain the F.127 CSF Boot Diskettes and reapply FP17.

Note: Systems where FP16 had been previously installed may not see this specific problem. It appears that the FP16 PMSPL.DLL is "close enough" to the FP17 version so the error is avoided. However, the absence of this particular error does mean that other problems won't eventually surface as the result of using back-level CSF Boot Diskettes for installation.


 * PROBLEM: PM window Z-order problems

On occasion, and for no clearly identifiable reason, one or more PM windows (programs, folders) will open or be selected but will remain obscured by one or more other windows. This seems to be noticed more frequently with folders, but that may simply be a result of folder windows being opened more frequently than other windows.

Some cases are reproducible. For example, if MemSize v3.00 is started from the Startup Folder with the Hide Controls option set it will not let itself be brought out ("up") from behind any other window. However, if the Hide Controls option is deselected and then re-selected. the MemSize window behaves normally until the system is rebooted. MemSize's "shyness" can also be corrected by clicking on the MemSize window, first with mouse button 2 then mouse button 1.

IBM has created APAR PJ21838 to track this problem, but no fix is currently available.

Workaround: Try pressing Alt-Esc to switch the focus from window to window. Frequently when the focus is shifted first , then, the "topmost" window using Alt-Esc, behavior will return to normal.


 * PROBLEM: Keyboard input doesn't reach windows which have the focus

Occasionally, when the focus is shifted to a window (as reflected by its title bar changing color), keyboard input is ignored. Mouse clicks and movement are responded to, but any keystrokes (with the possible exception of Ctl-Alt-Del) are not acted upon by the application. This occurs mainly (perhaps exclusively) with "character mode" (VIO) windows, such as the OS/2 and DOS command prompts.

Workaround: Click on another window, then back on the original.


 * PROBLEM: Intermittent TRAP 000E after installing FP17

This may be the result of using a backlevel set of CSF Boot Diskettes, so please check the SERVICE.EXE file if you run into this problem.

Workaround: Back out FP17 (ouch!).


 * PROBLEM: TRAP 000E at startup with ESS688 Sound Source

Users with ESS688 sound support (COMPAQ, other laptops) may see a TRAP 000E when STARTUP.WAV plays during WPS startup.

Workaround: Comment out the SSMDD.SYS entry in CONFIG.SYS. If the TRAP 000E error no longer occurs, try restoring the pre-FP17 version of SSMDD.SYS.

Note: The workaround may cause problems with WinOS/2 session sound (dialog box with only an exclamation point, loss of WPS Sounds). If this happens, reinstall the August ESS688 drivers from the ESS Technologies BBS.


 * PROBLEM: Drives object or folder view is blank

Occasionally the Drives object will be empty when opened, and the pop-up menu "Refresh now" item has no effect. Over time other windows stop repainting, and eventually a Shutdown or Ctl-Alt-Del reboot is required.

Note: This should not be confused with a different problem which causes occasional four-second WPS/PM "pauses" when refreshing or repainting a PM window or WPS container. The "hang" also causes incorrect font display, may be display driver-related (Cirrus GD-543x?), and predates FP17.

Workaround: None known. Back out FP17 if severe.


 * PROBLEM: VX-REXX application message window text is truncated

This appears to be related to changes made to PMMERGE.

Workaround: None currently known. Back out FP17 if severe.


 * PROBLEM: SYS3175 exiting a VX-REXX application

Workaround: Obtain the latest copy of VROBJ.DLL (v2.1d) from Watcom's WWW site at http://www.watcom.on.ca/fix_vxrexx/vrobj21d.zip.


 * PROBLEM: SYS3175 in SOM.DLL exiting a VX-REXX application

Workaround: Restore the pre-FP17 copy of SOM.DLL from the Archive/Backup directory.


 * PROBLEM: IBM ADSM client does not work properly

When running the IBM ADSTAR Distributed Storage Manager client, drive lines never appear. IBM has created APARs IC11363 and PJ21756 to track this problem.

Workarounds: (a) Run ADSM from the command line. For detailson how to use this interface, type DSMC HELP. (b) Apply fix IC12349 (includes the V2R1L0.2 ASDSM client) from ftp://index.storsys.ibm.com/adsm/temp/ic12349.exe


 * PROBLEM: WinOS/2 communications application drops connection

Microsoft Mail Remote disconnects after transferring small amounts of data.

Workaround: Restore the pre-FP17 copies of COM.SYS and VCOM.SYS. Note: This workaround may be effective for other WinOS/2 communications problems seen after applying FP17.


 * PROBLEM: SERVICE.EXE SYS3175 while applying FP17

PMMERGE may be reported. Currently this is being attributed to a lack of disk space and/or backlevel CSF Boot Diskettes.

Workaround: Make sure you are using level F.127 CSF Boot Diskettes and have at least 20 Mb of free space in your Archive or Backup partition.


 * PROBLEM: "OS/2 is unable to operate your hard disk or diskette drive"

CMD640 EIDE PCI chipset. This is caused by the use of FP17-level IBM1S506.ADD and IBMIDECD.FLT drivers without the corresponding CMD640 drivers being added to CONFIG.SYS.

Workaround: Add CMD640.ADD and CMDATAPI.FLT entries to CONFIG.SYS per the instructions in READ17_1.TXT ("UPDATING SYSTEMS WITH THE CMD CHIPSET").


 * PROBLEM: Unable to access previously working IDE CD-ROM drive

CMD640 EIDE PCI chipset. CMDATAPI.FLT driver missing from CONFIG.SYS or driver not being initialized due to use of /FL parameter on IBM1S506.ADD driver.

Workaround: Ensure that the CMDATAPI.FLT driver has been added to CONFIG.SYS per the instructions in READ17_1.TXT ("UPDATING SYSTEMS WITH THE CMD CHIPSET"). If the /FL parameter has been added to IBM1S506.ADD, remove it.


 * PROBLEM: "Application Error" dialog in WinOS/2 seamless sessions

The dialog "Application Error: Application Closing" may apear for no apparent reason when WinOS/2 applications are being run in "seamless" mode (windowed on the WPS Desktop). When the pop-up is acknowledged, processing may or may not continue. Only certain applications seem to be affected (Corel Draw and PhotoPaint, MS PowerPoint, VMMPEG, Xing Streamworks, and the MSWin Media (AVI) Player have been mentioned), but this may be system-dependent.

Workarounds: (a) Run the application(s) from a WinOS/2 Full Screen session. (b) Restore the pre-FP17 copies of WINSHELD.EXE and WINOS2.COM from the Archive or Backup directory. (c) Restore the MSWindows directory from a backup of the directory made prior to installing FP17.


 * PROBLEM: "Unrecoverable Application Error" in WinOS/2 seamless apps

This message appears shortly after starting certain WinOS/2 applications in seamless mode, and the application ends. Netscape and HoTMetaL Pro have been mentioned as having this problem.

Workaround: None currently known.


 * PROBLEM: Visual artifacts remain when pop-up windows are erased

Reported with FileManager/2 "popup" window descriptions and popup windows using WM_SAVEBITS style.

Workaround: None known.


 * PROBLEM: Color values incorrect in Solid Color Palette object

Workaround: Use the Create another menu option from the bad object's pop-up menu to create a second Solid Color Palette object. This one will have the correct values.


 * PROBLEM: DOS game WarCraft II reports not enough memory

WCII may also report "error resetting digital sound" and possibly other errors.

Workaround: Restore the pre-FP17 copies of DOSKRNL, VDPMI.SYS, and possibly VKBD.SYS. See also 'war2os2.zip' in the /incoming directory of hobbes.nmsu.edu.


 * PROBLEM: WPS 5908 " " error dialog

The following dialog may be seen when opening a freshly-formatted diskette from the Drives object:

5908 " " An error has occurred and the message is not accessible. Contact the supplier of the application.

This is an annoyance, but not, as far as I can tell, serious. It is apparently being triggered when the "EA DATA. SF" and "WP ROOT. SF" files have not yet been created on the diskette. Presumably this could affect other removable media (e.g. IOMEGA ZIP drives). This odd dialog has been seen as far back as FP13, and may appear under other circumstances.

Workaround: Click on the [OK] button. If you opened a Tree or Icon view, the problem will be corrected when you close the view (the files will be created on the diskette).


 * PROBLEM: TRAP 000E starting WinOS/2 sessions

ATI Mach64-based display adapter.

Workaround: Update the display driver from the ATI BBS or from the IBM PC Company FTP site at ftp://ftp.pcco.ibm.com/pub/os2_drivers/mach64.zip.


 * PROBLEM: Clear and Simple Performance Plus v3 Optimizer window hangs

Workaround: Obtain the C&S v3.2 update package, either from the C&S Home Page at http://www.clear-simple.com/ or from the OS/2 Shareware BBS at (703) 385-4325.


 * PROBLEM: Mouse pointer remains centered on screen, does not move

Moving the mouse or clicking the mouse buttons does not have any visible effect on the mouse pointer, but MemSize/Pulse show that the system is responding to the activity.

Workaround: (a) Check the mouse-related entries in CONFIG.SYS and correct them if necessary. (b) Restore the pre-FP17 version of MOUSE.SYS. If this does not fix the problem, try backing out PDDEVICE.SYS, and COM.SYS as well.


 * PROBLEM: Lantastic for OS/2 fails to install

Lantastic for OS/2 installation procedure exits without any error message, but installation has not completed.

Workaround: Back out FP17, install Lantastic, then reapply FP17. Once it has been completely installed, Lantastic should work properly with FP17.


 * PROBLEM: TDGammon colors are incorrect after applying FP17

Changes made to the Settings notebook colors have no effect.

Workaround: None known. One user has reported that reinstalling TDGammon fixed the problem. Another user reported that it did not.


 * PROBLEM: Unable to access SyQuest EZ-Drive (IDE) after applying FP17

Reinstalling the SyQuest drivers does not correct the problem.

Workaround: None known.


 * PROBLEM: Intermittent system hangs when PMQSIZE running

PMQSIZE is a utility which increases the size of the OS/2 message queue in order to reduce the effect of applications which "hog" the queue. The FP17 "SIQ fix" code addresses this problem in a more comprehensive manner, so PMQSIZE is no longer needed.

Workaround: Remove PMQSIZE from STARTUP.CMD


 * PROBLEM: MMPM/2 not serviced when using FSERVICE

If FP17 is applied using FSERVICE (booting from the CSF Boot Diskettes) the MMPM/2 product (normally in the \MMOS2 directory) will not be updated. To update MMPM/2 support to the FixPack 17 level, either run A:\SERVICE and select the appropriate MMPM/2 product or make the appropriate changes to the RESPONSE.FIL control file on CSF Boot Diskette 2 and re-run FSERVICE.

Note: This is simply a result of the control statements in the default RESPONSE.FIL, which can be customized as required. It does not apply to FP17 when installed using A:\SERVICE.


 * PROBLEM: System Setup -> Add Programs rebuilds all objects, not just new ones

The Add Programs object's "Add new programs" option ignores its previous efforts and treats all programs as "new"; it will replace previously-created objects with new ones each time it is run. The old objects will vanish, even if they have been moved, customized settings will be lost, and the links between shadows and the old objects will be broken.

Workaround: (a) Revert to the pre-FP17 version of MIGRATE.EXE. (b) Avoid using the "Add new programs" option when running Add Programs.


 * PROBLEM: WebExplorer/2 makes increased demands on swap file

Many users have reported that WE/2 causes the swap file to grow more quickly, and much larger, than it did before FP17 was installed. A number of users have reported only minor increases in swap requirements, or none. The reasons for this are unclear.

Workaround: Limit the amount of document/image caching done by WE/2. Using the Configure->Caching menu item, turn on the Disable all caching checkbox. If this fixes the problem, turn caching back on, but set limits on the amount of caching WE/2 will do. Several users have also recommended turning off the "Display images while downloading" option.


 * PROBLEM: Inconsistent results from VER /R between OS/2 and DOS prompts

DOS VER /R reports Revision 8.240, while OS/2 VER /R reports Revision 8.241.

This is an "information" item. Its purpose is to let you know that it's real, it's not specific to your system, and doesn't seem to have any serious side effects. No workaround is provided, but feel free to report it to IBM (-).


 * WARPINST

IBM released FixPack-level Installation Diskette update kits with Warp FixPacks 5 and 10 (WFWIN5.ZIP, WFWIN10.ZIP). A FixPack 17-equivalent update package, known as "WARPINST v8.241", can be obtained from supported IBM PSP distribution sites such as TalkLink, AOL, and CompuServe. WARPINST can also be retrieved from the IBM PSP support site at ftp://service.boulder.ibm.com/ps/products/os2/fixes/v3.0warp/english-us/ warpinst.

The "SIQ fix"
One of the fixes included in FP17 is something called the "SIQ fix". The FP17 READ17_1.TXT file shows how to activate this fix, but it doesn't provide any details on how the "SIQ fix" works, or what exactly is being fixed. The following summary may be helpful.

While OS/2 is a generally robust system, there are times when it will stop responding to user input. When this condition is the result of a hardware problem, such as an adapter failure, all activity ceases and a restart is required. However, in other cases there is activity on the screen to indicate that the system is still capable of performing useful work (e.g. output continues scrolling in a window, the hands on the System Clock object keep moving, previously-started file transfers continue). All that seems to be missing is a way to get the system's attention.

FixPack 17 contains changes to the normal OS/2 input handling support which are specifically intended to reduce the frequency of such problems, and to make it less likely that application software to cause these kinds of problems. Because these changes affect the behavior of user applications, the changes are disabled by default, but they can be enabled by adding the following line to CONFIG.SYS: SET PM_ASYNC_FOCUS_CHANGE=ON Once this code is enabled, when an application fails to respond to system requests within a reasonable time (the default is two seconds, but this may be adjusted), OS/2 will flag the application as "non-responsive" and allow other applications a chance to receive input. If the offending application later responds to OS/2's queries, it will be returned to "normal" status and OS/2 will allow it to receive user input again.

At the same time, the FP17 support for cancelling an application from the OS/2 Workplace Shell Window List has been enhanced to recognize these "non-responsive" applications and make additional efforts to shut them down when the user requests. The FP17 improvements will also make sure that if an application is in a "non-responsive" state when OS/2 starts to shut down, additional efforts will be made to cancel the application as cleanly as possible.

The February issue of IBM's online OS/2 Warp Newsletter has an article that goes into a little more depth on this topic. You can locate this issue, and previous issues, at http://www.austin.ibm.com/pspinfo/newsletters.html.

Related Information
If you have a PCI bus motherboard which uses the RZ1000 or CMD640 EIDE support chipset, you should obtain a copy of Roedy Green's EIDE Bugs FAQ. It is available by anonymous ftp from the following sites: ftp://ftp.cdrom.com/.4/os2/sysutil/eidete19.zip ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/pc/diskutil/eidete19.zip The update for the Novell Requestor for OS/2 recommended in the README17_1.TXT file (OS2C1.EXE) has been superseded by OS2C3.EXE.

Credits
I have FP17 installed and I have been able to reproduce a few of the problems listed above. However, the vast majority of the problem descriptions and workarounds have been provided through the efforts of others via user postings in Usenet newsgroups, appends on TalkLink OS2BBS, and individual e-mail messages.

I would like to extend my thanks to all who have directly or indirectly contributed to this document through problem descriptions, corrections, and providing copies of this document for others.

In particular, I'd like to thank Kevin Royalty of the Team OS/2 Cincinnati User Group for offering to create an HTML version of this document and make it available to the Internet community at http://www.cincyteamos2.org/.

Feedback
Changes, additions, and comments should be directed to rrs0059@ibm.net or mailed to: Frank McKenney McKenney Associates 3464 Northview Place Richmond, Virginia 23225 (804) 320-4887 If you wish to pass on information about a problem with FP17, please be sure to include the information listed above. And don't forget to report your problem to IBM as well.