Falcon 3.0 under OS/2 2.0: Difference between revisions
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Many of you have been trying to run Falcon 3.0 under IBM's new OS/2 2.0 operating system, but have been confused and bewildered by the huge array of DOS settings available to you. So, after consulting technical manuals (The IBM Red Books), here are a list of settings you need, and why they must be set that way: | Many of you have been trying to run Falcon 3.0 under IBM's new OS/2 2.0 operating system, but have been confused and bewildered by the huge array of DOS settings available to you. So, after consulting technical manuals (The IBM Red Books), here are a list of settings you need, and why they must be set that way: | ||
;DOS_BACKGROUND_EXECUTION to OFF | ;DOS_BACKGROUND_EXECUTION to OFF | ||
(If Falcon is running in background, it will suspend processing. Otherwise, it will eat too much CPU cycles) | (If Falcon is running in background, it will suspend processing. Otherwise, it will eat too much CPU cycles) | ||
;DOS_HIGH to ON | ;DOS_HIGH to ON | ||
(This will give us extra memory for the DOS session) | (This will give us extra memory for the DOS session) | ||
;DOS_LASTDRIVE to D (or whatever your highest drive letter is) | ;DOS_LASTDRIVE to D (or whatever your highest drive letter is) | ||
(This will give us some more memory) | (This will give us some more memory) | ||
;DOS_UMB to ON | ;DOS_UMB to ON | ||
(More memory by | (More memory by using Upper Memory Blocks) | ||
;DPMI_DOS_API to DISABLED | ;DPMI_DOS_API to DISABLED | ||
(Falcon Doesn't use DPMI memory, so we gain speed by not emulating DPIM) | (Falcon Doesn't use DPMI memory, so we gain speed by not emulating DPIM) | ||
;DPMI_MEMORY_LIMIT to 0 | ;DPMI_MEMORY_LIMIT to 0 | ||
(We don't use DPMI) | (We don't use DPMI) | ||
;HW_ROM_TO_RAM to ON | ;HW_ROM_TO_RAM to ON | ||
(This speeds up BIOS functions) | (This speeds up BIOS functions) | ||
;IDLE_SECONDS to 60 | ;IDLE_SECONDS to 60 | ||
(Makes Idle detection a long time) | (Makes Idle detection a long time) | ||
;IDLE_SENSITIVITY to 100 | ;IDLE_SENSITIVITY to 100 | ||
(this disables idle detection, so Falcon will always be checked to see if it needs CPU | (this disables idle detection, so Falcon will always be checked to see if it needs CPU | ||
;MOUSE_EXCLUSIVE_ACCESS to ON | ;MOUSE_EXCLUSIVE_ACCESS to ON | ||
(We only plan to use the program with the 1 mouse pointer) | (We only plan to use the program with the 1 mouse pointer) | ||
;VIDEO_ONDEMAND_MEMORY to OFF | ;VIDEO_ONDEMAND_MEMORY to OFF | ||
(Saves memory by not allocating video buffer) | (Saves memory by not allocating video buffer) | ||
;VIDEO_ROM_EMULATION to ON | ;VIDEO_ROM_EMULATION to ON | ||
(Speeds processing by putting ROM in RAM) | (Speeds processing by putting ROM in RAM) | ||
;VIDEO_SWITCH_NOTIFICATION to ON | ;VIDEO_SWITCH_NOTIFICATION to ON | ||
(Lets app know when switching to full screen mode) | (Lets app know when switching to full screen mode) | ||
;VIDEO_8514_XGA_IOTRAP to OFF (Only for 8514 Cards) | ;VIDEO_8514_XGA_IOTRAP to OFF (Only for 8514 Cards) | ||
Eliminates 8514 video buffer overhead) | Eliminates 8514 video buffer overhead) | ||
;XMS_HANDLES to 32 | ;XMS_HANDLES to 32 | ||
(For mapping HMA) | (For mapping HMA) | ||
;XMS MEMORY_LIMIT to 0 | ;XMS MEMORY_LIMIT to 0 | ||
(Not using XMS memory) | (Not using XMS memory) | ||
;XMS_MINIMUM_HMA to 0 | ;XMS_MINIMUM_HMA to 0 | ||
(Any HMA request will be filled) | (Any HMA request will be filled) | ||
With these settings, you can expect to get a frame rate of roughly 70% of that of DOS (your mileage may vary). You will find that if you had memory manager problems before, OS/2 is much more stable and less likely to crash and burn. | |||
With these settings, you can expect to get a frame rate of roughly 70% of that of DOS (your mileage may vary). | |||
If you have any comments, please feel free to address my CIS UID at 70031,435. | If you have any comments, please feel free to address my CIS UID at 70031,435. | ||
Latest revision as of 12:19, 19 December 2022
By Eric Pinnell.
Dear Falconers,
Many of you have been trying to run Falcon 3.0 under IBM's new OS/2 2.0 operating system, but have been confused and bewildered by the huge array of DOS settings available to you. So, after consulting technical manuals (The IBM Red Books), here are a list of settings you need, and why they must be set that way:
- DOS_BACKGROUND_EXECUTION to OFF
(If Falcon is running in background, it will suspend processing. Otherwise, it will eat too much CPU cycles)
- DOS_HIGH to ON
(This will give us extra memory for the DOS session)
- DOS_LASTDRIVE to D (or whatever your highest drive letter is)
(This will give us some more memory)
- DOS_UMB to ON
(More memory by using Upper Memory Blocks)
- DPMI_DOS_API to DISABLED
(Falcon Doesn't use DPMI memory, so we gain speed by not emulating DPIM)
- DPMI_MEMORY_LIMIT to 0
(We don't use DPMI)
- HW_ROM_TO_RAM to ON
(This speeds up BIOS functions)
- IDLE_SECONDS to 60
(Makes Idle detection a long time)
- IDLE_SENSITIVITY to 100
(this disables idle detection, so Falcon will always be checked to see if it needs CPU
- MOUSE_EXCLUSIVE_ACCESS to ON
(We only plan to use the program with the 1 mouse pointer)
- VIDEO_ONDEMAND_MEMORY to OFF
(Saves memory by not allocating video buffer)
- VIDEO_ROM_EMULATION to ON
(Speeds processing by putting ROM in RAM)
- VIDEO_SWITCH_NOTIFICATION to ON
(Lets app know when switching to full screen mode)
- VIDEO_8514_XGA_IOTRAP to OFF (Only for 8514 Cards)
Eliminates 8514 video buffer overhead)
- XMS_HANDLES to 32
(For mapping HMA)
- XMS MEMORY_LIMIT to 0
(Not using XMS memory)
- XMS_MINIMUM_HMA to 0
(Any HMA request will be filled)
With these settings, you can expect to get a frame rate of roughly 70% of that of DOS (your mileage may vary). You will find that if you had memory manager problems before, OS/2 is much more stable and less likely to crash and burn.
If you have any comments, please feel free to address my CIS UID at 70031,435.
Eric Pinnell