README.TXT for Wintune 2.0, CD Version, 12/13/94

PLEASE TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND READ THESE RELEASE NOTES. THEY WILL
SAVE YOU TIME AND TROUBLE LATER. --The WINTUNE 2.0 Task Force
=================================
UPDATES AND BUG FIXES

Wintune 2.0 is a work in progress. To makes sure you have the most
up-to-date version, check the "Wintune and related files" section
of the WINMAG software library on AOL for the latest update. Update
files are named WTUPDnn.ZIP, where nn is a revision number. The version
you have includes all changes for WTUPD1.ZIP and WTUPD2.ZIP.

Update files will also be made available through other electronic
media; but AOL is Wintune's home base, and the files will be available
there first.
=================================
TO INSTALL WINTUNE 2.0:

1) If you have a beta version of WINTUNE 2.0, please delete it,
   and all related files. In particular, delete any .TRF files (the 
   format has changed), WT20.INI from \WINDOWS; and delete HELL16C.DLL,
   GETINFO.DLL, TIPADW16.DLL in your \WT20 directory and and any WT*.VBX 
   files from \WINDOWS\SYSTEM. Also delete the Wintune icons and WT20 
   group from Program Manager. Then exit and restart Windows before 
   running WINTUNE setup.

2) run SETUP.EXE from File/Run in Progman

3) when setup is complete, run Wintune. PLEASE FILL IN THE USER
   INFORMATION FORM as completely as possible.

4) If you have trouble during setup, please check the file sizes and
   modification dates against those listed below. If any are off, you
   need to download WINTUNE again.

WT20.ZIP contains the following files:

Name		Length	Date

CMDIALOG.VB_	10,865	04-28-93
GETINFO.DL_	22,263	09-27-94
GSW.EX_		151,678	02-18-94
GSWDLL.DL_	24,408	02-18-94
HELL16C.DL_	224,800	12-01-94
README.TXT	14,060	12-13-94
SETUP.EXE	8,480	10-07-93
SETUP.INF	217	08-30-94
SETUP1.EX_	20,207	10-01-94
SETUPKIT.DL_	3,657	04-28-93
SSIDXTAB.VB_	39,604	05-23-94
TIPADW16.DL_	12,575	12-09-94
VBRUN300.DL_	276,684	05-12-93
VER.DL_		6,307	03-10-92
WINTUNE.TR_	22,511	11-08-94
WT20.EX_	104,209	12-12-94
WTFAQ.HL_	39,464	12-12-04
WTGRAPH.VB_	41,683	02-18-94
WTHELP.HL_	251,953	12-05-94
WTSS3D.VB_	28,209	08-24-93
WTSS3D2.VB_	44,100	06-01-93
WTTIP.HL_	53,145	12-05-94
WTEST.HL_	3,992	10-18-94 (not used)
*not less than

Wintune files after SETUP is complete:

Name		Length	Date		Directory
CMDIALOG.VBX	18,688	04-28-93	\windows\system
GETINFO.DLL	37,652	09-27-94	\wt20
GSW.EXE		262,704	02-18-94	\windows\system
GSWDLL.DLL	45,584	02-18-94	\windows\system
HELL16C.DLL	303,104	12-01-94	\wt20
README.TXT	12,454	12-02-94	\wt20
SSIDXTAB.VBX	61,664	05-23-94	\windows\system
TIPADW16.DLL	21,056	12-09-94	\wt20
VBRUN300.DLL	398,416	05-12-93	\windows\system
VER.DLL		9,696	11-12-94	\windows\system
WINTUNE.TRF	107,940	11-08-94	\wt20
WT20.EXE	277,287	12-12-94	\wt20
WTFAQ.HLP	95,315	12-12-94	\wt20
WTGRAPH.VBX	73,296	02-18-94	\windows\system
WTHELP.HLP	640,043	12-05-94	\wt20
WTSS3D.VBX	56,160	08-24-93	\windows\system
WTSS3D2.VBX	73,104	06-01-93	\windows\system
WTTIP.HLP	115,242	12-05-94	\wt20

*not less than
===================================
PROBLEMS?

If you have trouble getting Wintune installed and running, check
the file dates and sizes you have against those above--chances are
one or more will be off. If that's not the problem, try viewing
WTFAQ.HLP If you don't have it, go to a DOS prompt, change to
the directory where the installation files are, and type:

	EXPAND WTFAQ.HL_ WTFAQ.HLP

Then exit the DOS prompt, and double-click WTFAQ.HLP from File
Manager. That should launch WINHELP.EXE with WTFAQ.HLP loaded.
====================================================
ERROR:NEED GRAPHICS SERVER VERSION 2.51 OR LATER

If you see this message, you probably have multiple versions
of GSW.EXE and GSWDLL.DLL on your machine (this happens because
some software--including early versions of Microsoft Encarta,
and the Parsons Inventory program--install these files into the
wrong directory). To fix the problem, search your hard disk
for extra copies of these files in directories other than
/WINDOWS/SYSTEM (usually the /WINDOWS directory), and rename
them (for instance GSW.EXX, GSWDLL.DLX). Then exit Windows,
restart--and Wintune will run correctly.
-------------------------------------
IMPROVE CACHED DISK PERFORMANCE

If you get the "Improved Cached Disk Performance" tip, it's
possible that you have a cache that is not using write-behind
disk caching. In particular, write-behind caching is disabled
by the /X switch in SmartDrive. See the Wintune help file entry
for "Smartdrv" for more information.
------------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE NOTES

12/9/94 (WTUPD1.ZIP):
A new version of TIPADW16.DLL has been generated, which corrects an
error on systems with 64+ MB RAM. The helpfiles and README.TXT have
also been updated (the lengths and locations of files before and
after installations have been corrected).

12/12/94 (WTUPD2.ZIP):
A new WT20.EXE (build 16) was produced to solve problems with the
memory test on systems with 4MB RAM. README.TXT was also updated
----------------------------------------------------------------------
VIEWING .TRF ENTRIES WITHOUT RUNNING A TEST

Many Beta-2 testers requested this capability; so we added it in beta-3. 
You can now establish an association in file manager (File/Associate) of 
type ".TRF" with WT20.EXE. Once that's done, double-clicking on a .TRF 
file in file manager or any other app that supports associations (MS-
Mail 3.2, for instance) will launch Wintune, load the .TRF in question, 
and set the most recent test results "as current"--in effect, you'll see 
Wintune behave as though that test had just been run.

You will still have to run a test, using the "Start" button before any 
of the individual test commands will work. We apologise for the 
inconvenience; but this is necessary to assure that all program setup is 
properly executed (for instance, if you exit the app and change 
smartdrive settings, just running the disk test again wouldn't help--
because Wintune detects disk cache type and size when the Start button 
is pressed, *not* when an individual disk test is run).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
AUTOMATICALLY LOADING THE LAST SAVED TEST "AS CURRENT"

If you wish, you can have Wintune automatically load the most recent 
test in the default .TRF file (normally WINTUNE.TRF) automatically each 
time Wintune loads. To do so, edit the command line (click on the 
WT20.EXE icon in Program Manager, select File/Properties) and add a /L.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
EXPERT MODE

We've added a new mode that eliminates some of the system messages (such 
as the one about other applications running), and which provides a "Load 
Test As Current" command in the File menu. The Help/Full Tips command 
has been eliminated from Standard Mode, and is now only available in 
Expert Mode.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
IF YOU HAVE A NON-STANDARD DISK CACHE, Or are running OS/2 or NT,
then you will need to manually set the disk cache size in the WINTUNE 
command line. The syntax for this is:

	/Cnnnn

Where nnnn is your disk cache size in KB. Legal values are 16--16384. 
Ie, to manually set a 2MB cache size, use command-line switch:

	/C2048

If you don't set a cache size, you will get a simplified disk test with 
results that may not be comparable to those from a test with a detected 
cache size.

NT users: Since NT has a dynamic cache, our current test can never be 
completely accurate, but as a practical matter, we're getting good 
results on both NT 3.1 and 3.5 with a manually sett cache size of 4MB. 
This appears to approximately match the performance of NT's dynamic 
cache and the built-in Wi16 emulation subsystem.

OS/2 users: you should manually set Wintune's cache size to the same 
size as that set in the DISKCACHE line in CONFIG.SYS (for FAT drives) or 
to that set with CACHE= in the IFS=HPFS.IFS line of CONFIG.SYS. For 
instance, if you are using OS/2 with a FAT drive, and DISKCACHE = 
1024,L,W set:

	/C1024

If you are running HPFS and have IFS=C:\OS2\HPFS.IFS /CACHE:512 ...

Then set:

	/C512
 -------------------------------------------------------------------
OTHER ISSUES

 - Disk results different from Wintune 1.0: The disk test in 2.0 is    
  *very* different than in 1.0, and we don't expect it to match. The 2.0
  results (which are a weighted average of cached and un-cached
  performance... we now detect both WFWG 3.11 32-bit cache and SMARTDRV.   

  If you are using Windows NT, OS/2, or an undetected 3rd-party disk 
  cache, you will need to set a /C command-line switch as discussed 
  above.

 - Where's the Bird (in the video test)? He's gone. His replacement is
 they "Eyeball", which you will see at the end of a *full* video test.

 - GPFs: The only condition where we expect Wintune to GPF is running a
full video test with a bad video driver. If that happens, switch to Quick
Test mode (so you don't get the GPF anymore) and contact your video supplier
for a new driver.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
WINTUNE.TRF

Our default test results database (WINTUNE.TRF) contains significantly
more information in this release--the same four systems are shown on
start-up, but you'll find that a much wider range of systems are now
available for comparison. Many thanks to our beta testers who contributed!

The file starts with four "standard" systems that are used a defaults in comparison
displays, then has about two dozen common systems that are ordered from fast
through slow systems (all are pretty much correctly set up), and winds up with a
bunch of "example" systems with problems such as compressed disk drives, a
TSR that slows overall performance, L1 cache disabled, turbo switch off, etc:

Examples:

At the end of the build-14 version of WINTUNE.TRF there are 13
example systems that illustrate typical problems. They're intended
as a diagnostic aid in debugging systems that deliver odd results
the examples in this version are:

	* EX: Pwr Mgt On (Gateway Colorbook)
	* EX: Pwr Mgt On (Gateway Colorbook)
	* EX: Pwr Mgt Off (Gateway Colorbook)

	The first two files illustrate what can happen when testing
	a notebook with power management--the first shows anomolously
	low CPU results, the second low disk. The third file shows
	how the same system tested with power management disabled. We
	reccomend disabling power management when running WINTUNE on
	Notebook computers.

	* EX: L1 and L2 Cache Off (NCR 3333 486/33)
	* EX: L2 Cache Off (NCR 3333 486/33)
	* EX: L1+L2 Cache On (NCR 3333 486/33)

	These examples illustrate the effect of level-1 (internal) and
	level-2 (external) CPU cache. The system in question has a
	256KB L2 cache. In the first example, both caches are disabled;
	yielding low overall performance. In the second case the L1 cache
	internal to the 486 CPU is enabled, but external cache is
	disabled--so CPU performance is improved, but RAM, video and
	(particularly) disk performance still suffer. The third example
	shows the result of enabling both caches--optimal performance.

	* EX: Compressed Disk ( AMD 486 DX2/66)

	This example shows typical performance from a non-cached disk
	compresser such as Stacker. A caching compressor such as Doublespace
	yields significantly better performance.

	* EX: Notebook wi APM On.

	This example shows a notebook computer with Advanced Power Management
	(APM) enabled--low (and erratic) performance. Turn APM off when
	running Wintune, then turn it back on if needed for use.

	* EX: Stacked Disk, no Cache

	This example is similar to the compressed disk example above.

	* EX: TSR (Chameleon) Loaded

	Here a well-tuned system suffers because a DOS terminate-and-stay
	resident (TSR) utility is stealing CPU cycles, reducing overall
	performance.

	* Ex 486SX with Turbo switch OFF

	Here a system gives low overall performance--indicating either
	Turbo OFF or a problem with memory wait states.

	* Ex: APM Enabled (NCR 486 SX/SLC Notebook)

	Another example with Advanced Power Management.

You can select any of these entries in the Comparisons tab--and if you
want to see how the front-panel display looks for these conditions, use
Edit/Preferences to select Expert Mode, and load the test in question
"As Current"--this will show you the front panel pointer display and
tips (it's especially instructive to view the RAMprobe curve for the
three NCR CPU cache examples--load each in turn "as current", and click
on the RAM pointer)

YOU CAN HELP! We're interested in expanding this collection of example
problems. If you encounter a system with an unusual problem, please save
results on it, and mail it to jruley on AOL. Please include a full
description of the problem. Thanks! --jR
---------------------------------------------------------------------
BUGS

If you find a bug (please check all text in this file and the "Frequently
Asked Questions" helpfile *first*):

1) If Wintune is running, save your results

2) If Wintune is running go to details/all, copy all text

3) Send a mail message to jruley@aol.com. Detail what's wrong. Follow that
with the text copied in (2), and attach your WINTUNE.TRF file (which
contains the results you saved in step 1).

4) If you experience a crash, run Dr. Watson and MSD.EXE, and send me
the results.

Thanks!

John D. Ruley
Editor-at-Large
jruley@aol.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------
SHH! DON'T TELL ANYONE!

If you read this far...

Then you're a *really* dedicated WINTUNER. So try the
following:

	Help/About
	Click on "from"

Enjoy! --jR   