

NOVELL TECHNICAL INFORMATION DOCUMENT

DOCUMENT PROCESSING INFO:  Replaces Document FYI-M-1206
TITLE:  CONFIGURING SUPER PC-KWIK
DOCUMENT ID:  TID800071
DOCUMENT REVISION:  A
DATE:  18AUG94
AUTHOR:  KBANTA;DPARTRID
ALERT STATUS:  Yellow
DISTRIBUTION:  Public
INFORMATION TYPE:  Issue
README FOR:  NA
NOVELL PRODUCT CLASS:

Desktop Products

NOVELL PRODUCT and VERSION:

DR DOS 6.0

CATEGORY:

Disk Cache

ABSTRACT:

This document discusses many of the different configuration options
available for Super PC-Kwik.

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DISCLAIMER
THE ORIGIN OF THIS INFORMATION MAY BE INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL TO NOVELL. 
NOVELL MAKES EVERY EFFORT WITHIN ITS MEANS TO VERIFY THIS INFORMATION. 
HOWEVER, THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS FOR YOUR INFORMATION
ONLY.  NOVELL MAKES NO EXPLICIT OR IMPLIED CLAIMS TO THE VALIDITY OF THIS
INFORMATION.
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ISSUE

USING SUPER PC-KWIK AND WINDOWS 3.1

Disk caching with Super PC-Kwik is recommended for improved performance
with Windows.  

Although PC-Kwik attempts by default to use all available extended memory,
it lends back up to half of that to applications as requested.

Windows is unique in that it allocates all extended memory as it is
loaded. Other applications use varying amounts of extended memory as they
need it. 

Because Windows needs 2 MB or more of extended memory to run efficiently
in enhanced mode, you must force PC-Kwik to lend at least 2 MB of extended
memory back to Windows on systems with insufficient extended memory for
both the cache and Windows (i.e., those with less than 4 MB of extended
memory).

For example, on a system with a total of 4 MB of memory (3 MB extended),
Super PC-Kwik would lend only 1536 KB by default (3072 / 2 = 1536). 
Because Windows prefers 2048 KB or more, increase the default by using the
following command: 

            SUPERPCK /L:2048

If total system memory is 5 MB, or more, the Super PC-Kwik default lending
of one-half of extended memory is sufficient to have an effective cache
and run Windows in enhanced mode. If you run several applications through
Windows and run out of memory, you can increase the lending amount with
the PC-Kwik /L:xxxx switch.

If total system memory is large, for example 8 MB or more, and you use
Windows extensively, turn off lending completely and set the allocated
amount for the cache buffer. For example, on a system with a 10 MB total
(9 MB extended) use the following PC-Kwik switch: SUPERPCK /L- /S:3072.
This keeps the cache buffer high, while giving Windows 6,144 KBs of
extended memory for its own use. Once again, enable lending if Windows is
running out of memory.


USING SUPER PC-KWIK

Size of Cache

Super PC-Kwik moves as much of its code into upper memory as possible.
Therefore, you do not need to use HILOAD or HIINSTALL on Super PC-Kwik.
Super PC-Kwik will use the least amount of memory for its executable code
if it is configured to cache in expanded (EMS) memory. The Super PC-Kwik
code "footprint" is typically about 17 KB in upper memory.

When Super PC-Kwik is configured to cache extended memory, the code
footprint in the first 1 MB of memory varies in size according to the
amount of extended memory that is cached.

The Super PC-Kwik footprint in upper memory can be controlled by limiting
the amount of extended memory allocated to the cache. If your system has
more than 8 MB of RAM, you might want to use the Super PCKwik /S:xxxx
switch to limit the cache buffer size. 

The Super PC-Kwik maximum cache buffer size is 16 MB.


USING SUPER PC-KWIK WITH NETWORKS

You can load Super PC-Kwik on a DOS-based network server (e.g., Lantastic
4.0). However, advanced cache reads and writes should be disabled (use the
Super PC-Kwik /H- and /D- switches.)  If you are using Novell NetWare,
load Novell drivers before loading Super PC-Kwik to permit unloading the
cache.  You can load the Novell drivers after, but you must then leave
Super PC-Kwik in memory.

Super PC-Kwik will not cache remote network drives (i.e, across the
network). However, local drives can be cached.  When used on a network,
the DR DOS 6.0 operating system must reload COMMAND.COM after Super
PC-Kwik loads. You must use the DR DOS SHELL and SET COMSPEC commands to
point to the location of COMMAND.COM.  

Do not use the DR DOS VERIFY=ON command when using a network as it will
negate any gain from caching.

Also, when using Super PC-Kwik, the BUFFERS=4 command in the CONFIG.SYS
file is adequate, and the FASTOPEN command is generally not needed.


Generally, Super PC-Kwik should be loaded early in AUTOEXEC.BAT.  TSRs
loaded after Super PC-Kwik must be unloaded from memory before Super
PC-Kwik can be unloaded with the /U parameter.

If you use Lotus 1-2-3 v3.1, note that it uses the Rational Systems DOS
Extender. Use the DR DOS SET DOS16M=:384 command in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file
and use the Super PC-Kwik /R:400 switch.

TROUBLESHOOTING SUPER PC-KWIK

If, after eliminating the factors listed above, Super PC-Kwik still
malfunctions, check the parameters used when loading Super PC-Kwik. Begin
with the simplest settings, such as /H-, /T-, and /D-.

If you suspect an upper memory conflict, use the Super PC-Kwik /&U- switch
to prevent parts of Super PC-Kwik from moving into upper memory.

If you are having problems reading a drive, try the Super PC-Kwik /I+, /X
/I+, or /T- switches. Also, see "Upper Memory Conflicts" on page 17.

FLOPPY DRIVE DOES NOT WORK

If you have installed Super PC-Kwik and have enabled the /D+ switch, your
disk controller must be 100% IBM compatible. Reset the /D+ switch to /D-
(the /D# switch works on some controllers) to turn off PC-Kwik's advanced
caching for the floppy drives (advanced caching for your hard drive
remains in effect).


ADDITIONAL REFERENCES:  DR DOS 6.0 USER GUIDE - CHAPTERS 11 & 13

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