🚀 go-pugleaf

dana@hardy.hdw.csd.harris.com (Dan Aksel) writes:
>In article <colfelt.674898394@tramp.Colorado.EDU> colfelt@tramp.Colorado.EDU
>writes:
>>
>>Don't worry about Buffers=10 and no FASTOPEN; SmartDrv is SMART! :-)
>>
>I haven't had success with SmartDrv.  I was having trouble with W4W hanging
>when
>I clicked FILE and PageMaker 4.0 returning me to a DOS prompt frequently.
>Removing SMARTDRV solved the problem.

>On a recent phone call with MS Support: "Don't run SMARTDRV unless you
>absolutely have to, it has caused some mysterious problems in the past."

Was this because you have a unique hard drive?  What did they say about using
other caches with windows?  I recall them saying something about SmartDrv being
great because it "cooperates with windows."  As far as I can tell, this
cooperation is manifest in the ability of Windows to modulate the size of the
cache "as necessary," but the modulation sucks-- you must specify a minimum 
value for cache size, else when you run Windows in 386Enh., the cache is
reduced to 0 bytes and never incerases.  That is, my system is VERY slow when
I allow the reduction, and no noticeable change when I force a minimum value.

>I use 386MAX 5.0 as a high memory manager.  It loads the network and mouse
>software into the 640-1000K region.  When I installed it, it kept hanging.  The

Should I be using something to manage this never-never land of memory or is
HIMEM.SYS utilizing the 640K-1000K space?  If I'm wasting this space as it is
now, I'd sure like some advice here!  (I have 2Mb and do quite nicely, although
I've never experienced the 4Mb advantage.)

>tech support person said, "Is SMARTDRV running.  I said "No" and he said "Good"
>Its not a real cache anyway." He then went on to say I should use a cache
>similar to PC-Tools or the one that Qualitas offers.  (Qualitas distributes
>386MAX).

How about the Norton-Cache that comes with Norton 5.0?  I trust Norton more 
that Central Point when it comes to nitty-gritty stuff.  If in fact the 
utility of SmartDrv is questionable, and if indeed the "cooperation" is
a joke, then I'm all ready to switch!  Bring on the Cache Brigade!

Also, what's the low-down on QEMM vs. 386MAX, and didn't I hear/read something
somewhere about 386MAX-Windows clashes, or was that the previous version?
QEMM used to clash, but the new version is kosher w/ Windows.

Andrew
colfelt@tramp.colorado.edu