🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <colfelt.674956491@tramp.Colorado.EDU> colfelt@tramp.Colorado.EDU writes:
>dana@hardy.hdw.csd.harris.com (Dan Aksel) writes:
>>[MicroSoft] 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!


After reading Appendix D in the Windows User's Guide, I was under the
impression that the only time windows did any cache modulation with
Smart Drive was when you are running in Real Mode and have Smart Drive
installed in Expanded (does anyone still use this stuff?) Memory.

p588 says, "With an extended memory cache, when Windows starts in
standard mode or 386 enhanced mode, it immediately reduces SMARTDrive's
cache to the minimum size."

The rest of the text gives no indication that Windows ever gives memory
back to Smart Drive until you exit windows.  If this is the case, then
there isn't much advantage to using Smart Drive except that you have a
bigger disk cache when you're not running windows.  If you use windows
almost exclusively, it seems you could use a different, and probably
more reliable disk cache.  Just set the cache size to whatever you
currently have defined as your minimum cache size.

I'm sure if I'm wrong I'll get corrected, but the above is how I read the
manual.
--
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Steve Strazdus  |  sstrazdu@hopi.intel.com  |  Insert your favorite .sig here.