Virtual OS/2 International Consumer Education

February 1998


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OS/2 Tips


Feb. 13, 1998 - Trying to figure out what version of Netscape you are currently running. It's awfully confusing since IBM insists on labeling each as 2.02. If you type about: in the url entry field you will get a screen with some info about Navigator 2.02. Ignore it and look at the title bar at the top of the window. the last five or six numbers will tell you what version of Netscape Navigator 2.02 for OS/2 you are running. The 128 bit secure version from June 97 gives 97070, while the Feb 3rd and Feb 12th versions give 980101.

Feb. 6, 1998 - Confused as to what version of java you are running, here is a tip for identifying the java version:

To identify what version of java netscape is using you can go to either http://users.exis.net/~mgreene/ or http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Heights/9885/osapplet.html and there is a java applet that tells you. For information on how to get java 1.1.4 to run under Netscape check out http://users.exis.net/~mgreene/netscape2.htm or http://doofus.ml.org/Java/

If you just want to know what version of java your system is using type:
JAVA -VERSION
at an OS/2 command prompt.


Feb. 2, 1998 - A tip found on the OS/2 mail List for TCP/IP 4.1 users from Duane Chamblee, of Indelible Blue: Edit the \MPTN\BIN\SETUP.CMD file.
Comment out the "route add -net..." line.

Rerun setup.cmd (you may have to reboot).

WARNING, if you let the configuration notebook change the routing, this line will be added again.

I was getting lots of lockups(total system freeze, mouse pointer and everything) from this stack and a PCI ethernet until I removed the line.

If this solves you're problem...Please call IBM and tell them about it. I've already had an issue but I couldn't get the Lockup to consistently reproduce without using a 3rd party product (PMMail did it).


Jan. 29, 1998 - For you folks who want to perk up Netscape Navigator for OS/2 and have some RAM to spare here's a tip from Jim Larson, on comp.os.os2.apps:

If you want a snappier Netscape, and have enough memory, increase the size of "Network Buffer Size" under OPTIONS, NETWORK PREFERENCES ..., CONNECTIONS. I changed mine from 32k to 512k on a 128meg machine and things are considerably faster.


Jan. 26, 1998 - Need to view Japanese under OS/2 Warp 4.0? Check out Alan Barbour's web page for details - http://userzweb.lightspeed.net/~abarbour/os2cjk.htm

Jan. 24, 1998 - From Don Woodall, on the OS/2 Discussion List a tip on how to outfox Micro$oft in getting a win32s 1.30 application to install under OS/2:

1. First backup, preserve your copy of all the necessary Win32s version 1.25 files.

2. Install the Win32s version 1.30 files.

3. Install the application which needs the Win32s version 1.30 files.

IMPORTANT
Install, but DO NOT RUN the application.

4. Backup the installed Win32s version 1.30 files.

5. Re-install the Win32s version 1.25 files.

Vince Vielhaber noted on the VOICE Help List, that he has seen that the following step will give one a hybrid 1.25/1.30 win32s setup-
6. Finally, copy the following Win32s 1.30 files from the 1.30 backup locations into the system\win32s subdir:

shell32.dll
comctl32.dll
oleaut32.dll
ole2thk.dll
ole32.dll


Jan 24, 1998 - From a post by Peter French in the TEAMOS/2 Help list:

If you have multiple desktop directories and want to delete the ones not being used: " If you can figure out which one is the "current" one, you can delete all the others. The easiest way is to create a directory under each of the desktop directories. The one where it shows up as a folder on "your" desktop is the current one (wait a bit for it to show, and use slightly different names so you can easily tell).

p.s. For some reason, the OS does not allow one to make these new folders from the command line - at least that is my observation. However, you can make them from a file manager such as MrFilePM or Object Navigator."


Jan 24, 1998 - Sam Detweiler of IBM posted this gem in comp.os.os2.misc in response to a question about forcing a PnP card to use specific configuration:

"for adapters that are NOT PnP and do NOT have a legacy detector, one can use the DOCUMENTED approach of adding a
basedev=reserve.sys /p:2e8,8
to the config.sys and re-running hardware detection at the next boot.

This reserve.sys causes the reserve.snp to pre-allocate the defined resources (see help reserve for the reset of the parms) so that PnP adapters can't use them..

the PnP code is only as good as the resource usage map is.."

Also in a separate post by Sam again on PnP configuration:

"Well, the rules are

Anytime you change the hardware config, you run Hardware detection. We do NOT do hardware detection
AUTOMAGICALLY AT EACH BOOT by default (the sensitive to hangs/traps among us won the argument here)..

Anyhow.. Reserve,sys is the driver time blocker, and reserve.snp read the config.sy line(s) with reserve.sys on them and uses the same resources for the PnP configuration time blocking..

The video adapter driver isn't RM enabled, so we don't KNOW what its resource usage is (above VGA)
so in the S3 case where 2E8 is used, you have to manually block it out..(with reserve.sys)

The Network adapter drivers and the IBM MWAVE drivers are also not RM enabled..(MWAVE takes 4 IRQs
SB, Modem, MIDI and DSP).."


Jan. 21, 1998 - Need to install Warp from a hard drive? Here is a tip from John Griffin, by way of the OS/2 Help List:

The official documentation re: HD to HD install from IBM instructs one to change one line of code in the CONFIG.SYS on installation diskette #1 (DISK_1).

To wit:

Change: SET OS2_SHELL=SYSINST2.EXE
To: SET OS2_SHELL=SYSINST2.EXE X:\TEMP

Where 'X:\' is the drive spec of an HD partition other than the partition on which you are trying to install the new system and, '...\TEMP' is the directory to which you have 'xcopy'd' the 'OS2IMAGE' dir from the install CD.


Jan 19, 1998 - A peer networking tip from Rolan Wenzel posted in comp.os.os2.networking.server:

To restore your lost peer networking icons:
In Warp 4.0 "Just run x:\IBMLAN\INSTALL\PEERINST.EXE /20, do not change anything." and "For Warp3: x:\IBMLAN\INSTALL\INSTALL.CMD"


Jan. 18, 1998 - A tip from comp.os.os2.networking.misc concerning networking OS/2 on an IBM ThinkPad from Gilles Kirouac, Myriade, Quebec, Canada

you can also get a virtual connection through the parallel port and that the transfer rate is likely higher than IR? The price is a cable only.

Another way is two lan cards, one being a PCMCIA type, with a proper one-to-one cable. More expensive, but better throuput.

The best place to look for solutions to such a problem is http://www.tpwarper.com.


Jan 16, 1998 -Have a Sound Blaster AWE64 PnP card and want to get it to work under OS/2? Here's a couple of posts on how to do just that:

First this from John K. Ramalho in a post in comp.os.os2.games:
"the trick resides in having the last fixpack then installing the awe32PNP drivers (awePNP)from the selective install. Then you should should use notepad to cut and paste (don't use tedit) the two lines where you have Sbawed2.sys and audioVdd.sys to the beginning of the config.sys, then uncompress the drivers found on http://www.ionet.net/~colin/awe32.html and install them .. make sure to select awe32 and enable plug and play... dont mind the text file its outdated.... then make sure to make it install to the mmos2 directory and let it overwrite any files there even if they are newer...... then.... reboot and HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!!! IT WORKS!!!!!!

Next this post also in comp.os.os2.games from Paul Christiansen:

OK, what I'm about to suggest is a worst case that takes every workaround I know of into consideration. It may be overkill, and then again, it may not work at all, even after this. You may need to try variations.

1. Uninstall all Multimedia Support using the Uninstall MM icon.
2. Reboot
3. Reinstall MM Support, selecting the SB AWE PnP. DO NOT REBOOT.
4. Install ONLY the beta drivers using the INSTALL icon that unpacks from Colin's package. After installation, check CONFIG.SYS to be sure the only variables in the device driver statement is the $SBAUD variable. If others are selected. erase them and resave the file.
5. Reboot, using the Alt-F1, F5 sequence to get OS/2 to recognize the board and activate the drivers.
6. If still no sound, in your CONFIG.SYS, move the DEVICE=COM.SYS
and DEVICE=VCOM.SYS after your SB statements.
7. If you now have sound, you will have to get the replacement drivers for COM.SYS (SIO.SYS) from Hobbes and install them, as the COM.SYS drivers won't work. \
8. If you don't have sound, REM out the COM statements, reboot and see if you have sound. If yes, replace the COM drivers. as in 7.
9. If still no sound, it is possible the SB drivers just aren't being copied during the install and/or the OS2 system files aren't getting updated during the install. Copy the driver package onto a floppy and, starting over from step 1 (sorry, but you really have to do this), in step 4, install from a floppy.
(This trick got the board working for me).

Finally, it is possible that your BIOS may need to be upgraded to get the OS/2 PnP to work right. Try turning off PnP in your BIOS and see if the drivers now work.


Jan 16, 1998 - Looking for the latest news on OS/2. Well there are a number of sites that will keep you up to date.

EDM/2 The Electronic Developer Magazine for OS/2 - http://www.edm2.com/ Like the name says this monthly online magazine is geared toward the OS/2 developer/programmer.

Geld sparen mit OS/2 - http://www.saargate.de/~domi/geldos2/index.htm - If you can read German, then this site provides OS/2 tips and information on how to save money using OS/2.

Network Computing Software Support News Items - http://ps.boulder.ibm.com/pbin-usa-ps/getobj.pl?/pdocs-usa/fixnews.html - Formerly the IBM Personal Systems Products Support News site. Here you will find news related to updates to OS/2.

OS/2 Announcements - http://www.aescon.com/cgi-bin/innoval/add.pl - The Best of OS/2 site for "announcements that pertain to OS/2 products, services, user groups, events, and web sites that address OS/2 topics."

OS/2 Connect - http://www.os2ss.com/connect/ - A monthly newsletter put out by OS/2 users for OS/2 users. Has information about OS/2 from all over the world.

OS/2 e-Zine - The on-line OS/2 Magazine - http://www.os2ezine.com/ - A must read site. Lot's of reviews of OS/2 software and even some hardware. This is a monthly online only magazine.

OS/2 Inside - Online - http://www.os2-inside.de/ - The online version of the German OS/2 Inside magazine. Makes me wish I could read German. There are enough english words on the pages to make you wonder if it's not too late to learn a new language.

OS/2 News Service - http://www.netcologne.de/~nc-bruehlth/news/ - Another german only site, with OS/2 news, and interesting links to new files of interest as well as other sites. This site frequently updated and has some links to english pages.

OS/2 News and Rumours - http://catbert.istar.ca/os2/ - A web site with interesting bits of news and gossip about OS/2.

OS/2 Warp News and Rumours - http://www.hartnell.cc.ca.us/hacnc/altos/OS2News.html - Like the above, a web site with interesting news and rumours about OS/2 Warp.

Sentience Software - News - http://www.sentience.com.au/news/gossip.html - OS/2 news from a guy down under with an interesting spin.

Warpcast - http://www.os2ss.com/warpcast/ - A service of OS/2 e-Zine and the OS2 Super Site, you can subscribe to receive frequent email updates of OS/2 news.

Warp X - The Future with OS/2 - http://www.jmast.se/warpx/warpx.htm - Martin Alfredsson, the keeper of the Unofficial Warp 5 FAQ, has a news page concerning current and future development of OS/2.

32 Bits Online - http://www.32bitsonline.com/ - Use to be an OS/2 only online magazine known as OS/2 Computing, now devoted to all 32 bit operating systems including OS/2, Apple, Linux, and some other lesser regarded computer operating systems.


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