Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!think.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!uunet!zephyr.ens.tek.com!tektronix!reed!intelhf!ichips!inews!hopi!sstrazdu From: sstrazdu@hopi.intel.com (Stephen Strazdus) Newsgroups: comp.windows.ms Subject: Re: ---Catch-All for Windows Problems--- Keywords: memory problems enhanced mode Message-ID: <4389@inews.intel.com> Date: 23 May 91 12:26:08 GMT References: <3463@travis.csd.harris.com> Sender: news@inews.intel.com Organization: Intel Corp, Chandler, AZ Lines: 36 In article 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. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Steve Strazdus | sstrazdu@hopi.intel.com | Insert your favorite .sig here.