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2) Much More DMA Info Unearthed

When "Direct Memory Access" works, it really kicks your hard drives into overdrive--- you gain a *lot* of speed. With so simple a tweak available to so many people, it's amazing how hard it is to find complete, accurate information about DMA.

My current WinMag column ( http://content.techweb.com/winmag//columns/explorer/1999/1206.htm ) is a kind of core dump of what I knew, so far, about DMA, and I ended the column by asking readers to share what they know as well. As usual---you folks are great!--- we got some excellent responses.

For example, reader Jay (who is a webmaster at wanganui.com) dug this out of the Microsoft site; it's information on how to test your hard drives directly for DMA compliance.

Boot to DOS.

At the command prompt, type:

debug

At the hyphen prompt, type the following lines, pressing ENTER after each line. Do not type the semicolon (;) or the comment after the semicolon. NOTE: The first character of each line is the letter o, not the numeral zero.

o 1f6 a0 ; a0 (a-zero) is for a master drive, use b0 for a slave.
o 1f2 22 ; 22 is for DMA mode 2, use 21 for DMA mode 1.
o 1f1 03 ; 03 (zero-3) is to program the hard disk timing.
o 1f7 ef ; ef is the set feature command for the hard disk.
i 1f1 ; Reads in the error status; a value is returned.

To quit Debug, type the letter "q" and press ENTER.

If the number returned after entering "i 1f1" is 00, the hard disk accepts the DMA protocol timing that you have entered with the "o 1f2" statement, and the hard disk supports DMA. A return value of 04 indicates that the hard disk does not support a DMA multiple-word protocol. If the value returned is not 00 or 04, you may not have typed the characters correctly, or you may need to quit Windows.

Reader Mike Kemmerrer also found some other gems hidden elsewhere in the underbrush of the Microsoft site. He writes:

I found some useful articles on the windows website on how to tweak DMA settings in NT4.0 and 2000. Also a note on hangs in win98 with DMA running. 

winNT/Win2k:
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q198/1/27.ASP  
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q158/8/73.ASP  

win98: 
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q193/4/73.ASP

Thanks, Jay and Mike!

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3) 100 Lawyers Up To Their Necks In Sand...

...simply means you don't have enough sand. <g>

But we do have an amazing and highly informative array of intelligent, articulate opinions on the legal wrangling between Microsoft, the DOJ; and now the various private and public lawyers instigating class-action suits.

No wonder people are vocal: One way or another, the resolution of these cases will profoundly affect the shape of the software market for years to come. It will directly affect the type, brand, and cost of the software *you* can buy for *your* PC. So this is not an "angels on the head of a pin" argument, but one with real wallet impact on us all!

Where do you stand? Do you think you will actually benefit from any class action suits? Do you feel that on balance, Microsoft actions actually and directly harmed you? Does having more lawyers involved increase or decrease the chances that all this will be settled in a just---and not merely legal---way? 

Come check out the specific examples I give, and then join in the discussion at http://www.informationweek.com/langaletter !

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4) A (FREE) Partial Fix For "DLL Hell"

Until now, "FileInfo" was all we had: a tool that helps you identify what all those mystery DLLs are on your system, and also can be a great aid when you’re trying to sort out which versions of what DLLs to use.

FileInfo is part of the Win98 ResKit, included on the full retail (not OEM) versions of the original Win98. There's a complete feature article on the ResKit in the November 98 issue of WINDOWS Magazine or on the WinMag web site at http://content.techweb.com/winmag//library/1998/1101/fea0068.htm If you install the ResKit, you can easily install and access FileInfo. Or, just copy FileInfo and its "*.mfi" file to your hard drive. It should work fine then. (More info? See http://www.langa.com/newsletters/pre1999/Nov-22-98.html and http://www.langa.com/newsletters/pre1999/Sept-27-98.html .)

That's all well and good, but what happens if you don't have the ResKit? And what about the DLLS that aren't part of the base OS?

Reader Kenneth Holley found an unpublicized, experimental site that just might be the answer:

http://support.microsoft.com/servicedesks/fileversion/ 

It's a free online database you can query by file name or product and explore what the heck the associated DLLs are; it can really help you figure out "what goes where" when you're lost in the depths of DLL Hell.

Thanks, Ken!

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5) And A (FREE) Partial Fix For "Driver Hell"

Man, you folks have been busy digging out great links to share. Reader Justin Sloan found this free, downloadable database of driver info:

I was searching for hardware driver utilities when I came across this great help file, Driver-Lynx:

http://hotfiles.zdnet.com/cgi-bin/texis/swlib/hotfiles/info.html?fcode=0011GB 

It's a huge searchable database of hardware driver locations.

Thanks, Justin!

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6) Win A Palm III Organizer, or a Book

Win a Palm III by using the following link to recommend the LangaList to a friend. Your friend just may find a new source of useful information; I just may gain a new subscriber; and you just may win a nifty handheld tool (full details also available via this link):

http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm#1

Or, win a copy of a $30 book (Full details also available via this link):

http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm#2 

Either way, thank you, and good luck!

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7) Just For Grins

The visual send-ups of Microsoft products I ran in a recent issue (see http://www.langa.com/newsletters/nov-29-99.htm#grins ) got a lot of responses, among them this gem from "Bryan A:" 

Microsoft Product-Announcement Template

MICROSOFT ANNOUNCES <insert new M$ application name>

REDMOND, WASHINGTON -- In an effort to <insert M$'s lame idea about what users need>, Microsoft announced today that <insert M$'s lame answer to lame idea>.

"<Dumb quote from a M$ employee about how user's will `benefit' from this new M$ application>" said a Microsoft spokesperson who requested to remain anonymous.

Industry analysts were quick to praise the decision, calling it 'bold and innovative!' "This new <insert new M$ application name> will free Windows users from <some bug or missing feature which is M$'s fault in the first place>. It also gives Windows a new feeling of <something that would make anyone using any other OS fall asleep>," said a member of Ziff-Davis Publishing's Editorial Staff. "This is precisely why <insert competing software application's name> is failing in the marketplace -- they have failed to deliver an <enter feature that only a business-major-turned-computer-journalist could dream up>."

When asked when <insert new M$ application name> would be available, a Microsoft spokesperson said "<insert convoluted quote that convinces the user that the application will be released soon or even yesterday, but doesn't commit to any specific date>." The spokesperson also added, "It really doesn't matter since <insert new M$ application name> is destined to be the most <insert glorified praise for non-existent application and be sure to mention how it will be 'powerful' and will 'dominate the world software market'>."

Market and industry analysts quickly agreed adding that "<insert new M$ application name> has already revolutionized the industry."

A spokesperson from <insert competing software vendor's name> disagreed however. "Microsoft is still trying to sell products that don't exist. <insert competing software vendor's name> has been shipping <insert competing product that is unheard of thanks to M$ mass-marketing techniques> since <insert date from pre-history (see Jurassic Park for examples)>. <insert new M$ application name>, or whatever it's called, still relies on DOS's <insert stupid part of insipid DOS operating system> and is not a true <insert latest computer jargon for _modern_>." He added that "users who think that <insert new M$ application name> will have no problems will be in for a surprise.

"Most users appear to remain unconvinced however. "<insert new M$ application name> will <insert a nonsense list of things anyone using any other OS has been had since the ENIAC> and it won't have any bugs or compatibility problems because it's from Microsoft. Why should I buy <insert competing software application's name> which is less than perfect, when <insert new M$ application name> is right around the corner?"

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