Important Notice

The pages on this site contain documentation for very old MS-DOS software, purely for historical purposes. If you're looking for up-to-date documentation, particularly for programming, you should not rely on the information found here, as it will be woefully out of date.

◄Example►  ◄Syntax►
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                            SMARTDRV.EXE──Notes
 
Double buffering and conventional memory
 
SMARTDrive's double-buffering component must be loaded in conventional
memory. It uses 2K of conventional memory, and cannot be loaded in upper
memory.
 
The SMARTDrive disk cache can use either upper memory or conventional
memory. For more information, see <SMARTDRV──Notes>.
 
Determining whether you need to use double buffering
 
If you use EMM386 or run Windows in 386 enhanced mode, you may need to use
double buffering. Double buffering is most commonly required with an SCSI
(small computer system interface) hard disk or other device, but can also be
necessary with an ESDI (enhanced system device interface) or MCA
(microchannel architecture) device.
 
Most hard disks do not need to use double buffering. If you are not sure
whether your hard disk needs double buffering, follow these steps:
 
1  Add the following command to your CONFIG.SYS file if the file does not
   already contain such a command:
 
       device=c:\dos\smartdrv.exe /double_buffer
 
   This command must appear before the DEVICE command that starts EMM386, if
   any.
 
2  Add the following command to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file if the file does not
   already contain such a command:
 
       c:\dos\smartdrv
 
3  Run the MemMaker program if you haven't already done so.
 
4  Use the MEM /C /P command to confirm that upper memory is in use.
 
5  At the command prompt, type SMARTDRV and then press ENTER.
 
   SMARTDrive displays information about your system.
 
6  Look at the column labeled "Buffering." If any line in this column reads
   "yes," you need to run the double-buffering component of SMARTDrive. (If
   your system seems to be running slowly, try adding the /L switch to the
   SMARTDRV command in AUTOEXEC.BAT.)
 
   If every line in the "Buffering" column says "no," you can remove the
   DEVICE command for SMARTDRV.EXE from your CONFIG.SYS file.
 
   If any line in the "Buffering" column contains the character "-", then
   SMARTDrive is unable to detect whether double buffering is needed. Use
   the MEM /C /P command to confirm that programs are located in upper
   memory.
 
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