Program: VBSystem Resource Monitor Version: 1.34 Author: Michael Krane Date: Feb 1, 1993 NOTE: This program needs the file vbrun300.dll. (Usually it should be in your Windows System Directory or in your path.) It does not come with this program because most people will already have it and it takes too long to download. If you don't have it, you will need to download it to use this program and the many other new Visual Basic Programs that are coming from Visual Basic 3. Summary: This program is designed to help a user monitor many system resources at all times and to combine some utilities that you may already use. It will monitor: Hard Drive Disk Space, Free System Resources, Free Memory (Which includes Swap file if you have one), Number of Tasks running, Date,and Time, all in one small display. Some options include: The option to adjust the update interval. The option to warn on Exit/Restart or Quick Exit. The ability to Stay on Top of all other windows. The option to Restart Windows. The option to Completely Exit Windows. The ability to Change level to warn of low Resources. The option to Select which drives to monitor. The ability to customize color of display. Button Bar for Options. View More DOS and Window Info in Seperate Window. Many other little features. The Registered Version Will save most options including colors, position, which drives, warn level, etc.. Installation: Put vbsys.dll and threed.vbx in your windows/system directory,(Use the newest versions), and put vbsys.exe anywhere you want. When you run program, you should not select minimized or maximized, it should be run "NORMAL". More Details: Just copy the vbsys.exe file to any directory. (This file replaces all previuos versions of vbsys.exe, you can delete those; Future versions will all have the same name.) Then copy the files threed.vbx and vbsys.dll to your Windows\system directory. If you already have any of these files, then keep the newest ones; Many programs can use these files. (BE SURE that vbrun300.dll, threed.vbx, and vbsys.dll are all in your windows/system directory BEFORE trying to run the program.) Run the program from File Manager, Add it to Program Manager, and/or add it to your Startup Group (as it was made for) to always have it running as I do. The program should start up monitoring all local Hard Drives. (It will not monitor floppies, remote, or removable drives.) It should be in a small window in the bottom right of your screen. The display initially updates every 5 seconds, (The more info window updates every 15 seconds). To hide the title bar and save room, just click the FSR bar graph. The bar gragh changes from green, to yellow (below 60%), and then to red as Free System Resources get low. (If they get low, (RED), you should restart Windows.) The Disk Drive Letters Change color from normal Blue above 10MB, to Green below 10MB (OK, but watch), and to red below 2 MB (Time to clean up your disk). On most systems the free RAM memory displayed in the MEM box will be greater than your installed RAM, this is because it includes the size of yor Swap File if you have one because Windows treats that as memory when using enhanced mode.) You can click the M fore more memory, DOS, and Windows info to show up in a seperate large window. You can click on some of the labels on the main small window to change the color of their display. You will have 8 buttons for the options. These buttons' colors can NOT be changed. Move the mouse over the button and it will tell you what the button does on the Title Bar if you have the Title Bar visible. The program should be mostly self explanatory. If you don't understand something, feel free to ask me. Uninstall: If you decide to uninstall this, just delete the vbsys.exe and vbsys.dll files. (I suggest you do NOT delete the vbrun300.dll, or threed.vbx for other programs) Background: I wrote this program for ME! Like most other Windows users, I have used and tried many different utilities for different things. I wrote this to combine the utilities that I was using into one SMALL display program. It is written to use minimal screen space and minimal resources. It will always yield to all other programs. Suggestions: You might want to run this program and then watch the numbers change as you load or unload other programs, monitor your disk space, use it as your clock, etc... If you find some programs that you seldom use are using a lot of resources, then you might want to unload those programs from memory when you are not expecting to use them soon. Windows will generally run faster and be more stable with the least amount of programs running which frees up memory and resources. Use Examples: FSR: When I first load Windows, my System Resources are about 80% with nothing loaded and drop to about 65% with my normal startup programs loaded. As I run programs, I watch to see how low the resources get and when they start getting below 50%, (Trouble doesn't really begin until about 15% but I like to leave room to run memory and resource guzzling programs such as Word or Excel to avoid problems after they start up), I start thinking about what I can close temporarily until I really need it like a calendar program, etc.... Memory: Memory is a little harder to watch, but the main thing to look for is that the amount remaining is larger than your swap file size; (If it's not, then everytime you run a program it will swap some things stored in memory to your hard drive which will slow things down.) (If you don't know the size of your swap file, then check in control panel- 386Enhanced- Virtual Memory. (I'm using a 6105 swap file on a system with 8 meg RAM.) So basically, I watch the memory number to see that is stays above about 7000 (7000-6105=895 Free Memory in addition to the swap file) which allows me to have enough free memory to run programs without swapping to disk first. If you can't keep the memory at a figure above your swap file size, then you probably need to either stop running certain things or buy more memory, (8 Meg of RAM is best, 4 is Minimum.) (In the more info Window, the Largest block of Memory is what Windows will generally use; It is a better indication than the total, but it is slower reading, which is why it is not on the main screen) The hard drives are really more obvious, but the thing to watch for there is that you have enough room for Windows to operate with. The drive that Windows is installed on, I like to have at least 5M free. In addition the drive that has your temp directory files, (in autoexec.bat file-set temp=c:\win\temp for example), I like to have at least 5M more free. For example, if my temp directory is on my c: drive as well as my Windows directory, I would like to keep at least 10M free on the c: drive. Basically, you won't have problems because of drive space if you always have at least 5M or more free.) The other items are mainly just general info. Tasks reminds you of how many things are running; Sometimes you forget about hidden programs that you don't need such as cursor changers, sound programs, etc.. The main thing to use is the restart Windows. A lot of people leave things on all day or for a few days. After a while some programs use some resources and don't return them to Windows even after they close; After running a few programs, the available memory becomes non-contiguous causing disk swapping and slowing things down. When you're not busy, restart Windows to reset things the way they started. (I restart every few hours or after running a few different programs.) HISTORY: Version 1.34 Feb 1, 1994 Fixed bug that caused improper size on startup if ran from startup group and told to run minimized. (Should be run "NORMAL") Also, recompiled for new version of threed.vbx included. Version 1.33 Dec 1, 1993 Fixed bug that caused On Top not to always save on some systems (Registered version only) Version 1.31 Oct 1, 1993 Fixed centering problem in 1280 Res. by changing some 3D styles. Changed Disk Label Colors to make more readable with some video. Version 1.30 Sept 15, 1993 New Button can change how often display updates, (1-30 Sec.) Added Option to Not warn on Exit for those who want Quick exit. Optimized the code a little more. Version 1.21 Aug 23, 1993 Fixed a bug that caused some systems with a CD Rom to incorrectly identify the installed drives. Version 1.20 Aug 20, 1993 Added option to display More Info temporarily in separate large Window More Info includes: DOS ver, Win ver, CPU type, Win and TEMP DIRs, More detail on Memory and Resources, Video Driver, and some more. Removed ability to monitor largest free block (It was slow) and is available in the More Info Window. Version 1.10 Aug 1, 1993 Virtually the same as ver 1.10 except: A few bug fixes of minor sizing problems. Tightened the code a little more. Registered version has .ini file saving options. Version 1.10 Aug 1, 1993 Added option to turn off Title Bar to shrink display. Did away with the menus in lieu of using a button bar. Added Largest Block Memory option. Did away with minimized view-(not usefull) Reduced the amount of memory used. Changed the .DLL name to vbsys.dll. Version 1.02 July 27, 1993 Allowed display to get smaller and show more info. Added button bar. Slightly adjusted a few display items. Changed the .exe name to vbsys.exe for this and future versions Version 1.01 July 23, 1993 Fixed a few display irregularities. Added option to change colors. Version 1.0 July 21,1993 Changed and added almost everything. Version .07 06/29/93 Added 3D Controls Version .06 05/11/93 This is the initial release, sort of a test program. Known Problems: A Pentium will appear as a 486. The method that Microsoft suggests to identify CPU types does not include the Pentium. When one appears I will fix it. If you are using Windows for Workgroups 3.11, It will still show up as version 3.10. This is due to an internal setting IN Windows for Workgroups. It will probably be corrected in the future. Future releases: There is really nothing PLANNED at this time, I may add more things later if I feel it will improve it, but it's getting hard to keep the size of the display down as I add things which defeats the purpose of this utility which is to Monitor things and stay out of the way. I hope you find this program as useful as I do. It is released as SHAREWARE. It does NOT have any "nag" screens. You can use it for thirty days as long as you agree that I am not responsible for anything directly or indirectly related to using this program. After that time, either delete the program or send the nominal fee of just $5.00 to help cover costs, make you feel better, and to help keep the shareware concept going, (It takes a lot of time to write these programs and do the research. I know most people don't like to pay for shareware, that's why it's only $5.00. If you use it every day it IS certainly worth $5.00.) After payment, I will send you at least the current version which will include the ability to save all settings in an .ini file so it will always come up the way you want, such as which drives, where display is on screen, and colors. If you have any minor revision requests, I'll try to add it to your version if I can. If a minor update follows I'll try to get it to you free of charge. Future major updates if any after registration for cost: $2.50-Mail $1.00-Compuserve FREE-America Online $5.00 Registration gets version with a save settings feature! Will save all settings! Michael Krane 4 Azurean Ct. Mt. Sinai, NY 11766 E-MAIL: Miklk (on America On-line) 70242,2317 (on Compuserve) The program has been fully tested but obviously not in every possible configuration, so PLEASE report any bugs or ideas to me at the above addresses. THIS PROGRAM IS DISTRIBUTED AS IS. THE AUTHOR (Michael Krane) MAKES NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANT ABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THIS SOFTWARE AND DOCUMENTATION. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOST PROFITS, LOST SAVINGS, OR ANY OTHER INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF OR THE INABILITY TO USE THIS PROGRAM. ----------------------------------------------------------------