Specifications and Requirements ------------------------------- Software Title: SysWinfo Version 1.0 Author or Company: Eric Wilson 14521 Dickens Street #3 Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 E-Mail: OOPDUDE@AOL.COM Registration Fee: $10.00 Location: Windows Magazine Software Library (AOL) Filename: SYSWINFO.ZIP Filesize (ZIPped): 162,362 bytes Filesize (unZIPped): 324,408 bytes Keywords: SysWinfo, PC Analysis, Utility Requirements: Windows 3.1, mouse recommended Rating (1-10): 9 Date of Review: 6/9/95 Installation ------------ Installation Rating: (Manual Installation) Description of Installation Process: You will need to create a directory into which you extract the ZIPped downloaded file (SYSWINFO.ZIP). You will then need to add its icon to a Windows Program Mangaer group. No other files need to go into any other directory. Features -------- Listing/Description of Features: SysWinfo's normal window displays both the Free and Total Disk Space for each drive on your system (double-clicking the Total Disk Space button will call up an information window displaying the sectors per cluster, number of available clusters, byters per cluster and the total number of clusters) the CPU type, whether or not a Math Coprocessor and Mouse are present, what mode Windows is operating under (real, standard or enhanced), the DOS and Windows Versions, Free System Resources (as a color coded percentage: Blue=Fine, Yellow=Okay, Red=Close down some applications), and the Date/Time. It also has buttons for Exiting and Rebooting your System, Restarting Windows, Exiting SysWinfo, calling up its Task Manager (this button also displays the number of active tasks), activating the Stak Walker, changing the Display Update Rate, and calling up the More System Information screen. The More Information Screen (General Information) has a Resource section which displays the percentage of free User, GDI and Total Resources as pie charts. It also tells you (in bytes) the amount of memory left in the Global Heap and the largest available contiguous memory. This section also has a button for compacting memory (freeing up as much memory, currently allocated to the Global Heap, as possible). The General Information Section has radio buttons for selecting what information you would like SysWinfo to display. This consists of Windows Page Information, System Wide Parameters, Desktop Information, Windows Environment, Loaded Classes, Mouse Information, Video Information, Keyboard Information and Network Information. It can also display all loaded DLL, EXE, DRV, and FON files and other modules. This section also has buttons for Copying items from SysWinfo's Listbox display to the clipboard (so you can use the information in other applications like word processors), run Windows System Configuration Editor (opens your AUTOEXEC.BAT, CONFIG.SYS, WIN.INI and SYSTEM.INI for viewing/editing), run Windows Notepad, and Close the General Information Box. SysWinfo's General Information Section allows for Drag and Drop of files from Windows File Manager in order to view version information (if any) for a Windows library file (DLL, FON, VBX, etc.) or a Windows program (EXE files, etc). This information is displayed in SysWinfo's Listbox. SysWinfo has a Task Manager which is similar to Imagine's Task Manager replacement in that it displays a list of the running applications along with their icons. The Task Manager has buttons for "Switch-To", "End Task", "Make On Top", "Cascade", "Tile", "Arrange Icons", "More Info" (launches Task Manager Plus), "Make Bottom", and Close Task Manager. Task Manager Plus shows a list of ALL the tasks running in Windows (including hidden ones) in its List Box. Selecting an application in the list and clicking the Abort button will terminate that application (although this should only be done as a last resort). Task Manager Plus also displays the total time (since startup) that Windows has been running. SysWinfo has a Stak Walker which will display information (in its own List Box) about another program's stak. Press the button labeled "Walk a New Stak" and then select a running application with your mouse. SysWinfo's System Menu contains options for Launching Applications, placing SysWinfo On Top of all other Windows, calling up Help or viewing the About screen. Help/Documentation Rating: 9 SysWinfo comes with a Windows format Help file which will adequately answer most of the questions you may have. Passing your mouse over any of the buttons or windows in SysWinfo will call up help balloons (small help windows) describing its functions. Review ------ SysWinfo version 1.0 is one of the best resource monitors/system analyzers I have seen. It is very easy to use and yet quite comprehensive in the information it provides. It requires no external DLLs (Dynamic Link Libraries) to run and takes up very little memory and drive space (It uses only 3% resources (160 kb of RAM) when running normally and 7% resources (190 kb of RAM) when in General Information mode) . All of its features are loaded only as needed and then unloaded when you are finished with them so there are no bits and pieces hanging around (like in some other resource monitors/system info reporters) using up valuable resources. Here is a quick breakdown of the information you can retrieve in SysWinfo's General Information Section (as listed in the Features section above). Windows Page Information: Largest Free Block, Maximum Pages Available, Maximum Lockable Pages, Total Linear Address Space, Total Unlocked Pages, Free Pages, Total Pages, Free Linear Address Space, Swap File Pages, and Page Size. System Wide Parameters: Horizontal/Vertical Double Click Range, Width/Height of the Rectangles to Position Tiled Icons, Width/Height of Screen, Width/Height of Window Frame that can be sized, Width/Height of Arrow Bitmap on a Vertical/Horizontal Scroll Bar, Width/Height of a Window Border that Cannot Be Sized, Width/Height of a Window Frame that has the WS_DLGFRAME Style, Width/Height of the Thumb Bitmap on a Vertical/Horizontal Scroll Bar, Width/Height of a Icon, Width of a Cursor, Height of a Single Line Number, Width/Height of a Window Client When Maximized, Minimum Tracking Width/Height of a Window, Minimum Width/Height of a Window, and Width/Height of Bitmaps in Windows Title Box. Desktop Information: Desktop Shell, Pattern, Grid Granularity, Wallpaper, Icon Spacing, Center Wall Paper (true or false), and Screen Saver. Windows Environment: Windows Directory, System Directory, Permanent Swap File Drive and Size, Printer, LPT Ports, and COM Ports. Loaded Classes: Class Names and Class Icons. Mouse Information: If buttons are Swapped or not, Mouse Threshold, Speed, Cursor Blink Rate, Double Click Speed, and Mouse Driver. Video Information: Pixel Resolution and Display Driver. Keyboard Information: Caps Lock, Num Lock and Scroll Lock Status, Keyboard Type, Number of Function Keys, Keyboard Delay, and Keyboard Speed. Network Information: Primary and Secondary Network Drivers. SysWinfo is simply packed with usefulness. It has quickly made it to my list of all-time favorite shareware programs. You will not be disappointed downloading and registering this wonderful utility (especially with the tiny registration fee of $10.00!). This one is a real gem I heartily recommend. Problems and Suggestions ------------------------ List of Problems found: There were no conflicts, General Protection Faults (GPF's), or program errors encountered during my evaluation of this software. Technical Support ----------------- Technical Support Rating: 9 Description: Inquires I made about the program were answered within 24 hours (via E-Mail) with helpful and intelligent responses. Upon registering SysWinfo you are entitled to technical support (via E-Mail) for two minor upgrades. What do you get when you register? ---------------------------------- Your are entitled to two minor upgrades of the program and technical support (via E-Mail) for these two minor upgrades (please include your name, home address, E-Mail address, product and version number when registering). Because there are no program restrictions or registration reminders, embedded in the unregistered version, program disks are not available upon registration. If you request it you can be notified (via E-Mail) when a new version of the program is released. Disclaimer ---------- (DISCLAIMER: This review is provided for information/entertainment purposes only. The author will not be held responsible or liable for any problems which may occur in the use of any of the reviewed software. The author will also not be held responsible if the program reviewed does not operate, in the way stated. With there being so many system configurations possible confilcts/problems can arise which may prevent the reviewed software from operating in the way indicated. This is not the responsibility of the reviewer.)