How to run Front Door under Windows 95 by Bob Dunn September 23, 1995 Hello, and welcome to Windows 95! 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� This help file was put together from various sources including Tony Harrison's text file on setting up Wildcat BBS with WIN95. These are the Settings I use to run Front Door v2.12sw under Microsoft Windows 95 (Also referred to as Win95). I have posted comments throughout this file to help you along the way. Extensive testing has been done with these settings on my system as well as a number of others to ensure you get the most performance out of Win95. Let me know if these settings help you! These settings have been proven to work well under Win95 Build 950 (The Win95 Release Version). The first thing you will need to get is the current version of BNU, David Nugent's DOS FOSSIL driver. The current version of this program is 1.70. (BNU170.ZIP) You will see BNU referenced throughout this text. If you see a version 2.02 around, it is a hack. BNU is a NECESSITY if you want to run any kind of DOS-Based BBS under Windows 95. The built-in serial communications for DOS software in Windows 95 is not suitable for a multi-line DOS BBS environment, and I do not recommend using it. I used to use X00 when I ran under Desqview but X00 causes major CRC errors during file transfers (especially in the backround) under WIN95. Windows time-slicing is quite good, therefore I am not recommending any program for timeslice conversion at this time. Please stay tuned, as this may change in itme. �袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴敲 � Please note that if you choose to use these settings for Win95, you are � � STRONGLY urged to use these settings for ALL of your Win95 DOS sessions.� � Doing this will assure you are getting the most performance possible � � under Windows 95. � 훤袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴� Also note that even though this text file contains items that will likely generate a considerable performance boost for your system, I do not recommend any settings that would put the stability of your Win95 system at risk. I do not use any undocumented commands, and none of my modifications pose any risk to system stability whatsoever. You can be assured that testing these settings will pose no threat to Win95's stability. Extensive testing has been done to assure stability, no matter what type of DOS-Based BBS software you run. First off, here's a look at what you'll need in your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT in order to get your BBS running in to shape: 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴커 � CONFIG.SYS - � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS /TESTMEM:OFF NOTES: This line loads the memory management driver for Windows 95. You'll notice there is NO NEED to load EMM386 anymore. Windows 95 handles all of this for you now. 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� FILES=100 NOTES: Win95 uses a LOT of file handles. So does a Front Door\BBS combo. 100 is an good choice. This should be increased if you run more than one node. 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� DOS=HIGH,UMB NOTES: Loads DOS high and into upper memory. 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� LASTDRIVE=Z NOTES: Tells DOS the ast drive letter available for use. Leave it at Z. 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� SHELL=C:\COMMAND.COM C:\ /P /E:2048 NOTES: VERY IMPORTANT! This sets the command interpreter to use as well as the environment size. 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\ANSI.SYS Loads the ANSI driver so you can view callers in doors. 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� That's it for the CONFIG.SYS - 6 lines! Now for the AUTOEXEC.BAT: 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴커 � AUTOEXEC.BAT - � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� @ECHO OFF Turns off the echoing of commands to the screen as they load. 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\DOSKEY /INSERT NOTES: Loads DOSKEY command macro editor. This particular command tells doskey to turn on the Insert key so that when you recall commands at the DOS prompt using the Up/Dn arrow keys, it will automatically insert your new modifications instead of overwriting. If you would rather it default to overwriting, remove the /INSERT parameter. 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� PROMPT $P$G Sets what the prompt should look like. This will produce the C:\> prompt. 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� SET PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND;C:\DOS;C:\;C:\FD The Paths that Windows will search for programs. You can place any directory you want in your path. Make sure your main FD directory (In this case C:\FD) is in the path. 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� SET DIRCMD=/O/P This will sort the directory listings and place them in alphabetical order, directories first. The /P pauses the list after each screenful of info. 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� SET COMSPEC=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM Sets the path to the command interpreter for programs that need it. Windows 95 LIKES to REM this out during the upgrade process. Make SURE you remove the REM after upgrading. 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� After making these changes to your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT, go into Microsoft Explorer and go to the Windows directory. Click on the MEMMAKER icon to run MEMMAKER. This will load items up above 640K to free up more memory to run applications. 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� 컴컴컴컴컴� Step 1 - � 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Click on "My Computer", then click "Control Panel", then open the "System" icon. When "System Properties" appears, click on the "Device Manager" tab. You will now see a list of all of your hardware. 컴컴컴컴컴� Step 2 - � 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Go down to the "Ports (COM and LPT)", and click on the "+" sign to the left of it. You will now see a list of all of your COM and LPT ports. The LPT ports no NOT need to be modified, so ignore them. The COM ports however, do. Please make the following changes to all of your COM ports: 컴컴컴컴컴� Step 2a - � 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Click on your first COM port (usually Communications Port 1), now click on the "port settings" tab. Set "Baudrate" to 57600. Leave the Data bits, stop bit, and parity selections at their defaults of "8, None, 1". Set your "Flow control" to "Hardware". Click on OK to save those changes. Leave all other selections at their default values. 컴컴컴컴컴� Step 3 - � 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Repeat the process for ALL of your COM ports. �袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴� � TIP: Win95 provides an excellent utility to view which IRQ's are � � currently being used. To view them, click on the "Computer" icon � � under system properties --> device manager. � 훤袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴暠 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Next, it's time to make changes to our modem profiles. Exit back out to the contol panel, and click on "Modems". You will see the "Modems properties" page. Make the following changes to each of your modems: Set the Baudrate to 57600. Repeat this for each modem you have set-up under Win95. 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� What follows are the settings for your Win95 DOS Sessions. These are accessed by right-clicking on the icon that is set up to load your BBS nodes, and then selecting "properties". If you have multiple nodes, you will need to modify the properties for each of your sessions: 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Tab 1 - General: � 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴켸 Tab 1 Gives information about the program itself. No modification needs to be done to this page. 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Tab 2 - Program: � 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴켸 To the Right of the icon, there is a space to enter in the name that you want displyed on the title bar when this session is running. An example for node 1 would be "Front Door Node 1". Cmd Line.....: C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM You'll always want to start your Front Door using a batch file, so instead of placing the program .EXE in this line, place the path and filename of the command processor you wish to use for this session. It defaults to the Windows 95 DOS Mode command interpreter, which should be left alone unless you are using a third party program such as 4DOS. Working......: C:\FD Provides a space for you to type the name of the folder that this program will load files from, and where it will save files. If necessary, include the drive letter. This is also where items such as temporary files are created for this program. You can use any directory that you wish, however it is a good idea to use the same directory for all of your DOS sessions, to make cleanup easier if need be. Batch File...: C:\FD\FRODO.BAT This is where you will place the path and filename of the batch file that you are using to start Front Door. Shortcut Key: None Provides a space for you to define a keyboard shortcut to start or switch to this program from Windows. Shortcut keys must include CTRL and/or ALT and another key (for example, CTRL+Y). You cannot use ESC, ENTER, TAB, SPACEBAR, PRINT SCREEN, or BACKSPACE. No other program can use this key combination. If the shortcut key conflicts with an access key in a Windows-based program, the access key will not work. 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Tab 3 - Font: � 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� This is where you specify what font you would like to use when displaying this session in a window, either by starting it windowed, or by using ALT-ENTER. The 8x12 bitmap font is what I use, however the choice is up to you. 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Tab 4 - Memory: � 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Set Conventional, EMS, XMS, and MS-DOS protected mode all to "Auto". Set Initial Environment to 1024. Place a check in the box "Uses HMA" under "Extended" (XMS) Memory. Do NOT place a check in the "Protected" Box. Having "Protected" checked only seems to slow the session down, and does not seem to provide any greater level of protection than when it is turned on. 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Tab 5 - Screen: � 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Usage - This is the setting for how you want this program loaded. Choose full-screen or window. Initial size should be set at "Default". Window and Preformance - Display toolbar, restore settings on startup, fast ROM emulation, and dynamic memory allocation should all be checked. 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Tab 6 - Misc: � 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Allow screen saver, QuickEdit, Exclusive Mode, Always Suspend, and warn if still active should NOT be checked. Idle Sensitivity - Set it to Low. Move the slider as far to the left as you can. Fast pasting - should be checked. All of the Windows Shortcut keys should be checked. 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� That's it! All of the DOS settings are taken care of. ALSO - If you intend to use the BNU FOSSIL driver, AND you have anything other than the standard COM1 and COM2, you MUST use the BNUPORT utility provided with BNU170.ZIP in order to use non-standard port configurations. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- I load BNU at the start of my Front Door batch file (FRODO.BAT): :start set fdopt=forceint28 c:\util\bnu.com /L1:57600,8N1 /F /Z2 /T:2048 /R:2048 goto fd :fd @echo off cls cd\fd fd if errorlevel 255 goto fax if errorlevel 250 goto bbs-call if errorlevel 240 goto local if errorlevel 230 goto maintain if errorlevel 220 goto mailscan if errorlevel 200 goto mail if errorlevel 180 goto nodediff if errorlevel 160 goto notify etc. I use the set fdopt=forceint28 option. This enables Front Door to answer the modem. I've also tried the FDFIXW4W program but this seems to be working a little better. The BNU setting locks COM2 at 57600, allows fast screen writes, sets the FIFO buffer at 8 bytes. This keeps the FIFO from filling too quickly and causing CRC errors. I use a transmit and receive buffer of 4096. These are the settings that are working for me right now. I am always tinkering. If I find something that works a little better, I'll revise this file. If you have any comments or sugestions I can be reached at: FIDONET - 1:141/1295 Internet - RJDunn@msn.com Glass Onion - (203) 732-5746 Good Luck! Bob Dunn, Sysop Glass Onion