Here are some OS/2 Tips that I have compiled and use quite often:

The *new* OS/2 Partition Rule (OPR)©

OS/2 Corruption & Problems

Running MAKEINI

ATAPI and IDE CD ROMs

DOS VDM and Other Video Corruption

Speeding up WINOS2 and Warp

Cirrus Video Driver Installation

Booting SCSI before ATA (IDE) Drives

The *new* OS/2 Partition Rule (OPR)©:

All partitions that go past the 1023 cylinder (512 MB on an ATA or IDE) on any hard drive must be non-bootable, and formatted HPFS. Disable all extended IDE jumpers and drivers, and use the "Advanced Install" to fdisk your boot partitions to less than the first 1023 cylinders.

Exceptions to this are if you have Blue Warp, WFP_05, or newer, then:

1. You can have a FAT partitions past the 1023 cylinder.

2. If you have Ontrack Disc manager, then there are no constraints, including the ability to boot from a partition past 512 MB (drive translation).

The boot partition still has to be entirely within the first 1023 cylinders, due to a 10 bit INT13 BIOS call. Larger FAT partitions waste much space, easily 400 MB on a 1 GB drive, and should be partitioned to smaller than 512 MB to alleviate this.

OS/2 Corruption & Problems:

I suggest the following sequential remedies:

1. A manual Warp CHKDSK should be regularly performed, monthly or whenever corruption may be suspected. For this, you must perform a CHKDSK from a floppy boot, because no files can be open on the drive you are checking. Just boot the installation floppies, and escape to the command line. Copy over to another floppy, the files CHKDSK.COM and UHPFS.DLL (for HPFS). Then run "chkdsk c: /f" from the A: prompt. It is best to have the above extra disc made before you will need it, as it sometimes may not be possible to access your files with drive corruption.

2. Run MAKEINI on your .INI files. This is documented in "help makeini". Do not erase your old ones though, as the help suggests. The desktop will remain unchanged.

3. Re-install OS/2 over top your present configuration.

Running MAKEINI

MAKEINI.EXE is an embedded executable in /OS2. Also in the same directory are your *.RC files, which provide MAKEINI with the files to remake your .INIs. Try typing "help makeini" from the command line for more help.

Most is the same, except do not erase your old ones, as MAKEINI will refresh them. Essentially, all that you do, is from the ALT-F1 command line, "cd os2" into your "OS2" directory, and type "makeini os2.ini ini.rc", and then hit the up cursor key, and insert "sys" before the two dots so that you have "makeini os2sys.ini inisys.rc". This will refresh your .INI files, with the only change being that you will be reverted to plain VGA mode.

Another method, is to copy your INI files, or another old, good set into a new folder (eg. new_os2), copy the two *.RC files and MAKEINI.SYS into the same folder, then run "MAKEINI" in there. Point the two CONFIG.SYS lines to that folder, so that when you re-boot, the new INIs will be active. You can then copy them the your /OS2 folder before you shut down, and change back your CONFIG.SYS

Also worth doing, is use a utility such as INIMAINT, to repair both your INI files. This will delete all obsolete and broken links, and also generally clean up the INI files.

ATAPI and IDE CD ROMs:

An IDE CD ROM which should connect to your IDE controller, either as the slave on channel 1 (IRQ14), or a master on channel 2 (IRQ15). This drive should be supported from the box for Blue Warp and newer, and if you have Red Warp, try:

ATAPI.ZIP 66K 2-22-95 ATAPI OS/2 IDE CD-ROM DRIVERS.

IBM OS/2 2.X / 3.X IDE CD DRIVER FOR IDE CDROM DRIVES. SEE README.TXT IN ZIP FILE FOR INSTALL DETAILS. VERSION 1.02. YOU DO NOT NEED THIS IF YOU HAVE THE PREVIOUS VERSION SUCCESSFULLY INSTALLED.

DOS VDM and Other Video Corruption:

This is probably video driver related. I would make sure that you "Selective Install" DOS support again, use the "Other Monitor Adaptor Utility Program", and the insert: "[path]\mode.exe *", where * is the mode obtained from running mode separately, and "mode" is your DOS monitor setup program.

Speeding up WINOS2 and Warp:

1. Hardware:

   a) Ensure that all your cache is enabled and mappable in your CMOS BIOS.

   b) Check your wait states. It may be possible to cut back wait states and enhance performance, as long as the system stability is not affected.

2. Warp settings:

   a) Read the pertinent information in the "Information" folder, especially the "Performance Considerations" object.

   b) Download Rick Meigs config.sys information (IBM BBS). It gives valuable information on tuning and enhancing the configuration for maximum performance: "OS2CFG11.ZIP 45K 6-03-95 Version 11 of Rick Meigs' comprehensive OS/2 config.sys description & information file."

   c) Specific enhancements that you can make are:

   i) Run your Desktop at as low a resolution and colour depth as possible. Plain VGA will be the fastest. Too much resolution or colour depth will seriously degrade performance on a low RAM machine.

   ii) Have a plain colour background and as few folders and objects on your desktop as possible. Put most folders into just a desired few.

   iii) Do not run any multimedia, as this is extremely resource hungry.

   iv) Keep the LaunchPad closed as much as possible. You can double-click on any folder or the Desktop to bring it back.

   v) Most the Bonus Pak apps are very resource hungry. Specifically, do not install the Multimedia Viewer, and if you do install IBM Works, run "iwdereg" from a command line to deregister the workplace classes. This will disable drag and drop funtionality, but improve performance.

   vi) Last but not least; keep as few objects open as possible.

3. WINOS2 settings:

   a) Read the pertinent information in the "Information" folder, especially the "Windows Programs in OS/2" object.

   b) Make sure that Widows fastload is off in your WINOS2 settings notebook.

   c) Keep your WINOS2 in standard mode, only change specific applications to enhanced, if they will not run in standard mode.

   d) Run WINOS2 in a full screen session.

   e) Put the following line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT

   VERIFY=OFF

   f) Recommended settings:

   
   WIN_RUN_MODE = Standard Compatibility
   DOS_BACKGROUND_EXECUTION = Off
   DOS_HIGH = On
   DOS_RMSIZE = 624
   DPMI_DOS_API = ENABLED
   DPMI_MEMORY_LIMIT = > 6 or what app specifies
   EMS_MEMORY_LIMIT = 0
   HW_ROM_TO_RAM = On
   IDLE_SECONDS = 60
   IDLE_SENSITIVITY = 100
   INT_DURING_IO = On
   SESSION_PRIORITY = higher for more
   VIDEO_8514A_XGA_IOTRAP = Off
   VIDEO_RETRACE_EMULATION = Off
   VIDEO_SWITCH_NOTIFICATION = Off
   XMS_MEMORY_LIMIT = 0

Cirrus Video Driver Installation:

Well, I just installed a PCI 5430, and the installation recognises it by default without the CLMODE utility, in fact, CLMODE.EXE will not even run. Better yet, the Settings page then even has the second page for monitor types, along with the refresh rates on the first page. Maybe I will even try it here...

Meanwhile, for the VLB cards...
From "Selective Install", use the "Other Monitor Adaptor Utility Program", and then insert: "clmode.exe m*", where * is the mode obtained from running clmode separately, which is your DOS monitor setup program. Note that DOS VDM support must be installed first to install these drivers.

Booting SCSI before ATA (IDE) Drives: