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This HTML version combines parts 1 through 5 of the original FAQ.
This is of mainly interest to Windows for Workgroups (WFWG 3.1x) users. Windows NT and Win95 users may benefit from some parts also.
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Thanks to all the many people around the world who helped with comments or suggestions on the earlier versions.
I am still looking for corrections and feedback. Particular areas where this FAQ needs some help are called out in a section at the end of the FAQ called NEEDS. Send to: (Mike McCormick).
This FAQ makes reference to MSDOS pathnames C:\WINDOWS and C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM. If you have Windows installed elsewhere or your Windows System directory elsewhere, adjust accordingly.
Before you decide to go ahead and configure 32-bit file access on your PC, you should look over this entire FAQ, esp. the INCOMPATIBILITIES section.
A: Without 32-bit file access, Windows has to perform every file access through DOS and the underlying BIOS. This requires switching the CPU into 16-bit real mode. With 32-bit file access, Windows stays in control of the file operation, and executes in 32-bit protected mode. [cf. WFWG Resource Kit Manual Addendum for 3.11]
A: Performance. Combined with Windows internal caching (VCache), it outperforms all previous caches (Smartdrv, Cacheclk, NCache, etc.) on standard benchmarks. It even outperforms them running on a comparatively smaller cache and uses its own fast, internal file cache.
A1: 32-bit file and disk access are similar but different, which is a source of confusion to users. 32-bit disk access (ak FastDisk) pre-dates WFWG 3.11. It allows Windows to bypass BIOS & DOS, and remain in 386 protected mode while directly accessing the disk bus and remaining at CPU speeds. It does less for performance (and is less likely to work on manu PCs) than 32-bit file access. It comes with its own set of problems, and is NOT the subject of this FAQ!
A2: 32-bit file access does not require 32-bit disk access. (If it seems to on your machine, see question Q8b.)
A3: 32-bit file access does not replace 32-bit disk access.
A4: "Any INT21H calls that are processed by VFAT are handled entirely in protected mode. The performance increase obtained by 32-bit disk access is now increased further with 32-bit file access." [WFWRKMA 3.11]
A5: If you have to choose between 32-bit file access and disk access (see question Q8c), choose 32-bit file access.
A: This is another source of confusion. ALL file access in Windows NT and Windows 95 is 32-bit when possible. But in Windows for Workgroups, 32-bit file access is optional, and defaults to 16-bit even if your system is capable of 32-bit. This FAQ is mainly about 32-bit file access in Windows for Workgroups.
A: No. The early WFWG 3.1 release did not include 32-bit file access. It was added in the more widely released WFWG 3.11.
A: Normally any 386, 486 or 586 PC running Windows for Workgroups 3.11 (as opposed to regular Windows 3.11) in Enhanced Mode (normally WFWG can't run in any other mode anyway). Unlike 32-bit disk access, it doesn't usually depend on your disk type. If the 32-bit File Access checkbox appears in your control panel (see Q3 A1), then Windows at least THINKS your system can use it.
If the checkbox is dimmed out, do not try to forcibly configure 32-bit file access in SYSTEM.INI. See question question 8 instead. But the only way to be sure is to configure it (see question 3), then verify (question 4) your machine is actually using it.
A: No, you cannot access your CD-ROM drive with 32-bit file access. Access will remain in the slower 16-bit uncached mode, but otherwise the CD-ROM will work fine as before. MS-DOS 6.2 (or higher) users can improve their CD-ROM performance with SMARTDRV however (see Q5). If access seems to interfere with your CD-ROM in any way, see 32-bit file access seems to interfere with your CD-ROM in any way, see Q11g.
A: Intimately. The cache requires 32-bit file access. It dramatically improves performance by reducing the number of actual disk accesses required per average file access.
A: You're not supposed to. When you set the cache size in the control panel (see Q3A1a) it appears to allow a size of zero, but then it really sets the cache size to 128KB.
A: 32-bit file access works in the presence of a RAM drive, but should ignore it. However Windows for Workgroups (WFWG) is known to erroneously try to apply 32-bit file access to some RAM drives. As a result, the RAM drive would actually be slower than normal (but still much faster than a hard disk) because this is a kind of double caching which slows performance and wastes memory. There are also unconfirmed accounts of DOS applications not running correctly within WFWG on a RAM drive. Note WFWG may not recognize that a RAM drive compressed with Stacker 2.0 is not a hard disk [cf. Microsoft Knowledge Base Q92466]. Because of these concerns, and because ramdrive and vcache drivers contend for the same type of memory, use of RAM drives with 32-bit file access is not recommended.
A: Here are the configuration steps. Backing up your hard drive first is recommended. To perform these steps you will need to decide whether you wish to use Smartdrv and whether to use write caching. If you're unsure, you can peek ahead to questions Q5 and Q5a.
Note when you carry out step (1) it is possible you may find 32-bit File Access is shown to be in effect already by the control panel. If so, you're done! Normally WFWG 3.11 defaults to 16-bit file access, but not (for example) if your PC was configured for a peer network.
(1) [As explained in the MS Workgroup Add-On for Windows User's Guide:] Double click Control Panel, double click 386Enh icon, click Virtual Memory (if you get a GPF error here, 32bit file access may not be compatible with your video or disk controller [cf. Microsoft Knowledge Base Q112552]), click Change, click the 32-bit File Access checkbox (it doesn't matter which drive is selected above). Be ready for these side-effects:
(1a) The Cache Size value will probably change automatically at this point. Optimizing cache size can add considerably to the perform- ance improvement you get with 32-bit file access. The minimum cache size is 128KB; the maximum is 24MB. Setting the cache size too large (more than your computer's available RAM) will cause the misleading message "32-bit file access was unable to run. Your hard disk(s) may not be compatible with 32-bit file access." the next time you check this control panel [cf. Microsoft Knowledge Base Q108079]. Try one-fourth of your total memory for now (but within the range 1024KB - 4096KB). See Q5c and Q5d for optimizing tips. Warning: The cache site display is truncated for very large values (see Q11d).
(1b) The Swapfile settings may also change automatically at this time. Do not attempt to reset swapfile to "Temporary"; that is not allowed with 32-bit file access. Also don't set the Swapfile Size to the "Recommended Size" displayed. That is based (mainly) on disk space available, not always on what is really best for your system. (A small but non-zero amount of Permanent swapfile, typically 1-9MB, seems to work best. Don't assume the amount that worked best before 32-bit file access will still be optimal. See also Q3b.) Be careful the correct drive is selected -- it may show "C:" now even if you used to keep the swapfile somewhere else. Note: Permanent swapfile must not be on a compressed drive.
(1c) Click OK to close the control panel.
(1d) Click "Continue" -- do not restart Windows yet.
(2) If you are not running 32-bit disk in addition to 32-bit file access, you are going to need the Real Mode Mapper 32-Bit Driver (RMM.D32). If that includes you, use File Manager to find RMM.D32 in C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM. It should be there, and it should have a 12/93 date or later. (Note: an inefficient version dated 11/93 was shipped to many Windows buyers.) If it is not there (or is the older version), see Q3a before proceeding.
(3) Use File Manager to find IFSHLP.SYS in C:\WINDOWS. If it is not there, obtain it or disable 32-bit File Access; running 32-bit file access without the "Installable File System Helper" (IFSHLP) is not possible.
(3a) Start up the System Editor (in a pinch, Notepad will do) and examine your C:\CONFIG.SYS file. It should contain the statement "device[high]=[path]ifshlp.sys". If IFSHLP.SYS is not there, add it. If your PC is on a network, see question Q21.
(4) This next step (4a) disables write caching by Windows. Skip this step if you want write caching. See question Q5a if you're unsure.
(4a) Use System Editor to edit your C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.INI file. Find the section labeled "[386Enh]". Add the following statement anywhere in that section: "ForceLazyOff=C"; or if your PC has a partitioned hard drive, insert "ForceLazyOff=Cx", where "x" is a string of letters representing other partitions. The only partitions you can safely omit are those that contain only temporary and/or read-only data. For instance, a D: drive containing just \TEMP plus your swapfile could be omitted for even faster performance. Note documentation saying this belongs in the [vcache] section of SYSTEM.INI is incorrect [cf. Microsoft Knowledge Base Q107645, Q108109].
(5) As long as you are in the [386Enh] section, make sure you have the statement "device=vcache.386" somewhere in there. By default it is always present, but some people have removed it from their systems to prevent unwanted caching. Somewhere nearby should also be "device=ifsmgr.386" and "device=vfat.386". And unless you run 32-bit disk access, you will also need "device=vxdldr.386," which is the virtual driver that uses RMM.D32.
(5a) And while you're still in the [386Enh] section, check for the statement "NoEMMDriver=ON". If it's there, you may need to REMOVE it, or at least make a note of it in case you get a Windows hang later when you restart WFWG with 32-bit file access (see Q11).
(6) This next step (6a) removes double buffering from your SMARTDRV cache. If you want to keep SMARTDRV on your system (see Q5), this step is not required but it does seem to improve performance for many users. You may choose to skip (6a) for now, especially if you know your PC has a bus mastered DMA disk controller, or if your PC owner's manual says you need double buffering to run SMARTDRV.
(6a) Use System Editor to edit your C:\CONFIG.SYS file. Look for a command of the form "device=smartdrv.exe /double_buffer". If it is there, remove it. (Or if you have DOS 6.0 or higher, you can just "REM it out" instead of actually deleting it.)
(7) If you want to keep SMARTDRV on your system (see Q5), do the following:
(7a) Use System Editor to edit your C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Find the SMARTDRV call. If the /L switch is present, remove it. The two numbers at the end of the line are the sizes (in KB) of the DOS and Windows caches. Set the Windows cache size (2nd number) to 0 unless you use floppy disks, CD-ROMs, or optical disks heavily in Windows. If you do use any of those, then set it to 128. (See Q5c.)
By the way, it is legal to LOADHIGH SMARTDRV, despite Microsoft's contrary statement in the Windows Resource Kit. However, it should load itself in upper memory automatically if it can anyway.
(7b) If you do not want write caching (see Q5a), make sure none of the drive letters are followed by a "+" sign on the SMARTDRV call. Remove any "+" sign you find post-fixed to a drive letter. If any drive letters are missing (excluding compressed volumes), add them to the SMARTDRV call because omitting a [non-compressed] drive is the same as specifying it with the "+" sign.... Or add a /C switch to the SMARTDRV call to change the default mode to store-through caching on all drives, or a /F switch to force frequent cache writes.
(7c) Use System Editor to edit your C:\CONFIG.SYS file. Look for
a command of the form "buffers= (8) If you want to disable SMARTDRV on your system (see Q5),
do the following:
(8a) Use System Editor to edit your C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Find
the SMARTDRV call, and prefix it with "REM " to disable it.
(8b) Use System Editor to edit your C:\CONFIG.SYS file. Look for
a command of the form "buffers= (9) While you are in CONFIG.SYS, look for "files= (10) Go back to AUTOEXEC.BAT and look for the command line "UNDELETE
/LOAD". If present, you may want to "REM" it off to conserve resources
unless you delete files a lot outside Windows (in DOS). See
Q12
for more information.
(11) Close System Editor. Exit Windows. (Optional: To get an extra
performance boost, this may be a good time to run DEFRAG.) Reboot the PC.
Restart Windows. Check whether 32-bit access is working (see Q4).
A: You may need the latest RMM.D32 file dated 12/93 or later to
get the best possible performance from 32-bit file access (see Q3A2).
Some PCs show no measurable improvement moving from an old to new version
of RMM.D32. Other PCs show major improvement, especially on Novell networks.
A few cannot use 32-bit file access at all without it; for example, if
you run disk compression (DoubleSpace, Stacker) or your hard disk does
not support 32-bit DISK access. You can obtain the latest version of RMM.D32
by FTP ftp.microsoft.com/softlib/
and search the Microsoft Software Library for file WG0973.EXE.
Download it and execute it - it will self-extract (using PKUNZIP) a copy
of RMM.D32 and an accompanying file README.TXT into its current directory.
Move RMM.D32 to C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.
A: No. This is a persistent but unfounded rumor. What is true
though, is that you can only use a Permanent swapfile with 32-bit file
access. A Temporary swapfile is not allowed. Running with swapfile set
to "None" is allowed, but will not perform as well with 32-bit file access
as a small permanent swapfile (see Q3A1b ). Note
a major change in your swapfile type or size may require you to resize
your cache as well (see Q5c). Also: Do not put
a permanent swapfile on a compressed drive (see Q13).
A: If you think disabling 32-bit file access is going to solve some
specific problem, you may wish to try turning it off temporarily (see Q3d)
before carrying out these drastic steps. You may find 32-bit file access
was not the real cause of your problem, or that you cannot live with the
slower performance of 16-bit file access. Assuming you are serious about
deinstalling it, here are the steps. Backing up your hard drive first is
encouraged:
(1) Start Windows with 16-bit mode switches: "WIN /d:cf".
(2) Double-click Control Panel, double-click 386Enh icon, click
Virtual Memory, click Change, click off the 32-Bit File Access checkbox.
(2a) At this moment, Cache Size will change automatically (typically
to 512KB). If you are going to use SMARTDRV to cache your hard drives in
Windows now, set Cache Size here to zero.
(2b) If you wish, you are now free to change your swapfile to
None or Temporary. In any case, make sure the correct drive is selected;
it may show "C:" now even if you used to keep swapfile somewhere else.
(2c) Click OK to close the control panel.
(2d) Click on "Restart Windows".
(3) You probably want to use SMARTDRV to cache your hard drive(s)
in Windows now. If so, do all the following. (If not, skip to step 4.)
(3a) Use the System Editor (Notepad will do if need be) to edit
C:\CONFIG.SYS. Search for a "REM device=smartdrv" statement. If found,
remove the "REM ". If not found, don't worry about it.
(3b) While in CONFIG.SYS, look for "buffers= (3c) Switch your System Editor window to C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.INI.
Look in the [386Enh] section for "device=vcache.386". If found, insert
a semicolon before it or remove it altogether. If not found, don't worry.
(3d) Switch to C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT. Search for a SMARTDRV command.
If prefixed with "REM " then remove the "REM ". Increase the last number
on the command (Windows cache size) to at least 256. If the command is
not found, you need to reinstall SMARTDRV -- consult MS-DOS manual and
HELP.
(3e) Exit System Editor.
(4) You can start using Tracker or Sentry UNDELETE in Windows
again. If you had disabled it due to the 32-bit incompatibility (see Q12)
then you can turn it back on now. The easiest way is to double-click the
MWUNDEL icon, pull down the Options menu, click on "Configure Delete Protection",
click on the checkbox for Sentry or Tracker, and click OK.
(5) Exit Windows. Reboot PC. Restart Windows. Make sure 32-bit
file access is turned off and your applications still work.
A: Start Windows with the 16-bit file access switch: "WIN /d:c". 32-bit
file access will be disabled just for that single Windows session.
A: Here is the list:
A: Double click Control Panels, double click the 386Enh icon, click
Virtual Memory. If 32-bit file access is not working, an error box will
probably pop up at this point. Otherwise you get an information display
window. Check the "File Access" panel at the bottom. If it says "32-bit"
then 32-bit file access is now being used. (If your hard drive has more
partitions than just C:, then all should show "32-bit".) If it says "16-bit"
then it is not working (see Q8). Note it is normal
for drives other than hard disks (RAM disk, CD-ROM) to show 16-bit access.
Click Cancel. If a RAM disk shows 32-bit file access, its performance may
be degraded (see Q2d).
A: This program reports the exact same status as the 386Enh control
panel. If you own the WFWG 3.11 Resource Kit, you may prefer to install
this and use it to check whether 32-bit file access is in effect instead
of the control panel, but only if you prefer it. (The software is provided
as part of Microsoft's "Windows for Workgroups Resource Kit Addendum for
Version 3.11". The program name is VFATSTAT.EXE) Win95 note: This program
will appear to run on Windows 95 and tell you do *not* have 32-bit file
access -- it is lying!
Q4b: So how do you check 32-bit file access
in Windows 95?
A: Through "My Computer" and then "Properties" (or through " Control
Panel" and then "System") find and click the "Performance" tab. It should
show 32-bit mode, not compatibility mode. If not, check the file IOS.LOG
to find out why Win95 loaded a real mode disk driver.
A: The best answer seems to be "it depends". Removing SMARTDRV (see
Q3A8)
frees up about 31K of lower memory and 512K of extended memory, but DOS
runs slower and Windows takes longer to load. Keeping SMARTDRV (see
Q3A7)
slightly reduces memory availability (including memory that could be used
for the Windows cache [cf. Microsoft Knowledge Base Q106266]) but makes
DOS faster and makes Windows start up more quickly. Once Windows is up
and running, it will only use SMARTDRV for floppy disk (or CD-ROM or optical
disk) access, but not for the hard drive (no matter what drive letters
appear on the SMARTDRV command). So the reasons to keep SMARTDRV in addition
to 32-bit file access would be for running DOS applicatins, using floppy
or CD-ROM, or booting up into WFWG more quickly. The price you pay is less
memory. You can run Smartmon in Windows to determine to what extent SMARTDRV
currently is caching your floppy or CD-ROM drives. (Note DOS 6.2 or higher
is needed to cache a CD-ROM. Smartmon will not show the CD-ROM caching,
however [cf. Microsoft Knowledge Base Q127143]. To prevent it from caching
CD-ROM, add the /U switch to the SMARTDRV command in AUTOEXEC.BAT.) For
caches other than SMARTDRV, refer to Q17.
A: If you cache writes to your hard disk as well as reads, you will
reap even greater performance benefit for your PC. However, you also risk
file corruption or data loss if a write never makes it from your cache
in RAM onto your hard disk. Both Smartdrv and the Windows cache give you
the option of "store-through" caching to eliminate the risk. You should
probably avoid write caching if your PC is subject to unexpected interruptions
(power loss, hangs, toddler hitting reset) or if it is connected to a network.
If you do use write caching, both Smartdrv and Windows cache do seem to
force a save to disk at periodic intervals (as short as 5 seconds during
system idle, and a constant rate of every 4 seconds on Windows NT). If
you use any disk compression other than DoubleSpace, then write caching
in Windows is turned off by default. You can force it on with a "ForceLazyOn"
statement (see Q3 A:4a) in SYSTEM.INI.
Windows NT users note: The NT File System (NTFS) combines write
caching with automatic logging and crash recovery, so it's write caching
is much safer than Windows for Workgroups or Windows 95.
A: If you are about to do something risky to your PC that could possibly
hang or crash it, you can manually flush all the writes out of your RAM
cache and force them onto your hard disk. Note that flushing the cache
to your disk does not invalidate the cache (its contents are still there
to accelerate subsequent file accesses.) To flush SmartDrive, enter "SMARTDRV
/C". To flush the Windows cache, open a DOS box and type control-C or control-break
[cf. Microsoft Knowledge Base Q110092]. If you do get hung you should use
Ctrl-Alt-Del to recover. Ctrl-Alt-Del also flushes the caches when working
properly. A hard reset does not. Never push reset while Windows is running
if you use write caching!
A: Your goal is to maximize the cache "hit rate", but minimize its size
to conserve memory and reduce "thrashing". For the Smartdrv cache, a Windows
program called SmartMon will display the hit rate. Try it while running
a typical heavy mix of applications, or while running a standard performance
benchmark (e.g., WinBench). (If you don't have SmartMon, you can get cache
hit rate by entering "SMARTDRV /S" in a DOS box.) Now adjust the cache
size for Windows until you achieve the highest possible hit rate. Do all
this with 32-bit file access turned OFF (see Q3d.
Then re-enable 32-bit file access, and set the Windows cache size to the
same amount you found using SmartMon. Disable or reset Smartdrv per the
instructions in Q3A7 -
Q3A8.
A: An amount of memory equal to the configured Windows cache size is
consumed at Windows start-up time. It is allocated from system resources.
This is not the same as the "system resources" reported by Program Manager's
Help (About...) menu command, which is an aggregate measure of the system,
GDI, and USER heaps. The GDI and USER heaps are not affected by the Windows
cache. A good rule is to keep the Windows cache size (plus Smartdrv's Windows
cache, if any) at or below 30% of your machine's total RAM [cf. Microsoft
Knowledge Base Q106266].
Q5e: What about tune-up utilities like Wintune?
A: Many tune-up programs, including the popular Wintune, are very
helpful for checking the performance of your system. Using them to benchmark
disk performance with and without 32-bit file access will give you some
idea of how much it is helping you. However, Wintune gives a blanket cache
size recommendation of one-fourth total RAM to all users regardless of
actual disk performance, which may not be the optimal size for your system
and typical program mix. Nonetheless Wintune is an excellent Windows optimizer.
Wintune 2.0 is available from Windows Magazine on their quarterly
CD-ROM, or a free download from their website at
A: First make sure 32-bit file access is really running (see Q4).
Then make sure you have the correct copy of RMM.D32 (see Q3a).
You can also try decreasing your Windows cache size (see Q3A1a,
Q5c)
or adjusting swapfile settings (see
Q3b). If
you have a RAM disk, see Q2d. [For more ideas,
see Microsoft Knowledge Base article Q106266.]
A: Novell network users may experience a 5-second delay launching
Windows applications. This is fixed by the new RMM.D32 (see Q3a,
which reduces the delay to one second [cf. Microsoft Knowledge Base Q106140].
The delay can then be further controlled by adding a line "RMMTimeout=<millesecs>"
in the [386Enh] sectionof SYSTEM.INI, where <millisecs> is the network
file timeout value in milliseconds (e.g., "RMMTimeout=500" for a half second).
A: Make sure you disabled SMARTDRV double buffering, as explained above
in Q3A6 .
A1: Make sure you have the VCACHE.386 driver (see Q3A5).
A2: Make sure you do not have a SUBST command in effect (see Q20).
A3: Make sure 32-bit disk access isn't getting in the way (see
Q8b).
A4: Try disabling TSRs temporarily. When a TSR accesses a file
while Windows is starting up, or any DOS application has left a file open,
WFWG disables 32-bit file access. Common examples of such TSRs are print
caches and background FAX handlers.
A1: Check the [386Enh] section of C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.INI to make sure
there are "device=ios.386" and "device=vxdldr.386" commands present.
A2: Try adding a command of the form "ForceMapper= A3: Make sure you are not using a temporary swap file (see Q3b).
A4: Scan for viruses on the affected drive and on the boot drive.
A5: Maybe a TSR (see question Q8A4)
is opening a file on that partition.
A: There are some machines where enabling 32-bit file access without
32-bit disk access could appear not to work (some P4D Gateway PCs for example).
The obvious solution is to turn on 32-bit disk access, but that can be
difficult if your hard disk is not WD1003 compliant, has more than 1024
cylinders, etc. If that is not an option, try starting Windows with the
non-virtual-disk switch: "WIN /d:v". If that gets 32-bit file access working
for you, then make it permanent by placing this statement in the [386Enh]
section of system.ini: "VirtualHDirq=False".
A: Some 32-bit disk drivers create INT13 interrupt contention
with 32-bit file access code in WFWG, leading to the message "The device
... cannot be loaded as there is an interrupt conflict. Press space to
continue without 32-bit File Access enabled." If possible, obtain a corrected
driver from the disk manufacturer. If not, disable 32-bit disk access.
A: This may be a harmless side-effect of editing AUTOEXEC.BAT during
the configuration process. Just reboot the PC with Ctrl-Alt-Del.
A: If you let system cache file writes as well as reads, you can get
dangerous file corruption. If you decide to cache writes (see Q5a),
this indicates you may want to rethink that choice. You can switch to safer
(but slower) "store-through" caching by carrying out steps
Q3A4aand
Q3A7b.
A: Check in your SYSTEM.INI file in c:\windows in the [386Enh] section
for a command of the form "NoEMMDriver=On". If you remove this command,
you will probably be able to restart Windows. (However, it may not work
if your PC does not use the RMM.D32 driver for 32-bit file access. See
Q3A2.)
This is a confirmed problem that Microsoft plans to fix in an upcoming
WFWG release [cf. Microsoft Knowledge Base Q108818].
A: WDCTRL is for 32-bit disk access. First try a virus scan (eg. McAfee
2.2.0 or later). If that fails, try restarting Windows without 32-bit disk
access (WIN /d:f) -- 32-bit file access should still be working. (If not,
see Q8a.) Now you must either get your 32-bit
disk access fixed or disable it permanently -- not the subject of this
FAQ!
A: This could indicate file corruption -- see question Q10.
However it may also indicate insufficient file handles -- look in the [boot]
section of C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.INI for "CachedFilehandles=4" and try a higher
value if the current one is less than 14 (or if the statement is not found).
A: When memory is very tight and you try to copy a file in File
Manager, you may get unexpected "Access Denied" or "Sharing Violation"
errors. The real problem is lack of memory, not the file, but 32-bit file
access may cause the wrong error message to be displayed. Microsoft is
working to correct this bug [cf. Microsoft Knowledge Base Q107473].
A: The cache size displayed in the 386Enhanced control panel's
virtual memory dialog box is truncated for all values greater thant 9984KB
[cf. Microsoft Knowledge Base Q108157]. Ignore this--the real cache size
is whatever you had input (assuming 32-bit file access is active).
A: If you are connected to and IBM OS/2 LAN Server, Microsoft
LAN Manager, or Artisoft LANtastic network, and network drives or their
contents disappear from File Manager, or their directories appear corrupted,
it is because 32-bit file access is not compatible with those networks
(see Q21) [cf. Microsoft Knowledge Base Q112366].
A: A drive compressed with DoubleSpace or DriveSpace (MS-DOS 6.2
or 6.22, respectively) may get this harmless error when you check it with
ScanDisk in DOS: "<nnn> bytes of data ... might be one or more lost
files or directories, but which is probably just taking up space". This
is a known bug with 32-bit file access [cf. Microsoft Knowledge Base Q107651]
but it is harmless. Nothing is wrong with the drive, but feel free to have
ScanDisk repair the bad spots just to be safe.
A: Look for a call to MSCDEX in your AUTOEXEC.BAT, and try adding
a /S switch to that command line. Also if there is a SMARTDRV callpresent,
make sure it comes after the MSCDEX.
A: Files deleted in WFWG (File Manager, or even a DOS box) while running
32-bit file access in conjunction with IFSHLP (see Q3A3
) cannot be undeleted in Windows (MWUNDELETE, or UNDELETE in a DOS Prompt
box). The following full screen error message will appear: "Exit Windows
and run the MS-DOS version of this utility." Then if you return to Windows
Undelete (MWUNDELETE) you will see "Disk drive failed - could not perform
operation." Or if you return to a DOS prompt, you will see: "You attempted
to write a protected diskette." Don't worry! Nothing is wrong with your
disk drive.
To restore the file, you must exit Windows and do it from MS-DOS.
The sooner you do so, the better your odds of getting the file back! "CD"
to the directory where the file was deleted, and enter "UNDELETE /DOS".
You will be shown which files are recoverable in this directory one by
one. The /DOS switch is required if you have currently or previously ever
configured Tracker or Sentry UNDELETE protection.
UNDELETE's three protection modes (Standard, Tracker, Sentry)
are explained in your MS-DOS User's Guide or by entering "HELP UNDELETE".
32-bit File Access users can only take advantage of Standard protection!
However,Tracker and Sentry still work for files deleted from DOS. Unless
you
use DOS a lot, it is recommended you configure Standard mode (see MWUNDELETE
Options menu) and "REM" off any "UNDELETE /LOAD" call in your AUTOEXEC.BAT.
This incompatibility is caused by interrupt 26 contention between
32-bit file access and Microsoft Undelete [cf. Microsoft Knowledge Base
Q109527].
Files deleted from real DOS (not a Windows DOS box) can be UNDELETEd
from real DOS. Note the Undelete capability in Norton Desktop and Central
Point PCTools do not work reliably with 32-bit file access either [cf,
Microsoft Knowlledge Base Q114264].
A: If you do a Find in the Windows Undelete utility, you may get
the System Error "Divide by zero or Overflow error." To find the file you
must exit Windows and run the the MS-DOS UNDELETE [cf. Microsoft Knowledge
Base Q109527].
A: The DOS 6.2 version of DoubleSpace works with 32-bit file access;
the 6.0 version disables it [cf. Microsoft Knowledge Base Q106248]. Stacker
3.1 works with 32-bit file access, but version 4.0 only works with a patch
available from ftp.stac.com in file S4UP.EXE,
which was last seen in the pub/Support/Stacker/DOS directory [cf. Microsoft
Knowledge Base Q108152]. The problem was fixed in Stacker 4.05. Chili Pepper
Infinite Disk versions 2.1 and earlier do not work [cf. Microsoft Knowledge
Base Q122870]. There are unconfirmed rumors that SuperStor (part of IBM
DOS 6.3) may not work with 32-bit file access. Note: 32-bit file access
requires permanent swapfile, and you cannot keep a permanent swapfile on
a compressed drive. Also note: Write caching is disabled (see Q5a)
with any compression other thant DoubleSpace [cf. Microsoft Knowledge Base
Q107645]. For some other compression related problems, see Q11f
and Q13a.
Q13a: You get "compressed disk ... not currently
set up for 32-bit file access"
A: This error is caused by enabling disk compression after 32-bit
file access was configured. It can often be fixed by getting the latest
version of RMM.D32(see Q3a) [cf. Microsoft Knowledge
Base Q112622].
A: There is a bug in Powerpoint 4.0 that causes the clipart "thumbnail
file" to get corrupted when 32-bit file access is enabled and VShare is
also enabled. If you disable 32-bit file access, restart Windows, restart
Powerpoint, and reaccess ClipArt Gallery, it will rebuild the "thumbnail
file" from its clipart library.
A: Yes, there is a confirmed problem [cf. Microsoft Knowledge Base Q119742]
with the Quantum LPR 540MB drive if installed with older versions of the
driver. Also Quantum's DC4000 controller may corrupt files in Turbo mode
[cf. Microsoft Knowledge Base Q110090]. Problems may also exist with Adapted
2843VL, Compaq Prolinear 486/25 120MB IDE, and Maxtor 785AV 850MB drives
[cf. Microsoft Knowledge Base Q112552].Contact the manufacturer for the
latest driver. (Also a few disks can appear to inhibit 32-bit file access
if 32-bit disk access is not configured -- see Q8a.)
A: This is a confirmed problem in MS Scenes 1.00, which Microsoft says
they corrected in the subsequent releases of that product. Either upgrade,
stop using 32-bit file access, or put up with the annoyance.
A: Only SMARTDRV is safe. Microsoft discourages use of all other cache
utilities in conjunction with Windows caching or 32-bit file access. None-
theless, some do actually work. See file C:\WINDOWS\SETUP.TXT for details
about your particular utility.
A: Hurricane is a third-party utility that includes a Virtual Cache
feature. The Hurricane Vcache is compatible with the cache in Windows for
Workgroups. In fact, Hurricane uses 32-bit file access. And unlike Microsoft's
cache, Hurricane's caches floppy and CD-ROM drives.
A: Referencing the null device file is a common DOS trick for checking
whether a particular drive or directory exists. For example, "IF EXIST
C:\NUL" checks the C-drive, or "IF NOT EXIST C:\MYDIR\NUL" checks MYDIR.
Microsoft documents this technique in "HELP IF". However, the \NUL file
often appears not to exist under 32-bit file access, especially on a networked
PC.
A: It is supposed to, although some users have problems with IDE drives.
This may be symptomatic of a virus in at least some cases. If no virus
can be found, look at CONFIG.SYS for "FCBS=" and "buffers=" statements.
Try removing the FCBS statement if present. Make sure the buffers statement
conforms to the guidelines given in Q3 step (7c)
if you use SmartDrv, or step (8b) if you do not
use SmartDrv. See Q8a also for more ideas.
A: The SUBST remains in effect, but Windows disables 32-bit file access
for that particular session. If you exit Windows, undo the SUBST, and restart
Windows, then 32-bit file access will come on. (Note: You may not enter
SUBST from within a Windows DOS box, regardless of 32-bit file access.)
The related ASSIGN and JOIN commands may also affect 32-bit file access.
Running 32-bit file access disabled this way may be slower than running
without it [cf. Microsoft Knowledge Base Q106266]. But you can safely accomplish
much the same thing as SUBST for network drives (not local drives, unfortunately)
by using File Manager's network drive mapping capability.
A: It works with Novell Netware and Microsoft Windows Network. However,
the IFSHLP.SYS driver (see Q3A3 ) is incompatible
with some other networks, including Artisoft LANtastic 6.0, Microsoft LAN
Manager, IBM OS/2 LANServer and Farallon Phone-Net [cf. Microsoft Knowledge
Base Q116156]. The typical symptoms of the incompatibility are described
in Q11e. Also Sun PC-NFS 5.0 may cause an "Invalid COMMAND.COM" error when
you exit windows [cf. Microsoft Knowledge Base Q111472].
A: If you check your 32-bit file access status in the virtual
memory 386Enh control panel (see Q4) and it reports
32-bit file access disabled because "you started a real-mode network redirector
before starting Windows," then you may need to disable the Microsoft Network
TSR. Exit Windows, enter NET STOP in MS-DOS, restart Windows and check
the control panel again. If that works, you may need to NET STOP before
all Windows calls in order to use 32-bit file access [cf. Microsoft Knowledge
Base Q106266]. If it does not work, other possible causes of the error
include IFSHLP.SYS not loaded or missing from CONFIG.SYS; VSHARE.386 missing
from the [386Enh] section of SYSTEM.INI; or you need to remove POWER.EXE
from a non-networked PC with an IDE hard drive [cf. Microsoft Knowledge
Base Q109510].
A: Yes, some Terminate-and-Stay-Resident programs that are loaded at
boot time can prevent Windows from activating 32-bit file access. See Q8A4for
details.
A: Yes, UnInstaller 3.0 is a known problem TSR (see Q22above).
MicroHelp is now providing a free upgrade to customers who use 32-bit file
access.
A: Probably because you configured NDOS to swap first to the hard
drive. Reconfigure it to use memory (XMS) first. In effect, NDOS is interfering
with WFWG the same way a TSR can (see question Q8A4).
A: There is a known problem with stealth mode for at least some
QEMM releases (e.g., V7.5). Run OPTIMIZE to turn off stealth mode. Then
run QSETUP, and do not load DOS high.
A: On a PC with both Windows for workgroups (WFWG) and Win95 loaded,
if you boot Win95, then later do a "restart in DOS mode" followed by starting
up WFWG ... then WFWG will probably come up with 32-bit file access disabled.
The solution is to boot (or reboot) directly into WFWG.
The Windows Help file v2.1 (the latest in that format) is available
via e-mail. This html doc is version 3.0 and there are only minor revisions
over 2.1.
While you're out surfing the internet...
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Optimization
Q3a: How can you get the latest version of
RMM.D32?
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Q3b: Is it true you can't use 32-bit file
access on your swapfile drive?
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Q3c: How do you deinstall (permanently disable)
32-bit file access?
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Q3d: How can you just turn off 32-bit file
access temporarily?
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Q3e: How do other WIN command switches affect
32-bit file access?
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Q4: How do you tell whether 32-bit file access
is working on your PC?
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Q4a: What about the WFW3.11RK "32-Bit File
Access Status" program?
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OPTIMIZATION
Q5: Should you run SMARTDRV if you have 32-bit
file access?
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Q5a: Should you use write caching or "store-through"
caching?
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Q5b: If you use write caching, how do you
manually "flush" the cache?
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Q5c: How can you optimize your cache efficiency?
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Q5d: How does Windows cache affect system
resources?
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TROUBLESHOOTING
Q6: Windows seems slower with 32-bit file access
than it did with 16-bit.
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Q6a: There is a 5-second pause before every
Windows program starts.
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Q7: PC hangs when you exit Windows.
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Q8: You know your PC should support 32-bit
file access, but it does not take effect.
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Q8a: What if it only takes effect on certain
drives or partitions?
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Q8b: What if it only takes effect when 32-bit
disk access is on?
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Q8c: What if it only takes effect when 32-bit
disk access is off?
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Q9: When you exit Windows after configuring
32-bit file access (step Q3A9 above), Windows
automatically restarts itself.
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Q10: Sometime after configuring 32-bit file
access, you start getting "File is damaged" error messages from Windows.
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Q11: PC hangs during WIN startup, while Windows
logo is on screen.
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Q11a: You get an error message during WIN
startup: "Microsoft 32-bit disk driver (WDCTRL) cannot be loaded".
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Q11b: You get an error message when you
run a Windows .EXE: "Segment Load Failure".
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11c: Why do file copies occasionally fail?
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Q11d: Why is the displayed cache size different
from what you configured?
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Q11e: Why did your network drives disappear?
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Q11f: Why does ScanDisk report errors on
your compressed drives now?
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Q11g: What if your CD-ROM becomes inaccessible
or slows down?
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INCOMPATIBILITIES
Q12: You cannot restore a deleted file with MWUNDELETE
or MS-DOS UNDELETE.
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Q12a: You cannot search for a deleted file
with MWUNDELETE.
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Q13: Is it safe to run 32-bit file access
with disk compression?
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Q14: You get errors from Powerpoint when
you try to access ClipArt Gallery.
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Q15: Is there any hard drive that WFWG will
let you enable 32-bit file access with, but with which it is incompatible?
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Q16: You have to manually reinitialize Microsoft
Scenes each time you start Windows, in order to get the wallpaper set correctly.
Then wallpaper and screen saver work fine for the rest of that Windows
session.
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Q17: Can you run other disk cache utilities
at the same time Windows is caching?
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Q17a: What about Hurricane?
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Q18: DOS command "IF EXIST *\NUL" does not
work from within Windows if 32-bit file access is on.
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Q19: Does 32-bit file access work on secondary
(slave) hard drives?
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Q20: Does the DOS SUBST command (drive letter
substitution) remain in effect in WFWG with 32-bit file access?
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Q21: Is 32-bit file access incompatible with
some networks?
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Q22: Do some TSR programs interfere with
32-bit file access?
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Q22a: How about UnInstaller?
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Q23: Why does running NDOS as my shell disable
32-bit file access?
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Q24: Why does QEMM disable 32-bit file access?
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Q25: Why did WFWG 32-bit file access stop
working when you got Windows 95?
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REVISIONS
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NEEDS
This FAQ still needs certain information confirmed or expanded before it
is complete. If you can help with anything below, please contact Mike McCormick
at Mike McCormick. Thanks!
Is it about every 5 seconds like Smartdrv? (see Q5a.)
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HOW TO GET THIS FAQ
MSKB: The Microsoft Knowledge Base, which is referenced throughout this
FAQ, is available online at http://www.microsoft.com/.Dear friends,
My long running Microsoft Windows 32-Bit File Access FAQ will now
cease monthly posting to these newsgroups, and I am going to "put it
to bed" at its current level, Revision 3.0.
It will remain available by all other existing means (WWW, FTP,
e-mail, FIDONET) and I may still post it periodically to Usenet if
there is a need. Other readers of these newsgroups are also free to
post it any time.
Also the monthly automatic posting of the 32-Bit File Access
"Meta-FAQ" to these newsgroups (plus comp.answers & news.answers) will
continue. The Meta-FAQ tells you where to find the FAQ itself in
various formats, and what the current FAQ contents are.
Now that the FAQ has gone for months without changing, I feel the
monthly postings are no longer necessary. The Meta-FAQ should be
enough from now on. And as many of us migrate away from Windows for
Workgroups (the main topic of the FAQ) to Win95 and NT, I believe the
audience for the FAQ is slowly diminishing.
I don't rule out taking the FAQ out of mothballs for future revisions
if major new information is discovered, or corrections are required.
** One other big change: ** This unisys.com e-mail address will no
longer be valid after Friday, October 25. You can reach me at
mikemc@bitstream.net instead with all your comments, questions, and
FAQ requests.
Thanks to everyone who contributed to the 32BFA FAQ!
Mike McCormick
mikemc@bitstream.net
ftp://ftp.rahul.net/pub/lps/hard-disk/32bfa-faq
HTML markup version created by Kathryn Bush (gewkab@exis.net).
Latest revision edited by Jerry Wise (gewkab@exis.net).
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Mike McCormick
mikemc@bitstream.net (Home)
I'm back on the beach blowing my little lifeguard whistle.