Windows 3.0 & non-FDISK partitions trouble ?

Olli-Matti Penttinen pena at fuug.fi
Fri Nov 2 21:17:34 AEST 1990


  I just read in a local weekly computer paper (Tietoviikko 1.11.1990)
that Windows 3.0 shouldn't be used with anything else than regular
(i.e. <= 32 MB ?) FDISK partitions.  The article mentioned that SCO
has published a paper warning of this problem last summer.

  Reportedly, the problems is due to Windows bypassing DOS services,
when accessing disk drives, and using the bios directly, instead.
This is true for swbios, etc., as well.  Specifically, the article
states that following partitioning methods may cause loss of
data/other mishap: Ontrack & Seagate disk management software
(Dmdrvr.bin), Priam disk partitioning (w/ Priam hard disks), Golden
Baw V-Feature Deluxe, Core something I quite couldn't follow, all
systems w/ unix/Xenix partitioning.

  Questions:

  1) Does anyone have juicy horror stories regarding these hw/sw combinations?

  2) What will happen if I
     a) use ISC unix and run Win3 in real mode under vp/ix using
        either a regular DOS partition (< 32 MB) or the unix file
        system (>> 32 MB).

     b) use Win3 in a DOS workstation w/ PC-Interface DOS Bridge to
        connect to the unix server.  The workstation will see the
        entire unix file system (>> 32 MB) as one drive.

  3) Are there any special measures one could take in programming
     Windows 3.0 applications to avoid getting into trouble?

  Yes, I am setting up a network with a server running INTERACTIVE
Unix 2.2 and acting as a PC-Interface server for a bunch of DOS
workstations with smallish ( ~ 80 MB) FDISK partitioned hard disks,
Windows 3 and PC-Interface DOS bridges.

  The network will be used mainly as a platform for multiple persons
per project programming of both Win and non-Win applications plus some
office automation tasks.  Every workstation uses Windows as a shell
and a task switcher.  My initial plan was to install all software in
every local disk and all data files in the server under a version
control system.

  Comments, experiences, suggestions, anyone?  Please email, I'll
summarize, if need be.


Thanks,

  ==pena
--
Olli-Matti Penttinen <pena at fuug.innopoli.fi>
Brainware Oy                      "When in doubt, use brute force."
Tekniikantie 17                      --Ken Thompson
02150  ESPOO, Finland   Tel. +358 0 4375 320   Fax. +358 0 4553 117



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