Colorado Backup for OS/2 README File.


This file contains information about specific problems you may
encounter and specific system configurations.


Topics covered in this readme file:
     -  Adaptec controllers
     -  Bus timing and Colorado Backup for OS/2 DMA overrun error
     -  Creating recovery diskettes
     -  DCF2
     -  Device driver conflicts
     -  Incompatibility with TAPE.EXE 4.03 or greater
     -  Low memory systems (8MB or less)
     -  Older tape drives (Hard Select)
     -  Stacker
     -  TC-15M high-speed adapter
     -  Time critical
     -  Using a Trakker with a 586 class machine
     -  Version of OS/2
     -  Write errors



Adaptec controllers:
     If you have an Adaptec Busmaster controller, the following
     CONFIG.SYS setting is suggested:

     BASEDEV=AHA154X.ADD /V /A:0 /BON:4 /A:0 /BOFF:12

     /V displays messages during bootup.  /A:0 specifies the
     first of four possible adapters, and is necessary even if
     only one adapter is installed.  /BON:4 sets the bus on time
     to 4 microseconds. /BOFF:12 sets the bus off time to 12
     microseconds.  Most of this information may be found in the
     Command Reference under BASEDEV.  The above BASEDEV setting
     gives the floppy controller enough time on the bus to
     transfer enough data (by DMA) to keep the tape moving.


Bus timing and Colorado Backup for OS/2 DMA overrun error:
     Colorado Backup for OS/2 may not work correctly if your
     system bus timing is set higher than 8 MHZ.  Tape drives
     are very sensitive to hardware timing and an abnormal
     bus speed may result in operational problems or errors
     reported by Colorado Backup for OS/2.

     If you are consistently getting a DMA overrun error message
     (error number 51) we suggest checking your hardware settings.
     Experiment with the bus speed, setting it as close to 8MHz
     as possible.  If your system supports the 7.15MHz or 7.25MHz
     settings, these will usually work best.
 
     Note:  The Auto-configuration option (if your setup has one)
            MUST be disabled in order for the new bus speed
            settings to take effect.


Creating recovery diskettes:
     Now is a good time to create a set of custom recovery
     diskettes for your computer.  The recovery diskettes can
     be used with a complete system backup to restore your
     system or move your system to a new hard drive.  CBRCVR
     (in the Colorado Backup for OS/2 folder) will create the
     recovery diskettes automatically.  You may, if you wish,
     create the recovery diskettes manually.  Instructions for
     doing so are given in the file BOOT.TXT, which is located
     in the directory to which Colorado Backup for OS/2 was
     installed.


DCF2:
     Some conflicts have been reported when Colorado Backup for
     OS/2 accesses files in a DCF2 Virtual Disk Unit, resulting
     in a SYS3715 in DOSCALL1.  If you encounter this problem,
     please report it to Proportional Software.


Device driver conflicts:
     The Colorado Backup for OS/2 device drivers, FTDVR.SYS,
     TC15DVR.SYS, and PTDVR.SYS, may on some systems have
     conflicts with the Multimedia Presentation Manager (MMPM)
     drivers, some cdrom device drivers, the Diamond P9000
     video drivers, and ATI Graphics Ultra video drivers.  The
     driver conflicts may cause an "Unable to open driver"
     error message or an OS/2 TRAP 000D.  To avoid the driver
     conflicts, make sure that FTDVR.SYS, TC15DVR.SYS, and
     TTDVR.SYS are loaded in CONFIG.SYS after the CDROM drivers,
     Diamond P9000 video drivers, and ATI Graphics Ultra video
     drivers, but before the MMPM drivers.

          Note:  We recommend locating FTDVR.SYS, TC15DVR.SYS,
          and TTDVR.SYS immediately following the IFS= statement
          (if present) in CONFIG.SYS.  However, some drivers
          (such as CDROM drivers) may have to be loaded before
          our driver.  Some experimentation on your part may be
          required to find the optimal location for the Colorado
          Backup for OS/2 drivers.

          Concerning the Diamond P9000 video drivers:  The
          driver conflict with the P9000 and Colorado Backup
          for OS/2 drivers has been known to cause OS/2
          command windows to indefinitely scroll, as if the
          enter key was continually pressed.  This symptom
          disappears when the video drivers are loaded ahead
          of the Colorado Backup for OS/2 drivers.

          Concerning the ATI Graphics Ultra video drivers:
          Confilicts with these drivers are infrequent.

     The Colorado Backup for OS/2 installation program, SETUP,
     will place the FTDVR.SYS, TC15DVR.SYS, and TTDVR.SYS in the
     correct location in CONFIG.SYS for most machines (except in
     the case of the Diamond P9000 and ATI Graphics Ultra video
     drivers).  The driver conflicts are mentioned here for the
     case of a manual installation or a driver conflict with
     specific systems.


Incompatibility with TAPE.EXE 4.03 or greater:
     Colorado Backup for OS/2 will not read compressed tapes
     made with any version of TAPE.EXE 4.03 or greater, but
     Colorado Backup for OS/2 will read the uncompressed
     volumes made with this software.


Low memory:
     Colorado Backup for OS/2 may not work correctly on machines
     with less than 8 MB of memory.  Machines with 8 MB of
     memory that have network software loaded may also fall into
     this category.  In the case of a low memory machine,
     Colorado Backup for OS/2 will report one of these errors:
     "Unable to load device driver," or "Unable to allocate
     memory in device driver."  Note:  This problem may be
     resolved in future versions of Colorado Backup for OS/2 or
     the OS/2 operating system.


Older tape drives (Hard Select):
     The list of tape drives in the "Configuration Options"
     dialog refer to Soft Select tape drives (most of the newer
     tape drives are Soft Select), and will not correctly select
     the older Hard Select type of tape drive.  If you have a
     Hard Select tape drive, select the tape drive qualified with
     "(hard select)" from the "Configuration Options" list.  Refer
     to the documentation that came with your tape drive to
     determine which type of tape drive (Hard Select or Soft
     Select) you have.  In general, Hard Select drives may have
     jumpers to select the drive (A or B) and will only function
     as the A or B device, but not as a third floppy device.


Stacker:
     If FTDVR.SYS, TC15DVR.SYS, or TTDVR.SYS resides on a stacked
     volume, the DEVICE=FTDVR.SYS statement should be placed after
     the Stacker device drivers.


TC-15M high-speed adapter:
     Colorado Backup for OS/2 supports the TC-15 high-speed
     adapter, but does not support the TC-15M high-speed
     adapter, which is the microchannel version of the TC-15.
     

Time critical:
     During normal tape drive operations, Colorado Backup for
     OS/2 must respond to the tape drive signals within a
     certain amount of time, or the tape drive may start to
     behave unpredictably, causing Colorado Backup for OS/2
     to abort the current tape operation.  Active DOS and
     Windows sessions may deny Colorado Backup for OS/2 the
     CPU time needed to respond quickly to tape drive signals.
     If Colorado Backup for OS/2 aborts in the middle of a
     tape operation, make sure that the "Time Critical" check
     box in the "Device" page of the configuration notebook
     is checked before retrying the tape operation.  Time
     critical will ensure that Colorado Backup for OS/2 is
     given enough CPU time to respond quickly to the tape
     drive requests.


Using a Trakker with a 586 class machine:
     When using a Trakker tape drive with a 586 class computer
     you may need to set the data or control delay, or both.
     Adjustments are not necessary unless the system is not
     working properly.

     If you receive error messages that the software cannot
     communicate with the drive, you will need to change the
     control delay.  The control delay is automatically set
     to 0.  You will switch it to a setting between 1 and 5.

     To change the control delay:
     1. Locate the following line in your CONFIG.SYS file:
         DEVICE=C:\CBOS2\TTDVR.SYS
     2. Add the following setting to the end of the line:
         /C=X (Replace X with a number between 1 and 5.  Start
         with 1 and reboot.  If that doesn't work try 2 and so
         on until you find a setting that works.)
     Example:  With the control delay set at 1 the entire
     line will look like this:  DEVICE=C:\CBOS2\TTDVR.SYS /C=1

     If you receive error messages when you try to verify a
     backup, experience extremely slow operations such as
     backups and restores or notice the drive making sounds
     like the tape is passing back and forth quickly you will
     need to adjust the data delay.  The data delay is
     automatically set to 0.  You will need to switch it to a
     setting between 1 and 5.

     To change the data delay:
     1. Locate the following line in your CONFIG.SYS file:
         DEVICE=C:\CBOS2\TTDVR.SYS
     2. Add the following setting to the end of the line:
         /D=X (Replace X with a number between 1 and 5.  Start
         with 1 and reboot.  If that doesn't work try 2 and so
         on until you find a setting that works.)
     Example:  With the data delay set at 1 the entire line
     will look like this:  DEVICE=C:\CBOS2\TTDVR.SYS /D=1

     If you need to adjust both the control and data delay,
     simply add both settings to the end of the
     DEVICE=C:\CBOS2\TTDVR.SYS line in your CONFIG.SYS file.

     With the data and control delays both set at 1 the line
     would look like this:  DEVICE=C:\CBOS2\TTDVR.SYS /D=1 /C=1

Version of OS/2:
     Colorado Backup for OS/2 is designed for OS/2 versions 2.1
     and above.  It may be used with OS/2 2.0, but unexpected
     crashes may occur, especially during the file selection
     process.  If you must use Colorado Backup for OS/2 with
     OS/2 2.0, we suggest that you avoid extensive opening and
     closing of directory folders during the file selection
     process.


Write errors:
     Write errors during a backup are fatal.  If Colorado Backup
     for OS/2 detects a write error, it will report the error and
     abort the backup.  It will be necessary to reformat the tape
     before making further backups, since version 1.1 of Colorado
     Backup for OS/2 will not update the bad sector map if bad
     sectors are found during a backup.
