ReadMe.txt
Alkonost MaxFormat
Version 3.60 - Release Apr 2005


Program information
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Program Name/Title:
  Alkonost MaxFormat
Program Version:
  3.60
Program Description:
  Alkonost MaxFormat can format floppy disks to maximum capacity,
  duplicate diskettes with standard and non-standard formats,
  create floppy disks images, make bootable and clear diskettes, 
  verify, copy files to diskette after formatting. 
Target OS:
  Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP
Software type:
  TrialWare
Limitations in the Trial version:
  evaluation period: 15 days;
  not more than 10 non-standard diskettes
Registaration fee:
  for individuals: $16
for organizations: $39


Company information
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Copyrights:
   1998-2005 Alkonost Software
Contact E-mail Address:
  support@alkonost.com
Contact WWW URLs:
  http://www.alkonost.com


Features
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MaxFormat can format floppies to the current standard formats for 3.5 inch disks of 1.44MB and 720K, 5.25 inch disks of 1.2MB and 360K, plus additional non-standard formats: 1.72MB and 1.68MB DMF (3.5 inch disks) and 1.5MB (5.25 inch disks).
MaxFormat supports also creation of diskettes images, thus you can get any number of exact copies of diskettes with standard and non-standard formats.
The DMF (1.68MB) format is often used for distribution floppies under Windows 95/98/Me and Windows NT/2000.
MaxFormat determines the type and number of floppy drives on your system and provides very fast formatting as multi-tasking background operation.
MaxFormat provides the best sectors interleave to increase reading/writing speeds; the 1.44MB diskettes are faster than the diskettes formatted by Windows explorer.
In addition to formatting floppies, MaxFormat can also verify, make bootable under Windows 95/98/Me/2000/XP (even with DMF formats!), clear disks, and format only when needed. 
You can also copy files and whole directories to the diskette automatically after formatting.

MaxFormat is a 32-bit program for Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP.


Hardware Requirements
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  - PC-compatible computer 
  - 8 MB RAM
  - 2 MB free hard disk space
  - Standard 1.44 MB 3.5" floppy drive


Installation and Uninstalling
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If you extracted this file from the ZIP archive, run Install.exe for installation.
You can uninstall Alkonost MaxFormat using the "Add/Remove Program" icon in the Control Panel.


Registration
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Licenses for Alkonost MaxFormat can be purchased using a secure online order form.
You can also register via phone, fax or postal mail.

Please use this link to register:
http://www.alkonost.com/maxformat/reg/


Technical support
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If you've got a problem, please contact at
     support@alkonost.com

Please inform us about the following:

  - MaxFormat version
  - MaxFormat serial number (if you're a registered user)
  - where did you get MaxFormat (http or ftp site)
  - Windows version (including service packs and other fixes installed), US or international, OEM or not, Windows build
  - your e-mail account information
  - computer information: CPU type and speed, installed memory
  - description of your problem (as much information as possible to retrieve the problem)

If you have any comments or suggestions for the next releases, please don't hesitate to post them to us.
Your e-mail address will be kept strictly confidential and will not be shared with any other party or mailing list. 


History of changes
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Version 3.60:
  *  New diskette image options were added. 

Version 3.51:
  *  Some small bugs were fixed. 

Version 3.50:
  *  Bootable diskettes under Windows 95/98/Me/2000/XP.
  *  More correct hardware diagnostics.
  *  Some bugs were fixed.

Version 3.05:
  *  Fixed: in some cases incorrect diskette image size.

Version 3.01:
  *  Fixed: incorrect 720KB formatting under Windows 9x.

Version 3.00:
  *  MaxFormat supports the creation of diskette images for standard and non-standard formats.
     You can save a diskette "track by track" into the file on your hard disk, and then create any number of exact copies of the original diskette.
  *  Some bugs were fixed.
  
Version 2.41:
  *  Interface improvements.

Version 2.40:
  *  The best sectors interleave to increase reading/writing speeds up to 35%.
     1.44MB diskettes are now faster than the diskettes formatted by Windows explorer.
  *  The algorithm of formatting was modified.

Version 2.31:
  *  Some little bugs were fixed.

Version 2.30:
  *  New formatting method under Windows 9x/Me.
  *  Installer was modified.
  *  Some interface changes.

Version 2.25:
  *  You can set the task priority (via command line parameters).
  *  Corrected: on some machines MaxFormat could not determine the type of the disk.

Version 2.20:
  *  You can copy files and whole directories to diskette automatically after formatting.
  *  Support of command line parameters was added.
  *  "Get info" button retrieves information from the current disk and fills in the corresponding fields on the MaxFormat form.
  *  "Use Custom SN" checkbox and "Next Disk Serial Number" fields made available for custom numbering.
     You can also increment the custom disk serial number automatically.
  *  Reliable operation under Windows 9x/Me platforms, even on very old computers.
  *  Improvements to the interface, diagnostic, and other aspects of the software.

Version 1.22:
  *  Windows NT/2000 support.

Version 1.12:
  *  Interface improvements.

Version 1.07:
First Public Release.
