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Document:	SOFTPC040 RELEASENOTES.PDF
Order Number:	AA-PKKRB-TE
Revision:	0
Pages:	9
Original Filename:	SOFTPC040_RELEASENOTES.PDF

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Order Number: AA–PKKRB–TE

DEC SoftPC Version 4.0 for VMS
Release Notes
Read these release notes first. They document late technical changes,
restrictions, and corrections not covered elsewhere in the DEC SoftPC
documentation.

Operating System and Version: VMS 5.5 or higher
MOTIF 1.1 or higher

Software Version:

DEC SoftPC 4.0

Third Printing, July 1993
© Digital Equipment Corporation 1993.
The following are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation:
DECconnect, DECstation, DECwindows, VAX DOCUMENT, VAXstation, VMS,
VT, and the DIGITAL logo.
Apple Imagewriter II is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.
Apple Laserwriter Plus is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.
CROSSTALK XVI is a trademark of MicrosTuf, Inc.
DESQview is a trademark of Quarterdeck Office Systems.
Epson FX-105 is a registered trademark of Epson America, Inc.
Epson LQ-2500 is a registered trademark of Epson America, Inc.
Epson SQ-2500 is a registered trademark of Epson America, Inc.
Hercules is a registered trademark of Hercules Computer Technology.
IBM Graphics Printer is a trademark of International Business Machines
Corporation.
Lotus 1-2-3 is a trademark of Lotus Development Corporation.
Microsoft Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
Microsoft Word is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
MS–DOS is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
Q&A is a registered trademark of Symantec Corporation.
SmarTerm 220 is a registered trademark of Persoft, Inc.
SoftPC is a trademark of Insignia Solutions, Inc.
UNIX is a registered trademark of UNIX System Laboratories.

S2341

This document was prepared using VAX DOCUMENT, Version 2.1.

Contents
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1 Notes for System Managers
Read Only Hard Disks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1–1

2 Notes for General Users
MS-Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Previous C: Drive Not Compatible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Restrictions to Building E: from the Floppy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Removing Floppy Disk before Booting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The /e Option of MSCDEX.EXE Is Not Supported . . . . . . . . . . . .

2–1
2–1
2–2
2–2
2–3

3 New Features in DEC SoftPC Version 4.0

iii

Preface
These release notes describe product restrictions, undocumented
features, and other essential information about DEC SoftPC
Version 4.0 for VMS. These release notes supersede all other
documents.

Document Structure
These release notes document software restrictions not covered
elsewhere in the DEC SoftPC Version 4.0 documentation set and
provide document corrections and clarifications.

Intended Audience
All DEC SoftPC users (system managers and general users)
should read these release notes.

Associated Documents
System managers should read the DEC SoftPC User’s Guide
for the VMS Operating System, Chapter 5, Floppy Disks, and
Appendix A, VMS Installation. General users should read the
entire DEC SoftPC User’s Guide for the VMS Operating System.

1
Notes for System Managers
You must read and understand these release notes as well
as Chapter 5 and Appendix A in the DEC SoftPC User’s
Guide for the VMS Operating System before installing DEC
SoftPC.

Read Only Hard Disks
DEC SoftPC Version 4.0 allows operation with hard disks
mounted read only. This condition is flagged when DEC
SoftPC starts up. Be aware that some DOS applications do not
understand a hard disk that cannot be written to and go into
an infinite wait loop waiting for the write completion flag. So,
if your application falls into this catagory, either make the disk
writable or do not use that application.

Notes for System Managers 1–1

2
Notes for General Users
This section is for all DEC SoftPC Version 4.0 users. General
users must read the entire DEC SoftPC User’s Guide for the
VMS Operating System, with close attention to Chapter 5, before
using DEC SoftPC.

MS-Windows
Do not use the MS-Windows Express installation. If you do,
incorrect windows drivers will be installed and MS-Windows will
not work properly. You should use the standard MS-Windows
installation procedure.

Previous C: Drive Not Compatible
Older C: drives are not compatible with DEC SoftPC Version 4.0.
The differences are:
•

Currently DOS Version 5.0, not DOS Version 3.3

•

Files in \INSIGNIA

•

Files in \DOS

Notes for General Users 2–1

Restrictions to Building E: from the Floppy

Restrictions to Building E: from the Floppy
If you install software from floppy disks, you should build the
application on either the C: or D: drive, not the E: drive. Once
you know your application works, move it to the E: drive. Note,
however, that some programs do not function correctly when
started from the E: drive.

Removing Floppy Disk before Booting
You should remove all floppy disks from the drive before starting
DEC SoftPC.
If a floppy disk is in the drive when DEC SoftPC is starting,
DEC SoftPC tries to boot from the floppy. DEC SoftPC may not
work if the floppy disk is formatted incorrectly.

2–2 Notes for General Users

The /e Option of MSCDEX.EXE Is Not Supported

The /e Option of MSCDEX.EXE Is Not Supported
Do not use the /E switch (allow use of extended memory) when
issuing the MSCDEX command. Using this switch causes
sporadic DEC SoftPC operation.

Notes for General Users 2–3

3
New Features in DEC SoftPC Version 4.0
Several new features have been added to DEC SoftPC Version
4.0.
•

Motif-based user interface

•

Support for protected-mode 286 operation (this also means
support of Windows Version 3.1 Standard Mode)

•

Super VGA (256 colors)

•

Autoflush availability (flushing occurs 1 to 50 seconds after
the buffer is loaded)

•

FPU emulator (ability to turn the hardware floating-point
emulation on and off)

•

Extended and expanded memory

•

Support for Microsoft CD-ROM extensions and three window
sizes

•

Support for both A: and B: floppy drives and for hard disks
up to 300 Mbytes

•

Support for MS–DOS 5.0

New Features in DEC SoftPC Version 4.0 3–1