 MAGNARAM VERSION 2 README FILE FOR WINDOWS 95 USERS

 This file includes tips to help you get the most out of MagnaRAM.  For
 that reason alone, it is worthwhile reading! It also contains
 last-minute information that did not make it into the manual and a
 few corrections to the manual. If you want to print this file for
 future reference, be sure you are in the MagnaRAM directory and type
 "COPY READ.ME PRN:" at the DOS prompt.  Alternatively, you may
 print this file from the Windows Notepad by clicking on File, then
 Print.

 Restrictions on the MagnaRAM directory
 MagnaRAM and 'Quick Start' programs
 If your locks up after MagnaRAM is installed
 If your system seems to slow down after MagnaRAM is installed
 If MagnaRAM seems to have no effect on your system
 Applications that do not have enough memory with MagnaRAM installed


 RESTRICTIONS ON THE MAGNARAM DIRECTORY
 ======================================

 MagnaRAM must not be installed in a folder (directory) that uses the
 Windows 95 long file name conventions, because Windows' long file name
 support is not available at the time that MagnaRAM loads. The folder
 in which you install MagnaRAM must have a name of eight characters or
 fewer, must have an extension of three characters or fewer, and must
 not contain more than one period, and must not contain spaces.
 If MagnaRAM is stored in a folder below the root directory, all folders
 above it must adhere to these rules as well.

 Examples:

 MagnaRAM cannot be installed in these folders:

 \Quarterdeck             (folder name is longer than 8 characters)
 \sys MR\MagnaRAM         (parent folder name contains a space)

 MagnaRAM can be installed in these folders:

 \sysutils\mr
 \mr
 \MagnaRAM                (the default, recommended folder)

 MagnaRAM AND 'QUICK START' PROGRAMS
 ====================================

 Changes to Windows's Virtual Memory settings and MagnaRAM's
 configuration typically require Windows to be restarted for the changes
 to take effect. Programs that allow Windows to be exited and restarted
 quickly may not take such changes into account. Generally, such
 programs should be disabled before you make changes to Windows' Virtual
 Memory settings or MagnaRAM's configuration.  After making your
 changes, exit and restart Windows when prompted to do so, either by
 using the Restart dialog box or the standard Windows exit procedures.
 After you have restarted Windows, you may reactivate your quick restart
 program.


 IF YOUR SYSTEM LOCKS AFTER MagnaRAM IS INSTALLED
 ================================================

 In the unlikely event that you experience a system failure after you
 install MagnaRAM, you may wish to consider the following possibilities.

 The system can become unstable if the Windows swap file is located on
 an area of your hard disk that is being compressed by a disk
 compression program. (This is true even when MagnaRAM is not
 installed.)  In general, you should either move your swap file to an
 uncompressed section of your hard disk, or make sure there is plenty of
 free disk space on the compressed drive that contains the swap file.
 The swap file location is set via Windows Control Panel / 386 Enhanced
 / Virtual Memory.

 Some programs expect to run in physical RAM, and can cause system
 instability if they do not get the physical memory they expect. You can
 sometimes work around this problem by decreasing the size of disk
 caches, RAM disks, and other TSRs and drivers loaded before you start
 Windows. It may also be possible to work around this problem by
 decreasing the size of MagnaRAM's compression buffer, though MagnaRAM's
 ability to create more Windows memory will decrease along with the size
 of the buffer.

 If Windows does not start at all, and you suspect that MagnaRAM may be
 involved, you can disable MagnaRAM by following this procedure.

 1) Start Windows 95 in Safe Mode.  To do this, reboot your system
    and, when you see the message "Starting Windows 95", hold down the
    F5 key.

 2) When Windows has finished loading, click on the Start button, then
    on Settings, then Control Panel, then Add/Remove Programs.

 3) From the menu that is presented on this screen, select MagnaRAM.
    This will remove MagnaRAM completely from your hard disk.  After
    diagnosing and resolving the conflict, you may then re-install
    MagnaRAM.

 IF YOUR SYSTEM SEEMS TO SLOW DOWN AFTER INSTALLING MagnaRAM
 ===========================================================

 If your system seems to slow down after you have installed MangaRAM,
 try decreasing the value of the PAGEOVERCOMMIT statement in MagnaRAM's
 configuration. MagnaRAM generally sets PAGEOVERCOMMIT to a value of 8,
 which is significantly higher than Windows 3.1's default value. It is
 possible that the higher value will create more memory bookkeeping for
 Windows and have an impact on performance. Try a PAGEOVERCOMMIT value
 of 4 (Windows 3.1's default) and see if your system speeds up.

 You can also improve performance to a small extent by decreasing the
 size of the MagnaRAM compression buffer, and increasing the minimum
 compression threshold. In both cases, the cost of increased performance
 is less data compression and less extra Windows memory.


 IF MagnaRAM SEEMS TO HAVE NO EFFECT ON YOUR SYSTEM
 ==================================================

 If MagnaRAM is installed and working on your system, you should see the 
 MagnaRAM logo, with its expanding RAM chip, as Windows starts up. If you 
 don't see this logo, try running the MagnaRAM installation program again.

 If MagnaRAM is installed, and the logo appears as you start Windows, check
 the MagnaRAM Configuration screen to make sure that the Disable MagnaRAM 
 Memory Compression box is cleared. If this box is selected, MagnaRAM will 
 not compress memory on your system.


 IF APPLICATIONS DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH MEMORY WITH MagnaRAM INSTALLED
 =================================================================

 A very large program (for example, a CAD program) might require a huge
 amount of memory before MagnaRAM's data compression even begins. Try
 decreasing the size of the MagnaRAM compression buffer on the MagnaRAM
 Configuration screen, or try increasing the size of your Windows
 virtual memory swap file.

 ERRATA IN THE PRINTED DOCUMENTATION
 ===================================

 The README file first identified on page 3 of the manual is named
 README.TXT (the file you are reading now).

 The last paragraph on page 3 notes that MagnaRAM will appear under the
 Start menu in Windows 95, under the name MagnaRAM 2 in the Programs
 sub-menu.  The correct name is MagnaRAM.  All subsequent occurrences of
 "MagnaRAM 2" should read "MagnaRAM" instead.

 On page 4, in the section "To uninstall MagnaRAM", the first step
 suggests that you double-click on the MagnaRAM Uninstall item.  A
 single click is all that is required.  Subsequent references to
 double-clicking at any point in the Start menu or its submenus should
 refer to a single click instead.

 On page 9, the acronym "RMA" should read "RAM" instead.

 The last paragraph on page 17 of the manual, which continues on page
 18, contains incorrect information and should be ignored.

 The last paragraph on page 18 is similarly incorrect and should be
 ignored.  MagnaRAM's installation does create a backup version of
 WIN.INI and SYSTEM.INI, and places them in the directory into which you
 installed MagnaRAM.

 The information on page 21, which notes the changes that MagnaRAM makes
 to your system configuration, is incorrect.  MagnaRAM does not use a
 .DLL for any of its services, but instead relies on a Windows Virtual
 Device Driver (VxD).  The name of this VxD, and the method by which it
 is loaded, depends on your version of Windows.  In Windows 3.1,
 MagnaRAM is loaded by a line in the [386Enh] section of the Windows
 SYSTEM.INI file:

 device=c:\magnaram\magna31.vxd

 In Windows 95, MagnaRAM's VxD is loaded via the Windows Registry,
 under the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE entry in the path

 \System\CurrentControlSet\Services\VxD\Quarterdeck_MagnaRAM

 The Display_Compression parameter, described on page 22, is no longer a
 MagnaRAM parameter.

 4K sections of memory, as referred to on page 26 are "pages", rather
 than "+pages".

 Trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
 Copyright (c) 1995 Quarterdeck Corporation



