CompuServe Messages

John, >>Is it possible that you were using the older Windows version? I was using the version that came with Win 3.1. This was on a system that I sold about 9 months ago, and my Dos 5 manual went with it. The following quotes are from my Gateway 2000 windows 3.1 manual under the parameter descriptions, and are the only references to write caching. This is the same thing that was in my dos 5.0 manual, however that was a Gateway OEM manual as well. "+|- Enable (+) or disable(-) caching. Use the plus (+) and minus (-) signs to override the default settings. If you specify a drive letter without a plus or minus sign, read caching is enabled and write caching is disabled. If you specify a drive letter followed by a plus sign (+), read and write caching are enabled. If you specify a drive letter followed by a minus (-), read and write caching are disabled. /C Write all cached information from memory to the hard disk. Smartdrive writes information from memory to the hard disk at times when other disk activity has slowed. You might use this option if you are going to turn off your computer and want to make sure all cached information has been written to the hard disk." and at the end of the section… "CAUTION- Check that Smartdrive has completed all write caching before you turn off your computer. To make sure this has happened, type SMARTDRV /C at the ms-dos prompt. After all disk activity has stopped, you can safely turn off your computer." Thats all I know. This manual is fairly new but is pre-DOS 6.0. Maybe yours is an older one (?). I guess the facts will vary quite a bit depending on the exact version one is talking about, which makes it difficult to try to give advice about it unless everybody involved states the exact version number of smartdrive they're running (apparently the DOS version that they got it with is meaningless). Well, I have to say I don't want to even think about smartdrive anymore, so on another subject… After hearing all the rave reviews (including yours) I picked up a copy of INSIDE 3D STUDIO, and even though I've only scanned through it, it looks like its got alot of useful info in it and some great tips. It should come in real handy (even more so if only I had time to actually sit down and read it!) David