#3D-Studio and OS/2 2.1
9 messages in this thread
[reply to # 76612, already scrolled]
Hi there,
I'm about ready to jump back into some rendering. I've been using
Topas and RIO in the past because they multitasked quite easily under
OS/2.
I'm considering moving to 3DS if I can get a competitive upgrade
price. How do you like 3DS under OS/2? Any special problems? Does it
perform as well as it does under native DOS?
I really like 3DS under OS/2. I did a long render (like 15 minutes)
under OS/2 and DOS bakc to back and the DOS one took .98 times as
much time as the OS/2 one, so there is about a 2% penalty.
The most important thing is to have the right graphics card. All of
the people I've talked to that are really happy with 3DS under OS/2
are using s3 801/805/928 based cards with the OS/2 drivers written by
IBM.
What about this "OS/2 for Windows" package that IBM sells? Would that improve
the situation of 3DS under Windows? (I've already got DOS, WinNT and Linux on
my machine, I don't think I want to consider what would happen if I tried to
install OS/2, too.)
John,
OS/2 for Windows is really OS/2 with the Windows code removed. It uses the
Windows already installed on your system to run Windows programs. You would be
running 3DS under OS/2, which works great for some people, like me, but not for
everybody. What kind of graphics card do you have? It seems to work best with
S3 801/805/928 cards.
Bailey
I've got an ATI Ultra Pro VLB, I think it's just ATI's Mach32 chip set. So are
you saying that this OS/2 for Windows would run 3DS better than under Windows
itself? Just the otherr day I examined the r3 docs regarding running 3DS under
Windows, and I got so scared I had to close the book. 🙂 I think they
should've said, don't do it and left it at that.
John,
I've really had no problems running 3DS under OS/2. It has been a big
productivity boost for me since I have only one fast computer.
I'm saying OS/2 will run 3DS better than Windows. Don't run OS/2, then run
Windows under it, then run 3DS under that. Run 3DS under OS/2, in an OS/2 dos
session. The worst case is that you'll have lots of problems and say the heck
with it. The best case is everything works the first time, and you can now
multitask 3DS.
Just a note, with the PRO, try running one 3DS session (maybe a net slave one)
in the background with the VGA drivers, then another one in the foreground with
the vibrant ati ultra pro drivers. Then run OS/2 with the 8514/a drivers from
IBM.
Since the ATI GUP has separate memory for the 8514/a part and the VGA part, you
should be able to multitask the VGA 3DS session.
Bailey
Thanks for that info. I have an older ATI Graphics Ultra for general video
work, and an ATVista for the rendering stuff. That may change this year as my
lease term ends.
Richard
Richard,
I'd go for it with the Ultra. Try using IBM's 8514/a OS/2 driver.
Bailey
Thanks…I'm using that driver now.