Subject: PC/GEOS FAQ, Geos Compatibility Information
From: [email-masked] (Raymond Ancog)
Date: 16 Dec 2000 10:47:43 GMT
Newsgroups: comp.os.geos.misc,comp.answers,news.answers

Archive-name: pcgeos-faq/part3
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Last-modified: November 12, 2000
URL: http://www.geocities.com/originalravinray/geos/faq/pcgeosfaq3.txt

The most recent version of this file can be found at any news.answers
archive site. One such site is rtfm.mit.edu, in the
/pub/usenet/comp.os.geos.misc subdirectory. The most recent version of the
FAQ is also available from my home page at
http://www.geocities.com/originalravinray/geos/faq/ in both HTML and ASCII
format.

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

DISCLAIMER

I make no claims about the accuracy of this information. Use it at your own
risk. This file is compiled from various sources, including but not limited
to USENET, the Web, commercial networks, and electronic mail. The FAQ is
mostly targeted towards desktop Geos users, both Ensemble and NewDeal
Office. However, there are still many sections devoted to other topics and
Geos platforms.

This information may be freely distributed, in whole or in part, in any
form, provided that any distributor:

   * Tells me, so that I can inform you of updates to the FAQ and tell the
     USENET community (I will keep the information confidential, if you
     desire)
   * Makes every reasonable effort to keep this information current
   * Releases myself and the rest of USENET from any liability.

If this file leaves the confines of USENET for any BBS's, web pages, user
groups, commercial networks, or other networks (FidoNet, GeoHolics Net,
etc.) or vendors, please let me know so that I can pass along the
information to others.

Please send submissions, comments, suggestions, or corrections to
[email-masked].

CREDITS

I'd like to give the following folks my thanks:

   * Steve Main ([email-masked], http://www.newdealinc.com) Director
     of Technical Services, NewDeal.
   * Anne Page ([email-masked]) for reposting this FAQ to
     FidoNet.
   * Lynn Montelauro (GSMLynn@aol) for making this FAQ a part of GSMN.
   * BlackEagle Services ([email-masked],
     http://dynasty.net/users/blkeagle/) for distributing copies of this
     FAQ to its customers.
   * Werni Grieder ([email-masked],
     http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/WerniGrieder) for being a
     Geos deity.
   * Doug Taylor ([email-masked]) for a lot of the PDA information.
   * All the people who have written great Geos software.
   * All the people who mail me information and follow comp.os.geos.misc.
   * And of course, James Bearden, the original author of this FAQ.

INDEX

   * 3 Geos Compatibility Information
        o 3.1 Where to find more compatibility information
             + 3.1.1 Where can I find more information about running Geos
               with my software and hardware?
        o 3.2 DOS Compatibility
             + 3.2.1 What versions of DOS are compatible with Geos?
        o 3.3 DR-DOS
             + 3.3.1 I switched from MS-DOS/PC-DOS to DR-DOS and Geos won't
               load, even after I run SETUP. What am I doing wrong?
             + 3.3.2 Does the desktop version support DR-DOS 6.0
               task-switching?
             + 3.3.3 Can I run Windows 3.1 on DR-DOS?
             + 3.3.4 DR-DOS is kind of old. Are there any updates?
             + 3.3.5 Will ZIP drives work with DR-DOS 6.0?
        o 3.4 Novell DOS
             + 3.4.1 What about the Task Switcher/Multitasker in Novell's
               NW-DOS 7?
        o 3.5 Linux
             + 3.5.1 How can I get Geos to run under Linux?
        o 3.6 Macintosh
             + 3.6.1 How can I get Geos to run on my Macintosh?
             + 3.6.2 How can I exchange files between my Mac and my Geos
               platform?
             + 3.6.3 Will Geos work with a DOS Compatibility Card?
        o 3.7 Network
             + 3.7.1 How can I use one document directory for different
               drives?
             + 3.7.2 Are there any versions of Geos made specifically for
               networks?
        o 3.8 Windows NT/2000
             + 3.8.1 Is Geos compatible with Windows NT?
        o 3.9 HP 200LX and OmniGo 700
             + 3.9.1 Will the desktop version run on my Hewlett Packard
               200-LX or OmniGo 700 palmtop computer?
        o 3.10 Iomega Zip Drives
             + 3.10.1 Does the Iomega Zip drive or removable drives work
               with Geos?
        o 3.11 Windows 95/98/Millennium Edition
             + 3.11.1 Can I run Ensemble/ NewDeal under Windows 95/98?
        o 3.12 Y2K Compliance
             + 3.12.1 Is Geos fully Y2K compliant?

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3 Geos Compatibility Information

3.1 Where to find more compatibility information

3.1.1 Where can I find more information about running Geos with my software
and hardware?

The GeoInfo database is an excellent source of compatibility information,
and much of that information is now being updated and integrated into the
Technical Support Documents and Hot Tips on NewDeal's web site.

3.2 DOS Compatibility

3.2.1 What versions of DOS are compatible with Geos?

Geos will run on the following DOS'es:

   * MS-DOS 3.x or higher (including Win9x MS-DOS mode); see below
   * Windows 9x/ME DOS window; see below
   * PC DOS 3.x or higher
   * OS/2 DOS window
   * Windows NT/2000 DOS window (NDO 98 and higher only); see below
   * DR DOS 5.0 or higher (including Novell DOS 7.0)
   * Datalight ROM-DOS 6.22 (used in several PDA's)
   * PTS-DOS
   * General Software Embedded DOS-ROM (used in the Nokia 9110)
   * PocketDOS for Windows CE and Psion EPOC32 units (CGA display only)
   * XT-CE with CEDOS for WinCE (CGA display only)

It will not run on the following DOS'es:

   * FreeDOS
   * multiuser DOS'es, such as DR Multiuser DOS, Concurrent DOS, Real/32
   * PC-MOS

3.3 DR-DOS

3.3.1 I switched from MS-DOS/PC DOS to DR-DOS and Geos won't load, even
after I run SETUP. What am I doing wrong?

Make sure that you have FILES=3D120 or more for DR-DOS 6.0. Novell DOS 7.0=
 as
well as higher versions of DR-DOS need only FILES=3D30.

3.3.2 Does the desktop version support DR-DOS 6.0 task-switching?

The desktop versions currently supports the task-switching of DR-DOS 6.0
TaskMax and Novell DOS 7.0 & DR-DOS 7.x Task Manager. Dormant tasks will
appear in the Express Menu to be picked. Switching is nearly instantaneous.

3.3.3 Can I run Windows 3.1 on DR-DOS?

Pensey ([email-masked]) says:

     "Windows 3.1 can be installed on DR-DOS, but you will need the DR-DOS
     upgrade patches. Also, don't let Windows modify your CONFIG.SYS and
     AUTOEXEC.BAT. Do it yourself. Otherwise it will try and put in
     HIMEM.SYS, change your EMM386.SYS and add SMARTDRV."

3.3.4 DR-DOS is kind of old. Are there any updates?

Yes. Caldera purchased DR-DOS and the rest of the Digital Research
technology from Novell. The current versions, 7.03, can be found at
http://www.lineo.com/, the website of its Lineo subsidiary.

3.3.4 Will ZIP drives work with DR-DOS 6.0?

Pensey ([email-masked]) says:

Nope! Try Novell DOS 7.0. Patches are also available for Novell DOS. The
newer versions of Caldera's DR-DOS include all the patches.

3.4 Novell DOS

3.4.1 What about the Task Switcher/Multitasker in Novell's NW-DOS 7?

Novell DOS has been purchased by Caldera (http://www.lineo.com) and renamed
back to DR-DOS. The Multitasker and Geos don't work together at all on most
systems, although a few people have had good luck with it. You can get the
task switcher to work with Geos by making sure that it uses the correct key
combination. Select the DR-DOS TaskMax switcher in Geos preferences and it
should work, although cutting and pasting between DOS and Geos will not
work.

3.5 Linux

3.5.1 How can I get Geos to run under Linux?

Obtain and figure out the shareware DOS emulator DosEmu. Michael Hirsch
([email-masked]) writes:

     "Geos can run quite well under the Linux DOS emulator but you
     need to set up the /etc/dosemu.conf file correctly. The important
     thing is that DOSEMU must have full partition access (or even
     full disk access) to whatever partition contains Geos. You can't
     give partition access to a mounted partition, so you may have to
     unmount the DOS partition before running DOSEMU. Of course, you
     could write a script that does this automatically."

Ross J. Reedstrom ([email-masked])writes:

     "I got Geos to recognize my lredired \\linux\dos drive as drive
     C: and start up off of it. This allows me to leave my DOS
     partition mounted, and access files safely from both Geos and
     Linux. I can even access all my Linux files (with mangled names,
     however, if they're not 8.3). The trick was to grep though my SDK
     documentation and discover the msnet.geo file system driver, and
     how to force Geos to recognize a net drive. The key is the
     following lines in GEOS.INI:

     [system]

     fs =3D {
     msnet.geo
     cdrom.geo
     }

     "According to the SDK documentation, this section loads
     'secondary file system drivers' if they are not automatically
     recognized properly. I load both the msnet.geo, described as
     being for generic drive redirectors, and the cdrom.geo, for
     mscdex CD-ROM access, of course, since I have a CD-ROM and use
     the DOSEMU CD-ROM driver."

3.6 Macintosh

3.6.1 How can I get Geos to run on my Macintosh?

Some folks tried running Geos on a Macintosh using SoftPC, a DOS emulation
program, and SoftWindows, a Windows emulator. (Insignia Solutions, the
creator of SoftPC and SoftWindows, has since sold its emulation software to
FWB Software.) Another FWB emulator, RealPC goes one step further by
emulating an entire PC. Two other PC emulators are BlueLabel Power Emulator
and VirtualPC. William Ove reports that Geos runs successfully on the FWB
and BlueLabel emulators.

3.6.2 How can I exchange files between my Mac and my Geos platform?

Creative Digital Publishing has released a shareware program called
MacPCCOM=99 available at:

   * Creative Digital's Newton vendor forum on CompuServe - GO NEWTVENS
   * Max Mansour's OmniGo page:
     http://www.ziplink.net/~maxm/omnigo/utilities.html
   * American Online (Computing/PDAs/New Files and Free Uploading)

Look for the Stuffit archive MacPCCOM.sit.

MacPCCOM lets Macintosh users upload and download files to and from Geos
devices, like the HP OmniGo and the Casio Zoomer, and navigate the Geos
file system from the Mac. It requires a serial cable connecting the Geos
device to the Mac's modem port.

MacPCCOM has been tested with an OmniGo and a Centris 610 running System
7.3d0. Although it should work with other Macs, Mac OS versions, and Geos
devices, it has not been tested on other configurations.

3.6.3 Will Geos work with a DOS Compatibility Card?

Edward Di Geronimo Jr. ([email-masked]) reports success getting this to
work , once he set the mouse to PS/2.

3.7 Network

3.7.1 How can I use one document directory for different drives?

Pensey ([email-masked]) says:

     "You can change the default document directory Geoworks uses for
     one directory for all copies of Geoworks running to keep a common
     pool of letters or databases etc. Set up an identical directory
     structure on the server where you want to store documents and add
     a paths section to GEOS.INI

     [paths]
     top =3D n:\geos20 (where n: is the network drive)

     "Alternatively specify an additional document directory:

     [paths]
     document =3D n:\docs

     "Geos will add the two directories together. Documents on the
     network drive will appear with their names underlined."

Note that this is only for Geos 2.0 or higher; it doesn't work with Geos
1.x.

3.7.2 Are there any versions of Geos made specifically for networks?

NewDeal offers a network version that can be run from the network server.
Novell, LANtastic, and LanManager networks are officially supported and
reports from the field indicate that Windows NT/2000 and Windows 95/98/ME
also work, along with many lesser-known networks. The stand-alone version
of NewDeal is network aware and will recognize and interact with drives and
printers on most networks. SchoolView was written to support Novell
NetWare.

3.8 Windows NT/2000

3.8.1 Is Geos compatible with Windows NT/2000?

With a bit of tinkering, Geos 3.0 runs under Windows NT/2000. Two versions
of the Nokia SDK also come with versions of Geos 3.0 that require Windows
NT/2000 to run.

3.9 HP 200LX and OmniGo 700LX

3.9.1 Will the desktop version run on my Hewlett Packard 200LX or OmniGo
700LX palmtop computer?

Yes, people have reported good performance running the desktop version on
these computers. However, there are some problems. First of all this
requires a flash disk. Geos is a GUI OS, so a mouse is highly recommended.
The ALPS Glidepoint has been reported to work with these computers and
Geos. Perhaps the worst problem running Geos on these computers is that
Geos takes over the keyboard and prevents the use of the suspend feature
until exiting from Geos.

3.10 Does the Iomega Zip drive or removable drives work with Geos?

3.10.1 Does the Iomega Zip drive or removable drives work with Geoworks?

The Iomega Zip drive will work well with all versions of Geoworks/NewDeal.
When using GeoManager or NewManager, the Zip drive appears as a 3.5" floppy
drive, but does contain its own drive letter. The earlier Bernoulli Box
drives made by Iomega as well as Syquest removable drives like the EZFlyer
will also work with all versions of Geoworks/NewDeal. Those drives are
iconed with 5.25" drives. NewManager in NDOr3 and later now has separate
icons for Zip drives and removable drives, which can be displayed by
editing the drive values of the [system] section of GEOS.INI. It is
possible to run entire versions of Geoworks Ensemble from these drives, but
be careful when doing this because you're only supposed to use Geoworks /
NewDeal on one machine at a time.

If Geos is loaded in a DOS window from Windows 95/98, and the Windows
version of Guest is used for mounting Iomega drives, then the Zip or Jaz
drive will be recognized. However, running Geos from MS-DOS mode requires
the DOS version of Guest for Iomega drives to be loaded.

3.11 Windows 95/98/Millennium Edition

3.11.1 Can I run Ensemble / NewDeal under Windows 95/98/ME?

Yes! PC/GEOS provides an excellent integrated software package for Windows
95/98/ME. However, versions before 2.5 require a bit of tweaking before
they will seamlessly integrate. Please consult the GeoInfo Database for
more information on this topic. In a few cases where a lot of errors are
encountered, running LOADER.EXE with the /s switch is the solution.

3.12 Y2K Compliance

3.12.1 Is Geos fully Y2K compliant?

Steve Main said that Geos was Y2K compliant since its inception, and will
recognize dates beyond December 31, 1999. In fact, since we are now well
into Y2K, Geos has been behaving normally.

End of the PC/GEOS FAQ Part 3

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         Copyright =A9 199?-1999 James Bearden. All rights reserved.

      Copyright =A9 1999 Raymond Thaddeus C. Ancog. All rights reserved.