From: tanith@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Michael D Kretzer)
Subject: Re: Best way to install on a FAT system
Originator: tanith@csd4.csd.uwm.edu
Reply-To: tanith@csd4.csd.uwm.edu
Organization: University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1992 22:25:20 GMT

From article <9204110200.AA11503@SPUNKY.CS.NYU.EDU>, by figueroa@SPUNKY.CS.NYU.EDU (Samuel A. Figueroa):
> A week ago I received a copy of OS/2 EE 1.2.  I just sent in my upgrade form.
> I was thinking I would just reformat my hard disk and partition it into one
> HPFS partition.  But now I read that HPFS is not optimum on machines with
> less than 6 MB.  (Is this true even when switching between 2 or 3 applica-
> tions, but only running one of them at a time?  I tend to have a hard time
> doing more than one thing at a time - it takes me a long time to cook my
> meals.)  A couple days after I received OS/2 EE 1.2 I ordered 2 MB more of
> memory to have a total of 5 MB in my machine.  (Come to think of it, that's
> more than the amount of memory in the IBM 4341 mainframe the Data Processing
> Dept. of Honduras' Ministry of Finances was using to handle the nation's
> accounting, payroll, check-writing, etc. when I was employed there in 1988.)
> So I guess I will have to stick to FAT.
> Would it be better in my case to install OS/2 over my existing file system,
> or would it be better to wipe out the hard disk, install OS/2, and then
> reinstall my applications (particularly Ami Pro and 1-2-3 for Windows) and
> restore my data files?  I don't know how well these things are explained
> in the manuals.

I gather that you are planning on upgrading to 2.0, but until then, you could
play around with HPFS, since 6MB is more than enough memory for OS/2 1.2.

As far as 2.0 goes, what really matters is if you plan on running DOS or
Windows programs or not.  It's not as much that HPFS is not 'optimum' on
machines with 6MB or less, but rather that the HPFS driver takes up a lot
of RAM that you could be using for programs.  DOS and Windows programs tend
to take up more memory (even if you are planning to switch between 2 or 3
applications at once...you will probably find the lure of true multitasking
tempting, for things like background file transfers for instance).  You
would probably do best to stick with FAT until you get more memory.
You won't find many benefits to using HPFS if you are planning to use 
DOS/Windows programs, since they don't recognize filenames that don't conform 
to the 8.3 filename convetions.  And SOME OS/2 programs (most notably
shareware) don't even work with HPFS filenames (or will truncate them if 
they find them)... This will change once more OS/2 apps get out on the 
streets, though...

By the way, if OS/2 finds that you have 6MB or less of memory, the install
program won't even install HPFS (unless you already have an HPFS boot
partition installed from a previous version of OS/2).

There is no need to wipe out your hard disk before installing OS/2 2.0,
reformatting your hard drive is only suggested if you are installing over
a previous beta version of OS/2 2.0, or want to make a FAT partition HPFS
(or vice versa)).  In fact, if you leave your programs on while OS/2 2.0
installs, the migration facility will recognize your DOS/Windows programs
and create folders/icons for you automatically.