From: sip1@ellis.uchicago.edu (Timothy F. Sipples)
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.misc
Subject: Re: OS2 My experience/minor problems
Date: 9 Apr 92 19:06:15 GMT
Reply-To: sip1@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: Dept. of Econ., Univ. of Chicago

In article <1992Apr9.152625.28104@cs.rose-hulman.edu> swartzjh@NeXTwork.Rose-Hulman.Edu (Jeff H. Swartz) writes:
>Well I was one of the lucky ones at the COMDEX show to win a free copy of  
>OS2 2.0 and I installed last night.  The installation was relatively easy,  
>but I think IBM should have posted more information on the screen about  
>what was going on (SMALL DETAIL).  I got it up and running but I have one  
>problem.  My printer will not work.  It initializes itself when I turn the  
>computer on, but when I try to print from OS2 it says YOUR PRINTER IS NOT  
>ON, or another error.  I have booted on a DOS disk and the printer works  
>fine.  The printer is set up on LPT1. 

Two things to suspect: lousy cable (that isn't fully wired) or lousy
parallel printer adapter card (that doesn't generate interrupts).  See
if you can swap each individually (one at a time) with a friend's
equipment.

>	Has anyone successfully installed Word for Windows 2.0 under OS2.   
>I repartitioned my hard drive so nothing was left.  I then installed OS2.   
>When I try to install WFW 2.0 I get a Cant read so and so...  Can I  
>install this program on the OS2 partition or does it have to be on the DOS  
>partions.  If someone who has installed it could send me some email it  
>would be much appreciated.

I installed Word 1.1 for Windows without incident.  Works fine.  I
haven't tried 2.0.

>	Also one other question.  I tried to install the SVGA trident  
>drivers.  They installed and it said reboot to make changes take effect,  
>so I shut down and rebooted.  OS2 would not come up then I assume because  
>of an incompatibility between the driver and my card.  The screen blanked  
>out and stayed there.  I only tried one of the drivers, but I would  
>experiment with the rest if I don't have to reinstall it everytime it does  
>this.  After this happened I reinstalled it and left the driver as VGA.   
>Is there anyway to change the configuration without getting into OS2 or  
>something....???  

You have to follow the instructions that came with the Trident drivers
VERY carefully.  One vital step is to issue the command SVGA ON from a
FULL SCREEN DOS session within OS/2 2.0, BEFORE installing the new
drivers.  Another is to use the appropriate revision chipset (8900C or
9000) -- make sure your card has that level chipset.  And, finally,
make sure you keep backup copies of all the relevant files.

>	Other than the 2 minor problems OS2 is great.  The installation  
>and other assorted manuals are on the skimpy side, but the online help  
>makes up for that.  It is extremely quick and responsive.  I haven't tried  
>to run any Windows programs, other than the clock, yet, but what I saw at  
>the COMDEX show assures me that that will be no problem.  The applets are  
>simple but full featured.  So far I LOVE IT.  I used Windows and DOS  
>before, but HOPEFULLY never again.  OS2 is much, much, much, ......, much  
>better.  It is much deeper than Windows, but once you get the hang of how  
>to do things, it is just as easier if not easier.  The GUI is quite  
>attractive, and the ease at which you can manipulate files and programs is  
>great.  It has definitely made a believer out of me.

I really like how configurable it is.  It has system administrators
worried (let them be  :-)), but for people actually using the systems
it is great.  (Actually, system administrators need not worry because
the desktop can always be restored to installation defaults using a
key sequence documented in the README.  There's also a built-in way to
restore from a backup.  And, finally, one can put just a couple lines
in CONFIG.SYS, as shown here in comp.os.os2.misc, to backup all the
critical files x generations deep.)
-- 
Timothy F. Sipples       Keeper of the OS/2 Frequently Asked Questions
sip1@ellis.uchicago.edu  List, available via anonymous ftp from
Dept. of Economics       128.123.35.151, directory pub/os2/faq, or via
Univ. of Chicago  60637  netmail from LISTSERV@BLEKUL11.BITNET.