2 Brain Busters

[Solo]

Both puzzles involve running a large dos app under a win98 network. First the app uses captures to print to LPT1, LPT2, and LPT3. The workstations only have LPT1 physically installed, only the server actually has all 3 ports where the 3 printers are printed to locally. Whenever printing from a workstation to LPT1 the server responds and prints immediately. If the app prints output to LPT2 or LPT3 which don't actually exist in the workstation, the server does not print for 60 seconds unless you exit the dos app in which case it prints immediately. If I install the missing LPT ports in a workstation the problem goes away - not an option I want at $40 per workstation. Who can tell me how to adjust this 60 second pause/timeout event? Second problem, same DOS app when launched on win98 especially after a fresh reboot before loading anything else will freeze. CTRL+ALT+DEL then END TASK and repeat sometimes 2-3 times before the app runs fine the rest of the day. This behavior first began after switching machines to win98 from 95 which never had this problem. Another factor is faster machines with more memory are now being used. Please any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Steve R Jones]

If for example, one of the printers attached to the server is an HP5.

At the workstation: Find/browse for this in network neighborhood. Right click and select install. It sould ask you if you intend to print DOS apps. Say yes. It will then prompt you to capture a printer port. Select LPT2. Repeat the process for the other printer and select LPT3....

Second, try adding these lines to your config.sys file:
Device=c:\windows\himem.sys
dos=high,umb
Device=c:\windows\emm386.exe noems
files=120
buffers=20