Very Computer

After using DOS under various version of Windows with no problems for years
I'm "locking up" often under Win XP Pro.  I looked at some of the newsgroup
threads for help but haven't solved it.  It appears sluggish and
consistantly locks up now.  The machine is not on a network.  I deleted all
.lck and .net files.

I invoke Paradox with this batch file:
    paradox.exe -extk 12000 -emk 0 -diag -tablek 8000 -bios -share -nettrace

My config.nt has these settings:
    emm = B=4000 RAM
    dos=high, umb
    device=%SystemRoot%\system32\himem.sys
    FILES=99
    BUFFERS=99
    LASTDRIVE=Z
(NOTE: I added the emm statement today based on a newsgroup reply...didn't
do anything to help)

The autoexec.nt just has some path settings.

The properties on the MS_DOS command.com prompt has all the memory settings
on AUTO.  Protected conventional memory is checked.  Uses HMA is checked.

 I "always suspend" the background under the MISC tab.

 Anything I'm doing wrong?  Thanks.

if the context is consistent, don't discount the possibility that something is
hosed..

Quote:> (NOTE: I added the emm statement today based on a newsgroup reply...didn't
> do anything to help)

offhand, I don't know where you got that one from.. I don't know of any threads
where we've ever told people to mess with config, autoexec, or any shortcut
settings..

Quote:>  I "always suspend" the background under the MISC tab.

that's a good way to get locked up coming back from the "suspend".. uncheck that
one.. and several threads have said that the "powersave" machine "suspend"can
cause problems, too..

--

Steve Green - Diamond Software Group, Inc - Waldorf Maryland USA
Corel CTech Paradox - http://www.diamondsg.com - Support/Downloads/Links
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Do you need a Sanity Check? http://www.diamondsg.com/sanity.htm
Upgrade/Downgrade versions? http://www.diamondsg.com/upgrade.htm
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote:> I invoke Paradox with this batch file:
>     paradox.exe -extk 12000 -emk 0 -diag -tablek

8000 -bios -share -nettrace

So do I with no problems.....lots of machines.
Did you just make plain old shortcut to this batch file with no other
changesto the shortcut??
I.E. Right Click on the desktop {New} {Shortcut} typein or browse to you
batch file.
This is Paradox 4.02 or 4.5 not 3x, right?

Quote:> After using DOS under various version of Windows with no problems for
years
> I'm "locking up" often under Win XP Pro.  I looked at some of the
newsgroup
> threads for help but haven't solved it.  It appears sluggish and
> consistantly locks up now.  The machine is not on a network.  I deleted
all
> .lck and .net files.

I agree with Steve Green, you might very well have a table that is
corrupted....
Back them up and restructure them all or better yet rebuild with tutility
(or ChimneySweep) and then restructure.

Quote:> My config.nt has these settings:
>     emm = B=4000 RAM
>     dos=high, umb
>     device=%SystemRoot%\system32\himem.sys
>     FILES=99
>     BUFFERS=99
>     LASTDRIVE=Z
> (NOTE: I added the emm statement today based on a newsgroup reply...didn't
> do anything to help)

> The autoexec.nt just has some path settings.

I have never had to mess with any either of these files for Paradox DOS 4.5
.

Quote:> The properties on the MS_DOS command.com prompt has all the memory
settings
> on AUTO.  Protected conventional memory is checked.  Uses HMA is checked.

>  I "always suspend" the background under the MISC tab.

Now the above sounds like Win 9x or something other than XP !!
These properties are not even on the XP shortcut...
You aren't using a PIF or something are you?

Dave

Quote:>  Anything I'm doing wrong?  Thanks.

    It's Paradox 4.5.  I usually go to DOS first and then invoke the batch
file.  I've been using the application for 12 years and I've never had any
lock ups when I run it under Windows.  I'm trying to figure out if I changed
something by accident.
    I tried using the default XP config.nt and autoexec.nt files and it took
a little longer to lock up but it still did (a clue!).  I've mucked about
with every possible theme on the DOS icon memory settings.  I've deleted
.lck, .net, and re-run nupdate.  All the usual tricks.  I used tutility to
make sure no tables had gotten corrupted.  It all looks fine.
    I'd be curious for you to tell me your exact memory settings on the DOS
icon properties.

    Thanks!

Quote:>I'd be curious for you to tell me your exact memory settings on the DOS
> icon properties.

Well, Rick, I'm curious what memory settings you are talking about!
I have looked everywhere for memory settings and can't find them!
What are you refering to? How are you getting there?

This is what my machine does if I invoke the command prompt and type mem :

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Dave>mem

    655360 bytes total conventional memory
    655360 bytes available to MS-DOS
    633984 largest executable program size

   1048576 bytes total contiguous extended memory
         0 bytes available contiguous extended memory
    941056 bytes available XMS memory
           MS-DOS resident in High Memory Area

Is yours similiar ??

The only things in my autoexec.nt that do anything are:

REM Install CD ROM extensions
lh %SystemRoot%\system32\mscdexnt.exe

REM Install network redirector (load before dosx.exe)
lh %SystemRoot%\system32\redir

REM Install DPMI support
lh %SystemRoot%\system32\dosx

That last line above would be important to Paradox..... and if the redir
thing isn't there I think you'll be in deep yogurt
The only lines in my config.nt that do anything are:

dos=high, umb
device=%SystemRoot%\system32\himem.sys
files=40

How does your computer run otherwise? Other than when using PdoxDos that
is..
Is your CPU overheating?
When it "locks up" is Windows still running and usable?
Are you running it full screen or in a window... I think in a window is
better...

You say you used tutility to check your tables... the verify function in
tutility is worthless, did you rebuild and then restructure?
Or just restructure? Be sure to backup before you rebuild or resructure...

I hate problems like you are experiencing...

Dave

that's usually the first mistake.. in general, you shouldn't mess with any of
that stuff..

is there any pattern to the context of the freeze?

--

Steve Green - Diamond Software Group, Inc - Waldorf Maryland USA
Corel CTech Paradox - http://www.diamondsg.com - Support/Downloads/Links
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Do you need a Sanity Check? http://www.diamondsg.com/sanity.htm
Upgrade/Downgrade versions? http://www.diamondsg.com/upgrade.htm
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

the pif properties dialogs for 9x and XP are basically the same.  With XP
you get two additional tabs for "Summary" and "Compatibility"  The memory
settings to which he is referring must be those in the memory tab on the
pif properties dialog.

Anyway, leave all those at auto.  Back when windows95 came out and I got
my first computer with more than 16 megs of ram (32!), I played with
those memory settings.  It is entirely unnecessary and most likely
destructive.  The command line is all you need.

Quote:Dave Porter wrote...
> >I'd be curious for you to tell me your exact memory settings on the DOS
> > icon properties.

> Well, Rick, I'm curious what memory settings you are talking about!
> I have looked everywhere for memory settings and can't find them!
> What are you refering to? How are you getting there?

--
Lorrin Moore (filter the spam to reply)
______________________________________

http://www.thedbcommunity.com/support/
         for Paradox? support

the .pif  thee .pif ! THE .pif

Unless you use that to start Paradox, which you sure as shoot shouldn't, it
is just taking up disk space!
Unless, of course, you use Windows 3 ! Now there was an "Operating System" !
;-)
Dave

Quote:> the pif properties dialogs for 9x and XP are basically the same.  With XP
> you get two additional tabs for "Summary" and "Compatibility"  The memory
> settings to which he is referring must be those in the memory tab on the
> pif properties dialog.

> Anyway, leave all those at auto.  Back when windows95 came out and I got
> my first computer with more than 16 megs of ram (32!), I played with
> those memory settings.  It is entirely unnecessary and most likely
> destructive.  The command line is all you need.

You can delete pif all you want.  It will be recreated in same directory
as the program, or the C:\windows\pif directory.

--
Lorrin Moore (filter the spam to reply)
______________________________________

http://www.thedbcommunity.com/support/
         for Paradox? support

The saga continues....I deleted all .pif files.  I had tried running Paradox
with cmd.exe and command.com (that was the icon with memory settings I tried
adjusting).  I was getting a strange error message with cmd.exe and that
went away when I deleted the .pif files but the application still locked up.
I set up an icon to point directly to the Paradox startup batch file which
didn't make any difference (I didn't touch the icon/property defaults).  I
restructured all the tables to no avail.  There are no other problems with
this Compaq laptop computer.  It's only DOS Paradox.

The biggest hint is that the problem is truly intermittent.  I've been
working on a new section of code so I thought that could be the problem but
it sometimes works perfectly.  When it locks up it sometimes deletes tables
in the current directory which I can easily restore.  If I restore the
tables, delete the .lck files, and cross my fingers it often gets through
the report section I'm working on successfully.  The next time I run it is
bound to freeze up but often at different parts of the code.  I've never
seen anything quite like it.  I HATE intermittent problems!  I'm running out
of creative ideas but I keep trying.  I usually can fix these kinds of
problems on my own.  It's a strange one.  I keep wondering if it's memory
related?!?

I never had a problem like this with NT or 2000 Pro.  I've tried NT and 2000
compatibility mode and it doesn't seem to make a difference.

Any new thoughts are welcome.

did you simply try a new shortcut, with the batch file?

Quote:> I was getting a strange error message with cmd.exe

what was the error?

Quote:> There are no other problems with this Compaq laptop computer.  It's only DOS
> Paradox.

have you tried any other XP machines?
what is the context when it locks up?
did you rebuild with tutil, or just verify?

--

Steve Green - Diamond Software Group, Inc - Waldorf Maryland USA
Corel CTech Paradox - http://www.diamondsg.com - Support/Downloads/Links
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Do you need a Sanity Check? http://www.diamondsg.com/sanity.htm
Upgrade/Downgrade versions? http://www.diamondsg.com/upgrade.htm
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote:

> did you simply try a new shortcut, with the batch file?

    I've tried it three different ways:
An icon to c:\windows\system32\command.com.
An icon to c:\windows\system32\cmd.com.
An icon to c:\pdox45\startpdx.bat (normal batch file for starting
Paradox.exe with the usual suggested flags)
    They all work fine until the random lockup later when running the
report.

Quote:

> > I was getting a strange error message with cmd.exe

> what was the error?

    The 16 bit sub-system was yelling about a config.nrm file I used to use
which had some problem in it that prevented Paradox from running
(CANCEL/IGNORE).  Without the pif files the message went away so this is no
longer a problem.

Quote:

> > There are no other problems with this Compaq laptop computer.  It's only
DOS
> > Paradox.

> have you tried any other XP machines?

    Not yet.  I will try to.

Quote:> what is the context when it locks up?

    It's running a report that lets a user select a number of record entries
(1 to 200 or so).  It may lock up on the first one or the last one or
actually complete with no problems.  Eventually it always seems to lock up
(like when you're viewing the report on the screen at the end).

Quote:> did you rebuild with tutil, or just verify?

    I rebuilt all tables with a MODIFY/RESTRUCTURE.

that sounds like damaged tables. see below..

Quote:> > did you rebuild with tutil, or just verify?
>     I rebuilt all tables with a MODIFY/RESTRUCTURE.

that is *not* how to rebuild a table.. make backups first..

Rebuild all associated tables with Tutility.. Restruct them to pack the tables
and indexes.. then review the results.. then see what happens..

--

Steve Green - Diamond Software Group, Inc - Waldorf Maryland USA
Corel CTech Paradox - http://www.diamondsg.com - Support/Downloads/Links
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Do you need a Sanity Check? http://www.diamondsg.com/sanity.htm
Upgrade/Downgrade versions? http://www.diamondsg.com/upgrade.htm
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'll try this and see if helps.  Thank you.  So Tutility is bad to trust for
verify but better for restructure than Modify/Restructure within the Paradox
program?

Quote:> Rebuild all associated tables with Tutility.. Restruct them to pack the
tables
> and indexes.. then review the results.. then see what happens..

the Verify option misses a lot of stuff that the Rebuild fixes.. if Verify says
it's bad, it is.. but if Verify says it's good, it might not be.. when in doubt,
Rebuild..

the Restructure option within Paradox does *not* repair tables..

--

Steve Green - Diamond Software Group, Inc - Waldorf Maryland USA
Corel CTech Paradox - http://www.diamondsg.com - Support/Downloads/Links
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Do you need a Sanity Check? http://www.diamondsg.com/sanity.htm
Upgrade/Downgrade versions? http://www.diamondsg.com/upgrade.htm
-------------------------------------------------------------------------