Documentation for Q87, Version 4.02 Copyright, 1991-1995, QuickWare P.O. Box 684652 Austin, Texas 78768 512-261-9054 October 21, 1995 Q87 Version 4.02 is a math accelerator and math coprocessor emula- tor for computers which do not have a coprocessor, such as 486SX and 486SLC computers. It will both increase the performance of your comput- er with most math intensive applications and allow you to run applica- tions which require a math coprocessor. Q87 requires a 386SX or higher processor, at least 2.0 Megabytes total memory, and DOS 5 or 6, QEMM, or Novell DOS 7. Q87 runs with DOS 5 or 6, all DOS Extender applications, all games, Windows 3.x, and Windows 95. About Version 4.02 for DOS, Windows 3.x, and Windows 95 - With this release, Q87 is compatible with all DOS and Windows applications and games. It also passes all math coprocessor test programs, ensuring complete accuracy and compatibility. We have reduced the memory requirements of Q87 to only 105 kilobytes, which is about 1/3 of the earlier versions. This allows you to run Windows more effectively on a 4 Mb machine. Running older DOS Extender applications (e.g. ACAD 11) from Windows 95 - To run older DOS Extender programs such as AutoCAD 11 and many games which Windows 95 runs by restarting in DOS, use Q87 in DOS mode. From the "Shutdown" menu, choose "Restart in MS-DOS Mode", then run Q87 from the DOS prompt. You may then run your DOS application which requires a math coprocessor. It may be best to make batch files for all of your aps which require Q87 in DOS mode. These batch files could load Q87 first and then run your application, as in - c:\q87\q87 982-882-833 mouse acad The number on the line with Q87 is an example Run Code (see below). If you try to run your DOS only application that requires Q87 directly from Windows 95, Q87 will not be loaded when that ap trys to run, leading to either an error message or a hung machine. You may also need to load your mouse software as well. More recent DOS Extender aps can run from within Windows. Try running your DOS ap from within Windows to find out. If Windows says that the ap needs MS-DOS, then cancel out and restart in MS-DOS mode, as per the above instructions. If the ap goes ahead and runs with no message from Windows, it is OK to run it from within Windows, and Q87 will be active for that ap, as it is for all aps within Windows, including aps in DOS boxes. Installation - See ReadMe.txt for installation instructions, or just run Install. Limited Run Time demo mode - Q87 will run for 20 minutes at a time without a valid Run Code. Any application that is using Q87 after 20 minutes will be shut down by Q87. You will hear your computer beep when this happens. Some applications will generate an execution error when this happens, but that has no effect on Windows. Just shut down your computer at that point, but first remove Q87 from your Autoexec.bat and system.ini files if you don't want Q87 to run. When running Q87 and Windows 95 - If Q87 does not load for any reason, or you have exited Windows to MS-DOS mode, and restarted Windows without re-running Q87, you will get a message saying that Q87 was not previously loaded. Let Windows finish loading. If you don't want Q87 to run, remove it from your system.ini file. If you want Q87 to run, exit to MS-DOS mode and run Q87 from the DOS prompt (change to the Q87 directory by typing cd\Q87, then type Q87) and restart Windows. To find out why Q87 did not load from your autoexec.bat file, monitor the boot process by hitting the F8 key after booting, when you see the "Starting Windows 95" message. Choose the step-by-step confirmation option to see why Q87 did not load. Usually it is because Windows could not find Q87 (Q87 not in c:\Q87 or c:\Q87 directory does not exist, etc.). Unloading Q87 - Only while in DOS mode and after it is registered, Q87 may be unloaded from your machine without rebooting by running UnLoad87. You must be outside of Windows to unload Q87. You may want to do this to save the memory Q87 uses for an ap which does not require Q87, or if you have an ap that does not run with Q87, although we know of no application that does not run with Q87 V4.02. Q87 and QEMM - Windows 3.x may not be able to run if QEMM is run with Q87, but Windows 95 should have no problems with Q87 and QEMM. Getting more free DOS memory - The default installation for Q87 has emm386.exe installed with Expanded Memory (EMS). This is required in order to be able to run older DOS Extender aps such as ACAD 11. If you need more DOS memory, and will not run aps such as ACAD 11, put the parameter "noems" on the same line as emm386.exe in your confis.sys file, as in - device=c:\windows\emm386.exe noems Also add the following line after the emm386.exe line - DOS=HIGH, UMB Additionally, direct DOS to try to load all of your device drivers and utility programs in "Upper Memory Blocks" as follows - Change all lines in your config.sys starting with device= to devicehigh=, as in - devicehigh=c:\dos\doskey.exe Precede all utility programs in your autoexec.bat with loadhigh, as in - loadhigh c:\mouse\mouse Q87 itself uses no DOS memory. It loads completely into extended memory. DOS Games that hang your computer - There are a number of popular games which assume that your computer has a math coprocessor, and which hang your machine if you don't have one. Q87 will allow these games to run, and generally with performance equal to a machine which has a math coprocessor, as most of these games make little use of the coprocessor. Our method of distributing Q87 - We distribute Q87 as what might be called "protected shareware". The distributed program is the full working version, except that it runs for 20 minutes at a time before it beeps and does a DOS terminate of an application. This way, at little or no cost to you may fully evaluate the performance of Q87 for yourself. Also, upgrading is quick and easy. If you are satisfied with the performance of Q87 and need it to run for longer than 20 minutes, we will, for a fee of $30, or $35 for Purchase Orders (see below for additional options), provide you with a "Run Code" which allows Q87 to run unimpeded. Q87 is not copy pro- tected, but the Run Code will only work on one computer. Getting a Run Code by phone with credit card - Run Q87 as a demo and pause at the order screen. Be sure to run the demo on the computer which you intend to use Q87 on. Call our toll-free number which is listed on the order screen. Our operator will first get your credit card type, number, and expiration date. Your credit card number will be verified. We will then get your Machine Code which is near the middle of the order screen, your name, and address. You will then be given your Run Code. Getting a Run Code by fax with a credit card - Run Q87 as a demo and do a print screen of the order form. Be sure to print out the order form from the machine which you intend to run Q87 on. Fill out the order form. At the end of the order form, write down the type of credit card which you are using (Visa or Master- card), the credit card number, and the expiration date. Be sure to include your fax number. Fax the order form to 1-713-961-4438. We will then fax back your Run Code by the next working day. For orders outside of North America, a $5 surcharge will be added to your bill to cover the costs of faxing back your order. Getting a Run Code by mail with a check or money order - Run Q87 as a demo and do a print screen of the order form. Fill out the order form. If you don't have a printer for printing out the order form, please include all of the required information which is on the order form. See below for payment options. We will, within three working days of receiving your order, mail to you a Run Code. You will need to include your Machine Code, a number which Q87 determines and prints on the order form at the start of a demo run. Be sure to get the Machine Code of the computer you intend to use Q87 on. Getting a Run Code by Purchase Order - Run Q87 as a demo and do a print screen of the order form. Fill out the order form. Fax to us the filled out order form and your purchase order. Include your fax number on the order form. Fax the order form to 1-713-961-4438. We will then fax back your Run Code by the next working day. For orders outside of North America, a $5 sur- charge will be added to your bill to cover the costs of faxing back your order. No matter how you order, your license to run Q87 and receipt will be mailed to you. If you do not have the latest copy of Q87, we will mail it to you along with your license and receipt. A license to run Q87 is limited to one machine and is not transferable to another ma- chine. If the machine changes ownership, the license is transferred to the new owner. If you upgrade your computer - If you change your motherboard or your BIOS chips, your old Run Code will no longer work. Only in this event, you may get one replace- ment Run Code at no charge by calling our toll-free number (see at end of this file). Our operator will get your Run Code and last name, verify that you are a registered user, take your new Machine Code, and then give you a new Run Code. New releases of Q87 will give different Machine Codes from this version, but your Run Code will still work. Installing your Run Code - Q87 will first load from your autoexec.bat file during startup. You will see an information screen followed by an order form screen. If you register Q87, you will receive a Run Code which you will place after Q87 in your autoexec.bat, as in - c:\Q87\Q87 829-982-892 The number shown is an example only. You may run Install again to install your Run Code. Other Memory Managers - Q87 will only run reliably with DOS's EMM386.EXE or Novell DOS's EMM386. It will not run with 386MAX, NETROOM, etc. Q87 will also not run with OS/2 or Windows NT, although we will attempt to provide support for those operating systems in the future. QEMM will not reliably let Windows 3.x start with Q87 loaded, but Windows 95 will start reliably with QEMM and Q87. Updates - Due to our distribution method, we are able to provide free updates to all registered users. All you have to do is to periodically check your favorite BBS for a more recent release of Q87. The Run Code which you purchase will work for these later releases, even though the Machine Code may differ from your original Machine Code. You may also call our BBS at 512-261-9058 (settings are 8N1). Money-back guarantee - If, within a year of your purchase, Q87 has any error which prevents it from successfully emulating a 387 or 487SX math coprocessor with any of your applications, we will refund to you the purchase price of your Run Code. Contacting Us - For any reason other than ordering, we may be reached at the phone number in the heading for this document. We may also be reached on Compuserve at 70750,2147, and on America Online at QuickWare. Our Internet address is 70750.2147@CompuServe.com. You may also leave us a text file containing a message on our BBS at 512-261-9058. You may fax technical questions to us at (512)261-9045. Distribution of Q87 - Free distribution of Q87 without Run Codes is both permitted and encouraged. Distribution of any modified versions of Q87 is a violation of international copyright laws and is prohibited. Distribution of Q87 with Run Code(s) is not permitted. Both software and hardware vendors are welcome to distribute Q87 without Run Codes and may charge any reasonable fees for installation of Q87 on a customer's computer. Q87 can be found on several bulletin board services. Some of these are Compuserve (IBM Hardware Forum) and America On-Line. You might also ask the sysop of your favorite local BBS to get Q87 for you. Q87 is also on the Internet on the World Wide Web, at the NexGen home page (www.nexgen.com). Look in Product Support. It may be in the Question and Answers section. We also offer Q87 on our own Bulletin Board System (BBS). Our BBS number is 512-261-9058. You may also upload text files to our BBS containing messages which we will reply to. We have a 14.4k modem and our settings are N81. Payment options - o $30 US currency, plus any applicable sales tax, by Visa or Mastercard. Recommended if you have one of these cards. Call number shown at end of this file. o $30 US currency with either a check from a US bank, (US currency money orders are available worldwide). Please include any applicable sales tax. Allow 10 working days to receive your order. o $35 US currency with a company purchase order, Please include any applicable sales tax. o $45 equivalent non-US currency written on a check from a non-US bank. Please use the current exchange rate. The higher amount is required to cover the bank's fees. Volume discounts - If your organization would like multiple licenses for Q87, we offer the following discounts for volume purchases - 1st license - $30. 2nd through 10th licenses - $25 each. Each license over 10 licenses - $20 each. For multiple licences per order, please print out the order form on each machine which you intend to use Q87 on. Each machine requires a li- cense even if it has the same Machine Code as other machine(s). If you are calling in the order, have the order forms ready so that you may give the Machine Codes to our operator. If you are faxing or mailing in the order, please include all of the required Machine Codes. Thank you for trying Q87. Toll-free order number, for credit card orders or new Run Codes only - 1-800-392-9349, US and Canada (1-713-622-4870 International), between 9:00 AM and 12:00 noon, and between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday, Central Time (US).