SMARTDRV Cache Status -- What Does the Buffering Value Mean? (82709)
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Windows 3.0
- Microsoft Windows 3.0a
- Microsoft Windows 3.1
- Microsoft Windows 3.11
- Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.1
- Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.11
- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.0
- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.2
- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.21
This article was previously published under Q82709 SUMMARY
In MS-DOS, Windows, and Windows for Workgroups, the character-mode display
of the status of SMARTDrive has a column for buffering status. The entry in
this column can be "yes," "no," or "-" (MINUS SIGN). This article describes
the meaning of these entries.
MORE INFORMATION
The following is an example of the printout you receive if you access
SMARTDrive from the command prompt by typing smartdrv and pressing the ENTER key:
Microsoft SMARTDrive Disk Cache version 4.0
Copyright 1991,1992 Microsoft Corp.
Cache size: 1,048,576 bytes
Cache size while running Windows: 1,048,576 bytes
Disk Caching Status
drive read cache write cache buffering
--------------------------------------------
A: yes no no
B: yes no no
C: yes yes yes
F: yes yes -
G: yes no no
For help, type "Smartdrv /?"
The column labeled "buffering" describes the state of double buffering.
"Yes" in this column means that double buffering is being performed on the
corresponding drive. "No" means that buffering is not being performed on
the corresponding drive. The state indicated by a MINUS SIGN means that
SMARTDRV.EXE cannot determine if buffering is needed.
SMARTDRV.EXE watches each data transfer to determine the need for
buffering. If it sees a transfer to an upper memory block (UMB), it may be
unable to determine if there is a need for double buffering.
NOTE: The double buffer driver must be loaded for SMARTDRV.EXE to determine
if there is a need for buffering. If the double buffer driver is not
loaded, all entries in the buffering column read "no." The double buffer
driver is loaded from the CONFIG.SYS file. The following is a sample line
to install the double buffer driver:
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\SMARTDRV.EXE /DOUBLE_BUFFER
Even if you install the double buffer driver, SMARTDRV.EXE may decide that
it is not needed. In this case, the double buffer driver is not loaded and
does not take up any memory.
You can force the double buffer driver to load even if SMARTDRV.EXE decides
that it is unnecessary. Adding a PLUS SIGN (+), as in the following
example, forces the double buffer to load:
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\SMARTDRV.EXE /DOUBLE_BUFFER+
| Modification Type: | Minor | Last Reviewed: | 7/7/2005 |
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| Keywords: | KB82709 |
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