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Q120134: Workgroup Add-On for MS-DOS Continuously Accesses Hard Disk

Article: Q120134
Product(s): Microsoft Access Distribution Kit
Version(s): MS-DOS:3.11
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 20-NOV-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Workgroup Add-On for MS-DOS, version 3.11 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you share a network printer (NET SHARE PRINTER=LPTx) from a Workgroup
Add-On for MS-DOS machine and you change to a large directory (more than 50
files), your hard disk continuously spins. This continuous access slows down
other commands (such as DIR), making your computer work slower.

CAUSE
=====

Workgroup Add-On for MS-DOS uses conventional memory to spool print jobs in
order to be backwards compatible. This spooler requires buffers or a drive cache
to do to operate optimally.

RESOLUTION
==========

To stop the spooler from continuously accessing the hard disk in large
directories, do the following:

- Open the AUTOEXEC.BAT file in a text editor (such as Windows Notepad) and set
  SMARTDRV.EXE as the first statement.

-or-

- Open the CONFIG.SYS file in a text editor (such as Windows Notepad) and set
  BUFFERS to a value greater than 30.

Additional query words: 3.11 slow wgao

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbAudDeveloper kbWFWSearch kbWFW311DOS
Version           : MS-DOS:3.11

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