README.TXT for Virtual Drive(tm) V3.00 for Windows 95/98         10-1-98
Release Notes
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The information in User's Guide is current and correct.

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(C)Copyright 1997-1998, Far Stone Technology Inc. All rights reserved.

FAQ:

1. Can we use Virtual Drive on a network?
Yes, the personal edition of Virtual Drive supports limited network
features. The Virtual Drive Network version supports full functions
for corporate networking and educational networking systems. It provides, 
"click and play on clients", full security control for VCD images. Easy 
monitor program for admin. Auto VCD images update and version  upgrades
on clients. Easy clients' configurations...

2. Does Virtual Drive support command interface program?
Yes, with VDRIVE.EXE you can:
(1) Insert a VCD file into Virtual Drive 
    (by drive letter or ordinary number 1-9).
(2) On a networking environment, the administrator can setup each CD 
    titles with a VDRIVE command batch file and double-click it from
    clients to start the CD-ROM.

3. Does Virtual Drive supports CD-titles with audio tracks?
Yes, Virtual Drive reads data tracks but not audio tracks. You have all
functions and sound, but not the background music(audio) when you are 
playing the CD-title on a Virtual Drive. (The CD-titles will work fine.)

4. After Virtual Drive installed, system can't find the real CD-ROM drive?
The number of drives installed on your system is larger than the 
available drive letters. Add next statement to the C:\CONFIG.SYS file and
then reboot your system.

lastdrive=z

5. The setup program failed after I click on "Continue" for the welcome
   screen?
You are using old MS-DOS compatible mode driver (16-bit) for CD-ROM drive.
Remove the CD-ROM driver command from CONFIG.SYS file, and then use the 
"Add new hardware" from the "Control Panel", let Windows find the 32-bit 
driver for your CD-ROM drive. If you still failed to upgrade to a new 
32-bit driver, you may need to contact your hardware dealer for the 
Windows 95 driver.

6. My CD-ROM drive letter was changed?
You can assign a specific drive letter to a CD-ROM drive by the following
steps:
(1) Click on "System" in "Control Panel" Window.
(2) Select "Device Manager" in "System" Window.
(3) Click on "CD-ROM" item, then double click the physical CD-ROM drive
(4) Select "Settings", and then set the drive letter.

Note: Please assign drive letters for all of your CD-ROMs, include 
physical CD drive and Virtual Drive.

7. Uninstall?
The Virtual Drive uninstallation program will purge all of the files 
created by Virtual Drive except the .VCD files. You can "import" them into
Virtual Drive again or delete them by using the "explorer".

8. The CD-ROM application still asks me to insert the CD-ROM into the 
   real CD-ROM drive?
You had installed the CD-ROM application from the physical drive. 
Some CD-ROM application will run from the CD-ROM drive that it was 
installed. Please uninstall the CD-ROM application, and then install the
CD-ROM application from the Virtual Drive again.

9. Compression?
Virtual Drive provides with a very good compression for the un-compressed
CD titles(about 50% save). The compression rate will be 10%-30% (save) for
those CD titles with compressed data.

10. Audio CD not supported?
Most CD-ROM drives can't read Audio data into system, except SCSI and some
advanced drives.

11. CDI/Video CD?
We suggest that you play CDI/Video CD on the CD-ROM drive. Most Video CDs
are very large, we do not recommend you to use much hard drive space for 
Video CD-ROMs. However, you can copy the VCD, MPG, or DAT Video files 
from Video CD-ROM onto you hard drive directly, and then use Video CD 
software to open these files and play them on hard drive.

12. How much memory Virtual Drive takes?
Virtual Drive is a new device for your system. It uses 64KB memory to cache
the most recently used data for each Virtual Drive. 

13. Where is cache buffer allocated from by Rapid Cache? 
Virtual memory. Rapid Cache is incorporated with dynamic memory management.
It swaps out automatically when Windows 95 needs more memory. 

14. What is the maximum cache buffer size for Rapid Cache? 
Unlimited. The only limitation is your physical memory. 

15 What is the maximum number of files can be cached at the same time? 
Unlimited. 

16. Performance Tuning for Rapid Cache.
Rapid Cache gets better performance without Windows 95 CD-ROM read-ahead 
function. Setup program will disable it automatically. However there are 
some CD titles, which may turn it on again. In these cases, you may need 
to follow steps below to disable "read-ahead" manually. 

(1). Select "System" icon from the Control Panel
(2). Click performance in System Properties Window
(3). Click File System and then Click on "CD-ROM"
(4). Select "No read-ahead" for "Optimize access pattern for"
(5). Click on OK
