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Excerpted:  What is the "MultiRead" specification? (10/13/97)

This OSTA specification recognizes the importance of having future CD-ROM readers capable of reading a wide variety of CD-based media. MultiRead CD-ROM drives, for instance, will be able to read newer CD-RW media as well as CD-R and CD-ROM. This same concept will be applied to future generation DVD readers so that they too can read today's audio CD, CD-ROM, CD-R and CD-RW discs. MultiRead CD-ROM devices will not be able to read DVD-ROM or DVD-RAM discs, however.

CD Index –
Disc 1, 9-29-99

• Label: BBPCD19_29_99

This CD Disc was created to be Bootable with Win98 SE as the Boot O/S. This Disc was NOT Auto Play configured. We expect to make our next Disc as such.
 
This Disc consists of helper applications, tech notes and testing utilities. We have lots of room for growth. Our purpose and intent was to maximize the "How To Build Or Buy A PC" Special Interest Group experience! Enjoy! We were also using this Disc as a test bed for verifying CDR/CD-RW drive compatibility. In a nutshell, we were pleased with our results. Thanks to all who participated in making this effort successful!

CD Index – Disc 1, 9-29-99 

Folders: 

• Acrobat4 – 

  • Ar40eng.exe (Acrobat 4 Reader. Helper app for reading pdf files.)

• Adaptec – 

  • Thrdmk20.exe (Benchmark utility) 
    
  • No longer a D/L from Adaptec. 
    
  • Need to see ASAPI layer? Gibson created a tool available from Europe. We'll link it if requested.

• Aureal – www.aureal.com | www.A3D.com 

  Aureal is currently toast! If you need those drivers for Win98SE, we have them. Drivers too big to D/L! Aureal assets were purchased by Singapore Company Creative Labs.

  Aureal Vortex AU8830 chipset Windows 9x driver version 4.06.2035 & A3D 2.0 Wavetracing Test Applet. See readme files. Includes V2pcisup.zip of V2_PCI_Super.pdf
   
  (Hardware accelerated A3D 2.0 positional 3D audio with Vortex2 SuperQuad Digital PCI). Their future is currently up in the air.

• CD-Tools – 

  Includes docs pertaining to CD-ROM technologies, performance, product specs. And testing utilities. Two Most important:
   

  • Cdbootbl.pdf – "El Torito" Bootable CD-ROM Format Specification Version 1.0 Dated January 25, 1995 from Phoenix Technologies & IBM.

  • Eltorito.txt – Phoenix Technologies "El Torito CD-ROM" Boot Spec Notes (What you’ll see on your screen as a Bootable CD does its thing.)

  • CD Rom Info.txt –

  Single Speed (150 kilobytes per second). 
  Double-speed (300 kilobytes per second). 
   
  To figure out the kilobytes per second of your CD ROM Drive, multiply the speed number –
   
  a.k.a. 24 X 150 (kilobytes per second) = 3600 k/s.

• Also see Cdtest~1 = CD Test Index.txt & programmers notes read txt files 34.txt (read sectors directly from compact discs & and read caching to optimize access) and following&ldots;

• 13.txt = DOCUMENT:Q137813 05-MAR-1999 [win32sdk]

  The Windows 9x Compact Disc File System (CDFS) is a protected-mode CD-ROM driver implementing V86-mode MSCDEX Interrupt 2Fh functions as its sole application-callable interface. This interface allows it to replace real-mode CD-ROM drivers and MSCDEX.EXE and still be completely compatible with existing applications for MS-DOS and Windows 3.x. Applications for MS-DOS and Windows 3.x will not be able to tell the difference between CDFS and MSCDEX.EXE.
   
  Windows 9x provides an interface for Win32 applications to read sectors from compact discs. This interface differs substantially from that provided by Windows NT. While Win32 applications on Windows NT use CreateFile() and ReadFile() to read sectors from compact discs, Win32 applications running on Windows 9x must use an indirect method that involves thunking to a 16-bit DLL that calls MSCDEX Int 2Fh functions.
   
  Because the MSCDEX interface is callable only in V86-mode, Win32 applications must thunk to a 16-bit DLL, and the 16-bit DLL must use the DOS Protected Mode Interface (DPMI) Simulate Real Mode Interrupt function to call its functions. The Win32 application must pass a buffer to the 16- bit DLL. Inside the thunk, the 16-bit DLL obtains the sector data from MSCDEX, copies it into the Win32 application's buffer, and returns to the Win32 application.

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1999. 

Enough already? Important stuff! What this means to the old DOS user: In Win9x, you do not use MSCDEX as long as your booting into the O/S; No DOS driver. Win9x has it’s own driver. If booting to DOS, different story.

In Device Manager, as long as Win9x can "see" the controller it will see what’s attached to the controller! No controller, hence, no CD drive either! Understand the concept and you’ll better understand other potential problems in your PC like chipset drivers and the like! If Win 9x does not understand your chipset, it cannot see your controller and so on down the line. Chipsets rule!

• Discplay – www.obvion.com | www.cddb.com 

  Shareware Discp404.exe app for playing and cataloguing your CD collection which works with CDDB. Also created html for your album collection.

• Drawing – 

  Visual Basic App used for SIG Drawings. Courtesy of Moe Jones, Windows SIG Leader. Includes Doorpr02.exe & Vbrun300.dll. Some like it better than using a dollar bill @ random to choose drawing winners. What ever works!

• Dt_cal – 

  Ctcal15.zip = CT CALENDAR V1.5 (Shareware) 

• Dt-audio –

  Digital Audio Technologies, Tools & Testing apps.
   
  Digital Audio demands high performance PC’s. Does your PC have the muscle to handle Digital Audio Technology Requirements? A few apps to wet your appetite! See if you measure up.

  • Cubase: Perfmchk.zip & Synctest.zip 
    

  • Sync Tester Info&ldots; 

     

  For proper synchronization between digital audio playback and MIDI, Cubasis Audio needs to know the "DMA block size" that your specific system uses. The purpose of the Sync Tester is to extract this information from the sound card and its driver and write it into the CUBASIS.INI file.

• Pci-test:

  Pci.exe ver 2.7, PCI Device Summary by Intel’s PCD Systems Engineering. Know your PCI without removing the lid?
   
  Does everybody in your PC behave and play fair? 

• Reporter:

  Install.exe, Echo Reporter formerly www.event1.com or Echo...

• Spcanlyz:

  Gram412.zip, Spectrogram v4.12, a dual channel audio spectrum analyzer for Win95. Can provide either a scrolling time-frequency display or a spectrum analyzer scope display in real time for any sound source connected to your sound card. Ideal for any purpose related to sound spectrum analysis.

• Speclab4: 

  Lab432.zip, Sound Technology Spectrum Analyzer. www.soundtechnology.com

• Torecord: Audio Recorder

  Total Recorder 2.1 by High Criteria. So how do you capture those elusive sounds your hear on your PC yet do not seem to be able to record? If you can hear it, you can record it! One of Microsoft’s favorite apps! Register Total Recorder. Version 3.1 is out!

This one’s a keeper! 

• Vsc-55:

  Vsc55t.zip, Roland Sound Canvas soft synth module. Do not use if you have a great sound card. After the newness wears off, becomes a nuisance.

• Chipset:

  Chipset.zip = Chipset.exe, Identifies Device & Vendor ID’s as well as chipset info. Somewhat useful in a pinch. DOS app. (Typical info: 82371AB(PIIX4) : PCI IDE/ISA Accelerator) App needs updating.

• Dskbench: - http://www.sesa.es/

  DskBench v2.12 disk benchmark program specially written to measure disk performance for massive multi-file applications like multitrack digital audio programs. It measures reliably SUSTAINED TRANSFER RATE, as well as transfer rate during multi-file reads using several block sizes. Now, it also measures the CPU utilization during all disk operations. Run DskBench from a DOS box under Windows.

• Dt-video – 

  Canopus.zip, Canopus Corporation Digital Video Tools&ldots;
   
  Use pciview.exe to check your computer configuration! Pciview.exe must be run from the DOS prompt. RexFx Screen Saver and dvrex_v4.pdf (DVRex - M1: complete DV digital video editing system. Significance: Uses Sony DV-BK1 hardware DV CODEC. Real-time audio and video capture and output through I-Link digital (IEEE-1394) or standard analog connectors.).

• Fontshow –

  www.gregorybraun.com/FontShow.html

  http://members.aol.com/GreggBraun/HomePage.htm - Link no longer valid!

  FontShow.zip, useful for viewing the True Type fonts installed on your system (Freeware).

• Go!zilla – (Suggest installing a Firewall after installing this. You may have unwanted visitors probing your PC! See: Gibson Research) Gozilla.zip

• Hypterm5 –

  Hyptrm.zip, for Win9x users. Adds functionality to included Windows terminal program for BBS users. Supports Z file transfers.

• Intel –

  A goldmine of resource tools! Acpi-spc, Atx-spec, Bapco (Tests), Chipsets (Bus Master Utilities pdf. Has historical interests.), Cpu_id (For PIII owners), Cpuinfo (Resellers Testing Info), Freq-id, Proc_id, Savr-scr, Sdram (PDF Specs), Usb_chec (Usbready.exe, Does your USB function properly?), Intelp~1 (Intel Play Logo).

• Lesnmakr –

  LessonMaker Bible Study Software Sample. 

• Logos –

  Logos Bible Study Software Sample. 

• Matrox –

  Matrox G400 pdf files and tools. 

• Microsft –

  Acpi (ACPI Driver Interface Design Notes, Specs and Utilities), Medplay (Mpfull.exe, Media Player).

• Netpro46 –

  Cp32e46.exe, Netscape Communicator 4.6. Yes, Houston we had a problem. Now @ 4.72?

• Password –

  Ps171.zip, Password Safe.

• Pc-dsngd –

  PC Design Guide specs = Pc98, Pc99 and Pc200103.zip (doc files).

• Pkzip270 –

  Pk270wsp.exe 

• Printapp –

  Prnapp70.zip, Printer's Apprentice 7.0. The best! www.LoseYourMind.com

• Quiktim4 –

  Apple Quicktime plug-in. 

• Ram_test –

  Dimm_id.exe, Runs in DOS Box. Test your Ram for PC 100 SDRAMS. Does it work with PC 133 Ram? Good question, let us know your results!

• Shepherd –

  Shepherd 2.5 from Chaintech. Can be used for Promise RAID motherboard. Read documentation before using! Promise RAID MB ft440bx = Chaintech 6BTR MB (No Bios Updates for ACPI compliance as of 9-20-99.) Very Intel chipset specific. www.Promise.com/ | www.Chaintech.com.tw/QUESTION/PII_CPU.htm

• Soundfnt –

  Does your sound card use sound font technology? 

• Sflib.zip = SoundFont Librarian, for use with Creative Labs products. Check web for more current version.

• Spinrite –

  Test you Iomega products with these apps: Id.zip & Tip.exe. See: Gibson Research

• Testing –

  1. Coretest.exe, use in DOS only and Qbench.zip, a DOS hard disk benchmark from Quantum Corporation which  measures data access time and data transfer rate.

• Themes –

  Win9x Desktop Themes. 

• Url's –

  Favorite.zip, used in the compilation of this CD-ROM Disc.

• Vopt97 –

  Vopt97s.exe, best File Defragmentation app available @ that time. See web for current version.
  www.GoldenBow.com/

• Vrusscn4 –

  Anti-Virus shareware apps. Suggest going to McAfee for latest. Also get their downloader helper app from Netzip (NetZip Download Demon).

• Wdc –

  Dlgt21.exe, Western Digital Diagnostics for WDC Drives. DOS apps.

• Winimage –

  Repw202.zip & Winima40.zip, The Disk Image Management Utility used for creating exact floppy disk images. Works with DMF Disks. Courtesy of Moe Jones, Windows SIG Leader, HAL-PC. www.winimage.com

• Winzip – www.winzip.com

  Winzip70.exe

• Y2k-test –

  Relevant when this disc was conceived. Interesting from historical perspective.

  • Y2k.txt: AllClear 2000 Pro 2.6c - ac2000x.exe, SecureNet Technologies - y2kdiag.zip, year2000.exe and Nstl Y2000.exe. Does your PC still work? ;)

• Atomtime.exe –

  Set your PC clock with Atomic clock on net. Copy to Desktop. Requires Net Connection to activate! Go figure!

• Audio –

  Midi & Wav files to test your PC Audio quality. 

• Bootcat.bin, Bootimg.bin – Hidden files for Bootable CD Technology (introduced by Phoenix Technologies.) For your PC to make use of this CD requires M/B with CD Boot Bios options and Multi-Read CD-ROM drive (capable of reading CD-R Discs). Notice file names have 8.3 character naming conventions to allow any O/S to read the Disc.

  This disc was specifically created for Win98 PC’s. Our goal: Usage with the current predominate shipping O/S. The initial masters required over 80 hours to compile the data. We created 10 master CD’s. 5 were created on a Smart & Friendly Yamaha EIDE mechanism. The other 5 were created on a Plextor PlexWriter 8/2/20 SCSI drive – Wow!
   
  From there, we enlisted the help of How To Build Or Buy A PC attendees to replicate. Our first offering consisted of 100 CD’s.
   
  Problems were minor. The technology just keeps getting better!

• Ct3 –

  Core Test Benchmark Tool (DOS app. Only!) 

• Iomega-z.zip –

  Zip file, contains folder of same name. Includes Zip Drive Utilities: Backup.exe app & Win9x_iom113_en.exe self extracting drivers to enable full zip drive functionality. Notice difference in driver icons, once installed, which came from a CD vs. those from D/L.

• Monitors.zip –

  Zip file, containing ADI, Nokia and View Sonic Win 9x inf monitor files for proper recognition with O/S.
   
  You may need the following tools: www.winzip.com | www.adobe.com/acrobat/
   
  Thanks to all who made this CD-ROM CD-R Disc possible!