Microsoft KB Archive/102060

= Increasing the performance of MS-DOS-based applications =

Article ID: 102060

Article Last Modified on 11/1/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.1
 * Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Developer Edition

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This article was previously published under Q102060



SUMMARY
If you are not satisfied with the performance of your MS-DOS-based applications on Windows NT, try the following:

Windows NT 4.0 keeps the same setting in the property (right click) of the MS-DOS-based applications.
 * If the application is in a window and the video display performance is slow, try full-screen mode. Windows NT 4.0 screen folder provides this setting.
 * Disable the Compatible Timer Hardware feature in the _DEFAULT.PIF or the application's program information file (PIF) under the NT-specific section of PIF Editor. Since this feature causes a decrease in performance, it should be used only if it is required to make an application to run with Windows NT. Windows NT program folder under Windows NT section provides this setting.
 * If the application is in a window and seems to pause periodically, try disabling Idle Detection in the Advance section of that application's PIF. Windows NT misc folder provides this setting in a form of a slider bar called idle sensitivity.
 * If the MS-DOS-based application can be configured for printing, choose LPT1, LPT2 over parallel port. Most of the applications use Int17 to print when configured for LPT. If you select parallel port mode, these applications print directly to printer ports. Parallel mode is significantly slower in Windows NT compared to Windows 3.1.

Additional query words: prodnt

Keywords: kbinterop kb3rdparty KB102060

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