First:
This document deals basically with Windows 95 on a stand alone computer or workstation operating system. Windows NT (both the server software and client software) should be addressed separately, and apart from the 95 Operating System. That said, this document will cover a list of helpful tips for Windows 95 and Administrator Support of 95 (however these tips are in no particular order, - other than

1. Installation, 2. Compatibility, and Optimization, and 3. Registry Tips

Installation and Upgrade Tips:

• Run Scandisk and Defrag BEFORE starting the 95 Installation (the versions that run during the setup procedure and not full versions)
• REMEMBER: If you are upgrading a 3.1 computer to 95 ALWAYS remove the permanent swap file before starting - Either use the 386 Enhanced Icon in Control Panel (virtual memory button) or remark it out of the [386enhanced] section of system.ini with ;; (using 2 semicolons will reduce the read time of remarks when loading ini files)
• After the upgrade - REMEMBER - Remove the 16 bit device drivers (CD_ROM, Vid Adapters, Vid Cards, Monitors, Sound Cards etc. and install the 32 bit versions (If you have Flash PROM or EPROM, download the newest CMOS you can - they get upgraded and posted often) Note: Do NOT try another vendors CMOS, if you have Pheonix, use theirs, same with AMAD, Award, etc.
• Install or run the ERU program (on the CD \other\misc\eru and backup those files to a safe place, You may also want to copy \windows\user.1st and system.1st (Note: these files will not all fit on one floppy.)
• Installing Service Pack 1 will help with some compatibility, printing, networking, OLE, and dll problems (available from Microsoft’s Web Pages) THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO NETWORK STATIONS. Service Packs 2, and 3 have been pulled due to some bugs found in the downloads, Service Pack 4 only comes with new machines.
• If you install (Upgrade) and put Windows in a different directory (folder) than 3.1 you will create configuration files with a .dos extension and with a .w40 extension. - these get renamed to proper startup files if you choose the Boot To Previous Version option of the startup menu.
• If computer locks up during installation or upgrade DO NOT reboot with Ctrl-Alt-Delete always do a cold boot (power off) so Windows keeps track of where the hang was.
• The help file in the resource kit (d:\admin\reskit\reskt95.hlp) contains some very valuable info.
• On personal stand-alone computers you may want to include a few files that are not installed by default: check out the subdirectories in the \other\misc and the \admin on the CD. files you may want to include are eru.exe, cfgback.exe, regedit.exe, clipbook.exe, mkcompat.exe, sysmon.exe,
• Administrators should have the following programs available: eru.exe, cfgback.exe, regedit.exe, sysedit.exe, rsrcmtr.exe (Resource meter – can run remote with most protocols if both have the same and access is set up), sysmon.exe (system monitor – good for watching new machines to evaluate settings and needs same requirements as the resource monitor), and poledit.exe Note: you want to keep the policy editor (and perhaps the Registry Editor) out of the casual users hands.

Compatibility and Optimization Tips:

• If you are having trouble running a Windows 3.1 program - try running it from inside of the 16 bit Program Manager (progman.exe). If this works you may want to make this your shell temporarily as a work around, until upgrades and solutions can be found, In the system.ini (remember that old file, it still exists and actually supercedes the registry entries) edit shell=taskman to shell=progman.exe
• Accessing properties and setups of the computer: Holding down the Alt key and double-clicking on the Icon "My Computer" will bring up the tabbed properties box. As will right clicking it and choosing the properties menu option.
• Files that did not go to the Recycle Bin: There is still an undelete in DOS, but it is much more complicated to use than it used to be. GO to DOS, - type unlock, - (to exit the DPMI, DOS Protected Mode Interface) then type undelete (remember to be in the directory you need to be in) AND Remember that Real Mode DOS still only sees 8.3 file names, so you may be looking for a file called myfile~1.doc instead of My File From Home.doc then Remember to Lock the HD access by typing lock.
• Speaking of 8.3 files - 16-bit backup programs will not backup the Long File Names you use in Win95
• If you have not cleared the run history (either using tweak UI or another method) then the most recent commands you have run will be listed in a drop down box in the "Start" .. "Run" box
• Windows 95 does not need config.sys OR autoexec.bat to run 32 bit programs, it has its own memory manager and caching system - remove himem.sys and smartdrive, and emm386 from start up.
• Microsoft may say you can run 94 on a 386, with 4Mb RAM - You WILL want a minimum of : A 486 / 66 processor, 8 Mb of RAM (recommend 16 - 24 Mb) and 200 Mb of FREE Hard Disk Space.
• While 95 can use a combination of RAM and a dynamic swapfile to run - Note that Just to start up Windows 95 you need to access 14 Meg of memory ( and make 300 -400 calls to the registry) Running something like Netscape can generate up to 1400 - 1500 calls to the registry. If you can afford it - 32 Meg of RAM is ideal for running Windows 95
• Consider the following terms to be synonymous - swapfile, DynaPage, and Virtual Memory
• New file types in 95: (1) io.sys (still binary and only edited through registry - but loads differently) (2) msdos.sys (now and ASCII text file, but must be at least 64 Kb in size - research any changes to this file before editing, and remember to back it up first) (3) protocol.ini (also ASCII - defines multi-user and networking protocols) (4) system.dat (binary registry file HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE - defines that PC setup and devices configuration used and attached - holds a lot of the information that system.ini used to store) (5) user.dat (also binary file HKEY_CURRENT_USER defines the preferences a user has setup on that PC - screen colors, resolutions, backgrounds, wallpaper, etc. - holds a lot of the information that win.ini used to be used for)
• If you seem to be caught in a loop trying to get to DOS - remember the F4 key for a menu of options, and the F8 key to step through your startup.
• TOO MANY FONTS Still will decrease Windows Performance - not nearly as critical as 3.1 but still a factor.
• If you use a CD-ROM player - make sure it has the optimize (read ahead) setting set to full (you can do this in the device manager inside the Control Panel.)
• Booting to DOS or Shut Down and RE-Boot to DOS does not load the 95 32-bit device drivers.
• If running into the error of mouse sticking to the task bar - pressing the space bar will release it.
• Starting 95 with win /d:m will start in safe mode (similar to standard mode in 3.1 win /s)
• The Resource Kit is already on the CD-ROM version of 95 d:\admin\reskit
• Resource are still more pertinent than available memory - in the system properties box (performance tab) you can adjust the settings. (the Graphics button sets properties for GDI resources etc.)
• Remember that the resources are always dependant upon the LOWEST available (GDI=graphics, User=Apps - programs being run, etc.)
• Windows 95 itself DOES leak memory even without running any programs (restart at least ONCE every 4 - 5 days to return lost mem. Service Pack also patches some of this leak.
• The file ios.ini will list the 32 bit files that are currently available to 95 (not what is loaded)
• With NT and Novell networking you can monitor another computers resources, page in/outs, swap file hits, etc. by using the connect menu and starting a second session of rescmon
• Programs and accessories that do not come with a stand alone installation program can be installed by right clicking the inf file and choosing install (this also records the info in the add/remove programs applet if it was written to be 95 compliant) (this method is similar to the Have Disk option OEM’s distribute)
• You can specify that your Dynamic Swap File be created on a different drive/partition with the specify drop down list (Primary and Secondary partitions will not affect performance)
• Cabview (from the PowerToys collection) is used by RIGHT clicking a *.cab file and choosing open. Note: this is one of those programs/applets that you install by right clicking the cabview.inf file and choose install.
• If you want the Window / Folder you are opening to inherit the properties (view, sort, etc.) of the parent window - Hold down the Ctrl key while opening.
• While the swap file LOOKS for the largest contiguous space on a disk - it will dynamically frag itself - This will cause more disk thrashing and slow performance - Tip = Keep largest available free space as possible, (defrag and scandisk are even move help with 95) (remember you can use another drive)
• To set a permanent swap file - in the system properties set the minimum and maximum swap file size to the same number.
• Setting a maximum swap file size can sometimes improve performance because when 95 reaches the setting, it stops and returns control to user.
• Useless Tip Number 007 - to make 95 look like it is running faster you can use regedit to turn off the minanimate option (0 = off and 1= on) located at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\CONTROL\DESKTOP\WINDOW METRICS
• NT Note: Once you install the NTFS to your boot partition you will not be able to recover any previous File System, VFAT, FAT, FAT32, etc. If you will want to go back to previous configs, Microsoft recommends creating a secondary partition and installing NT there so that you can install dual boot options.
• With 95 you can add executable file types: From System Properties go to the registered file types and choose the one you want to make executable (or add a new one) and define it. I chose the Screen Savers: *.scr and added the new capability "run" and defined the program to use as win.com. Now double clicking on an *scr file will automatically launch that screen saver.
• There are some known compatability problems with 95 and the HP IV printer, you will probably need one of the 32-bit OEM disks.
• Benchmark tests have shown that running NT servers with the Cyrix processors can really bog down - stick with Intell on the servers.

Registry Tips:

• Registry: Note: While you will see 6 different keys in the registry, there are actually only 2 root keys: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (loads the system.dat file) and HKEY_CURRENT_USER (loads the user.dat file). The other 4 keys are actually sub-keys of the first 2.
• Note: Registry files (user.dat and system.dat) of the 2 system.dat is by far the largest of the 2. For printing and exporting purposes remember that you can export keys and sub-keys as well as the entire registry.
• The registry can exceed 200 pages with just a Windows installation (and no additional software installed)
• Remember to backup the registry prior to editing it - a corrupt registry can bring down Windows 95 quicker than any other mis-configuration.
• Backing up the registry with cfgback.exe (located on the CD-ROM d:\other\misc\cfgbak) only works from the Windows 95 GUI environment - consider running the ERU.EXE program in addition to cfgbak (located on the CD-ROM d:\other\misc\eru)
• The eru program will fail (and not generate an error message) if it does not find all of the files it expects to find, where it expects to find them, on your hard disk (info on which files is stored in eru.ini) If you do not have config.sys and autoexec.bat in your root directory - create blank files (1 carriage return is plenty) and name them as such.
• Files the default eru.exe program expects to find: c:\ (io.sys, msdos.sys, command.com, config.sys, and autoexec.bat) c:\windows\(protocol.ini, win.ini, system.ini, user.dat, system.dat)
• To restore these files run the erd.exe program in the drive / directory you stored the backup on.
• Since eru backs up so much, and the *.dat files are so big - if you backup to floppy you will not by default backup config.sys and autoexec.bat (eru will not prompt you for a second floppy disk)
• Point of Interest: Part of the reasons Microsoft went to a registry database instead of the ini files was 1. an ini file had a limit of 64Kb in size, and 2. it consolidated information into a central location.
• THERE IS NO UNDO when you are editing the registry - also there are no menu items for cut, copy and paste (although the Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V still work)
• Windows makes backups of the registry files when it SUCCESSFULLY boots - these files are called user.da0 and system.da0 - Also there are two copies created at the time of installation called user.1st and system.1st, if you don’t delete these files your very first installation is available (they never get updated - unless you do it manually.
• Remember user.dat and system.dat are have attributes set (s)ystem +, (r)ead only +, and (h)idden + you will have to changed this in order to manipulate the files (regedit un-sets these attributes, and stores a "Virtual Registry" in RAM while you are editing.
• Configuration File Order of Precedence: config.sys and autoexec.bat will over-ride an ini file setting -and - an ini file will over-ride the registry settings.
• Faster disk caching: since there are not any numbers to define your cache as smartdrv had - from the properties tabbed dialog box, pick the "Role of this computer" as a File server - this will set a larger cache to work with BUT (SEE FOLLOWING NOTE TO SET PROPERLY) The cache it actually sets is: NameCache: 16Kb or 2,700 names and PathCache of 64 paths (Note: these are stored in the VFAT not the FAT, RAM, or HD) (Note 2: New release of 95 calls this FAT32 and deals with file and directory in a more efficient manner, however this version is only available in newly purchased machines - not in store bought OS’es or Service Pack upgrades / downloads. It will be the Windows 97 file system.
• When you change your cache (by setting the role of the computer to Network Server) you will have to go to the registry (regedit.exe) to fix a small mistake that slipped through the Microsoft doors. In the Registry go to
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\FSTemplates\ Server
• . (click on the + signs to drill down to this) you will see the values as follows:

 
NameCache = 40 00 00 00 - and -

PathCache = a9 0a 00 00

You Must change these two around to read as follows:

NameCache = a9 0a 00 00

PathCache = 40 00 00 00
 

In order to make the cache sizes what they should be to optimize performance. Note: This problem does not exist if Service Pack is installed, if you are running Windows 95B, or Windows 98
• The NameCache stores exe file name and data files while the PathCache stores paths to programs.
• There are 3 different types of values that can be stored in the 95 registry: 1 - Binary, 2 - String Value (this is used to store text in message boxes etc.) and 3. - DWORD
• When using regedit.exe you often must reboot for changes to take effect (especially true for binary values)
• REGEDIT.EXE -Also runs in the DOS mode (so you can import the exported ASCII files into the registry) to see a list of command line options: regedit /?

Naturally a few pages don’t cover a new OS (although, judging from the documentation that Microsoft ships with 95 they must want us to think that). If anyone has any particular questions, on a particular option or problem I would be more than happy to look for a solution, work-around, or patch.

I would be grateful for any feed-back, or any additional tips that I am not aware of. One of these days I’ll get around to organizing some of these tips, making them more perteniant, Indexing ..... (Yea!, Someday) After all 95 is only a couple years old and there is still soooo... much to learn and keep up with.