Windows Tools
This chapter describes some software items by third-parties which are included on the Amiga Forever CD-ROM. Users of the Online Edition of Amiga Forever may download these items from the respective web sites. These are mainly tools to upgrade and extend the functionality of Windows NT 4.0, Windows 95 and DOS, in order to better support the Amiga emulation software. The Windows software described here is in general neither required nor useful under Windows 98, Windows 2000, or higher versions. The VESA VBE drivers for DOS (for the DOS versions of the Amiga emulation software) should instead work under any version of DOS (also DOS running under Windows). This page contains direct links to the installation procedures of the tools described here. These links only work if this page was loaded from the CD-ROM.
Microsoft Service Pack 3 for Windows NT 4.0
"Service packs" are a way for Microsoft and other software companies to release enhancements to their products without publishing a complete new version of a product. Service packs are usually available at no charge to end users.
If you are running Windows NT 4.0, and you haven't already installed Service Pack 3 or higher, then we recommend that you do so. Not only does Service Pack 3 add support for DirectX 3, which is required by the Windows versions of the Amiga emulation software, but it improves Windows NT in many other ways. Some versions of Windows NT come with the latest service pack preinstalled. Under Windows NT 4.0, you can check if you already have Service Pack 3 by right-clicking on the My Computer icon on the desktop, and selecting Properties. Alternatively, from a command prompt, you can type "winver". If the version information which appears indicates at least "Windows NT 4.00.1381", or "Version 4.0 (Build 1381: Service Pack 3)", then you do not need to install Service Pack 3. Regardless of the version of Windows NT and service packs you have installed, you may also want to check the Microsoft web site to see if a newer service pack is available.
Service Pack 3 for Windows NT 4.0 is localized, i.e. it is available in different languages. The language of the service pack must match the language of the operating system, so for example an English version of Service Pack 3 should not be installed on a French version of Windows NT. The Amiga Forever CD-ROM includes Service Pack 3 for Windows NT 4.0 in English, German, French and Italian. Other languages are available at no charge from the Microsoft web site. To install the service pack manually, double-click on "update.exe", in one of the "Windows/NT4SP3/language/NT40.SP3/I386" directories of the Amiga Forever CD-ROM. To view the directories contained on the CD-ROM, right-click on the CD-ROM icon, and select Explore. The directories containing the service packs contain additional information. The correct service packs can also be launched automatically by the Amiga Forever installation procedure, if necessary.
Related site (Internet link):
Microsoft DirectX 3a for Windows 95
DirectX is a set of Microsoft technologies and drivers providing high-performance support for multimedia under Windows. "DirectX" is a generic term to define a technology which includes "DirectDraw", "Direct3D", "DirectSound" and other components specific to the functionality they respectively support. DirectX is an integral part of Windows 98 and Windows 2000, and is also installed automatically as part of Internet Explorer 4.0 for Windows 95. In Windows NT 4.0, DirectX is installed as part of Service Pack 3 or higher. Some early versions of Windows 95 did not include DirectX. If this is the case, DirectX can be installed from the Amiga Forever CD-ROM.
Amiga Forever includes version 3a of DirectX. This is not the latest version of DirectX, but it is the minimum required to run the Windows version of the Amiga emulators, and it is by some users preferred over newer versions for its good support and reliability with different applications. Windows 98 includes DirectX 5 or higher, which is also available for Windows 95, for download from the Microsoft web site, while Windows 2000 includes at least DirectX 6.
Unlike Service Pack 3 for Windows NT 4.0 (which includes DirectX 3), and unlike DirectX 5, DirectX 3a is not localized, i.e. a single executable can be used to install DirectX on any language version of Windows 95. To install DirectX 3a manually, double-click on "DXSETUP.EXE", in the "Windows/DirectX3a/DirectX" directory of the Amiga Forever CD-ROM. To view the directories contained on the CD-ROM, right-click on the CD-ROM icon, and select Explore. The service pack can also be launched automatically by the Amiga Forever installation procedure, if necessary.
DirectX 3a cannot be installed on Windows NT. To install DirectX on Windows NT 4.0, please follow the procedure described for the installation of Service Pack 3.
Related site (Internet link):
SciTech "Display Doctor" Universal VESA VBE Drivers for DOS
The DOS versions of the Fellow and UAE Amiga emulators (which are included on the Amiga Forever CD-ROM, and are also available for free download) require a VESA VBE-capable display system. "VESA" and "VBE" stand for "Video Electronics Standards Association" and "Video Bios Extensions". Many display cards include support for the VESA VBE specification at the hardware level and in their software drivers. Neither Fellow nor UAE require any specific action to run on these systems. If however the display card is not VESA VBE-compatible, then SciTech's Display Doctor VESA VBE shareware software provided with Amiga Forever is likely to be able to help. Please note that the Windows version of UAE ("WinUAE"), unlike the DOS version, does not need the VESA VBE drivers to run (it uses the Windows DirectX drivers). The DOS versions of Fellow and UAE do however also run under Windows. In any case, the DOS versions of these programs always need the VESA VBE drivers.
If you are having problems running the DOS versions of Fellow or UAE with the graphics card in your computer, we recommend that you first try installing all the DOS drivers that came with the display card, and then, if that does not work, you can install the VESA VBE software provided with Amiga Forever. Most VESA VBE drivers can be installed from a program which is executed from the DOS command line. Please consult the documentation that came with your graphics card or computer system for installation instructions and VESA VBE compatibility. Manufacturers of graphics cards frequently carry the latest drivers on their web sites, so you may also want to look up their sites, or otherwise contact them to have the drivers sent to you.
If you cannot find a VESA VBE driver for your graphics card, or if that doesn't work with Fellow or UAE, then we suggest that you try SciTech's Display Doctor Universal VESA VBE drivers. This shareware software was selected and included on Amiga Forever because of its reliability, compatibility and support for a huge range of video hardware products. Display Doctor supports over 250 SVGA chips, and can even make available new and faster display modes for software that you may already be using, for example DOS-based games. The software is "shareware", which in this case means that, once installed, it will function without limitations for 21days, after which, if the software is still found to be useful, a purchase is required.
Although designed for DOS, the Display Doctor software, like the DOS versions of Fellow and UAE, also runs from Windows 95, which automatically switches to DOS mode as necessary. We recommend that the installation procedure for the Display Doctor software be launched from Windows (version 3.x/95/98/NT4 or higher). To start the installation, double-click on the "sdd60a.exe" file, stored inside the "VESA" directory of the Amiga Forever CD-ROM. To view the directories contained on the CD-ROM, right-click on the CD-ROM icon, and select Explore.
Amiga Forever includes version 6.0a of the Display Doctor software. We recommend that you visit SciTech's web site to find out about newer versions of the software, or to download a special archive to install the software under DOS, if you do not have Windows. Please note that technical support can be provided by SciTech Software only to registered users.
Related sites (Internet links):