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> > How exactly do you enable 32 bits processing in Windows 3.1 ? Go to "Control Panel", "386 Enhanced", and then click the "Virtual Memory" button--same as you did when you created the Permanent Swap File you described. At the bottom of the dialog box, there is a check box for turning on "32-bit Disk Access". Click it. Do not confuse this with the newer "32-bit FILE Access" which is a separate feature! It can only be found in the new Windows for Workgroups version 3.11 (do not confuse this with the "regular" Windows updated to 3.11). As for 32-bit Disk Access--I've never noticed any speed increase, though I know some people who swear by it. These are probably the same people who carry a stopwatch into the bathroom with them to see how long they can pee... ;) > Also, I've created a 9Mb (suggested by Windows) permanent swap file but > found no apparent performance increase. Is anyone using swap files under > Windows 3.1 ? Probably too much. Windows' "suggestions" on swapfile size are always a joke. How much actual RAM memory do you have? That will determine the swapfile size, pretty much. I have 12 MB on my machine and under normal circumstances, I wouldn't dream of having a swapfile larger than 1 or 2 MB at most. *Do* have *some* swapfile though--it *does* help slightly in the speed department, even if you have all the memory in the world. I don't know why (and it doesn't make sense)--but it does. I've read many an educated and intelligent Windows' users' opinion on this subject, and the brighter ones recommend a swapfile (though small) under *all* circumstances. Apparently there is something about Windows' code that makes it check for a swap file when it goes to do something memory intensive (like opening up a program-- this is especially true of a DOS window) and if there's not one to find, it takes a bit longer. In my case though, I now have an 8 MB swap file in addition to my 12 MB RAM. The reason is 1--and only 1--software package. MathCAD 4.0 for Windows. It installed Win32s (32-bit extensions that make Win 3.1x run programs that are actually designed to run under Win NT or the yet-to-be- released Win 4.0). For some reason, it simply *demands* a big swapfile and while I can run it without such a large one, it then often won't let me open up any other software! Hence, I go along with the manual's recommendation of having an 8 MB swapfile (which IMO is *huge*, considering I have 12 MB RAM!) and I haven't had any problems since! Sometimes ya just gotta RTFM! > What is the performance increase by enabling 32 bits ? Will WordPerfect > 5.2 for Windows run much faster for example ? Not particularly. However, if you upgrade to Windows for Workgroups 3.11, you can then take advantage of a feature called "32-bit FILE access" which is, essentially, a Windows-based Disk Cache, but its much faster than other disk caches (i.e., SmartDrive) because it is 32-bit based code, rather than the 16-bit based SmartDrive (or other disk caches loaded at DOS). It *is* a noticable improvement... As for WordPerfect--if you can afford it, upgrade to 6.0. It has finally ironed out the bugs that have plagued WordPerfect's Windows versions for a couple of years now. I think you'll like it much better. ...or better yet, switch to Ami Pro!! (I'm a big fan...) ----- Randy Whittle whittle@scf.usc.edu University of Southern California School of Business (Fight on, Trojans!) - Motorcycle nut, HP 48 & 100LX user, and...*Proud* to be Conservative! "It's not denial, I'm just very selective about the reality I accept." -Calvin +-------------+--------------+---------------------------------------------+ | o o o o | <o o> | Just because we disagree doesn't | | <><><> <> | /-+-- --+X | mean I have to kill you. | | |||||| || | /> <\ | ...Unless, of course, I really want to... | +-------------+--------------+---------------------------------------------+ (Standard disclaimers apply--and if you're a liberal wacko, go soak your head.)