Copyright: Copyright (c) 1996-97 OnSpec Electronic, Inc.
Citation: Copyright (c) 1996-97 OnSpec Electronic, Inc.


Scanning for Device(s)
Scan for Device(s)

This option displays the devices connected to PCMCIA and parallel port with details such as port type, address, host adapter informations, etc.,


Partition and QuickFormat

This screen provides the options to see the existing partition information and also to create partition(s) of user’s choice. The partitions created are formatted automatically. Please move the cursor on the screen and select the topic for more information.


Create Partition

This option is used to create partitions on the hard disk(s) connected to PCMCIA and parallel port. All the data in the hard disk(s) connected to PCMCIA and parallel port will be lost. When new partitions are created on Windows 95, the icons in “My Computer” will be updated by SwissKnife. Please move the cursor on the screen and select the topic for more information.


CD Mount

This option is used to manage all the slots of a CD Changer with one drive icon. To make use of this option, the driver command line option to force CD changer to behave as a single slot drive should be set. This enables us to map one of the slots (either Audio or Data) of the CD Changer to the drive icon. Please move the cursor on the screen and select the topic for more information.


Floppy Format
Cartridge Format

This option is used to format a cartridge either in Floppy format or in Hard disk format. Please move the cursor on the screen and select the topic for more information.


Detach Devices

This option enables the user to dynamically detach the device from the operating system without rebooting. This applies only for Windows 95 and is not available on Windows NT.


Attach Devices

This option enables the user to dynamically attach the device if the device was not connected to the parallel port during boot up time. This applies only for Windows 95 and is not available on Windows NT.


Partition Information

This option is used to view all the partitions on the device(s) connected to PCMCIA and parallel port.


Start partition creation.


In the automatic mode of partition creation, the user can create a maximum of four partitions. The total space of the external fixed/removable hard disk will be equally divided according to the number of partitions entered (1 to 4). The partitions created are formatted automatically.


In the custom mode of partition creation, the user can create a maximum of four partitions. The partition sizes are of user’s choice. The partitions created are formatted automatically.


The number of partition(s) to create. The number varies from 1 to 4.


The size of the partition to create. This is not applicable for Auto mode.


Display the partition information.


Select the PCMCIA  or parallel port hard disk.


Mount the selected CD in the slot.


Refresh the CD information in the slots (in the case of changing a CD in a slot).


CD information in the slots.


Create Floppy format.


Create Hard disk partition(s).


PCMCIA  or parallel port drives on the system.


Driver Settings

This screen is used to change the command line options of the driver. These parameters may be tried only if the driver fails to install or if the driver exhibits a problem. Please move the cursor on the screen and select the topic for more information. These options apply only for parallel port device(s) not for PCMCIA.


The parallel port drivers detected on the system.


Restore the previous settings.


Apply the new settings.


The Windows 95 driver is capable of detecting IRQs automatically. In case if you face IRQ conflicts, the driver will be sluggish. To find out the IRQ number, do the following:

1. Make sure that the unit is connected to your parallel port and is powered on.

2. Restart the computer and press function key F8 to bring up Windows 95 startup menu.

3. Select "Command prompt only".

4. Run FINDIRQ.EXE utility from the directory where you have installed the software.

5. FINDIRQ will display the IRQ number. Note down this number.

6. Restart the computer to bring up Windows 95.

7. Enter the IRQ number in “Force IRQ (1 to 14)” option and apply the new settings.

If the problem still persists, select “Do not use Printer port Interrupt” option so that the driver will not use the interrupts.

When HP Laser Jet 5x/6x series printers in daisy chain with the parallel port device on Windows 95, the option “Do not use Printer port Interrupt” should be set. Interrupt options are not applicable for Windows NT.


Set the primary partition as active.


Create primary with logical partition(s).


Create extended partition(s) only.


The IDE hard disk on the parallel port can be spun down to save power. If there is no disk activity for the specified time (in minutes), the disk motor will be turned OFF. The time varies from 1 to 16 minutes.


This option can be tried if the device exhibits data reliability problems when connected to an Enhanced parallel port.


This option reduces the parallel port access speed for non Enhanced parallel ports (Uni-Directional, Bi-Directional and Bi-Directional PS/2 ports) in case of data reliability problems.


Force the port to behave as standard parallel port. This is the slowest mode of operation. This can be set only if the device is not detected by the operating system.


Reduces the port access speed by factor of 1 to 30. This option can be used if the device fails to install even after forcing the port to behave as standard parallel port.


All the slots of an ATAPI CD Changer can be managed with a single drive icon. This enables us to map one of the slots (either Audio or Data) of the CD Changer to the drive icon. After setting this option, use the “Run - CD Mount” menu option to select the slot to be mounted.


On slower parallel ports, the mouse may be sluggish during large data transfers. Using this option, the maximum amount of data read / written with a single access to the device can be varied. The best mouse performance can be achieved with the smallest data packet size. The parallel port driver auto detects the best suitable transfer rate depending on the parallel port type. For CD-Rs & CD-R/Ws, this option should be set to “Auto” or “64K”. This option does not apply for SCSI devices.


When this option is set, the driver will not auto detect the parallel port chip-set. The driver will detect the port as it is set in the BIOS setup.