Contents
Welcome to PCM Plus Installation Help.

Installing PCM Plus CardAgent is very easy.  The installation program will guide you through a series of windows in which you supply basic information, select different options, and optimize your use of CardAgent.  This Installation Help System is not intended as a tutorial nor has it been designed as a stand-alone system.  However, below are some general topics that you can click on for further information.

Installation Basics

· Exit

· Cancel the Installation

· Remove Previously Installed PCMCIA Software

· System Requirements

· Overview

· Conventions

Advanced Information

· Boot Configuration - Click on this topic if you want to know how the Install program works with Mulitple Boot Configurations.

· Customization - Click on this topic if you want to customize the installation so that PCM Plus installs support only for those PCMCIA cards that you plan to use.


Register
In this window, the PCM Plus Installation program asks you to supply the following information that is required to install the software:

Name

After you enter your name, press the tab key, or use your mouse, to move the cursor to the Company field.

Company

After you enter the name of your company, click on the NEXT button to continue. The installation program will then display the information you have just entered and prompt you to confirm that the information is correct.

If the information is correct, click on YES.

If the information is incorrect, click on NO. The Installation program then returns to the previous window in which you must enter the correct information. After you enter the information and confirm that it is correct, the installation continues on to the next window.


Name
You must enter a name. If you do not supply a name, the PCM Plus Installation program will not continue.


Company
You must enter a company name. If you do not supply a name, the PCM Plus Installation program will not continue.


System Information
The System Information window displays specific information about the hardware and operating system that are installed on your computer, such as:

·  The version of Windows that your system is running.

·  The size of your hard disk specified in total number of bytes.

·  Available hard disk space specified in total number of bytes.

·  Number of parallel and serial ports.

·  The Socket Controller that  the Install Program automatically detects.


Socket Controller
The Socket Controller is required hardware that interfaces between the host operating system and the actual PCMCIA card. If the installation program does not find a socket controller, you will not be able to use any PCMCIA cards and the PCM Plus installation program will terminate.


Boot Configuration
The installation program scans your CONFIG.SYS file to determine all possible boot configurations, and highlights the current configuration under which your system has booted. The program will then install the software to that current configuration.

If the configuration that PCM Plus highlights is NOT the configuration in which you want to install PCM Plus, then you must exit from the installation program and reboot your system under the configuration in which you plan to use PCM Plus.

If your system consists of only a single configuration, PCM Plus bypasses the Boot Configuration Options window and continues with the Modify Files window in which it queries whether to modify your existing system files or create backup files.


Modify or Backup System Files
During Installation, PCM Plus must modify the AUTOEXEC.BAT, CONFIG.SYS,  WINDOWS.INI and SYSTEM.INI files.

Additionally, the installation program automatically creates sequential backup files with an XXX extension, where XXX is an integer between 000 and 999—depending on how many times the files have been modified with PCM Plus.

However, you can choose the Save Changes to Backup File option, in which case the installation program makes the changes to a backup copy of the file with a .MOD (modified) extension and leaves the original files intact. In this way, you can determine how your system will perform with PCM Plus before permanently modifying your system and Windows files.

Note:  If you choose the Save Changes to Backup File option, you must incorporate these changes manually into your system files and then reboot your system.


Modify or Backup Windows Files
During Installation, PCM Plus must modify the AUTOEXEC.BAT, CONFIG.SYS,  WINDOWS.INI and SYSTEM.INI files.

Additionally, the installation program automatically creates sequential backup files with an XXX extension, where XXX is an integer between 000 and 999—depending on how many times the files have been modified with PCM Plus.

However, you can choose the Save Changes to Backup File option, in which case the installation program makes the changes to a backup copy of the file with a .MOD (modified) extension and leaves the original files intact. In this way, you can determine how your system will perform with PCM Plus before permanently modifying your system and Windows files.

Note:  If you choose the Save Changes to Backup File option, you must incorporate these changes manually into your system files and then reboot your system.


Installation Types
You have the option of choosing a Typical, or Custom installation.  If you choose Typical, PCM Plus will install support for the most commonly used PCMCIA cards (e.g., ATA, Flash, FAX/Modem, and LAN cards).  If you choose Custom, PCM Plus allows you to specify the cards for which support will be installed.

Note:  Before you choose the installation type, double check the Destination Directory, shown at the bottom of the window.


Typical
If you choose Typical, the installation program will include support for the most commonly used PCMCIA cards (ATA, Flash, Fax/Modem, LAN).


Custom
With Custom Installation, you can select the specific PCMCIA cards that you plan to use with PCM Plus.  Custom Installation offers these options:

FLASH - Select this option if you plan to use either Flash Memory cards or SRAM cards.

ATA - Select this option if you plan to use ATA type cards

COMM - Select this option if you plan to use FAX/Modem, LAN, or other I/O cards.

Additionally, for cards that do not correspond to the FLASH, ATA, or COMM categories, you can select the All Other Adapter Cards option.


FLASH
When you select FLASH in the Custom Installation window, the installation program installs two drivers. The first driver,  PCMFFCS.EXE, acts as a high level bridge between Microsoft’s Flash File System driver (MSFLASH.SYS) and Card Services. The second driver,  PCMMTD.EXE, mediates between Card Services and the actual flash card, and performs low-level functions such as read, write, copy, and erase.  This division of high and low level tasks allows PCM Plus to read, and map to the same drive letter, both ATA and Flash memory.  Additionally, PCMFFCS allows PCM Plus to map the first socket (Socket 0) to the first available drive letter (usually D:) and the second socket (Socket 1) to the next available drive letter (usually E:), and so on.


PCMMTD.EXE
The PCMMTD.EXE driver enables PCM Plus to support industry-standard SRAM cards, as well as Intel Series I and II Flash Cards (and compatible cards) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) cards Series A, B, and C. PCMSETUP automatically installs PCMMTD and PCMFFCS if Flash File System cards will be employed.

PCMMTD.EXE does not use any arguments or parameters.


ATA
When you select ATA in the Custom Installation, PCM Plus installs its ATA-IDE device driver, PCMATA.SYS, which acts as an I/O client to Card Services. PCMATA.SYS enables the system to access ATA-configured PCMCIA cards as IDE hard drive devices using an IDE partition table, and maps the first socket (Socket 0) to the first available drive letter (usually D:) and the second socket (Socket 1) to the next available drive letter (usually E:), and so on.


Destination Directory
The Destination Directory is the directory into which you would like to install PCM Plus.  The installation program defaults to C:\PCM40x.  If this directory is acceptable to you, click on Next with your mouse after you have selected the installation type.

If the default directory, C:\PCM40x, is not acceptable, click on the Browse... button.  After you click on Browse, the installation program displays a window where you can specify the drive and complete path in which to install PCM Plus.


Select Name
The PCM Plus installation program requests the name of a Program Folder into which it can install its program icons. You can supply a name in one of three ways:

· Type a name of your choosing in the space provided.

· Accept the default PCM+ CardAgent.

· Select an existing Program Folder name

After you have supplied the name of a Program Folder in which to install PCM Plus, press <Enter> or click on Next> to continue.


Exit
You can exit at any time during installation by clicking on the Cancel button.  After you click on Cancel, PCM Plus will warn you that the installation is not complete and query you as to whether you are sure you want to exit.  Click on Exit (or press <x>) if you are certain that you want to exit and terminate the installation.

If you want to continue, click on Resume or press <r>.

Note:  If you choose the Save Changes to Backup File option and you complete the installation, PCM Plus will remind you upon completion and before exiting to incorporate these changes manually into your system files and then reboot your system.


Error Messages
CardAgent may display these messages:

Card Services Loaded

No Room On Destination Drive


Card Services Loaded
PCM Plus has detected a previously installed Card Services driver.  You must deinstall old PCMCIA software before you can fully install CardAgent.  PCM Plus includes a Deinstallation Utility for this purpose.


No Room On Destination Drive
There is not enough available disk space to install PCM Plus. You must either install PCM Plus into a different drive that has the required space available, or delete old/unused programs on the original drive to free the required disk space.


Overview
Installing PCM Plus CardAgent is very easy.  If you made it this far, then you probably have already started Windows, and executed PCM Plus INSTALL.EXE from Windows Program Manager.  If you managed to start this Installation Help System without actually executing the CardAgent Installation program, then you must do the following:

· Remove all PCMCIA cards that you may have inserted into any of the PCMCIA sockets in your system.

· Close all Windows applications, but leave Windows running.

· After you close this PCM Plus Installation Help system, select File, Run... (Alt-F, R) from Windows Program Manager and enter A:\INSTALL.EXE (if A: is the letter of your 3.5-inch floppy drive. Otherwise, substitute the appropriate drive letter.)

From this point forward, simply follow the instructions presented in each of the windows that the PCM Plus Installation program presents to you.


Requirements
To successfully install and use PCM Plus CardAgent, your system must have the following installed:

Software

· DOS 5.0 (or later version)

· Windows 3.1

Hardware:

· At least one PCMCIA socket

· Socket Controller

· Hard disk with at least 2.2 MB of free space.


Remove
When you execute PCM Plus Installation, the program will automatically detect any previously installed PCMCIA software on your system.  If your system does have older versions of PCMICA software, and PCM Plus does detect it, the PCM Plus Deinstallation will automatically execute and guide you through removing the older PCMCIA drivers.

Note:  The Deinstallation Utility initially displays a window in which it queries whether you want to deinstall the old PCMCIA software. If you opt not to fully execute Deinstallation, you will not be able to install PCM Plus CardAgent.


Customization
As you proceed through the installation, PCM Plus will inquire whether you want a Typical, or Custom installation.  If you choose Typical, PCM Plus will install support for the most commonly used PCMCIA cards (e.g., ATA, Flash, FAX/Modem, and LAN cards).  If you choose Custom, PCM Plus allows you to specify the cards for which support will be installed.

Note:  Before you choose the installation type, double check the Destination Directory, shown at the bottom of the window.


Conventions
Working your way through the various windows that the Installation program displays is very easy.  There are basically four buttons on which you can click, as follows:

  Click on BACK to return to the previous window.

  Click on NEXT, after you specifying option, to continue with the installation.

 Click on CANCEL to terminate the installation and and exit.

[BITMAP]      Click on the HELP button to receive information about the specific currently displayed window.