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HWiNFO for DOS resurrected !

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First post, by Mumak

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After almost a decade, I decided to give the DOS version of HWiNFO a new refresh. So here it comes - version 6.x.
It took me a couple of weeks to get everything back and running and to recall many things I forgot meanwhile 😀
The main problem in the past was that the program grew quite large by adding support of new systems and components, so it became problematic to fit it into conventional memory. Porting the entire program to a DOS extended would be too much effort unfortunately. So I decided to refresh the program by paying more attention to older systems and scrapping support of some relatively 'new' systems. New systems are well supported in HWiNFO32 (which has been recently enabled to run on Windows 95 too). I paid a lot of attention to the cost of memory required/feature benefit.

Older versions

Here the list of changes in HWiNFO for DOS v6.0.5:

  • Reduced conventional memory requirement by removing sensor support and support of some 'too new' systems. Optimized a lot of code for more efficiency and lower memory footprint.
  • Revamped support of many CPUs and GPUs especially.
  • Split internal databases to allow running on Non-PCI systems with just 2 MB memory.
  • Went back to FPU-emulation in compiler, which now allows running without FPU. This option costs some additional memory due to larger code, but I think this capability is worth it.
  • Fixed a crash on some Tseng ET4000 adapters with bugged VBIOS.
  • Fixed a possible hang during scan of older Sound Blaster cards.
  • Fixed reporting of L3 cache for AMD-K6-2+.
  • Fix a possible hang @ HPLANP detection.
  • Fix wrong identification of Intel 82595 LAN on some systems.
  • Updated enumeration of Plug-and-Play devices.
  • Improved detection of L1/L2 cache size on 386/486 systems.
  • Brought back tests for 386/486 CPU errata: 32-bit Multiply, POPAD, INSB, STOSB, MOVSB, BSWAP
  • Improved identification of EISA mainboards.
  • Added support of Compaq ASPI driver.
  • Improved detection of SoundBlaster AWE DRAM size. Might require CTCM to be loaded in CONFIG.SYS.
  • Added detection of Aztech Labs Sound Galaxy NX Pro.
  • Enhanced detection of ESS sound cards.
  • Improved support of later CPUs.

Changes in v6.1.0:

  • Rewritten and optimized ~90% of code for lower memory usage.
  • Fixed a possible crash when running without XMS manager.
  • Added enumeration of PnP cards also when BIOS isn't PnP-capable.
  • Fixed detection of systems without FPU.
  • Added detection of FPU clock for discrete FPUs.
  • Improved support and reporting of stepping for Cyrix CPUs.
  • Updated detection of Adaptec AHA-154x controllers.
  • Enhanced detection of ESS sound cards.
  • Updated detection of various SIO chips.
  • Added detection of VLSI VL82C330 and VL82C331 chipsets.
  • Improved IRQ/DMA list, fixed reporting of PCI allocated resources.
  • Improved detection of TI486SXL/SXL2 CPUs.
  • Improved support of modern systems.

Changes in v6.1.1:

  • Added Debug Mode via -d command-line switch.
  • Improved detection of IBM Blue Lightning CPUs.
  • Improved detection of some 386/486 chipsets.
  • Added reporting of supported/current AGP mode.
  • Improved detection of some SiS graphics adapters.
  • Improved L1/L2 cache detection.

Mar-30-2021: Version 6.1.3 released
Changes in v6.1.3:

  • Fixed detection of some Video7 cards.
  • Fixed detection of Chromatic Mpact 2 memory size.
  • Improved detection of IIT FPU clock.
  • Fixed detection of some Intel 486SX2 CPUs.
  • Fixed a possible crash on some Acumos VGAs.
  • Improved detection of IBM486SLC.
  • Fixed detection of Cyrix Cx486S.

Jun-15-2021: Version 6.1.4 released
Changes in v6.1.4:

  • Fixed detection of some Intel P6 and later CPUs.
  • Improved POPAD bug detection.
  • Fixed STOS bug detection.
  • Added some mainboard models into database.

Dec-04-2021: Version 6.2.0 released
Changes in v6.2.0:

  • Included HWiNFO16 v1.7 for 8086-286 systems
  • Fixed screen corruption on some IBM PS/2 or EGA systems.
  • Improved support and detection of IBM XGA adapters.
  • Improved detection of MediaVision MVV452.
  • Added workarounds for BIOSes with problematic PnP support.

Apr-25-2022: Version 6.2.1 released
Changes in v6.2.1:

  • Fixed NexGen Nx586 detection.

Changes in v6.2.2:

  • Fixed NexGen Nx586 detection (again).
  • Fixed SMSC LAN adapter MAC address.
  • Added SMSC 8216C LAN adapter.

Dec-29-2023: Version 6.2.3 released
Changes in v6.2.3:

  • Improved detection of Cirrus Logic CL-GD5420 and older adapters.
  • Improved detection of XGA adapters.
  • Minor updates.
Filename
HWINF623.ZIP
File size
1.09 MiB
Downloads
382 downloads
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception

Requirements for HWiNFO DOS:
- 386 CPU
- ~ 550 KB of free Conventional system memory
- ~ 830 KB (Non-PCI systems) / 5 MB (PCI systems) free XMS memory (XMS manager recommended)

Requirements for HWiNFO16:
- 8086/8088/80186/80188/NEC V20/V30/80286 CPU
- ~300 KB of system memory

Update Nov-23-2021:
For 8086-286 systems use the dedicated HWiNFO16: Introducing HWiNFO16 (for 8086/88/186/188/286)
HWiNFO16 is also included in HWiNFO DOS package since v6.2.0.

Any feedback is welcome !

Last edited by Mumak on 2023-12-29, 14:50. Edited 29 times in total.

Reply 6 of 881, by keenmaster486

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WOOHOO! I’ve been hoping and praying for this for a long time! Thank you!

386+ is fine, of course, but a 16-bit version I would LOVE as well, if possible.

World's foremost 486 enjoyer.

Reply 7 of 881, by GL1zdA

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Sweet, thank you! Do you have any specific plans for further developing it? The last time I've checked 5.5.5 it was one of the better tools for PS/2 systems - it did identify them and even some adapters correctly, but also managed to hang my PS/2 95A and could not provide much information about SCSI drives (no model/manufacturer).

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Reply 8 of 881, by keropi

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thanks for the update !!! I have now added it to my testing/checking CF card 😀
it correctly detected the test system I used it with

zWaISg9l.png

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Reply 9 of 881, by Mumak

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feipoa wrote on 2020-03-19, 03:41:

Approximately which range of systems will this run on, e.g. from 386SX up to Athlon XP and the Pentium 4?

Currently it's 386SX up to approx. Intel Core family, perhaps a few newer too. But later ones might lack a few things as I scrapped some support to save memory. I don't expect users of those system to be running DOS.
So Athlon XP and Pentium 4 are supported in the DOS version for sure.

Reply 10 of 881, by Mumak

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keropi wrote on 2020-03-19, 08:32:
thanks for the update !!! I have now added it to my testing/checking CF card :) it correctly detected the test system I used it […]
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thanks for the update !!! I have now added it to my testing/checking CF card 😀
it correctly detected the test system I used it with

zWaISg9l.png

Thank you that looks nice. Since this is a rare system, could you please attach the report file for my reference ? You can create it automatically by running "HWINFO -r" or pressing the F2 key stores the actual screen content into HWiNFO.LOG file.

Last edited by Mumak on 2020-03-19, 08:47. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 11 of 881, by Mumak

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GL1zdA wrote on 2020-03-19, 07:30:

Sweet, thank you! Do you have any specific plans for further developing it? The last time I've checked 5.5.5 it was one of the better tools for PS/2 systems - it did identify them and even some adapters correctly, but also managed to hang my PS/2 95A and could not provide much information about SCSI drives (no model/manufacturer).

Yes, I have a plan to continue development here, although it's not easy to add support/fix things on such systems without having direct access.
SCSI controllers use proprietary internal protocols, so SCSI drives are detected in the DOS version only if ASPI is installed.
If you encounter any issue, please let me know more details about the system and exact place what's wrong or where it is hanging/crashing.

Reply 12 of 881, by keropi

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Mumak wrote on 2020-03-19, 08:41:

Thank you that looks nice. Since this is a rare system, could you please attach the report file for my reference ? You can create it automatically by running "HWINFO -r" or pressing the F2 key stores the actual screen content into HWiNFO.LOG file.

I tried with the -r parameter and it just hangs forever at the "Memory Information" portion of the report creation - if you tell me what to do I will try it
edit: yeah it also hangs (no freeze) when I select one of the memory items in the System info page

this is the mobo in question

OBDHscZl.jpg

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Reply 13 of 881, by Mumak

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keropi wrote on 2020-03-19, 09:12:
I tried with the -r parameter and it just hangs forever at the "Memory Information" portion of the report creation - if you tell […]
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Mumak wrote on 2020-03-19, 08:41:

Thank you that looks nice. Since this is a rare system, could you please attach the report file for my reference ? You can create it automatically by running "HWINFO -r" or pressing the F2 key stores the actual screen content into HWiNFO.LOG file.

I tried with the -r parameter and it just hangs forever at the "Memory Information" portion of the report creation - if you tell me what to do I will try it
edit: yeah it also hangs (no freeze) when I select one of the memory items in the System info page

this is the mobo in question

OBDHscZl.jpg

Is that the same mobo you posted a screenshot above?
Can you please store manually the screens that work using F2 key to a log file and take a picture of the screen where it hangs?

Reply 15 of 881, by keropi

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allright I am attaching the log and the screen where the system waits for an eternity 😁

JgEs90Kl.png

edit:
this screen also hangs on my 2nd different 386DX mobo, maybe it's a bug ?

Attachments

  • Filename
    HWINFOLOG.zip
    File size
    2.01 KiB
    Downloads
    170 downloads
    File license
    Public domain

🎵 🎧 PCMIDI MPU , OrpheusII , Action Rewind , Megacard and 🎶GoldLib soundcard website

Reply 16 of 881, by Mumak

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keropi wrote on 2020-03-19, 09:33:
allright I am attaching the log and the screen where the system waits for an eternity :D […]
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allright I am attaching the log and the screen where the system waits for an eternity 😁

JgEs90Kl.png

edit:
this screen also hangs on my 2nd different 386DX mobo, maybe it's a bug ?

Thank you, please give me some time to analyze this. I also need to check why the CPU isn't reported properly as TI.

Reply 17 of 881, by Mumak

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keropi wrote on 2020-03-19, 09:33:
allright I am attaching the log and the screen where the system waits for an eternity :D […]
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allright I am attaching the log and the screen where the system waits for an eternity 😁

JgEs90Kl.png

edit:
this screen also hangs on my 2nd different 386DX mobo, maybe it's a bug ?

OK, I think I found a problem in the memory screen. Can you please try this version and let me know the result:

Filename
HWINF601.ZIP
File size
963.08 KiB
Downloads
227 downloads
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception

Reply 19 of 881, by keropi

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Mumak wrote on 2020-03-19, 13:10:

OK, I think I found a problem in the memory screen. Can you please try this version and let me know the result: HWINF601.ZIP

allright! it no longer hangs - and I believe as expected there is no info on the memory modules because there is no way to get such info from 30pin simms 😁

Zd9mbq3l.png

so I believe for now all is working well! thanks!

🎵 🎧 PCMIDI MPU , OrpheusII , Action Rewind , Megacard and 🎶GoldLib soundcard website