Increasing the Performance of MS-DOS-Based Applications

ID: Q102060

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT operating system, version 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server, version 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
If you are not satisfied with the performance of your MS-DOS-based applications on Windows NT, try the following:

Windows NT 4.0 keeps the same setting in the property (right click) of the MS-DOS-based applications.

  • If the application is in a window and the video display performance is slow, try full-screen mode. Windows NT 4.0 [ASCII 147]screen folder[ASCII 148] provides this setting.


  • Disable the Compatible Timer Hardware feature in the _DEFAULT.PIF or the application's program information file (PIF) under the NT-specific section of PIF Editor. Since this feature causes a decrease in performance, it should be used only if it is required to make an application to run with Windows NT. Windows NT [ASCII 147]program folder[ASCII 148] under [ASCII 147]Windows NT[ASCII 148] section provides this setting.


  • If the application is in a window and seems to pause periodically, try disabling Idle Detection in the Advance section of that application's PIF. Windows NT [ASCII 147]misc folder[ASCII 148] provides this setting in a form of a slider bar called [ASCII 147]idle sensitivity[ASCII 148].


  • If the MS-DOS-based application can be configured for printing, choose LPT1, LPT2 over parallel port. Most of the applications use Int17 to print when configured for LPT<x>. If you select parallel port mode, these applications print directly to printer ports. Parallel mode is significantly slower in Windows NT compared to Windows 3.1.


Additional query words: prodnt

Keywords : kb3rdparty kbinterop ntdosap NTSrvWkst
Version : 3.1 4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type :


Last Reviewed: January 13, 1999
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