2nd networked register losing time

[tulip]

Register A:- DHPOS 7.03, XP Pro, Socket A. Has Global folder/main register. Time on DHPOS matches system time.

Register B:- DHPOS 7.03, Vista Ultimate, Socket 939 64Bit CPU. DosBox 0.73, APRINT4. Time on DHPOS runs slower than system time. When Register B is started, time matches system time. Over the course of 3 hours, DHPOS on Register B loses about 10 minutes.

We're hoping to use the timer function on both registers for our internet computers, but when Register B lags behind Register A it throws the times out.

I've tried increasing the CPU cycles within DosBox, without much effect. Any ideas?

[cwathen]

AFAIK, DHPOS doesn't maintain it's own time, when it needs a time reference it just uses the system time, whatever that may be.

The problem is with your DOSbox virtual machine not running in real time causing it to loose time. If you can't tweak the settings to compensate for this you'll have to give up on DOSbox as the program has no way of knowing that it's falling behind.

I presume that you're using DOSbox because you're running a 64 bit version of Windows? You'd do better to go down to a 32 bit version which includes the NTVDM so that you can run DHPOS directly without DOSbox.

If changing the operating system isn't an option, then you could switch to Virtual PC and install a 32 bit version of Windows inside that on which to run DHPOS (VPC regularly syncs the time on the virtual machine to the host machine which should solve the problem).

Alternatively you could have the second terminal physically running on the XP machine and Telnet into it from the other machine (see the thread 'DHPOS on Wyse Text Terminals' for a discussion about this).

[tulip]

Thanks for the reply, very helpful answers. It's a double whammy of 64bit OS and 64bit CPU on this 2nd register, hence Dosbox. I'm not familiar with VPC, I'll check it out. Thanks again

[daleadmin]

I sure am glad that I have folks on this forum to answer questions that are totally beyond my comprehension.

I am still trying to figure out XP.

(Evil, scum, bastard OS, how I wish we could all go back to DOS or at least '98)

(Oh well, at least I avoided Vista.)

(I didn't say that out loud did I?)

Dale

[cwathen]

I am still trying to figure out XP.

Me too. Despite XP's age I'm still learning new things about it.

(Oh well, at least I avoided Vista.)

Again, me too. I've never looked at Vista since XP still does everything I need and I see no benefit in paying for hardware upgrades (my system would need a lot to run Vista properly) just to do the same things that I do now. And we're not alone on that either - almost 3 years after Vista was released, XP (despite being 8 years old) still has 70% market share, whilst Vista trails way behind at 19% (according to Hitslink). In contrast, every other major version of Windows had completely decimated it's predecessor's userbase in that amount of time.

[brucef2112]

AFAIK, DHPOS doesn't maintain it's own time, when it needs a time reference it just uses the system time, whatever that may be......

cwathen,
This is not 100% correct. When starting DHPOS it does fetch the system time to use as its clock. However once DHPOS is running it no longer references the real system clock while the program continues to run. It somehow maintains its own 'time keeping' timer?!. This is not a feature programed by Dale but is something that just happens? The only way DHPOS get the time correct again; is with a re-start of DHPOS.

I've tested with versions 6.xs though the 7.03x while running on Windows 2000 and Win XP 32. Also on different hardware; AMD, INTEL

Try these two simple tests.
First test the DOS window to see if it gets the time correct.
1) Open your Time and Date Property window. (Double click the time in the system tray).
2) Open a DOS window (Click Start > Run type 'CMD' and click OK.)
3) At the DOS prompt type 'TIME' and hit Enter twice. Note the time will match the time shown in the Tme and Date Property window.
4) In the Time and Date Property window, make a significant change to the time/date and click Apply.
5) Go back to the DOS window and type the 'TIME' command again. You will see that the DOS window has fetched the new time/date you set. This works as expected.

Now try the same actions running the DHPOS program instead of a dos TIME command.
1) Open your Time and Date Property window as done above.
2) Start DHPOS. At the main menu you'll see that the DHPOS date/time matches the system clock.
3) In the Time and Date Property window, make a significant change to the time/date and click Apply.
4)Go back to DHPOS and you will see that DHPOS doesn't refresh the time/date to the new system time. Even if you go to other menus or actions in the program, the main menu's date/time will maintain its time based on when the program was started and not refreshed to the current system time. T

This lost time can also be seen if you have your computer set up to hibernate.
See this thread http://www.dhpos.com/discuss/phpbb3/vie ... 132#p10193

tulip,
I suggest you try the DOS time test in your DOSBOX to see if it is the DOSBOX looses time or the DHPOS program. Let us know what you find. I'm interested in your results.