OS/2 FAQ List: User's Edition (4 Apr 94)

(2.1) Hardware Requirements

What hardware do I need to run IBM OS/2 2.1?  Do I need a PS/2?

You need any ISA (AT bus), EISA, VESA LocalBus, PCI, or Microchannel PC 
compatible with at least an 80386SX CPU, 4 MB (6 MB or more strongly 
recommended) of RAM, a 60 MB or larger hard disk (with 15-37 MB free, 
depending on which features you wish to install), a supported video 
adapter (CGA, EGA, VGA, SuperVGA, 8514/A, XGA, or third party driver) with 
appropriate display {{ (VGA or better strongly recommended), }} and a high 
density 3.5 or 5.25 inch floppy drive for installation.  A mouse or other 
pointing device is strongly recommended.  Allow extra RAM and hard disk 
space for OS/2-based networking [See (3.8) Networking Products], Extended 
Services [See (3.10) Extended Services], and/or extra system loads (i.e. 
an extraordinary number of large applications running simultaneously). 
 When calculating hard disk space requirements, subtract space occupied by 
files already on the hard disk which are functionally included in OS/2 2.1 
and may be deleted, e.g. DOS, a 386 memory manager, Windows 3.1, Adobe 
Type Manager [See (5.5) Adobe Type Manager] with base typefaces, etc.

The performance of OS/2 itself will not be increased appreciably with the 
addition of a math coprocessor.  However, certain applications may 
benefit.

The Workplace Shell (WPS) will not operate with the Monochrome Display 
Adapter or the Hercules Monochrome Graphics Adapter.  Usually the WPS will 
fail to work with monochrome EGA.  However, some EGA adapters (e.g. 
Paradise Monochrome EGA Card, ATI EGA Wonder) will emulate all color EGA 
modes on TTL monochrome monitors and, thus, will work with the WPS.

The following dual monitor configurations are supported: VGA (or most 
SuperVGA) with Monochrome Display Adapter (not Hercules), 8514/A with VGA, 
XGA with VGA, and XGA with one or more other XGA.  A secondary monitor is 
most often used with code debuggers that explicitly support such 
configurations.  The Workplace Shell desktop is currently shown only on 
the primary display (except for the STB MVP-2 and MVP-4 ISA and 
Microchannel display adapters which do support the Workplace Shell desktop 
spanning multiple monitors -- contact STB at 214-234-8750 or FAX 
214-234-1306 for more information; and the Double Edge video card from Nth 
Graphics, phone 800-624-7552).

OS/2 specifically supports hard drive adapters which conform to the 
Western Digital chipset interface standard (nearly all MFM, RLL, IDE, and 
ESDI adapters) and Adaptec, Future Domain, DPT, and IBM SCSI adapters. 
 [True OS/2 2.1 drivers for most SCSI adapters, e.g. Always, Trantor, 
Rancho, Procomp, Corel Systems, BusLogic, Seagate, Mylex, CE Infosys, 
Ciprico, MediaVision ProAudio Spectrum, {{ NCR, }} and others are 
available directly from the adapter manufacturers or from (3.2) Shareware 
and Freeware Sources.]  In addition, "generic" INT13 support is provided 
for all other hard disk adapters.  This "generic" support even embraces 
such devices as Iomega's Bernoulli and SyQuest's removeable media products 
(but for best results contact Iomega or SyQuest for an OS/2 2.1 driver).

OS/2 driver support is available for the following CD-ROM drives (and 
close cousins, including later models):

 o Apple (uses Sony driver)

    - {{ CD 150 }} 
    - CD 300 
    - CD SC 
    - {{ (most others) }}

 o Hitachi

    - CDR-1650S 
    - CDR-1750S 
    - CDR-3650 
    - CDR-3750 
    - {{ (most others) }}

 o IBM

    - (all models)

 o NEC

    - CDR-25 
    - CDR-36 
    - CDR-37 
    - CDR-38 
    - CDR-55 
    - CDR-72 
    - CDR-73 
    - CDR-74 
    - CDR-80 
    - CDR-82 
    - CDR-83 
    - CDR-84 
    - {{ CDR-400 }} 
    - {{ CDR-500 }} 
    - {{ CDR-600 }} 
    - (most others)

 o Panasonic

    - CR-501 
    - LK-MC501S 
    - MC501B 
    - MC521 
    - {{ (most others) }}

 o Pioneer

    - DRM-600 
    - DRM-604X 
    - {{ (most others) }}

 o Sony

    - CDU-541 
    - CDU-561 
    - CDU-6111 
    - CDU-6211 
    - CDU-7211 
    - {{ (most others) }}

 o Texel

    - DM-3021 
    - DM-3024 
    - DM-5021 
    - DM-5024 
    - {{ (most others) }}

 o Toshiba

    - XM-3201 
    - XM-3301 
    - XM-3401 
    - {{ (most others) }}

 when attached to IBM, Future Domain, Adaptec, DPT, or other SCSI adapters 
 with native OS/2 2.1 support.  The OS/2 CD-ROM support includes audio, 
 ISO 9660/High Sierra, CD-ROM/XA, and Kodak Photo CD compatibility for 
 those drives which support these standards.

 Drivers for non-SCSI Sony CD-ROM drives (e.g. CDU-535, CDU-31A, and 
 related models), Creative Labs/Panasonic CD-ROM drives, {{ Chinon, }} and 
 later model Mitsumi drives are available from several sources [See (3.2) 
 Shareware and Freeware Sources].  Drivers for Mitsumi CD-ROM drives (and 
 compatibles, e.g. Tandy CDR-1000 and DAK) are also available from either 
 Systems Integration Technologies (BBS 305-979-1976 or netmail 
 76130.2321@compuserve.com) or Totronik (49-711-244272, FAX 49-711-6406815 
 or netmail 100064.1346@compuserve.com).  Drivers for non-SCSI Hitachi 
 CD-ROM models are available by calling either Laser Resources 
 (800-535-2737) or Proline (415-692-5262); ask for CDREXT5D.  A Philips 
 CD-ROM driver is available from Aha Computers (49-4531-17070 or FAX 
 49-4531-170737).  Storage Devices offers OS/2 drivers for its parallel 
 port attached peripherals, including its CD-ROM drive.  Corel Systems 
 offers a set of OS/2 drivers ( in its "Corel SCSI" package) for many more 
 CD-ROM drives, magneto-optical drives, and other SCSI devices when 
 attached to any of a number of SCSI adapters.  DOS device drivers, when 
 installed using a specific DOS session [See (5.9) Specific DOS Sessions], 
 will still provide CD-ROM services to DOS/Windows programs for the 
 remainder.

 See (2.3) Printer Support for information on OS/2 printer and plotter 
 compatibility.

 Version 2.1 is explicitly supported on non-IBM PC compatibles.  IBM is 
 offering a money back compatibility guarantee in the U.S.  Should OS/2 
 2.1 fail to work on your compatible within the first 90 days of use, and 
 should IBM be unable to fix the problem, your purchase price will be 
 refunded.  To date over {{ 1800 }} non-IBM models have been tested in 
 IBM's own labs.

 Related information:

 (3.2)  Shareware and Freeware Sources 
 (3.8)  Networking Products 
 (3.10) Extended Services 
 (5.5)  Adobe Type Manager 
 (5.9)  Specific DOS Sessions

Inf-HTML End Run - Successful