
STAC FAX Index #6000
				 Stacker for OS/2

  If you're running OS/2, you've probably discovered how much disk space 
your powerful new operating system demands. Not to worry. with Stacker for 
OS/2 & DOS, you can quickly and safely double the capacity of your hard disk 
to take full advantage of OS/2's power. Using Stac Electronics patented, 
award winning Stacker LZS (TM) technology, Stacker instantly and 
transparently compresses all your data, more efficiently so you have more 
room for your applications. After all, what's the point of running such a 
powerful operating system if you have no room to use it?

Q.   How does Stacker work? 

A.   Stacker increases capacity two ways--by storing data more efficiently 
	then OS/2 or DOS alone, and by replacing repetitive data with tokens 
	that point to the same data that is already stored.

Q.   Does Stacker support my OS/2 extended attributes?

A.   Yes. All your extended attributes  will be preserved when you stack 
	and unstack a drive.

Q.   Does Stacker work with Windows and DOS Applications While Running Under 
	OS/2?

A.   Yes. Stacker is compatible with all Windows and DOS applications while 
	running under OS/2.It transparently compresses Windows and DOS files.

Q.   Will Stacker work whether I use boot manager or dual boot? 

A.   Yes. 

Q.   Will I be able to access my existing Stacker drives under OS/2?

A.   Yes. You can easily use existing stacked drives that contain DOS and 
	Windows information. Also, because DOS drives are included in Stacker 
	for OS/2 & DOS, stacked OS/2 drives can automatically be seen under DOS.

Q.   What file system does Stacker support? 

A.   Stacker supports the File Allocation Table (FAT) file system. FAT is 
	the file system common to both DOS and OS/2. This means you'll able to 
	access all your stacked data whether you booted under OS/2 or DOS.
	
Q.   What changes will I see in my files? 

A.   Stacker automatically compresses files written to a disk so they take 
	up less space. Accessing your files remains the same. Only now your 
	disk has twice the capacity. And, you can install new programs just 
	as you did before you stacked your drive.

Q.   Will my system slow down? 

A.   In most cases, you won't notice any slowdown in your system. The time required to decompress your 
	data is offset by the reduced amount of data that must be moved from your disk. You may even see 
	performance improvements on some disks and for some programs.

Q.   How much compression will I get? 

A.   This depends on the types of files you are compressing. The typical 
	overall file compression is 2:1. Data files typically compress better 
	Stacker than program files, so if you have more data than programs, you 
	may see a better than 2:1 compression ratio. Large database and word 
	processing files can compress up to 7:1.supports all setup 
	configurations for OS/2 and DOS together on the same drive or on 
	separate drives..
	
Q.   What if I don't even have enough room to install OS/2?

A.   Just install Stacker before you install OS/2. Stacker compresses OS/2 at the same time you're installing 
	it.

Q.   Will my data be safe? 

A.   Yes. You can be sure your data is safe with the leader in data compression technology. Over four million 
	people already trust their data to Stac compression products, and Stac technology is incorporated in many 
	leading hard disk utilities and tape back-up programs. These include Central Point Backup, Norton 
	Backup and Colorado Memory Systems tape drives.

Q.   Can I unstack my disk? 

A.   Yes. Stacker will unstack as simply and safely as it stacks your disk. 
	Remember, you must have enough space on your disk for all the files you 
	added after you stacked it.

Q.   How should I prepare to install Stacker? 

A.   A full disk backup is always recommended. Since Stacker will compress 
	the files already on your hard drive, there is no need to clean off or 
	format a drive before installation.

Q.   How long will installation take?

A.   This depends on several factors--the speed of the computer, the speed of 
	the hard drive, and the amount of space occupied by files. Typical 
	installations take from 20-30 minutes.

Q.   Will Stacker work with any hard drive?

A.   Stacker is compatible with all hard drive types including MFM, RLL, IDE, 
	SCSI, and ESDI. And you can compress a disk as big as 1 gigabyte, giving 
	you 2 gigabytes of capacity.
	
Q.   Will Stacker work with network installations?

A.   Stacker can be installed on the local hard drive of individual 
	workstations. Once Stacker is installed, the system operates normally, 
	on and off the network. Stacker can be used on OS/2-based networks such 
	as IBM LAN Server. Stacker drives can be accessed over the network by 
	network work stations that do not have Stacker. For example, if you 
	stack the drives on a LAN Server network file server, workstations on 
	the network see the shared drives as twice their previous size.

Q.   Can I back up my Stacker drive?

A.   Yes. Stacker is compatible with OS/2's backup/restore utility.

_______________________________________________________________ 
Copyright 1993, Stac Electronics
