Windows Terminal Ware
   What is WTware      News      Forum      Download      Links  

WTware hardware requirements

  1. Video card
  2. Processor
  3. RAM
  4. Network card
  5. Printer
  6. Keyboard
  7. Mouse
  8. Floppy drives
  9. CDROM drives
  10. USB memory storage
  11. Sound card
  12. Serial port redirection

Video card

Suffix of "video" parameter value in configuration file determines, which of three available packages will be loaded. Different packages use different graphics library:

  • Package S from the file wts.pkg. This package uses SVGALib graphics library. Is meant for the oldest computers with CPU upwards of i486 and RAM 8Mb.
  • Package F from the file wtf.pkg. This package uses Linux Kernel Framebuffer drivers. A very good package for all computers with video boards supported by this package.
  • Package X from the file wtx.pkg. This package uses XFree86 X Window System. Supports a lot of video boards and usually slower than other packages.
Please look into the configuration file to see the whole list of supported by each package video cards. Some video boards are supported by two packages. Use the fastest one. Usually package S is faster than package F and package F is faster than package X.

Processor

  • Package S. Upwards of 486. Pentium I 166MHz with good video board is fast enough for comfortable work.
  • Package F. Upwards of Pentium I. Low-end Celeron is fast enough for comfortable work.
  • Package X. Upwards of Pentium I. Celeron 400MHz usually works fast enough for comfortable work.

RAM

  • 8Mb is enough for 800x600x256 colors without local disk/sound/printer redirection support under Package S.
  • 12MB is enough for Package S with high resoltions and all features turned on.
  • 16MB is enough for Package F.
  • 12MB is enough for Package X.

Network card

The difference between 10 Mbps and 100 Mbps netcards is insignificant for a user. Practically all common network cards are supported:
  • Intel EtherExpress (i82586 chip)
  • Intel EtherExpressPro (i82595 chip)
  • ISA NE2000-compatible
  • 3Com EtherLinkIII (3c509)
  • 3Com PCI 3c59x, 3c90x series
  • RTL8139C+ chip
  • RTL8139 chip
  • Intel EtherExpressPro/100 (i8255x chip)
  • PCI NE2000-compatible (8029 chip)
  • DECchip Tulip (dc21x4x chip)
  • VIA Rhine/Rhine-II
  • Sundance ST201 "Alta"
  • AMD pcnet32 (or VMWare)
  • SiS 900/7016 chip
  • DM9102(A)/DM9132/DM9801 chip
  • Myson MTD-8xx chip
  • nForce chip
  • Broadcom 4400
  • Winbond W89c840, TX9882 (Compex RL100-ATX) chips
  • Broadcom Tigon3 (gigabit Ethernet)
  • Intel PRO/1000 (gigabit Ethernet)
  • Marvell Yukon (gigabit Ethernet)
Above are listed chipsets. The vast majority of network cards are based on one of these chips and thereafter are supported by WTware.

Printer

A lot of USB and parallel (LPT) printers work with WTware:
  • All printers which drivers are included into Windows Server distributive work.
  • All printers, that work through hardware print-server (a box with two connectors, one to Ethernet and another to printer), work
  • All printers able to print text from DOS without additional drivers work.
Note that so called "Win-printers" won't work. For example, Canon LBP810 and HP 1005. These printers will never work through hardware print-server too.

Keyboard

Standart DIN, USB and PS/2 keyboards are supported. Also all bar-code scanners attached to keyboard cable are supported.

Mouse

Standard COM, USB and PS/2 mouses and wheel-mouses are supported.

Floppy drives

Supported standart drives (not USB).

CDROM drives

Supported standart IDE ATAPI drives (not USB).

USB memory storage (flash-cards, flash-card-readers)

Majority of models are supported. Work all devices that work with Linux.

Sound cards

Majority of models are supported.

COM-port (serial port) redirection

Initial stage of supporting serial ports is in progress. This code isn't completely tested yet so it could be unstable.

© 2002-2008 WTware Windows Terminal Ware