WinTOTAL System Requirements (Athena Only)
Document 4310
Revised 12/7/2006 LD1


WinTOTAL does quite a bit more than most applications, so it's best to run it on a more or less "modern" PC.  That being said, pretty much any new Windows XP computer you buy off the shelf today, even a "cheap" system under $500, is going to run WinTOTAL with no problem.

These requirements cover Athena only.  If you're looking for Aurora's system requirements, see Tech Doc 5032

  
 

 

The general rule of thumb in the software and PC industry is, the more of anything you put in your system, the faster it will run. That is, if you have 256 MB of RAM, rather than 128, Windows will run faster and so will WinTOTAL.  Similarly, the faster the processor you have, the faster WinTOTAL will run.

The bare minimum system requirements listed below are simply to run WinTOTAL’s basic form filling, without digital photos, maps or even connecting to a network.  The recommended configuration contains items that you would want in addition to those in the minimum setup.

Bare Minimum Requirements

  • Processor: Pentium II class 300MHz
  • Memory: 128 MB of RAM
  • Hard Drive: 400 megabytes of free hard drive space for installation.
  • Operating System: Windows 98.  95 and ME are not recommended.  Windows NT is suitable only as a dedicated server.  Currently, we have no plans to support Athena on Windows Vista.
  • Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher
  • Printer: Must support graphics and legal paper.
  • CD-ROM: 4X speed
  • Video: VGA (800x600) with 14” monitor
  • Permissions: Admin rights on your PC. If you have a limited user account of any type Windows will prevent certain WinTOTAL functions from running.
  • Other: Mouse

Recommended

  • Processor: 1 GHz or better
  • Memory: 256 MB- 1024MB of RAM
  • Hard Drive: As large as possible.
  • Operating System: Windows XP Home or Professional. Currently, we have no plans to support Athena on Windows Vista.
  • Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher
  • Printer: Extra RAM recommended for laser printer.  (See more printer recommendations later in this document.)
  • Video: At least 32MB of of video memory to support XGA (1024 x 768) with 16-bit or higher color.  17” or larger monitor.
  • Permissions: Admin rights on your PC. If you have a limited user account of any type Windows will prevent certain WinTOTAL functions from running.
  • Other: Sound card and speakers.  56K or broadband Internet connection

This being said, any significant Windows program will not run very fast on a system meeting the minimum configuration described above.  Most new PCs for sale today – even low end ones under $500– will be more than adequate to run WinTOTAL.  Consult a local PC retail outlet, or one of a la mode’s Resellers for details on any of these items.  

Windows Vista & WinTOTAL

Currently, we have no plans to adapt the Athena version of WinTOTAL so that it will run on Windows Vista. If you intend to use WinTOTAL on a Windows Vista system once Vista becomes publicly available on January 30, 2007, you will need to upgrade to the newer Aurora version of WinTOTAL as Athena will not be supported on Windows Vista in the foreseeable future.

Networked Environments & WinTOTAL

WinTOTAL has been designed with networks in mind as it allow multiple profiles and incorporates automatic workstation upgrades after downloading updates online.  Here are some things to note about running WinTOTAL on a network:

  • A dedicated server is recommended if 3 or more stations are using the program simultaneously.  Typically, a well-equipped XP Professional machine will server 5 or more simultaneous users.
  • Make sure your network server has at least 512MB of RAM and a fast hard drive with "high RPM's".
  • Our staff cannot support the usage of a designated "server" Operating System (i.e. Windows 2003 Server) as the OS for a workstation.
  • Virtual Private Network (VPN) connections and offsite workstations are neither recommended, nor supported due to inherently slow communications between the server and workstation.  Our staff reserves the right to limit troubleshooting to true client-server configurations running on a local area network (LAN).  Remote employees may qualify for a discounted site license so they can install on their local hard drive.

Detailed information about running WinTOTAL in a networked environment may be found in the user manual as well as document 4715.

Running WinTOTAL on the Mac OS

This requires a Windows emulator.  Although we don't necessarily support this functionality, we've heard of it being done.  The emulators cost in the hundreds of dollars and are naturally slow.   In most cases, you'd probably be better off buying an inexpensive PC especially for WinTOTAL.

Running WinTOTAL on a Tablet PC

While WinTOTAL was not designed for use on a Tablet PC, it should still run on a Tablet PC just as it would on a regular desktop PC. Of course, since we did not design it for use with a Tablet PC, you may not be able to use the stylus to interact with your copy of WinTOTAL. In addition, since WinTOTAL is essentially a desktop program, we will not be able to support any stylus related functions you try to use with WinTOTAL. If you intend to run WinTOTAL on a Tablet PC, be sure to have a keyboard and mouse connected to it so you can interact with it.

Making the Most of the Equipment you Have

Here are some speed tips for your PC:

  • Tone-down your antivirus software.  Antivirus is the #1 thing slowing down your computer.   Left with the installation defaults, most a/v software will scan every file you try to access on your system.  If you think your system should be faster, temporarily disable your a/v software - usually, you can find the option for this by right-clicking its icon in your systray next to your PC clock - and then open a file in WinTOTAL.

    If you are running antivirus protection, you may want to disable it when you are not connected to the Internet or opening documents received across the Internet.   See Tech Doc 4016 for information about the side effects of running antivirus software, such as McAfee and Norton Antivirus and how to correct them.)
  • Increase your RAM to exceed the minimums recommended in this document. More is better. With Windows 98, after 128 MB of RAM, you may be needlessly spending money for little productivity gain because Windows 98 does not utilize memory above 128 MB as well as other Windows operating systems.

  • Replace your hard drive with one of the newer, large and faster Enhanced IDE drives. They’re moderately inexpensive and will show a significant improvement over any older, smaller hard drive. (If you replace your hard drive, see Moving WinTOTAL to a new PC on backing up your WinTOTAL software and data for assistance).

  • Run ScanDisk and Defragment often. (Please refer to document 4952, How to run the ScanDisk and Defragmentation utilities.) Windows 98/ME/2000/XP have built-in scheduling capability for disk maintenance.

  • Close unneeded programs that may be running in the background. Many programs start automatically every time your computer is turned on. Only run programs that you are actually using at the time.
  • Free hard drive space. Back up and delete unnecessary files and programs on your hard drive.
  • Increase RAM on your network server. On networks, make sure the server starts with a bare minimum of at least 512 Megabytes of RAM; 1 Gig of RAM or more is recommended.
  • Reinstall Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC). In some cases, this has shown to significantly increase your computer’s speed. (See Tech Doc 4160, about reinstalling MDAC, Microsoft Data Access Components and Jet Tools for more information.)
  • Buy an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). Power outages happen. One of the best ways to ensure that you don't lose any of the work you do in a report when a power outage occurs is to plug your computer into a UPS. They're relatively inexpensive and you can purchase them at any electronics store.

     
  Note: Purchasing a new processor may not really speed things up. Other components in your system, such as the hard drive, may have been designed for a slower processor or are no longer on the cutting edge of technology.  
     

Printer Recommendations

WinTOTAL has the most efficient printing capability available in a Windows-based appraisal Form Filling product today.

  • For printing regular black and white forms, we recommend any Hewlett-Packard or other name brand laser printer. You may or may not need to purchase additional RAM for the printer, depending on the model. In general, when purchasing a printer for use with WinTOTAL, you will be better off to spend a little more now and buy a good mid-to-high range printer. Low-end printers are not recommended.
  • If the printer is to be a network printer, where multiple users will be printing concurrently, you’ll likely want to buy a printer with as much RAM as possible so the printer does not become overtaxed and cause print delays.
  • RAM should not be an issue with inkjet printers since they spool the print jobs gradually.
  • Whenever possible, buy a printer that connects via USB, rather than connecting to a parallel port.

If you plan to work with digital images and are not using a USB connection for your printer, we encourage you to get a second physical printer port installed.  With the second port installed, you can have WinTOTAL print the regular forms to your laser printer and your photo pages to the inkjet printer – at the same time! Unlike other systems, which make you stop and change your printer setup between the forms and photos, WinTOTAL does it for you!

Printer ports are relatively inexpensive. To install a second printer port, consult your local computer hardware vendor or technician. Again, you can also contact one of the a la mode Reseller Network members.