|i.    Where can I buy an XTree(Gold) for DOS version ?
 
|ii.   Where can I buy the XTreeGold for Windows version (4.0) ?
 
|iii.  Is XTree "Y2K" (year 2000) compatible ?
 
|iv.   What to do on XTreeGold crashing under Windows 98-XP ?
 
|v.    Why isn't XTree logging my ..GB hard drive  ?
 
|vi.   Is there an XTreeGold version for Windows 95-XP  ?
 
|vii.  Is there a life before death  ?

 
 
 

 
i. Where can I buy an XTree(Gold) for DOS version ?
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Well, this is probably the most frequently asked question in all, and unfortunately the one with the most unsatisfying answer also:
Regrettably it is nowadays virtually impossible to get hold of a copy of any XTree(Gold) for DOS version at the stores, sales have been discontinued since a number of years now, and no dealer anywhere does stock it any more.
 
 
However, you might like to check online auctioneers like >eBay.com to bid for an occasional copy of XTree(Gold) offered there. Search for >keyword "xtree" there, while you may have to try again from time to time, if you currently don't get any satisfying results.
 
 
Alternatively you could have a look at a remarkable close XTreeGold clone for DOS named "FileMaster", which offers most of the latter's features (only few are missing), along with a very similar user interface, hotkeys and screen layout, and, best of all, it's absolutely Freeware now! Goto the XTree Fan Page Clones or Download section, to instantly download a copy, all for free!
 
 
Furthermore, if you intend to use XTree under Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2k/XP, or even OS/2, now here's even more good news:
There is a highly recommended Shareware clone named "ZTree" that is even more closely modeled after XTreeGold, it shares exactly the same layout and user interface with the XTreeGold for DOS versions, and furthermore provides some cautious but utmost useful enhancements over the original, like Long File Name support, an up-to-date memory management, and many more. For more information refer to the respective "Clones"-entry and to the >ZTree homepage.
 
 

 
ii. Where can I buy the XTreeGold for Windows version (4.0) ?
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Again, sales have been discontinued by it's owners, Symantec, since end of November 1997, and therefore dealers won't supply it any more.
 
 
However, you might like to check online auctioneers like >eBay.com to bid for an occasional copy of XTreeGold for Windows offered there. Search for >keyword "xtree" there, while you may have to try again from time to time, if you currently don't get any satisfying results.
 
 
Alternatively, you could give a chance to some serious clones, ZTreeWin with its text-mode interface (|see above) on the one hand, or on the other hand either Calypso or Disk Haunting, both supplying a stylish graphical Windows-interface (please refer to the respective entries at the "Clones" section of this site).
 
 

 
iii. Is XTree "Y2K" (>year 2000) compatible ?
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PLEASE NOTE:
What follows is a progress report of my own experiments with a number of XTree versions working in a year 2000 simulation environment. However, although I have used my best efforts in checking every possible aspects of this issue, obviously this report can *NOT* be a binding certification of XTree's year 2000 suitability !

 
Well, as far as my own tests have proofed, XTree *is* Y2K compatible !
What I have tested, is the system date set to year 2000 (resp.year "00"), and changed the date stamp of some temporary files (by command 'N'ew date or simply editing it).
All XTree versions have been working properly under my Y2K simulation, and didn't seem to make any problems with dates past Dec.31st 1999.
Filedates changed to year "00" also didn't cause any trouble.
 
Note that MS DOS since version 3.3 and above does interpret any dates prior to 1-1-80 as dates of the next century. So does XTree. Changing sort criteria (ALT-S) to date sort, the earliest sorted date is 1-1-80, while anything between 1-1-00 and Dec-31-79 is (in ascending order) date-sorted *after* Dec-31-99.
 
On my Win9x system I haven't experienced any Y2K-problems with XTree, contrary to many other software products, including filemanagers.
For example, the Win 3.1 file manager (which is, by the way, still equipped with Win9x as WINFILE.EXE in the Windows-directory), does not display properly any year 2000 dates (just something rubbish like "=3" is given as year data...).
 
 

IMPORTANT NOTE:
While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this subject, the author assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, or of damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein !

 

 
iv. What to do on XTreeGold crashing under Windows 98-XP ?
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Using XTreeGold under Windows 98-XP often produces the following problem:
 
On trying to log a branch or an entire disk with the Log command or the "*" (asterisk) -key, XTreeGold itself, or even the whole system may freeze and can't be revived again, sometimes even Ctrl-Alt-Del doesn't respond any more.
 
In order to get rid of this misbehaviour, call the XTreeGold configuration program (Alt-F10), select menu #1 "Modify configuration items", and then change item #4 "Disk logging method" from "QUICK" to "STANDARD". This will solve the problem in most cases.
 

 
v. Why isn't XTreeGold logging my ..GB hard drive ?
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When trying to get XTreeGold logged to a ..GB hard drive, it prompts an error message, and only a portion of the directories on the disk is logged eventually, if at all.
 
This is a result of the way XTree utilizes the memory (RAM) to read in files and directories; due to it's old DOS architecture, XTree isn't prepared to use more than the first 640kB of memory for this, even if you have some dozen MB of RAM available on your computer.
 
As a result, XTree will *never* be able to *entirely* log to more than about 13,000 or so files and directories (typically) at once ! However, there are a few workarounds to get XTreeGold reading at least selected portions of a large hard disk:
 

1. Release previously logged files and directories information, which are held in XTreeGold's memory by highlighting the respective directory to be released and pressing the "-" sign. This will release all information from the memory about this entire branch. Also a "+" (plus) sign will be shown to the left of all the released directories.

2. Try to configure XTreeGold not to log an entire volume when invoking the log command. How to do this: Hit ALT+F10 and select "1" (Modify Configuration Items). Then, on the first page, under item "Disk Logging", change the options #5 and #6 to "Yes". After that press "M" to return to the Main Menu, then "S" for "Save Configuration and Quit", and finally "Enter" to confirm to save the options.
Note: If you want to only log to the highlighted directory, hit "Enter" or press "+". To log the entire highlighted branch (the directory and all its subdirectories), press "*" (refer to topic "Meaning of signs left to directory names" at the Tips&Tricks page for more information on tree expanding and collapsing).

 

To step deeper into this issue, please also have a look at Tom Ruben's tips on XTreeGold disk logging .
 

 
vi. Is there an XTreeGold version for Windows 95-XP ?
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Actually, the latest XTreeGold released is version 3.0/3.01 from 1993, respectively XTreeGold for Windows 4.0 from 1994. Since the development of XTree has been completely discontinued by it's new owners (Symantec Inc.), there hasn't been any subsequent release since then.
 
However, there is a very close clone of XTreeGold available for Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2k/XP, that is the highly recommended "ZTreeWin", developed by Zedtek Inc., and distributed as Shareware through the Internet. ZTreeWin is able to log to a virtually unlimited number of files and directories (since it doesn't suffer from XTreeGold's DOS imposed memory limitations), and is fully compatible with Win95-XP's Long File Names !
 
Step to the ZTreeWin homepage at >www.ztree.com/html/ztreewin.htm to download a free 30-day trial version, and for further information on pricing and ordering.
 

 
vii. Is there a life before death ?
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...Who knows...?

 
 
 
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to be continued...
 
 
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Any comments, suggestions, or new questions,
    anything missing or anything not working as described on your system ?
        ---> Then please post your message to the XTree Forum