bblue%Nosc@crash.UUCP (08/23/84)
From: <bang!crash!bblue@Nosc> Though I thought I had made it clear in my previous message regarding the port locking problems with PC-IX, I'll restate. I am running PC-IX *on a Compaq* and was having port hang-up problems. So obviously, interrupt problems and scenarios for the XT don't apply. Fortunately, Compaq does not seem to have those sort of quality control problems and associated horror stories. None the less, I appreciate your suggestions. As it happened, I already had tried re-mknod'ing things. That made no difference whatsoever. In talking to IBM tech support I found out (not related to this problem) there is a bug with certain jobs refusing to die, occasionally, during shutdown. They're "looking in to it". I did find out what the problem is, though, and thought you and the readers would like to know. There was an article back in the April 2nd issue of InfoWorld, about National Semiconductor 8250 chips. Seems that back in the early 80's NS decided to "improve" the 8250, deviating somewhat from the original 8250 spec's. They didn't know at the time that IBM was planning to use it in the PC. IBM didn't know that NS had made any changes, either. (Haven't we heard something like this before?) Anyway, to make a long story short, it turns out that the 8250 manufactured by NS, and used in some 50% of the PC's out there and all the PC Jr's, not to mention a great many companies producing add-on comm/memory cards for the PC, doesn't work with all software. Especially, compiled Basic communications programs, and certain others. And of course, PC-IX. All the serial cards I tried (several) had NS 8250's on them from a batch in late '83. I managed to find a Western Digital 8250, and guess what? It works perfectly. This is about all I know about this situation - anyone have any more info? Herm - I noticed your message about Kermit for PC-IX, but I don't have ftp access presently. Could a copy of it be mailed to me? Or is it around somewhere at a uucp site? Do you know of a PC-IX version of Umodem? --Bill Blue