lal@tc.fluke.COM (Larry Lohkamp) (05/02/89)
I have an I/O problem. I have an HP plotter, a micom line, an internal modem, and a CTX port. I have been playing human switch box because my IDS-286T came with 2 serial ports. I thought that I had a port for everything when I instaled an AST premium memory board. The AST board came with two ports at COM1: and COM2:. My serial board says that its two ports can be used as COM1, 2, 3, or 4. I tried all possible combinations of assigning the two interrupts ( #3 and #4 ), but could not get the machine to recognise anything but COM1 & 2. If it makes any difference, my DOS rev. is 3.3. Can I get all 4 ports to work, or am I dreaming the impossible?
mbb@cbnewsh.ATT.COM (martin.b.brilliant) (05/03/89)
From article <8036@fluke.COM>, by lal@tc.fluke.COM (Larry Lohkamp): > ..... The AST board > came with two ports at COM1: and COM2:. My serial board says that its > two ports can be used as COM1, 2, 3, or 4. I tried all possible > combinations of assigning the two interrupts ( #3 and #4 ), but could not > get the machine to recognise anything but COM1 & 2. If it makes any > difference, my DOS rev. is 3.3. Can I get all 4 ports to work, or am I > dreaming the impossible? I had a similiar problem with an internal modem. The modem is supposed to be configurable as any of the four COMn: ports. The documentation for DOS 3.3 says that DOS recognizes four COMn: ports. However, the documentation for the modem points out that the DOS definition of COM3: and COM4: is not the one used by older communications software, and that the board is compatible with the old software, not with DOS. Some of this "older communications software" is explicit about how COM3: and COM4: are defined in terms of port address and IRQ line. However, I couldn't find anything that says how DOS defines these ports. Can someone provide definitive information about this? M. B. Brilliant Marty AT&T-BL HO 3D-520 (201) 949-1858 Holmdel, NJ 07733 att!hounx!marty1 or marty1@hounx.ATT.COM Disclaimer: Opinions stated herein are mine unless and until my employer explicitly claims them; then I lose all rights to them.
kirk%enterprise@Sun.COM ('Captain' Kirk DeHaan) (05/03/89)
From article <8036@fluke.COM>, by lal@tc.fluke.COM (Larry Lohkamp): > I have an I/O problem. I have an HP plotter, a micom line, an internal > modem, and a CTX port. I have been playing human switch box because my > IDS-286T came with 2 serial ports. I thought that I had a port for > everything when I instaled an AST premium memory board. The AST board > came with two ports at COM1: and COM2:. My serial board says that its > two ports can be used as COM1, 2, 3, or 4. I tried all possible > combinations of assigning the two interrupts ( #3 and #4 ), but could not > get the machine to recognise anything but COM1 & 2. If it makes any > difference, my DOS rev. is 3.3. Can I get all 4 ports to work, or am I > dreaming the impossible? Look for a program called com3&4. It installs the drivers for 3 + 4 so they are accessible. ******************************************************************** * 'Captain' Kirk DeHaan "There's a lot to be said * * Sun Microsystems Inc. For a blow to the head" * * * * kirk@sun.com Blue Oyster Cult * * * ********************************************************************
foss@iris.ucdavis.edu (Jim Alves-Foss) (05/03/89)
In article <8036@fluke.COM> lal@tc.fluke.COM (Larry Lohkamp) writes: >difference, my DOS rev. is 3.3. Can I get all 4 ports to work, or am I >dreaming the impossible? I have an internal modem using port 3 and DOS 3.3 What I did to let the modem work was write a simple little program to do the following: 1. Change DOS equipment register to state I have 3 serial ports 2. Place the Port Base Address into the DOS table for serial ports - room exists for at least 7 (maybe 8). I wrote the code in BASIC - less than 5 lines, compiled it and have my autoexec.bat file automatically run it when I boot. Unfortunately I do not have the code here. I'll try to remember to post it tonight. -Jim Alves-Foss
foss@iris.ucdavis.edu (Jim Alves-Foss) (05/04/89)
In article <4160@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu> foss@iris.ucdavis.edu (Jim Alves-Foss) writes: >In article <8036@fluke.COM> lal@tc.fluke.COM (Larry Lohkamp) writes: >>difference, my DOS rev. is 3.3. Can I get all 4 ports to work, or am I >>dreaming the impossible? > >I have an internal modem using port 3 and DOS 3.3 >What I did to let the modem work was write a simple little program to do the >following: > >1. Change DOS equipment register to state I have 3 serial ports >2. Place the Port Base Address into the DOS table for serial ports - room > exists for at least 7 (maybe 8). > >I wrote the code in BASIC - less than 5 lines, compiled it and have my >autoexec.bat file automatically run it when I boot. > >Unfortunately I do not have the code here. I'll try to remember to post it >tonight. > >-Jim Alves-Foss Here it is. Just remember to run "rs232off" before and after any programs that misbehave when using com 3 or 4. (such as Procomm). ------------------------ Cut here for "addcom.bas" -------------------- REM The code was written by Jim Alves-Foss Feb. 1988. It is released REM into the public domain by the author. -Enjoy- REM This is for Microsoft Quick Basic but the concept is easy to adopt REM for other languages. REM Place this executable in your autoexec. REM Set segment to zero 10 DEF SEG = 0 REM At 400H we store the com port address information, 2 bytes gives each REM port address. Here we store 3E8 as base for COM 3: (com 4: base 2E8) 20 POKE 1028, 232: POKE 1029, 3 REM Now need to set the port information at 411H. 30 a = PEEK(1041) REM Got old equipment information. Now, zero out bits 1,2,3 (numbered 0..7) REM These hold the number of serial ports (0-7). Set this value to 3. REM Restore old information with number of ports = 3 40 POKE 1041, (a AND 241) OR 6 REM Resturn to DOS 50 SYSTEM ----------------------- End Code -- see it was REAL short ------------- -Jim Alves-Foss
liber@darth.UUCP (Eric Liber) (05/04/89)
In article <8036@fluke.COM>, lal@tc.fluke.COM (Larry Lohkamp) writes: > I have an I/O problem. I have an HP plotter, a micom line, an internal > modem, and a CTX port. I have been playing human switch box because my . . . > get the machine to recognise anything but COM1 & 2. If it makes any > difference, my DOS rev. is 3.3. Can I get all 4 ports to work, or am I > dreaming the impossible? Well I screwed up slightly in my last response but I found out last night how simple it can really be. You must plug the RS232 table AND the equipment word to tell the system HOW MANY RS232 PORTS THERE ARE. After you do this mode will work fine. Here is a turbo Pascal (5.0) program that will do the deed for com3 at 3E8: program setcom3; var rs232com3 : word absolute $0040:$0004; equipword : word absolute $0040:$0010; begin rs232com3 := $03E8; equipword := equipword or $0200; end. thats all there is to it. the equipment word at 40:10 and 40:11 (hex) has bits 9 - 11 set to indicate the number of com (rs232) ports in the system $0200 turns on bit 9 which changes the value to 3 from the startup value of 2 (xxxx 010x xxxx xxxx) changed to (xxxx 011x xxxx xxxx). All you have to do is include the command setcom3 in your start up batch and then you can initialize the port with a mode command such as: MODE COM3:9600,N,8,1,P The P was necessary in my system to keep the port from timing out too soon. Anyway all this works on a gateway 386 using phoenix bios 3.??? and msdos 3.3. If you have any more questions I will attempt to answer them. good luck Eric (the red baron) Liber
sbanner1@uvicctr.UVic.ca.UUCP (S. John Banner) (05/04/89)
In article <372@cbnewsh.ATT.COM> by mbb@cbnewsh.ATT.COM (martin.b.brilliant) writes: >From article <8036@fluke.COM>, by lal@tc.fluke.COM (Larry Lohkamp): >> ..... The AST board >> came with two ports at COM1: and COM2:. My serial board says that its >> two ports can be used as COM1, 2, 3, or 4. I tried all possible >> combinations of assigning the two interrupts ( #3 and #4 ), but could not >> get the machine to recognise anything but COM1 & 2. If it makes any >> difference, my DOS rev. is 3.3. Can I get all 4 ports to work, or am I >> dreaming the impossible? >Some of this "older communications software" is explicit about how >COM3: and COM4: are defined in terms of port address and IRQ line. >However, I couldn't find anything that says how DOS defines these >ports. Can someone provide definitive information about this? I have recently come across this problem (in a slightly different form), and found the solution. The base address of the first four com ports are stored in the first four words of the BIOS information area (0040:0000 to 0040:0008). You only need one word for each, as this stores the first port address, which are all at most 16 bits. Once you have set these addresses right, then you need to find the equipment information byte (I don't remember the address for that one, but it is well documented), and fix it, so that it says you have the right number of serial ports. You can do the same thing with parallel ports (there are three words for parallel ports right after the four words for serial ports). Then all you have to do, is get the interupts set right, and you are in business. Unfortunately, there is no standard on how to find the right interupt. As I recall, the older machines used IRQ2, IRQ3, IRQ2, IRQ3, while I believe that IBM decided to use IRQ2, IRQ3, IRQ3, IRQ3, in the PS/2 line... most of the intelegent software, will try the various possibilities, and see which one works. Anyhow, it is basicly just a matter of installing the board, setting the various pieces in the BIOS area, and it should work... At least it did for me... :-). sjb.
simon@ms.uky.edu (G. Simon Gales) (05/10/89)
DOS keeps the port address table at 40:0, there should be a port
address for each COM port (1-4).
0040:0000 Port address of COM1
0040:0002 " " " COM2
0040:0004 " " " COM3
0040:0006 " " " COM4
This is also documented in the MS-Kermit manual, which includes a
short COM prg (type it in in DEBUG) that does this for you. The
actual port addresses depend on the serial card(s).
--
/------------------------------------------------------------------------\
Simon Gales@University of Ky
{rutgers, uunet}!ukma!simon - simon@ms.uky.edu - simon@UKMA.BITNET