dwu@trwrb.UUCP (Daniel Wu) (02/05/88)
I have just bought a Mountain DriveCard 30, and although I am generally
satisfied with it, it was introduced 2 side effects that are inconvenient
and unpleasant.
Side Effect 1:
Before, I would set the switch blocks on my IBM PC motherboard to configure it
for 4 drives. I only have 2 floppy disk drives, but I wanted to set up a
ram disk on drive D, and this was the only way I knew how get DOS 2.1 to
recognize drive D. I called it drive D, because I was reserving drive C for
the hard disk which I just recently bought.
When I first installed the Mountain HardCard, I was very surprised to find
that DOS recognized it as drive E! Evidently, the hardcard just takes the
next drive higher up than the ones presently installed. Well, I went back and
set the switch blocks on the motherboard for 2 floppy drives, and the hardcard
became drive C, as I had wanted. Now the bad news: I can't install my ramdisk
anymore. I can't install it on drive D, because DOS won't recognize a drive D.
It seems that my only solution is to set the switch block for 3 floppy drives,
let the ramdisk take drive C, and bump the hardcard to drive D. I'd much
rather not do this, I would prefer to call the hard disk C, and the ramdisk D.
Any way around this? I understand that with DOS 3.x, I wouldn't have to bother
with the switch blocks at all, but if possible, I would like to stick with
DOS 2.1.
Side Effect #2
Now that I have a hard disk, I am finally able to run some software which
absolutely required one. I also learned that it requires the IBM XT ROM BIOS,
my PC BIOS won't do. Last I heard, IBM was selling their ROMs for $60.00,
which I consider highway robbery. $60.00 is just outrageous! I don't know
what my alternatives are now. I've considered getting the Phoenix BIOS, but
first I'd like to find out from the net
1) How much does it cost?
2) Where do I buy it from?
3) Is it really a ROM? Will it fit right into that ROM socket, or
does Phoenix actually sell a PROM?
I'd also like to make this last ditch appeal: If anyone out there has a
defective or banged up XT motherboard which he's considering throwing out,
I wonder if he'd consider donating the ROM BIOS to me? I will of course
pay for all mailing costs, and reciprocate with a gratuity, as a token of
my appreciation (not $60.00's worth, though).
If anyone has a solution to 1) or 2), I'd appreciate hearing it.
Daniel
{ucbvax,decvax}!trwrb!dwu