RFORSTER@UNCAEDU.BITNET (04/30/87)
From: <RFORSTER%UNCAEDU.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu>
[ok line eater, for what you do, this lines for you]
I recently purchased an INSIDER 1 meg board from Michigan Software
and thought I would tell you about my installation woes.
First off I am not in any way associated with Michigan Software
I simply bought their board.
Secondly I have absolutly no hardware hacking experence (at least
not until I attempted this) :-).
The kit comes with one disk that contains the clock reader, ADDMEM,
MEM on/off (i suppose this would be the same as the HIDE program),
and a mem tester. The board comes preassembled, the chips are soldered
not socketed. The kit also comes with a 16 page manual, and a sticker
to proudly annouce what lurks inside your machine.
I ordered my board and had it in my hands in 5 days, I thought that
was pretty good.
After a quick scan through the instructons I thought I'd do the
installation myself (they suggest having a technician if your not
sure what your doing).
The instructions state that the overall procedure should take you
about an hour. I found that it took me two hours the first crack
(notice the "first").
For the first test I tried Kickstart/WB 1.2 and after the system asked
for WB disk, the system crashed or hung. I tried 1.1 of the operating
system and all worked correctly.
I thought my work was in error and had a friend check it out. We found
all work to be correct but still couldn't get it to work.
I made quick call to Michigan Software and they asked me if my
connections were correct, they suggested I send it back and they
would check it out.
Well, due to the fact that I am in Canada, I had to by it from
the sole distrbutor here by the name of Design Tech Business Systems
Inc. I gave them a call and informed them of my discussion with
Michigan and they said to send it to them (Design Tech) and they'll
test it.
The board checked out ok on their systems, so they sent it back to me
again. I stuck it back in again, this time it took half an hour. The
board still didn't work.
I had a local technician check it out in her machine and it worked
just fine.
At this point I was ready to send the whole thing back and ask for
my money back, but I presiverred and called Design Tech again for ideas.
They contacted Michigian on my behalf and they made an offer such that
if I paid for the shipping TO AND FROM Michigan Software, they would
get the board working free of charge.
I thought about this long and hard and then called Michigian myself
and talked to the guy who made the offer. I had asked if he would
put in writing what we discussed verbally, he refused with the statement
if you don't want it fixed just send the board back for a refund.
My morbud coursity got to me, I needed to know why it didn't work
in my machine. Mishigian had suggested that I put one more ground
wire in my machine.
Well I did, and I can now proudly say that I now have a 1.5meg
machine uder 1.2!
For all their effort I would like to thank Ralph from Michigian
Software, and Brian from Desigh Tech. These two men put up with
my many and long phone calls and were instrmential in solving the
problem.
Overall impression
The manual is excellent! There is a rough edge in it in regards
to removing the 68000 but other then that its very very good.
The installation went very well (except for the above problems).
I would suggest you read the TECH TIPS section of the installation
guide as it does give a few extra pointers (its also where the
extra gound wire is shown).
Would I suggest this to my friends? YES!
INSIDER sells for $595.00 CDN, I believe it was $349.00 US.
Again, I am in no way related to Desigh Tech nor Michigian Software
I'm just a (now) proud owner of one of their products.
/Russ
--
"We must acknowledge, once and for all, that the
purpose of diplomacy is to prolong a crisis."
- Spock
Russell M Forster
BITnet: RForster@UNCAEDU.BITnet
ARPA: OC.Russ@CU20B.Columbia.Edu
CPS: Mount Royal College
4825 Richard Rd. SW.
Calgary, Alberta
Canada, T3E 6K6
Voice: (403) 240-6052
Opinions expressed herein are my own, and do not necessarily represent
those of my employer or anyone else for that matter.