andyc@hplsla.HP.COM (Andy Cassino) (10/03/89)
I'd like to hear from anyone else that is using the new ICD boot program
and utilities (revisions 4.x.x). I have the downloaded the latest stuff
(4.1.8) from GENIE and mentioned these problems to ICD on the BB there,
but the answers have not been very useful.
Problem one that I've seen is that the Mark Williams rebootable ramdisk is
incompatible with the ICD cache. Installing a MWC ramdisk normally
causes a warm-boot, but ICDBOOT goes ahead and re-installs its cache, which
wipes out the ramdisk. If the ramdisk is in the auto folder, you just get an
endless series of boots and disk installations. If I disable the ICD caches,
everything works fine, just the way it always has.
The strange thing is that the recently-posted EDISK seems to be perfectly
content to run with the ICD cache! (Since it is faster than the MWC ramdisk,
I guess I shouldn't complain).
(ICD's response to this problem was "do you have the latest ICDBOOT"? Yes!)
The second problem is that file copies on my C:\ partition take forever
without FATSPEED. Like 10 seconds for a 2KB file!!! I defragged the C:\
partition, it got slightly worse. I checked the partition with the demo
version of the ICD cleanup program, no problems reported (never have been,
which is why I haven't bought the program yet).
FATSPEED is the only "cure". With FATSPEED installed, everything is very
fast. Without FATSPEED, almost everything is very, very slow. The problem
is, SUPRBOOT has to run after FATSPEED, and the file modification operation
in SUPRBOOT takes *forever* to modify the AUTO folder progs and ACCs.
(It's really spooky with the ICD cache on, there are three very brief
disk accesses during the file modification, with up to 20 seconds of "dead"
time between them! With the cache off, of course, there are all kinds
of disk accesses going on. Not as scary, but just as irritating!)
Anyhow, until I installed the new ICD driver, FATSPEED never had *that*
big an effect on my Mega, it was always a 30% enhancement, not a 3000%
enhancement. How could the ICD drivers have anything to do with this?
(ICD told me I need the TOS 1.4, as if I could step out and pick it up. I'm
waiting for my dealer to call!)
Well... other than these problems, I will say that the new ICD drivers
are remarkably fast, especially with the cache on. Between Turbo ST 1.6
and the new ICD drivers, my Mega is really cruisin'!
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed herein are those solely
of the author, who has no pecuniary interest in the companies mentioned.
Copyright (c) 1989 by Andrew Cassino. All rights reserved.
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% Andy Cassino %
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%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%andyc@hplsla.HP.COM (Andy Cassino) (10/04/89)
I guess I should have anticipated this... I've received several requests
for the new ICD utilities. I'd like to honor these requests but I cannot.
ICD disallows *any* distribution by people that have downloaded from
Genie/Compuserve. They just re-iterated this in the roundtable. If you have
an ICD Host Adapter and are not on Genie/Compuserve, then you have ICD's
address and they will upgrade you for a nominal fee. Aside from download,
this is the only way to get these utilities.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed herein are those solely
of the author, who has no pecuniary interest in the companies mentioned.
Copyright (c) 1989 by Andrew Cassino. All rights reserved.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
% Andy Cassino %
% uucp: hplabs!hplsla!andyc domain: andyc%hplsla@hplabs.hp.com %
% Hewlett-Packard Lake Stevens Instrument Division %
% 8600 Soper Hill Road Everett, WA 98205-1298 %
% (206) 335-2211 %
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%tacook@stag.UUCP (Tom Cook) (10/05/89)
[andyc@hplsla.HP.COM (Andy Cassino) writes...] > > [stuff deleted] > > ICD disallows *any* distribution by people that have downloaded from > Genie/Compuserve. They just re-iterated this in the roundtable. If you have > an ICD Host Adapter and are not on Genie/Compuserve, then you have ICD's > address and they will upgrade you for a nominal fee. Aside from download, > this is the only way to get these utilities. > The utilities are also available form ICD's BBS. There phone number is in the sales info that you got with your drive/ adapter. It took me about 45 min to download all the utilities for the 3.41 release at 2400 baud. > > Disclaimer: The opinions expressed herein are those solely > of the author, who has no pecuniary interest in the companies mentioned. > > Copyright (c) 1989 by Andrew Cassino. All rights reserved. > > %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% > % Andy Cassino % > % uucp: hplabs!hplsla!andyc domain: andyc%hplsla@hplabs.hp.com % > % Hewlett-Packard Lake Stevens Instrument Division % > % 8600 Soper Hill Road Everett, WA 98205-1298 % > % (206) 335-2211 % > %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Tom Cook Mound, MN | What I said may or may not be true moundst!tacook@stag.UUCP | I'm not sure myself, if you can figure {tacook|sysop}@MAST.citadel | it out let me know. If all else fails read the instructions.
covertr@force.UUCP (Richard E. Covert) (10/05/89)
Andy, you mention using TurboST and the ICD cache and FATSPEED, but just wait until you get TOS 1.4 in 100 ns EPROMs and Tubo16 (T16)!! I just had my 18 month old Mega ST4 refitted with these new clothes and it SCREAMS!! I have NEVER bought a product that I like (Heck, *LOVE*) as much as T16!! It was easy for my dealer to install, and the high speed TOS EPROMS make it even faster!!! Desktop refreshes are done literally in a blink of an eye!! I have a 3 year 520ST sitting next to my TurboMegaST (tm) and it crawls compared to TMST!! So, if you to get the max out of your machine, run don't walk to your nearest ST dealer and get T16 from Fast Technology!! Hey, I had a switch installed just so I could slow down my MTST to play some games like Macadam Pinball!! I can't wait to try out Flight Simulator or Gunship or FALCON!! Richard (T16s forever!!) Covert