Info-IBMPC@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL ("Info-IBMPC Digest") (06/20/91)
Info-IBMPC Digest Wed, 19 Jun 91 Volume 91 : Issue 153
Today's Editor:
Gregory Hicks - Rota Spain <GHICKS@WSMR-Simtel20.Army.Mil>
Today's Topics:
DOS 5.0
Hard Drive for IBM PS/2 Model 80 (2 msgs)
Hard Drive Dies on Power Up (V91 #132)
$25 NEtwork (V91 #133) (2 msgs)
Vax/VMS ZModem quirks
XT battery clock problems
Today's Queries:
Better Graphics Screen Grabber Wanted
Disconnecting in Kermit 3.1
IBM XT will not boot
Info-IBMPC Digest V91 #132
info on net-addresses wanted
Kanji editor - where?
Turbo Pascal BGIs in Arabic and Hebrew
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Date: Thu, 6 Jun 91 10:26:54 CDT
From: David Lemson <lemson@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>
Subject: DOS 5.0
Frode Weierud <frode@cernvax.cern.ch> Writes:
> I have recently heard that there apparently exists a beta release of a
> new version of MSDOS, version 5.0. Does anybody have any further
> information about this version and when the final product will be
> released?
Microsoft has confirmed that MS-DOS 5.0's official release date is June
11, 1991. There are bajillions of copies of beta releases out, from
versions like Beta .333 all the way up to the "newest", version RC3.
David Lemson University of Illinois Computing Services Consultant
Internet : lemson@uiuc.edu UUCP :...!uiucuxc!uiucux1!lemson
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 06 Jun 91 09:40:41 EDT
From: "Bert Tyler" <TUB@CU.NIH.GOV>
Subject: Hard Drive for IBM PS/2 Model 80
> This is a request for information on actual use of third party hard
> drives on an IBM PS/2 Model 80 using the built in ESDI controller. I
> have an 8580-071, i.e. a 16 mHz cpu with a 70 mByte hard drive. I am
> trying to find a hard drive that will work with my computer without
> paying the IBM price.
I also use a PS/2 model 8580-071, and last January purchased a 150MB
MAXTOR ESDI drive from a small company called Perisol (1-800-447-8226).
Perisol runs small 1/4 page ads in Byte magazine.
The drive cost me about $1100, which is substantially less than an IBM
equivalent would have cost at the time. The drive came with Maxtor
technical docs, a special low-level formatting program for the PS/2
(IBM's ESDI controller is [why am I not surprised?] not a standard ESDI
controller), rails and cables, and a third-party partitioning program
("On-Track") that lets you do away with the 32MB partition limit of
MS-DOS 3.3 if you wish.
Caveats: the installation "manual", which was several pages of
typewritten text, was less than clear, and it was only the fact that
I've installed a lot of disk drives that let me install this beastie
without assistance. For instance, the instructions say to remove the
terminating resistors on the hard disk, but doesn't say where or what
they are. I also had to guess (and probably didn't guess right) as to
how to remove the drive bay cover plate on my PS/2. On the other hand,
Perisol has an 800 number for technical support, so you probably can't
get in *that* much trouble.
Once installed and low-level formatted, the drive required no special
software unless you opt for large partitions and that "On-Track"
program (I didn't - I'll wait for DOS 5.0). The PS/2's BIOS and MS-DOS
handle the drive as seamlessly as if it came from IBM. Runs like a
clock, and I'm quite happy with my decision.
------------------------------
Date: 6 Jun 91 13:30:35 GMT
From: Corvin Zahn <zahn%mira.tat.physik.uni-tuebingen.de@RELAY.CS.NET>
Subject: Hard Drive for IBM PS/2 Model 80
Info-IBMPC@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.mil writes:
>This is a request for information on actual use of third party hard
>drives on an IBM PS/2 Model 80 using the built in ESDI controller. I
>have an 8580-071, i.e. a 16 mHz cpu with a 70 mByte hard drive. I am
>trying to find a hard drive that will work with my computer without
>paying the IBM price.
>Last November, I read the summary notes posted by Rob Gibson on this
>subject. My conclusions were that so long as I had the On Track
>software for the PS/2 and purchased a hard drive with a 10 mHz ESDI
>controller, I could use the third party drives. After purchasing the
>On Track software, I purchased a Micropolis 1654-7 drive which has a 10
>mHz ESDI interface and tried to install it. The On Track software
>reported a hardware error. A second drive from the supplier gave the
>same results. Tech support from Micropolis did acknowledge that their
>drive would not work with the IBM controller.
>Before I try another manfacturer's drive, I am looking for any first
>hand experience that may be available. I'm looking for a drive in the
>150 to 200 mByte size range.
My problem is nearly the same. I have a PS/2 P70 (Portable) and want to
replace the builtin 60MB-(ESDI)-drive with a non-IBM drive with higher
capacity (120-200MB). Any experiences ? Has anyone tried Segeate
ST1201E or NEC D3661 ?
In c't 5/91 (a german computer magazine) pg. 272f Harald Boegeholz
descripes how to install ESDI-drives in PS/2s. It's necessary to patch
LLFORMAT.COM on the referencedisk.
He has tested the following combinations: Model 60-071 with NEC D5655
(140MB), Model 80-115 with Micropolis 1558-15 (322MB).
This doesn't help me, because I need a 3.5"-drive.
Corvin Zahn, Theoretische Astrophysik Tuebingen
Internet: zahn@mira.tat.physik.uni-tuebingen.de
------------------------------
Date: Thursday, 6 Jun 1991 11:42:16 CET
From: Markus <IBTALL02%CZHETH1I.BITNET@pucc.PRINCETON.EDU>
Subject: Hard Drive Dies on Power Up (V91 #132)
>On power up the disc motor starts and spins for about 5 seconds then
>stops. BIOS does not recognise the existence of any fixed disk and the
>mystifying numerical digits - 1701 appear on the screen, a few seconds
>later you are prompted to insert a system disk in drive A. FDisk
>reports no fixed disk as does Norton Utilities. I have had the hard
>disc card removed from the expansion slot and throughly cleaned the
On power up, the disk accelerates, then tries to find the servo track
which, in turn, is needed to position the heads correctly. if it does
not find this track, it stops again and drops dead. i had this problem
once, and, as in your case, it took some 5 seconds until the motor
stopped. the manufacturer can repair the disk by writing a new servo
track, but this will cost you almost as much as a new disk drive.
anyway, before you throw away the drive, try it in another PC and hope
i am wrong!
markus muser, ibtall02@czheth1i.bitnet
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 6 Jun 91 11:15:36 PDT
From: "Henning Kather" <hkather@rtoic.enet.dec.com>
Subject: $25 Network
Hi everybody,
I am not sure if my question isn't already answered before, but...
does anybody know the exact name of the "25$network" and where to get
it as mailorder in the US? Unfortunately it isn't available over here
in Munich... Thanks a lot!
Best regards, e-mail: hkather@rtoic.dec.com
Henning Kather fax: 49-89-305041
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 6 Jun 91 08:40 CST
From: "James A. Warren" <WARREN@gamma.is.tcu.edu>
Subject: $25 Network Address (V91 #133)
I show the following address for the $25 Network:
Information Modes (Imodes)
P.O. Drawer F
Denton, Texas 76202
(817) 387-3339
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Date: Thu, 6 Jun 1991 13:13 MDT
From: Keith Petersen <w8sdz@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>
Subject: Vax/VMS ZModem quirks
The Vax/VMS RZ/SZ recently announced works only with Omen products.
That is intentional, I was told by Chuck Forsberg, the author.
It seems that if you get a registered version it will work with
non-Omen products.
Keith Petersen
Maintainer of the MSDOS, MISC and CP/M archives at SIMTEL20 [192.88.110.20]
Internet: w8sdz@WSMR-SIMTEL20.Army.Mil or w8sdz@vela.acs.oakland.edu
Uucp: uunet!umich!vela!w8sdz BITNET: w8sdz@OAKLAND
------------------------------
Date: 6 Jun 91 09:50:27 GMT
From: Tamboer Erik <tamboer@cs.vu.nl>
Subject: XT battery clock problems
Jac Goudsmit <S89406316@HSEPM1.HSE.NL> in the Info-IBMPC Digest writes:
>>...every time I boot my machine, the year is about 70 years in the
>>future while the time, day, and month are all OK. When I use the
>>little utility that came with the computer to reset the time, it does
>>not work;
>Are you sure you are using the right parameters with your battery-clock
>utility?
I had the same problem with my XT (Samsung SPC-3000). It turned out to
be caused by upgrading from DOS 3.2 to 3.3. Apparently, the DOS 3.2
that was shipped with the computer got along better with the rt clock
than the new (generic) MSDOS 3.3. My clock always gets set to the year
2060, time and day/month are ok. When I boot using the original DOS 3.2
disk, the clock works fine. Note that with my 'new' DOS 3.3 not only
DOS' idea of the year is wrong, the rt-clock program (ST.COM) reports
2060, too. I ended up writing a little program that sets the year to
1991 from my AUTOEXEC.BAT (well, the 1991 is a parameter, last year I
set it to 1990, of course :-) Never had a problem since.
I don't know if this applies to you, but it might.
Bye,
| Erik Tamboer
| tamboer@cs.vu.nl
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 6 Jun 1991 13:25 MST
From: "Ed Winograd, Colorado College, 719-389-6450"
Subject: Better Graphics Screen Grabber Wanted
A user here at Colorado College needs a TSR program that can do the
following things:
1. Pop up while a graphics program is running. In particular, it needs
to get along programs with written in Microsoft QuickBASIC.
2. Capture a graphics screen and write it to disk in a form that
WordPerfect 5.0 and 5.1 can read.
We * HAVE * used WP's GRAB.COM, but the quality of the saved images
hasn't been very high. Is there another program that would do the same
job, only better? The saved images need to be printed on an HP
Laserjet II, which can print 300 dots per inch.
We're looking for a public domain program, or an inexpensive commercial
one. The machine being used has a VGA card and monitor.
Thanks in advance,
Ed Winograd
Assistant Director for User Support, Academic Computing
Colorado College
14 East Cache La Poudre St.
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903
Phone: 719-389-6450
Internet: ewinograd%ccnode@vaxf.colorado.edu
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 06 Jun 1991 09:59:09 CDT
From: John Ternent <ternent@WKUVX1.BITNET>
Subject: Hanging up in Kermit 3.1
I am running MS Kermit 3.1 on an IBM AT compatible with an internal
modem that is supposedly 100% Hayes compatible. However, the Kermit
hangup command refuses to drop the carrier! In connect mode I can type
+++ and then ATH and get the modem to hangup, but I'd much rather be
able to use the hangup command. Is there some kind of modem command I
can send for it to recognize Kermit's hangup command? Any help will be
greatly appreciated.
John Ternent WKU Box 8110
Kentucky Climate Center Bowling Green, KY 42101
TERNENT@WKUVX1.bitnet (502)781-4704
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Date: Thu, 6 Jun 1991 17:09:12 GMT
From: mewes@m.cs.uiuc.edu (Keith Mewes)
Subject: IBM XT will not boot
I have an IBM XT, 128k, dual floppy drives, no hard disk, which will
not boot from any system disk I have. It will boot off of diagnostics
disk, which says that everything is fine, but when I stick in a system
disk (DOS 2.1, 3.0, or 3.3), it gives the message that the disk is
unbootable, even though I can boot another pc xt from the same disks.
Any suggestions would be helpful.
Keith Mewes
mewes@cs.uiuc.edu
University of Illinois
217/333-1558
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 06 Jun 91 08:03:27 EDT
From: Bill Onesty <ONESTY@VTVM1.CC.VT.EDU>
Subject: Info-IBMPC Digest V91 #132
I would like to know of any ftp sites that allow anonymous connections
and have graphics (giff and tiff) and graphics display and conversion
programs for an ms-dos environment. Also, I am interested in sites with
info and programs and tools for interactive video applications.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 6 Jun 91 10:54:35 PDT
From: "Henning Kather" <hkather@rtoic.enet.dec.com>
Subject: info on net-addresses wanted
I was wondering, if someone could give me a hint on how to get a good
overview about the existing public networks like bitnet, internet, arpa
etc.? I need to know how to address mails in those different networks,
how to find out how to reach support-hotlines and so on. Is there
maybe a book available which explains the different syntaxes, gateways,
etc.? Or does maybe someone has a textfile available which gives some
information on this...?
Thanks a lot in advance.
Best regards, e-mail: hkather@rtoic.dec.com
Henning Kather fax: 49-89-305041
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 06 Jun 91 13:45:00 EET
From: Zoltan Kantor <ZKANTOR%FINHUT.BITNET@SEARN.SUNET.SE>
Subject: Kanji editor - where?
Hello!
I am searching for a Japanese Kanji and kana editor. If anybody has
information where can find one please write me. First of all Public
Domain and Shareware would be preferred. (I use IBM PC/XT and AT with
HERCULES and CGA.)
Thank you!
Zoltan Kantor
zkantor@finhut.hut.fi
Helsinki University of Technology
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 6 Jun 1991 09:39 EDT
From: Karl Brendel <CDCKAB%EMUVM1.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: Turbo Pascal BGIs in Arabic and Hebrew
We are looking for Turbo Pascal compatible BGI files and compatible
font files for Arabic and Hebrew character sets. The ideal files would
have the "regular" (i.e., Borland default) character set for the
characters within the range #0..#127 and have the Hebrew or Arabic
characters located within the range #128..#255. They would also be
distributable without royalties. Being free and PD would be even
better.
The files are to support international usage of Epi Info, a free,
freely copyable and distributable integrated software system in wide
use within the international public health community. Epi Info plays a
direct, important part in monitoring and improving public health. Your
assistance in locating the desired files will assist in improving Epi
Info's usage by people for whom English is not the most efficient data
processing language.
Thanks in advance-- --Karl
| Karl Brendel Centers for Disease Control |
| Internet: CDCKAB@EMUVM1.BITNET Epidemiology Program Office |
| Bitnet: CDCKAB@EMUVM1 Atlanta GA 30093 USA |
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End of Info-IBMPC Digest V91 #153
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