Info-IBMPC@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL ("Info-IBMPC Digest") (04/28/91)
Info-IBMPC Digest Sun, 28 Apr 91 Volume 91 : Issue 104
Today's Editor:
Gregory Hicks - Rota Spain <GHICKS@WSMR-Simtel20.Army.Mil>
Today's Topics:
1610 (2 msgs)
3.5' drive in an XT
DescView/X
DOS Protected Mode Extender
Fortran for '386 (3 msgs)
PC Power Consumption (2 msgs)
X-Windows for DOS machines (2 msgs)
ZEOS International
Today's Queries:
Sending Commands to a Modem during AUTOEXEC
EPROM Programmer Wanted
Switching to Turbo Mode
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Date: Mon, 8 Apr 91 19:13:42 EST
From: moy@xp.psych.nyu.edu
Subject: 1610
Hi there--
I've been following the INFO-IBMPC digest for the last few weeks and
am delighted at its contents. Recently, you addressed a question about
"gph." I was amazed that there was actually someone out there who has
ever been near an IBM 1610. I assume that the 1610 was closely related
to the 1620, which was a well-guarded mystery in my high school back in
the early 70s. Did you *really* work on one of those? I recall being
told of a "program" that someone had written for the 1620 that would
hide on disk and print a greeting when encountered--then relocate
itself. Those guys even hand-loaded the bootstrap program from (human)
memory--through the toggle switches!
-Moy Wong, Dept. of Pscyhology, New York University
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 22 Apr 91 10:50:12 MDT
From: Gregory Hicks <GHICKS@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>
Subject: 1610
The computer is question WAS the IBM 1620. I made a typo..
Yes, I really DID work on one of those. My first program was in
Fortran (without the II, IV, et al attached) to calculate a 'Magic
Square', the next one was through the toggle switches and the one
after that, that took the most time 'cause I was being tutored,
was an assembler.
I also didn't have an account on the machine in question (located at
Pasadena City College) so wrote a one card bootstrap that got around
the accounting module and let me use the machine whenever I wanted.
And if you've heard of 'addition tables' The bootstrap had to load
those so the machine could add/subtract.
I also wrote a scheduling program - in assembler - that scheduled
people for the Radio Station at PCC (we were all students and had to
work in the station around our classes)...
Didn't know that anyone had ever heard of the 1620. or the 7090, or
7040, 7044, et al...
Regards,
Gregory Hicks
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 8 Apr 91 11:44:56 EDT
From: Mike Sheridan <ST101323%BROWNVM.BITNET@uga.cc.uga.edu>
Subject: 3.5' drive in an XT
>>Doesn't recognize a 3.5" in an XT
The 3.5" drive format came about after the XT did, so the BIOS in the
XT cannot recognize what the heck this 3.5" drive actually is. The
solution is to upgrade your BIOS. All the BIOS is is a chip that snaps
into the mother- board and contains the instructions of how to address
the devices attached the computer. If you look in some mail order
magazines, like Computer Shopper, you should be able to find some
places that sell BIOS upgrades. To tell what kind of BIOS you have
now, just watch the screen as you boot up, a message appears every time
the computer boots up as to which BIOS version is installed. Just
order the right replacement (the company you order it from should be
able to help you) and then take out the old one and slap in the new
one. (They run about $50 - $60). Good Luck!
TALK TO YOU LATER,
MIKE
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Mar 91 13:12:08 +0100
From: Andr'e PIRARD <PIRARD%VM1.ULG.AC.BE@uga.cc.uga.edu>
Subject: DescView/X
Information I posted to another list related to DV/X (because it may
use PC/TCP and DVFTP was written for that).
Quarterdeck distributes a BETA test module called DVFTP that acts as a
front end to FTP Software's kernel (TCP). This allows *any* PC/TCP
application to run multitasked under Qd's DESQview.
I have tried it. In addition to possible malfunction, there is a
nuisance. The problem is that FTP's kernel is not reentrant, that
DVFTP has to serialize calls to it and that these calls may loop.
Consequently, an app may suspend another for a while, and, curiously
enough, not only a TCP/IP one. Most noticeable effect is on slow lines
or when waiting for the never to come.
A reentrant kernel and replacing loops with DESQview "waits" would be a
right direction towards true TCP/IP under DOS, and I'd like to hear
from FTP Software that they do like it too.
I later added that the kernel and possible driver(s) take much common
memory and could preferrably be loaded inside an application started
for the purpose.
Andr'e PIRARD SEGI, Univ. de Li`ege
B26 - Sart Tilman B-4000 Li`ege 1 (Belgium)
pirard@vm1.ulg.ac.be or PIRARD%BLIULG11.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 20 Mar 91 14:40:45 MEZ
From: Thomas <UNP072%DBNRHRZ1.BITNET@uga.cc.uga.edu>
Subject: dos-protected-mode-extender
On Mon, 18 Mar 91 14:06:00 N <BECKS@DJUKFA52> said:
>Last time i found a notice that there is a dos-interface DPMI, to use the
>protected mode with 80286. I think it is called DOS-Protected-Mode-Interface.
>Is there anybody who can give me some information.
>Thanks in advance B.Becks
Ask Intel, they can post a 200++ pages document about it to you.
- Thomas
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 17 Apr 91 09:32:55 MEZ
From: Gregor Reich <A8411DAA%AWIUNI11.BITNET@uga.cc.uga.edu>
Subject: Fortran 386
Hi,
as far as I know there is a Fortran compiler available for DOS, which
can handle arrays as large as your memory is. It is the Lahey Fortran
F77L - EM 32 (I think V4.0 is current). It has the runtime routines to
handle the arrays in EMS so you need no further DOS extender. Best
regards Gregor
! Gregor Reich A8411DAA @ AWIUNI11 . BITNET !
! Institute for Analytical Chemistry !
! University of Vienna Vienna, Austria !
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 17 Apr 91 10:29:47 GMT
From: Jacek Holeczek <HOLECZEK%PLKTUS11.BITNET@uga.cc.uga.edu>
Subject: FORTRAN for '386
Hi,
There is a FORTRAN for '386. It is called "NDP Fortran-386". You can
contact MicroWay Inc. by phone (508) 746-7341 or fax (508) 746-4678.
It can use all your RAM (as far as I know), and the minimum required
RAM is 4MB. Bye, Jacek
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 17 Apr 91 09:20:14 BST
From: MJPXREP%CMS.MANCHESTER-COMPUTING-CENTRE.AC.UK@uga.cc.uga.edu
Subject: Fortran for 386
While I would not personally want to write programs in FORTRAN which
are big enough to use extended memory (come to that I wouldn't want to
write in FORTRAN at all), but some of my colleagues speak very highly
of the FORTRAN-77 written at Salford. They refer to this as FTN77/386,
and it comes complete with a DOS extender.
Bob Cottis, Corrosion and Protection Centre, UMIST
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 18 Apr 91 19:30:10 CST
From: Tim Williams <ST6074%SIUCVMB.BITNET@uga.cc.uga.edu>
Subject: PC Power Consumption
I have a question which I'm sure has come up before. This summer I
will be moving out of my dorm room and into my own apartment. At
present, I usually leave my computer on most of the day, since I use it
quite often. Lately, my future roommates have been inquiring as to how
much power the comp sucks up while running, and how much it would raise
the electricity bills if I were to leave it on in the apartment as I do
now. My question is: How much power does a normal PC/AT compatible w/
a 40 Meg HD, Mono/Herc monitor & dot- matrix printer consume and how
much would it affect an electricity bill?
Thanks for your help,
Tim Williams
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
ST6074@SIUCVMB.BITNET
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 19 Apr 91 08:25:48 -0400
From: Jun Guo <jguo%CS.NYU.EDU@uga.cc.uga.edu>
Subject: PC Power Consumption
I think the PC power-unit output 200-250W to mother board and other
consumer in the case, but because the power-unit is not 100% efficient,
so it should consume more than that. I guess it might be 300-400W. Add
in the monitor and printer, it might be around 500W, that is, 2 hours
for 1KWH.
Never look into the Con Ed bill carefully and don't know exactly how
much is 1KWH. But I leave on my PC on 24hrs also, and the bill for my
two-bedroom apartment is around $17/mo, so it's not a big deal.
Jun
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 18 Apr 91 17:59:14 +0200
From: Shahar Steiff <cerrlss%TECHUNIX.TECHNION.AC.IL@uga.cc.uga.edu>
Subject: X-Windows for DOS machines
> > Does anyone have experience with an implementation of X-Windows on
> > DOS machines ?
> One I've heard a few nice things about is "XVision", a XServer of sorts
> running on top of Windows 3.0. A local guru said all the current Xservers
> apart from this XVision was lousy on utilizing the local machine's
> resources. (He said the Xervers we ran on the 33MHz 386 would run at
> about the same speed on a 12MHz AT.)
I've got the brochures from Hummingbird. I haven't seen it in work yet.
Thanks for the information about the problems you've encountered with
it.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 17 Apr 91 01:39:04 CET
From: Terje Thoegersen +47 7 589006 <THOGER%NORUNIT.BITNET@uga.cc.uga.edu>
Subject: X-Windows for DOS machines
> Has any one got any experience with an implementation of X-Windows on
> DOS machines ?
> Has any one seen a DOS machine operate as a graphical terminal for
> a UNIX based mainframe ?
> My problem :
> I'm trying to use a 386sx + VGA + HD + 4MB RAM as a graphic terminal
> (or an X-terminal) to a SUN 4/490 UNIX machine.
> The two are connected through an EtherNet cable.
> The software I want to use is "Mathematica" (which has a DOS
> implementation as well, but I want the UNIX version).
We've tried a few PC based X servers, without finding one that works
well.
PC-Xview runs very slowly, and we could not get it stable within 3 days
or trying. We gave that up, and tried a Xserver from Hummingbird. The
Hummingbird had two modes on a PS/2 80 with a 3Com523 card: Spontaneous
(cold) reboot, or a complete lock up, requiring a power-cycle. We
finally got it up on a 33MHz 386, but was *sloooow*, too. It was not
very stable, it kept loosing the connection, thus logging the user out.
One I've heard a few nice things about is "XVision", a XServer of sorts
running on top of Windows 3.0. A local guru said all the current
Xservers apart from this XVision was lousy on utilizing the local
machine's resources. (He said the Xervers we ran on the 33MHz 386
would run at about the same speed on a 12MHz AT.)
Disclaimer : I have *not* tried the XVision, but as I said, the local
guru said it was the only usable one.
Regards,
-Terje
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 08 Apr 91 13:53:24 EDT
From: John Honeyman <HONEYMAN@UBVM.cc.buffalo.edu>
Subject: ZEOS International
You provided me with information when I was researching ZEOS computers
and expressed some interest in my experience. I did decide to purchase
a ZEOS 386-33 and can say: "So far, so good."
My procurement was not without incident however. After all the
research etc., I was really anxious to get my hands on a machine. So,
when I ordered my computer, I took the next day delivery option. That
was on Thursday, March 21.
Sure enough, my wife called at 9:30 on Friday to say that my shipment
had arrived. When I got home that evening, I discovered that they had
sent a 386SX-16. I was not exactly happy! It took a few phone calls,
but later that evening I was assured that the correct system would be
shipped out on Monday for delivery on Tuesday.
In the meantime, I used the SX-16 all weekend. I called to follow up
on Monday, and I'm not sure if things would have gone smoothly if I
hadn't. The person I spoke with on Monday couldn't seem to locate the
paperwork from the Friday evening conversations, but did assure me that
he'd take care of everything. On Tuesday morning, at 9:45, the correct
system was delivered.
ZEOS gave me credit for ALL shipping charges on the order, so I'm
pleased with the way they handled it. I'm also pleased with the
system. I did opt for a monitor upgrade, I took the SONY 1304 instead
of their monitor. I'm not sure it is much different, but it will
support non-interlaced at 1024x 768. Fit and finish of their machines
are good and I'm not sure I could ask for more in the line of
documentation. The keyboard doesn't seem as comfortable as the two
I've been using (IBM enhanced 101 & Sperry), but I think that's just a
matter of time.
ZEOS doesn't give you the lowest price in the marketplace, but I don't
feel I've got a "bottom line" machine either.
There is another thing. The fan in the power supply is VERY loud.
When they say "TURBO COOL", they mean it. I called support, and they
said it could be turned down some. There is a speed control for the
fan, so I did turn it down. I don't think it's the fan itself as much
as the design of the RFI screen that covers it. I'd consider replacing
or removing the screen, but I think it is welded in place. Anyway, it
isn't too bad now that I've turned it down.
This note is already too long for someone with only a passing interest.
Thanks again for responding to my original request for information.
John Honeyman
Administrative Computing
State University of New York at Buffalo
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 17 Apr 91 07:45:19 PDT
From: Wayne McCaughan <DS000%CALPOLY.BITNET@VMD.CSO.UIUC.EDU>
Subject: Sending Commands to a Modem during AUTOEXEC
My Ventel 2400 modem (supposedly fully Hayes compatible) comes up with
auto-answer enabled when it is powered on. So I put the following line
in my AUTOEXEC.BAT file:
call resetmdm
and the batch file RESETMDM has the following lines:
@echo off
mode com2:24,n,8,1
echo ATZ > com2:
exit
The problem is that this only seems to work about half the time. When
it works, it works beautifully and the AA indicator goes out. The rest
of the time, it hangs on the 'echo' command and I get an 'Error
attempting to write to com2:' message followed by the familiar 'Abort,
Retry or Ignore?' This seems to happen about half the time, whether I
am first powering on the system, or just doing a CNTL-ALT-DEL reboot.
By the way, this is on a Gateway 2000 386, 25Mhz system running DOS
4.01.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 20 Apr 91 11:46:46 PDT
From: Ya'akov_Miles@mtsg.ubc.ca
Subject: EPROM Programmer Wanted
I am looking for a 5/12 volt EPROM burner which covers froom 2716 to
27256 or greater. My present EPROM burner only programs at 5 volts,
and I can no longer get 5 volt eproms. I don't have the $400.00 to
spare for the "shooter" and do not wish to give up my com port. Does
anybody make a less expensive EPROM burner that plugs into the
motherboard and programs via the IBM-PC.
Y.N. Miles,
<Multi@triumfcl.bitnet>
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 20 Apr 91 17:39:52 PDT
From: Ya'akov_Miles@mtsg.ubc.ca
Subject: Switching to Turbo Mode
I have a new XT 12 mHz motherboard with an "interesting" feature.
It is possible to lower the speed of the motherboard to 4.77 mHz
by clearing the appropriate bits in Port 61h. However, once this
is done, it is unclear how to enter Turbo mode again - setting the
cleared bits will not put you back in Turbo mode. Does anyone have
any ideas how to re-enable Turbo mode once it has been turned off.
The machine appears to have a Phoenix BIOS and while their bios seems
to know how to do it, but I have yet to figure out the spaghetti code
within this bios.
Does anyone know the the series of OUT instructions that turns on
the turbo mode?
Y.N. Miles,
<MULTI@TRIUMFcl.bitnet>
------------------------------
Y.N. Miles,
<multi@triumfcl.bitnet>
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End of Info-IBMPC Digest V91 #104
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