Info-IBMPC@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL ("Info-IBMPC Digest") (12/09/90)
Info-IBMPC Digest Sat, 8 Dec 90 Volume 90 : Issue 197
Today's Editor:
Gregory Hicks - Rota Spain <GHICKS@WSMR-Simtel20.Army.Mil>
Today's Topics:
BATCHFTP102
CHECKIT
re: Hard Disk Saver? (v90 #85)
Today's Queries:
Compress for MS-DOS that works on XT
Disk boot failure
English Word Processor for the NEC PC 9801-EX
Fixed disk problems
Modems, Modems, Modems
Problems with an old XT
Running CPM on MSDOS machines
Where is the BIOS and Disk Serial Number
New Uploads:
Recent msdos uploads to SIMTEL20
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<INFO-IBMPC@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>
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Archives of past issues of the Info-IBMPC Digest are available by FTP
only from WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL in directory PD2:<ARCHIVES.IBMPC>.
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Date: Mon, 26 Nov 90 11:22:40 EST
From: Peter Jones <MAINT%UQAM.bitnet@ugw.utcs.utoronto.ca>
Subject: BATCHFTP102
>The following program is being announced here because it will assist
>users who have access to SIMTEL20 from BSD Unix hosts on the Internet.
>Now available via anonymous FTP from SIMTEL20:
>Directory pd3:<misc.unix>
>BATCHFTP102.TAR-Z
I tried BATCHFTP on a MIPS. It ran fine. However, I note a small
defect. There seems to be no code to detect when a file is not found.
The program doggedly tries until its retry count is exhausted. This may
be good for trying to get a file that is being eagerly awaited, but it
would be preferable to give up under those conditions. Do all servers
use the same format if a file is not found, or does code have to be
produced for each server? (My main interest is SIMTEL20.)
I don't remember if files being received are given a temporary name and
renamed when reception is complete, or not. Such a practice would avoid
the danger of starting to read an incomplete file.
Peter Jones (514)-987-3542
Internet:Peter Jones <MAINT%UQAM.bitnet@ugw.utcs.utoronto.ca>
UUCP: ...psuvax1!uqam.bitnet!maint
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 26 Nov 90 12:01:34 GMT
From: "alex. f. burr" <PHYS010@NMSUVM1.NMSU.Edu>
Subject: CHECKIT
Somebody inquired about the program CheckIt.
Touchstone Software Co
909 Electric Ave
Seal Beach CA 90740
(800)531-0450
(213)598-7746
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Date: Mon, 26 Nov 90 08:23:42 PST
From: "Henning Kather" <hkather@rtoic.enet.dec.com>
Subject: re: Hard Disk Saver? (v90 #85)
>>Is there such a beast as a hard drive saver? A small TSR that can
kick...
Since the questions was posted first, I read quite a few replies in
between that stated that it would be better to keep the disk up
spinining 24h a day. The reason for that I would like to use such a
saver is not for a longer lifetime of the disk, the reason is that I
just don't want the noise of the disk when it isn't used. For example
when a PC just needs to be up 24h a day to receive faxes...
When I followed the discussion about this questions I got the
impression that there was no way to do it properly. But how is it done
in all those laptop-pcs that can turn off the disk for saving energy?
The Compaq LTE does it fine!
Regards,
Henning Kather
------------------------------
Date: 26 Nov 90 01:23:34 GMT
From: anthony@batserver.cs.uq.oz.au (Anthony Lee)
Subject: Compress for MS-DOS that works on XT
Several Months ago, I received a copy of Compress for the PC. I've
used it on one PC but today when I tried it on another one it freezes
the machine. Could someone send me a copy that works on an XT ?
Does anyone know what's problem.
Thanks in advance
Anthony Lee
ACSnet: anthony@batserver.cs.uq.oz TEL:+(61)-7-371-2651
Internet: anthony@batserver.cs.uq.oz.au +(61)-7-377-4139 (w)
SNAIL: Dept Comp. Science, University of Qld, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia
[I have used COMPRS16.ZIP from SIMTEL20 with good luck on a true blue
type XT without problem. gph]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 26 Nov 90 10:24:42 EST
From: Victor Bagley IRM <BAGLEY%VTVM2.BITNET@VTVM1.CC.VT.EDU>
Subject: Disk boot failure
I have an IBM compatible with a Segate ST-238R 30 meg hard disk. I
have been experiencing a disk boot failure every now and then, when the
systems tries to boot from the HD. To correct the problem I have to
boot from the dos floppy. I then run Norton Utilities doing a disk
test. This seems to corect the problem for a while. What do I need to
do to permanently correct the problem? Is this a sign that the hard
disk is beginning to go bad, could it be a virus, or a bad power
supply? Any and all responses would be appreciated. Please respond to
me directly. Thanks in adva nce for the assist.
------------------------------
Date: TUE, 27 NOV 90 10:41:46 JST
From: David-John Ujimoto <NO5021%JPNWAS00.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: English Word Processor for the NEC PC 9801-EX
Greetings from Japan!
I am currently looking for a shareware/public domain English language
word processor that can be used on the Japanese NEC 9801-EX. (I am
assuming that it is an IBM PC compatible as it is running Japanese
language versions of Turbo C and Pascal as well as Quickbasic and
Microsoft C.) I would truly appreciate it if someone could point out
any available packages and tell me how I can obtain them. Thank you
very much in advance.
Sincerely,
David-John Ujimoto
BitNet: NO5021@JPNWAS00
Mail: International Division, Waseda University, 1-6-1 Nishi-Waseda,
Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169, JAPAN.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 26 Nov 90 10:56:36 +0200
From: S89406316%HSEPM1.HSE.NL@uga.cc.uga.edu
Subject: Fixed disk problems
Hi,
I was wondering if anyone on this list has experience with fixed disk
problems like the following:
I have a Miniscribe 20MB fixed disk (MFM) with ST506 controller in my
XT- compatible. A while ago, I exchanged the processor for a NEC V20. I
don't know if that has anything to do with my problems, but a little
after that, the disk started showing read errors when the computer had
been on for a couple of hours. This clearly sounds like a heat problem,
doesn't it? But there's more...
It seemed that the problems occurred only when I hadn't accessed the
disk for a while (about 15 to 30 minutes). I tried a low-level format
(had to change te interleave factor anyway) but that didn't help.
When I did some measuring in the system with an oscilloscope, I found
out that the supply voltage was far too low (about 4.45 volts - most
chips aren't even supposed to work anymore on that low a voltage). When
I adjusted it to 5.00 volts, the disk didn't do anything anymore - It
just kept on resetting itself, it seemed. When I turned the voltage
back to about 4.6 volts, it started to work again.
Then I fired up Norton Disk Test and PC magazine's DiskScan. It turned
out that under 4.33 volts, nothing worked. The controller just kept on
recalibrating. Above 4.6 volts, the disk kept on resetting itself. Now
my voltage is about 4.35 volts, it works OK, but I still don't feel
comfortable with it. I back up almost every day now (used to do that
every week). The system was given to me and I can probably get a new
controller for free, but not a new fixed disk. I tried both the
controller and the disk on a different system but it doesn't seem to
work at all there (1701 error while booting).
Any suggestions what it could be?
Jac Goudsmit
Hogeschool Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
S89406316@HSEPM1.HSE.NL
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 26 Nov 90 22:32:33 MST
From: rtravsky@CORRAL.UWyo.Edu (Richard W Travsky)
Subject: Modems, Modems, Modems
I've recently been looking at replacing my frizzed out 2400 baud modem.
Been going through ads (like those in Computer Shopper). I am really
impressed by how modem prices have dropped. Which leads me to the
following perusal: Does it matter what brand I buy? When one considers
that the labor cost to repair a modem alone could pay for a new one...
Does anyone on this list have any thoughts on the subject? A 2400 baud
modem for 90 bucks, probably be less in a year... I really have to
wonder. So, if anyone has any musings, please pass them on to me.
Thanks.
Richard Travsky Bitnet: RTRAVSKY @ UWYO
Division of Information Technology Internet: RTRAVSKY @ CORRAL.UWYO.EDU
University of Wyoming (303) 766 - 3663 / 3668
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 26 Nov 90 01:47 CDT
From: <BC01869%SWTEXAS.BITNET@ricevm1.rice.edu> (Brian Collins)
Subject: Problems with an old XT
This is an interesting problem... I hope somebody can offer some
assistance. My friend has an old IBM model 5150 computer dated 1978.
That's right some of the old XT's are still in use at a whopping 4.77
mhz.
Anyway, what's wrong is it doesn't want to boot up off of the hard
drives any more. It was working fine last week, and then all of a
sudden nothing. The computer will boot successfully off of the A:
drive, and then you can access C: and D: drives from it. Try to boot
from the C: drive and the thing tests A: and then it hangs. The system
has two 10 meg SYSDYNE hard cards purchased from CompuAdd. The first
hard card is the controller and the C: drive, and the second hard card
is just attached by ribbon cable and is the D: drive. CompuAdd
wouldn't offer any assistance since the system wasn't theirs, they said
if the problem is the drives then we will help you otherwise you are
out of luck.
The motherboard has two eight switch dip switches, since the system was
purchased used there are no manuals with it. If somebody has the
documentation on how to set these dip switches please send it to me.
Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated, thanks.
Brian Collins
THENet : SWT::BC01869
Bitnet : BC01869@SWTEXAS.BITNET
Internet : BC01869%SWTEXAS.BITNET@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 26 Nov 90 14:32:09 PST
From: herman@marlin.nosc.mil (John W. Herman)
Subject: Running CPM on MSDOS machines
One of my colleagues has an old CPM machine and doesn't want to waste
his software investment. I told him that there is software that will
allow him to run CPM and CPM software on an MSDOS machine and even read
and write CPM disks. He checked with Egghead Discount Software and
they had no leads to this. But I remember seeing it on the net last
summer, so I was wandering if one of you would send me a pointer to the
company that produces that software. Thank you.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 27 Nov 90 01:05:02 MEZ
From: Erich Neuwirth <A4422DAB%AWIUNI11@pucc.PRINCETON.EDU>
Subject: Where is the BIOS and Disk Serial Number
I have a program which should be tied to the machines I install it on.
On PCs and clones I read the copyright in the BIOS ROM and compare it
with data in the program.
On PS/2 80s I could not find any BIOS code at the adresses I normally
find it in PCs. Can anybody tell me where the BIOS in PS/2s is located.
Additionally all storage media on PS/2 get a serial number when being
formatted. I also could check this number in my program, but WHERE DO
I FIND IT.
ERICH NEUWIRTH
BITNET (EARN): A4422DAB@AWIUNI11
INTERNET: a4422dab@Helios.EDVZ.UniVie.AC.AT
Intitute for Statistics and Computer Science
UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA, UNIVERSITAETSSTR. 5/9, A-1010 VIENNA, AUSTRIA
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 26 Nov 1990 17:14 MST
From: Keith Petersen <w8sdz@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL>
Subject: Recent msdos uploads to SIMTEL20
The following files have been recently uploaded to SIMTEL20:
NOTE: Type B is Binary; Type A is ASCII
Filename Type Length Date Description
==============================================
Directory PD1:<MSDOS.ASMUTL>
A86V322.ZIP B 172748 901123 Isaacson's shareware assembler v3.22
D86V322.ZIP B 86107 901123 Isaacson's shareware debugger v3.22
Directory PD1:<MSDOS.C>
CTASK22.ZIP B 339134 901123 Multitasking kernel in C w/ASM & C source
Directory PD1:<MSDOS.CALCULATOR>
SCIEQS14.ZIP B 43018 901123 Scientific calculator/equation solver
Directory PD1:<MSDOS.DBASE>
FBASE12.ZIP B 84040 901123 Freebase: Free form database management prog.
Directory PD1:<MSDOS.DESKACCESS>
REM22-02.ZIP B 40881 901123 REMIND v2.202: Sophisticated reminder service
Directory PD1:<MSDOS.DISASM>
ASMGEN3.ZIP B 75203 901123 Generate assembly code from COM and EXE's
Directory PD1:<MSDOS.DSKUTL>
BOOTDMOD.ZIP B 15601 901125 Modifies disk BOOT record and cluster size
SHOWF236.ZIP B 26999 901122 Intuitive display of disk FAT & dir structure
Directory PD1:<MSDOS.EDITOR>
DTE5-0.ZIP B 143216 901125 PD text editor for MSDOS & mainframes, w/C src
TE25.ZIP B 111929 901125 Technical editor handles text file of any size
TSQED10.ZIP B 13084 901125 Timo Salmi's utilities for QEdit v2.1 editor
Directory PD1:<MSDOS.FILEDOCS>
SIMIBM.ARC B 248704 901126 SIMTEL20 MSDOS files listing with descriptions
SIMIBM.IDX A 494894 901126 SIMTEL20 MSDOS files listing with descriptions
Directory PD1:<MSDOS.GIF>
STIGR9.GIF B 159104 901123 GIF89a animated pic, use VUIMG275 to display
VUIMG275.ZIP B 73600 901123 GIF/GIF89a/TIFF view/print zoom/pan/scale
Directory PD1:<MSDOS.INFO>
POPADBUG.ZIP B 964 901123 Tests for bug in some 386 processors
TSFAQ14.ZIP B 51228 901125 T.Salmi: Frequently asked questions & answers
Directory PD1:<MSDOS.MENU>
PCMS130.ZIP B 36418 901123 No file-mgmt/shell, flexible, fast menu system
PM530I.ZIP B 268825 901123 Brown Bag's Power Menu program, version 5.30i
Directory PD1:<MSDOS.MOUSE>
CMOUSE2.ZIP B 26201 901121 Mouse management for MSC 5.1/MASM 5.0 or later
Directory PD1:<MSDOS.PERL>
LENMSP41.ZIP B 158704 901123 MS-DOS port of Unix 'perl' v3.0 (patch lvl 41)
Directory PD1:<MSDOS.QBASIC>
QBSER20.ZIP B 23743 901125 QBasic serial communications library v2.0
Directory PD1:<MSDOS.SYSUTL>
CHKCOP22.ZIP B 10757 901125 Math coprocessor test util. from Intel Corp.
DMC15.ZIP B 26641 901125 Dynamically load/unload device drivers
DRVINST.ZIP B 8506 901123 Load and unload device drivers after bootup
HRAM.ZIP B 39704 901123 QRAM-like memory mgr gives up to 944K for DOS
MIN-MEM.ZIP B 15852 901123 Frees up memory by swapping TSRs to disk
QEMMMENU.ZIP B 29824 901123 Menu shell for QEMM v5.0 and MANIFEST
VCPIMAP.ZIP B 13224 901122 Display physical memory map under VCPI EMS
VRAM.ZIP B 22866 901123 Simulates expanded memory. Break 640K barrier!
VRAM386A.ZIP B 60778 901123 386 memory manager like QEMM, 386MAX
WATCH102.ZIP B 10995 901123 Tracks exec time of a pgm/method of DOS return
Directory PD1:<MSDOS.WINDOWS3>
ZM30.ZIP B 73056 901123 ZIP/LHARC shell for Windows 3.0 w/mouse supp.
Directory PD2:<MSDOS2.PCMAG>
VOL9N21.ZIP B 238611 901125 PcMag: Bright,Dg,Prism-VGA palette edit/load
Directory PD2:<MSDOS2.PRODIGY>
PRODIGY.WRN A 4592 901123 User's warning about problems with Prodigy
Directory PD2:<MSDOS2.RBBS-PC>
RCHAT300.ZIP B 27532 901123 Chat between RBBS-PC 17.3a nodes without doors
Directory PD2:<MSDOS2.TELIX>
EXHOST12.ZIP B 67497 901123 ExecHost: Telix BBS host mode w/doors & areas
HOST44.ZIP B 129667 901123 Host 4.4, improved BBS Host mode for Telix 3.x
Directory PD2:<MSDOS2.ZMODEM>
DSZ1119.ZIP B 83148 901123 X/Y/Zmodem protocol file transfer pgm 11/19/90
DSZ1119N.ZIP B 2212 901123 Description of recent changes to DSZ comm pgm
DSZ1119X.ZIP B 40142 901123 X/Y/Zmodem file transfer, EXE version 11/19/90
If you are unable to access SIMTEL20 via Internet FTP or through one of
the BITNET/EARN file servers, most SIMTEL20 MSDOS files, including the
PC-Blue collection, are available for downloading on the Detroit
Download Central network at 313-885-3956. DDC has multiple lines which
support 300/1200/2400/9600/14400 bps (HST/V.32/V.42/V.42bis/MNP5).
This is a subscription system with an average hourly cost of 17 cents.
It is also accessable on Telenet via PC Pursuit and on Tymnet via
StarLink outdial. New files uploaded to SIMTEL20 are usually available
on DDC within 24 hours.
Keith Petersen
Maintainer of SIMTEL20's MSDOS, MISC & CP/M archives [IP address 26.2.0.74]
Internet: w8sdz@WSMR-SIMTEL20.Army.Mil or w8sdz@vela.acs.oakland.edu
Uucp: uunet!wsmr-simtel20.army.mil!w8sdz BITNET: w8sdz@OAKLAND
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End of Info-IBMPC Digest V90 #197
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