hicks@WALKER-EMH.ARPA (Gregory Hicks COMFLEACTS) (09/18/87)
Info-IBMPC Digest Friday, 18 Sep 1987 Volume 6 : Issue ##
This Week's Editor: Gregory Hicks -- Chinhae Korea <hicks@walker-emh.arpa>
Today's Topics:
Leaving Protected Mode on the 80286
Switching from Protected to Real Mode
MS-DOS in Protected Mode
PROTECT.CAT Demonstrates Switching to Protected Mode
Chinese Language Word Processor
FTP from SIMTEL20 to a VAX 11/750 on BITNET
VT-100 device driver wanted
NEC Multisync terminal in Europe
MSC 4.0 Link Command inodes ln()
Flushing files without close/open overhead
PC PageMaker
turbo c bug
Measuring Speed: A Bibliography
VT100 Device Driver and Emulator
Discussion on DOS differences
3.5 Inch Floppies
PS/2 advanced diags/reference disk
Today's Queries:
ANSI.SYS reset
DOS clobbered by Fastback V5.03
10 mb drive query?
ATI EGA WONDER board problems
Wait states on IO Bus
New hard-drives in Old Compaq Portables
Help on device drivers
Fujitsu 40 meg drives
Help In Switching Speeds on a Turbo AT Clone
Different Floppy Formats
INFO-IBMPC BBS Phone Numbers: (213)827-2635 (213)827-2515
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 27 Aug 87 07:43:39 GMT
From: ballou@maypo.berkeley.edu (Kenneth R. Ballou)
Subject: Leaving Protected Mode on the 80286
Several months ago, I was experimenting with protected mode of the
80286 and produced some demonstration routines to show how to enter and
leave protected mode.
Here are some fragments of the code.
This code is executed in real mode before entering protected mode. The
idea is to save a segment:offset address in the doubleword located at
40H:67H which specifies where you wish to resume operation when returning
from protected mode. Also, save the current SS:SP in known locations. (Of
course, if you write over any of these locations in protected mode opera-
tion, YOU LOSE!)
; Prepare for the big return. If the shutdown status byte in CMOS is
; 5, the BIOS will do a far return to the address located at 40H:67H.
; At the time of the return, interrupts will be cleared.
MOV AX,40H
MOV ES,AX
MOV SAVED_SS,SS ; save current SS:SP for re-entry
MOV SAVED_SP,SP
MOV ES:[0067H],OFFSET BACK ; set up far pointer to re-entry code
MOV ES:[0069H],CS
This is the code called in protected mode to reset the 80286. Byte 15 in
the CMOS memory contains a "shutdown byte" which tells the BIOS the reason
for the shutdown. It happens that if this byte is 5, then this is a shut-
down request for returning from protected mode. After suitable
reinitialization of the hardware, control will be transferred to the loca-
tion stored at 40H:67H. (In particular, the memory check is not done.)
SHUTDOWN PROC NEAR
CLI ; probably a good idea
MOV AL,8FH ; write CMOS byte F (hex), disable NMI
OUT 70H,AL ; port 70H: select CMOS byte address
MOV AL,5 ; shutdown status 5: just return far
OUT 71H,AL ; port 71H: read/write CMOS byte
MOV AL,0FEH ; a magic cookie, causes 80286 reset
OUT 64H,AL ; port 64H is connected to the keyboard
HLT
$SH001: JMP $SH001 ; wait for reset
SHUTDOWN ENDP
Finally, here is the code executed upon returning from protected mode. The
only thing restored is CS:IP. Interrupts are disabled.
BACK: MOV AX,REALDATA ; re-establish DS
MOV DS,AX
MOV SS,SAVED_SS ; restore the stack
MOV SP,SAVED_SP
MOV AL,0BCH ; mask to restore keyboard, timer, and disk interrupts
OUT 21H,AL ; Port 21H talks to the 8259A interrupt controller
STI ; finally!
Kenneth Ballou (ballou@bosco.berkeley.edu)
------------------------------
Date: 27 Aug 87 08:23:48 GMT
From: ballou@maypo (Kenneth R. Ballou)
Subject: Switching from Protected to Real Mode
In article <1343@gryphon.CTS.COM> greg@gryphon.CTS.COM (Greg Laskin)
writes:
>In article <4047@utai.UUCP> anton@ai.UUCP (Anton Geshelin) writes:
>>There is an undocumented instruction in the 286 which will throw you back
>>into the unprotected mode. Microsoft has found it so useful that they
>>insist that Intel not fix it in the 386. At least, these are the
>>rumors I heard.
Well, I would be suspicious of this rumor insofar as one can disable
protected mode quite readily on the 80386 without having to resort to
resetting the CPU. The procedure for doing so is clearly documented in
Section 14.5 of the 80386 Programmer's Reference Manual, titled "Switching
back to real-address mode." The upshot is that the Protected Mode bit in
the system register CR0 (akin to the MSW of the 80286) is not sticky.
>I saw a real posting in comp.sys.intel a few months ago that made obscure
>reference to such an instruction, LOADALL or thereabouts.
>
>The poster, perportedly an Intel person speaking on his own, stated:
> 1) The documentation for this undocumented instruction was made
> made available to Intel largest customers (IBM and Microsoft)
> under non-disclosure agreements.
If this is true, then this is the sort of information hoarding that
benefits no one. Of course, I still haven't forgiven Intel (not that they
care, I'm sure) for putting the global/local and privilege level bits in
the *LOW THREE BITS* of the segment descriptor. I would be very impressed
if anyone could give me a convincing explanation that there is enough
gained by this in return for sacrificing a 29-bit linear address space.
Perhaps I will be accused of participating in the seemingly popular sport
of Intel bashing. However, I think my comment (about segment descriptor
structure) is reasonable enough.
Kenneth R. Ballou ballou@bosco.berkeley.edu
------------------------------
Date: 13 Sep 87 22:05:53 GMT
From: dave@westmark.UUCP (Dave Levenson)
Subject: MS-DOS in Protected Mode
Organization: Westmark, Inc., Warren, NJ, USA
The AT&T Personal Computer 6300PLUS runs SimulTASK OS-Merge, sold by AT&T,
and developed by Locus. This version of UNIX uses the '286 in protected
mode, and runs MS-DOS as a process under UNIX. Unlike OS/2, SimulTASK does
not switch the hardware into real mode when passing control to MS-DOS. It
catches the traps that result when MS-DOS or an MS-DOS application tries to
address the hardware, and emulates the real mode operation being performed
(subject to UNIX security and protection, of course).
The MS-DOS is not a special "protected-mode dos" but real Microsoft MS-DOS
-- it can run just as well on this machine without UNIX. This allows MS-
DOS applications, even ill-behaved ones, to run unmodified, while UNIX
protects its kernel, and all of its other applications. An errant MS-DOS
application can cause UNIX to terminate the MS-DOS process, but cannot
damage UNIX or any other process.
This "real mode virtualization" costs a bit in performance, but buys back a
great deal of system safety and security. To see its effect on perfor-
mance, this system, running plain MS-DOS (without UNIX) turns up 7.3 Nor-
tons. Under UNIX, it turns up 5.6 Nortons. (An IBM PC-AT with the same
clock rate, and running plain MS-DOS, turns up 5.2 Nortons.) If two nroffs
are running under UNIX, the MS-DOS performance is degraded to about 3.5
Nortons. I find this trade-off acceptable.
I wonder why OS/2 tries so hard to do it the hard way?
Dave Levenson
Westmark, Inc. A node for news.
Warren, NJ USA
{rutgers | clyde | mtune | ihnp4}!westmark!dave
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 87 23:55:52 PDT
From: ballou@brahms.berkeley.edu (Kenneth R. Ballou)
Subject: PROTECT.CAT Demonstrates Switching to Protected Mode
I would like to make a proposed contribution to the INFO-IBMPC lending
libraries. These are two programs that illustrate entering and leaving
protected mode of the 80286; also, one (TASKS.ASM) illustrates the
mechanics of task switching with TSS segments.
I would have made a "shar" file of these; however, the source code
contains temporary labels of the form $xxxxx, and /bin/sh treats these as
shell variables. I hope the "cut here" indications are sufficiently clear.
Kenneth R. Ballou ARPA: ballou@brahms.berkeley.edu
Department of Mathematics UUCP: ...!ucbvax!brahms!ballou
University of California
Berkeley, California 94720
[PROTECT.CAT has been added to the info-ibmpc lending library. -wab]
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 87 12:09:25 EDT
From: Shuo Huang <hs@eevlsi.ee.columbia.edu>
Subject: Chinese Language Word Processor
As mentioned ealier, I have seen Chinese DOS, WordStar, and DBase-III.
(called CC-DOS, C-WordStar, and C-DBase-III respectively). After looking at
the version messages, I found that the CC-DOS was produced by the 6-th Re-
search Institute of Chinese Electric Industrial Department (I am not sure
if this is a correct translation). In addition, I have found some adver-
tisement from Chinese companies who sell PC hardware and software (of
course, these ads are written in Chinese). (Sorry, I can't post them on
this board since they are in Chinese) If you're interested, you can send
self-addressed, self-stamped envelope to me. Then I will send a photo copy
of them. My address:
Shuo Huang
1312, Mudd Building
Columbia University
500, W120th Street
New York, NY 10027-6699
/HS
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1987 13:58 MDT
From: WANCHO@SIMTEL20.ARPA
Subject: FTP from SIMTEL20 to a VAX 11/750 on BITNET
Don't use the quoted command to tell this end you want the file in binary
mode unless you tell your end likewise. In particular, don't use "type l
32" - you want "type l 8" - or "tenex" as a local command to your user ftp
program. Such a command tells both the remote end and your end to send the
file contents as 8-bit binary and store such a file according to the local
conventions.
The files on SIMTEL20 are stored either as ASCII text files with 5 7-bit
bytes per 36-bit word (and one bit left over), or as 4 8-bit binary bytes
(and four bits left over). TOPS20 .REL and .EXE files are stored as full
36-bit words and have no useful meaning to other sites which do not run
TOPS20. Between TOPS20 sites there is the more efficient paged mode which
sends an entire disk page (512 36-bit words) in each block. That mode
should be used regardless of file storage type from another TOPS20 site.
Our FTP Server makes the appropriate system calls to get the bytes properly
unpacked for transmission according to the file storage type. But, if your
ftp asks for the file to be sent according to some other packing, our FTP
Server will try to accommodate the request. However, it will refuse to
send a non-ASCII file in ASCII mode.
--Frank
------------------------------
Date: 14 SEP 87 10:53 CET
From: U320%CBEBDA3T.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu
(M. Egger / Org Chem / Univ Berne CH)
Subject: VT-100 device driver wanted
You might try FANSI (FAST-Ansi) driver which is available from SIMTEL20
(PD:<MSDOS.SCREEN>FCONS200.ARC, FCON2UPD.ARC, FCONSOLE.DQC - at least it
was there in May). FANSI supports the VT-100 escape sequences and will give
you a 3-fold speed-up of non-graphic video-I/O. (It will eat up some
memory, about 30k, ...)
Martin Egger
(... usual disclaimer ...)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 87 10:08 PDT
From: "DANNY GEVA - FACTORY AUTOMATION/S.E. WF1-30,X5930"
<DGEVA%FAACC1%intel-sc.csnet@RELAY.CS.NET>
Subject: NEC Multisync terminal in Europe
I own an IBM PC AT compatiable attached to an NEC Multisync terminal. I'm
planning to take the system to Europe. The PC power supply is 110/220 volt
50/60 HZ but the terminal is 120V/60HZ only. I was told buy NEC's techni-
cal support that it will work also with 120V/50HZ. Does anybody have any
experience with such a case?
Thanks, Danny Geva dgeva%faacc1@sc.intel.com
[The difference in Hz should not damage the power supply. When running
with 50Hz, it will run a little warmer than with 60Hz, but that is due to
the size of the transformer core and induced eddy currents. gph]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 87 15:37:45 edt
From: millions of atoms of Lance <zaphod%deepthot.UWO.CDN@wiscvm.wisc.edu>
Subject: MSC 4.0 Link Command inodes ln()
Organization: University of Western Ontario, London
I have/had a need for a link command, ln(), in MSC 4.0. Obviously, since
inodes are not supported on MSDOS (I am running 3.1) there is no such com-
mand. It seems that the fread/fwrite combo did not put the final character
(\n) in to the target file. Both files are fopen'ed with the (MSC 4.0) 'b'
option which is neccesarry since some of the files I work with are .EXE.
Below is my attempt, the problem is that my original attempt (using
fread/fwrite) failed if the last 4 characters in the file were \r\n\r\n.
As an emergency fix, I replaced the buffered i/o with a put/get combo.
This stinks and I want to know why the original attempt failed and how to
fix it. (Ironically, the test file that bombed was a pc-digest.)
int
link(path1, path2)
char *path1, *path2;
{ FILE *s1, *s2;
int X;
/* int howmuch, BUFF[256]; */
s1 = fopen(path1, "r+b");
if (s1 == NULL)
{ fprintf(stderr,"link:could not access source file: %s\n",path1);
return -1;
}
s2 = fopen(path2, "w+b");
if (s2 == NULL)
{ fprintf(stderr,"link:could not open target file: %s\n",path2);
return -1;
}
/*
* this code is not executed because, for some DAMN reason the
* fwrite/fread combination does not always output the final \r\n
* sequence if the file ends in the form \r\n{\r\n}\r\n (that is 2 or
* more \r\n in a row.)
howmuch = fread(BUFF,sizeof(int),255,s1);
while (howmuch)
{ fwrite(BUFF,sizeof(int),howmuch,s2);
printf("%d\n",howmuch);
howmuch = fread(BUFF,sizeof(int),255,s1);
}
*
* the following is a DISGUSTING brute force method
*/
X = getc(s1);
while (X != EOF)
{ if (putc(X, s2) != X)
{ fclose(s1);
fclose(s2);
return -1;
}
X = getc(s1); /* icky isn't it? */
}
fclose(s1);
fclose(s2);
return 0;
}
--
humbly yours,
Lance Bailey
Univ. Western Ontario | Robart's Research Institute
Dept. of Computer Science | Clinical Trials Unit
Graduate Studies | PO Box 5015
London, Canada | London, Canada
N6A 5B7 | N6A 5K8
decvax!{utcs|utzoo|watmath}!deepthot!zaphod
-or- zaphod@deepthot.uucp
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 87 16:20 EST
From: Tony Catone <CATONE@wharton.upenn.edu>
Subject: Flushing files without close/open overhead
Hess@MIT-Multics.ARPA writes:
>The only certain way I know to cause a flush is to close the file and
>re-open it before proceeding. We used to get around it in FinalWord
>programming (the swap file had to be up-to-date in case of a system
>crash) by specifically writing blocks of size multiple-512. We didn't
>want the seek overhead of the close/open, and MS-DOS seemed not to
>buffer blocks that could be immediately written because they were the
>"right size". This no longer seems to work, so if your application
>isn't too time-critical, just close the file and open again, seek to
>the end, and keep on writing. Consider it a "checkpoint", like they
>used to do in mainframe batch processing...
You can avoid the overhead of the close/open by duplicating the file handle
with DOS function 45 hex and then closing the duplicate handle. This will
flush all disk buffers and leave the original file handle pointing at the
end of the file. I read about this technique a couple of years back in PC-
Tech Journal. Although I never had occasion to try this before, a quick
test using Turbo Pascal 3.01A on an IBM PC running DOS 3.1 shows that it
does indeed work. Note that Norton's Programmer's Guide to the IBM PC in-
correctly states "All actions performed with one handle will be automati-
cally reflected in the other handle." I can probably dig up the original
PC-Tech Journal reference, if anyone is interested. I think the technique
is pretty clever, especially since it gives a usefulness to function 45 hex
which Norton in his book fails to illustrate.
- Tony
catone@wharton.upenn.edu
catone@dsl.cis.upenn.edu
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 87 15:39 ADT
From: <JNDPH%ALASKA.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu>
Subject: PC PageMaker
I just spent a good part of the weekend struggling through installing PC
Pagemaker 1.0a and Microsoft Windows 1.03 on a Compaq Deskpro 286 with 1.2
MB of RAM (enough to make a 512K RamDrive), and an HP LaserJet+ with B and
Q font cartridges. I am interested in tips and info in two areas:
1. Optimizing performance of the current combination
The RamDrive is now initialized as the Windows swapdrive, but perfor-
mance (at 8 Mhz) is fairly sluggish with either Pagemaker or MicroSoft Word
running under Windows. With a RamDrive this small, should I be using it
for some program files as well as the swapdrive?
When printing a form that is nothing but either cartridge or internal
printer fonts and PageMaker rule lines, the printer will not print a full
page at 300 dpi. Does anyone with PC Pagemaker experience have any sug-
gestions for better performance (printing is very slow, too)? Will print-
ing at 150 dpi help? We will be using it quite a bit for forms design and
printing.
Following the Aldus installation instructions, the default Windows
printer driver is now HPPCL.DRV, which can use down-loadable fonts. How
much do these fonts limit the amount of graphics (rule lines, etc) that can
be printed on a page, or the amount of text that can print on a page? Are
there any public domain PCL downloadable fonts available that will work
with PageMaker's PMFPCL utility? If so, where can I find them?
2. Priorities for upgrades
In terms of performance, should we concentrate on adding more RAM to
the Compaq? The printer? And do Windows or PageMaker take advantage of
Extended Memory on the DeskPro 286 to keep from swapping out to disk so
much? If we buy an additional memory board for the Compaq, should it be
Extended Memory, EEMS, EMS? If either PageMaker or Word 3.01 are loaded as
icons, attempts to run most other applications get a Windows "out of
memory" message.
Any recommendation for makes, models, etc. would be welcome.
3. Sources for .PIF files
You'd think that most major manufacturers would furnish .PIF files with
their software now, but apparently they don't. I installed Harvard Total
Project Manager II, which lacks a .PIF file, and the manual's information
is not very helpful about how much the minimum memory required is. Is
there a library of .PIF files somewhere on the net?
It would certainly help if Aldus and Microsoft did a better job of
documenting the installation process, particularly the WIN.INI file (better
commenting of the file would help, as would better examples).
From the Aldus documentation, I thought that I was missing a disk of
downloadable PCL fonts, but apparently they have to be furnished by 3rd
parties. However, they don't give possible sources or prices. Does anyone
know of any? Is my boss's investment in FancyWord and a number of Fan-
cyFonts out the window?
Anyone who can help me with this can e-mail directly to me, and I will sum-
marize for the net. Thanks!
| dennis harris
* * | university of alaska, juneau
* | school of business / micro lab
* | uacn: acad1::jndph
* | bitnet: jndph@alaska
|
* * | if life is a menu-driven
* | universe, how can we escape
| to a command line interpreter?
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 87 09:06:35 EDT
From: Russell Nelson <bh01@clutx.clarkson.edu>
Subject: turbo c bug
This Turbo C bug only cost me about two hours. The C source is the
comments. The assembly code was produced by tcc -S. Does anyone know how
to fix this?
-russ
;#include <dos.h>
_text segment byte public 'code'
;/* Clear bit(s) in I/O port */
;clrbit(port,bits)
;unsigned port;
;char bits;
_clrbit proc near
push si
push bp
mov bp,sp
mov si,word ptr [bp+6]
;{
; outportb(port,inportb(port) & ~bits);
mov dx,si
in al,dx
mov bl,byte ptr [bp+8]
not bx
and al,bl
push dx <<<<<<< WRONG! >>>>>>>
mov dx,si
out dx,al
; bits = inportb(port) & ~bits;
mov dx,si
in al,dx
mov bl,byte ptr [bp+8]
not bx
and al,bl
mov byte ptr [bp+8],al
; outportb(port, bits);
mov al,byte ptr [bp+8]
mov dx,si
out dx,al
;}
@1:
pop bp
pop si
ret
_clrbit endp
_text ends
end
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 87 10:59:06 PDT
From: rohan%lock.span@VLSI.JPL.NASA.GOV
Subject: Measuring Speed: A Bibliography
Gisbert Selke wrote inquiring about a more reliable speed test (for Turbo
Pascal). His calling of the DOS Get Time function before and after a small
loop came up with different answers upon multiple tries.
First of all, I know off hand that their are three ways to get the time.
One from DOS like you did. The second from the BIOS data area pointed by
40H (I think), and finally, asking the timer chip itself.
I've seen mention of this problem in the book "Efficient C" by Thomas Plum
and Jim Brodie (a book which I bought quickly after 'failing' an interview
with Microsoft). They noted that in their direct port read from the timer
chip that the first reading was "unduly variable", so the first call was
done twice. The source they got their timing algorithm was from:
Smith, Bob and Tom Puckett, "Life in the Fast Lane: Techniques for Ob-
taining Timing Information on the PC." PC Tech Journal, April, 1984 pp. 62-
74.
---------------
I don't have this one, so I can't paraphrase or at least tell you how good
the article is or not. Hopefully you can find it at your local library
(without the pages torn out!) or from a friend. Two other sources to find
the processor speed, as well as other information such as processor type,
number of wait states, etc. are:
Forgeron, Ted, Paul Pierce, and Steven Armbrust. "Updating the Evalua-
tion Suite." PC Tech Journal, March 1987 pp. 71-88.
---------------
Rosenblume, Joel and Dan Jacobs. "Performance Programming." Byte, 1986
All IBM Extra Edition, 11(11) pp. 181-194.
Hopefully you can find at least one of these sources. The sources to
the [Forgeron] article are available (or at least were available, I don't
know if they still are) on PCTechLine (301) 740-8383. Byte has a similar
line. Both are however C and assembler source though, so will take some
conversion to your pascal.
Hopefully these references can help. If you find the cause of the dif-
ferent times, post it.
Rick Rohan
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 87 11:01:03 PDT
From: rohan%lock.span@VLSI.JPL.NASA.GOV
Subject: VT100 Device Driver and Emulator
ANSI (American National Standards Institute) chose the VT-100 terminal as
the basis for their terminal interface standard. So ANSI.SYS should and
does provide some VT100 support. I don't have NANSI.SYS but it seems pos-
sible to edit out (that is if you can find it) the 40 character mode com-
mand that is obviously incompatible with a true VT100 terminal (or at least
what your Unix system thinks what one is).
But if its a terminal emulator you want, I know that at least one version
of Kermit...Queen's University Kermit that supports VT100 emulation, as
well as Tek 4014 and VT52. It is written in Turbo Pascal, and is of "fair"
quality (last years version, at least). They may have more now, I don't
know. Check with INFO-KERMIT at <Info-Kermit-Request@cu20b.columbia.edu>.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 87 16:20:31 -0400
Subject: DOS differences
From: Glenn Larsen <glarsen@note.nsf.gov>
In the Sept 2, edition of this bulletin board, a request was made asking
what the differences were between versions of DOS. Hopefully the following
attachment may answer some of them.
DOS 3.2 and 3.3 provide an enhanced ATTRIB command with sets the archive
bit on or off. This is useful prior to using the BACKUP command. DOS 3.3
further expands on the ATTRIB command allowing for multiple file modifica-
tions either at, or below the current directory level.
Extra protection is provided when using the FORMAT command with DOS 3.2
and 3.3. You are required to specify the drive letter when formatting a
disk, for example, FORMAT A:.
The DISKCOMP and DISKCOPY command supports the 720K, microfloppy diskette
when using either DOS 3.2 or 3.3. DOS 3.3 also supports these commands on
1.44MB high density microfloppys.
Both DOS 3.2 and 3.3 allow you to change the DOS environment size.
A special hard disk program called SELECT is available with DOS 3.2 and
3.3. SELECT formats, configures, and copies the necessary DOS files to the
hard disk.
A switch has been provided with DOS 3.3 to allow unformatted disks to be
formatted when using the BACKUP command. BACKUP efficiency has been made
available under DOS 3.3.
Batch file programming is more efficient under DOS 3.3. The ECHO OFF
command no longer displays on the screen prior to activating that command.
Batch files can be called within a batch file while returning control to
the original.
When using DOS 3.3, FDISK permits the creation of multiple logical disk
drives within a larger real disk drive.
DOS 3.3 provides greater internationalization of the keyboard, monitor,
and printer when using the GRAFTABL, KEYB, and MODE commands.
Cautions
Commands which will only work with DOS 3.2 and 3.3 include REPLACE and
XCOPY.
The APPEND, FASTOPEN, NLSFUNC, and CHCP commands are only available when
using DOS 3.3.
DRIVER.SYS can be added to a CONFIG.SYS file, only if you are using DOS
version 3.2 or 3.3.
DISPLAY.SYS, PRINTER.SYS, IBMCACHE.SYS, and KEYBOARD.SYS can be added to
a CONFIG.SYS file, only if you are using DOS 3.3.
Exercise care when using the DATE and TIME commands with DOS 3.3 on an
IBM AT or PS/2 computer system. The internal system clock will save and
record the entered date and time.
------------------------------
Date: 16 Sep 87 12:45 GMT
From: esi @ Walker-EMH.arpa
Subject: 3.5 Inch Floppies
I finally got my 3.5 working the day before yesterday. That is to say, in
the 720K mode. I tried all the neat tricks, DRIVPARM, DRIVER.SYS with what
I thought were the right switches. What I read in the most recent PC World
was that the 3.5 driver won't let the drive work in the 720K mode as drive
B. I don't know why this is, but dispite my best efforts (hammers,
screwdrivers, etc), it would not format a 720K disk (it would read and
write the 720K format). The final solution was to add the following line
at the end of my CONFIG.SYS file: DEVICE=\dos\DRIVER.SYS /d:1 /F:2
This allows the use of the 3.5 inch drive as both the B: and D: drives;
however, only as the D: drive can it be formated in the 720K mode.
Hope this is of assistance to some, and info for all.
Mark Meaders
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 87 15:01:34 CDT
From: "Richard Winkel UMC Computing Services"
<CCRJW%UMCVMB.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu>
Subject: PS/2 advanced diags/reference disk
I guess I should have qualified my previous posting by saying the disk
was supplied with model 50's and 60's we have here, and I understand is
also supplied with model 80's.
I don't know whether model 30's come with such a disk. I doubt very
much whether you could use a model 50, 60 or 80 disk on a 30, since the 30
has a different cpu, and lacks the microchannel bus.
Rich Winkel
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 87 17:47:02 ULG
From: Andre PIRARD <A-PIRARD%BLIULG12.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu>
Subject: ANSI.SYS reset
Is there a way to globally restore ANSI.SYS keyboard redefinitions back to
normal? I found no way in DOS 3.2 tech ref. Maybe in 3.3?
Thanks.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 87 13:37 EDT
From: <EYMAN%SKIDMORE.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu>
Subject: ROYAL 410 TYPEWRITER AS PRINTER
I have had some success using a Royal 410 typewriter as a second prin-
ter with an IBM PCXT using Royal's IF600 interface box. After upgrading to
an IBM Model 30, I find that the Royal 410 will not accept data from the
computer. Thinking perhaps the problem was in DOS 3.3, I booted an XT with
3.3 and the Royal 410 worked very well. Royal tells me the problem is
IBM's. IBM thinks the problem is Royal's. Has anyone had any success get-
ting this typewriter to work as a printer with a Model 30 running DOS 3.3?
Send your comments, tips, help to EYMAN@SKIDMORE.BITNET
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 87 01:20 PDT
From: "Edwin Slonim, ICT, 011-972-4524261"
<SLONIM%IIL%intel-sc.csnet@RELAY.CS.NET>
Subject: DOS clobbered by Fastback V5.03
When performing a backup on a Minta (Korean) AT Clone, using Fastback
V5.03, DOS on the hard disk is clobbered.
The backup is successful and correct, and Fastback terminates normally.
Other programs will run afterwards, but the next boot fails with "Non-
System Disk".
Is this a Fastback problem, or Bios or what?
Thanks in advance,
E. Slonim, "SLONIM%IIL@sc.intel.com"
Intel Israel
------------------------------
Date: 13 Sep 1987 07:05:05 PDT
Subject: 10 mb drive query?
From: Laurence I. Press <SWG.LPRESS@C.ISI.EDU>
I was just given two old 10-mb drives, a Shugart ST-212 and a CMI 5412,
which I would like to install in my kids' original-motherboard PC.
1. Would there be a problem using either of these drives with the no-name
controllers on the market?
2. I have no doucmentation for them -- will I need any, and if so, does
anyone have it?
3. Any recommendations on a replacement-BIOS of choice?
Thanks,
Larry
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 87 12:28:58 EDT
From: Shuo Huang <hs@eevlsi.ee.columbia.edu>
Subject: ATI EGA WONDER board problems
I also have an ATI EGA Wonder board, and experienced the following problem.
The board is the only display adapter in my XT clone machine. My PC always
runs in the turbo speed (8MHz) mode since I set the jumpers that way. A
TTL monochorome monitor is connected to the EGA wonder board. The problem
occurs with Lotus-123.
Since I had a Hercules board before I got the EGA Wonder board, I con-
figured 123 for a Hercules board (mono. graphics display for graphs). So, I
continously use Hercules graphics in 123. (the EGA wonder board supports
the Hercules mode) The problem happens when I did the following: first, I
loaded a data file into 123. The displayed text is fine. Second, I hit
F10 to display the graphics. The graphics shown are OK. Then, I hit any
key to get back to text mode with the result that the text screen is un-
readable in places. (sometimes it happens after a page-down or page-up)
The garbled screen gets worse and worse until I display graphics one more
time and switch back to text mode.
The EGA wonder runs fine with my other Hercules software, including MS
Chart.
I would appreciate seeing any opinions about this board on the board.
/HS hs%eevlsi.ee@cu20b.columbia.edu
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 87 18:21:21 MST
From: Villy G Madsen <VMADSEN%UALTAVM.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu>
Subject: Wait states on IO Bus
Has anyone seen a circuit for generating wait states on the IBM PC IO bus?
I have an 8086 clone that runs at 4.77/8 Mhz and at 8 mhz its too fast for
a Tawainese EMS card that I have. I would like to add a circuit that would
generate wait states. I have tried using a circuit the pulls the ready
line down 1 clock after the Read or Write and ALE lines are enabled, but it
doesn't seem to do anything.. (no matter how many waits I insert).. Any
ideas?
Villy
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 87 19:25:16 PDT
From: David_T._Price%UBC.MAILNET@MIT-Multics.ARPA
Subject: New hard-drives in Old Compaq Portables
I am trying to install an NEC D5126 plus W.D. X-1 hard drive system in
an old model Compaq Portable, with little success so far. It appears that
early version ROMs do not recognise "foreign" hard-disks. However when I
swapped the ROM (100518-1 Rev. B) for one from a newer model (with a fully
functional 20 MB Seagate hard drive), the system would not boot at all. I
conclude from this that the mother board must also require replacement or
modification. Can anyone confirm whether this is so, and if possible would
they happen to know what hardware mods. are required? I have a Rev. D
mother board, while my friend's newer model has a Rev. F, with a OKI ROM
bearing the legend "100666-1 OKI - M3864-05". Any suggestions gratefully
accepted.
Dave. "When you have excluded the impossible, whatever remains,
however improbable, must be the truth." S. Holmes.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 87 08:13 EDT
From: "VAXID1::VAXID1::MRGATE::\"A1::TUFFS1\"%alcoa.com"@RELAY.CS.NET
Subject: Help on device drivers
TEL: (412) 337 2946 <TUFFS1@A1@VAXID1>
I want to drive my EGA card from a PC-AT compatible, and was wondering
whether a device driver exists that would emulate a TEKTRONIX or other
popular graphics protocol. This would aid us in porting code to the PC
which was designed to drive such terminals via control and escape codes.
It seems to me that the ANSI.SYS device driver is related to this problem.
However, I am very new to PC's, and my ignorance knows no bounds so I may
have got things horribly confused. I would appreciate help from anyone who
can steer me in the right direction.
Thanks in advance,
Simon Tuffs.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 87 11:46 dst
From: jeff%acorn@oak.lcs.mit.edu
<jeff%acorn%LIVE-OAK.LCS.MIT.EDU@XX.LCS.MIT.EDU>
Subject: Fujitsu 40 meg drives
We have bought a number of Fujitsu 40 FA40's (1/2 ht, 3.5") and now, four
months later have lost one. Before it died it made that lovely distracting
high-pitched noise of bearings planning an extended vacation in a southern
direction. What bothers me now is that several of the others are also
making that same sound, so we are currently expecting to loose a couple
more, at least.
A couple of technical notes are in order: these drives are almost in-
variably installed in Compaq Portable II's. They were all installed by me,
and I always do a conscientious job of it, so I don't expect that that is
the problem.
The question to the net is, "does anyone else out there have any experience
with these drives?" Another question is, "Does anyone have a favored 40M
drive, or know who is making the ones that Compaq is selling?"
thanks!
jeff collier
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 87 12:41:46 MDT
From: myxm%iceman@LANL.GOV (Mike Mitchell)
Subject: Help In Switching Speeds on a Turbo AT Clone
Does anyone know how to toggle between the different speeds on a Turbo AT
Clone. It is possible to do this by using CTRL-ALT-GREYMINUS and the BIOS
will do this. This is not a suitable solution however. I am looking for
the ports that the BIOS changes.
Thanks
Mike Mitchell
myxm@lanl.gov
...!cmcl2!lanl!myxm
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 87 11:47 EST
From: <STOKES%QUCDNCMC.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu>
(Peter Stokes, CMC, Queens University)
Subject: Different Floppy Formats
The vanilla IBM PC AT I am using has a single "High Capacity" floppy drive.
If I format "High Capacity" diskettes, I get about 1.2Meg of usable space
(both sides I assume) - no problem. If I use regular Double Sided Double
Density diskettes and format them without any special command qualifiers, I
get about 450K of usable space. If I format these same diskettes with the
/4 qualifier (as suggested by the DOS manual), I get about 360K of usable
space. The manual says that regular DS DD diskettes must be formatted with
the /4 qualifier and may not be read reliably by other PC's. This is true
as I have only had success reading these diskettes with a specific Compaq
model. Also:
- regular DS DD diskettes written by any other machine can be read by my
High Capacity drive.
- any floppy formatted by my High Capacity drive cannot be re-formatted by
other machines.. some report "missing sector"
- a regular DS DD diskette formatted by a foreign machine and then written
by my High Capacity drive can be read by any foreign machine.
Questions:
- What technically is going on here?
- Is there any problem using regular floppies and not using the /4
qualifier?
- Does anyone have a diskette formatter s/w that will allow me to write
normal DS DD floppies so that any other machine can read them?
Thanks in advance,
Peter Stokes
Canadian Microelectronics Corporation
Queen's University, Kingston ONT Canada
(613) 545-2914
BITNET: STOKES@QUCDNCMC.BITNET
CDNnet: stokes@cmc.cdn
Envoy 100: CMC.VLSIIC
------------------------------
End of Info-IBMPC Digest
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