Info-IBMPC@C.ISI.EDU.UUCP (05/22/87)
Info-IBMPC Digest Thursday, 21 May 1987 Volume 6 : Issue 38
This Week's Editor: Billy Brackenridge
Today's Topics:
720K 3.5" floppy with DOS 3.3
PS/2 Model 50 & 60 Tech Ref Available
PROMPT.E REVERT.E STICKY.E VISBELL.E EEL Code for Lugaru's Epsilon
Nota Bene
286 Accelerator boards for XT
Desktop Publishing Books
CED solves Backspace and long DOS Command Lines
US Hardware/Software in Asia
EMM and DMA
More on the ANSI question
Defeating Model 339 ROM POST
Today's Queries:
Hard Disk Security Software
Info on Olivetti M24
Codeview EGA Problem
Sharing a hard drive between an AT and PS/2 Model 50
IBM PC AT keyboard
Format of GEM Paint files
Word 2 Micro Version of Waterloo SCRIPT 2.01
Continuing problems with SIMTEL20/BITNET/YTERM and KERMIT
COM_PKG2 using MS Pascal Calling Conventions
Device Sharing Equipment for Laser Jet
IBMPC Proms?
INFO-IBMPC BBS Phone Numbers: (213)827-2635 (213)827-2515
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To: Weinstein@HI-MULTICS.ARPA
Subject: 720K 3.5" floppy with DOS 3.3
Date: Wed, 20 May 87 11:43:27 EDT
From: Mark Colan <mtc@ATHENA.MIT.EDU>
> Subject: 720K 3.5" floppy with DOS 3.3
>
> How does one configure a 3.5" floppy on an AT type system using DOS 3.3.
>
> I have tried several device directives in my config.sys, however I have
> never hit the correct method.
>
> Can someone suggest the correct approach... I want to make the drive a
> 720K floppy all the time.. just like the IBM Model 30 drive.
You did not say exactly what the problem was. Are you are trying
to install an IBM internal or external 3.5" drive into an IBM PC/AT?
If so, I have done that recently (for the internal drive) and came
across a few gotchas. NOTE: I used DOS 3.2, and there could be (but
probably are not) differences.
1. The drive is installed using the cables for drive B, same as if it
were an auxiliary 5-1/4" drive
I did that, and formatted a disk, and it said 362,nnn bytes free. I want
twice that, please.
2. You need to run a reasonably current version of the AT Diagnostics
to tell Setup about the existence of a 720Kb drive.
Still thinks its 362,nnn bytes
3. You need to install DEVICE=DRIVER.SYS with a few switches which should
be documented in the DOS 3.3 manual.
Mark Colan
MIT Project Athena
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 May 87 03:17:40 pdt
From: ucbcad!ames!lll-tis!lll-lcc.arpa!well!nortond@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU
Subject: PS/2 Model 50 & 60 Tech Ref Available
I just received my PS/2 Model 50 & 60 Technical Reference. It is
divided into nine sections:
Section 1 - System Description
Section 2 - Micro Channel (tm) Architecture
Section 3 - System Board
Section 4 - System Board I/O Controllers
Section 5 - Power Supply
Section 6 - Keyboard
Section 7 - 80286 & 80287 Instruction Sets
Section 8 - Characters and Keystrokes
Section 9 - Compatibility
The list of items on their "Suggested Reading" list includes a Model 50
"Quick Reference" and a Model 60 "Quick Reference" which were not
provided.
Daniel A. Norton
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 19 May 87 15:00:45 pdt
From: Robert Lenoil <lenoil%apple.csnet@RELAY.CS.NET>
Posted-Date: Tue, 19 May 87 15:00:45 pdt
Subject: PROMPT.E REVERT.E STICKY.E VISBELL.E EEL Code for Lugaru's Epsilon
PROMPT.E The enclosed file, PROMPT.E, implements the PROMPT
command which was present in Epsilon versions prior
to 3.0. It is an anachronism, but is required by
some keyboard macros that existed prior to Epsilon's
programmable days, most notably ERROR.MAC, in the
info-ibmpc EEL library.
REVERT.E The enclosed file, REVERT.E, implements the good 'ol
revert-buffer command, which will re-read the
visited file into the buffer, throwing away any
changes.
STICKY.E The enclosed file, STICKY.E, implements sticky file
defaulting for Epsilon. In other words, file operations
(find-file, dired, etc.) are implicitly relative to the
directory associated with the current buffer, or the
current DOS directory, if the current buffer does not
contain a file.
VISBELL.E The enclosed file, VISBELL.E, implements the
visible-bell feature for Epsilon. When visible bell
is on (via the visible-bell command), the screen
will flash instead of the bell beeping. The flash
unfortunately is very slow; if someone comes up with
a better method, please let me know.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 20 May 1987 19:12:28 EDT
From: FAC0395%UOFT01.BITNET@BERKELEY.EDU (Joe Feustle)
Subject: Nota Bene
Since several colleagues have asked me, NOTA BENE is published by
Dragonfly Software
409 Fulton Street, Suite 202
Brooklyn, NY 11201
PHONE (718) 624-0127
I purchased my copy through the Modern Language Association of America
where my membership gave me a reduced (?) purchase price of about
$390.00. I am certain that Dragonfly Software can suggest other
suppliers.
N.B. I have no contact with Dragonfly other than that of a VERY
pleased user of their program.
J. Feustle
University of Toledo
FAC0395@UOFT01
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 21 May 87 09:12:16 edt
From: jkerby@nswc-wo.arpa
To: archerb%umkcvax1@wiscvm.wisc.edu
Subject: 286 Accelerator boards for XT
I have been using a PCturbo 286e from Orchid Technologies in a
Zenith 158 for some time now (several months). The only problem that I
have encountered is that the clock/calendar (Quadboard from Quadram) seems
to lose it's brains occasionally and can't remember the correct date or
time. This has proven to be a minor nuisance. In addition, the board
does not work properly with Zenith's version of MS-DOS; I had to buy a
copy of PC-DOS. The board DOES NOT WORK WITH AN ADAPTEC 2070 RLL ENCODED
HARD DISK CONTROLLER! I hasten to add that the technical support people
at Orchid told me both of these things (I discussed DOS before I bought
the board and found out that all hard disk controllers are not alike after
I bought the board). All in all, I'm pleased with how it works now that
the bugs have been resolved.
Standard disclaimer applies. Hope this helps!
Fred Kerby
jkerby@nswc-wo.arpa
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 21 May 87 10:04:39 EST
From: Jim Tedeschi <JTT58%ALBNYVM1.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu>
Subject: Desktop Publishing Books
To: INFO-IBMPC@C.ISI.EDU
Many applications have poor documentation. In some of these
instances books have been published which augment the DOC that comes
with the application. For example, Tips and Tricks in Using
WordPerfect is far better than the Manual. My question here is: are
there books that add to the documentation for such IBMPC desktop
publications as Pagemaker, Ventura Publishing, ClickArt Publisher,
etc? If there are sufficient recommendation to warrant it, I will
compile the list for the NET.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 21 May 1987 09:08:42 LCL
From: NESCC%NERVM.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu (Scott C Crumpton)
Subject: CED solves Backspace and long DOS Command Lines
Try using the public domain utility CED. With this utility and DOS
3.1 I have no problem with the backspace and wrapped command lines.
There is also a commercial version of this program called PCED from
the same author. A small section of the CED manual follows.
---Scott.
==========================
CED - DOS Command Editor
User's Guide
Version 1.0
==========================
Copyright (c) 1985
Christopher J. Dunford
10057-2 Windstream Drive
Columbia, Maryland 21044
(301) 992-9371
Purpose
-------
Ced (which stands for Command EDitor) provides the following
functions at the DOS prompt, or from within certain applications
programs:
-- Improved command line editing facility.
-- Recall of previously issued commands for re-entry.
-- Command synonyms, which may include "chaining" of a
series of commands.
-- Parameterization of synonym commands.
-- Recall of parameters for previously issued commands.
-- User-settable buffer sizes for all functions.
-- For programmers, a facility to add new "resident"
commands to the DOS shell.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 21 May 87 10:51:49 EDT
From: <ALLSOP%WATACS.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu>
Subject: US Hardware/Software in Asia
We have a visiting professor from Japan who brought his own computer
with him (an NEC98xx)(!) He has had the following hardware problems:
- Voltage standards are not the same ... so he needed a transformer.
- Once the voltage was sorted out he had problems with the screen
size on his monitor (only used part of screen), and some sort of
timing problems with his clock(s) and disk drives. We are still
trying to figure this one out. (Line frequency differences?).
As far as software is concerned he claims that his use of MS-DOS
is somewhat unusual, CP/M being more popular in Japan. He had
never heard of KERMIT, although it is available for a few select
machines in Japan (most of which run CP/M).
For moving this stuff across the pond our visitor purchased part
of a container on a ship. Ship transport was the cheapest, and he got
to supervise the packing of the container.
Peter Allsop
Biochemical Engineering Group
Department of Chemical Engineering
University of Waterloo
------------------------------
Date: 21 May 1987 10:35:13 CDT
From: U17199%UICVM.bitnet@wiscvm.wisc.edu
Subject: EMM and DMA
Some Expanded Memory boards for AT's (e.g. Intel Above Board) are
configurable for Expanded Memory, or extended memory, or some of each.
Extended memory is BUS addressable, Expanded memory is only addressable
through the mapped pages, at least on any boards I have seen or read about.
Configuration requires setting DIP switches, and running SETUP to tell
the PC about the extended memory (if any ).
Andrew J. Cohen
U17199@UICVM
University of Illinois at Chicago
996-8205, 996-5723
------------------------------
Date: 21 May 1987 10:42:35 CDT
From: U17199%UICVM.bitnet@wiscvm.wisc.edu
Subject: More on the ANSI question
As I understand it the ANSI codes were based on the VT100 terminal control
sequences. So the discussion of VT100's is relevant. There are some places
where actual VT100's behave differently from terminals claiming compliance
with x3.64 (tabs with cursor at tab column-1 comes to mind!)
Also , I believe the ANSI standard specifies some set of terminal
be available (erase from cursor to end of line e.g.)
I should confess these are ideas picked up from dealing with various
"ANSI standard terminals" rather than reading the standard.
" When all else fails ... read the directions !"
Andrew J. Cohen
U17199@UICVM
University of Illinois at Chicago
------------------------------
To: Photios_Ioannou@um.cc.umich.edu
Subject: Defeating Model 339 ROM POST
Date: Wed, 20 May 87 19:52:50 EDT
From: Joseph A. Cimmino Jr. <jac@umd5.UMD.EDU>
Well, as far as I know, the "clock crystal cripple" first showed up in the
second lot of 6Mhz ATs (the so called "Type 2 system board").
The "second revision" tech ref I have (6280070) has the code that looks
like your culprit. Refer to page 5-46, in routine TEST1, top of the page.
The refresh cycle is measured and a POST error signaled if the rate isn't
in the limits RATE_LOWER..RATE_UPPER. The routine starts in ROM at F000:05A3.
Hardware side note: The original PC had a 14.31818 Mhz crystal, the 8284
clock chip did a divide by 3 to get the 4.77 Mhz CPU clock. The 14 Mhz
was fed to the bus (pin B30) and used by the CGA to generate a dot clock.
The CPU clock was further divided by four to run an 8253 timer. The
programmable cycle of the timer triggers a DMA channel to refresh the RAM.
In the AT, the 14 Mhz clock is duplicated solely to run the 8254 timer and
provide the 14 Mhz (now asynchronous) signal for the bus. Since the refresh
clock is fixed, we can sample it and determine the CPU speed in relation.
Hope this helps.
Joseph A. Cimmino, Jr. University of Maryland, Systems jac@umd5.umd.edu
1+ 301 454 2946 PC/IP Group cimminoj@umdd.bitnet
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 19 May 1987 13:10 PDT
From: JGTP003%CALSTATE.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu
Subject: Hard Disk Security Software
Does anyone have any experience with software which will allow one to
make specific subdirectories on a hard disk read-only? (IBM PC
compatible software)
Glenn Zwinger (213/498-5403)
Academic Computing Coordinator
California State University, Long Beach
JGTP003@CALSTATE.BITNET
[Use any one of the various programs in the library that sets attribute
bits. -wab]
------------------------------
Date: 19 May 87 14:33:00 EST
From: "CUGINI, JOHN" <cugini@icst-ecf.arpa>
Subject: Info on Olivetti M24
Can anyone point me to an article reviewing the Olivetti M24 ?
I'd be grateful for this or any other information, especially
any problems to watch out for, e.g, incompatibilities with
IBM, unreliable components, etc.
ad...THANKS...vance.
John Cugini <Cugini@icst-ecf.arpa>
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 19 May 87 21:43:10 PDT
From: larry@Jpl-VLSI.ARPA
Subject: Codeview EGA Problem
I was very happy with Microsoft's Codeview debugger--until I replaced my
Hercules / monochrome monitor with a Victor-7 EGA / NEC Multisync combination.
Now when I start Codeview I get a lime-green border, light-green background,
and magenta foreground. Even worse, when I begin execution of the program
I'm trying to debug, both foreground and background within the windows for
the command and source text goes black! Though Codeview continues to
respond to commands, I can't see the result of them.
Does anyone have any idea what's going on? I've scoured the Codeview manual
for EGA references, but they are few and unhelpful. Also, I've tried several
different option combinations with no success, including /Flipping versus
/Swapping for screen exchanging.
Larry @ jpl-vlsi.arpa
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 20 May 87 10:03:06 EDT
From: G B Reilly <reilly@facman.wharton.upenn.edu>
To: info-ibmpc@c.isi.edu
Subject: Sharing a hard drive between an AT and PS/2 Model 50
Has anyone seen a product that allows the transport
of a hard drive between a PS/2 Model 50 and an AT?
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 20 May 87 08:58:36 MST
From: "Kelvin Nilsen" <kelvin@arizona.edu>
Subject: IBM PC AT keyboard
Does anyone have access to a technical reference manual that describes
the scan codes of F11 and F12? I've written a small program that prints
the scan codes of keys as they're depressed, but on a Compaq 386, this
program doesn't even seem to recognize that I've typed these keys.
I've concluded that either the Compaq 386 doesn't correctly implement
these keys or that there is a new BIOS entry for dealing with them.
If the latter, what's the entry and how would I recognize that a particular
machine has the newer BIOS?
thanks much, i will summarize if you send responses directly to me.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 20 May 87 21:22:06 ECT
From: KALLE%NORUNIT.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu
Subject:Sigma Color 400 and Windows
SIGMA COLOR 400 CARD for the IBM-PC/XT/AT using WINDOWS
Problem : "I am trying to use the above mentioned card with Hi-Res (640*400
pixels) with 16 colors, with WINDOWS package software....
Having no driver for this screen-card the installation is hopeless.
Question: "Has anyone heard of (having themselves or knowing where it may be
obtained from) a driver for this card (WINDOWS-compatible) - public
domain or licensed/private)...??"
Answers : Please spool these to
KALLE at NORUNIT on BITNET
(or phone: +47 7 59 3177)
Thanx in advance.....
-Kalle
------------------------------
Date: 20 May 1987 17:54:20-EDT (Wednesday)
From: "Victor S. Miller" <VICTOR%YKTVMX.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu>
Subject: Format of GEM Paint files
Can anybody tell me the information contained in GEM Paint files?
From inspecting them it appears that after some header information
they are just raster images.
Victor S. Miller -- victor@ibm.com
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 20 May 1987 19:31:26 EDT
From: FAC0395%UOFT01.BITNET@BERKELEY.EDU (Joe Feustle)
Subject: Word 2 Micro Version of Waterloo SCRIPT 2.01
MicroCom Systems (Palo Alto) distributes a public domain disk that
they call WORD 2. It contains a micro version of Waterloo Script
(SCRIPT 2.01). The program was apparently created by an outfit named
Modular Software Designs (last known address--Santa Clara, CA). That
company calls the program PC_SCRIPT. The copy distributed by MicroCom
Systems will produce formatted output on the screen but will NOT send
it to the printer or to another disk file. Does anyone know how to
obtain a copy of the program that WILL produce printer output?
Many thanks,
J. Feustle
University of Toledo
FAC0395@UOFT01.BITNET
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 20 May 87 21:38:31 cet
From: CHADM1%UCONNVM.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu
Subject: Continuing problems with SIMTEL20/BITNET/YTERM and KERMIT
Thank you, readers who have sent messages attempting to help me with
SIMTEL downloading problems using BITNET.
Unfortunately, I'm still stuck.
It appears as if there are two different problems.
First, there are BLANKS in the UUE files that have come from SIMTEL
to our local IBM system.
My copy of UUENCODE contains code which substitutes a right facing accent
(not the standard apostrophe) for a blank in the output of a UUE file,
so when I attempt to UUENCODE a file locally, it contains *NO* blanks.
Since the SIMTEL records (in EBCDIC) contain blanks, I conclude that something
terrible has occurred in route.
Am I wrong?
Second, when I download a file using YTERM to a PC, certain EBCDIC characters
are translated to ASCII zero. Backslash (X'E0') becomes ASCII zero.
Clearly, YTERM is doing something strange.
I have used KERMIT to download, and this problem disappears, but KERMIT
is very clumsy in full screen mode (on the 370) without the proper .INI
file, and sure enough, I don't have it.
Does anyone happen to have a copy of the .INI file which would give proper
KEY definitions for the XEDIT/CMS environment (full screen)?
I would appreciate a copy if someone has worked it out (thanks in advance).
Third, oh yes, I lied, I am forced to KEDIT the downloaded .UUE files
to set the logical record length to 61, stripping off one character from
the BITNET version.
My problem is with the next to the last line of the file, which appears
blank to me.
Should it be blank?
Has anyone worked out these details for transferring SIMTEL files through
the ARPA-BITNET gateway, and downloading (through either YTERM or KERMIT)
to an IBM-PC?
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Carl W. David
CHADM1@UCONNVM
[I have forwarded this on the Kermit people at Columbia. -wab]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 21 May 87 7:47:06 EDT
From: G B Reilly <reilly@facman.wharton.upenn.edu>
Subject: COM_PKG2 using MS Pascal Calling Conventions
Has anyone converted COM_PKG2 to use MS Pascal calling
conventions?
[This can't be more than an hour's job. There are plenty of examples of
the Pascal interface in the library. -wab]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 21 May 87 09:50:56 EDT
From: Deba Patnaik <DEBA%UMDC.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu>
Subject: Device Sharing Equipment for Laser Jet
I have to purchase a device sharing equipment for 6 PCs ( combination of XTs,
PCs and Clones) to share one LJ Series II. I scanned through magazines
and came up with these 3 products. If you have these equipment please mail
me your experiences. Or if you have any other, I would like to know about
them.
1. PSD: Peripheral Share Device from GLOBAL computer supplies
It lets 3,5 or 7 PCs share one device.
Parallel 3 port PSD costs $265, 5 ports - $365 and 7 ports - $445
Serial 3 port - $395, 5 port - $575 and 7 port - $695
It has no buffer. It scans each port. It has builtin line drivers -
boosts transmission distance to 200 ft for parallel and 300 ft for
serial.
2. BayTech Print Master
2 models: Buffered (512k standard - 1M) and Non buffered
It comes with 19 different models. Prices for non-buffered device
is all most same as PSD. You can share more than one printer or device
by assigning the ports. At installation time ports can be configured for
a device or a PC. The devices can be selected by some kind of code.
3. EasyLAN _ Networking using RS232C ports
This product offers lot more than I need. For 2 PCs, it will cost
$219. For 6 PCs it may cost a little more than $1000. Unlike the
device sharing equipment, one of the PCs have to be used as a server
and it provides file transfer capability between PCs, PBX support,
etc.
Please mail me your suggestions and experiences. I will summarize it if
there is interest.
--deba
deba@UMDC.BITNET
deba%umdc.binet@wiscvm.wisc.edu
[Leave the least used PC permanently connected to the printer and walk
down the hall with a floppy disk. -wab]
------------------------------
Date: 21 May 1987 11:40:46-EDT
From: weikert@nadc
Subject: IBMPC Proms?
Does anyone know what (if any) EPROM will fit the 24-pin spare
socket (U28) on the PC. I want to add some customized ROM code.
I was surprised to find that it is 8K x 8 and is not an Intel 2764 or
compatible chip.
Response to weikert@nadc.arpa
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End of Info-IBMPC Digest
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