ash@uupc.omega (Andrew Hardie) (02/12/91)
I seem to remember some months ago talk about problems (dropped packets?) with the A and B versions of the DP8390 chip as fitted to the WD8003E. I notice that the new boards have the DP8390C chip. Can someone remind me what the problem was and whether it (and any others that may have existed in the A and/or B versions) were fixed in the C revision. Thanks -- Andrew Hardie ash@omega.uucp London, England ukc!cctal!omega!ash No is merely a negotiating position; yes is always final.
leo@unipalm.uucp (E.J. Leoni-Smith) (02/14/91)
ash@uupc.omega (Andrew Hardie) writes: >I seem to remember some months ago talk about problems (dropped packets?) >with the A and B versions of the DP8390 chip as fitted to the WD8003E. >I notice that the new boards have the DP8390C chip. Can someone remind >me what the problem was and whether it (and any others that may have >existed in the A and/or B versions) were fixed in the C revision. >Thanks >-- >Andrew Hardie ash@omega.uucp >London, England ukc!cctal!omega!ash Include me in your mailing lists too - Russ? James?
jbvb@FTP.COM (James B. Van Bokkelen) (02/15/91)
I would have sent this privately, but I didn't feel any real optimism about the return address given... The worst problem that early DP8390 LAN chips had was a tendency to glitch their byte-order control register, and change byte-orders in the middle of a packet. A bit destructive to one's data, that. The C chips are better than the A and B, but I think E or F is current these days. You have to get the old errata sheets for full details, since the newer ones only list problems found since C or so. James B. VanBokkelen 26 Princess St., Wakefield, MA 01880 FTP Software Inc. voice: (617) 246-0900 fax: (617) 246-0901
SRGHGCP@chv.dsir.govt.nz (03/02/91)
In article <1991Feb14.150021.5723@unipalm.uucp>, leo@unipalm.uucp (E.J. Leoni-Smith) writes: > ash@uupc.omega (Andrew Hardie) writes: > >>I seem to remember some months ago talk about problems (dropped packets?) >>with the A and B versions of the DP8390 chip as fitted to the WD8003E. >>I notice that the new boards have the DP8390C chip. Can someone remind >>me what the problem was and whether it (and any others that may have >>existed in the A and/or B versions) were fixed in the C revision. >>Thanks >>-- > >>Andrew Hardie ash@omega.uucp >>London, England ukc!cctal!omega!ash > > Include me in your mailing lists too - Russ? James? The NSC 8390 has been through a lot of revisions...there were even some released which were 'pre-A'. The B version has some problems with the internal statemachine on heavily loaded LANs. Exactly how the will manifest itself will depend on the software. The worst problem is that collisions may be lost due to a small 'blind' window. There are 3 main problems with the B rev, one can be sorted out in software and the other two need a hardware work around. Its fair to say that the last 2 problems shouldn't happen it the LAN is TOTALLY perfect! I can post a full description of them if you want? The C rev has no serious problems that I know of...we are using both B and C revs. There is also a D rev which is supposed to be a die shrink but is given the status of a rev 'cause DEC have'nt 'approved'it..or so the story goes! Geoff Peck Physical Sciences Division Information Technology Group Department of Scientific and Industrial Research New Zealand +64-4-666-919 fax; +64-4-690-067