[comp.sys.zenith.z100] pkarc, memory and others

af5@S.CC.PURDUE.EDU (Wendy Ueng) (12/02/87)

I down-loaded pkx35a35.exe.1 from simtel20 and kermited to my z100. I then
tried to run it to extract the pkarc programs. It returned a message
immediately complaining "program is to big to fit in memory".

I have a z100 with 768k memory (old motherboard, upgraded with FBE's kit). This
upgrade was done over a year ago. I also put in a CDR's speed module and a
FBE's SmartWatch not too long ago. I replaced the 8088 chip by a NEC's v20 in
the mean time. Could the latter upgrades cause memory/addressing problems?

The video memory tests showed errors. It said to replace chip u353. Could this
be the problem? Where can I order a replacement chip?

I would appreciate any help. Thanks.

Wendy Ueng

GUBBINS@RADC-TOPS20.ARPA (Gern) (12/02/87)

You corrupted the program during the FTP and/or KERMIT transfer.
The 'Program too big for memory' is a common indicator that the
File Headerat the begining of the file is messed up.

I don't know what system(s) you are using, but you must FTP in 
BINARY/IMAGE/PAGED and KERMIT in 8-BIT/BINARY.  If your system
is a 16/32 bit-word (VAX, etc) then ASCII is 8-bit and there is
no transfer mode for KERMIT.   The SIMTEL20 system is a 36-bit
TOPS20 8-bits into 36 is not round, so storage transfers are 
performed (8-bit ASCII files are stored differently than 8-bit
binary) so the FTP mode is critical.

Experiment.   Good luck!

Gern
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af5@S.CC.PURDUE.EDU (Wendy Ueng) (12/02/87)

I was aware of the significance of the modes. Therefore, I set the transfer
mode to "binary" before I ftp'ed pkx35a35.exe.1 and used the -i option when I
kermit'ed.  I don't know what else could have been done.

One thing did not seem quite right to me was the byte count. The system I used
was a VAX. The resulting byte count for pkx35a35.exe.1 was 80640 while the
"official" number was 71680 (from the anouncement note). But then I figured
that 80640 is equal to 71680 * 36 / 32. The number is actually correct.

Thank you for your information. At least I know it's not my z100. I did not
really think it was, but I always got nervous after having done upgrades - no
matter how trivial they were.

I guess my question now is: How do I download arc files from simtel20 to a VAX
machine?

Wendy Ueng

af5@S.CC.PURDUE.EDU (Wendy Ueng) (12/02/87)

> I guess my question now is: How do I download arc files from simtel20 to a VAX
> machine?
I got the answer: Switch to type "tenex" (not "binary") by typing either
"tenex" or "type tenex". It took a l-o-n-g time for transferring pkx35a35.exe.1
in this mode. The byte count I got this time was 71680 - exactly the same as
what in the anouncement.

Thank you, Bill.

Wendy Ueng