ns@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca (Nick Solntseff) (06/29/90)
I find config.ctl a pseudo-device driver that allows reconfiguration of config.sys at bott-up time to be very helpful for running either with himem.sys or with Quaterdeck's QEMM. config.ctl originally came from PCMag. I do not know where one can get it thesedays. Nicholas Solntseff 1-416-525-9140-x3443
kerce@nu.cs.fsu.edu (Kingsley F. Kerce) (07/06/90)
After finishing the MS Windows 3.0 installation, I anxiously rebooted but found that the HIMEM.SYS device doesn't like my extended memory. I would greatly appreciate any suggestions. Specifically, HIMEM is the first line of CONFIG.SYS and it complains something about A20 hardware. Following that, drivers and other software that require expanded memory complain about memory not being there. Starting Windows results in the machine doing a cold boot i.e. the power on tests (POSTs) commence. Hardware: Gateway 2000 386/20 ordered around March 1989 Motherboard is 386 Gene II by Hawk Computers 4 MB memory is located on a 8 MB 32 bit daughterboard The memory has worked great with Quarterdeck's QEMM-386 for 10 or so months. (I'd rather not wait for the newest Windows-compatible QEMM.) Has anyone experienced this behavior? Thanks in advance, -- Kingsley Kerce USnail: Dept. of Computer Sci. (or Dept. of Psych.) Email: kerce@nu.cs.fsu.edu Florida State University Work Phone: (904) 644-5436 Tallahassee, FL 32306
mms00786@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (07/06/90)
Uh Oh! I have some bad news for you. That Gene II is the worst piece of crap I ever ran into. I, too, bought the same system last June from Gateway. Ran into the most incredible number of problems, especially with Windows/386 and Lotus Manuscript, my two mainstay applications. For 15 days, I received all kinds of replacement parts (maybe its the HD, maybe its the blah blah blah...) and spent the better part of summer operating on this system. What added salt to injury was that the saleman had vocally assured me that the systems ran windows/386 just fine, in fact, he himself was using the calculator accessory to give me my quote. I couldn't even get win/386 past the logo. Oh well, luckily the folks at Gateway are basically honest people who also make mistakes just like I do. I demanded a refund, they said it was no problem, but they couldn't refund me the money for DOS ($85). Fine, let me speak with your President. I did, and he even refunded money for my DOS. So, my suggestion is, call Gateway, and demand that they replace your MB or give you your money back. I think they too are convinced that the GENE II was designed by some nincompoops and isn't worth the price of copper clad. Also, don't waste any time trying to fix it - it ain't fixable. Milan .
pabres13@pc.usl.edu (Joubert John V.) (07/16/90)
.....................
I too had the Gene II motherboard in my Gateway, but I never gave
it the chance to fail running Lotus or Windows. I was reading the tech
"pamphlet" (what a laugh!) that came with the board, and I saw the the board
had 2 bus speeds, 5Mhz and 12 Mhz. It was supposed to be connected to the
turbo button, to toggle between the two speeds. Well, as most people here
know, hardly anything works on a 12 Mhz bus, therefore I had to run my
video card, drive controller, mouse, I/O card, and modem all at 5 Mhz! This
was a totally ridiculous idea, running a 20 Mhz machine with a 5 Mhz bus!
I called Gateway and had them ship me a new motherboard, they sent
the older Gene I (8 Mhz bus). A few months later, I found that Win 386 was
getting "drive not ready" errors from the hard drives. I called Gateway
(again :-( ), and they replaced the motherboard with a BT-3MM motherboard,
which I am quite happy with. But gad, it took forever to get set up right!
--
John Joubert | /\ | /\ | _
Internet: pabres13@pc.usl.edu | \|<>|>|> \|<>|>|><`|`|
GENIE: J.JOUBERT |--/|-------/|------------
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