palowoda@fiver.UUCP (Bob Palowoda) (02/25/90)
About a week ago I posted a message about running 386 version of
windows on a DataExpert 386SX machine. It appears to be a combination
of hardware and firmware that cause the problem.
C&T Chipset
Adaptec RLL controller Model 2370T
AMI Bios
I use the onboard controller adpatec bios to format the drive. Also useing
AMI's bios I set the drive type to 47 user defined. Now what appearently
happens is when I try to initialize 'win386' it takes the memory mapped
in by the Bios (somewhere around the controller bios) and gives it over
to windows 386 as Extended memory to convert over to EMS memory. It's
either that or the AMI Bios is relocateing the Adaptec controller bios.
This is my best guess. I have had previous experience with AMI's bios
incorrectly handleing disk drive controllers. Other than changeing my
Bios over to Phenoix, or takeing the dealers suggestion like don't use
that disk controller. I there a way to get Windows 386 not to map
certain regions of memory? Also I would like to hear from anyone else
who has run into this problem and has any workarounds or fixes.
---Bob
--
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Voice: (415)-623-7495 Public access UNIX XBBS chan@chansw.UUCP (Jerry H. Chan) (02/27/90)
In article <1006@fiver.UUCP>, palowoda@fiver.UUCP (Bob Palowoda) writes: > About a week ago I posted a message about running 386 version of > windows on a DataExpert 386SX machine. It appears to be a combination > of hardware and firmware that cause the problem. > > C&T Chipset > Adaptec RLL controller Model 2370T > AMI Bios > [This is a data point; maybe someone out there may be able to use this info to solve this or related problems...] I have tried the following combo with flakey results: C&T Chipset AMI Bios (Monolithic Systems Corp. 386 motherboard) Adaptec RLL 2372 w/2 disks attached Windows SMARTDRV.SYS or PC-Tools PC-Cache QEMM386 / 386-to-the-Max EMM manager Symptoms: Directories (cached) would get munged, leading to munged directory listings and eventually a hang; directory fixed by a reboot SMARTDRV.SYS would report the wrong drive parameters (hds, cyl's, sectors/track) on the second drive Programs using timer interrupts would run 10x's slower (i.e., coretest) System would correct itself if one of the following were removed: * One of the disk caching programs * QEMM386 or 386MAX expanded memory manager * Adaptec controller If the Adaptec controller were replaced with a WD1003RA2, all problems go away. The Adaptec seems to be the least common denominator for these problems. Noting that Windows 386 has a built-in expanded memory manager, Bob's problems sound extremely similar to mine. Any ideas? Anybody want to buy a spare Adaptec 2372 RLL controller ? :-) -- Jerry Chan 508-853-0747, Fax 508-853-2262 |"My views necessarily reflect the Chan Smart!Ware Computer Services & Prods | views of the Company because Worcester, MA 01606 | I *am* the Company." :-) {bu.edu,husc6}!m2c!chansw!chan \---------------------------------