Robert_Bell@mindlink.bc.ca (Robert Bell) (06/22/91)
can anyone tell me the all the switch settings and what memory addresses they represent on switch block 3 of the ast advantage card.I wish to use this card for extra extended memory on my 286 clone. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------- Robert Bell uunet!van_bc!rsoft!mindlink!a1076 Benndorf-Verster a1076@mindlink.uucp Vancouver Canada voice 604-853-5870 -------------------------------------------------------------------
campbell@dev8.mdcbbs.com (Tim Campbell) (06/25/91)
In article <6450@mindlink.bc.ca>, Robert_Bell@mindlink.bc.ca (Robert Bell) writes: > can anyone tell me the all the switch settings and what memory addresses they > represent on switch block 3 of the ast advantage card.I wish to use this card > for extra extended memory on my 286 clone. > -- > ------------------------------------------------------------------- > Robert Bell uunet!van_bc!rsoft!mindlink!a1076 > Benndorf-Verster a1076@mindlink.uucp > Vancouver Canada voice 604-853-5870 > ------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Interesting you should post such a question. AST will gladly sell you that info for $2/minute! This isn't an answer - but your post caught my attention. Just last week I had an interesting experience with a similar (AST) product. <slam mode on> I just picked up an AST Advantage/2 card - basically this is the same card except it's for IBM PS/2 (Microchannel) machines. I had a REAL interesting time installing this card when I noticed that it comes with documentation on how to use AST's wonderful utilities (print spooler, ram disk, cache, etc.) but ZERO on how to install/configure the device. It DID however come with a 900 number to telephone ("Do it yourselfers, get help from our telephone support number, call 1-900-xxx-xxxx"). WHAT! You mean they charge $500+ for this stupid memory card and don't even give me documentation - but want to soak me for another $2/minute on a "900" number (which incidently, I couldn't call... I told the phone company to put a "block" on 900 numbers because I KNEW I'd never need to phone one). Ok - I'm fairly competent - I've been working with machines for a good 10 years. PC's for 8 years. I'm certain I can figure this out without their help. After all, this IS an IBM machine - all I have to do is insert the board, them system test will detect the hardware change and instruct me to insert the "Reference Diskette" (contains the system config utility) and _automatically_ reconfig my machine -- because IBM products don't have dip switches - they're intellegent! How hard can it be? Right?! The machine no longer works, and I can't figure it out. It can't even do a memory check - nothing, nada, zilch, zip! Well thanks to AST, they sort of failed to indicate that their board can't be installed in an MCA machine unless you "patch" the system config program (they have a .BAT file which renames IBM's utility and replaces it with one of their own - which appears to run the IBM utility later). I only figured this out after carefully studying the contents of every file on the utility disk that AST sends with the product - and realized that one particular file, a ".bat" file attempts to rename a file that isn't on the disk, but IS located on the original IBM disk. I do manage to figure this out and it even works - hurray - I'm the proud owner of 2.5Mb worth of additional memory - Even windows 3.0 is happy! But the thrill only lasts 1.5 days because the board failed. After running tons of diagnostics, I finally pin this on the memory board. I remove the card, but now my machine realizes the system config has changed and demands that I insert the reference disk so it can run the system config utility. The utility runs - seemingly smooth, but to no avail because every time I try to reboot it insists the system is not properly configed. There seems to be no way around this hopeless situation... boot machine, get error message, insert disk, run auto-config, reboot machine, get error message, ...<sigh>. Then I realize - those idiots made me replace my config program. I nearly forgot about that - I thought my machine was hopelessly broken. The only problem was that my backup of the original reference disk was 2500 miles away (I'm traveling on business) - so much for backups. And if the machine wouldn't let me boot, how could I erase AST's version and rename the original back to it's rightful name?? Persistence eventually paid off - I discovered (this is useful) that if you keep pressing F1 on an IBM but DON'T insert the reference disk, then after about 3 tries to read the disk the machine will give up and just run "cassette basic" - not inherently useful, except that from cassette basic I can do a 3 finger reboot which will bypass the memory/config check and run DOS _assuming_ that the machine is fine. This is what ultimately allowed me to rename the system config utility. After a new cold-boot and running the real IBM version of the config utility, all was well again. I used to think highly of AST - now I'm rather suspicious... what I find wrong: 1) No documentation provided with the product. 2) Failure to adhere to standards - they want to run their own version of the config program instead of running the one that seems to be good enough for every other board manufacturer. 3) Faulty software (their replacement of IBM's system config utility.) It only worked properly if their board was installed. It should not have kept my entire machine from running just because their memory board (which was not needed) was not installed. 4) Quality control - since this board didn't last 2 days, I suspect they probably don't do any rigorous testing of the product other than a quick check. (actually it was turned off for most of that time - I'd have to say it failed within 3 hours of actual use) 5) A 900 support number? Come on guys - If you can't afford to pay for the phone call, fine, I'll call a toll (non-800) number. But a 900 number is going a bit too far. I'm not willing to do business with a company that can't afford to staff a product support line. If you want my business, then ACT like it. Anybody got any recommendations on a reasonably priced memory board for an IBM PS/2 Mod 60. Prerequisite: Board must work! <sigh> -Tim P.S. If anyone from AST is reading this, I hope your thoroughly embarrassed. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- In real life: Tim Campbell - Electronic Data Systems Corp. Usenet: campbell@dev8.mdcbbs.com @ McDonnell Douglas M&E - Cypress, CA also: tcampbel@einstein.eds.com @ EDS - Troy, MI CompuServe: 71631,654 (alias 71631.654@compuserve.com) P.S. If anyone asks, just remember, you never saw any of this.