[comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware] 386SX's hang if coprocessor installed

rcdswal@dutrun.UUCP (Guus van der Wal) (03/26/91)

Hi, anybody out there on the net who can shine his/her light on this ???
It happens on Tulip and Laser computers in our university.
The problem was reported by people who are not on the net, the description
of the problem is theirs.
.
.


There seem to be quite a number of 80386sx machines equiped with
an Intel 80387sx mathematical co-processor  that show an unusual
behaviour: these systems crash under specific circumstances that
don't cause  crashes on other computers.  The problem is related
to the 386sx motherboard, not to the 387sx.

This program tests your system. Be warned, especially when using
a multitasker, that a cold boot might be necessary after running
the program.  Use it at your own risk. 


Output of the program:

- System responds as expected. Problem not found.

    The bug was not found.


- System crashed! Hardware bug found...

    A cold boot is needed to revive the system.


- Numeric co-processor required:

    A co-processor is needed to detect the hardware bug.


- 80387 co-processor not detected:

    A 8087 or 80287 co-processor was found.

------ start of Turbo Pascal Program ---------------------

{$A-,B-,D-,E-,F+,I-,L-,N+,O-,R-,S-,V-}
{$M 1024,0,0}

VAR
  x: Extended;

PROCEDURE CheckError;
BEGIN
  IF ExitCode=205 THEN BEGIN
    Writeln(#13'System responds as expected. Problem not found.');
    ErrorAddr:=nil;
    ExitCode:=0
  END
END;

BEGIN
  WriteLn;
  WriteLn('There seem to be quite a number of 80386sx machines equiped with');
  WriteLn('an Intel 80387sx mathematical co-processor  that show an unusual');
  WriteLn('behaviour: these systems crash under specific circumstances that');
  WriteLn('don''t cause crashes on other computers.');
  WriteLn;
  WriteLn('This program tests your system. Be warned, especially when using');
  WriteLn('a multitasker, that a cold boot might be necessary after running');
  WriteLn('the program. Use it at your own risk.');
  WriteLn;
  Write('<Enter> to continue, <Ctrl-C> to stop...');
  ReadLn;
  WriteLn;
  IF Test8087<>3 THEN WriteLn('80387 co-processor not detected.')
  ELSE BEGIN
    ExitProc:=@CheckError;
    Write('System crashed! Hardware bug found...');
    x:=Exp(11357)
  END
END.
-- 
Guus van der Wal
Computing Centre Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands
USEnet: rcdswal@dutrun.tudelft.nl
BITnet: rcdswal@hdetud1.bitnet

davidsen@sixhub.UUCP (Wm E. Davidsen Jr) (03/31/91)

Could someone compile that and email it to me for the 386 user's mailing
list? I don't have the compiler required.
-- 
bill davidsen - davidsen@sixhub.uucp (uunet!crdgw1!sixhub!davidsen)
    sysop *IX BBS and Public Access UNIX
    moderator of comp.binaries.ibm.pc and 80386 mailing list
"Stupidity, like virtue, is its own reward" -me