a516@mindlink.UUCP (Jordan Melville) (12/08/90)
I recently got a new Quantum 210Meg SCSI drive, and notice that
since I got the drive, the video output has been substantially
slower (to a level where it is visibly noticeable, I can see screen
updates lag behind what they used to). Norton's SI still returns
the same values for processor speed, and the system gets the same
MIPS value. Could the SCSI drive have anything to do with this?
It's running on a Future Domain SCSI controller (model TMC-885),
inside of a 20Mhz 386 machine. I'm using ATI's VGAWonder card. The
drive is partitioned with the software provided with the drive with
two 105Meg separations. I am loading the dmdrvr.bin program that
came with it.
One other thing, should I set the SCSI board to run with 0 wait
state? Why or why not?
Jordan.
--
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jordan C. Melville Voice: (604) 943-7155
Vancouver, BC BBS: (604) 943-3503 (2400baud)
"We want the world and UUCP: {uunet,ubc-cs}!van-bc!rsoft!mindlink!a516
we want it now!" - The Doors a516@mindlink.UUCP
"So what you're saying is a 11 voice adlib is better than a 32-track
MT-32? Sounds logical to me." - Me.a516@mindlink.UUCP (Jordan Melville) (12/09/90)
> > hd7x@vax5.cit.cornell.edu writes: > > Msg-ID: <1990Dec9.050509.1470@vax5.cit.cornell.edu> > Posted: 9 Dec 90 09:05:09 GMT > > Person: Sanjay Aiyagari > > In article <4076@mindlink.UUCP>, a516@mindlink.UUCP (Jordan Melville) writes: > > I recently got a new Quantum 210Meg SCSI drive, and notice that > > since I got the drive, the video output has been substantially > > slower (to a level where it is visibly noticeable, I can see screen > > updates lag behind what they used to). Norton's SI still returns > > [... rest of my original message deleted ...] > > This sounds strange, but one possibility (I'm not sure but it is possible) is > that the new hard disk controller is causing a conflict in the C000/D000 > areas > of memory, causing the VGAWonder to use 8-bit ROM access, rather than 16. If > you are using video RAM shadowing, then this is not the problem; if you are > not, then try using video RAM shadowing. This will copy the ROM into RAM and > will ensure it is being accessed 16 bits at a time. > Sanjay Aiyagari (hd7x@vax5.cit.cornell.edu) The card comes shipped with its address range set at CA00:000-CA00:1FFF, with it settable to use C800:0000-C800:1FFF, CE00:000-CE00-1FFF, or DE00:0000-DE00:1FFF. Would that be the problem? Which would be the best to switch to to fix the problem? Jordan. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Jordan C. Melville Voice: (604) 943-7155 Vancouver, BC BBS: (604) 943-3503 (2400baud) "We want the world and UUCP: {uunet,ubc-cs}!van-bc!rsoft!mindlink!a516 we want it now!" - The Doors a516@mindlink.UUCP "So what you're saying is a 11 voice adlib is better than a 32-track MT-32? Sounds logical to me." - Me.
a516@mindlink.UUCP (Jordan Melville) (12/09/90)
> > mussar@bcars53.uucp writes: > In article <1990Dec9.050509.1470@vax5.cit.cornell.edu> > hd7x@vax5.cit.cornell.edu (Sanjay Aiyagari) writes: > > > >This sounds strange, but one possibility (I'm not sure but it is possible) > is > >that the new hard disk controller is causing a conflict in the C000/D000 > areas > >of memory, causing the VGAWonder to use 8-bit ROM access, rather than 16. > If > >you are using video RAM shadowing, then this is not the problem; if you are > >not, then try using video RAM shadowing. This will copy the ROM into RAM > and > >will ensure it is being accessed 16 bits at a time. > >Sanjay Aiyagari (hd7x@vax5.cit.cornell.edu) > > You can't shadow the video RAM only the video ROM. (What good would it do for > you to be reading/writing the shadow RAM when the video controller was still > displaying the card's RAM?). But, the 8/16 bit access to video RAM can be > a problem. If the system detects ANY 8 bit card in the same 128K address > range > as the video card, all access to the video RAM will be 8 bit (we've measured > more than 2x decrease in performance). Is there a program/method that I can use to check if my card it using 8 or 16 bit addressing? All I can get the ATI software to tell me is that the power-on configuration is set for 16 bits. Also, how could the SCSI card set it down to 8 bits? It's a 16 bit card also. Jordan. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Jordan C. Melville Voice: (604) 943-7155 Vancouver, BC BBS: (604) 943-3503 (2400baud) "We want the world and UUCP: {uunet,ubc-cs}!van-bc!rsoft!mindlink!a516 we want it now!" - The Doors a516@mindlink.UUCP "So what you're saying is a 11 voice adlib is better than a 32-track MT-32? Sounds logical to me." - Me.
hd7x@vax5.cit.cornell.edu (Sanjay Aiyagari) (12/09/90)
In article <4076@mindlink.UUCP>, a516@mindlink.UUCP (Jordan Melville) writes: > I recently got a new Quantum 210Meg SCSI drive, and notice that > since I got the drive, the video output has been substantially > slower (to a level where it is visibly noticeable, I can see screen > updates lag behind what they used to). Norton's SI still returns > the same values for processor speed, and the system gets the same > MIPS value. Could the SCSI drive have anything to do with this? > It's running on a Future Domain SCSI controller (model TMC-885), > inside of a 20Mhz 386 machine. I'm using ATI's VGAWonder card. The > drive is partitioned with the software provided with the drive with > two 105Meg separations. I am loading the dmdrvr.bin program that > came with it. This sounds strange, but one possibility (I'm not sure but it is possible) is that the new hard disk controller is causing a conflict in the C000/D000 areas of memory, causing the VGAWonder to use 8-bit ROM access, rather than 16. If you are using video RAM shadowing, then this is not the problem; if you are not, then try using video RAM shadowing. This will copy the ROM into RAM and will ensure it is being accessed 16 bits at a time. Sanjay Aiyagari (hd7x@vax5.cit.cornell.edu)
mussar@bcars53.uucp (G. Mussar) (12/10/90)
In article <1990Dec9.050509.1470@vax5.cit.cornell.edu> hd7x@vax5.cit.cornell.edu (Sanjay Aiyagari) writes: >In article <4076@mindlink.UUCP>, a516@mindlink.UUCP (Jordan Melville) writes: >> I recently got a new Quantum 210Meg SCSI drive, and notice that >> since I got the drive, the video output has been substantially >> slower (to a level where it is visibly noticeable, I can see screen >> updates lag behind what they used to). Norton's SI still returns >> the same values for processor speed, and the system gets the same >> MIPS value. Could the SCSI drive have anything to do with this? >> It's running on a Future Domain SCSI controller (model TMC-885), >> inside of a 20Mhz 386 machine. I'm using ATI's VGAWonder card. The >> drive is partitioned with the software provided with the drive with >> two 105Meg separations. I am loading the dmdrvr.bin program that >> came with it. > >This sounds strange, but one possibility (I'm not sure but it is possible) is >that the new hard disk controller is causing a conflict in the C000/D000 areas >of memory, causing the VGAWonder to use 8-bit ROM access, rather than 16. If >you are using video RAM shadowing, then this is not the problem; if you are >not, then try using video RAM shadowing. This will copy the ROM into RAM and >will ensure it is being accessed 16 bits at a time. >Sanjay Aiyagari (hd7x@vax5.cit.cornell.edu) You can't shadow the video RAM only the video ROM. (What good would it do for you to be reading/writing the shadow RAM when the video controller was still displaying the card's RAM?). But, the 8/16 bit access to video RAM can be a problem. If the system detects ANY 8 bit card in the same 128K address range as the video card, all access to the video RAM will be 8 bit (we've measured more than 2x decrease in performance). -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gary Mussar |Bitnet: mussar@bnr.ca | Phone: (613) 763-4937 BNR Ltd. | UUCP: ..uunet!bnrgate!bcars53!mussar | FAX: (613) 763-2626
mussar@bcars53.uucp (G. Mussar) (12/10/90)
In article <4085@mindlink.UUCP> a516@mindlink.UUCP (Jordan Melville) writes: >Is there a program/method that I can use to check if my card it using 8 or 16 >bit addressing? All I can get the ATI software to tell me is that the power-on >configuration is set for 16 bits. Also, how could the SCSI card set it down to >8 bits? It's a 16 bit card also. I don't know how you can tell other than measure the difference in video speed. You say that the SCSI is 16 bits. Does that include 2 8 bit ROMs or just one. That might be all that it takes. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gary Mussar |Bitnet: mussar@bnr.ca | Phone: (613) 763-4937 BNR Ltd. | UUCP: ..uunet!bnrgate!bcars53!mussar | FAX: (613) 763-2626
rcollins@altos86.Altos.COM (Robert Collins) (12/11/90)
In article <1990Dec9.195558.16216@bigsur.uucp> mussar@bcars53.uucp (G. Mussar) writes: >You can't shadow the video RAM only the video ROM. (What good would it do for Wrong! There are numerouse chipsets that allow you to shadow video RAM (A0000-BFFFF). -- "Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only." Mat. 4:10 Robert Collins UUCP: ...!sun!altos86!rcollins HOME: (408) 225-8002 WORK: (408) 432-6200 x4356
mussar@bcars53.uucp (G. Mussar) (12/11/90)
In article <4477@altos86.Altos.COM> rcollins@altos86.UUCP (Robert Collins) writes: >In article <1990Dec9.195558.16216@bigsur.uucp> mussar@bcars53.uucp (G. Mussar) writes: >>You can't shadow the video RAM only the video ROM. (What good would it do for > >Wrong! > >There are numerouse chipsets that allow you to shadow video RAM (A0000-BFFFF). > Gee, what a neat trick. The video card must be a bus master and be able to fetch its data every refresh from the shadow RAM... The fact that the address space can be shadowed doesn't mean that the system will actually do what you want. Perhaps you can tell me why it works for your video system but not for the people who have tried it on ethernet cards, token ring cards, cards with memory for the disk controller... I guess we just aren't smart enough to find the trick. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gary Mussar |Bitnet: mussar@bnr.ca | Phone: (613) 763-4937 BNR Ltd. | UUCP: ..uunet!bnrgate!bcars53!mussar | FAX: (613) 763-2626
phil@brahms.amd.com (Phil Ngai) (12/11/90)
In article <4477@altos86.Altos.COM> rcollins@altos86.UUCP (Robert Collins) writes: |In article <1990Dec9.195558.16216@bigsur.uucp> mussar@bcars53.uucp (G. Mussar) writes: |>You can't shadow the video RAM only the video ROM. (What good would it do for | |Wrong! | |There are numerouse chipsets that allow you to shadow video RAM (A0000-BFFFF). BUT WHAT'S THE POINT? -- There is no right more fundamental than self-defense.
ben@val.com (Ben Thornton) (12/14/90)
phil@brahms.amd.com (Phil Ngai) writes: >In article <4477@altos86.Altos.COM> rcollins@altos86.UUCP (Robert Collins) writes: >|In article <1990Dec9.195558.16216@bigsur.uucp> mussar@bcars53.uucp (G. Mussar) writes: >|>You can't shadow the video RAM only the video ROM. (What good would it do for >| >|Wrong! >| >|There are numerouse chipsets that allow you to shadow video RAM (A0000-BFFFF). >BUT WHAT'S THE POINT? The point is that most SUPER VGA's use this technique to extend the display memory size to accomodate the hi-res modes without expanding the address space seen by the CPU. End of Discussion. Ben -- Ben Thornton packet: WD5HLS @ KB5PM Video Associates Internet: ben@val.com Austin, TX uucp: ...!cs.utexas.edu!val!ben Did Schrodinger exist? ...or was that in another universe?