X-Envelope-to: WIN3-L@UICVM.BITNET
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Newsgroups: bit.listserv.win3-l
Date:         Tue, 28 Jul 1992 15:08:00 CDT
From:         "Wile E. Coyote" <BBHULSEY@UAMS.BITNET>
Subject:      Re: Problem with Windows and Novell

Greetings!

Vance Gloster writes:

>We bought a group of new 486 machines with modern video cards and are
>now having problems running Windows in super VGA modes when Novell is
>installed.  The odd thing is that it does not seem to depend on the
>hardware.
>
>We have both IsoLAN and Western Digital Ethernet cards, and
>both Stealth VRAM and Video7 video cards, and two different
>motherboard manufacturers.  Using any combination of the above
>hardware, when you run Windows in 1024x768 or 1280x960 modes the
>signal is scrambled if previously the Novell software was installed.
>If you start Windows with Novell not installed, everything is fine.
>If you start Windows with Novell installed but with Windows using the
>standard VGA driver, everything is fine.
>
>We are using the latest version of Novell client software, and have
>tried both IPX and ODS drivers.  We have tried both the Diamond
>Stealth video drivers and the Microsoft S3 drivers on the Stealth
>(both Windows 3.1 versions).  We are using NEC 5FG monitors.  We are
>running DOS 5, and have tried commenting out the DOS HIGH line.  We
>have also tried excluding A000-EFFF in the SYSTEM.INI.
>
>This is a tough one, and we would be eternally grateful for any advise
>you could provide.  Thanks!

One thing you might try on the Stealth is to pull it out of your PC and jump
up and down on it a few times.  The crunching sounds will almost undoubtedly
make you feel better.  Don't forget to wear shoes.

As this is probably not acceptable, you might want to try noodling around with
the switch settings on the Stealth.  You may want to try disabling the
Stealth's alternate timing and Turbo BIOS access and see if that makes any
difference.

Also, Diamond has recently come out with version 1.1 of their Windows drivers
and from what their tech support people have told me, the 1024x768 drivers got
the most attention from the bug-fixers.  As usual, none of them had the
remotest clue as to what was actually fixed, so whether or not your particular
problem is addressed, I don't know.  If you don't have the 1.1 drivers,
though, you should get them.  They're available via ftp, but I don't remember
the details.  Write me if you need this information, and I'll hunt it down for
you.  Or try their BBS (don't forget the password you set up for
yourself...you'll never get back in!)

I use the Diamond Stealth VRAM myself, and I personally am happy with it
_most_ of the time.  However, any little glitch I encounter in any of my
Windows software generally turns out to be the fault of the Stealth's drivers.
While these glitches are usually only weird and frustrating rather than
debilitating as in your case, often there _is_no_cure_.  Like you discovered,
running the standard Win3.1 VGA driver usually fixes things but also defeats
the purpose(s) of having the board in the first place, i.e., speed and/or high
resolution.

Please write if I can be of more assistance, or if you haven't met your
recommended daily allowance of cynical sarcasm regarding Diamond Computer
Systems Inc.  Best of luck!

.......
:  o/ : Bruce Hulsey
: <|  : Univ. of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
: / > : internet: bbhulsey@life.uams.edu
:.....: bitnet:   bbhulsey@uams
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