HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: S_JUFFA@iravcl.ira.uka.de (|S| Norbert Juffa)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: Chipsets: OPTI or SIS ? Which would you prefer ?
Date: 16 Oct 1992 16:01:20 GMT
Organization: University of Karlsruhe (FRG) - Informatik Rechnerabt.
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: irav1.ira.uka.de
X-News-Reader: VMS NEWS 1.23

In <1992Oct16.015524.28694@nwnexus.WA.COM> wjones@halcyon.com writes:

> In article <chans.717958404@marsh> chans@cs.curtin.edu.au (Sean Chan) writes:
> 
> > Definitely OPTi!! I was told to stay away from UMC and SIS. So far, OPTi
> > comes first, next comes ETEQ.
> > 
> > Sean
> 
> I've been running 386BSD for a couple weeks now with a no-name ISA 486/33
> motherboard using the SIS chipset, and have had no problems.
> Generally I'm quite pleased.  This is just one data point,
> and I would be very glad to hear of problems anyone
> else may have had while my system is still under warranty.
> 
> ( I would have preferred a write back cache, but it appears the SIS
> cache is write-through, though the documentation is unclear.
> Does anyone know for sure?  All the systems I could find with write
> back caches are considerably more expensive.)
> 
> Just one caution:  I experimented with a shareware DOS memory manager
> called "The Last Byte" (available on Simtel or its mirrors in
> msdos/sysutl).  This looks like a very professional piece of software,
> and it supports a _very_ wide variety of chip sets.  (I believe it's
> table driven).  However, the SIS chipset is one of the few unsupported
> exceptions.  The reason given is that memory management with this chipset
> is too complex and hard to program, and while the software is designed
> to be flexible, "there are limits".
> 
> Comments anyone?
> 
> -- 
> Warren Jones
> <wjones@halcyon.com>

From my experience, boards based on the SIS chip set are usually faster than
those based on OPTI, although OPTI seems to be the only chip set that offers
a write/back CPU cache. I have heard that the Forex chip set for 486 based
systems is also very fast, but I have yet to see a board that uses it. The
Forex chip set for the 386 is on the motherboard of my machine, and it is the
fastest chip set I have seen for 386 systems so far. It also came out as the
fastest 386 chip set in a review of the German computer magazine c't. So it 
might well be possible that their new 486 chip set is also very fast. BTW, the
latest issue of c't has a review of four chip sets for the 486, including OPTI
and SIS. The SIS chip set came out ahead of the OPTI in most (or even all)
their tests. This supports what I have found out about the two myself. The
fastest chip in the above mentioned article was a yet to be released chip set
from C&T. With regard to compatibility issues, I haven't heard of or experienced
any problems with either the SIS or the OPTI chip set.

Norbert
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Norbert Juffa          email: S_JUFFA@IRAVCL.IRA.UKA.DE      Live and let live!
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: des@inmos.co.uk (David Shepherd)
Subject: Re: Chipsets: OPTI or SIS ? Which would you prefer ?
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 92 09:59:50 BST

Alok Dhir (adhir@cygnus.umd.edu) wrote:
: In article <chans.717958404@marsh> chans@cs.curtin.edu.au (Sean Chan) writes:
: >>> Definitely OPTi!! I was told to stay away from UMC and SIS. So far, OPTi
: >>> comes first, next comes ETEQ.
: I have been using OS/2 v2.0 on my SiS chipset 486/50 eisa for about 4 months
: now with zero problems.  I really like this chipset.  Are there any REAL
: reasons to stay away from it other than "your friend"?

i've just upgraded to a 486 motherboard and thought i was getting one
with an OPTI chipset ... but the booklet which came with the board
makes no mention of OPTi but does talk about an ALI chip - though
perhaps ALI is an acronym for the chip rather than its manufacturer?

anyone know if i should be complaining???

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
david shepherd: des@inmos.co.uk or des@inmos.com    tel: 0454-616616 x 625
                inmos ltd, 1000 aztec west, almondsbury, bristol, bs12 4sq
                1992: celebrate the quincentenary of columbus getting lost
From: carl@crazyman.med.ge.com (Carl Crawford)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: setting registers in 6845 video driver
Date: 16 Oct 92 17:30:06 GMT
Article-I.D.: mr.1992Oct16.173006.13605
Reply-To: carl@crazyman.med.ge.com (Carl Crawford)
Organization: GE Medical Systems, Milwaukee,  WI

i am trying to set the registers in the 6845 video controller on a
monochrome adapter card so that i can use a nec multisync monitor. does
anyone have the specific settings for this combination? does anyone
know the definitions of the registers (i.e. what they control and what
are valid parameters? finally, does anyone have s/w to set the
registers?  thanks.
--
Carl R. Crawford	   Voice: 414-521-6572
GE Medical Systems	   Fax: 414-521-6575
P.O. Box 414, W-875	   Internet: crawfordc@med.ge.com
Milwaukee, WI 53201	   
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: jre@zeos.com (Jim Erickson)
Subject: Re: QUERY:is local bus/vesa killing EISA?
Organization: Zeos International, Ltd
Date: Thu, 08 Oct 1992 13:28:56 GMT

In article <CARL.92Oct7114003@atlantis.Cayman.COM> carl@Cayman.COM (Carl Heinzl) writes:
[stuff deleted]
>Here's a real monkey wrench.  Many of the local bus implementations
>currently available are *proprietary* implementations and do not
>strictly adhere to any hw spec (i.e. VESA).
>
>The VESA local bus standard was just recently completed.  There were
>preliminary versions that many hardware vendors designed to (which,
>other than those who *admit* their local bus is proprietary, is
>probably most of the boards available today).  I would be *very*
>
>like the EISA spec).  Perhaps someone on the net can tell us the exact
>*date* that is on the (final, approved) local bus spec!!!  Then,
>consumers can judge for themselves if they believe that hardware could
>have been designed, tested, and manufactured since the spec was
>adopted.
>
>-Carl-

   Proposal Released to VESA general membership for vote: July 27, 1992
   Initial Release of VL-Bus 1.0 Standard:  August 28, 1992

---JRE---


-- 
Jim Erickson             ZZZZ EEEE  OO   SSSS   ZEOS International, Ltd.  
support@zeos.com   INET     Z E    O  O S       Technical Support Dept.
uunet!zeos!support UUCP    Z  EE   O  O  SSS    530 5th Ave N.W.
800-228-5390      VOICE   Z   E    O  O     S   St. Paul, MN 55112
612-633-7337             ZZZZ EEEE  OO  SSSS    FAX         612-633-4607
From: tomd@rb-csd.SanDiego.NCR.COM
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Tape back-up device
Date: 14 Oct 92 20:48:23 GMT
Reply-To: tomd@rb-csd.SanDiego.NCR.COM ()
Organization: NCR Corporation, Rancho Bernardo


Greetings all,

Does anyone know of a good internal tape back-up system for a 
micro channel PC (386sx/MC20 & 486sx/MC33).  I am looking for
one in the 250MB range and also has a 3.5" floppy footprint.
Please e-mail me at the address above if you have any
recommendations.  Thanks in advance.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: No VL-BUS for 486/50 Mhz?
From: Spartacus At CunyVM <I18BC@CUNYVM.BITNET>
Date: Saturday, 10 Oct 1992 14:16:14 EDT
Organization: City University of New York/ University Computer Center


Speaking of Local bus, the October 27 issue of PC Magazine has a
whole section devoted to different implementations of local buses.

Page 137 (Vol 11, No 18), "Local - Bus Technology; Video Takes A New Route"

Intel's PCI is also mentioned.

-------
------------------------------+      All The Best,
Reply To:                     |
                              |      Edward Galarza,
     I18BC@CunyVM.Cuny.Edu    |      Brooklyn College Of The
     I18BC@CunyVM.BitNet      |      City University Of New York
------------------------------+      "Que viva el OS/2!"
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,biz.zeos.general
From: tsmith@alliant.backbone.uoknor.edu (Travis Smith)
Subject: Re: Comment about Oxy.
Originator: news@essex.ecn.uoknor.edu
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1992 17:04:39 GMT
Organization: University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK

In article <92252@netnews.upenn.edu> vo@be.seas.upenn.edu (Al Bundy) writes:

>2) Never listen to any slimy reps when they say your system will be shipped in
>   2 weeks or less.  If you are thinking about buying Oxy machines, then you 
>   should make your plan at least 1 month ahead.   I've ordered the Young Turk
>   about a month ago, and I have not received it yet.
>
>Al Bundy.

I ordered mine three weeks ago and was given an estimated shipping date of
Oct. 2.  When this didn't pan out I called them and customer service said
"It's in production right now and should be shipped in the next day or so.
We'll call you when it ships."  OK, I can wait a couple of more days.  No
phone call.  I call them back ---- "I'm sorry sir, it's going to be another
week.  We're really backlogged and there have been some quality control
problems (or something to that effect about quality control).  It'll be
next week at the earliest."  Grrrrrrrrrr.............I'm going to call
them back on the quality control thing, and decide if my order will stay
with them or be cancelled and go to another company (any suggestions on
good 486/33's with cheap prices?)

Travis
smith@nsslsun.nssl.uoknor.edu

Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: Mike Tancsa <mdtancsa@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca>
Subject: Opinions needed on Paradise graphics Accel.
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 04:08:16 GMT

Hello all...

I am considering plunking down $175 on the Paradise Graphics accelerator
and would like any opinions you can offer... ie. is it a good buy for
the $$ or is there something better in it's price range ??  (BTW thats
Canadian $s)

		Thanks...

Mike Tancsa
MDTANCSA@WATSERV1.UWATERLOO.CA
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
From: moncrg@rs6108.ecs.rpi.edu (Gregory Donald Moncreaff)
Subject: PAS-16 vs 3c507, sound card starving network connection?
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 23:28:40 GMT

I'm having this problem that whenever I play audio CD's 
through the Media Visions ProAudio Spectrum 16 internal
CD line in, that my network connection is almost totally
blocked. As soon as I stop, or pause the CD, I can access
network as ususal. Any help figuring this out would be
appreciated.

btw: the soundcard was originally at IRQ 15, the 3com card at 11
I moved the soundcard to IRQ 10, but that didn't seem to change
anything...

Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: faruque@sun.soe.clarkson.edu (Abdullah Faruque)
Subject: Need master/slave jumper info for NEC D3756 IDE hard drive
Organization: Clarkson University
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 22:44:03 GMT

I need the jumper setting (master/slave) info for NEC D3756
100 meg IDE hard drive. I will appreciate very much if someone can
provide me the info or send me the tech. support tel. number of
NEC in U.S.A.

Thanks.

-Faruque               
email: faruque@sun.soe.clarkson.edu
From: frisk@complex.is (Fridrik Skulason)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: STONED virus in partition table
Date: 8 Oct 92 09:06:15 GMT
Organization: Frisk Software International, Iceland

jre@zeos.com (Jim Erickson) writes:

>Since it copies itself to the original location of the partition table it
>must redirect any calls to that table in order for your computer to
>function. This is just a logical assumption so if it is flawed, please
>correct me.

Yes, it is incorrect.  You see, the virus itself is only 1b8H bytes long, so
it does not modify the partition table itself ---> no need to redirect
anything.

On the other hand, if it occupied the entire 200H bytes of the MBR, then you
are right, it would have to intercept the read operations.

-frisk
From: bilimoria@inland.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: HELP - WESTERN DIGITAL HD FDISK PROBLEM
Date: 6 Oct 92 11:03:58 CST
Organization: Inland Steel Company; East Chicago, IN

I have a new Western Digital Piranha 4200 Hard Disk (200 MB approx.)
The drive parameters on the label say "987 cylinders, 12 heads and 35 sectors
per track".  I have tried these parameters and some others as well, but am
unable to do an FDISK on it.  When I try to create a primary DOS partition
(using Ms-DOS 5.0), the screen gets stuck and never comes back with the
partition size.  After several minutes, it comes back with something like
"No room left for partition".  Has anyone encountered this problem? If so,
any suggestions?  Is the drive bad, or do I need to do somrhing different?
I can FDISK other disks on the same PC (ALR 386 Business VEISA), so I think
my hardware and DOS are OK.
P.S.  Western Digital Tech Support suggested 988 for pre-comp. but that didn,t
work either.
From: Mike@tron.gun.de (Michael Gerhards)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: Help with WD jumper
Organization: TRON Public Mailbox, Neurath, Germany
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 92 16:08:00 +0100

Reply to "Help with WD jumper"
from CS260156%UCS.USL.EDU@USENET.ZER

Hello,

>    Can anyone help me? I'm look for a jumper setting for a
>    Western Digital hard drive model WD93044-A, if it have
>    jumpers. Cause I don't see any on the drive.

if you look at the slot for the controling cable, you find three jumpers at
the right side.

+-------+ +---+---+---+
| cable | | 1 | 2 | 3 |
+-------+ +---+---+---+

1: drive is master , other is slave
2: drive is slave  , other is master
3: the other drive is a conner CP???

if there is no jumper set, the drive is the only one.

c u

Michael
--
 ** Z-Net: MIKE@WANDERER  Internet: mike@tron.gun.de  Fido: 2:242/21.111 **
  ***** Michael Gerhards ; D - 4040 Neuss 01 ; E.-Hoepner-Strasse 41 *****
From: frisk@complex.is (Fridrik Skulason)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: HP VECTRA - Info wanted
Date: 16 Oct 92 14:27:10 GMT
Organization: Frisk Software International, Iceland

jrc@brainiac.mn.org (Jeffrey Comstock) writes:

>A LONG time ago I got my hands on a Vectra and chuckled when it wouldnt
>run quite a few commercial programs.  Now someone I know wants to buy
>a new one.  Are they still incompatible with everything ? 

No - At least for the past 3 years they have been almost 100% compatible
with everything else - there are a few minor quirks - in particular if
you use their own mouse, but if you stick with a Microsoft or Logitech mose
you should not have any problems.

I got one of their first 25MHz 386 machines, and used it as my primary
development machine for several years, until I replaced it with a 486/50.
I recommend their machines, but they are (or at least used to be) quite
expensive.

-frisk
From: newt@infochi.com (Newton K. Fish)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: Help with setting up Partition table in Hard Drive
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 92 23:35:01 CDT
Organization: Infochi System of Chicago

> it works for 2 minutes and then says that there is no room for partition.

Do not low level that drive. The problem is in your bios. I assume that 
you have a bios that you can change when your computer first boots. The 
documentation that comes with the drive should tell you about the  heads 
and cylinders and so forth. Enter correctly then repartition and make 
sure you set only a primary partition. Then format with dos. Your bios 
and dos need to be "introduced" to each other. That's my guess anyway.

******************************************************************************
*    Newton K. Fish          Infochi System of Chicago      newt@infochi.com *
*    Chicago, Illinois      "Information is The Fuel of The Future"          *
******************************************************************************
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: pjh@mccc.edu (Pete Holsberg)
Subject: Re: Did Gateway File For Chapter 11?
Organization: The College On The Other Side Of Route One
Date: Sat, 10 Oct 1992 17:53:25 GMT

In article <1992Oct9.202112.25763@netcom.com> kehcheng@netcom.com (Keh-Cheng Chu) writes:
=pjh@mccc.edu (P. J. Holsberg) writes:
=
=>Subject says it all.
=
=Yes, it did.  This was reported in September's Byte magazine.
=In the same issue you can also read about the following recent
=developments in the computing world:
=
=c. Unix is dead. 

You don't read too well, do you!
From: camerons@NAD.3Com.COM (Cameron Spitzer 408/764-6339)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: PC memory chip timing maths??
Date: 16 Oct 92 23:00:13 GMT


In article 92Oct16004508@lk-hp-1.hut.fi, veikko@snakemail.hut.fi (Vesa J Pyyluoma) writes:
>
>How was it exactly that you calculate the RAM speed requirement for a
>XX MHz 386 for 0/1 WS operation?  Or a 486??

You get the data sheets for the [34]86 and the "chipset" on the board,
add up the delay from clock through the chipset plus the data setup time
to clock at the x86 plus the max transition time for RAS* which you get from a
Spice(tm) model of the board layout... and the time that's left is the Row Access
time allowed.  Round *down* to the next standard speed grade.  Not the answer you
wanted?  %-}  Use the speed called for by your motherboard's manual, or faster.

> Does "wait state" actually refer
>to the clock cycle a 386, say, spends picking its nose _in addition_
>to the time it would have waited anyway?

It's the extra clock period the 386' bus interface unit spends picking
its nose.  The x86 is a pipelined processor so parts of its insides are
probably busy finishing up the last instruction, unless it finished
during the previous wait states.

>What other time gaps besides the ... 60/70/80/etc nanosec "access time"

The time you buy the parts by is the Row Access time.  There is also a
Row Precharge time, during which the DRAM recovers from the previous access
before the next one can begin.  There are also many little delays
in the "chipset" and the wiring itself, which is what I was getting at above.
Digital signals take a finite amount of time to change from one state to
the other, and to travel around, and these transition times *must* be
accounted for if your design is to be reliable in volume production.

Some motherboards select a Row and then do as many Column accesses as they
can get away with before a) the maximum Row Address Strobe Low time expires
or b) it's time to Refresh or c) the processor or DMA presents a different
Row address.  This kind of operation is called Page Mode.  The rate of
Column access is limited by the Column Access time, the minimum Column
Precharge time, the minimum Column Address Strobe Cycle time, and possibly the
Column Address Hold time.

Often fast page mode cycles are used to fill a line of cache (usually 4 cycles
to read 16 bytes).  These cache-fill cycles do not slow down due to wait-states,
but are timed soley off the processor's clock, and they can even be the critical
cycles which limit the motherboard to the RAM speed it requires.

>An enlightening article somewhere, maybe?  I remember reading
>something about this in BYTE years ago...

There's a dreadful piece in the March and April '83 BYTE.  Don't even look at
it!  The author didn't know anything about digital design back then; the design
presented has several errors in it; the author probably still doesn't know
anything :-).  I hope *this* piece gives you a clue or two.

Cameron
*not speaking for 3Com*
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Which is best between 386 and 486SX ?
From: cohen@cmu.unige.ch
Date: 8 Oct 92 15:56:39 +0200
Organization: University of Geneva, Switzerland

I am planning to buy a notebook. I am using a bibliographic
database manager, WinWord 2.0, Excel and Windows 3.1.
Shall I better choose a 386/25 or a 486SX25 based system ?
Thanks for any help.
Emmanuel Cohen-Laroque
University of Geneva
Medical School
Switzerland.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: pprior@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Paul A Prior)
Subject: GW2K User group - My mail bounced!
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1992 14:02:38 GMT

Whoever was talking about a Gateway 2000 list - I had my mail
reply bounce back at me.  I have a dx2-66 VESA system and 
would love to join up!

Sorry about the waste of bandwidth.

-- 
--------pprior@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu----(614) 621-8240----------------
Paul A. Prior    Ban anchors, not reef tanks   "With friends like this,   
3rd year medical student		          who needs anemones?"
The Ohio State U. College of Medicine   Tobacco Kills- Please don't smoke!
From: fevrier@sunburn.ec.usf.edu. (Ian Fevrier (EE))
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: CPU HEATING BILL
Date: 8 Oct 92 16:40:07 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Univ. of South Florida, College of Engineering

In article <1aostaINNner@agate.berkeley.edu> jorourke@ocf.berkeley.edu (Jason O'Rourke) writes:
>However, one does not buy a 486-50 because they want to turn off the
>turbo switch.  There are scores of 40 dollar items out there, the 
>simplest being simply to buy another fan. 
>

I agree with your philosophy on squeezing every ounce of performance out
of a system bought with hard earned money. I am only thinking of 16mhz
for those times when the system is powered up but idle (over lunch etc.)

Also, those cheap Radio Shack fans do work just as well as the $40 option\
alternative if you have a tower case with the space to spare.

Ian
From: ry01@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (ROBERT YUNG)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Powerbook style trakball: WHY NOT ON A PC LAPTOP??
Date: 7 Oct 92 04:16:28 GMT
Organization: Lehigh University

Does Apple have a major patent on the way the trakball is positioned on its
laptop? It's a really awesome idea, but why won't any PC laptop makers do the
same?? I really hate those "clip on's". Also, I love how I can rest my hands
on the powerbook. Do PC-laptop users really like to clip stuff on or do they
really don't want anything to do with Apple? Dell almost did it, but ITS A
CLIP-ON!!! Any ideas? Thanks!
-- 
       /~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ILAN~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\
       \___(Robert) Bobby Yung_______RY01@Lehigh.Edu___/
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: kgermann@zeos.com (Ken Germann)
Subject: Media Vision - Pro Audio Plus FAQ
Organization: Zeos International, Ltd
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 17:56:58 GMT

-- 
Ken Germann              ZZZZ EEEE  OO   SSS    ZEOS International, Ltd.  
support@zeos.com   INET     Z E    O  O S       Technical Support Dept.
uunet!zeos!support UUCP    Z  EE   O  O  SS     530 5th Ave N.W.
800-228-5390      VOICE   Z   E    O  O    S    St. Paul, MN 55112
612-633-7337             ZZZZ EEEE  OO  SSS     FAX         612-633-4607
Organization: University of Illinois at Chicago
Date: Tuesday, 13 Oct 1992 10:22:35 CDT
From: Michael Levine <U58373@uicvm.uic.edu>
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: REPLACEMENT SCREEN: Data General DG1-2T

I am looking for a way to replace a cracked LCD screen for a Data General
DG1 model 2T laptop computer (8088, 3.5" DSDD floppy, 20MB HD).  The screen
itself is labeled as a Hitachi LM675XT, 118-003375.

Doses anyone know where I could find a replacement screen or even a whole new
DG1-2T?

Please send e-mail responses to: u58373@uicvm.cc.uic.edu and I will post a
summary to the net.

Thanks in advance!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Michael Levine                       Internet: u58373@uicvm.cc.uic.edu
  College of Nursing - Micros Support
  University of Illinois at Chicago         Bitnet: u58373@uicvm