HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: furballs@sequent.com (Paul Penrod)
Subject: Re: Making a double density 3.5 into a high density
Organization: Sequent Computer Systems Inc.
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 92 00:16:58 GMT

In article <BrnIBM.33D@news.cso.uiuc.edu> berger@atropa (Mike Berger) writes:
>furballs@sequent.com (Paul Penrod) writes:
>>Well, you do play a game with formatting low density as high.
>>Unless the media was specifically designed to be low density, a lot
>>of manufacturers will use  batches of media that fail the high density QA
>>as low density. This does not mean it's inferior, it just means
>>that particular batch of magnetic media can not reliably store the
>>requested bit density for long periods of time without failure.
>
>>As an example, when magnetic tape is manufactured, it is tested for
>>various bit densities and graded. The highest grades make computer
>>tape, the next grade is video tape, and the lower grades are audio
>>tape. Very little media is ever disposed of because it can have a
>>useful life storing less bit density demanding information than
>>what it was originally intended for.
>*----
>I agree in spirit, but your description of tape selection reads
>like an urban legend.  I think the fact that failed double-sided
>media of the same density used to be sold as single-sided has led
>to the impression that all magnetic media are the same.
>
>High density and double density disks use oxide with a different
>coercivity (the strength of the signal required to leave a lasting
>impression is different).  Particle sizes are matched to the gap
>in the head.  Lubricants are different.  Tape suited for one 
>purpose isn't necessarily suited for another, albeit less
>critical job.
>
>In the case of DD vs. HD diskettes, the HD diskette has a higher
>coercivity oxide.  The lower recording levels of the DD head
>don't meet the specs for the signal required to make a lasting
>change.  So it might work.  But it's not reliable.
>--

You are correct that the formulation is different for each grade of
tape, based upon coercivity and the special properties of each
formulation to trap and hold the information required. It does read
a little bit like an urban legend, but in fact it does happen quite
a bit in tape manufacturing; especially among audio and video tape.
Formulation among tape is never criss-crossed in packagaing, in
other words, don't expect to see CrO2 tape packaged with tyhe low
end FeO2 stuff, but the batch of that formulation may have been
intended for a higher density application and did not survive the
rigors of QA for that grade and therefore can be applied to a less
demanding application. I have not noticed as much of it in the
computer applications because of the serious demands made upon the
media to support the bit densities required.


-- 
--------------------------------------------------------------------
            Bureaucracy: noun, plural - Bureaucracies.
         The process of turning energy into solid waste.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: bp112@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Steven C. Lin)
Subject: Re: 14.4 modems  (and more)
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, (USA)
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 92 02:18:43 GMT


> 
> Does anyone have experience with the Cardinal 14.4 modem ?
> 
No, but I have been using a Cardinal 2400 modem for about half
a year now... It has worked fine except for one thing, which may
not be the fault of the modem; When I tried using Telemate 3.01,
a shareware terminal program, strange things happened.  Almost
every time I tried it the system would either a) Hang, or b)
Reboot, neither of which was too great... TO this day I have
no idea if the problem was in the software, modem, or what, but
the Cardinal has worked flawlessly with all other software I
have used, including some self-written stuff.

Xref: sparky comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware:20169 comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc:10784
From: wbarnes@sura.net (Bill Barnes)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: How do you replace a motherboard?
Date: 23 Jul 92 19:25:30 GMT
Organization: SURAnet, College Park, MD, USA, NA, Earth, Milky Way

[Let's try a different approach to this problem, since my last attempt
got me zip...]

A friend of mine owns a 286-12 and wants to upgrade to a 486.  One option
he's considering is replacing the motherboard so he can still use all
his old hardware (HD, floppy, monitor - everything but the memory).

So the question is, how does we replace it?  Does anyone have suggestions,
tips, advice, whatever on where - and what - to look for a new motherboard,
how to swap boards and equipment, etc.?  Any magazine articles or books
on the subject out there?  Any big pitfalls we should be aware of?
If we take this option, we're hoping it'll be fairly straight-forward:
take out the old motherboard, screw in the new one, pop the cards back
in, and - Voila! - you're ready to go.  Somehow, though, I suspect it will
be more difficult than that...

As always, many thanks in advance for any advice given.  E-mail would
be appreciated; I'll summarize if there's interest.
-- 
Bill "Whassamatter?!  Can't you take a joke?!" Barnes   wbarnes@sura.net
Disclaimer:  The author apologizes for any thought-provoking material he may
	     have accidentally included and promises not to do it again.
Datclaimer:  My employers wouldn't WANT to share some of my opinions.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: hubcap@hubcap.clemson.edu (System Janitor)
Subject: please read, need weird hardware...
Organization: Clemson University
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 15:07:16 GMT

Hello all:

I need to find a hard drive (100 meg would be great, anything would do)
for an ``IBM Personal Typing System''.

The documentation mentions it as an option, so I know it must be
possible. The documentation also mentions DOS 3.X, so that should help
date this thing.

On the front it sez: 

  Type 6901

and

IBM Personal Typing System

and when it boots it is apparent that it has about 640k of memory.

I can't find anyone who can sell me a hard drive for it. Can any of you help 
me?

Please respond via email.

Thanks...

-Mike
From: ak@ananke.stgt.sub.org (Andreas Kaiser)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Samsung 17" and CTX 17" monitors, which one?(if either) 
Distribution: world
Date: Sun, 26 Jul 92 22:09:00 GMT
Organization: ananke


In article <BrwGB9.456@news.cso.uiuc.edu> tamu@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu writes:

  > I was wondering if anyone has any comments about the Samsung 17" monitor
  > or the CTX 17"(1760 model I think) monitor.  It seems that you can get them
  > for under $900.00.

Some days ago I had the chance to compare 3 different 17" monitors at
the same machine using the same resolution of 1280x1024 (RS/6000 under
X11, BNC cable):

    IBM 6091 17" (not a multiscan), Trinitron tube
    EIZO/NANAO F550, no Trinitron tube
    Samsung 17" - I don't know the model name

The IBM made the best impression, closely followed by the F550 (the
Trinitron tube is known to have a better contrast, but it's also more
expensive). The Samsung did not even come close. The small characters
which were sharp and clearly readable with both IBM and EIZO were much
worse on the Samsung.

At 1024x768 interlaced (IBM XGA with EIZO and Samsung) it was the same
effect.

From that test with a single Samsung I cannot recommend it. Ok, if it
were half the pice of EIZO it might be ok at home, but it wasn't much
cheaper than EIZO (10-15%), so no chance.

:::::::::::::::::::: subnet:  ak@ananke.stgt.sub.org
:: Andreas Kaiser :: fidonet: 2:241/7220.9
::::::::::::::::::::
From: davei@comp.lancs.ac.uk (Mr D Ingles)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: laptop PC's
Date: 28 Jul 92 17:02:20 GMT
Organization: Department of Computing at Lancaster University, UK.

What laptop's are there around that can be used stand alone yet when
used back at home can be connected to an expansion box which will allow
one to use normal PC cards ?

I know that several (if not more) laptops that will allow connection to
external keyboards / monitors / one pc card (via a special adapter) but none
that do more than that.

What I would ideally like is to have a laptop which when required can be
coupled up to external SCSI disks, tape drive, sound card, monitor,
keyboard, and be used like a desktop PC. 

Davei
Xref: sparky comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware:20607 comp.periphs:1042
From: faklis@joker.optics.rochester.edu (Dean Faklis)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,comp.periphs
Subject: Can I get hardware for high speed data transfer out of a PC?
Date: 29 Jul 92 18:01:44 GMT
Reply-To: faklis@joker.optics.rochester.edu (Dean Faklis)
Distribution: na
Organization: The Institute of Optics, University of Rochester

I am interested in developing a means to write out patterns using a PC. The data
stream is sent to a modulator in a printing device.  These patterns are
essentially very large bit maps, taken either from storage or computed on the
fly by a DSP board inside the PC.
	The available D/A converters for PCUs all seem to run slowly. (200 Khz
 max, typically). The modulator and the DSP chip can go at much higher 
speeds, hence it is the means of output that is presently limiting the 
overall speed. 

	Does anybody know of a way to write out these patterns using
 commercially available off the shelf hardware? 

	Thanks in advance for any suggestions!!!!

Dean Faklis
faklis@joker.optics.rochester.edu
From: johnson@spectra.com (boyd johnson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: 4M SIMMS prices
Date: 23 Jul 92 18:52:58 GMT
Organization: Spectragraphics Corporation

In article <1992Jul20.195128.3142@otago.ac.nz> psyxsgp@otago.ac.nz writes:
>
>	What are the best US prices for 4M SIMMS (for IBMPC
>clone) these days .. and where could I find them.
>	Thanks

The Chip Merchant here in San Diego has 4M x 8 80ns SIMMS for $99.
Also they have 1M x 9 70ns 3 chip SIMMS for $28.
Phone (619)268-4774  fax (619)268-0874

{I am in no way affiliated with The Chip Merchant}
-- 
======== Boyd Johnson    nosc!spectra.com!johnson  San Diego, Ca. ========
From: bgonderm@nmsu.edu (Bryan Gonderinger)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Wanted: Info. on Everex EV923 modem
Date: 27 Jul 92 17:56:33 GMT
Distribution: comp
Organization: NMSU Computer Science

I've just become the (proud) owner of an Everex EV923 modem (internal,
revision C).  Anyway, the price was right (free), but it came with no
manuals.  It looks like it has a single jumper, and a bank of five DIP
switches on the back.  I'd like to know what the various settings of
the switches and the jumper are.  If someone could mail me or post
this info., I'd really appreciate it.  

Thanks,
Bryan Gonderinger
--
 _____________________________________________________________________________
|                 Bryan Gonderinger     bgonderm%nmsu.edu                     |
|               Network Programming     Box 30001, Dept. 3AT                  |
|    Computer Center, Small Systems     Las Cruces, New Mexico                |
|       New Mexico State University     88003                                 |
|_____________________________________________________________________________|
Xref: sparky comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware:20700 comp.sys.ibm.pc:340 comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc:11020
From: noren@possum.den.mmc.com (Chuck Noren)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,comp.sys.ibm.pc,comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: Interfacing a Western Digital IDE 80MB Drive
Date: 30 Jul 92 22:02:14 GMT
Followup-To: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Organization: Martin Marietta Astronautics Group, Denver

A friend has a Zeos 20Mhz 386DX machine with a working
Seagate 80Mb SCSI drive (ST296N) and card (ST02).

He wants to interface a Western Digital 80Mb IDE drive
to his system.  What card should he get that will
cooperate with the installed SCSI?

Thanks,

-- 
Chuck Noren
noren@inlm5.den.mmc.com     noren@pogo.den.mmc.com
Martin Marieta, Mail Stop XL8058, P.O. Box 179, Denver, CO 80201 
(303)977-1646
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: medin@catbyte.b30.ingr.copm (Dave Medin)
Subject: Sperry AT help
Reply-To: medin@catbyte.b30.ingr.com
Organization: Intergraph Corporation, Huntsville AL
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 17:13:39 GMT

A friend of mine has a Sperry AT for which he does not have the
dipswitch or CMOS setup programs. If anyone out there has a Sperry
AT and could make copies of the above (for a small fee), please E-mail
me and I'll pass them on. Thanks!

-- 
 --------------------------------------------------------------------
       Dave Medin			Phone:	(205) 730-3169 (w)
    Intergraph Corp.				(205) 837-1174 (h)
       M/S GD3004
  Huntsville, AL 35894 		Internet: medin@catbyte.b30.ingr.com
				UUCP:  ...uunet!ingr!b30!catbyte!medin

   ******* Everywhere You Look (at least around my office) *******

 * The opinions expressed here are mine (or those of my machine)
From: crs@siesoft.co.uk (Chris Smith)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Help Conner drive geometry 120mb
Date: 23 Jul 92 15:10:36 GMT
Organization: Siemens Nixdorf Information Systems Ltd.
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4

Has anyone got the drive geometry for the conner 120Mb drive (1" height)
I think it is a CP30100.  

thanx


--
===========================================================================
	Chris Smith				<crs@siesoft.co.uk>
	          "Heaven knows I'm miserable now"
===========================================================================
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: wcn@cs.brown.edu (Wen-Chun Ni)
Subject: Re: Should I buy a fujitsu 520mb IDE HD?
Organization: Brown University Department of Computer Science
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 17:47:27 GMT

In article <1992Jul21.172055.3438@m.cs.uiuc.edu> jwang@m.cs.uiuc.edu (Jane Wang) writes:
>I am thinking about buying a new hard disk for my gateway 2000 486/33ISA. I got
>some very good deal on the fujitsu 520mb(12ms) IDE internal drive. I heard it 
>has good quality, plus it comes with 5 years warenttee. But I remember I heard 
>somebody said before that it is not a very good idea to buy large IDE drives. 
>Is it true and why? Should I buy a SCSI drive instead? If yes, do I need to 
>buy a SCSI adaptor and other things? Also for these GW2000 owners who tried
>this hard disk in your computer, any good or bad experience? Any info. is
>deeply apreciated.
>
>Please send your advice to tgao@cad.cs.uiuc.edu. I borrowed my friends 
>accounts to post this news.
>
>Tong Gao
>tgao@cad.cs.uiuc.edu

I am a Gateway computer owner, so I am qualified for answering the above ;-)

I have one, which was bought from Harddrive International. This drive
is a half-height one. I use it with my old Westrn-Digital 120mb
drive. The advertisement is a little misleading: the final formatted
size is actually 486meg bytes based on the following facts:

	DRIVE:		M2624A
	CYLINDERS:	995
	HEADS:		16
	LANDING ZONE:	995
	Wr. Precomp:	0
	SECTOR/TRACK	63

The drive is very reliable and fast enough. I use it as the primary drive
for both OS/2 and Linux, and it lives comfortably with my old IDE drive.
The only minor problem I have noticed is that the drive is a little hot
under OS/2 since OS/2 often swaps alot. Now I put all swap spaces in
the WD drive and I guess no problem will occur.  The number of partitions
on the drive has been eleven and not a single problem occurs to the
drive about "missing....".

Since I started to use it only 30 days ago,  I can't say that I *strongly*
recommend it.  But is's a good drive, I think.





Wen-Chun Ni
From: zeke@fasttech.uucp (Bohdan Tashchuk)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: 486 DX vs. 486 DX2
Date: 21 Jul 92 07:51:27 GMT
Article-I.D.: fasttech.1992Jul21.075127.11072
Organization: Fast Technology

In article <7@zeos.COM> kgermann@zeos.COM (Ken Germann) writes:
>
>The reason behind this is because
>the DX2-66 will run faster than the DX50. Most 486-33 motherboards have a
>66Mhz Oscillator already on them (yes, ZEOS' does). You will be in a 
>better position to get more speed out of your system with the doubler 
>chip.

I want to clear up what may be a common misconception.

The motherboard oscillator frequency is completely irrelevent to the DX vs DX2
situation. The DX2 chips work by internally multiplying their input clocks.
A 50 MHz DX2 chip DIRECTLY REPLACES a 25 MHz DX chip, without changing the
input clock frequency at all. If you currently have a 33 MHz 486 DX then you
will be able to remove it and replace it with a 66 MHz DX2 without any
jumpering whatsoever.

The reason that 33 MHz computers have 66 MHz oscillators is so that the clock
input to the 486 is close to a square wave, regardless of the symmetry of the
oscillator itself. This lets the motherboard maker use a cheaper oscillator,
divide the output by two, and still meet the data-sheet requirements of the
486. It's absolutely NOT because they are planning ahead for a DX2 chip.

There is, unfortunately, one wrinkle to all this. The monopolistic idiots at
Intel decided to create two different versions of these clock-doubling 486's.
The first is meant for the OEM market and is pin-compatible with the original
DX chip and plugs directly in. The second is functionally identical but is
meant for the end-user market and is pin-compatible with Intel's stupid
"overdrive" socket. The two versions are deliberatly bonded out with a few
pins shuffled around. Intel made so much money from end users on the x87 that
they just couldn't drop the idea. So if you buy a clock-doubling 486 chip to
upgrade your system, make sure you buy the right pinout.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,comp.os.ms-windows.apps
From: stu@Warren.MENTORG.COM (Stu Brown)
Subject: Norton Desktop (Windows) CPU Measurement - Why Is My Machine Slow?
Organization: Mentor Graphics, Silicon Design Division
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 18:19:06 GMT

Norton Desktop for Windows as a CPU speed benchmark tool which compares
your CPU to a Compaq 386/33. I have a 386/33 with 64K cache and it
measures to about half of the Compaq benchmark. I have run the
Landmark test which shows my CPU equivalent to a XT at 48MHz, which
I believe is about right.

Am I missing something, or is a Compaq 386/33 so much
faster than other 386/33's?
-- 
Stuart Brown
Mentor Graphics Corporation
I.C. Group
stu@warren.mentorg.com or uunet!sdl!stu
Organization: TECHNION - Israel Institute of Technology.
Date: Friday, 24 Jul 1992 10:55:55 IST
From: Jacques J. Goldberg <PHR00JG@TECHNION.BITNET>
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: How can I use a surplus PS/2 disk drive

I have a surplus 20 Mb hard disk drive off a PS2/50 (was replaced
by a larger one).
Can this drive be used on any XT or AT machine?
Has anybody any information on the pinout and/or other specs?

For direct e-mail reply: note two ZEROES in phr00jg@technion.technion.ac.il
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: crb2@Ra.MsState.Edu (Chad R. Berthelson)
Subject: Re: Turbo Orchid-286 FOR PC drivers.
Organization: Mississippi State University
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 21:44:37 GMT

jackin@vehka.cs.uta.fi (Markku M{enp{{) writes:

>This may sound a bit funny but I am looking for drivers for 
>Orchid Turbo-286 card. I got the card but no drivers. I would
>try the Orchid BBS if I knew the number.

>Could you please send me the number of BBS or drivers, Thanks.

my email is hung up, so ...Orchid Technologies BBS is 415-683-0327
also...tech support is 415-683-0323  or so that's what I have in my
phonelist...

Hope that helps.
Chad

--

Chad R. Berthelson		Graduate Research/Teaching Assistant
crb2@ra.msstate.edu		Biological Engineering
cberth@abe.msstate.edu		Mississippi State University
From: dsterner@digsol.jpunix.com (Don Sterner)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: Opinions wanted on Gateway
Keywords: Gateway, opinions
Date: 29 Jul 92 16:42:53 GMT
Organization: Digital Solutions, Inc. Houston, TX.

rpreston@BBN.COM (Roger M. Preston) writes:
> I've been perusing this newsgroup for a few days, so I hope that my question
> is not out of line (if it is, please ignore it).  I am considering buying
> a 486 from Gateway and would like to solicit opinions on Gateway's trustworth
> ness and reliablity.  Are they a good company to deal with?  Do they deliver

I've dealt with Gateway several times over the past year or so. Yes, I've
had some difficulty with the hardware. On the other hand, keep in mind
that Gateway uses name-brand suppliers, and that they were very responsive 
to me every time I had difficulty. At one point, we couldn't isolate a
problem to a specific component, so they replaced an entire 486/33 tower
system. My experiences have been very favorable.
 
PC magazine did an article recently in which they asked customers about
their opinions regarding PC suppliers. Gateway was one of the very best.
About the only complaint was the delays in reaching customer support.
Gateway contends that they've added considerably to the support staff and
that they're training new personnel as fast as possible. I've avoided the
telephone delays (long & repeated holds, etc) by documenting my problems
as completely as possible and faxing the letter to them. Invariably, I
soon get a call from tech support in which my problem is corrected or
I'm told that replacement parts are oeir way, if that is the appropriate 
action. A phone call gets routed to the next service rep in line - the
fax gets routed to one of the best persons to handle the problem.

Yes the company is trustworthy and reliable (good boy scouts). They ARE
sometimes behind in their deliveries, and occasionally the sales people
are not in touch with the situation regarding parts shortages, etc. 
Gateway is not perfect. The product reliability is as good as any I've
seen (over 23 years in DP, started in PCs in 1977). There is no extra
charge for credit card use.
 
Regarding the Telepath, Gateway has publicly admitted that they shipped
the modem without adequate testing. They recalled the units which had
been distributed. They offered those who had bought defective Telepath
units either a replacement modem from a competitor or a corrected
Telepath after the fixes were determined and implemented. They offered
each affected customer $50 credit on software packages available from
Gateway. Once they had committed the error, what more could they have
done?

Yep, I'll buy again from Gateway if I need another machine.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: farrow@ucsu.Colorado.EDU (J. Scott Farrow)
Subject: "Extended" VGA and "Super" VGA - what's the difference?
Keywords: VGA, Extended, Super
Reply-To: farrow@fido.Colorado.EDU
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 05:31:14 GMT

I'm not much of a PC person, so I have some questions about video controllers.
My new system has a builtin "Extended VGA" video controller on the 
motherboard. The manual says its an Oak videa controller. Is this the same 
thing as "Super" VGA, and if not, what's the difference? Since the controller 
is builtin, is it possible to buy a replacement controller and bypass the 
builtin one?

Thanks for any replies. Please email responses since everyone else probably
already knows this. :)

Scott




--
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
J. Scott Farrow - Student Programmer/Operator, University of Colorado at Boulder
Computing and Network Services, Campus Box 455, Boulder, CO 80309-0455  USA 
InterNet: farrow@spot.colorado.edu, Phone: (303) 492-4428
Xref: sparky comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware:20633 comp.os.os2.misc:25967