HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: chow@theory.TC.Cornell.EDU (Christopher Chow)
Subject: Re: Is Gateway a publicly held company?  I think I'll short some stock...
Organization: Cornell Theory Center
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 05:48:10 GMT

In article <TIM.92Nov9180806@coors.boxhill.com> tim@boxhill.com (Timothy Jones) writes:
>I'm totally fed up.  I'm a little new to the PC market (I work mostly with
>Suns and other UNIX workstations) and am *appalled* by the customer service I
>have received from Gateway.  I wonder if all the PC mail order houses treat
>their customers this poorly...  I guess a Sun salesperson who sells machines
>costing $20K a piece cares a little more about the individual customer.
>

[Yet another Gateway horror story deleted]

Amazing that people on the net still order from Gateway. This summer, 
there were a whole slew of articles regarding problems with Gateway. True,
they were written up as having the best reliability, etc, by PC Magazine
this summer, but I had thought the general net.consensus reached mid-summer
was that Gateway was growing too fast for their management ability, and that
published article, being at least a couple of months old at the time
of publication, was already inaccurate.

I'd figure that after the fiascos with the floating point math and telepath
modems, as well as signs of inability to deal with growth (late machine
deliveries, apparently some machines not burnt-in shipping to customers,
absurdly long wait times on support) that demand would slacken off.
BTW, people recently speculated that some Gateways delivered with video
cards not fully inserted were perhaps due to UPS mishandling. How likely
is this? I've mailed a number of systems through UPS, and have never 
had such a problem. Seems to me that this may be more indicative of an
overburdened assembly line combined with a lack of burn in rather than
UPS mishandling.

-- 
Christopher Chow
---------------------------   Phone:          518-426-0687
1 Notre Dame Drive - Rm 317   Internet:       chow@theory.tc.cornell.edu
Albany, NY 12208-3413         America Online: Chris Chow
From: buc5045@cuphub.cup.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: Microscience 7100-20 IDE HD Problems
Date: 13 Nov 92 14:31:02 GMT
Organization: California University of Pennsylvania, California, PA

In article <cheese3.27.0@ioc.unibe.ch>, cheese3@ioc.unibe.ch (Daniel Hirschi) writes:
> I have problems with my harddisk: It kepps making bad sectors! After it had 
> some 30 bad sectors about six months ago, i sent it in, they did a low-level-
> format and it was ok. But now it gets bad sectors again! It is a IDE-Harddrive
> MICROSCIENCE 7100-20 with 120 mb capacity.
> I called in to the technician and was told that the errors tend to come 
> more often with age and number of low-level-formats.
> 
> What should I do???? Calibrate and Speedstor 5.2 are available, but should I 
> use them?? Anybody having the same problems???
> 
> Thanx!    Daniel
> Daniel Hirschi                    >> RFC:         hirschi@ioc.unibe.ch
> Institute of Organic Chemistry    >> SPAN/HEPnet: 20579::49852::hirschi
> University of Bern                >> DECnet (CH): 49852::hirschi
> Freiestrasse 3                    >> X.400:       S=Hirschi; OU=ioc; O=unibe;
> CH-3012 Bern                                      P=switch; A=arcom; C=ch
> (Switzerland)          Phone: ++41 (0)31 654376   Fax: ++41 (0)31 654499

Well, I have a Microscience 7100-20 IDE HD as well, as mine also come with 74K
bad, but I kept it and now when I acess the HD it has a tendency to lock up. 
I.e.: the controller light comes on and stays on and it locks up the system or
the system says the controller is not responding.  Does your HD make lots of
noise, because mine does, every time I turn on the system.  Lastly, do you know
how I can get in touch with Microscience, so I can see if they can fix my
drive. 

Elsetime,

Lord Dread

California University of PA. and not proud of it.

"Some people say that life is an illusion and that reality is a figment of the
If this is true, then who the hell is dreaming this mess?
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: schludermann@sscvx1.ssc.gov
Subject: Memory increments & exceeding the Max
Followup-To: comp.sys.intel
Summary: mother board memory limits
Keywords: memory
Organization: Superconducting Super Collider Laboratory
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 16:44:00 GMT

  I have an intel 403e EISA motherboard. In the manual they state that the
system memory can be installed in either 2meg pairs or 8meg pairs (36bit), for
a max of 64meg on the motherboard. Does this mean that I can't use 1,4,16 or 32
meg simms? What happens if I use memory of different increments and exceed
the max on the motherboard? 

Kris
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: dwjohnso@eos.ncsu.edu (DAVID WILLIAM JOHNSON)
Subject: Sound Card Comparison
Organization: North Carolina State University, Project Eos
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 00:42:47 GMT

I am interested in any info concerning sound cards
in particular a comparison between the SoundBlaster Pro
and the Pro AudioSpectrum.  
Also any info concerning compatability between these cards
and the Sony CDROM offered by Gateway.  The CDROM is MPC 
compliant.  Any info is greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance .

-- 

******************************************************************
* David Johnson          *         " Reality is                  *
* North Carolina State   *               not all                 *
* dwjohnso@eos.ncsu.edu  *                  it's cracked         *
* ECO,5 Page Hall,x5-2458*                      up to be "       *
************   36 days and a wakeup   ****************************
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: ntaib@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Iskandar Taib)
Subject: Re: Architechture questions, ISA, LB, EISA, cards
Keywords: ISA bus EISA local architechture
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 15:21:08 GMT

In article <1992Nov4.225444.10280@mksol.dseg.ti.com> mccall@mksol.dseg.ti.com (fred j mccall 575-3539) writes:
>In <Bx5HFu.4DF@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu> ntaib@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Iskandar Taib) writes:
>
>>In article <1bvimoINNgn9@crcnis1.unl.edu> vandevek@cse.unl.edu (James Vandevegt) writes:
>
>>>There is a guy advertising "EISA SIMMs" on p.281 of the November Computer
>>>Shopper.  Does anyone know how these are different from ordinary SIMMs?
>>>As far as I knew ordinary SIMMs worked fine in EISA machines so I'm
>>>a little confused as to what these could be and how they are
>>>different.  The ad lists them as:
>>>"512 x 36  2MB  32 bit"
>>>"1   x 36  4MB  32 bit"
>>>"2   x 36  8MB  32 bit"
>
>>These are probably the 36 bit SIMMs one sees in such machines
>>as Dells, Compaqs and PS/2s.
>
>As well as just about every other PC-class machine that uses SIMMs.
>EISA uses the same SIMMs as everyone else -- EISA refers to the BOARD
>interface and has nothing to do with memory.  

Most generic clones use 9 bit SIMMs. You just need 2 at a time for 
386SX machines and 4 at a time for 386DX and 486 machines.

>Macs, however, don't do parity checks on the memory and hence use
>32-bit SIMMs.  This sounds more like Macintosh memory than 'EISA
>SIMMs' to me.  Caveat Emptor.

Most Macs (Plus, SE, SE30, II, IIx, IIcx, IIci, IIsi) use 8 bit SIMMs,
4 at a time. Don't know about Quadras.


I think the Wide SIMMs are more often seen in the workstation world.






-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Iskandar Taib                          | The only thing worse than Peach ala
Internet: NTAIB@SILVER.UCS.INDIANA.EDU |    Frog is Frog ala Peach
Bitnet:   NTAIB@IUBACS                 !
From: magic@elixir.e.kth.se (Johan Torssell)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: PS/2 & AT - floppy interface
Date: 9 Nov 92 08:23:34 GMT
Reply-To: magic@elixir.e.kth.se (Johan Torssell)
Organization: School of EE, Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden

I have for long been wondering about the differrenses between the two flat
cable connectors used on PS/2 and AT. It seems to me when looking at the
pin layout that the only differens is that the PS/2 has power included (12V, 5V).

Several tapestreamers have changeable connectors to make them work with the two.

I would like to hear the trou storie about this...

Johan
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: geo@netcom.com (George Pontis)
Subject: Compaq 386-16 won't boot with SVGA card. Why ?
Summary: Author seeks to find out why the PC won't boot
Keywords: Compaq SVGA boot not!
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 02:48:22 GMT

So,
I plug in a $39.95 SVGA card and the computer won't boot. Doesn't even get
to do the disk diagnostics. I tried all combinations of jumpers for automatic
BIOS detection or not, and 8 bit vs 16 bit slots. This has not had any effect.
Also, the idiotic motherboard switch for color or monochrome monitor has no 
effect.

From what I can tell when I boot this PC with a Hercules card, the system
BIOS begins at F800 - so there shouldn't be a conflict with that. Also, there's
no unusual hardware installed - just the standard Compaq disk/parallel/serial
board and a second add-on for lpt2/com2.

Any ideas about what is happening ? By the way, the board has a Trident
TVGA9000 controller, a single chip Quadtel BIOS, and 256K video memory.

Thanks,
George
-- 
George Pontis ( geo@netcom.COM )
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Running UNix on a GW2000 dx266?
From: wayman@pa621a.inland.com
Date: 6 Nov 92 09:24:16 CDT
Organization: Inland Steel Company, East Chicago, IN
Nntp-Posting-User: zaikos

Have you run a version of UNIX on a Gateway 2000 dx266? Which version?
Success or failure? Please e-mail replies.
Thanks in advance,
		 Jerry
From: reza@magellan.ae.utexas.edu (Alireza Vali)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Diamond Stealth VRAM vs. Diamond 24X
Date: 10 Nov 92 20:14:39 GMT

I called a vendor about ordering a Diamond 24X video card.  The advertised
price was $149.  The sales rep told me that they were out of stock, it would
take 2 weeks, and the price has gone up to $159.  He offered me the Stealth
VRAM that was advertised for $219 for $199.  He was very persistent, and
I finally told him that he could either take the order for the 24X or I
would hang up.  So, I ordered the 24X.  Today, UPS delivered the package
and surprise, surprise, they had sent me the Stealth VRAM!!!  Before
throwing a fit, I checked the invoice, and they had only billed me for
$159+shipping and the invoice explicitly listed the Stealth VRAM as the
shipped item.  Wow!  From $219 all the way down to $159!  Clearly, it's
not a packaging error.  This is the way I see it:

1)  They are REALLY trying to push the VRAM.
2)  The salesman entered the wrong item into his computer.

I'm going to call them about this because if they made a mistake in the
price, the poor guy's going to get into trouble.  My question to you folks
is that IF they let me keep this thing for $159, is it really worth it?
The Stealth VRAM is taking a real beating on the net, and everyone thinks
the 24X is the better card.  I would appreciate any and all advice on this.
Please respond by e-mail because I don't think it's worth the bandwidth
to follow up on this.  Thanks in advance.

-- 
Ali R. Vali - reza@magellan.ae.utexas.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,comp.os.msdos.misc,comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
From: georgef@microsoft.com (George Forsman)
Subject: Re: Increased (irregular) floppy format sizes
Date: 07 Nov 92 04:08:54 GMT
Organization: Microsoft Corporation

In article <1992Nov4.163029.27079@klaava.Helsinki.FI> jliukkon@klaava.Helsinki.FI (Juha-Matti Liukkonen) writes:
>I've used FDREAD/FORMAT 1.6 for ages now, and even on punched old 720K
[...]
>either Stacker nor FDREAD), and I re-installed all the stuff from my
>back-up disks. Now I was rather surprised when I realized that I had
>done the backup to FDFORMATted 720K disks (->800K), and I restored it
>with _plain_ DOS 5! A feature Microsoft forgot to mention..?
>
MS-DOS will believe what is stored in the BPB of the disk. If the disk
geometry has been placed there correctly, the MS-DOS will be able to read
the disk, even with a non-standard format.

It's FORMAT that enforces the disk capacity standards.  To make FORMAT 
do all the things that FDFORMAT does would add a degree of complexity that
would confuse most users, as well as introducing a undesired amount of
support issues.

--
George Forsman|georgef@microsoft.com  | "I know that you think you understand
MSDOS Support |uunet!microsoft!georgef| what you thought I said, but I am not
--------------------------------------| sure you realize that what you heard
Disclaimer: Ask me! I'll deny it!     | is not what I meant."
Disclaimer^2: The statements in this message are my own, not Microsoft's.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: schultz@halley.est.3m.com (John C. Schultz)
Subject: ATI Ultra Pro and local bus
Organization: 3M Company, 3M Center, Minnesota, USA
Distribution: comp
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 92 17:13:57 GMT

Does the ATI Ultra Pro support local bus tranfers?

Does anyone make use of it or have any experience?

Performance?

Thanks.
--
   John C. Schultz   +1 (612) 733-4047   schultz@halley.serc.3m.com
   How to include the taste of Glendronach in a multi-media system?
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: jimkent@well.sf.ca.us (Jim Kent)
Subject: Re: Video7 VRAM in 486 problem
Organization: Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 21:21:28 GMT


The company has put out a patch that is on several bbs's that fixes
the problem.  If you can't find it locally I will email it to you.
The 486 just goes too fast to get the registers on the card set up
properly at startup.

Jim
From: limrcd@hpsgm2.sgp.hp.com (Richard LIM)
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 05:43:11 GMT
Subject: Re: V30 ?
Organization: HP Singapore Notes-Server
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware

No!
V30 is the V20 equivalent of the 8086, the bigger brother of the 8088.

They are not plug compatible.

Regards
Richard Lim     "A conclusion is where you get tired of thinking"
======================================================================
E-mail:  hpsgm2.SGP.HP.COM!limrcd   Snail-mail: Hewlett-Packard S'pore
Tel:     (065)-279-2525                         (APD-ThinFilm SS/EE)
Telnet:        520-2525                         1150 Depot Road
HPDesk:  Richard Lim/HP3200/30                  Singapore 0410.
From: msf@skaro.as.arizona.edu (Michael Fulbright)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: TelCat 286 Info wanted
Date: 9 Nov 92 00:40:44 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: University of Arizona UNIX Users Group

I've inherited a old 286 clone that was hit by lightning. Its
a Televideo TelCat 286. It has a switch on the back for 6/8 Mhz
operation (wow!). I've managed to salvage some stuff off of it,
the power supply works fine. I'd like to use the monitor, it is
model HM-100. I think its monochrome. The problem is I think it
gets its power through the DB9 video connector to the video card.
I'm writing this because I didnt get any manuals and I'd like to
either contact Televideo to get tech docs, or maybe some kind soul
here could email me. I'd like to know how PC compatible the HW part
of this machine is, and I'd like to know the deal with the monitor (
can I use it with a Hercules Graphics Card, for example).

Thanks
michael fulbright
msf@as.arizona.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: mccall@mksol.dseg.ti.com (fred j mccall 575-3539)
Subject: Re: How can I low-level format IDE drive ?
Organization: Texas Instruments Inc
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1992 17:59:34 GMT

In <tooraj.720955806@daneel.rdt.monash.edu.au> tooraj@daneel.rdt.monash.edu.au (Tooraj Enayati) writes:

><DXB132@psuvm.psu.edu> writes:

>>In article <1d4brjINNb6c@terminator.rs.itd.umich.edu>, pauls@css.itd.umich.edu
>>(Paul Southworth) says:

>>>In article <sauron.720737823@femto.engr.mun.ca> sauron@femto.engr.mun.ca
>>>(Patrick Ryan) writes:
>>>>wjin@cs.uh.edu (W. Woody Jin) writes:
>>>>
>>>>You can't.  You can repartition your drive, and you can reformat the
>>>>partitions, but you cannot (and DEFINITELY should not) low-level an IDE.
>>>>Not unless you are a card-carrying, certified guru (or masochist) :v).
>>>>SHouldn't this be a FAQ?

>>Well, that's simply silly. The "Format Track" command is in the ATA spec
>>for a reason. The result of the command is completely up to the drive,
>>of course; many drives will simply ignore it. In any case the drive will
>>know to do the "right thing", so I can't envision what harm could be
>>caused. It's no different than telling a SCSI drive to format itself,
>>and I'm not aware of any paranoia associated with that.

>I agree completely. I have a WD Caviar280 I have low level formated it
>twice in the last year and half. Both time I had no other option. 
>Once I was tring to install an MFM card in the system and its controller
>card stuffed up my IDE hd's FAT nothing could recognize that the
>drive was there both times I used the disk manager and I don't even have
>a bad sector on the drive. 

Why would you have to do a LLF because the FAT got messed up?  The FAT
is done via the HIGH LEVEL format.

-- 
"Insisting on perfect safety is for people who don't have the balls to live
 in the real world."   -- Mary Shafer, NASA Ames Dryden
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fred.McCall@dseg.ti.com - I don't speak for others and they don't speak for me.
From: twong@civil.ubc.ca (Thomas Wong)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: IDE & RLL controller on same computer?
Date: 9 Nov 1992 19:37:59 GMT
Organization: Dept. of Civil Engineering, U.B.C., Vancouver, B.C., Canada
NNTP-Posting-Host: sam.civil.ubc.ca


Hello all. I recall reading awhile back that someone was successful in
leaving his RLL drive in his computer while also installing his new IDE
drive. So he has both RLL and IDE drives in the same computer. A friend
of mine has RLL drives in his 386 and wants to add an IDE drive to his
system cause he needs more disk space (don't we all??? :) ). Can someone
tell me how this can be done? Having both controller in there and make
it work? Thanks in advance.

Thomas.

Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: drew@kinglear.cs.colorado.edu (Drew Eckhardt)
Subject: Re: Diamond Stealth vs. Speedstar 24X
Organization: University of Colorado at Boulder
Distribution: usa
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1992 11:46:27 GMT

In article <1992Nov5.010618.1582@infonode.ingr.com> simmonsr@infonode.ingr.com writes:
>I am preparing for a 486DX-33 purchase soon and had been planning to
>purchase a Diamond Stealth card. One of the few vendors I'm
>considering said that their standard card is now the Diamond Speedstar
>24X which, according to the sales person, is better than the Stealth
>and is supposedly phasing out the Stealth. However, I thought I had
>read/heard somewhere that the 24X was in fact a lower-end card with
>less performance than the Stealth. If you can help me set the record
>straight on this, please e-mail me or post a follow-up.
>

Diamond now uses a propriety clock synthesizer on their video boards.  
To get programming information, you need to sign an NDA with Diamond.
If you limit your use to DOS, Windows, etc. you won't have any problems.  
However, it's unlikely that a free Xserver for Diamond products 
will be available.  So, if X is important to you (especially since 
there are now two free unices that can run X, available in 
binary form) you might want to consider a different ET4000 or 
S3 based board.


-- 
Microsoft is responsible for propogating the evils it calls DOS and Windows, 
IBM for AIX (appropriately called Aches by those having to administer it), but 
marketing's sins don't come close to those of legal departments.
Boycott AT&T for their absurd anti-BSDI lawsuit.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: kgermann@zeos.com (Ken Germann)
Subject: Re: Gateway/Micronics motherboards
Organization: Zeos International, Ltd
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 03:46:17 GMT

In article <12NOV199209011470@lims01.lerc.nasa.gov> scdorcy@lims01.lerc.nasa.gov (JAMES DORCEY) writes:
>In article <1992Nov09.205915.13560@bmerh85.bnr.ca>, mengsoo@bnr.ca (Meng Soo) 
>writes...
>
>>I remember reading a while ago that the Gateway motherboards are made by 
>>Micronics. Is this the same Micronics motherboards you can by from various 
>>mail order companies? Or is it made specifically for Gateway?
>
>>If it's made for Gateway, does anyone know if they sell JUST a motherboard? 

>Don't know if its the same Micronics motherboards which you can get "off-
>the-shelf" from the mail order houses - it might depend on what you are 
>specifically looking for (processor, speed, bus type, etc.).

The Gateway motherboard for the 486SX-33 has Gateway 2000 silkscreened to the
fiberglass/circuit board. Someone would need to post the specs on the Gateway
system and the Micronics motherboard. The 486SX-33 Local Bus system that I 
had a chance to tear apart had a Local Bus IDE and Video Controller on the
moterboard and no open Local Bus slots. The Slots that were open were on 
a passive back plane. I am not sure what the other Gateway motherboards
are like because I haven't had a chance to play with them. They are using
the Phoenix A486 BIOS similiar to ZEOS'. 


The question in someones mind right now is "Why would I know this?". 
Techs are curious sort of creatures that like to tear apart things and
see if they can get them to work after the parts are laying in a zillion
different places. If we succeed there are only a few screws left over.


I would guess from experience that the motherboards are different. But,
I am willing to admit that I am wrong.



-- 
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.
                  VOICE   Z   E    O  O    S    St. Paul, MN 55112
#include <disclaimer.h>  ZZZZ EEEE  OO  SSS     
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: ntaib@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Iskandar Taib)
Subject: Re: Trident 8800/8900/9000 (What is what?)
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 15:05:26 GMT

In article <1992Nov10.002217.128538@zeus.calpoly.edu> rrauenza@zeus.calpoly.edu (Who, Me??) writes:

>I have a 512k Trident (Quadtel) 9000 svga card that supports up to
>600x800x256 (and 1024x768x16).  I would like to upgrade to a 1 meg
>card.  The one I have has a 512k limit...

>I have done a little shopping and it appears that the 8900 is the
>newest model that supports 1 meg (1024x768x256).  The one place
>I have actually called was actually selling the *8800* and said they
>wouldn't have 8900's until next week (which I thought was odd...
>hasn't the 8900 been out for a while?).

>Anyway, does anyone know of a 1meg Trident 9000 card?  Perhaps
>the 9000 is a special 512k model?  I have looked at the chip
>on the card and it does have the 9000 written upon it.

>Or....

>Should I just skip trident and go with ATI or some other well
>supported card?  I have noticed that Trident's windows 3.1
>driver is a little buggy (and it's supposed to be the 'final'
>release - I got it from wuarchive.wustl.edu:/mirrors/msdos/windows3).

Trident = Garbage. Unfortunately a lot of clone manufacturers 
use them because they are cheap, and unfortunately if you want 
to run OS/2 you'll need one unless you want to buy an ATI Ultra
and run it with 8514/a drivers. 

If you run Windows check out Tseng-based cards. Diamond's are 
pretty good and cheap...and there are lots of good generic ones
out there too. They are about 4x the speed of a Trident and don't 
cost much more.

-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Iskandar Taib                          | The only thing worse than Peach ala
Internet: NTAIB@SILVER.UCS.INDIANA.EDU |    Frog is Frog ala Peach
Bitnet:   NTAIB@IUBACS                 !