HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: rick@always.com (Rick Wagner)
Subject: Re: more than two H/Ds. Is this possible?
Organization: Always Technology Corp.; Westlake Village, CA
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 92 00:20:30 GMT

In article <1992Apr8.213849.18278@sj.ate.slb.com> poffen@sj.ate.slb.com (Russ Poffenberger) writes:
>
>Yes, you do need a device driver if you want more than 2 HD's of any kind.

Not with DOS 5.0.  DOS 5.0 will support a bunch of hard drives in a
system, auto-magically.  Bunch is a number >= 8; we have tested 8
drives in a system under MS-DOS 5.0 using our host adapter.  1 IDE & 7
SCSI.  However, with MS-DOS 5.0 the requirements of the adapter BIOS
have changed, so you need a BIOS which is DOS 5.0 "aware".


>
>Russ Poffenberger               DOMAIN: poffen@sj.ate.slb.com
>Schlumberger Technologies       UUCP:   {uunet,decwrl,amdahl}!sjsca4!poffen
>1601 Technology Drive		CIS:	72401,276
>San Jose, Ca. 95110             Voice: (408)437-5254  FAX: (408)437-5246


	--rick
-- 
Rick Wagner / Always Technology			email: rick@always.COM
31336 Via Colinas, Suite 101			Voice: 1-818-597-1400
Westlake Village, CA 91362			Fax: 1-818-597-1496

Organization: Sophomore, IM - H&SS Track, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1992 01:36:22 -0400 
From: Kwan-Ju Chen <kc2x+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: LOCAL BUS

can I just buy a 32 bit local bus video card and put it into my existing
32 bit slot?
From: sbixby@cup.portal.com (Steven W Bixby)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Intel 486 DX-50 versus DX2-50
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 92 14:22:26 PDT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Distribution: usa

Does anyone know the story on the difference between the two 50MHZ 486's?

Some of the MO houses like ZEOS and Gateway are starting to offer 50mhz 
systems, but they offer either the DX-50 or the DX2-50 - what is the
difference between the DX and the DX2???

Is this related to Intel's putting out the original 486DX-50 with a couple
of bugs?

Please email any responses....

   -swb-   (Steve Bixby - sbixby@cup.portal.com)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: ctt31684@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (CMP)
Subject: Re: Wait States for 486/33 ???
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 23:45:44 GMT

pjh@mccc.edu (P. J. Holsberg) writes:
>My 486/33 motherboard manual states the number of read/write wait states
>to be used with 80ns DRAMs but doesn't mention 70ns DRAMs. What are an
>appropriate number of wait states for a 486/33 with 70ns DRAMs?

>Thanks,
>Pete

If it doesn't mention 70ns but mentions 80ns, I'd suggest you keep the
same wait state that's used for 80ns for the 70ns ones as well.  I'm
guessing that your 486 board has a memory cache, which should make either
80 or 70ns RAM access effectively 0 wait since the cache hit percentage is
amazing on the new boards (don't have a figure off hand since I read it
a while back).  Someone cares to post a cache hit percentage chart for
some common programs?  Or maybe someone has built a circuit that catches
all the cache RAM accesses during the on time of the computer.  I'd imagine
such a circuit shouldn't be too difficult.

-Ching, as in "Tai"

Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: ice@skynet.uucp (Ice)
Subject: Re: First-time buyer grapples with alphabet soup jargon
Organization: Cyberdyne Systems Corporation
Date: Mon, 06 Apr 1992 04:26:27 GMT

In article <91301@muvms3.bitnet> swk004@muvms3.bitnet (Connie Leinen, swk004@muvms3.bitnet, Marshall U) writes:
>Can anybody (PLEASE!) direct me to a book, guru, honest salesperson,
>something (anything) that will make sense of the alphabet soup of
>computer ads.  We got SX, DX, EISA, IDE, SCSI and we got fast ram,
>just ram and sometimes rom.  We got TEAC, Seagate, Quantum, Sony,
>Intel and AMI.  We got 8 layers and sometimes 5.  We got VGA, SVGA
>with 512 and 1 MB.  We got chip doublers, buses (busses?).
>
>Have mercy!

A first time buyer... just the kind of victim unethical VAR-scum
like to milk dry.

Here's a good book that you should be able to get anywhere...

Que's Computer User's Dictionary, QUE Publications. Good book.

Not very technical, but good at explaining how everything fits
together.

And if you don't have a FAQ, make sure you get hold of it.

I'll attempt to add to what the others put.

SCSI: Small Computer Systems Interface: Used to connect hard drives to
computers mostly, but can be used with scanners, printers and other
devices, (such as tape drives; nearly forgot I have one :-) ) as long
as it conforms to SCSI protocol. Advantage is that devices are semi-autonomous
which means a higher performance system. IBM-compatibles need a
SCSI host adapter (read comp.periphs.scsi) to use devices. Power and
versatility of SCSI is best harnessed in a multi-tasking environment
like Unix. But perhaps Windows/NT or OS/2 will make use of it as well.

EISA: Extended Industry Standard Architecture: A 32-bit wide
bus standard for high-performance IBM-compatible computers. In a 
single user configuration, performance gains are minimal. Best in
a network file server, or similar situation where high bandwidth
is needed.

Hope this helps...

-- 
/* Ice's Hypermedia Sig */ #include <cyberpunk.h> #include <industrial.h> 
Hardware required: biological neural net with _unsupervised_learning_
Audio() Burning Inside by Ministry; "The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste" 
Visual() Sarah Connor's flesh on fire blasted away leaving screaming skeleton 
From: scott@mothra.rose.hp.com (Scott Bobo)
Date: Thu, 2 Apr 1992 22:13:52 GMT
Subject: Mouse / COM conflict w/Windows
Organization: HP Networked Computer Mfg. Operation
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware

Hi all - I'm a bit confused about something I found while putting together a
AT clone system.  I was having trouble getting Windows to recognise the MS
compatable mouse on COM1.  The test program supplied with the mouse worked 
after booting DOS, but when I tried to run Windows in Enhanced mode, the 
pointer appeared on the screen but would not move.  No response from the 
switches, either.  Upon exiting Windows, I found that the test program no
longer worked, either.  After re-booting, the mouse test program would once
again work, and Windows (in Standard or Real mode) would also recognise the 
mouse.  I specified a Microsoft compatable mouse in Windows Setup.

I found that the problem was somehow related to my hardware configuration, in
that I had two serial ports (configured as COM1 and COM4) on a standard multi
I/O card, in addition to an internal modem (configured as COM2).  I learned
that there would be a conflict with trying to use both COM2 and COM4 in this
system, as they would both try to use IRQ4 (per the jumper setting on the I/O
card).  I took the modem out of the system and confirmed that I was only using
COM1 and COM4 by checking the system I/O configuration reported by the AMI
BIOS at bootup.  The mouse then worked in Windows enhanced mode.  I then put
the modem back in and confirmed that the mouse would not work.  I then set 
the jumpers on the I/O card to disable the COM4 port and confirmed that the
system only recognised the mouse (COM1) port and the modem (on COM2) on 
bootup.  I expected Windows enhanced mode to work with the mouse at that 
point, but no such luck.

So my questions:  Why does the conflict on COM2/COM4 affect operation of 
                  the mouse on COM1?  and...
                  Why doesn't disabling the COM4 port have any affect?

Any help or additional knowledge here would be most appreciated.  All I
really want is to be able to use both the modem and the mouse.  I do not
need the other COM port.

Much thanks in advance,

scott@mothra.rose.hp.COM
that
From: pjh@mccc.edu (P. J. Holsberg)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Wait States for 486/33 ???
Date: 16 Apr 92 17:17:58 GMT
Article-I.D.: mccc.1992Apr16.171758.24719
Organization: The College on the Other Side of U. S. 1

My 486/33 motherboard manual states the number of read/write wait states
to be used with 80ns DRAMs but doesn't mention 70ns DRAMs. What are an
appropriate number of wait states for a 486/33 with 70ns DRAMs?

Thanks,
Pete
-- 
Prof. Peter J. Holsberg      Mercer County Community College
Voice: 609-586-4800          Engineering Technology, Computers and Math
FAX: 609-586-6944            1200 Old Trenton Road, Trenton, NJ 08690
Internet: pjh@mccc.edu       Trenton Computer Festival: April 17-18, 1993
Xref: sparky comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware:13596 sci.electronics:8322
From: keithl@loop.uucp (Keith Lofstrom;;;520-1993)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,sci.electronics
Subject: Want best way to suppress ringing on PC parallel ports
Date: 10 Apr 92 17:28:18 GMT
Article-I.D.: loop.1992Apr10.172818.4308
Organization: KLIC

Anybody designed parallel-port-driven circuits?

I am using a PC parallel port to drive the TTL inputs of a test setup. 
If I connect the setup through two long parallel cables in series, I get
ringing on the cable which causes intermittent false clocking of my circuit.
Terminating doesn't help (just raises VOL, wimpy buffers in PC).  I can make
the problem go away with RC snubbers or with schmitt input gates, but I'm
hesitant to commit to production without some knowledge of the design specs
of the parallel port.

Use one cable?  I would, but I can't stop some other dummy from using many.

I'd guess there is a "standard" way to stop parallel port ringing.
Any suggestions?

Keith
-- 
Keith Lofstrom       keithl@loop.klic.rain.com     Voice (503)-520-1993
KLIC --- Keith Lofstrom Integrated Circuits --- "Your Ideas in Silicon"
Design Contracting in Bipolar and CMOS - Analog, Digital, and Power ICs
From: swood@vela.acs.oakland.edu ( EVENSONG)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Flight Sim foot pedal specs wanted
Date: 8 Apr 92 20:15:55 GMT
Organization: Oakland University, Rochester MI.

I am looking to get some specs on how the flight simulator foot pedals
work.  I don't really see a need for buying a pair, and anyway, I always
prefer to tinker for amusement.

If anyone has any information, and can email it to me, I would greatly
appreciate it.

swood

-- 
+========================+    -------_________     +=========================+
| WANTED - DEAD OR ALIVE |    o\ o \     ____|o    |  If you see this lure,  |
|  Creek Chub "Plunker"  |      \___\_-o-    viv   | PLEASE send me email!!! |
+========================+            viv          +=========================+
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: berger@atropa (Mike Berger)
Subject: Re: WORLD-WIDE SHORTAGE OF 3.5" DISKS
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1992 16:16:06 GMT

swsmith@wrdis01.af.mil (Scott Smith) writes:

>Hello Netlanders,
>        I contacted a mailorder company yesterday to purchase some
>3.5' ds/hd disks. They told me that there was a three week delay on
>all 3.5 disks due to a world-wide shortage. I've seen these disks in
>Walmart/ K-mart for about $12 so what gives? By the way, these 1.44MB
>disks cost $.55 each in lots of 50. They been used once and bulk
>erased, come with the standard disk guarantee, and are already
>labeled.
*----
I haven't had any trouble buying new 3.5" HD diskettes.  You
indicate that you're trying to purchase used diskettes.  Maybe
there's a worldwide shortage of those (you wouldn't think so to
look at my computer table).

Why do you consider disks "already labeled" to be a benefit?!
--
	Mike Berger
	Department of Statistics, University of Illinois
	AT&TNET     217-244-6067
	Internet    berger@atropa.stat.uiuc.edu
From: 86b0062@csdvax.csd.unsw.edu.au (Sam Lander)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Amstrad 386PC mouse hardware
Date: 7 Apr 92 23:46:14 GMT
Organization: University of New South Wales

Can anybody tell me if the amstrad mouse is a microsoft clone?

The amstrad 386 I have has a built in "mouse port" that isn't a standard
COMx: port at all. The mouse driver seems to have an awful lot in common 
with the standard one, and so I think "at least the whole kit and kaboodle 
(the actual mouse plus any circuitry inside the PC) is equivalent to an MS 
mouse". This isn't my machine and I would feel bad pulling off the covers
and puddling round the inside of the box with a multimeter in front of
the owner - so I am not sure what is in the box.

The question arises because the amstrad mouse is worn out and the owner
hates it anyway and wants it replaced with an MS mouse. Problem is that
the amstrad mouse port is a female 9 pin D connector, not male as the MS
mouse expects.

Can I use a straight forward gender changer to connect the mouse? Is it
possible to cause any damage to either mouse or PC by trying?

P.S. I know I could use the serial port, but it is busy doing other 
things.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: Iskandar Taib <ntaib@silver.ucs.indiana.edu>
Subject: Re: What is a Weitek coprocessor?
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 21:07:07 -0500

In article <sh8rsINNo59@agate.berkeley.edu> jorourke@ocf.berkeley.edu (Jason O'Rourke) writes:
>In addition, Weitek is about to release a high speed video card.  Given
>their performance record with math chips, this could be something to
>look for!


Umm no...its a chipset not a card.

They've been out for a while. While fast, they only support 
512K RAM on board. That means no 256 colors in Windows/OS2/
etc. They are cheaper than the s3 based beasties though.





-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Iskandar Taib                          | The only thing worse than Peach ala
Internet: NTAIB@SILVER.UCS.INDIANA.EDU |    Frog is Frog ala Peach
Bitnet:   NTAIB@IUBACS                 !
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: gt9259b@prism.gatech.EDU (Allan Stuart Mackinnon Jr.)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: MINISCRIBE 3438P - How to turn off autoparking?
Summary: Or, is it really just broken?
Date: 13 Apr 92 18:18:20 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology


	I have a Miniscribe 3438P (30mb,rll) that I am running off an
	AMS 1100M4 MFM 1:1 controller.  I have the head
	count/precomp/landing zone set at 612/613/613.

	My problem:  The drive will autopark itself after ~20 seconds.
		     Once it has done this, and I go to access the
		     drive again there is a good chance that the drive
		     will "lock" or "stick."  The drive and controller
		     will be lit up (seen from the LEDs) and will remain
		     that way until DOS times out and asks for the
		     standard Fail/Abort/Retry.  This is annoying on a
		     hard drive.

		     This "sticking" has never occurred when the drive
		     is in a non-parked state (i.e. an access recently
		     took place.)

		     Also, the media is O.K. and the drive is very
		     noisy. 


	Question:    Is this a common type of failure?  Is there any
		     sort of quick fix?  Is the servo or controller
		     (pc or disk) at fault?  Any suggestions?


	Thanks,

	-Allan MacKinnon


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Allan Stuart Mackinnon Jr. - ISyE Dept. - Graduate Operations Research Program
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
uucp:	  ...!{decvax,hplabs,ncar,purdue,rutgers}!gatech!prism!gt9259b
Internet: mondomon@isye.gatech.edu  -or-  gt9259b@prism.gatech.edu
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: schlabaj@w254zrz.zrz.tu-berlin.de (Robert Schlabbach)
Subject: Re: affordable 24 bit colour
Organization: ZRZ/TU-Berlin
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 20:50:19 GMT


If you want 24bit color you might also want to have a look at the "VGA Blaster"
card by Creative Labs (the makers of the SoundBlaster cards). There's an
article about it in issue 4/92 of the german magazine "WinDOS". It's supposed
to cost ~800 DM and have the following features:
- coprocessed VGA card with modified TSENG ET4000 chipset
- *2* megs of video ram
- resolutions: 1280x1024x256/1024x768x65536/800x600x24bit

Sounds nice, doesn't it ? :)

However, this *one* article is all I found on this card, so I _might_ be
talking vapourware :(  <I sure hope I'm not!>

So, if you're looking for *affordable* 24bit colour (affordable means <1000DM
to me...), you might also check this thingy out. [and don't forget to e-mail
me if you find any further details!]

---
Robert Schlabbach
E-Mail: schlabaj@w250zrz.zrz.tu-berlin.de
TU Berlin, Germany
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: rayan@cs.toronto.edu (Rayan Zachariassen)
Subject: who makes stuff good enough to replace Sun/NCD speed&graphics?
Date: 8 Apr 92 05:45:43 GMT

I'm looking for one or more OEMs who can provide the following
capabilities (I'm doing an on-paper investigation of X-terminal, Sun IPC and
Sun SS2/IPX equivalent boxes based on the *86 platform, to see whether
its worthwhile to buy a couple of boxes to try out):

486/33 EISA [IPC] and/or 486/50 EISA [SS2] and/or fast 386 or 486 ISA [NCD+]

1280x1024 70+Hz non-interlaced black/white and/or 8-bit colour (w/o tradeoffs!)

video framebuffer memory-mapped (no 64k windows)  [this probably means
EISA bus or Local Bus framebuffer]


I'd also like to see recommendations for good EISA SCSI and Ethernet cards
(where "good" is a tradeoff between speed, implementation quality, price,
and vendor attitude).  Similar comments about relevant OEMs, as well as
phone numbers or other pointers would be welcome.

Going through the rags provides lots of info about the standard configs,
but not this kind of stuff, hence this posting.  

I get the feeling it'll be about 4 months before this kind of product will
actually be routinely out and about.  Comments?

Thanks,

rayan
Comp.Sci., UofToronto
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: ong@a.cs.okstate.edu (ONG ENG TENG)
Subject: Re: Creative Labs info
Organization: Oklahoma State University
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 92 23:29:05 GMT

From article <TALVOLA.92Apr16153947@qin.Berkeley.EDU>, by talvola@qin.Berkeley.EDU (Erik Talvola):
> Can anybody e-mail me the current address/phone number of Creative Labs,
> along with the phone number of their BBS?  In addition, if anybody knows
> if they offer an upgrade from the original SoundBlaster to the SoundBlaster
> Pro, please let me know.  The phone number from the back of the manual I have
> gets no answer - "this number has been disconnected...".  Thanks.

Creative Labs has moved to nearby Milpitas, CA, to their own multi-story 
building in a huge expansive move more than 3 months ago.  I don't have the
phone number but you should be able to get it from the local operator. 
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,comp.sys.ibm.pc.general
From: wfp@world.std.com (William F Phillips)
Subject: XT -> 386 ??
Organization: My Ivory Tower, Cambridge, MA, USA
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 05:57:26 GMT


My old XT clone has proven inadequate for the tasks I need it for now.
Clearly, it's time to upgrade.  Unfortunately, I'm quite far from
rolling in $$$, so it has to be done incrementally.  At least, as
far as I can tell.

Here's what I have:

	generic, more-or-less standard XT case, 150w PS

	generic MB with V20 processor, 640Kb

	generic Hercules-type video card w/ printer port
	generic "multi-io" card (floppies, parallel, serial, joystick, clock)
	Adaptec (Everex) RLL controller
	Music Quest MIDI card [not currently in use]
	Practical Peripherals 2400bps internal modem
	
	two Seagate ST-238R 30Mb RLL drives
	two ? 360Kb 5.25" floppy drives

	Samsung 12" amber monitor
=============================================================================

What I'd like to do it feasible:

	1) Replace motherboard with 386SX 1Mb memory, and plug certain
	   of the 8-bit cards in (video, disk controller, modem), assuming
	   I can use on-board floppy, parallel, serial, clock; but will
	   150 watts handle it?  In fact, will it work at all?  This
	   scenario also requires a new keyboard, as mine is not 
	   switchable :-( .

	2) When the budget recovers enough, replace the case and power
	   supply with a mini-tower and at least 200 watts.

	3) Replace the herc with a VGA card (nothing fancy), perhaps one
	   that will support the old monitor for a while -- I hear such
	   things exist.  More likely, at the same time replace the
	   monitor with a 14" paper-white (I dislike color displays).

	4) Replace the ST-238s with at least 100 Mb of fast drive, using
	   built-in controller (if any) or appropriate 16-bit card.

	5) Replace the floppies with a 3.5" 1.44Mb and a 5.25" 1.2Mb.

	6) Put the XT motherboard, cards and drives back in the old
	   case, and have a second computer.

Can it be done?  What are the pitfalls?  I'm thinking of starting the
project this weekend, before the IRS finds out how much I owe them ;-).

[A preferable alternative to 1) and 2) would be to get a motherboard already
mounted in a case with 200w power supply, but I don't know if I can
have enough money in the right place at the right time to pull it off.]

Looking forward to your input!

bill


-- 
   ___                ___    _                        |    Bill Phillips,
  (/__) .  /) /)     (/__) /_   .  /) /) .  _   _     |  Friend Of A Friend
  /__) (__(__(___    /    /  )_(__(__(__(_ /_)_/_)_   |
 (                  (                     (           |  wfp@world.std.com
From: scott@mycro.UUCP (Scott C. Sadow)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: Looking for info about boot disk format...
Date: 13 Apr 92 14:24:36 GMT

In article <8168@sun13.scri.fsu.edu>, news@sun13.scri.fsu.edu writes:
>My (admittedly somewhat old) Norton's PROGRAMMER'S GUIDE TO THE IBM PC
>gives the layout of the boot disk as follows:
> (boot sector stuff deleted)
>

From the DOS 5.0 Programmers Reference:

Jump            3 bytes
OEMName         8 bytes (text)
BytesPerSector  2 bytes
SecPerClust     1 byte
ResSectors      2 bytes
FATS            1 byte
RootDirEntries  2 bytes
Sectors         2 bytes
Media           1 byte
FATSecs         2 bytes
SecPerTrack     2 bytes
Heads           2 bytes
HiddenSecs      4 bytes
HugeSectors     4 bytes (only used if Sectors is zero. I.E. > 32MB disks)
DriveNumber     1 byte
                1 byte
BootSignature   1 byte (29H)
VolumeID        4 bytes
VolumeLabel     11 bytes (text)
FileSysType     8 bytes (text)


   Scott C. Sadow
   scott@mycro.UUCP
   ...gatech!nanovx!mycro!scott
From: carpenterj@gtephx.UUCP (Jim Carpenter)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: BusTek EISA SCSI controller
Summary: BusTek Address/Phone
Keywords: SCSI BusTek Address
Date: 16 Apr 92 16:38:06 GMT
Organization: AG Communication Systems, Phoenix, Arizona

In article <peril.703168874@extro.ucc.su.OZ.AU>, peril@extro.ucc.su.OZ.AU (Peter Lisle) writes:
> We have a BusTek EISA SCSI controller card at work, but no manuals (we do have
> the EISA configuration disk). I would like to contact BusTek on various matters
> bu do not have their address. If someone does have the Address+ Phone & Fax
> numbers for BusTek - PLEASE post them to the group (or mail them to me).
> 
> Thanks!

BusTek Corporation
4151 Burton Dr.
Santa Clara, CA.  95054
USA

fax   408-492-9090
voice 408-492-1542 

Good luck!

----------------------------------------------------
Jim Carpenter, AG Communication Systems, Phoenix, AZ
UUCP: ...!{ncar!noao!asuvax | att}!gtephx!carpenterj
Internet: gtephx!carpenterj@asuvax.eas.asu.edu
voice: (602) 582-7633        fax:   (602) 582-7624