HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: slee@cse.unl.edu (Shiuh-Haw Lee)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Question about Upgrading from 386 to 486
Date: 4 Jan 1993 17:46:00 GMT
Organization: University of Nebraska--Lincoln	
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: cse.unl.edu


  I am thinking of upgrading my 386DX-25 motherboard to a 486DX-33 local bus.
My question is:  Do I need to replace any other stuff in my system besides 
motherboard and CPU?
  Thanks.  



--
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Shiuh H. Lee    |  E-mail :  slee@cse.unl.edu   |  Tel: (402)436-0707 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: andys@navahonavaho.cc.bellcore.com (say,william)
Subject: Two SCSI Controllers...
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 93 04:53:35 GMT
Keywords: SCSI

   Okay currently I have an UltraStor 24F SCSI controller that I use for
my primary 340Meg drive.  I also have a 105Meg SCSI drive that I would like
to use for Linux, which unfortunetly does not recognize the 24F.  I was
thinking about buying a cheap SCSI controller that Linux does recognize and
run that drive for Linux.  My question is is it easy to setup two SCSI
controllers to work together???  I currently have a RLL drive working with
the UltraStor, although I have to kick my UltraStor into ISA compatibility
mode.
   If this is possible does anyone have any recommendations on a cheap SCSI
controller that Linux recognizes??
   Please respond via e-mail since I am in class this week and can not read
news then, I will summarize responses to the net if anyone requests.

Thanks,
 Andy

-- 
*******************************************************************************
*  Andy Say                        |  E-mail: andys@seas.bellcore.com         *
*  Bell Communications Research    |       I do not speak for Bellcore.       *
*******************************************************************************
From: jcl@bdrc.bd.com (John C. Lusth)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: HDD controller failure
Keywords: help
Date: 8 Jan 93 02:41:07 GMT

I just got a WD2200 Caviar 213 MB disk drive.  In the CMOS setup, I
set the  Cylinders to 989, Heads to 12 and Sectors/track to 35 as
specified on the data sheet I received with it.  I set WPcom to 0 and
LZone to 989, but I'm just guessing for these values.  Anyway, when
I try to boot up using the floppy, I get 2 beeps and the message

    HDD controller failure
    Press F1 to continue

If I press F1, the floppy goes active and then stops.  A long
time later I finally get the date and time queries and then
the DOS prompt.  If I try to format the drive at that point,
I get an invalid drive specification error.

The controller board is not the problem as I successfully use
it on my other computer.  The drive is not jumpered which is
correct for a single disk drive, so that's not the problem
either. Does anybody have a clue as to what is wrong?  I'm 
having trouble getting through to the technical support people
from whence I bought the drive.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

john
-- 
John C. Lusth, Becton Dickinson Research Center, RTP, NC, USA  jcl@bdrc.bd.com
From: nijhuis@isg.llnl.gov (Jan A. Nijhuis)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: RE: RLL & MFM
Date: 12 Jan 93 21:16:32 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Lawrence Laboratory  Livermore, CA

From: ICVXV@ASUACAD.BITNET (S.Visveshwara)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: RLL & MFM

Hi,
  I would like some information regarding the difference between the above.

==========================================================

One is from the Bronze Age the other is from the Iron Age. ;-)

They are essentially the same thing.  RLL (Run Lengh Limited) is a variation
of MFM (Modified Frequency Modulation)

MFM uses 17 Sectors/Track, RLL uses about 25, Advanced RLL (ARLL) uses about
33 Sectors/Track.  It's just a scheme to pack more data into a given area.

--

Jan A. Nijhuis,
nijhuis@isg.llnl.gov

Two wrongs do not make a right, but three will get you back on the freeway.
From: lewis@oasys.dt.navy.mil (William Lewis)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: Could we split this newsgroup ?
Date: 11 Jan 93 15:29:38 GMT
Reply-To: lewis@oasys.dt.navy.mil (William Lewis)
Organization: Carderock Division, NSWC, Bethesda, MD

In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware, tdbear@dvorak.amd.com (Thomas D. Barrett) writes:
>In article <1993Jan7.213325.3772@lth.se> f88hv@efd.lth.se writes:
>>I suggest that the following groups be created:
>>
>>comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.video
>>comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.drive
>>
>With all due respects to our friends at ibm... we can probably loose
>either the ibm or the pc.
>
>--
>|Tom Barrett (TDBear), Sr. Engineer|tom.barrett@amd.com|v:512-462-6856 |
>|AMD PCD MS-520 | 5900 E. Ben White|Austin, TX  78741  |f:512-462-5155 |
>|"No is yes, And we're all free" ---Tracy Chapman, "Why?"              |
>|My views are my own and may not be the same as the company of origin  |


With the amiga's and mac's and whateverelse is out there I think we
are stuck with the ibm.pc. I just don't think that "compatibles" would
fit. At least until all the die hard crazies, wake up and smell the
architecture. (no flames from the atari people please)

By the Way, Tom, When's AMD coming out with their 486dx/50 chip, I'd
like to see the competition force the price down so I can buy one (maybe
even two, ha). I have an AMD 386dx/40, barely a year old. Ya think I
could trade it up to the New AMD 50????

later
Bill
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: bmaggio@wort.dcs.bellcore.com (Bill Maggio)
Subject: LaserPrinter can print from Mac and PC 
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 93 14:21:28 GMT

Hello.

Is there a low-cost postscript laser printer that has 
a serial, parallel and Appletalk port built in?

something like the new, high-end Apple LaserWriters,
but a much lower cost.

auto-switching is not important, but postscript and 
the 3 port types, are.

thanx,

bill maggio


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
William J. Maggio                       Email     : bmaggio@bellcore.com
Bellcore                                SnailMail : bellcore!bmaggio
6 Corporate Place, PYA-1J257            VoiceMail : 908-699-6864
Piscataway, NJ 08855-1320               Fax       : 908-336-2237
From: ricardo@pencom.com (Ricardo Parada)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: How does VESA work?
Date: 11 Jan 93 01:20:10 GMT
Organization: Pencom Software

I know from my days of assembly programming that whenever 8086 instructions  
like OUT DX,AX were used the CPU was using the I/O bus.  On the other hand  
when instructions like MOV AX,[BX] were used the CPU was not using the I/O  
bus.  In Intel chips I/O addresses are different from memory addresses.  In  
the Motorola chips I/O devices are mapped to system memory, so in order to  
write to an I/O device the CPU simply has to write to the memory address for  
that device.

Now, I remember that in the Intel hardware there was a pin from the CPU that  
indicated that the address in the address bus was for an I/O device or for  
normal system memory.

The I/O bus in PCs (i.e. ISA) has an upper limit of 8MHz.  So they invented  
VESA local bus.  Does any one know how it works?  I think my confusion is that  
I don't know how it is accessed from assembly language?  Do you use IN/OUT or  
MOV instructions?  How does the hardware detect that VESA local bus is being  
accessed instead of system memory or ISA bus?
  
--
Ricardo J. Parada
From: ahummel@ems.cdc.com (H. Austin Hummel)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: Gateway 2000 486DX2-66V vs. Zeos 486DX2-66 VESA Local Bus System
Date: 8 Jan 93 17:24:48 GMT
Reply-To: ahummel@ems.cdc.com
Organization: Empros Systems International, a division of CDC

In article <FRIEDMAN.93Jan6232406@khan.trincoll.edu>, friedman@starbase.trincoll.edu (Mark A. Friedman) writes:
|> I've narrowed the choice of what system I will buy to two and now wish
|> to make a final decision between the Gateway 2000 486DX2-66V and the
|> Zeos 486DX2-66 VESA Local Bus System.  The systems seem comparable in
|> terms of performance, features and cost in terms of my needs and
|> budget.  I will be buying only a system unit (i.e. motherboard,
|> processor, memory, etc. within a tower case) and hard disk but no
|> monitor nor graphics card from one of these two vendors.
|> 
|> I want to base my final decision on the overall quality of systems put
|> together by the two vendors and in particular, how well these two
|> particular machines are built, and in addition take into account the
|> reputation of each vendor in terms of service and support.
|> 
|> I would appreciate any praise, grief, or other comments from those who
|> have previously made their choice.  I plan to summerize that which I
|> receive together with a promised summary of a previous post early next
|> week.

Latest issue of PC Magazine- editor Choice  Gateway 2000 486DX2-66V
From: worley@a.cs.okstate.edu (WORLEY LAWRENCE JA)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: noisy fan...
Date: 8 Jan 93 02:51:18 GMT
Article-I.D.: a.1993Jan8.025118.8807
Organization: Oklahoma State University

From article <1993Jan07.182749.27051@donau.et.tudelft.nl>, by rene@hal.et.tudelft.nl (Rene Bodenstaff):
> In article <1993Jan06.074530.1369@skynet.uucp>, ice@skynet.uucp (Ice) writes:
>> In article <1992Dec15.181825.2110@spectrum.xerox.com> sprague.wbst311@xerox.com writes:
>> [...]
>> >sounds his fan made.  After it was mounted differently, he said
>> >all the noise went away.
>> >
>> >I have never really had the urge to open the power supply in my PC
>> >though.  :-)  Of course, it you decide to do somehting like this,
>> >make _sure_ you unplug the PC.
>> >
>> >			~ Mike (sprague.wbst311@xerox.com)
>> 
>> 
>> Noisy fans are a pain in the ass and they don't do their job of dissipating
>> heat as efficiently which is bad news for your computer.
>> 
> 
>   Let me tell you what I did. My two harddisks + stone age power supply
>   made such a terrible noise together, I decided to shut the fan down 
>   forever. I placed a switch between the power supply and the fan, so
>   the fan could be turned on again when my PC starts to act strange. This
>   was two years ago and nothing strange has happened; I never had to switch
>   the fan back on...
> 
>   (If you try this yourself and f**k up your machine, don't blame me)

I have a 386-40 with 2 hd, 2 fd, tape backup, 4mb RAM, 256K cache and all
7 slots are filled with cards.  I leave the case off, rendering the fan 
essentially useless for everything but the 200W power supply.  I have had
no heat-up problems, and my computer is on continuously.  So, I would agree
that disconnecting the fan is an alternative, assuming the power supply
doesn't overheat.  Transformers sometimes reach a "saturation" temperature
when they are on for long periods with little or no cooling, and sufficient
current is being drawn through them.  Anyway, I haven't had any problems
with little/no air circulating over the mother boards and expansion boards.

-Jason Worley
From: Espo@cup.portal.com (STEVEN MICHAEL ESPOSITO)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: advice on ext 14.4 modem
Date: Wed,  6 Jan 93 11:26:44 PST
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Distribution: usa

I am looking for advice on which external 14.4 modem I should buy.
I have heard some good comments on the Infotel and was looking to pay
about $300.00 mail order. I have a 486/33 and would run under windows.
would this be a problem without having the fast uart 16550 (i think)

Also can some kind sole please send me the numeric net address for some
good IBM ftp sites including simtel. I have looking in this group for a
FAQ and can not find one.

Thanks

Steve Esposito / Espo@cup.portal.com

Guam USA
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: roger@sr.hp.com (Roger Petersen)
Subject: Re: Viewsonic monitors
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 02:02:23 GMT
Organization: HP Sonoma County (SRSD/MWTD/MID)
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8.1]

Steve Madden (smadden@titan.trl.OZ.AU) wrote:

| >I'd like to see some opinions about the Viewsonic 5E and 6 monitors.  I
| >would also like to hear of other comparable monitors.  I will be using a

I have a Viewsonic 5E, and am very happy with it.

I have it in a sunny (South facing) room, and the screen is
still viewable with sunlight shining directly on it!
(You wouldn't want to use it this way, but it has plenty of 
brightness to compete with a brightly lit room.)

The 5E runs at 72 Hz up to 1024x768, which is nice.  But since I run
Windows at 800x600 (14" isn't really big enough for 1024x768), it's not
as exciting as I had hoped.  (Still handy for other apps., however.)

				.  .  .

My friend just bought a 14" CTX monitor.  It has a nifty feature
that my Viewsonic 5E doesn't -- it has "save/recall" registers
to store the screen size and position settings for various 
video resolutions.  So you don't have to tweak the controls
when you change video modes.  Very nice.

With my Viewsonic 5E, I have to tweak the vertical height control (only)
when I switch from 640x480 to any higher resolution.  (Switching between
800x600 and 1024x768 doesn't require any tweaks.)  This is with my
cheapo Trident 8900 card.  Your Speedstar may vary.

Roger Petersen
roger@sr.hp.com
From: garyg@warren.mentorg.com (Gary Gendel)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: What's the deal? My chip says "SX-25";
Date: 6 Jan 1993 15:09:26 GMT
Organization: Mentor Graphics Corp. -- IC Group
Distribution: world
Reply-To: garyg@warren.mentorg.com
NNTP-Posting-Host: garyg.warren.mentorg.com

In article 25566@bmers95.bnr.ca, khor@bnr.ca (Kyle Hor) writes:
          
>There's a question I'd always wanted to ask.  Why are wafers still made circular?
>Since the dice are rectangular, wouldn't it save material growing the crystals
>in a rectangular wafer?  

The process of growing high quality silicon hasn't changed much.  Basically a seed
of solid silicon is suspended in container of melted silicon.  The seed is turned
and raised VERY slowly, allowing the silicon to crystalize around the seed.  This
process produces very high quality crystalline structures, and by its nature
produces a salami shaped product.

Gary


Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: spira@panix.com (Greg "Sarcasm Is A Way Of Life" Spira)
Subject: Re: Gateway2000 486DX-33 ??
Organization: Boo!  
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 23:01:23 GMT

In <1993Jan8.150029.5391@gvl.unisys.com> pastor@prc.unisys.com (Jon Pastor) writes:

>And... spira@panix.com (Greg "Sarcasm Is A Way Of Life" Spira) writes:

>|> Gentlemen, you;'re discussing 2 different things.  The CD-Rom is the same
>|> price with system as without.  Mr. Wallcave, however, is talking about
>|> the Microsoft Sound System, which is a different price bought separately
>|> as opposed to when it's packaged with a system.  And his customer rep
>|> wanted to charge him the extra $20 if it shipped without a system, but
>|> that extra $20 should only be charged when it's ordered without a system.

>Hmmm...  I was told that if I didn't have a Gateway system, I couldn't even
>order peripherals from them, and that if I did have one, I could order any
>peripheral at the advertised price.  Is there fine print for the sound card?

Check the ads; it's pretty clear on this point.  They either only have
the $149 price and say "with the pucharse of a system," or add that it is
"$169 without."  Of course, if you don't have a Gateway system, they won't
sell it to you for any price.

Originally, Gateway's contract with Microsoft on this prohobited them to
sell the MSS without a system.  There was a last-minute adjustment to the
contract right when the MSS went on sale that enabled Gateway to sell it
separately.  There very well might be a clause in the contract which forces
Gateway to sell it at a higher price when separate.

Aside from software, I don't think there are any peripherals other than the
sound system which there are any restrictions or higher prices charged when
sold separately. 

It seems to me that Microsoft stuff always has these restrictions.  For
example, when buying a GW, you can save money by eliminating most parts
that you don't need - floppies, hard drives, monitor, video card.  But
you can't get a GW without a Microsoft Mouse.

>|> Well, it's not nearly as bad as getting through to sales.  The quality
>|> of tech support varies - some good, some not - but you can get through
>|> to them a lot faster than you can get a salesman on the phone.          

>My experience with sales was not the same.  Yes, getting through on the "first
>time call" line is a pain, but once I got the direct-line number and the
>extension for my salesman, I could usually get through pretty quickly, and he
>*always* called me back quickly, typically within a half hour!

It really depends on the salespeople.  Some are good at calling back, some
aren't.  My saleslady was very nice and helpful, but she never called me
back when she was supposed to.

Greg 

Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: sheldon@iastate.edu (Steve Sheldon)
Subject: Re: Sick of dinky mouse pads.
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames IA
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 1993 18:20:43 GMT

In <slendt.99.0@unomaha.edu> slendt@unomaha.edu (Steven Lendt) writes:

>Does anyone know of a place that makes large mouse pads?
>I'm talking 14" or bigger, arr, arr (Tim Allen sound effects).

 I'm not aware of any companies making large "mouse pads".  But...

 I have seen pads that you stick under typewriter's which are of similar
construction.

 Check an office supply store for such an item, actually check several
as they may differ from store to store.
-- 
sheldon@iastate.edu                Steve Sheldon
Project Vincent                    ICSS Resource Unit
SCO ODT, Arc/Info, Atlas GIS       2142 Agronomy Hall
                                   Iowa State University
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: aea@swamp03.cacs.usl.edu (Edwin Alexander)
Subject: Modem/Kermit interfacing problems
Summary: How to properly get Kermit to interface with internal 2400 bps modem?
Keywords: modem, kermit
Organization: The Center for Advanced Computer Studies
Distribution: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc, comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,comp.os.msdos.misc
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 1993 00:50:57 GMT

I am having real trouble with my new 1200 bps internal modem.  It works just
fine with Crosstalk, the communications program thatcame with the modem; how-
ever, Kermit just doesn't like it at all.  I can send dial commands to the
modem from Kermit -- and it connects -- but I *never* see anything on the
screen.

In Crosstalk, I was using 2400/8/1/N/COM1, and I was using the same exact
thing in Kermit.  In both instances, I was emulating a VT100 terminal.  To
further expand on this, I tried testing the modem from both Crosstalk and
from Kermit, but with no remote connection -- same problem.  I checked, both
programs were in full duplex mode.  With Kermit, I tried ATE1 and ATQ0 to no
avail (these are the default setting anyway).

As for hardware information, I have an XT-class machine, 640k, just in case
that makes a difference.  Please help me as I *need* Kermit to be able to 
work.  Crosstalk connects, but I can't run WordPerfect from the Sun system,
nor can I download files from the Suns without the Kermit protocol, which
Crosstalk doesn't provide.  And to top it off, I personally thing Crosstalk
just doesn't measure up.  Help!

Thanks,
Edwin Alexander

/---------------------------------------------------------------------------\
| Edwin Alexander                                    aea@cacs.usl.edu       |
| Center for Advanced Computer Studies               aea@gator.cacs.usl.edu |
| University of Southwestern Louisiana               aea5752@usl.edu        |
| Lafayette, Louisiana, USA                          (318) 988-6377         |
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------/
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: bauwens@acs.ucalgary.ca (Luc Bauwens)
Subject: Re: PS/Valuepoint BIOS (2nd harddrive?)
Date: Sat, 09 Jan 93 00:56:29 GMT
Organization: The University of Calgary, Alberta

In article <sheldon.726118497@vincent1.iastate.edu> sheldon@iastate.edu (Steve Sheldon) writes:
>I just bought a IBM PS/Valuepoint 433DX, and really like it a lot.
>
> I was reading thru the documentation, and was kind of curious about
>something.  I'm thinking about adding another harddrive to this computer.
>Probably another 200 Meg Maxtor similar to what's in there.
>
> The documentation shows how to install the drive, but what I was curious
>about and what differs from what I'm used to is the BIOS settings.
>
> The PS/Valuepoint BIOS doesn't have any settings for harddrives.
>
> So I'm just curious, if the IDE standard allows for some sort of auto
>sensing of drive parameters, kind of like SCSI does?


Sorry I can't help you on that.  I got another qurstion on the
Value Point, however.  What kind of a SVGA board do they use?

Luc B
From: ebrown@bud_light.kodak.com (Eric Brown)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Experiene w/ Zenon,Comtrad or Royal?
Date: 12 Jan 93 06:33:46 GMT
Reply-To: ebrown@tap.kodak.com
Organization: Eastman Kodak Company


I'm interested in any peoples experience with any of these companies.
Thanks in advance,
Eric.
ebrown@tap.kodak.com
--
From: jschuler@dcs.simpact.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: Gateway2000 486DX-33 ??
Date: 9 Jan 93 00:53:40 PDT
Organization: Simpact Associates, San Diego CA

In article <hielsche.726466303@aragorn>, hielsche@aragorn.CSEE.Lehigh.Edu (Frank Hielscher) writes:
> I ordered my Gateway 486-DX2-66 on Dec7. The shipping papers were dated
> Dec. 22, and it arrived Dec. 28. Promised delivery date was 3 to 4 weeks.
> 
> The machine? Tower, 16 Megs (4 @ 4megs), 2Megs & RAMDAC on ATI board, CD-ROM.
> No monitor (got my own).
> 
> The system started right up, but I had to reseat the floppy connectors on the
> motherboard (no big deal).
> 
> It's been running like a charm for a week now. No glitches at all.
> 
> Re documentation: Everything was included: extra manuals for the ATI upgrade,
> a manual for the CD-ROM, a 59-page manual for the Q/A Cool Tools Utilities,
> and a 94-page manual for the Central Point Utilities.

1. Does the CD-ROM drive have a SCSI interface?
2. Can the two sets of function keys on the Anykey keyboard 
 be programmed separately (i.e. F1 on vertical set return a different
 sequence than the F1 horizontal)?

I requested and received data sheets but they provided no clues.

Thanks in advance,
John Schuler
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: ciufo@cc.uow.edu.au (philip ciufo)
Subject: Re: Hooking an apple printer to a PC????
Organization: University Of Wollongong
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 93 21:02:50 GMT

christos@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu writes:

>3. Hooking an Apple printer to a PC would require I guess an adapter
>   that would convert the Centronics Interface signals to the Apple
>   Talk Interface signals? Is there such an adaptor and how is it
>   called, where can we find one, and approximate what is the price?
>   Also, buying such a device what do we need to pay attention to.

I recall once reading a net article that said to use the
Imagewriter printer with a PC via the 25/15 D connector
cable. At the PC end, swap pins 2 and 3. For the printer
driver, use C-Itoh 8510 (windows 3.1 version).

Phil Ciufo,
University of Wollongong, Australia
From: jkn@ohm.york.ac.uk (John Nicoll)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: simple hardware question about PC joystick
Date: 12 Jan 93 09:47:26 GMT
Organization: Electronics Department, University of York, UK

Hello all
	A simple question: is the 100k ohms mentioned
WRT the PC joystick in the AT tech. ref. manual

a) the range `wiped' over by the joystick control,

b) the value of the pots (of which I guess 25% gets used)

	It's not clear & I don't have one to test.

	email replies please - thank you
	john Nicoll

-- 
john nicoll (jkn@ohm.york.ac.uk)
Department of Electronics  University of York
Heslington   YORK YO1 5DD U.K
Tel +44 (904) 433221   Fax +44 (904) 432335