HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: cstadbt@csv.warwick.ac.uk (Mr C A Elliott)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Spinrite II on IDE drives
Date: 5 Nov 1992 10:41:20 -0000
Organization: Computing Services, University of Warwick, UK
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: clover.csv.warwick.ac.uk

Spinrite II does not like IDE drives. Firstly, many have cache systems
in them which Spinrite may or may not recognise, but if it does you won't
even be able to load the program up. Secondly, when you do and ask Spinrite
to begin its analysis, it will go all the way through (showing you intersector
angle, RPM etc.) until it gets to the field showing encoding technology. A
message will then come up informing you that the drive has different 
parameters to what the controller is reporting (sector translation at work!)
and will refuse to low level format the drive.

I don't understand why there is an obsession with low level formatting
IDE drives. I realise that for people that have worked with RLL or MFM 
technologies, low level formats may have seemed to fix a lot of problems, but
IDE drives just do not like it.

Many BIOS (especially AMI) will low level format an IDE drive (it will
also put hundreds of errors on it and kill it), but the only real way
to do it is to use the software that manufacturers supply. Despite working
for a company that used thousands of Seagate drives a day, Seagate would
still not let us have a copy of the software, although I have used the
Western Digital software. When drives would come back for repair, many
had been low levelled using various programs, and all were dumped and had
to be replaced with new drives.

Charles

cstadbt@csv.warwick.ac.uk
From: slh1y@cc.usu.edu (Jay Cliburn)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: Temp sensor with PC interface?
Date: 10 Nov 92 07:40:04 MDT
Organization: Utah State University

I originally wrote:
>>> Can anyone recommend an ambient air temperature sensor which interfaces 
>>> to a PC?  It doesn't need to be very sophisticated or super accurate, I 
>>> just want to use my computer to monitor the temperature in a room and 
>>> report when the temperature exceeds limits.

Allen Mulvey <mulvey@blurt.oswego.edu> responded:
>>You should be able to rig a thermistor with an adjusting potentiometer 
>>across a joystick analog input. You would probably have to write your own 
>>software to monitor it.

And Kevin Chalker <kcc@pt.com> said:
> Radio Shack sells an electronic thermometer module (~$20) that allows you
> to program high/low temperature alarms.  You could connect this output
> to a parallel port on your PC.

Both good ideas.  Thank you.  However...

I left out an important piece of information from my original post -- the
room(s) will be up to ~1000 feet from the computer.  I believe this will drive
me to use an RS-422 interface tied to a serial port with software polling.
Can RS-232 devices be transparently connected to an RS-422 interface?  Is
RS-422 a superset of RS-232?  Can anyone recommend a 4-port RS-422 ISA-bus
compatible board?  I've seen RS-232 temperature modules advertised in various
industrial computer application catalogs.  Could I use one of these on an 
RS-422 line?

Thanks.
--
Jay Cliburn			jay@prometheus.idec.sdl.usu.edu
				slh1y@cc.usu.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: mstrand@Lise.Unit.NO (Morten Strand)
Subject: Harddisc-settings
Organization: Norwegian Institute of Technology
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 92 18:27:08 GMT

Hi

I wonder if someone know about how to set jumpers on a
NEC harddisc, to make it work as a slave.

Specs:
 	45 Meg
	D3741
	IDE, 28 ms

Thanks in advance....


Morten Strand
NTH, Norway
mstrand@lise.unit.no
From: davei@comp.lancs.ac.uk (Mr D Ingles)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: Wanting Info on HP 500C Deskjet!
Date: 10 Nov 92 10:48:58 GMT
Organization: Department of Computing at Lancaster University, UK.

In article <FDwXTB1w165w@lyncus.actrix.gen.nz> icousins@lyncus.actrix.gen.nz (Ian Cousins) writes:

>> Nope, but I've used a Calcomp A3 colour printer and it will print an A3 page
>> in about 5 mins compared with the Deskjet 500C's 1 hour.
>
>That's interesting... I thought the HP 500c only printed in A4 (half
>the size of A3 paper)!!

The HP500c is an A4 printer. The Calcomp is an A3 printer. I was trying to
make a comparison between the two to the original message. 

Some people say that their HP500c will print a full A4 page in 'presentation'
quality mode in 15 mins. It takes at least an hour on the one I use.
From: dernis@binah.cc.brandeis.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: HELP! PROTECTED MODE
Date: 5 Nov 92 02:56:06 GMT
Reply-To: dernis@binah.cc.brandeis.edu
Organization: Brandeis University

Hi,
  I recently bought Turbo C++ 3.0, which runs under protected mode,
but wouldn't run on my 286 that supposedly ran under protected mode.  I just
bought a 386SX-33.  The manual says that it 100% IBM compatable, and that
it has hardware emulation of fast gatea20 and rc reset for OS/2
 optimization.  But TC says cannot access A20.  What is happening?
I'll call Borland, but they are driving me nuts, and I pay for the calls.

Second, my 386sx-33 is barely faster than my 286-12.  Is this because
the bottle neck in my 8-bit VGA card.  Oh the speed is from Norton
Utilities SYSINFO.  It is much faster 1/4 the speed of Compac's 386-33.

Thanks in advance,
Mitch Dernis
P.S. please respond by email.
Xref: sparky comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware:29601 comp.os.ms-windows.apps:4795
From: dansmith@Autodesk.COM (Daniel Smith)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,comp.os.ms-windows.apps
Subject: Good scanner / OCR setup?
Date: 12 Nov 92 05:26:58 GMT
Followup-To: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Organization: Autodesk Inc., Sausalito CA, USA


	Given a fairly generic 486 machine, what would you consider to 
be a good:

	* color scanner

	* OCR software

	This is wide open.  Price isn't an overwhelming issue (this would
be used by many people [1]).  I'm just trying to gather some facts on what
you think is good, and what to stay away from.

[1] ok, so let's say: what can you get for $2000, $5000? $10,000?

	Ideally, the OCR software should be able to work off of bitmap
files (not be limited to whatever scan is going on at the moment).  Converting
amongst any of the major file formats is not a concern.

	email preferred, and I will post a summary.  Thanks much!

				Daniel
-- 
     Daniel Smith, Autodesk, Sausalito, California, (415) 332-2344 x 2580
	      Disclaimer: written by a highly caffeinated mammal
	    dansmith@autodesk.com            dansmith@well.sf.ca.us

Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: paul@ramsey.cs.laurentian.ca (Paul Lalonde)
Subject: **HELP** My AMI BIOS got zapped - need new one
Organization: Dept. of Computer Science, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 06:03:25 GMT


I have a noname (local dealer) machine, a 386-33 with AMI BIOS dated April
1990.  I bought the machine in June of 1991.

I turned the machine on one day about two weeks ago to find it did nothing but
beep 7 times upon memory test. It was found that the 512K BIOS EPROM had been
zapped.

Having brought the machine back to the dealer, I found out that he cannot
get a new BIOS (or _says_ that he can't).

Is it possible to find or purchase a BIOS that is identical to the one in my
machine or do I need to purchase a new motherboard?

My system uses a chipset called SiS (proprietary?) and the AMI BIOS is
labeled as follows:

                 AMI BIOS, (C) 1990
                 386 BIOS
                 Ser #219918

On the motherboard, in white letters indicating the BIOS slot, it says:

                 27512 BIOS

Does this help me in any way?  What can I do?

Any help is appreciated.

Paul

-- 
------------------------------------+-----------------------------------------
Paul Lalonde, Dept. of CompSci      |  Life is: '83 Mustang GT 5.0L, sunny
Laurentian University - Sudbury/ONT |  weekends, RUSH playing, and a smile
------------------------------------+-----------------------------------------
Xref: sparky comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware:29757 comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc:14665
From: rmartin@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Robert Martin)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: Re: Bio Setup on old IBM PC XT
Date: 13 Nov 92 11:31:27 GMT
Reply-To: rmartin@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Robert Martin)
Followup-To: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Organization: Carderock Division, NSWC, Bethesda, MD

In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware, ma90fau@imath1.ucsd.edu (ma90fau)
writes:
|Hi,
|is there a bio setup program for IBM PC XT?  If yes, what key
|combination should I use to activate it?
|Also, is it possible to fit a 286 motherboard into the IBM case?
|
|Thanks for help


BIOS setting on an "XT" are set with DIP switches located on the
motherboard.   Yes, you can get a 286/386/486 motherboard to fit
into your IBM case.



 Regards,       Bob
From: cstadbt@csv.warwick.ac.uk (Charles Elliott)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: LLF of IDE drives
Date: 6 Nov 1992 13:52:29 -0000
Organization: Computing Services, University of Warwick, UK
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: clover.csv.warwick.ac.uk


After my last couple of postings, and people telling me that they can 
successfully recover all IDE drives that have been LLF I am still
unconvinced. As it has been said, there are some IDE drives that can
be LLF by the user (especially the older drives) but the newer ones that
use intelligent interfaces for bad sector mapping etc. as far as
I am concerned, can not be LLF format without a piece of special software
and loads of parameters about the drive and/or specialist hardware. It is
this type of drive that I was talking about when I said the drives were dumped
as the repair cost was uneconomic. If anyone has LLF a drive such as a 
Quantum LPS52AT or a Seagate ST3120A successfully, I would like to hear
from them.

In answer to a question a few postings back, the ST3144A is (as far as I 
can remember) in the same family as the ST3120A and therefore cannot be
*successfully* low level formatted (by the user). If anyone wants to format 
their drive using a BIOS program etc. then they are welcome - just don't 
expect it to work afterwards, or that it is going to be able to be fixed
without costing more than a new drive.

Charles
From: JULIUS@BTVLABVM.VNET.IBM.COM (Julius C. Chang)
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 92 09:19:03 EST
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Spinrite II on IDE drives

If the IDE drives that were low level formatted had to be dumped and
replaced with new drives, then that suggests that the LLF caused
unrecoverable physical damage.  What is the origin of this damage
such that a new LLF from the factory cannot restore the drive?  If
it is just a case of encoded information on the drive getting erased
(bad track info, head positioning info), then why can't that data
simply be recopied to the drive by the manufacturer?

My recollection of Spinrite II on my Maxtor LXT-213A drive is that
Spinrite determined that it couldn't work its usual low-level magic
because the drive uses sector translation, not because it was an IDE
per se.  I don't remember Spinrite complaining about the on-board
buffer of the Maxtor drive.

For those readers who have LLF'ed their IDE drives successfully, were
the drives really formatted?  I have a vague recollection that some drives
ignore the LLF command (and this was mentioned previously by another
poster) from an old Byte magazine article on IDE.  If this is the case,
then what is the drive really doing if it isn't LLF'ing?  Is it performing
a logical format (say just zeroing the FAT) so that one could go in
and unerase the data on the drive after the apparent LLF?

-Julius


------------------------------- Referenced Note ---------------------------
Subject: Spinrite II on IDE drives
From: cstadbt@csv.warwick.ac.uk (Mr C A Elliott)
Date: 5 Nov 1992 10:41:20 -0000
NNTP-Posting-Host: clover.csv.warwick.ac.uk

Spinrite II does not like IDE drives. Firstly, many have cache systems
in them which Spinrite may or may not recognise, but if it does you won't
even be able to load the program up. Secondly, when you do and ask Spinrite
to begin its analysis, it will go all the way through (showing you intersector
angle, RPM etc.) until it gets to the field showing encoding technology. A
message will then come up informing you that the drive has different
parameters to what the controller is reporting (sector translation at work!)
and will refuse to low level format the drive.

I don't understand why there is an obsession with low level formatting
IDE drives. I realise that for people that have worked with RLL or MFM
technologies, low level formats may have seemed to fix a lot of problems, but
IDE drives just do not like it.

Many BIOS (especially AMI) will low level format an IDE drive (it will
also put hundreds of errors on it and kill it), but the only real way
to do it is to use the software that manufacturers supply. Despite working
for a company that used thousands of Seagate drives a day, Seagate would
still not let us have a copy of the software, although I have used the
Western Digital software. When drives would come back for repair, many
had been low levelled using various programs, and all were dumped and had
to be replaced with new drives.

Charles

cstadbt@csv.warwick.ac.uk

Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: paul@sierra.com (Paul Stratton)
Subject: Re: settings for Maxtor 7213
Organization: Sierra Geophysics Inc.,  Kirkland, Wa
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 19:53:36 GMT

In article <jnpotts.721330554@du248-10.cc.iastate.edu> jnpotts@iastate.edu (James N. Potts) writes:
>Can someone tell me the bios settings needed (ie, cyls, heads, sector size)
>for a 7213?  The settings given to me by my dealer calculate to 203 megs of
>data.  This seems a tad bit small.  If anyone is getting more space than this
>from their drive, please send me the settings!

1024 * 1024 = 1048576  or  1MB
1048576 * 203 = 212,860,928 or 213 METRIC MEGS (an advertising gimmick)

Isn't math wonderful!  A metric MB is 48576 bytes smaller than a real MB.


.
-- 
Paul Stratton               -----   -----   -----    -----    -----    ------
Sierra Geophysics, Inc.    /          /    /        /    /   /    /   /     /
P.O. Box 3886              -----     /    /---     /-----   /-----   /-----/
Seattle, Wa.  98124            /    /    /        /   \    /  \     /     /
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: 10666281@eng2.eng.monash.edu.au (KEVIN PRATER)
Subject: Low $ color printing on HP 500
Organization: Faculty of Engineering, Monash University 
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 02:31:06 GMT

For the very few times that I need color printing there's an alternative
to the more expensive HP500C. 

Another possible solution to color printing on the HP 500 's
is the use of color seperation programs and multipule feeding of the
paper.
Just like a printing press, you can seperate the primary colors,
produce overlays for each color, (and Black), and feed the paper
through four times printing one color each time. This of course requires

 1/  The software. I've only know of two that seperate colors
     (Coreldraw 3.0 & Inkems Banner program) 

 2/  Ink cartrages that have the different primary colors and black.

So what I would like to know is,
 Is there any other progam that seperates colors. Even more important is it 
cheaper than the two above. Any chance of there being a shareware one ?
Or how hard would it be to write a program to achive color seperation.

 Has anyone used or do use this method for the occational color graphics?
As I've only seen it in an ad.

 One other question, What would be the thickest paper/card that the HP 500 
can print successfully on ? Like could it print on the stuff that birthday 
cards and the likes are make out of?

Any replies most greatfully welcomed.
Kevin Prater
DownUnderInOz
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: vento0@sabrina.dei.unipd.it (Andrea Susini)
Subject: Cyrix "486" cpu really compatible ?
Organization: D.E.I. Universita' di Padova, Italia
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 10:08:59 GMT

I'm looking for informations about the new CYRIX cpu 486 compatible.
I'm an Italian, and here in Italy is rather difficult to find info of this kind.My questions are :
1) The CYRIX "486" is really 100% compatible whit INTEL 486 ?
2) Is it true that it hasn't the coprocessor inside of it ?
3) Is it true taht it has 1kB internal Cache ?
4) Is it far better than a 386 40 mhz ?
5) What is there inside the cpu ?(block diagram available ?) Is it the same of a 486 sx ?
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I post this news because I've not find any "pc-shop" that sells the Cyrix 486.
The few people I've met and who know about someting about it are not to much
sure about it's compatiblity.
Now I've the chance to buy a motherboard whit Cyrix "486" but I wanted to know
if I'll have someting always stucked or what else.

Thanks in advance for your Answers.

				Andrea.

P.S. Sorry for my english but that's my best.
------------------------------------------------------
Andrea Susini
Email : Vento0@sabrina.dei.unipd.it
University of Padova
Dep. of Electronics Eng.
From: jeric@berkp.uadv.uci.edu (Jeric Woo)
Subject: Modem/Mouse conflict
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Organization: University Advancement, University of Calif., Irvine
Keywords: modem/mouse
Date: 6 Nov 92 16:59:56 GMT


I recently installed an Everex 1200 (!) baud internal modem to my XT clone.
Somehow, I had to set the jumpers to indicate COM3 (COM2 doesn't work, and
I have a mouse installed in COM1) and it seemed to work.  (Actually, there
may be something wrong because it takes my comm program a LONG time to 
initialize it.)

The problem is, now my mouse isn't working anymore.  Is this one of those
IRQ conflict things?  Can someone help me?  Thanks.

Jeric
jeric@berkp.uadv.uci.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: amichiel@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Allen J Michielsen)
Subject: Re: Formatting hard drive with one bad head
Organization: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 92 21:57:03 EST

In article <15@weyrich.UUCP> uunet.uu.net!weyrich!orville writes:
>In @news.cso.uiuc.edu> walder@alexia.lis.uiuc.edu (John Walder) writes:
>> I am trying to low-level format a Seagate ST-4096 80 MB hard drive from
>> an IBM AT.  When formatting it one head consistently fails and thus the
>> bad track map runs out of room.  Does anyone know of a way to reformat

>It depends on which head is bad and what your bios is. Ideally, it is the 
>ninth head (head 8) which is bad and your bios supports user-defined disk...
>In such a case, you just define a disk with one fewer heads. If it is the
>first head (head 0), then you are SOL. For intermediate cases, you choose
>a disk type with no more cylinders and no more heads than the number of good
>heads BEFORE the bad head. You will of course loose capacity.

No matter what head is bad, if you agree that the drive is -junk- you can 
fairly easily open the drive, and jumper the head pickups as needed to move
the bad platter to be last.  IE is #1 is bad, jump #1 & #8.  If it is a
intermediate head, do the same, for example swap # 4 & # 8 if 4 is bad.
Use a user defined geometry or use the advanced features via software like
spinwrite or disk manager ( I prefer disk manager and have done this actually)

Also remember, if a head is bad, it probably has hit the platter, and been
destroyed.  The drive chamber will be full of bits and scrappings. Opening 
the drive will allow you to clean out dangerous floating chunks and filings.
I did this to a old original xt 5 or 10 MB disk, and it lasted another 3 or
4 years (much to my total amazement). I was astounded just how terrible the
platters finally were when the drive died.
From: mholtz@sactoh0.sac.ca.us (Mark A. Holtz)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: HP LaserJet 4P - When?
Date: 13 Nov 92 00:00:11 GMT
Organization: Sacramento Public Access Unix

Anyone know when the HP LaserJet 4P will be released?
-- 
      Next Time on.....ROBERTO!       <:> UUCP: PacBell.COM! -> mholtz!sactoh0
                                      <:>     ucbvax!csusac! /
 Liberal Tax and Spend Democrats who  <:> Internet: mholtz@sactoh0.sac.ca.us
     say anyting to get elected.      <:>  Fidonet: Mark Holtz@1:203/90.1701
From: Jim_Johnson@abcd.Houghton.MI.US (Jim Johnson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: Bio Setup on old IBM PC XT
Distribution: world
Date: 13 Nov 92 08:42:16 EST
Organization: Amiga BitSwap Central Dispatch

In a message dated Thu 12 Nov 92  9:08, Ma90fau@imath1.ucsd.edu (ma90fau)
wrote:

 M> Hi, is there a bio setup program for IBM PC XT?  If yes, what key
 M> combination should I use to activate it?
 M> Also, is it possible to fit a 286 motherboard into the IBM case?

XT class machines do not have a bios setup (they don't store configurations
in CMOS memory).  All configuration changes have to be done by hand via dip
switches on the motherboard and/or dip switches/jumpers on the cards.

Yes, there are several 286 upgrade motherboards out there that will fit
into an IBM XT case.  If you upgrade, I strongly urge you to also upgrade
your power supply. The original XT power supply can barely handle the power
demands of an AT class system.

-- Via DLG Pro v0.995

jim_johnson@abcd.houghton.mi.us
from Calumet, Michigan, USA -the world's former copper mining capital, 
located on Lake Superior and home to America's newest National Park,
** The Keweenaw National Historic Park **
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
From: derekk@harlqn.co.uk (Derek Knight)
Subject: Re: Frys Address/Phone Number
Organization: Harlequin Limited, Cambridge, England
Distribution: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 17:18:42 GMT

How's about this for a long-distance reply

I was on vacation in California a few weeks ago and visited Frys!

Fry's Electronics is at:
360 Portage Avenue
Palo Alto
CA

Phone 415-499 6000
--
derekk@uk.co.harlqn					Derek Knight
							Harlequin Limited
                         ___                            Barrington Hall
  \  /                  /                               Barrington
   \/  __      __ __   /__   __  o _                    Cambridge
   /  / / / / / // /  /     /   / /      8-)            CB2 5RG
  /___\/_/_/_/ /_\/  /_____/   /__\_                    England
                 /
               \/
From: mikesch@phys.ksu.edu (Michael Schulz)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Disk-mapping problems?
Date: 9 Nov 1992 15:06:47 GMT
Organization: Kansas State University
NNTP-Posting-Host: bohr.phys.ksu.edu
Summary: Norton gave me a diskmapping problesms when iA tried to calibrte my har
Keywords: harddrive, dissk mapping

When I ran Norton Utilities Caklibrate on my harddrive, (123 meg IDE), It said that my hard drive had diskmapping problems , and calibrate would not run on that drive.  Does anyone no how I can fix this problem.  I am not as concerned about not being able to run calibrate, as I am about the fact that ihave bad disk mapping.
 
--

MIkesch@phys.ksu.edu
From: Bob.Dickey@altern8.mi.org (Bob Dickey)
Sender: FredMail@altern8.mi.org
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Help-losing CMOS setting
Date: 08 Nov 92  14:35:22 EST

PP>I've been having an intermittent problem with my PC periodically
PP>losing all or part of its CMOS memory settings.  Most commonly,
PP>the clock will lose anywhere from 1/2 hr. to 3 hrs. between
PP>powering down and rebooting, but sometimes the date will be 1-2 days
PP>off, and sometimes the entire CMOS will be zapped.

I have been having probs with my clock too. I don't know what the problem
is but it just seems to be the clock. Im on a 286 and rest of the CMOS
don't seem to be effected. Most of the time the clock just looses a few
minutes. This tends to mess up alot of my software but so far I have just
corrected the time and whent on. If you or anyone has any ideas, please get
back to me.


 * OLX 2.1 TD * We're down to seeds and stems again!