Date: Mon, 15 May 89 15:00:10 EDT From: Wm E Davidsen Jr <386users@crdos1.crd.ge.com> To: 386users@TWG.COM Subject: 80386 mailing list, vol 4 #28 80386 User's mailing list vol 4 #28 Apr 29, 1989 In this issue: 386 Disk Utility 386 RAM allocation ICE386 and Microsoft Tools Re: Info wanted: Micro 1 Power 386-20 [ 2 msgs ] Need opinion on Compaq 386. PS/2 70 32/16 bit slots Rommable 386 C learning the 386 transporting drives uucico hangs on the AT&T 6386 [ 3 msgs ] The addresses for the list are now: 386users@TWG.COM - for contributions to the list or ...!uunet!TWG.COM!386users 386users-request@TWG.COM - for administrivia or ...!uunet!TWG.COM!386users-request P L E A S E N O T E If you want to get on or off the list, or change your address, please mail to the 386users-request address, or the message will be delayed by having to hand forward it (for your convenience, not mine). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: dotan@cunixc.cc.columbia.edu (Dotan Naveh) Columbia University Subject: 386 Disk Utility Date: 23 Apr 89 03:01:26 GMT A friend of mine has a Compaq 386/20e. He recently tried to use Norton Utilities Advanced Version. Unfortunately, many of the utils, such as Quick Undelete and NU, didn't work. They gave some kind of a message about a problem with the FAT. Other disk utils, such as the Disk Optimizer also don't work on his computer. I think this has to do with the new hard disk controller used on some PC's. He's in desperate need of a really powerful disk utility. Can anyone recommend one? Send responses by mail, please. If I get responses, I'll post a summary. *===========================================================================* | Dotan Naveh, Columbia University. | And AC said "Let There Be Light!" | | | And there was light -- | | | - Isaac Asimov | | dotan@cunixc.cc.columbia.edu | "The Last Question" | *===========================================================================* -- Dotan. ------------------------------ From: exos:<@crdgw1.crd.ge.com:@twg.com:@twg.com:csense!bote@uunet.uu.net> Subject: 386 RAM allocation Date: Wed Apr 26 15:52:38 1989 To all those who have asked and those who will ask, don't ask--here is a capsule of the memory allocation scheme used by many 386 motherboard manufacturers. The 384K portion of memory above 640K and below 1000K (that's 1MB to you and me) is unaccessible on many clone and name-brand motherboards. DOS was designed with acres of headroom-640K-way back in 1981; IBM designed their systems to accomodate this, reserving the top 384K for system ROM, I/O, and other uses. Through the evolution of these PC architecture systems, this area of address space has never been used to any great extent for purposes other than the original one. Unless your motherboard manufacturer specifically states that the 384K above the 640K limit is usable, perhaps as "shadow RAM", then don't even worry about it: pick another motherboard or live without the memory. Hope this helps. Bote uunet!cyclops!csense!bote {mimsy,sundc}!{prometheus,hqda-ai}!media!cyclops!csense!bote ------------------------------ From: aubrey@val.UUCP (Aubrey McIntosh) Video Associates Labs - Austin, TX Subject: ICE386 and Microsoft Tools Date: 24 Apr 89 20:04:34 GMT I am the proud new owner of an Intel ICE-386. We do not have the Intel development tools, particularly their (incremental) linker. For the while, we are developing general MS-DOS device drivers, and will use the ICE to debug them. They are generic 8088 code. Has anyone out there found a way to use Microsoft .EXE .MAP or .SYM files and upload Symbolic information to the ICE? -- Whatcha' call a boomerang that doesn't come back? --Lost-- -------------------------------------------------------------- 1-(512)-346-5781 (v) Using Modula-2. Austin, TX 78759 ...!cs.utexas.edu![dell|oakhill|kvue]!val!aubrey ------------------------------ From: ccma@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Chung-chun Ma) Princeton University, NJ Subject: Re: Info wanted: Micro 1 Power 386-20 Date: 21 Apr 89 21:39:41 GMT I don't know about Micro 1's 386 machines, but I had a terrible experience dealing with this company. In March 1988 I bought a 286 AT compatible from them. After six months the machine started working erratically. As suggested by their technician I shipped it back for repairs on Oct. 12. One stupid thing I did was to leave the 80287 math coprocessor I bought myself on the motherboard. I called the technician on Oct. 25 and he said it hadn't arrived yet. However when I later received the check paid by Micro 1 for my COD postage it was dated Oct. 24. For the next one and a half months I called fourteen times to check on it and each time I was told that this technician was not in. When I asked about the computer they said he was working on it and nobody else knew how it was going. And he never returned my phone calls as I requested. On Dec. 12 I finally reached him on the phone. He said he had been transferred to another department and knew nothing about my computer. Without giving further explanations he passed me on to somebody else. So more phone calls for another month and a half. I first found out that they had lost track of my computer. They promised to assemble a new one for me. When I mentioned the 80287, they promised I'll get it too. But every day I watched UPS trucks passing in front of my house without stopping. With the help of a friend who knows better how to deal with this kind of situation I finally got a computer back on Feb. 20. Not surprisingly there was no 80287 in it. This friend of mine kept working on the 80287 but we still can't get it up to now. According to some sources Micro 1 is undergoing some transition these days. That might explain all the confusion there is. I felt a little bit relieved when I found out through this newsgroup that I'm not the only victim. But the frustrations and the loss of four months' time in my last year of graduate work was just too much. ------------------------------ From: Christopher Schanck Ohio State University Computer and Information Science Subject: Re: Info wanted: Micro 1 Power 386-20 Date: 22 Apr 89 20:42:27 GMT In article <7893@phoenix.Princeton.EDU> ccma@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Chung-chun Ma) writes: > [... details of a bad experience with Micro 1 ...] > With the help of a friend who knows better how to deal with this >kind of situation I finally got a computer back on Feb. 20. Not Now this is a friend we could all use; who was this guy, A Man Called Hawk? :-) -=- "Does the phrase 'go suck a lemon' hold any meaning for you?" ---- Raphael, in "TMNT: The Epic Begins" Christopher Schanck (schanck@cis.ohio-state.edu) ------------------------------ From: swie@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu (Swie Tsing Tan) CSci Dept., University of Minnesota, Mpls. Subject: Need opinion on Compaq 386. Date: 25 Apr 89 07:05:20 GMT I would like to purchase Compaq 386 (25Mhz), and I need public opinion on Compaq product. If you are using "any" Compaq product, would you please e-mail your opinion to me ? Thanks swie@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu ------------------------------ From: Lost in mailing Subject: PS/2 70 32/16 bit slots Date: Wed, 26 Apr 89 14:28:28 EDT How interchangable are the 16 and 32 bit slots on a PS/2 Model 70? Will 16-bit cards work in a 32 bit slot, and vice versa? Is there a difference between 16 and 32 bit slots in the first place? In addition, can I expand the number of slots (only 3, unfortunately) if I need more? Thanx in advance. ------------------------------ From: montgome@udel.EDU (Kevin Montgomery) University of Delaware Subject: Rommable 386 C Date: 21 Apr 89 13:52:36 GMT Is anyone in usenetland developing imbeded 386 C applications under UNIX, or, MS-Dos??? If so, what products are you using, are the standard Unix tools suitable for producing rommable code, etc.?? How about real-time kernels for the 386?? I just need simple task switching, scheduling done. Inexpensive source would be a plus. I would be interested in hearing about your experiences, suggestions. Oh, by the way. I am developing a controller board with an imbedded 386. We have lots of PC's, a SCO Xenix box, and soon will be aquiring a larger, but PC based server. MetaWare's Hi-C compiler has been suggested so far... (And intel's products maligned) Thanks for any help. -Ken, friend of Kevin -- Kevin Montgomery ------------------------------ From: zs04+@andrew.cmu.edu (Zachary T. Smith) Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA Subject: learning the 386 Date: 25 Apr 89 12:36:52 GMT I'd like to learn 386 architecture and assembly language. I already know 8088/8086 but I know zero about the 286, so what I am really trying to do is leapfrog that processor as at I ascend to better things. Does anybody know of good, understandable book on the 386? My actual focus will be putting it in the "flat" mode, where all addresses are 32 bits, so a book that touches on VAX-style programming would be great. Thanks in advance, Zach Smith (zs04+@andrew.cmu.edu) ------------------------------ From: steinmetz!uunet!physics.rice.edu!zielke Subject: transporting drives Date: 25 Apr 89 15:03:00 CST I have an IBM-AT with the original CMI 20mb hard disk, the one which tended to crash rather violently. It is not an autopark drive, however, I land the heads every time I power down. As for transportation. By car I leave the drives in the system unit and pack the whole thing in the original box. Then put it all in the trunk. I have had no problems to this point (3 moves >1000 miles) when traveling by plane I take the drive out of the unit, check the computer as baggage and carry on the drives. I also let them X-Ray the drive as an experiment last time with no ill effects. However, always back up your hard disk (twice preferably) before moves and carry one set of disks with you and send the other set by some other means. (I use the post office) In case of catastrific failure of the transport vehicle. Hope that this is of some help. David Zielke =============================================================================== ARPA==> Zielke@Physics.Rice.Edu * Zielke@128.42.9.23 * After Three Days MaBell==> 713-527-8101 ext. 4018 work * Without Programming 713-666-2982 home * Life Becomes US Snail==> David M. Zielke * Meaningless 7490 Brompton #110 * Houston, Tx 77025 * -The Tao of Programming =============================================================================== P.S. I am looking at buying as segate 4096 80meg drive. How are they for reliability, and will they work with original IBM-AT roms... ------------------------------ From: robert@CSUStan.EDU (Robert Zeff) Calif. State Univ., Stanislaus, Turlock, Ca Subject: uucico hangs on the AT&T 6386 Date: 22 Apr 89 00:15:52 GMT I have an AT&T 6386 which hangs in uucico when the call is aborted. The uucico process cannot be killed, even from root. I also have had cu hang this way. AT&T has not offered any useful advice. Seems to me that root should be able to kill any process. We're using a Telebit Plus. Anyone else having this problem or have a solution? (Ant tips on how to handshake with the Telebit would be appreciated, also) Thanks, -- Robert Zeff (209) 577-4268 work, 577-8548 FAX ZAPCO 2549 Yosemite Blvd Ste. E {lll-lcc,lll-crg}!csustan!zhome!robert Modesto, Ca. 95354 {lll-lcc,lll-crg}!csustan!robert ------------------------------ From: les@chinet.chi.il.us (Leslie Mikesell) Chinet - Public Access Unix Subject: Re: uucico hangs on the AT&T 6386 Date: 23 Apr 89 03:48:48 GMT In article <1055@koko.CSUStan.EDU> robert@CSUStan.EDU (Robert Zeff) writes: >I have an AT&T 6386 which hangs in uucico when the call is aborted. >The uucico process cannot be killed, even from root. I also have had cu >hang this way. AT&T has not offered any useful advice. Seems to me that >root should be able to kill any process. We're using a Telebit Plus. >Anyone else having this problem or have a solution? See if you can duplicate the problem this way: Get a connection, send an XOFF to the port from the remote side and drop the line. If this leaves the line locked, try to reconnect and send an XON at the same speed. I had trouble with this years ago on the 3B2s - perhaps they haven't learned anything. Is this on the built-in serial port or an IPC board? Les Mikesell ------------------------------ From: pat@mslanpar (Pat R. Calhoun) TSLanpar,Toronto,Ontario Subject: Re: uucico hangs on the AT&T 6386 Date: 24 Apr 89 18:56:57 GMT In article <1055@koko.CSUStan.EDU>, robert@CSUStan.EDU (Robert Zeff) writes: > I have an AT&T 6386 which hangs in uucico when the call is aborted. > The uucico process cannot be killed, even from root. I also have had cu > hang this way. AT&T has not offered any useful advice. Seems to me that > root should be able to kill any process. We're using a Telebit Plus. > Anyone else having this problem or have a solution? > (Ant tips on how to handshake with the Telebit would be appreciated, also) If you happen to have the driver source, you will more than likely find that the priority to sleep is less than PZERO. This means that a signal will not kill (or wakeup) the process. This is the reason why the process is unkillable. By exec'ing a ps(1) - 'laef', you will find the process' priority will be <26, this means if that process is hung, you can kill it by executing an init 0 (probably not what you want:-). I need more information regarding your problem. First, are you using the standard serial port?? or are you adding a multi-port board (such as CTC's GEMINI-10)?? I also need to know what BIOS PROM version is in your system(the 386 obviously:-). Right now I'm making the assumption that you are using ATT SYS V, and not XENIX, so you might want to specify you OS!! -- "The statements above does not necessarily reflect the views of the writer, the President of the United States, or the cleaning staff." _^_ ||| Pat "King of the Trenches" Calhoun | Technical Support Group, Lanpar Technologies /\/\/\/\/\ UUCP: ...!attcan!nebulus!tslanpar!mslanpar DISCLAIMER: "Read the DAMN manual, I don't need this SHIT!!" ------------------------------ End of 80386 M/L Vol 4 #28 **************************