Date: Tuesday, 21 February 1989 07:54-MST From: Wm E. Davidsen To: 386users at TWG.COM Re: 80386 mailing list, vol 4 #9 80386 User's mailing list vol 4 #9 Feb 21, 1989 In this issue: Jetscript 386 conflict in virtual 8086 mode [ 2 msgs ] 386/SX Chip upgrades? [ 2 msgs ] modest LISPs for the 386 [ 3 msgs ] Bell Tech's 8 port card Re: 8-port serial async cards?? Word Perfect 5.0 killed my Xenix system!! Summary of 386 Recommendations anyone tried an Intel 386/AT Inboard in a CompuAdd clone? Compaq 386 4 meg memory board for sale Re: Intel Inboard 386/PC 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: bloom@eniac.seas.upenn.edu (Marc Bloom) Subject: Jetscript 386 conflict in virtual 8086 mode Date: 25 Jan 89 20:15:33 GMT I,m using a Jetscript board in a generic 386(Hauppage, Award Bios 3.06). Everything worked fine until I added a memory manager (386MAX, Qualitas). The memory manager works well with the Jetscript board removed. When I try to run the manager with the board installed the system periodically crashes. I get error messages indicating that something (presumably the Jetscript board) is trying to do a hardware addressed read or write across a page boundary. I've narrowed the problem down to the manager and the board. Has anyone had any similar problems using Jetscript in a 386 running in virtual 8086 mode? Is there a memory manager that will let me convert extended to LIM4.0 without invoking virtual 8086 mode. I suspect similar problems might exist with Windows 386 or DesqView 386, but I haven't had experience with either. Suggestions? ------------------------------ From: thaler@shorty.CS.WISC.EDU (Maurice Thaler) Subject: Re: Jetscript 386 conflict in virtual 8086 mode Date: 26 Jan 89 15:34:32 GMT I installed a Jetscript w/ a DELL310 system running QEMM4.2 and it worked fine. Perhaps 386 to the Max is your problem. Maurice Thaler SYSOP Audio Projects BBS (608) 836-9473 SYSOP Power Board BBS (608) 222-8842 ------------------------------ From: abcscnge@csuna.UUCP (Scott "The Pseudo-Hacker" Neugroschl) Subject: 386/SX Chip upgrades? Date: 26 Jan 89 08:06:39 GMT I know Cheetah makes a plugboard with a 386 on it where the whole board plugs into your 286 socket. Two questions: 1) My computer does not have a PGA (pin grid array) 286, but a PLCC (plastic leaded chip carrier). Does Cheetah make the Adapter/386 for PLCC sockets? 2) Does Cheetah make a 386SX card similar to the Adapter/386? If so, then question 1 applies. advaTHANKSnce -- Scott "The Pseudo-Hacker" Neugroschl UUCP: ...!sm.unisys.com!csun!csuna!abcscnge -- "Beat me, whip me, make me code in Ada" -- Disclaimers? We don't need no stinking disclaimers!!! ------------------------------ From: tim@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu (Timothy L. Kay) Subject: Re: 386/SX Chip upgrades? Date: 27 Jan 89 22:16:53 GMT Scott "The Pseudo Hacker" Neugroschl writes: > >I know Cheetah makes a plugboard with a 386 on it where the whole board >plugs into your 286 socket. Two questions: I just called them, and they said that they are no longer marketing that product. They had too many problems with it. Tim ------------------------------ From: lebowitz@Morgan.COM (Mike Lebowitz) Subject: modest LISPs for the 386 Date: 27 Jan 89 14:49:13 GMT I recently purchased a 80386-based machine (AST 386C) and am looking for a version of LISP to run on it. I am not after something as elaborate as the full-blown Common LISPs from companies such as Lucid and Gold Hill that cost $1000+ and require 3Mb+ of memory. On the other hand, I would like to be able to take advantage of more than 640Kb of memory, a feature that most of the low end LISPs seem to lack. I'd appreciate any suggestions for a relatively inexpensive (<$500) LISP that can use expanded (or extended) memory. (Is XLISP able to use such memory?) Similarity to Common LISP is a plus, but complete compatibility is not a requirement. thanks in advance, Michael Lebowitz (lebowitz@morgan.com) ------------------------------ From: boyer@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu Subject: Re: modest LISPs for the 386 Date: 29 Jan 89 21:10:00 GMT Have you considered running TI-Scheme? Scheme is a dialect of Lisp and TI-Scheme is an excellent implementation for the PC. It can run in extended or expanded memory although is fastest within 640K. I have been using this product since the first Beta versions and have been very happy. Also, I think the selling price is $99.00. Dave Boyer ------------------------------ From: dbetz@mipsmag.UUCP (David Betz) Subject: Re: modest LISPs for the 386 Date: 6 Feb 89 21:31:15 GMT In article <215@rappel.Morgan.COM>, lebowitz@Morgan.COM (Mike Lebowitz) writes: > LISP that can use expanded (or extended) memory. (Is XLISP able > to use such memory?) Similarity to Common LISP is a plus, but No, XLISP can't use extended memory on a 386 unless you're running a 386 version of UNIX or OS/2 or a DOS extender. ------------------------------ From: eddjp@dasys1.UUCP (Dewey Paciaffi) Subject: Bell Tech's 8 port card Date: 23 Jan 89 16:56:37 GMT We are considering upgrading our 386 XENIX box from an ARNET 4 port 9600 baud board, to a Bell Technologies ACE 8 port 38,400 baud board. Has anyone out there had any experience good/bad/otherwise with this particular card that they could share with me? We'll be driving seven WYSE-60 terminals and a direct-connect into an IBM communications network. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks. -- | Dewey Paciaffi | It's just music. It's playing clean and | | | looking for the pretty notes. | | Big Electric Cat Public UNIX | - Charlie Parker | | ...!cmcl2!phri!dasys1!eddjp | | ------------------------------ From: jbayer@ispi.UUCP (Jonathan Bayer) Subject: Re: 8-port serial async cards?? Date: 27 Jan 89 14:05:10 GMT In article <1135@netxcom.UUCP> rfrye@netxcom.UUCP (Rob Frye) writes: >may wish to know. Also, if anyone is using any other 8-port serial board >on SCO Xenix 386 that you like (particularly that will handle 38.4kbps) >please clue us in! :-> We use the Digiboard series of cards. We have used the digiboard 8, the digiboard 8s, and the digiboard 8i. The 8 and the 8s are essentially the same with difference that the 8s uses 16450s, and the 8 uses 8250s. The 8 will not work in systems which have clock speeds greater than about 8 Mhz (even if the bus speed is 8, if the cpu is at 16 the card will not work). The 8s works fine. The 8 can be upgraded to the 8s by replacing the 8250s with 16450s. The 8i is an intelligent buffering board. It works on all systems. We run all these cards at 9600 baud with no problem (8 users or more). We use the 8i for applications such as several serial printers connected to the system where the io load is heavy. JB -- Jonathan Bayer Beware: The light at the end of the Intelligent Software Products, Inc. tunnel may be an oncoming dragon 19 Virginia Ave. ...uunet!ispi!jbayer Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 766-2867 jbayer@ispi ------------------------------ From: tbetz@dasys1.UUCP (Tom Betz) Subject: Word Perfect 5.0 killed my Xenix system!! Date: 26 Jan 89 02:40:24 GMT WARNING!! There may be some serious problems using WP 5.0 under VP/ix! I just ran into this today, havn't come across a resolution yet, but be forewarned: Having just installed VP/ix, I went to install WP 5.0. (11-15) Since WP requires a C: drive, and I had set up VP/ix to provide a local C: psuedo-drive, I installed WP on the C: psuedo-drive. Called it from the command line, loaded just fine, looked great. Recognized my VGA card and everything. -F1 to setup. Selected Keyboard layout. Selected 1, Select. Dead freeze. Nothing I did (tried to , tried to multiscreen out, tried to login: from the attached terminal) had any effect. Nothing. Dead hang. Finally, in desparation, turned off the power. Waited a while, turned it back on. Nothing. Blank screen. Didn't even give me the "Phoenix Bios..." message, never got to the disk access part of the process. I don't know what happened, I can't imagine what WP might have done or tried to do. All I know is, it killed my Wyse 3216. And I'm not pleased. So beware, folks. This could happen to you! Just to find out, I went through the same keystroke sequence on the AT clone where WP is currently installed. (It belongs to Accounting, who wants the space it takes up, which is why I was installing it on the Xenix machine in the first place) and it also caused a system hang (I guess because I'm asking to select from a nonexistent list of Keyboard Setups) but I was able to successfully out of that one. Grrrrrrr.... I'll report any solution I come up with. I'm also open to >any< suggestions, at this point. -- "Big Bob says he's getting tired of you saying he |"Do you think God lets doesn't really exist." - Fat Little Nerdy Kid - | you plea bargain?" Tom Betz - ZCNY - Yonkers, NY - 914-375-1514 |"I'd worry more about ...cmcl2!dasys1!tbetz OR ...uunet!dasys1!tbetz | your mom." - C & H ------------------------------ From: reh2@nvuxf.UUCP (robert hausman) Subject: Summary of 386 Recommendations Date: 26 Jan 89 14:40:24 GMT A week ago, I posted the following request for recommendations on a 386 system: > I'm looking to buy a 386/20 in the near future. The system will > probably have a VGA card/monitor and something like a 70M hard > disk. It has been suggested that I look at ALR as well as the new > CompuAdd 386/20 machine. My two main considerations are reliability > and cost. Thanks to all who responded; and here, as promised, are the responses: ____________________ I can't comment specificly on the CompuAdd 386/20, but I can on the company. We (NDSU Extension Service) have been purchasing hard disks and a few other things from them for 3 or 4 years now. Their technical support has been very knowledgable every time we've called them and we have never had a problem getting them to repair/replace something that was still under warranty. Based on our experience with them, we've recommended them to others. I know of at least one person that purchased a '286 from them, and he has been very happy with it. Also, I've purchased a hard disk from them and may be ordering a '286 from them within the next 2 months. ____________________ In regards to 386 machine, I must have you check closely at the CompuAdd LIMITED waranty. I have purchased from them (disks, monitor, 286's, etc), but never though about problems until a disk began getting flakey. I called tech support and they said that I could send it back to them and they might be able to fix it under warranty, but I could take up to 2 weeks for it to be returned. I suggested that they send me a replacement, charging it to my VISA, and then credit me after receiving the returned bad disk. This would keep me from losing a critical development machine for up to two weeks. They said ABSOLUTELY NOT. They would only repair and not replace my drive, and it was tough luck that my system could be down for 2 weeks. They suggested I Fed-Ex both ways, and if I was lucky, the disk might be returned in "several" days, but no guarantee. Since that incident, we have cancelled orders with CompuAdd (aka PC Source), and ordered two 286 machines from Northgate. They especially support the "exchange" plan we need, and offer to ship overnight any needed spare parts, giving credit back when the returned part is received. Very decent of them. Northgate seems to have come up a lot in quality of machine - no more cutting corners. The 286 machines have 66 Mb RLL hd's with 1:1 interleave, the 286 motherboard can be expanded to 4 MB, etc. I suspect the 386 machine is similar. I am not affiliated with either, just disapointed with CompuAdd. Good luck in your machine purchase. ____________________ Northgate 386 Last April I purchased a 16mz 386 from Northgate computers. I found them in Computer Shopper. Just recently my father purchased one from them too. So far I have had a 1.2 floppy go bad and they replaced it overnight. The machine is well built with good tech support, you may have to call a few times to get through though. From my research ALR will probably have the fastest machine, but it's price is also right up there with compaq. Northgate's sales guys are fairly knowledgable about technical issues. ____________________ We have the ALR machine here, and it benches at 3850 dhrystones. We also have the Everex 20 MHz non-step here (cheaper than the ALR), it benches in at 4400 dhrystones. I have the 16MHz Everex (with cache) at home, it benches at 4201 dhrystones, but doesn't support a 387 (just 8MHz 287). ____________________ I would highly recommend the GateWay 2000, although I haven't purchased mine yet. Byte did a review in about 10/88 of 20 '386 clones and the Gateway did real well. Byte's only complaint was that they used a 16 mhz '386 in their 20 mhz box, they don't anymore. I think they have about the best prices around... 20 mhz with 16-bit VGA, and multisync, and Seagate 4096 (80 mb, 28 mS), is about $4,000. They have an (800) number, check Byte, and their sales people are friendly, and actually return calls. ____________________ I just bought a UTI 386/20 with a 80 MB hd. It should arrive tomorrow. Send me email in a week if you are still interested. I bought UTI because of the price and because the company seemed solid enough. But this was just my estimation, I'll see soon how good the machine is. ____________________ I am purchasing a1024 X 768 w/16 color, 800X600 w/256 colr monitor and card. The two combined cost 980 and you can't beat it. If you don't mind access time 64 Mb for $299. (Miniscribe) I am inboarding 386/20 Mhz for $999. ------------------------------ From: john@syssol.UUCP (john) Subject: anyone tried an Intel 386/AT Inboard in a CompuAdd clone? Date: 28 Jan 89 22:56:45 GMT The subject line says it all. I have a CompuAdd Standard AT clone (6/10 Mhz, 1ws) - has anyone tried the Intel Iboard in it? john .......ubc-cs!fornax!syssol!john ------------------------------ From: robert@koko.UUCP (Robert Zeff) Subject: Compaq 386 4 meg memory board for sale Date: 29 Jan 89 23:17:52 GMT I have a Compaq 386 8 meg (populated with 4 mbyte w/parity) expansion ram board which will not plug into my Compaq 386. (My computer is either older or newer and is not compatible) I would like to sell it or trade for memory that I can use either in the Compaq or an AT&T 6386. -- 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: mdfreed@ziebmef.uucp (Mark Freedman) Subject: Re: Intel Inboard 386/PC Date: 27 Jan 89 14:40:44 GMT (Intel Inboard 386/PC in an IBM-PC) I assume that you had to upgrade the power supply ???? I'm using a low-power hard drive (Tandon TM262) with the original 63.5 watt power supply, but I'd really hesitate to add any more power-hungry boards (not even an internal modem). ------------------------------ End of 80386 M/L ****************