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Info-Atari16 Digest Vol. 89 Issue 434
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INFO-ATARI16 Digest Tue, 10 Apr 90 Volume 90 : Issue 434
Today's Topics:
Cartridge Tape for ST; QIC 36 and QIC 40
HiSoft Basic Supexec problem...
JRI SIMM board
My experiences with PC-Ditto II
One fried disk, coming up!
PC-Ditto 2
PC Ditto 3.0, ICD Adapter, DOS BOOT
poolfix3, poolfix4; naming conventions.
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Date: 10 Apr 90 16:58:58 GMT
From: att!dptg!lzsc!hcj@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (HC Johnson)
Subject: Cartridge Tape for ST; QIC 36 and QIC 40
Message-ID: <1574@lzsc.ATT.COM>
There has been some discussion on Cartridge Tapes for the Atari.
I just talked with Adaptec on how the standards work out: heres the data:
1. The Adaptec board, ACB3530A "bridges" (their term) between
SCSI and drives with a QIC 36 interface. Adaptec considers this
obsolete (see below). Many of the QIC 36 drives handle the 60
Meg DC600A cartridges which look somewhat like VHS video cassettes.
This is a natural for the Atari, as the later boards to interface
the Atari to a Hard drive produces SCSI, which can be chained to
both drives (or the ACB 4000A SCSI-MFM) and the ACB3530A running
a QIC36 drive.
The problem is that QIC36 drives are expensive ( $400-$700).
2. The new thing for the PC clones, is cheap drives conforming to QIC40.
These drives connect to the FLOPPY CONTROLLER in the PC. There
is no intervening boards and it is NOT SCSI compatible.
These probably will not apply to the ST, as its floppy controller
doen not handle High Density (aka 1.44 MB).
SO, If you want to use DC600 cartridges and SCSI, make sure the drive
says it is QIC36 compatible.
Howard C. Johnson
ATT Bell Labs
att!lzsc!hcj
hcj@lzsc.att.com
------------------------------
Date: 11 Apr 90 05:49:16 GMT
From: mcsun!ukc!axion!tharr!HiSoft@uunet.uu.net (HiSoft Software)
Subject: HiSoft Basic Supexec problem...
Message-ID: <657@tharr.UUCP>
tharr.UUCP (HiSoft Software)
I will try and check up on this for you (although the code is more than a little
naughty).
-- Alex Kiernan, HiSoft.
...!ukc!axion!tharr!HiSoft
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 10 Apr 90 15:11 EST
From: HAMMOUDH%Wabash.Bitnet@Forsythe.Stanford.EDU
Subject: JRI SIMM board
Hello!
In my never-ending quest for more memory, I have been told to look into
JRI's SIMM board. No problem, except for one thing: How can I get ahold of
JRI?
I found a number for John Russell Innovations in an article in a somewhat
recent edition of STart (I believe it was Dec. '89 or Jan. '90). At the end
of the article "The QueST for Speed" was an address and phone number for John
Russell Innovations. The city was Pittsburg, California. The phone number
given was (415) 458 - 9577.
I called and let it ring for about four minutes and received no answer. I
then hung up and tried it again, but still no answer. I finally decided to
call directory assistance and the operator said that there was no listing for
John Russell Innovations in Pittsburg (except for something like a real estate
business).
How can I get ahold of JRI??? Did they move? Any help is appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
-Hassen
HammoudH@Wabash
------------------------------
Date: 10 Apr 90 19:55:51 GMT
From: isc-br!lawrence@uunet.uu.net (Lawrence Kelley)
Subject: My experiences with PC-Ditto II
Message-ID: <2823@isc-br.ISC-BR.COM>
In article <1990Apr9.125813.635@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca> romwa@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca
(Royal Ontario Museum)
writes:
>This weekend I happened to notice a new phenomenon: During the first 15
>minutes of use I can sometimes hang PC-DITTO. I suspect that this has to
>do with the connector/cpu heating up and expanding.
I have had similar experiences that seems to go away or diminish after the
system's been on for 15 to 30 minutes. By any chance, do you also experience
distortion and jitter on the video. I have experienced severe problems that
I have not been able to track down, but they seem to go away after a period
of time. However, these problems did not occur the first week I had PCD II.
It does seem like a heat problem, but I have trouble beleiving the 68000
generates enough heat to put much stress on those connector pins.
You mentioned Procomm. I have been running the last shareware version
(2.4.2, I think) and it will occasionally hang and force me to reboot.
However, I had the same problem with PC Ditto I.
Does anyone on the net have any thoughts?
BTW, I'm *still* looking for a screen saver that works with PCD II.
shalom, lawrence
------------------------------
Date: 10 Apr 90 22:06:38 GMT
From:
samsung!cs.utexas.edu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!watserv1!ria!uwovax!42
25_5132@think.com (Andrew Semple)
Subject: One fried disk, coming up!
Message-ID: <5671.262220af@uwovax.uwo.ca>
I, with a short gap between exams, was looking through some of my old
disks looking for some neato acc's to add to some of my most used disks (not
owning a laser printer leaves me some room). I came across one called
Format 11. Blithley clicking on it, and discovering that it modified the
disk in some way, I tried ~C (too many days on the VAX) to get out and soon
found out that this was a valid response to [Y or N]. In fact it meant
yes. That is alright, I thought, I have the disk physically write protected.
But to my dismay, upon leaving the program, I was met with the infamous "0
bytes used in 0 items". DiskDoctor and a few other cheapie disk utilities all
barf on any commands to "open" or read the disk. I conclude that my boot
sector is fried, and I am up a creek without a pointer.
Any comments or help would be very much appreciated.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Andrew Semple Andrew.Semple@hydra.uwo.ca
2nd Year Applied Math/Computer Science ads@hydra.uwo.ca
The University of Western Ontario
London, Ontario
Canada "Perfection is the result of extensive correction" -Emery
------------------------------
Date: 10 Apr 90 16:27:45 GMT
From: att!dptg!lzsc!hcj@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (HC Johnson)
Subject: PC-Ditto 2
Message-ID: <1571@lzsc.ATT.COM>
OK, I have now received my PC-Ditto 2!
Its smarts is a pretty board with a Nec V30 and a slot for a 8087-2
Math Coprocessor.
Its connection to the Atari, is best described as DEPRESSING!
This is made using a PC board that has cable connector pins hanging off the
bottom that are supposed to "grip" the outside of the M68000. Bear in
mind that the M68000 pins are zinc or solder coated and are designed to
be soldered to with flux. They work somewhat in a socket that grabs them
tightly. The board supplied is a real cludge!
I have not been able to get it to work.
Unfortunately Avant-Garde is so peronoid over its connection to the
68000 that there is no advise on detecting other bad components,
such as 2 cables and 2 boards.
Questions for others who have got this bugger running:
1. If you just "pressed on" the adapter clip over the M68000, what have
you done to keep a working connection. Has it held up?
2. Has anyone attempted to just solder the thing on?
P.S. I got this at half price. I would not recommend that anyone
pay full price unless it includes Installation and Guarantee
by a Dealer.
Howard C. Johnson
ATT Bell Labs
att!lzsc!hcj
hcj@lzsc.att.com
------------------------------
Date: 10 Apr 90 17:23:31 GMT
From: att!dptg!lzsc!hcj@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (HC Johnson)
Subject: PC Ditto 3.0, ICD Adapter, DOS BOOT
Message-ID: <1578@lzsc.ATT.COM>
In article <16000045@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>, cs325ec@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu writes:
>
>
> Oh yeah, I did format /s c: before hand from PC Ditto, then
> told the HDUTIL program to set c as boot, but it overwrites
> much of the boot sector with it's stuff.
>
You and my friend both are experiencing problems with ICD formatted
partition.
The DOCs with PC_Ditto (II) describe the problem and a fix.
The problem:
MS-dos and PC_ditto are very fussy about what the see in the boot block
of the C: (and other) drives. (THIS IS NOT SECTOR 0). Some formatters
and Partitioner do not put the right stuff their. HDX from Atari is
screws this stuff up. This was the root of the floppy incompatibility
problems; but few people exchange Hard disks witha PC. It looks like
ICD now does not put the right magic there.
If the ICD editer is a smart as Supras, display the boot for C:
and make sure that there are 2 not 20 fats, and the media bytes is f8.
Avant-Garde now supplies a fixup program with PC-ditto II, but its
needed for I also.
Howard C. Johnson
ATT Bell Labs
att!lzsc!hcj
hcj@lzsc.att.com
------------------------------
Date: 10 Apr 90 17:44:08 GMT
From: att!dptg!lzsc!hcj@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (HC Johnson)
Subject: poolfix3, poolfix4; naming conventions.
Message-ID: <1579@lzsc.ATT.COM>
I read with amazement the posting on poolfix4.
1. First Humor: The author of poolfix4 carries on long and hard about
how bad it is that poolfix3 must be installed first; when his
program must be installed first!
2. Atari issued, as officially as possible, poolfix1, poolfix2, and poolfix3.
They are docummented, supported and 'guaranteed' by Atari. It its
just bad form to have someone issue a program with the same name and
just change the revision. poolfix4, if it must exist, should be
reissued by the author with a new name and removed from the archieves.
Hmm, What a great way to spread a virus; just bump the revision on
some popular program and watch the fun.
Wouldn't it been interesting if G-PLUS had been named gdos1?
3. Please do not use other peoples product names for your own work. Even
if the function is the same.
Howard C. Johnson
ATT Bell Labs
att!lzsc!hcj
hcj@lzsc.att.com
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End of INFO-ATARI16 Digest V90 Issue #434
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