Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!att!rutgers!ucsd!ames!ncar!umigw!mthvax.cs.miami.edu!wb8foz
From: wb8foz@mthvax.cs.miami.edu (David Lesher)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: DMA controller chip error
Keywords: Fastback, DMA
Message-ID: <1078@umigw.MIAMI.EDU>
Date: 17 Nov 89 01:10:45 GMT
References: <941@ac.dal.ca>
Sender: news@umigw.MIAMI.EDU
Reply-To: wb8foz@Mthvax.Miami.Edu (David Lesher)
Organization: NRK Clinic for habitual NetNews abusers
Lines: 27

> Article <941@ac.dal.ca> From: bertfram@ac.dal.ca

# I just bought a copy of Fastback +.  When I configured it the other day
# it informed me that I have an error in my DMA controller chip.  I'm not
# a happy camper.  

Early DMA controllers, mostly seen on first generation Boca
Raton Boxes, had fatal problems running both DMA channels at the
same time. FastBack+ tests for this flaw. It needs both
channels to be writing to the floppy whilst it is sucking up more
data from the HD. (I understand that before they had this test,
they had all kinds of intermittent data errors they couldn't
figure out...)

The cure is to replace the DMA controller chip with one that
does what it is supposed to. It should be a 2 minute job, but if
the designers soldered it in, or hid it under
something... ......rotsaruck.

I guess I can't see why you are mad at Fastback for attempting to
use your machine in its most efficient mode, and warning you
that the box is not keeping up its end of the deal.
--
A host is a host & from coast to coast...wb8foz@mthvax.cs.miami.edu 
no one will talk to a host that's close..............(305) 255-RTFM
Unless the host (that isn't close)......................pob 570-335
is busy, hung or dead....................................33257-0335