Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!pt.cs.cmu.edu!rochester!uhura.cc.rochester.edu!ttak
From: ttak@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Timothy Takahashi)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.zenith
Subject: Re: Zenith 386 Boat Anchors!!
Message-ID: <8532@ur-cc.UUCP>
Date: 22 Jul 90 22:00:43 GMT
References: <169.26a5a941@miavx0.ham.muohio.edu>
Reply-To: ttak@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Timothy Takahashi)
Organization: University of Rochester
Lines: 44

In article <169.26a5a941@miavx0.ham.muohio.edu> maoursler@miavx0.ham.muohio.edu writes:
>	Has anyone out there experienced problems with a Zenith
>	33 MHz 386 system.  Specifically, we cannot run protected
>	mode applications with reliability.

It wouldn't suprise me in the least. Our Zenith Z-386 16mhz machine was also
best descibed as a boat anchor. However, here are some points......

Is your VGA card (or if its a 31-khz Video Adaptor, its really an EGA card)
 setup properly. All emulation and automatic mode-switching functions should
 be turned OFF.

>	We installed Windows 3.0 on this system but are limited to
>	operating in real mode.  Why?  Because the other modes
>	crash without fail.  Invariably, when we try to run
>	applications it dies.  The machIne has 5 MB of memory.

Again, check out the Video Board (it may have to be yanked and put into the
dumpster!) Also, did you set up Windows 3.0 for the ZENITH (it is NOT an
MSDOS/PCDOS compatible machine!)? As an aside, we never did get Windows 2.11
functioning well on the Zentih (both /386 v. 2.11 and /286 v. 2.11)

>	This is the same problem that we had when we tried to run OS/2.
>	System would lock.  VM386 also locks up on this computer.
>	Why?  Is ours just a bummer?  In addition, when these lock ups
>	occur, upon rebooting the machine we get an error that the
>	keyboard is not connected.  It is!  We are forced to unplug it,
>	and plug it back in.  Kind of a pain, when the system is on a floor
>	stand 5 feet away.  Does anyone know what causes this?

I've had it crash so bad that the configuaration info is destroyed. 
Again, look for subtle problems - some add on hardware may be generating
interrupts at the wrong moment (video board is a prime candidate).
Also, if its a "31-khz" adaptor - it is an EGA (w/ crash the system if
you try to use it as a real VGA)


>	Does anyone have ANY info at all on Zenith 386 systems.  We are
>	fed up with this $5000 boat anchor.

Hope this helps....


tim