Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!ohstpy!miavx1!miavx2!bsylvester
From: bsylvester@miavx0.ham.muohio.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.zenith
Subject: Re: Zenith 386 Boat Anchors!!
Message-ID: <175.26ade34d@miavx0.ham.muohio.edu>
Date: 25 Jul 90 22:22:05 GMT
References: <169.26a5a941@miavx0.ham.muohio.edu> <8532@ur-cc.UUCP> <23946@uflorida.cis.ufl.EDU>
Organization: Miami University, Hamilton campus
Lines: 45

In article <23946@uflorida.cis.ufl.EDU>, kent@wasp.ufnet.ufl.edu (Kent Phelps) writes:
> 
> The Z-386/33 IS a MS-DOS/PC-DOS compatable machine, contrary to what
> some other folks have posted.
> 
The Windows set up program (Microsoft's version, not Zenith's) has
an option for Zenith 386's, it changes the system.ini file to exclude
the video BIOS shadowing area.

The original posting was in reference to my machine, although I wasn't
the author.  Just for a little claification, one of the first things I
did when I bought the machine was chuck Zenith's video board (A 549 if I
remember correctly), currently a Video 7 FastWrite is installed.

Also just for giggles, we removed ALL add-in boards so there wouldn't
be any conflicts for memory, ports or irq's.  The machine still would
crash, usually when launching a program.  I can mouse around and pull
down windows all I want, but start a program - forget it.

It exhibits this problem with Windows-386, OS/2 V1.1 (Zenith), OS/2 V1.0
(Zenith), and Windows 3.0.  VM-386 does something different, the video
just goes wack-o. Prob. a problem with VM-386 and the video card, I don't
know.

> There are two true VGA boards that ZDS supplies with their machines now.
> A regular 256k 16 bit VGA board and a "High Performance" VGA card w/512k.
> I have run both in my 33 with the only problem being that when I had
> the Hi-Perf board the screen kept going to monochrome.  This problem
> was traced to the motherboard.  Since the motherboard was replaced there
> have been no problems.  Even when the screen went monochrome the unit   
> ran fine, just everything was in monochrome.
> 

Mine does this too, but with the Video 7 card.  Is this a "known problem"
or is my Zenith dealer (HA!) going to give me a hard time about replacing it.

> Don't toss those Z-386's overboard yet!

Heave HO!

Thanks to all who replied, I'm still searching for the Truth.
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Bill Sylvester, Miami University        bsylvester@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu
Insert cute quote here.                         bsylvester@miavx2.bitnet
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