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From: ecr@cipric.mn.org (Edward C. Regal)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: Reading clock from AST Six-Pack
Keywords: Clock card, AST, Six-Pack
Message-ID: <417@cipric.mn.org>
Date: 1 Nov 90 16:52:56 GMT
References: <1717@blackbird.afit.af.mil>
Reply-To: ecr@cipric.mn.org (Edward C. Regal)
Organization: Ciprico, Inc.  Plymouth, MN  55441
Lines: 32

In article <1717@blackbird.afit.af.mil> tkelso@blackbird.afit.af.mil (Thomas S. Kelso) writes:
> [stuff deleted] The PC (donated by Rockwell)
>works just fine but does not have a hardware clock.  It does, however, have an
>AST Six-Pack card which has an onboard clock.  Our problem is that we received
>no documentation whatsoever on how to use this card.
>What we need are some basic instructions on how to access this clock so that
>we can write a program (using Turbo Pascal, for instance) to read the clock
>and set the time and date in DOS.  If anyone can provide us these instructions
>or a source for the documentation, I would be most grateful.  Please let me
>know if you need any further information.

One fast question - did you happen to get either the program ASTCLOCK.COM or
SETCLOCK.com with the card?  If you didn't, try calling the AST BBS and down-
loading a copy of it under DOS.  This is the program that will access the 
clock and then pass the time/date data on to DOS.
To use the program to set up the correct time and date, boot the system under
DOS.  Run the program as either ASTCLOCK or SETCLOCK with a paramter of /R.
This will turn on the reset mode of the clock card.  Then run the DOS TIME
and DATE commands. This will pass the correct time and date to the card.
Add the command ASTCLOCK or SETCLOCK to the AUTOEXEC.BAT file (no parameters)
and reboot the system.  The program should come up with the AST company
info, indicate the date/time processor driver is loaded, and report the
correct time and date.  If it doesn't, I suggest checking/replacing the
battery on the board.  I assume it is the same quarter-sized lithium that
I have on mine - I found my replacements at Radio Shack (good for about 2
years or so?).

>Dr TS Kelso                           Assistant Professor of Space Operations
>tkelso@blackbird.afit.af.mil          Air Force Institute of Technology

Ed Regal - Ciprico, Inc			Technical Training and Development
ecr@cipric.mn.org			(former zoomie and son of another)