Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!att!linac!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!uunet!talos!mckenney
From: mckenney@talos.pm.com (Frank McKenney)
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.programmer
Subject: OS/2 problem with AT clone
Keywords: clone incompatiblities boot problem
Message-ID: <1990Nov7.040619.3625@talos.pm.com>
Date: 7 Nov 90 04:06:19 GMT
Reply-To: mckenney@talos.UUCP (Frank McKenney)
Distribution: na
Organization: McKenney Associates, Richmond, Virginia
Lines: 45


I need to have OS/2 operational on my office machine within the
next six months or so. I have been able to borrow copies of IBM
OS/2 1.1 and 1.2 for testing, but so far I have not been able to
boot either a 1.1 or a 1.2 Installation diskette.

System description:

    Everex System 1800 10MHz AT Clone
    AMI BIOS: S286-2098 Rev-F3-20 04/26/89-KD
    5MB, serial, parallel, etc.
    A: 1.44Mb 3.5"   B: 360K 5.25"
    C: 40 Mb Seagate ST-251-1 (Everex controller)
    D: 80 Mb Seagate ST-296N / ST01 adapter
    Video-7 Vega VGA adapter

Attempting to boot with either OS/2 Installation Diskette causes
the A: drive to spin, and the following message on the monitor:

    A disk read error occurred.
    Insert a system diskette and restart
    the system.

I am using the 1.44Mb drive under DOS 3.3 on a regular basis and
seeing no problems. Both the system and keyboard BIOS chips have
been upgraded to what is supposed to be the "current" level.
Everex says that they "don't support" IBM OS/2, but won't offer
any suggestions as to WHY IBM OS/2 won't run on my machine.

Any suggestions on what might be causing this problem would be
appreciated. From my standpoint, the critical question is whether
this is a simple, patch-able problem which occurs only with the
initial boot of the OS/2 starter system, or whether it is a
fundamental incompatibility between my machine and IBM's OS/2. If
it's the former, I don't mind writing a new boot sector, but if
it's the latter I need to buy a new motherboard (Ack! Phht!).

Frank McKenney
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