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From: U39648@uicvm.uic.edu (Darius Vaskelis)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.ps2.hardware
Subject: Re: IBM PS/2 Model 50 Clock and Mouse Problems
Message-ID: <91171.101417U39648@uicvm.uic.edu>
Date: 20 Jun 91 15:14:16 GMT
References: <1991Jun19.165223.15297@ms.uky.edu>
Organization: University of Illinois at Chicago
Lines: 85

Note: If I even HINTED that the following was me speaking for UIC or
IBM, I'm sure I'd be in all sorts of trouble.  Understand it's just
little old me speaking for myself and NOT on behalf of those fine
three-lettered institutions.

>I own an IBM PS/2 Model 50-021 (the first release of the Model 50,)
>and I have problems with my clock not keeping the correct time for
>very long.  Everytime I reset it, it only stays correct for a short
>time (1 week.)

The fix for this is a two-parter, and it assumes you are using DOS.

1. Obtain the latest DASDDRVR.SYS file and make sure it's installed in
   your CONFIG.SYS file.  It's recommended to be the very first line of
   the CONFIG.SYS file.  It fixes all sorts of problems with earlier
   PS/2s with DOS.  The latest one I've seen is 1170 bytes long, and
   you can get it by contacting your IBM authorized dealer if you're
   an individual or your IBM marketing or technical support rep if
   you're an organization.  It also can be found on any IBM PS/2
   Reference Diskette for any model PS/2, provided it's a new enough
   version of the reference.  I believe the latest Reference Diskette
   for the Models 50/60 was 1.06.

2. If using DOS 4.0, get a copy of the latest DOS 4.0 Corrective
   Service Diskettes (CSDs), they are U31300, dated 06/29/90.  You
   can find out if you alredy have this by typing the SYSLEVEL
   command, it will tell you what DOS 4.0 version you have.  If
   SYSLEVEL is not recognized as a command, you have a very old
   IBM DOS indeed.  Get the CSD, it fixes LOTS of bugs.

   (Again, get it through your dealer or rep depending on how you
    bought the computer in the first place.)

   In any case, the CSD contains a file called CMOSCLK.SYS on the
   first disk in the \DOCUMENT subdirectory.  Place it in your
   CONFIG.SYS file too.  It's also some PS/2 DOS fixes, in this case
   specifically for the clock.

   IBM DOS 5.0 comes with CMOSCLK.SYS too.

   Usually any odd problems I've seen with PS/2s running DOS 4.0 have
   been totally cleared up with (1) making sure they use the latest
   DOS 4.0 (2) making sure they use the CMOSCLK.SYS file (3) making
   sure they use the DASDDRVR.SYS file.

>Also, I have problems with my IBM 2-button mouse that I purchased with the
>computer.  It works with some programs, but others (like MicroSoft
>Word,) it seems to get stuck and freaks the whole program out to a
>point where I have to quit.  It is not the mouse buttons sticking I
>don't think, but possibly a port problem or even software/mouse driver
>problem.

This is supposedly some bug in the Microsoft Mouse driver (which the
IBM Mouse Driver is a clone of).  I've had better luck with newer
versions of the IBM Mouse Driver (1.10?  I think...) and even better
luck with the Microsoft Mouse Driver 7.04 (although I think the latest
is 7.06).  With MOUSE.COM 7.04, my PS/2 mouse now has "freaked out"
maybe twice in the last year, whereas with the IBM MOUSE.COM 1.0 I
could make it go nuts easily with the right programs.

The only problem with the Microsoft driver is that it's MUCH larger
than the PS/2 one, probably because it also supports InPort bus mouses
and serial mouses.

(I refuse to use "mice" for computer mouses.  Don't know why, just
 because.)

- Darius

P.S. My local authorized IBM dealer says he'll be taking IBM PS/2 Model
     50s (among others) as trade-ins for PS/2s with 386SXs or better
     processors... INCLUDING those fine educational priced ones.  Maybe
     it's time to trade up?  :)

     Even weirder: he says not only IBM 80286 and under systems can be
     traded in, but also Compaq DeskPro 80286 and under, and Apple
     Macintosh SE/30 and under!  This is something you might want to
     verify and check out with your local dealer or rep.

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