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From: mknox@NGP.UTEXAS.EDU.UUCP
Newsgroups: mod.computers.68k
Subject: Re: Questions!
Message-ID: <8606040118.AA19638@ngp.UTEXAS.EDU>
Date: Tue, 3-Jun-86 21:18:57 EDT
Article-I.D.: ngp.8606040118.AA19638
Posted: Tue Jun  3 21:18:57 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 4-Jun-86 17:15:21 EDT
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Peter,

  That one *IS* strange.  There should be NO minimal requirements to switch
anything in the BIOS when going from 1.1 to 1.2.  There are some extra 
features in 1.2 ( like type-ahead) that may not do anything unless you
make BIOS additions, but they are not required.  There MAY, however, have
been a small unnoticed bug in the BIOS which caused no problem in 1.1,
and now shows up in 1.2.  I would double check the DPH and DPB tables, and
make sure the ALLOC and CKS tables have enough room.  Then put some kind
of trace on the BIOS calls and see just how far it is getting.

  As for the warm-boot question:  That issue goes back even to 1.1 (and 
before).  We also ran into problems with not getting some of the 
functions issued when needed (so the software didn't get a chance to 
re-examine the density of the floppy).  The trouble is that Gregg and 
the others were trying to get around the big delay whenever a warm-
boot was done (ala CP/M-2.2).  So they solved that problem, and caused
others.  STAT and several transient routines are NOT affected by a 
warm-boot.  Do a DIR A: and DIR B:, then a STAT (to get the free 
space).  Now change disks, and do another STAT.  NO DISK ACCESS.  And
it will reference drive B:, even if there is no diskette in it (if
you check the "logged in" drives).

  The transient commands have never forced a warm-boot anyway.  We finally
added a short (about 8 lines) routine called NEWDISK.68K which sent 
a RESET DRIVES command if needed.

					mknox@ngp.utexas.edu