Xref: utzoo comp.sys.ibm.pc:45271 comp.windows.ms:1626
Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!yale!cmcl2!husc6!m2c!chansw!chan
From: chan@chansw.UUCP (Jerry H. Chan)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc,comp.windows.ms
Subject: Re: 386SX and 386 Windows bug cont
Summary: Windows  Adaptec_RLL Problems
Message-ID: <1438@chansw.UUCP>
Date: 27 Feb 90 01:19:23 GMT
References: <1006@fiver.UUCP>
Organization: Chan SmartWare Computers, Worcester, MA
Lines: 49

In article <1006@fiver.UUCP>, palowoda@fiver.UUCP (Bob Palowoda) writes:
>   About a week ago I posted a message about running 386 version of 
> windows on a DataExpert 386SX machine. It appears to be a combination
> of hardware and firmware that cause the problem.
>  
>   C&T Chipset
>   Adaptec RLL controller Model 2370T
>   AMI Bios 
> 

[This is a data point; maybe someone out there may be able to use this info
 to solve this or related problems...]

I have tried the following combo with flakey results:

    C&T Chipset
    AMI Bios (Monolithic Systems Corp. 386 motherboard)
    Adaptec RLL 2372 w/2 disks attached
    Windows SMARTDRV.SYS or PC-Tools PC-Cache
    QEMM386 / 386-to-the-Max EMM manager

Symptoms:

    Directories (cached) would get munged, leading to munged directory
        listings and eventually a hang; directory fixed by a reboot
    SMARTDRV.SYS would report the wrong drive parameters (hds, cyl's,
        sectors/track) on the second drive
    Programs using timer interrupts would run 10x's slower (i.e., coretest)
    System would correct itself if one of the following were removed:

        * One of the disk caching programs
        * QEMM386 or 386MAX expanded memory manager
        * Adaptec controller

    If the Adaptec controller were replaced with a WD1003RA2, all problems
        go away.  The Adaptec seems to be the least common denominator for
        these problems.

    Noting that Windows 386 has a built-in expanded memory manager, Bob's
        problems sound extremely similar to mine.

Any ideas?

Anybody want to buy a spare Adaptec 2372 RLL controller ? :-)
-- 
Jerry Chan 508-853-0747, Fax 508-853-2262  |"My views necessarily reflect the
Chan Smart!Ware Computer Services & Prods  | views of the Company because
Worcester, MA 01606                        | I *am* the Company." :-)
{bu.edu,husc6}!m2c!chansw!chan             \---------------------------------