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AST RESEARCH, INC. TECHNICAL BULLETIN #0790 12-01-92
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BRAVO 4/33 LC AND IRWIN TAPE BACKUP UNIT
PROBLEM: Bravo 4/33 LC fails to recognize an Irwin A250EP Parallel Port
Tape Backup Unit. The EZ-Tape software that is provided with
the unit is unable to detect the tape drive connected to the
parallel port. This generates the error message "No tape
drive found."
CAUSE: The EZ-Tape software has several delay loops that are executed
too quickly on the Bravo 4/33 LC.
AFFECTED
SYSTEMS: All Bravo 4/33 LC systems.
SOLUTION: By patching the software and increasing the delay loops, the
EZ-Tape software can run properly on the Bravo 4/33 systems.
These delays can be added by manipulating an environment
string as follows:
SET PPCFDC=O:12,I:18
This string represents the environment for the Parallel Port
Controller Floppy Disk Controller (PPCFDC) to have an Output
delay factor of 12 (O:12) and an Input delay factor of 18
(I:18). These values were found to provide the best results
for the software to function properly. This environment
string can be typed at a DOS prompt before executing the EZ-
Tape software or by adding this line to the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
This string will not decrease the functionality of the
software or system. The delay factors are only providing the
normal delay that would be done on systems that the software
was originally designed for.