Epson LT-286e Product Support Bulletin

Product Support Bulletin

Subject: Proper Method for Running Benchmark and Diagnostics Programs

EPSON

Date: 06/04/93
Page(s): 1 of 1

This bulletin describes the proper method for running any benchmark or diagnostics
programs. This applies to any computer system.

In most cases, the computer should be started using an MS-DOS boot diskette
that’s ‘clean’ ­The appropriate executable can then be run, either from diskette or hard drive.

There will be some exceptions to the above rule. In attempting to benchmark or
troubleshoot any add-on that requires a device driver (CD-ROM, local area network,

etc.), obviously the necessary device driver(s) must be loaded. Also, some

programs will require a minimum number of FILES or BUFFERS to be defined in
the CONFIG.SYS file. Such programs will usually display this requirement if they
are run without the necessary CONFIG.SYS file.

For the most consistent results, use the absolute minimal boot configuration that’s

allowed by the hardware being tested.

in other words, one with no CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT files.

PSB No: S-0158
Originator: MWT

EP

EPSON AMERICA, INC.

INFORMATION

Product Support Bulletin

Subject:

Date:
Page:

Manzana Microsystems, Inc. (Goleta, Ca.) has developed a product called the
DrivePort. It allows the removable “DataSafe” hard disk drive cartridges for the

Equity LT-286e and LT-386SX to be used on an AT- type desktop
computer. The subsystem consists of the 16 - bit DrivePort adapter card, the
DrivePort base unit and cable, a Y-configured power cable and a diskette
containing the QDRIVE.SYS device driver and utility software.

The DrivePort was tested using an Equity 386/25 desktop computer equipped
with two IDE hard disk drives, two floppy disk drives, a streaming tape drive
and a VGA video adapter.

Using the Manzana DrivePort

05/25/90

1 of 2

PSB No:
Originator:

MWT

The first step in the installation process is configuring the DrivePort adapter
card. The default jumper settings assign the DrivePort as an additional drive

(E1, E4 and E5 installed; E2, E3 and E6 removed). This is the setting that
was used. Note that it is possible to configure the DrivePort as the primary

(only) drive, but Manzana recommends against this for a number of reasons.
There are two other jumpers (W1 and W2) that determine the power source

for the adapter. When these jumpers are set in the A - B positions, the adapter
is powered by the Y-power cable. This cable must be connected to one of
the disk drive power cables from the power supply. Then take the small 4 - pin
connector of the Y-cable and attach to the matching connector J3 on the
adapter card. The third part of the “Y” is a male 4 - pin connector for powering
a disk drive, if all of the power supply wiring harness connectors are in use.

With W1 and W2 in the B - C positions, all power is supplied via the 16 - bit
system bus. This is the configuration that was tested.

Now the adapter card is installed in any available 16 - bit AT- type expansion
slot. Once installed, the cable from the base unit is attached to the DB-37
connector on the adapter card’s mounting bracket. This completes the

hardware portion of the installation.

PSB No: S-0120
Page: 2 of 2

At this point, the device driver and utility software should be copied to the
hard drive. On the test unit, the QDRIVE.SYS driver was copied to the C:\SYS
subdirectory, and the QDRVLTR.EXE, QDRVCHK.COM and HXBIOS.COM

utilities were copied to C:\DOS. the CONFIG.SYS file was then edited to add

the following line:

DEVICE = C:\SYS\QDRIVE.SYS

This device driver acts as an extension of the drive handling capabilities of

MS- DOS, allowing the DrivePort to be recognized on boot-up. On the test
system, logical drives C, D, and E were already assigned to the internal hard
drives, so QDRIVE.SYS assigned logical drive F to the DrivePort. If the system
is booted without a hard drive cartridge mounted in the base unit, there will be
a pause while the device driver retries the DrivePort. It will then proceed with

the boot process without installing the device driver or assigning a logical

drive.
NOTE: Installing or removing a hard drive cartridge while the system is

powered on may result in severe damage to the drive, the DrivePort, or the

computer. Always turn the computer off before installing or removing the hard

drive cartridge.

QDRVCHK.COM provides technical statistics on the mounted DrivePort, similar
to the DOS CHKDSK command. HXBIOS.COM can be executed if the system
was booted with no hard drive cartridge installed and QDRVCHK needs to be

run. QDRVLTR.EXE will provide the DrivePort’s logical drive assignment.
The hard drive cartridge must be initialized on the LT-286e or LT-386SX.

The low - level format and partitioning cannot be done via the DrivePort. Also,
the DOS - level format must be performed for the first time on the laptop - it

may then be formatted while installed in the DrivePort.

In testing, the DrivePort performed as if an additional conventional hard disk
drive had been installed. File and directory copies, application program

execution and BACKUP/RESTORE functions were tested with no problems.
The DrivePort is available from Epson Accessories, Inc. at [phone].

Manzana can be contacted at [phone].

EPSON AMERICA, INC.

INFORMATION

Product Support Bulletin

Subject:

Date: 5/09/90
Page: 1 of 1

The purpose of this bulletin is to provide information on additional memory

expansion after the Epson 1mb memory bd has been installed.

Because of the 2/3 size of the AT compatible expansion slot in the LT286e, most

full length memory cards will not fit.

However, a 2/3 size 16 bit memory card from RAMFLEX has been tested and found

to be compatible.

The RAMFLEX card comes populated with 2mb of embedded DRAM. An installation

program is provided and setup is quite simple.

The RAMFLEX card must be installed as extended memory and for expanded

memory an EMS package like TURBO EMS from LANTANA must be used.

Equity LT-286e and Third Party Memory Boards

PSB No: S-011
Originator: DS

From the

The steps are self explanatory. Set the start address at 2432 if the system is already

configured at 2mb. When the system re-boots it will prompt you with a “MEMORY

SIZE ERROR”

and configures to 4mb.
LANTANA’s TURBO EMS was used to emulate 2mb of expanded memory under

LIM 4.0.

The supplier is:

A:

> prompt, run “INSTALL” from the RAMFLEX diskette.

. Run setup and the memory field will auto update. System re - boots

COMPUTER ELEKTRONIK INFOSYS of America, Inc.
512 - A Hemadon Parkway

Herndon, VA 22070

TEL

(703) 435 - 3800
(800) 322 - 3464

Product Support Bulletin

Subject:

Date:
Page:

This bulletin is to inform you of the solution to a problem encountered when
running Lotus 1-2-3 release 3.0 on the Equity LT-286e.

When 1-2-3 release 3.0 is loaded, the keyboard response becomes
extremely erratic. There may long delays before keystrokes are displayed,
keystrokes may not be registered at all or the incorrect keystroke may be
registered. Note that this problem does not occur when an external keyboard
is used.

This is corrected by setting the DOS environment variable DOS16M to 10 prior
to running 1-2-3 release 3.0. This is most easily done in either the
AUTOEXEC.BAT file, or a batch that is used to load 1-2-3. Here is an
example of the latter:

@ ECHO OFF
SET DOS16M =10
CD 123

LOTUS

CD \

Equity LT- 286e and Lotus 1 - 2 - 3 Release 3.0
4/11/90

1 of 1

PSB No:
Originator:

S-0114

Mwr

The DOS16M environment variable is then recognized by 1-2-3 and correctly

“syncs up” the keyboard.