* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * STE SIG * * * * By Gary Spiteri * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Bug Hunting Part II ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Last issue I spoke about the problems and fixes of the STE's famous medium resolution bug. This issue I want to continue along the same track and talk about a few other "fix" programs which all live in the \AUTO\ folder... STEFIX ÿÿÿÿÿÿ We included this program in II #53 and it fixes the TOS 1.6 medium resolution bug - this program is essential if you use a colour monitor. VDI FIX ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ The VDI or "Virtual Device Interface" handles all sorts of things including the graphics calls made by GEM. The short program from the makers and OverScan and NVDI v2 (the excellent screen accelerator, which incidently has the VDIFIX code built-in) fixes some problems that I was not even aware of. The fix is for both TOS v1.4 and 1.6, and I recommend you use it just to be on the safe side. Note, if you have NVDI (as far as I know only Swavek has) VDIFIX and NVDI will crash if both are in the \AUTO\ folder together. If you have NVDI, don't use VDIFIX, if you haven't got NVDI, use VDIFIX! MICROWIRE ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ I remember reading when the STE first came out that there was a problem with the volume setting on the STE's new DMA sound. The program fixes problems in the STE's "Microwire interface" (which includes the DMA sound chip) and I _assume_ it fixes the problem. POOLFIX 4 ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ This is not actually a bug fixer, but an enhancement, and helps avoid a possible disaster. This program helps overcome a problem with the file handling of TOS versions 1.4 and up. File information is placed in an area of memory called the "POOL", and usually everything is fine. However, if you have a directory with lots of files, or lots of nested folders, then this memory fills and overflows, causing a disaster. To avoid this POOLFIX makes this memory area bigger and (I think) installs a better memory clearing routine. This program is essential for Hard Disk Drive users. Yet More Bugs... ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ There is a bug that really get up my nose and I'm sure it has a similar effect on you. Its called the SPC bug and its when from the desktop you double click on a program and instead of running the famous "Show, Print, Cancel" dialog pops up (hence its name). Recent discussions on GEnie and a similar discussion with Mark Brinkworth in Perth indicates that the problem only occurs if you are attempting to run a program whose total path length is exactly 16 characters long... A:\PROG\GARY.PRG will display the bug, A:\PROG\GARYS.PRG or A:\PROG\GAZ.PRG won't. At this time there is no fix, and careful renaming of folders and files to avoid the 16 character length should help. Since we have quite a few new STE owners who may be thinking of using a hard drive in the future, I'll repeat my report of the DMA bug which can potentially erase a full drive! DMA Hard Drive Problems ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ In a past issue I mentioned that due to a faulty DMA chip, connecting an STE to a Hard Disk drive runs the risk of corrupting the drive. If you are planning to one day own a Hard Drive, or are using a Hard Drive now, then you should check to see if you have a bad DMA chip. If you have, then change it by going to an Atari Service center or Atari themselves. However, if you are only using your STE for games (!) or are not considering investing in a Hard Drive, then you have not problems what so ever and shouldn't worry. You can check if your machine has a faulty DMA chip by checking the serial number on the bottom of your machine. The pattern for the number is:- ?? ?? ??????? ^^ These two charcters are the ones to check. They are of the format year/month and indicate the month in which that batch of machines were manufactured. The format is:- Year Month 9 = 1989 1 = January 0 = 1990 2 = Feburary 1 = 1991 3 = March 4 = April - etc etc - 9 = September A = October B = November C = December So a number like ?? 9C ??????? shows that this machine was made in December 1989, and ?? 05 ??????? indicates a manufactor date of May 1990. If your machine was manufactured AFTER July 1990, then you have nothing to worry about. However if you do have a machine built before August 1990 then you know what to do! Thanks to Phil Reeves of the Paragon Computers, and Swavek for drawing my attention to the article in "The Paragon Report" Feb 1991 issue. The Fix to end all fixes ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ TOS v2.06 is about to be sold as a TOS upgrade in the form of a chip set for all ST/STE's and give the user the newest, most bug free TOS yet. It has the new "NewDesk" desktop and will turn your machine into something that acts a little more like the MegaSTE and TT. Currently no pricing is out, but when it is I'll let you know... This ends the bug hunting and pending the permission of the publishers I'll have a 2 part column of STE programming - the first on graphics, the second on sound. Till then....... Gary Spiteri