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- ======================================================================
- Microsoft(R) Product Support Services Application Note (Text File)
- WG1001: UPDATED SERIAL.386 DRIVER FOR WINDOWS(TM) FOR WORKGROUPS
- ======================================================================
- Revision Date: 3/94
- 1 Disk Included
-
- The following information applies to Microsoft Windows for Workgroups,
- version 3.11.
-
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
- | INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT AND ANY SOFTWARE THAT MAY |
- | ACCOMPANY THIS DOCUMENT (collectively referred to as an Application |
- | Note) IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER |
- | EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED |
- | WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND/OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR |
- | PURPOSE. The user assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and |
- | the use of this Application Note. This Application Note may be |
- | copied and distributed subject to the following conditions: 1) All |
- | text must be copied without modification and all pages must be |
- | included; 2) If software is included, all files on the disk(s) |
- | must be copied without modification (the MS-DOS(R) utility |
- | diskcopy is appropriate for this purpose); 3) All components of |
- | this Application Note must be distributed together; and 4) This |
- | Application Note may not be distributed for profit. |
- | |
- | Copyright (C) 1994 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. |
- | Microsoft and MS-DOS are registered trademarks and Windows is a |
- | trademark of Microsoft Corporation. |
- | Pentium is a trademark of Intel Corporation |
- |---------------------------------------------------------------------|
-
- Introduction
- ------------
-
- When you use Windows for Workgroups version 3.11 with serial
- communications software, you may experience the following problems:
-
- - If you are using a Pentium(TM)-based machine with a 16550 UART chip,
- your system stops responding (hangs) if there is data in the chip
- when the serial communications application attempts to open the
- communications port.
-
- A problem with the 16550 UART implementation causes the chip to
- become trapped in a mode in which data is always detected in its
- FIFO buffer.
-
- - When you are using communications software, you may be able to make
- one connection after starting Windows for Workgroups, but any
- subsequent connections fail and may hang your system.
-
- This problem occurs when SERIAL.386 sends an extra NUL character
- through the port when the communications software calls the
- CloseComm application program interface (API) function. While this
- does not normally cause problems, your second connection may fail
- with some modems.
-
- The WG1001 disk included with this Application Note contains an
- updated SERIAL.386 driver that corrects both of these problems.
-
- To install the updated SERIAL.386 file
- --------------------------------------
-
- 1. Quit Windows for Workgroups.
-
- 2. Make a backup copy of the currently installed SERIAL.386 file by
- typing the following at the MS-DOS command prompt and then pressing
- ENTER
-
- ren <drive>:<path>\serial.386 serial.old
-
- where <drive>:<path> is the location of your Windows SYSTEM
- subdirectory.
-
- For example, if your Windows directory is called WINDOWS and is on
- drive C, type the following at the MS-DOS command prompt and then
- press ENTER:
-
- ren c:\windows\system\serial.386 serial.old
-
- 3. Insert the enclosed WG1001 disk in the appropriate floppy disk
- drive.
-
- 4. To copy the file to the Windows SYSTEM subdirectory, type the
- following at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER
-
- copy <drive>:\serial.386 <destination>
-
- where <drive> is the floppy disk drive containing the WG1001 disk
- and <destination> is the drive and directory of your Windows SYSTEM
- subdirectory.
-
- For example, if the WG1001 disk is in drive A and your Windows
- directory is called WINDOWS and is on drive C, type the following
- at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER:
-
- copy a:\serial.386 c:\windows\system