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Shareware Overload Trio 2
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Shareware Overload Trio Volume 2 (Chestnut CD-ROM).ISO
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qictest.zip
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README.DOC
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1994-05-27
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127 lines
CT.EXE -- All Controller Test v1.01 May 26, 1994
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
This program runs a functionality check on the dedicated QIC drive
controller cards listed below as well as the standard floppy controller.
It will test initialization of and communication with your QIC tape drive
controller card. It is being provided as a test for the controller card
routines that are used in a forthcoming QIC diagnostics and data recovery
program.
This program will be released by Novatech Design, and although we
have received tremendous assistance from just about every company involved
with QIC tape drives, this test and the forthcoming diags program are not
represented, published or sanctioned by any company whose CompuServe forum
this test appears in. This means it's our product and nobody else is to be
held accountable for it -- not Symantec, not Central Point, not 5th
Generation, Arcada Software, or any drive maker. Whatever forum you
downloaded this test from, the test is there because the forum sysop(s)
allowed it; they have nothing to do with either this test or the diags
program.
Please note that VLB (VESA [Video Electronics Standards Association] local
bus) cards are notoriously problematic with QIC drives and if you have a
VLB card, don't fall over in shock if this test fails.
This is a test program only. The look and feel of this program in no way
reflects that of the final QIC diags program.
Running this program is straightforward and simple. After pressing a key
to get through the welcome screen, please double check the information
displayed on the System Information screen. If any of this information is
incorrect, please make a note of it and let me know.
On the actual diagnostics program, the System Information section is
expanded to 13 subsections giving information comparable to the entire MSD
program included with MS-DOS. That's just the system info section.
The second screen systematically executes an automatic search through the
following list of controller cards:
Colorado Memory Systems AB10 (disabled in v1.01, card not obtained)
Colorado Memory Systems FC10
Colorado Memory Systems TC15
Colorado Memory Systems FC20 (disabled in v1.01, card not obtained)
Conner Peripherals 20001 (same as Archive XL or Maynard controller)
Iomega IHP-10a
Mountain Mach2 (same as Summit Express)
Standard floppy controller
The Colorado cards are jumperless and the test will go through these cards
faster than the display can be updated. If you do not have a CMS dedicated
card in your system, it will look as if these cards were never tested for,
but they were.
****************************************************************************
As the test runs through, the card name will display for the card currently
being tested for. When the IRQ display is flashing, the IRQ test is in
progress for all allowable channels on the card simultaneously. When the
IRQ display stops flashing, either the test has failed (the "continue"
message displays or the next card search begins) or an IRQ line has been
found for that card (the DMA channel flashes). When the DMA channel
flashes, the channel flashing is currently in test. When the flashing
stops, the DMA channel has been found. Only when the flash/stop-flash
cycle of both IRQ and DMA channels has completed has the card been
considered located and its configuration determined. Please verify that
the information displayed is correct.
If either the IRQ or DMA displays are flashing when the "press any key"
message displays, the test was unable to locate any card.
If a dedicated controller is found on test 1, test 2 will proceed to test
the floppy controller only. If no dedicated card is in your system, then
test 1 should have 'found' the floppy controller and there will be no test
2.
****************************************************************************
There is nothing for you to report back, except whether the card(s) "found"
were correct and the IRQ/DMA channels reported were correct, and if the
System Information screen was correct.
***************************************************************************
During all test runs, the "wheel" spinning at the right end of the screen
next to the DMA channel display should always be moving, unless the program
is waiting for the user to press a key. If this wheel stops and the
program is not asking for a keystroke, you can safely assume your system is
hung. I'll need to know this and YOU will need to reboot. Hopefully we
won't see this happen.
***************************************************************************
The Iomega IHp-10a controller can be set to the standard floppy controller
settings of base address 3F0, IRQ 6, DMA 2. If you have an Iomega card set
to these parameters, effectively replacing the standard floppy controller,
this test version will locate the card but will display it as a standard
floppy controller. This situation needs to be fixed, because even if the
Iomega card is set to replace a standard floppy controller, the 1 meg data
rate is still available on the card and the drivers should detect this
condition. This issue will be fixed before final release of the diags.
The Conner and Iomega cards overlap exactly on certain base address, IRQ
and DMA channel settings and one may display as the other. Software
methods are unable to distinguish between these two cards for the settings
they overlap on. This will not affect functionality in any way.
***************************************************************************
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I NEED TO KNOW IS IF THIS TEST PROGRAM CAUSES YOUR
SYSTEM TO HANG!
***************************************************************************
The test will generate a coded log file containing detailed descriptions
of all test results during execution of the program. The log file will
be created in the current directory and will be named "CT.LOG." If you
have the inclination and a huge heart, I would greatly appreciate your
emailing your log file to:
Chris Malcheski 71232,360
The typical size of this file is around 640 bytes. It's binary, so please
don't try to edit it!
I cannot say enough thanks to those taking the time out to run this test
program and report the results back to me. By generating the log file I
have hopefully brought your time involvement in this test down to 5 minutes
or less.
-- Chris Malcheski