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BAY AREA AT&T PC USERS GROUP - NEWSLETTER #16 (MAY 1988)
********************************************************
NORTH BAY MEETING
*****************
WHEN: Wednesday, June 1, 6:30 PM (first Wednesday each month)
WHERE: AT&T, 795 Folsom Street, in San Francisco, across from
Moscone Center, about five blocks from Montgomery
Street Bart. The July Meeting will be in Oakland.
AGENDA: (times are approximate)
Special Interest Groups 6:30 PM
(New users, intermediate and advanced DOS, UNIX, etc.)
Informal discussion and refreshments. Swap session.
Convene, Group business, 7:00 PM
Committee reports, announcements, Technical Q&A session
(AT&T staff)
Election of Officers 7:15 PM
W. Allen Associates 8:00 PM
6300/EGA Bus Correction Kit
TRINTEX/PRODIGY 7:00 PM
(new on-line service)
Adjourn (out by 10 PM) 9:30 PM
The new users group will be starting part one of a four part
repeating program. Handouts are available. Contact Mark Almeida
or Barry Newman.
SILICON VALLEY MEETING
**********************
WHEN: Wednesday, June 8, 6:00 PM (2nd Wednesday each month)
WHERE: AT&T building at 1090 E. Duane Ave. in Sunnyvale (just
off Lawrence Expressway, one block from route 101)
AGENDA: (times are approximate)
Special Interest Groups 6:00 PM
(New users, intermediate and advanced DOS, UNIX, etc.)
Informal discussion and refreshments. Swap session.
Convene, Group business, 7:00 PM
Committee reports, announcements
Technical Q&A session 7:15 PM
(AT&T staff)
Harvard Graphics Demo 8:00 PM
Please note the new 6PM starting time for the MS/DOS new users
SIG.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
*****************
We have been able to put together almost an entire issue on the
subject of hard disks. Mark Almeida (ASK THE WIZ) describes the
installation of a 64MB drive (using RLL). Reader David Calabrese
added a second hard disk (a 72MB external drive), and discusses
some basic procedures, including the use of DISK MANAGER
formatting and setup software. Larry Risner's TECH TIPS covers
hard drive format procedures using AT&T's menu-driven LOWFORM
utility. Larry has also provided us with a list of AT&T
supported hard drives,along with drive specifications and DIP
switch settings for various machine and ROM BIOS versions. Bill
Todd casts a vote for Steve Gibson's SPINRITE program (as does
Mark Almeida). Barry Newman discusses the installation of the
GEM operating system for a user base of 450. Joe Mahoney covers
a little bit of everything in his monthly PRESIDENT'S BITS column
- please read for a discussion of bylaws changes and information
on elections.
UPDATES AND CORRECTIONS
***********************
Last month, we discussed how to use the echo command to change
screen appearance (using the format: echo ^[[nn;nn;nnm). We
said that you had to include quotation marks around the escape
sequence - that is incorrect. It will work with the quotes, but
they are not needed, and the results are cleaner without the
quotes. Larry Risner reports that the new VDC 750 video card
(AT&T graphics/CGA/EGA) WILL work on any 6300 that has been
correctly modified to run EGA, but that it WILL NOT support DEB
functions, as was stated in the original documentation. Next
month, we will concentrate on video and display issues, including
a complete review of the current situation with add-on video
boards, particularly EGA cards.
OMISSIONS
*********
Last month, Bill Todd of TODD-PC3 in San Jose gave a high
resolution graphics demo on a 6300 with a resolution of 1280 x
800 monochrome on an AMDEK 14" monitor. This performance
requires the 11.43 ROM BIOS and replacement of the video display
chip. Bill can be contacted at (408) 263-8925
MAY MEETING RECAP
*****************
Joe Mahoney
The May meeting was a full evening's exposure to a variety of
hardware, networking, and connectivity products from AT&T's Data
Systems Group. AT&T provided an introductory multi-media show
featuring an emphasis on open architecture and the
interrelationship of products, switches, and voice or data users.
I was particularly impressed with the facsimile transmission and
video scanner devices; these combined with PC's running text and
graphics editors seemed most useful in a variety of work
settings. The evening included a tour in sub-groups through
several product areas in the Customer Presentation Center and
each area was hosted by technically articulate, personable staff
from AT&T. We certainly appreciated this event and efforts of
John Broadus (CPC Manager) and Allison Pittman (Administrative
Assistant). This CPC group is generally responsible for hosting
all of our Oakland meetings.
JUNE MEETING (SAN FRANCISCO)
****************************
Joe Mahoney
We want to feature more hardware technical Q&A at the June
meeting, and a couple of unexpected programs have also surfaced.
First, Bill Allen of Cupertino will introduce the $45 6300/EGA
adaptor card for the PC6300 that his company makes (fixes
completely the "hi-byte/lo-byte" problem that prevents some
software from operating in EGA mode even on a properly installed
EGA card in a PC6300). This device will be installed and shown
at the meeting by Bill. The Users Group will offer one of the
cards as the evening door prize.
Then, Susan Higbee, National Market Manager of PRODIGY, will
present this new videotext, national dial-up information service
by Trintex. The company offers a $80 Hayes Personal Modem 1200
(1200bps with cable and connectors) for those wishing to try the
service and who need a modem; PRODIGY service is a flat-rate,
$9.95/month, regardless of actual time on-line. The service was
first shown at the Computer Faire and to other area users groups
in April.
SILICON VALLEY SECTION
**********************
Joe Lipsig, President
There are many items coming up for the AT&T Users Group. First
let me remind everyone that there will be an AT&T day at
DataSource from 12 to 2 PM, and 4 to 7 PM, on Wednesday, June 15.
DataSource is now located at 4090 Steven's Creek Boulevard in San
Jose (at Saratoga Avenue). There will be seminars at 12 and 1 PM
and then again at 4, 5 and PM, on UNIX and networking by AT&T
technicians. Discount coupons will be available for AT&T
products and training, as well as store discounts for AT&T
computer systems, printers, software and Starlan network boards.
Please plan to attend and support this event.
In the UNIX arena, anyone interested in purchasing a 7300 (UNIX
PC) please give me a call. One of our members is trying to get a
group discount if enough people are interested.
I am in the process of checking the prices of hard cards for the
5300 line. I would like to know if anyone is interested. I
have found that some manufacturers can offer a considerable
discount if we purchase as a users group.
Please bear in mind, we have a large meeting room available for
our use. I can host any users that wish to arrive early for the
purpose of meeting or working together.
PRESIDENT'S BITS
****************
Joe Mahoney
At the May 4 (Oakland) meeting, members voted (22 voters)
unanimously to adopt the various BYLAWS changes, including the
name change to AT&T COMPUTER USERS GROUP. Because of the light
meeting turn-out, we will repeat the balloting at the June 1 San
Francisco meeting to give additional members a chance to vote.
This is the night of general officers' election as well -- you
are urged to attend and cast your ballot early in the evening.
Nominations (and self-nomination) for office remain open until
voting at around 7:15pm. You may phone Bob Martin (415 831-1931
in Danville) to nominate or volunteer.
Nominations at press time include the following: President (Joe
Mahoney); Vice President (Mark 'The Wiz' Almeida); Secretary
(open); Treasurer (Frank Davidoff); Members-at-Large (Bob Larsen,
Bob Martin). The secretary is an important voting member of the
Executive Committee and mostly assists at present with notes on
meeting proceedings. (Note, we are still seeking a paid door-
person to help with meeting sign-in and such!)
Ruth Holzman of Osborne-McGraw-Hill publishers has contacted us
to offer discounts on book purchases through the group on a
quantity basis. I have cautioned her that some area bookstores
already offer these at some savings. She will have a table and
sampling of their books at the July Oakland meeting. Member
John Gowen won the evening door prize in May, a copy of Osborne-
McGraw Hill's 1-2-3: The Complete Reference, donated by the
publisher. (The Wiz won the evening consolation prize, Maxell
diskettes!)
New in our growing collection of public-domain / shareware disk
library are GALAXY (a great word processor) and PCLOAN3
(amortization and interest calculator with calendars) -- these
are available for "off loading" at the meetings. GALAXY is
quite impressive and quickly learned. It has many advanced
features and fine menus and help windows; several printer drivers
are included -- you'll be writing new documents within minutes.
Well worth a look! PCLOAN3 was given by the publisher, a Texas
"Silicon Prairie" firm, and received some favorable mention in
the June '87 issue of Computers in Accounting (contact me for a
copy of the review article on shareware for accountants). I
found the program "just OK". I am a disaster at mortgage
problems; I've yet to find a program that will help me figure
adjustable rate scenarios and early loan payoffs with occasional
extra payments! (I already use a cheap program called MORTPLAN).
Those of you who are in the financial area should try PCLOAN3 and
send the author your critique.
I have located a person who will head-up a 6300 PLUS group; if
you want to participate, be sure I get you on a list and let me
know if you want to see a special SIG developed -- a group to
meet separately with an AT&T technician on a regular basis
(perhaps quarterly). UNIX users should note the group known as
Silicon Valley Net, meeting 3rd Tuesday monthly in Cupertino
(Apple Auditorium, 10500 N. De Anza Blvd). This group appears
to have mini-computer UNIX interest and you could phone for more
information: Ralph Barker (408)248-8649 or Grant Rostig
(408)294-5319.
The SVCS UNIX PC SIG (see April Newsletter) is growing quickly,
but I'm not sure that they welcome AT&T PC owners as yet.
Although plenty of UNIX resources exist down the peninsula, I
feel a need to host a UNIX SIG of our own in the San Francisco
area; I see no UNIX groups in North Bay tabloid listings. If you
agree, please contact me. We can certainly get AT&T support and
help in learning UNIX, particularly as this concerns the
environment of our PC's and connectivity to mini- and mainframe
computing. Without demonstrated interest in the group, we can
not foster viable SIG's. A "UNIX 101" lecture is planned for an
upcoming meeting.
A "SIG" is a Special Interest Group; all Users Groups (except
ours) have them. They are really special focus groups within
the larger organization, often meeting separately. We have
little time at our general meeting to take an in-depth look at
certain topics that would best work as SIG's. The Beginning DOS
users class is a good example; UNIX users is another; or, 6300
PLUS owners, perhaps dBASE folks.... Give it a thought; perhaps
you can chair a SIG.
AT&T held a 2-day customer symposium in San Francisco May 17-18
to show it's new Data Systems Group products and talk about open
architecture, the UNIX operating environment, networking and
connectivity. I was able to attend a half day review of the
event with various media and industry observers, hearing the new
DSG president, Bob Kavner, and his vice-presidents vow that AT&T
will remain an aggressive, important player in the computer
industry. Kavner, et al., insist that AT&T now recognizes that
customers indeed have a choice and that AT&T must listen to
remain competitive, and offer timely and reasonably-priced
solutions to customer needs.
There is much activity and controversy in the world of UNIX
computing at the moment, with some of the top computing companies
forming another "foundation" to study UNIX needs and promulgate
"open" architecture standards. AT&T, SUN, and a few others, have
not joined this foundation as yet for various reasons. One
expressed view is that IBM (for example) has demonstrated in the
past a stance in favor of closed, proprietary systems, a lack of
truly open connectivity, and several different operating systems
within it's own products.
AT&T waits to see if IBM and cronies will truly go OPEN in the
UNIX area. It was supposed that this "foundation" will not be
able to bring a standard UNIX product to the user right away, as
groups seldom agree and work well in these joint endeavors. On
the other hand, AT&T has in place now the widely used UNIX
System V. Amid all of this, a delightful, upbeat laser-mirrors-
sound-and-smoke show module was used to underscore AT&T Data
System Group's "Headed for the Future" determination. I was
surprised to find AT&T so lacking in conservatism at this point!
While reporters grilled Kavner and the executives on UNIX issues,
I spoke with Larry Dooling, national VP of Marketing & Sales
Support. I reminded Dooling, and he agreed, that we MS-DOS
users were not going away and that we expect continued support of
our machines. Again, I sensed the spirit of listening and
reacting to customer needs, a new-found gospel within DSG.
Dooling and I discussed the growth of users groups briefly and
the need for a headquarters level support office. I intend to
follow-up with additional letters and calls to the New Jersey
executives.
Elsewhere in this issue you will find an ad for the Easy Key
publication, Hard Disk Made Easy. This remarkable little
booklet is a an outline of DOS commands related to disk files and
directories. It is a handy reference without a lot of in depth
"why" to explain each item. A couple of experienced users at my
office picked up some tips and new commands from the book. The
8.5 x 11 inch book has only 48 pages; the binding is the plastic
comb variety that lets the booklet open and lay flat on your desk
in use. It is a bit plain -- lacking in graphic illustrations
and fancy press work. One diagram that attempts to relate DOS
commands and a tree of directories and files is too busy and
confusing at first. But, I think you will like the book as a
reference or a training aid.
The publisher is a small company (set in the gold country
foothills), yet they say they have attracted a large customer
base of corporations using or recommending the book. I will
bring my copy to the June meeting for examination. I believe the
publisher will offer a discount to our members. If you like it
"made easy", this is for you! If you need more sophisticated
detail, you will find Wolverton's Running MS-DOS or the Norton
Utilities and Disk Guide more to your liking.
MENTORS
*******
We are still updating our list of "mentors", to be published in
the Newsletter. If you have a special area of expertise, be it
hardware or software, and you can spend a few moments from time
to time providing help to other members, contact Joe Mahoney, Joe
Lipsig, or Ed Ely, and we'll add you to the list. This has been
a great help to many members, and we hope to expand this method
of sharing our knowledge and experience.
GEM AS AN OPERATING ENVIRONMENT
*******************************
Barry Newman
In April 1984 Pacific Bell began moving the first of the its
Corporate Staff into the new San Ramon complex. The complex
would eventually accommodate 7300 employees occupying 1,750,00
square feet of office space. The story that follows details the
history of one small 450 person segment of this work force and
tries to explain the background and rationale that led to the
selecting of DIGITAL RESEARCH's software product GEM as the
operating system on their PC's. I hope that providing this
history will assist others involved in any similar software and
hardware evaluation.
About the same time the first employees were moving to San
Ramon, a task force was being formed within the Comptroller's
Disbursement Accounting Department, whose purpose would be the
selection of hardware and software for the work force that would
be moving to the new quarters. The work force that was involved
consisted of 450 employees. The makeup of the force was about 50
managers, 25 clerical, 60 manual methods and 320 programmers.
The programmers were divided into 2 groups, 240 working on a
Burroughs main frame and 80 working an IBM. The first thing the
task force decided was that they had to have an acronym for
themselves. After many long hours of debate one was chosen:
WIMP (Work Station Implementation Persons).
Prior to the formation of the WIMPS, a much smaller task force
had developed a set of targets and goals that were to be
accomplished by the WIMPS. These objectives boiled down to a
rather simplistic objective. Provide an environment that would
best support current and future technology in the areas of Office
Automation Systems (OAS) and Computer Assisted Software
Engineering (CASE).
With these as the basic guidelines the WIMPS realized very
quickly that the best approach to the problem was to develop a
phased transition and that their task would be to concentrate on
selecting a "foundation" upon which future phases could develop
upon.
With this in mind it was decided that a basic workstation
configuration with the ability to connect to a multitude of main
frame and Local Area Networks would provide the optimum
flexibility.
After much investigation and cost benefit analysis a decision
was reached and the PC was selected as the hardware device that
was to function as the initial workstation. It was at this point
that an evaluation of the user community revealed that, since 90%
of the people had no PC background and of those 75% currently
used "dumb" terminals, PC training became a major issue. In
addition, the need to provide some fundamental word processing
and graphics capability further complicated matters.
During this time frame, one of the WIMPS, Roger Pogue (credit
where credit is due) had uncovered and was running trials on GEM,
a product of DRI (Digital Research Inc.), within a work group
that consisted of about 25 people. The most obvious facet that
attracted us was the very obvious MACINTOSH-type interface that
GEM provided, that is, "point & click". When we measured GEM
against the major criteria we had been given for PC software for
the workstation, minimum training required and, within reason,
maximum word processing and graphics capability, we both became
convinced that GEM fit the bill.
The original GEM COLLECTION consisted of GEM DESKTOP, a
fundamental hard disk manager and DOS shell, GEM WRITE, a clone
of VOLKSWRITER DELUXE, and GEM PAINT. It soon became apparent
that GEM PAINT was not the type of graphics package that we
needed but that another product, GEM DRAW, was. Negotiations
with DRI led to the substitution of GEM DRAW for GEM PAINT in the
"COLLECTION" and to an eventual site license. (We have since
added GEM WORDCHART to the package).
In conjunction with DRI, a one day training course was developed
and was attended by each of the smaller work groups prior to
moving from San Francisco to San Ramon. The 450 people were
moved in stages spanning April to July 1986.
It is now May 1988 and we have been utilizing GEM for the last
two years. I would like to say that 100% of the people "jumped
right on the bandwagon" but that was not the case. Two major
problems surfaced immediately. One was that those people that
were already using PC's, mainly the clerical and manual methods
folks, had already locked into other word processors, Wordstar,
MultiMate, etc. The second problem was within the programming
staff, which consists of people who, to this day, persist in
using the PC as simply a dumb terminal (change is never easy for
any of us). I should add one more item: those people who
outgrew GEMWRITE and GEMDRAW's capability within six months to a
year and are constantly pressing us for more and better tools.
All in all I feel we succeeded in what we set out to do. If the
WIMPS failed in any area it was in not maintaining closer
contact with the work force after the move and realizing the need
of select groups for bigger and better software tools.
Of necessity I've condensed a lot of our experiences and am more
than willing to discuss, at length, my opinions in this area.
P.S. The PC selected for 250 of the people was the AT&T 6300.
INSTALLING A SECOND (EXTERNAL) HARD DRIVE
*****************************************
David Calabrese
I had run out of room on my 10MB hard disk on my 6300 and decided
a second hard disk would give me more room and allow me to use
the old 10MB as a backup disk. I had read several articles on
using hard disks larger than 32MB, and I ended up buying the PC
Magazine "editor's choice", a Miniscribe 72MB from Lifetime
Systems. It came with the "editor's choice" DISK MANAGER
software to format and partition the large disk. I told them I
needed a cable to hook both disks to my western digital board and
they threw one in. It was for an IBM only.
In order to eliminate problems with such an expensive purchase, I
had first called the AT&T Technical Hot Line. They told me it
would work, and sold me some cables. I called both DISK MANAGER
and Miniscribe to ask about compatibility and to help with
settings. Sounds smart? WRONG! I ended up with the wrong
cables and wrong set-up information. It took me four long
evenings to figure that out. I probably hooked up all possible
combinations of cables, dip switch settings and jumpers. I don't
recommend this, but don't be too worried about accidentally
hurting something. I ran the DISK MANAGER Program about 100
times using all options and generating most of its error
messages. It is very good because one can always back out of it.
It won't hurt itself or the machine, and is easy to use.
I finally set up my machine with one external 72MB disk divided
as drive C: and drive D: (a small DOS partition, and one
remaining large volume of about 70MB). The old internal 10MB
disk is designated as drive E: and is used as a backup. The two
hard disk motors hum quite a bit and probably lead to operator
fatigue after several hours. I recommend you also purchase
keyboard and monitor extender cables from AT&T, and get the CPU
under the desk. Put the second hard disk as far away as possible
or sound-insulate it. For the external disk, I used a standard
Bud Box CU 2110-B and made cutouts and bolted the disk to it.
It's not fancy, but it's back under the desk behind the CPU.
Before the actual installation begins, it is helpful to consider
how the computer works. When the computer is first turned on,
the BIOS scurries around and checks for DOS in the A: drive. If
it is not there, the BIOS tries to find a disk with a control
jumper wire in the first or "terminator" position. That tells it
to look there and only there for the DOS command files. The next
thing it does it look on that disk for a partition marked MS-DOS.
It will look in that partition (which is automatically and always
assigned as drive C: regardless as to where it is physically
located) for COMMAND.COM and other command files. Everything
else should be straightforward.
Some terms to be aware of:
CONTROL CABLE: a 34-pin ribbon cable that goes from the hard
disk control card to one or two disks. The disks can be cabled
in series (daisy chain) or in a "Y" with each end terminating at
a disk and a connector in the middle to attach to the controller.
Connectors at the ends of the cable must be correctly wired for
the disks that they attach to. The end that goes to the
Miniscribe has wires #24 through #29 flipped (k#24 wire attaches
to #29 pin on the connector, etc).
DATA CABLE: a 20-pin ribbon cable going from the hard disk
control card to a hard disk. One is required for each disk.
JUMPER or JUMPER BLOCK: a tiny black block that bridges two
resister wires. Usually located under or next to the 34-pin
connector on the hard disk.
TERMINATOR: the same jumper or jumper block when it is located
on the first set of pins. A terminator identifies that disk to
the BIOS as drive C: (where COMMAND.COM is located). The jumper
can be in that position on only one disk (you choose). The other
disk must have its jumper block on the second or maybe third or
fourth wires.
RE-STRAPPING: removing the controller card and checking DIP
switch and jumper settings against the listings in the owner's
manual. Reset as necessary. Also check that the #1-20 pin cable
is plugged into #1 slot on controller card (directly under the
34-pin socket) and goes to the disk that is to be the "first"
disk.
STANDARD DISK DRIVE: A disk drive supported by the ROM BIOS of
your computer. Check owner's manual. This is DISK MANAGER
terminology.
LOW LEVEL FORMAT: usually done ny the manufacturer of the disk.
DISK MANAGER also does it. AT&T has a program called LOWFORM
but the instructions are not included to easily work with two
hard disks -- AT&T information has not kept up with AT&T
hardware. (editors note: there seem to be several programs
available that are called LOWFORM. The version that is available
through the user group fully supports two disk drives, but
documentation is minimal)
PARTITIONING: dividing up the available disk storage space into
partitions, or volumes. Each partition will be assigned a drive
letter (see below).
DRIVE C: or MS-DOS Partition: (#1 Partition on an NEC). The
only MS-DOS partition allowed in the system . It contains DOS
command files and whatever else you want to put in there.
DOS-DATA Partition: any other partition. One can run programs
and store data the same as if it were a formatted floppy in the
"A" drive. DISK MANAGER calls it a READ/WRITE Partition, and
allows any size, up to the maximum size of the disk. DOS allows
any size up to 32MB.
DOS FORMAT or HIGH LEVEL FORMAT: a procedure carried out by the
user after partitioning and before installing files.
Let's look at some ways to hook up and divide up the hard disks
into different drive designations, say (C:) through (F:), that
will work with MS-DOS 3.2 FDISK command (without DISK MANAGER):
The 10MB disk could be physically hooked up as disk-1 and
designated drive (C:), with the 72MB wired as disk-2 and set up
as drives (D:), (E:) and (F:) (three 24MB DOS-DATA partitions).
Or, the 72MB disk physically could be hooked up as disk 1 with
one DOS partition and several DOS-DATA partitions (limit 32MB),
with the 10MB wired as disk-2, assigned the next available drive
letter as a 10MB DOS-DATA partition (drive letters are assigned
automatically by DOS when the system is first booted).
If one needs larger volumes than are allowed by the 32MB DOS
limit, or security, then the DISK MANAGER is the way to go. Keep
in mind that the DOS FDISK command will not recognize or work
with DISK MANAGER partitions. However, that is not a problem
because DISK MANAGER has its own FDISK equivalent. The DOS FDISK
is not needed.
DISK MANAGER also provides the option of creating a read only
partition that cannot be changed. It can create partitions as
large as the disk (with the exception of the MS-DOS partition).
The 10MB disk could be physically hooked up as disk-1 (drive C:)
and the 72MB hooked up as disk-2 (drive D: with one 72MB DOS-DATA
partition). Or, the 72MB disk could be physically hooked up as
disk-1, with a DOS partition (up to 32MB) and one or more
partitions (no limit, up to the maximum space remaining on the
disk). The 10MB could be set up as a read-only partition after
data has been stored on it.
SETUP & INSTALLATION OF TWO HARD DISKS
This procedure will be useful for:
1. A single hard disk less than or more than 32MB.
2. A second internal hard disk.
3. A second hard disk externally attached to an AT&T 6300.
Also useful for any other machine with a small CPU case that
requires an external disk.
SETUP:
1. Check owner's manual to make sure the disk to be bought is
supported by your ROM BIOS. For the 6300 use ROM 1.43 and pages
1-14 to 1-18 (or check the DRIVE TABLES included in this issue of
the newsletter -ed).
2. Inspect the controller card to locate dip switches and check
for two 20-pin cable sockets and one 34-pin cable socket (if you
are setting up two disks). If one hard disk is already
installed, the 20 pin cable should be in the #1 socket.
3. Set DIP switches according to manual and disks. Make sure
that the jumper block is on the #1 position on the disk that will
hold DOS system files.
4. Check to see that the cables will be long enough to go to the
back of the new disk(s) and if external, to allow for a safe
location of the disk. The 6300 needs 12" of cable for the 20
pin cable to reach just outside of the CPU. The 34 pin cable
needs 12" from the controller card socket to the internal disk
and then 12" from the controller card socket to reach outside the
CPU. The controller card socket is the center of a "Y"
configuration. The external disk can be in a box with its own
power supply or use a 4 wire power cable in a "Y" shape with the
cable to the internal disk as short as possible and the cable for
the external disk 24", plus the distance to disk (I used the
standard AT&T power supply). These dimensions will get the
cables out of the CPU. Add whatever length you need to the
cables so that they will reach the chosen external hard disk
location. There is a small knockout section on the left front
side of the 6300 to allow the cables to exit. File any sharp
plastic point remaining after removing the knockout section. IBM
AT's, or machines allowing 2 internal hard disks, use standard
length cables usually available from the hard disk vendor if
asked for.
5. The jumper block on the 2nd hard disk (not C: drive) can not
be on the #1 (terminator) position. It is usually on #2
position (check your manual).
Well that's the hookup. Use the DOS FDISK and FORMAT commands
according to the owner's manual, or run a program like DISK
MANAGER. Be aware that the partitions that DISK MANAGER makes
can not be operated on by the DOS FDISK command.
ASK THE "WIZ"
*************
Mark Almeida
BIGGER AND BETTER HARDDISK
For those of you seeking larger and faster hard drives for the
PC 6300, I may just have the answer. I was running out of room
on my 20MB drive, and happened to read a series of articles in
InfoWorld about a Miniscribe drive using an RLL controller that
would provide 64MB of space at a much higher transfer rate. The
articles were all talking about AT machines, of course, but I
decided to give it a try anyway. I shopped around, and finally
was able to locate the drive (a Miniscribe 3650) and an RLL
controller (Adaptec 2072A). I put the drive and controller in my
system (after doing a full backup) and ran tests at various
sector interleave factors. What I finished with is worth looking
at.
My original drive was a Seagate ST-225, in concert with a
Western Digital WD1002-WX2 MFM controller, sector interleaved at
5:1. The rated access time for that drive is 65ms. When I used
standard benchmarks to test the drive, these were the results:
SPINTEST reported: 6 revolutions to transfer one complete track
at a rate of 104.4KB/second.
ATDISK reported: Track-to-track seek time: 21.4ms. Average seek
time: 83.3ms. Transfer rate (effective) 82.5KB/second.
I then installed the Miniscribe 3650 drive with the Adaptec
2072A (8-bit RLL) controller, and ran the same benchmarks with
the following results:
SPINTEST reported: 5 revolutions to transfer one complete track
at a rate of 153.6KB/second (147.1% faster)/
ATDISK reported: Track-to-track seek time: 16.3ms (76.6%
faster). Average seek time: 47.8ms (57.3% faster). Transfer
rate (effective) 105.2KB/second (127.5% faster).
The Miniscribe is rated at 61ms access time as an MFM drive;
this drive is NOT RLL-certified, but it is exactly the same
physical drive as the RLL-certified Miniscribe 3675 -- it just
costs less. To contrast the results with this drive to a
supposedly high-speed MFM drive, I tested my PC 6310 in my office
(it has a Seagate ST-251, which is a 38ms rated access MFM drive)
with the following results:
SPINTEST reported: 2 revolutions to transfer one complete track
at a rate of 261.1KB/second.
ATDISK reported: Track-to-track seek time: 7.6ms. Average seek
time: 37.2ms. Transfer rate (effective) 253.3KB/second.
This means that the Miniscribe drive with an 8-bit RLL
controller in an 8MHz machine provides approximately 60% of the
performance of the high speed 16-bit MFM drive in a 10MHz
machine -- pretty impressive.
Even if we average the transfer rate differences, it still
provides a whopping 137.3% improvement in transfer rate over the
ST225 with the added benefit of 64MB of formatted capacity. To
make the best use of the drive, it is necessary to determine the
optimal sector interleave. To determine the optimum interleave
for the new drive, I used another product recommended by Steve
Gibson, his own SPINRITE.
SPINRITE, from Gibson Research, retails for $59.00. It makes
tuning your hard disk performance a snap. In addition, it can
help to predict and prevent disk errors, lessening the risk of
seeing the dreaded "General failure on drive C" message, or
worse, a "File not found" message on one of your critical data
files. SPINRITE can rewrite the low-level format on your disk,
including changing the interleave, without disturbing the
existing data. This means you don't HAVE TO do a full backup and
restore to change the interleave(although I DO recommend that you
do a full backup before running SPINRITE). The time SPINRITE
takes to do a full low-level reformat ranges from a few minutes
to many hours depending on how deep a level of verification and
error checking you want. SPINRITE customizes itself to your
exact combination of hardware, ie. CPU/disk drive/controller, so
the optimizations it does are absolutely the best for your
personal machine. The license is very liberal, allowing you to
use SPINRITE on all machines which YOU PERSONALLY own. All in
all, a very excellent drive maintenance/optimization utility. I
rate SPINRITE a five-star (*****) winner !!
The Miniscribe 3650 is going for $399 $459 in current adds in
the Computer Currents and MicroTimes magazines. The Adaptec
2072A will run $150 $180 depending on where you buy it. This
means that for a price between $549 $639 retail you can have a
64MB drive that provides a 137% performance increase over the
ST225. Anyone who is interested in knowing more about this can
contact me; my phone number is in the list elsewhere in the
newsletter.
Mark Almeida "The Wiz"
(Questions for this column can be submitted to me through the
Editor of the newsletter, or mailed directly to me: Ask The Wiz,
1516 Casa Loma Way, Suisun, CA 94585. I may not reply to all
questions, but I will pass on to our technical support those
that I don't feel qualified to answer. - The Wiz)
USER GROUP TECH-TIPS #8
***********************
L.J.(Larry)Risner
AT&T Tech Staff
FORMATTING HARD DRIVES
This month I would like to explain the how's and why's of
preparing hard drives for service.
The steps in preparing a hard drive are really very simple. The
confusion is created because things happen that we aren't told
about and the things we see aren't always what they appear to be.
Darn, more confusion. Let's follow the steps that must be taken
and I will explain what's happening. First, turn off the system
power, and remove the power cord, if you haven't done so already.
You will need to determine the "drive type" (see DRIVE TABLES
elsewhere in this issue), then set the motherboard and HDU
controller DIP switches to the correct settings for the drive, or
drives (up to two are supported). These settings are included
after the DRIVE TABLES in this issue, for systems using the
internal HDU BIOS on the system motherboard. On a 6300, when
using external HDU BIOS (on the HDU controller card), consult the
manufacturer of the card, or contact the AT&T Technical Hotline
for information on supported cards.
Finally, reboot the computer, if it was not already turned off,
and you can proceed with low level formatting and partitioning
procedures.
A) LOW LEVEL FORMAT
This process creates the "logical" surface on the drive. It
forms the sectors on the tracks according to the interleave
factor (See note). Each sector has room for 512 data bytes and
there is usually 17 sectors/track. A little math tells us that
each track has a data capacity of 8704 bytes. This operation is
required regardless of what you plan to use the drive for. Note:
LOWFORM (the AT&T low level format utility available through the
user group) uses the standard "drive 0" for the first drive in
the system, and "drive 1" for the second drive (LOWFORM is set up
to work on the 6300, 6300+ and 6310, but should also work with
the 6312 and 6386).
B) BAD TRACK FORMAT
This is the most important and most misunderstood operation.
The important thing here is that you always look at the list of
heads/cylinders attached to the top of the hard drive, enter
these into the "bad track table", AND FORMAT THEM. If you do not
format them, nothing happens (the "bad track table" is
non-existent on the drive). Each track is a separate entity on
the drive and to format one as bad places special "ID's" in the
track and a "FF" hex pattern in all data bytes. This is done so
that DOS, UNIX or some other operating system can map out these
tracks. If you do not perform this step, and the drive has media
defects, you will regret it later when you lose your data.
Remember, a bad track table does not exist - it is a human
interface mechanism only.
C) FDISK
Using this you will specify how the drive will be partitioned
for DOS. This program builds an area at the front of the hard
drive and places this information in it for the operating system
to reference as needed.
D) DOS FORMAT
This builds the file allocation tables, directory area, and boot
sector area of the drive and prepares the data areas for data.
It also knows how to handle the formatted bad tracks. With the
completion of this step the drive is now ready for use.
So there you have it. Four steps which must be followed in the
order shown and, most important, the bad tracks MUST be
formatted as bad to ensure data integrity.
Practice has shown that the above procedures will be adequate
for 99% of drives placed in service and the remaining 1% will be
replaced for other reasons (mechanical, etc.).
Note: Interleave is a method of spacing the sectors on the
tracks. When a sector is read the data is passed to a buffer on
the HDU controller. This data must then be passed to the CPU RAM
and the buffer prepared for the next sector read. Oops, that
took too much time, now we have to wait for the drive to bring
the next sector back around so it can be read (the drive is
spinning at 3600 RPM). To allow time for data handling if we
make every third sector the next in sequence then perhaps when
the controller is ready for the next sector read, the drive will
already be positioned for it. Because this timing is related to
many factors, the optimum interleave factor may vary between CPU
models, even with the same hard drive unit.
HARD DRIVES TYPES AND SETTINGS
******************************
(5-23-88) Larry Risner
Hard drive information for all AT&T processor models:
+------------------------------------------------+
| Hard Drive "TYPE TABLE" for the AT&T6300 |
| 1.21 or earlier BIOS (January 1988) |
|------------------------------------------------|
| TYPE CAP CYL HD DESCRIPTION |
|------------------------------------------------|
| 00 - 5M Standard 5<>" |
| 01 - 24M |
| 02 - 15M |
| 03 - 10M 306 04 Standard 5<>" |
| 04 - 5M Syquest 3Q306 |
| 05 - 30M 697 05 CDC WREN I |
| *06 - 20M 612 04 Seagate ST225 |
| *07 - 20M 612 04 OPE XM 5220 |
| *08 - 21M 640 04 CMI 6426 |
| |
| * Not supported by BIOS 1.1 and earlier |
| (use 1.21 and later version for 20MB drives) |
+------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+
| Hard Drive "TYPE TABLE" for the AT&T6300 |
| 1.43 BIOS (January 1988) |
|------------------------------------------------|
| TYPE CAP CYL HD DESCRIPTION |
|------------------------------------------------|
| 00 - 30M 697 05 CDC WREN I |
| 01 - 20M 612 04 Seagate ST225 |
| 02 - 20M 612 04 Tandon TM 262 |
| 03 - 10M 306 04 Standard 5<>" |
| 04 - 20M 612 04 Miniscribe 3425 |
| 05 - 30M 697 05 CDC WREN I |
| 06 - 20M 612 04 Seagate ST225 |
| 07 - 20M 612 04 OPE XM 5220 |
| 08 - 21M 640 04 CMI 6426 |
| 09 - 42M 1024 05 Miniscribe 6053 |
| 10 - 40M 981 05 Tandon TM 755 |
| 11 - 40M 981 05 CDC WREN II |
| 12 - 53M 925 07 CDC WREN 2 |
| 13 - 68M 1024 08 Micropolis 1325 |
| 14 - 40M 868 06 Seagate ST 251 |
+------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+
| Hard Drive "TYPE TABLE" for the AT&T6300 PLUS |
| (January 1988) |
|------------------------------------------------|
| TYPE CAP CYL HD DESCRIPTION |
|------------------------------------------------|
| 00 - 10M 306 04 Standard 85ms |
| 01 - 30M 697 05 CDC WREN I |
| 02 - 20M 640 04 CMI 6426 |
| *03 - 40M 981 05 Tandon TM755 |
| 04 - 40M 977 05 Seagate ST405 |
| 05 - 72M 1024 08 Miniscribe 6086 |
| 06 - 72M 1024 08 Micropolis 1325 |
| *07 - 20M 612 04 Seagate ST225 |
| |
|* These drives supported for use w/SIMULTASK(tm)|
+------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+
| Hard Drive "TYPE TABLE" for the AT&T6300 WGS |
| (April 1988) |
|------------------------------------------------|
| TYPE CAP CYL HD DESCRIPTION |
|------------------------------------------------|
| 00 - 30M 697 05 CDC WREN I FH |
| 01 - 20M 612 04 Seagate ST225 |
| 02 - 20M 612 04 Tandon TM 262 |
| 03 - 10M 306 04 Standard 5<>" |
| 04 - 42M 615 08 NEC D5146H |
| 05 - 42M 820 06 OPE XM5340 |
| 06 - 40M 820 06 Seagate ST251 |
| 07 - 70M 823 10 NEC D5452 |
| 08 - 40M 981 05 CDC WREN II |
| 09 - 42M 981 05 Tandon TM 755 |
| 10 - 71M 1024 08 Micropolis 1325 |
| 11 - 80M 1024 09 Seagate ST4096 |
| 12 - 40M 872 06 Rodime RO3055 |
| 13 - 20M 612 04 OPE XM3220 |
| 14 - Reserved |
| 15 - 10M 306 04 Drv #1 STD - No #2 |
+------------------------------------------------+
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Hard Drive "TYPE TABLE" for the AT&T6310 & 6312 (January 1988) |
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
|TYPE CAP CYL HD DESCRIPTION S | TYPE CAP CYL HD DESCRIPTION S |
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| 01 10M 306 04 STD 85ms 5<> | 21 60M 820 06 Seagate ST227R |
| 02 21M 615 04 Seagate ST225 | 22 60M 820 06 PE XM5340/60 |
| 03 40M 925 05 CDC WREN II FH | 23 60M 615 08 NEC D5147H |
| 04 30M 697 05 CDC WREN I FH | 24 150M 821 10 NEC D5652 ESDI|
| 05 80M 1024 09 Seagate ST4096 | 25 150M 1022 08 Micropolis 1355 ESDI|
| 06 42M 820 06 OPE XM5340 | 26 70M 1022 04 Micropolis 1353 ESDI|
| 07 42M 615 08 NEC D4156H | 27 70M 823 10 NEC D5452 |
| 08 42M 981 05 Tandon TM755 HH | 28 42M 615 08 |
| 09 42M 981 05 CDC WREN II HH | 29 42M 615 08 |
| 10 53M 1024 06 Micropolis 1325 FH | 30 42M 981 05 |
| 11 55M 925 07 CDC WREN 2 FH | 31 Reserved |
| 12 71M 1024 08 Micropolis 1325 FH | 32 " |
| 13 71M 925 09 CDC WREN 2 FH | 33 " |
| 14 44M 1024 05 Micropolis 1323A FH | 34 " |
| 15 Reserved | 35 " |
| 16 20M 612 04 OPE XM5220 3<> | 36 " |
| 17 20M 612 04 Tandon TM362 3<> | |
| 18 40M 820 06 Seagate ST251 HH | TYPE: Drive type S: Physical style |
| 19 40M 872 06 Rodime RO3055 3<> | CAP: Capacity in megabytes |
| 20 20M 612 04 Miniscribe M8425 3<> | CYL: # of Cylinders HD: # of heads |
+-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Hard Drive "TYPE TABLE" for the AT&T6386/E WGS systems - (January 1988) |
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
|TYPE CAP CYL HD DESCRIPTION S |TYPE CAP CYL HD DESCRIPTION S |
|-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------|
| 01 10M 306 04 STD 85ms 5<> | 21 60M 820 06 Seagate ST227R |
| 02 21M 615 04 Seagate ST225 3<> | 22 60M 820 06 PE XM5340/60 |
| 03 40M 925 05 CDC WREN II FH | 23 60M 615 08 NEC D5147H |
| 04 30M 697 05 CDC WREN I FH | 24 150M 821 10 NEC D5652 ESDI|
| 05 80M 1024 09 Seagate ST4096 | 25 150M 1021 08 Micropolis 1355 ESDI|
| 06 42M 820 06 OPE XM5340 | 26 70M 1021 04 Micropolis 1353 ESDI|
| 07 42M 615 08 NEC D4156H | 27 70M 823 10 NEC D5452 |
| 08 42M 981 05 Tandon TM755 HH | 28 40M 820 08 Fujitsu M2227D |
| 09 42M 981 05 CDC WREN II HH | 29 60M 820 08 Fujitsu M2227D RLL |
| 10 53M 1024 06 Micropolis 1325 FH | 30 62M 981 05 CDC RLL |
| 11 55M 925 07 CDC WREN 2 FH | 31 Reserved |
| 12 71M 1024 08 Micropolis 1325 FH | 32 " |
| 13 71M 925 09 CDC WREN 2 FH | 33 " |
| 14 44M 1024 05 Micropolis 1323A FH | 34 " |
| 15 Reserved | 35 " |
| 16 20M 612 04 OPE XM5220 3<> | 36 " |
| 17 20M 612 04 Tandon TM362 3<> | |
| 18 40M 820 06 Seagate ST251 HH | TYPE: Drive type S: Physical style |
| 19 40M 872 06 Rodime RO3055 3<> | CAP: Capacity in megabytes. |
| 20 20M 612 04 Miniscribe M8425 3<> | CYL: # of Cylinders HD: # of heads |
+-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
DIP SWITCH SETTINGS
*******************
PC6300,PC6300 WGS (internal HDU BIOS) PC6300+ (internal HDU ROM BIOS)
PC6300+ (using external HDU ROM BIOS)
------------------------------------- -------------------------------------
Western Digital DTC Western Digital Motherboard D-SW1
+---------------+ +---------------+ +---------------+ +---------------+
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
+---------------+ +---------------+ +---------------+ +---------------+
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1 2 1 2 4 3 4 3 1 2 1 2 3 4 3 4 1 2 1 2 - - - - - - 3 3 - - - -
X-X---------X-X X-X-----X-X X-X X---------+
| X-X-X-X---+ | X-X-----X-X | X-X-------+ +-----X |
| | | | | | | |
Drive1 Drive0 Drive1 Drive0 Drive0 Drive1 Drive0 Drive1
Notes:
Drive "0" is the first drive and drive "1" is the second drive.
On the above switches, the switch settings create a binary number
that selects the hard drive "type" for drive-0 and drive-1 as
determined by the hard drive tables for your machine and ROM BIOS
version. Shorting the positions or setting the switch to "ON"
corresponds to a binary zero. In other words, positions 1
through 4 shorted ("ON") equals type 0 (binary 0000). All open
("OFF") is type 15 (binary 1111).
The order of the binary positions is not sequential - the
positions assigned to drive-0 and the positions assigned to
drive-1 are interspaced. (The first line of numbers shows the
physical switch positions, the second line shows the effective
positions for drive-0 and drive-1). In all cases, determine the
correct binary value by reading the value in the order 4-3-2-1,
with position 1 being the "least significant" value). Switch
position settings can also be obtained from the AT&T TECHNICAL
HOTLINE (800) 922-0354.
The "AT" class (286/386) CPU drive types are set with the
customer diagnostics program (not by DIP switches). If a hard
drive is not listed in the DRIVE TABLES, or is not shown in the
diagnostics program, you MIGHT be able to find a close match in
the tables, and you MIGHT be able to get everything to work
properly. For predictable results, use a supported drive.
The above tables are determined by the drive parameters resident
in the HDU area of the AT&T internal ROM BIOS. To use the
internal HDU BIOS, set DIP switch 1, position 3 on the 6300
motherboard to "ON" (set it to "OFF" to use the HDU controller
card BIOS). Even when using the internal HDU BIOS, the system
board looks to the switch settings on the HDU controller to
determine the drive type. If external HDU BIOS is used, the
tables are not effective and should not be referred to (contact
the manufacturer of the card, or the AT&T Technical Hotline).
Using the tables:
- Determine the model of the drive.
- Set the "type" options for the HDU used.
- Reboot the CPU.
- Continue to low level formatting and partitioning.
L.J.(Larry)Risner
(415) 460-5254
SOFTWARE REVIEW: SPINRITE HARD DISC UTILITY
*******************************************
Bill Todd
I've just received my copy of Spinrite in the mail, and
anxiously applied it my hard discs. To simply say this is a hard
disc utility is a severe understatement. The results are simply
great! The program's author, Steve Gibson of Gibson Research in
Irvine, CA, is a columnist on INFOWORLD magazine. While I may
not always agree with his comments, I'll say that this program is
a MUST HAVE if you have a hard disc installed in your AT&T!
Steve wrote about 500k lines of assembler code in this multi-
faceted program. You're now able to optimize your interleave
factor, low-level format without losing your data, park your
heads and assorted other features. Steve makes good sense and
good recommendations in his easy to read and follow manual.
I install fast hard discs, and tune hard discs up as part of my
services; up to this point it was a long, arduous and expensive
proposition if you're to do it right.... Spinrite helps cut
through the mysteries of the rotating discs, and if you're
interested, you'll learn a whale of a lot about your hard disc.
(You'll also save a lot of time in the process). The nice part
about it is that the "techie" part is optional. The material is
written in Steve's inimitable style, and is very easy for the
layperson to comprehend.
The whole process, if you really want a performance hard disc,
and want a maximum surface verification on the disk, takes up to
eight hours or so on a Seagate ST251, 40 Megger. (Yours may take
more or less depending on size.) Mothering the thing through
isn't necessary; it monitors itself, and appears near bullet-
proof. You don't even have to do the low-level formatting in one
session: you're allowed to exit and restart where you left off.
Neat feature!!
I had no problems installing and using Spinrite. As I write this
I'm "Spinrite-ing" the Seagate ST238 in my bulletin board system;
it's in another room, low level formatting it's silicon heart
out. My interleave was optimized the hard way, but I ran the low
level format anyway to find and correct errors revealed by the
program. The graphic presentation on this program is
exceptional! If you don't know where you are within the program,
it sure isn't the programmer's fault.
Another great feature is that I'm able to optimize a hard disc
for someone else without having software hassles with agreements,
etc. Steve's real world views are very much appreciated by this
writer. If I tune or install your hard disc using Spinrite, I'll
recommend that you buy Spinrite. Steve recommends that Spinrite
be applied in the "extremely thorough" mode the first time
through, and that it be reapplied at three month intervals. The
second time through takes lots less time than the "extremely
thorough" mode.
I generally do not handle software, but in this case, I make an
exception in order to offer you an extremely fine program. As
usual, I offer discount pricing to AT&T users group members on
all my products and services. The program sells for $59 if you
go to Gibson Research; I'll have it priced at $53. If you're
looking for a super hard disc utility, look no further. There's
others out there, but none compare!
I can't speak highly enough about this product. Once in a very
great while, a program comes along that does what it says it'll
do. This program is heads and shoulders above anything else I've
seen. You'll come away with a newly found sense of hard disc
knowledge if you use it as prescribed by "Dr. Gibson." I use it
in my shop, and have no reservations about recommending it to
you.
RATING: 0=poor 1=fair 2=avg 3=above avg 4=excellent 5=outstanding
Installation ease: 5
Documentation: 5
Thoroughness: 4
Ease of use: 4
Flexibility: 5
Graphics: 5+
Bottom line: Get it! You'll wonder why somebody hasn't written
it before this. Good show, Steve!
ADS
***
HARD DISK MADE EASY
THE KEY TO USING A HARD DISK
For MS-DOS * a REAL how-to book
$15.25 per book, post-paid
(40 % discount for 10 or more)
The EASYKEY Company
P.O. BOX 1758, Murphys, Ca 95247
(209) 728-3169
FOR SALE
LOGITECH Modula-2, Version 3.03
Developer's Kit, Incl. Sources
REPERTOIRE (PMI) Latest Version
3 Excellent Modula-2 Textbooks
ALL FOR $275.00
Tom Herzfeld (415) 584-0102
LEX COMPUTER SYSTEMS
Ralph Simpson, Sales Rep
(415) 654-9013 Emeryville
(408) 432-7124 San Jose
20% OFF MOST AT&T PRODUCTS
FOR AT&T USERS GROUP MEMBERS
OTHER LINES INCLUDE HP, TI,
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FOR SALE
AT&T 313 Monochrome Monitor
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AT&T PC6300 STARLAN Network
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AT&T 6300+ UNIX/all 8 modules
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(All New, with Manuals)
Kathryn Nickerson 408-446-5210
AT&T 6300 ACCELERATOR CARDS
SOTA 10.0 or 12.5 MHZ 80286
1 MEG DRAM , EXPANDS TO 16 MEG!
SOCKET FOR 80287
RUN OS/2, HI-RES GRAPHICS, LANS
For information: Call Bill Todd
TODD PC3 (408) 263-8925
AT&T PC6300 SPEEDUP
UPGRADE PC6300 TO "AT" SPEED
25% INCREASED THROUGHPUT AND
PRODUCTIVITY BY HARDWARE AND
SOFTWARE MODIFICATIONS
FROM $225, OTHER SPEEDS SOON
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EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING POLICY
******************************
This newsletter serves as a forum for members of the Bay Area
AT&T PC Users Group, an independent volunteer organization.
Opinions expressed are those of the authors or editorial staff,
and unless otherwise clearly stated, should not be interpreted as
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We will print articles, reviews and letters as they are submitted
and as space and time permits. Modem or diskette preferred.
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information on meetings in all locations in this newsletter.
Copy deadline for the next issue of the Newsletter is June 22.
Many thanks to those who have contributed to the newsletter.
Please keep the information coming.
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NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Edward Ely
W:(415) 836-0910 H:(415) 641-1556
379 Day St. S.F. Ca 94131
ASSOCIATE EDITORS
Allen Houck (415) 828-8132
Bob Larsen (408) 224-4422
BAY AREA AT&T PC USERS GROUP
P.O. Box 410321 S.F. Ca 94141-0321
**********************************
OFFICERS, NORTH BAY SECTION
PRESIDENT Joe Mahoney
Data: (415) 584-6510
W:(415) 540-2219 H:(415) 586-8376
371 Joost Ave, S.F. Ca 94131
VICE-PRESIDENT Maurice Aranda
(415) 972-0669
SECRETARY (position vacant)
TREASURER Frank Davidoff
(415) 237-3865
MEMBER-AT-LARGE Mark Almeida
"The Wiz" Data:(707) 429-1035
W:(415) 823-9553 H:(707) 429-9122
LIBRARIAN Kevin Newman
(415) 933-7391 504 Waterbery Dr.
Pleasant Hill Ca 94523
DATABASE KEEPER Bill Goebner
(415) 823-6931
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PRESIDENT Joe Lipsig
(408) 522-4114
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(408) 263-8925
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Hal Shields (415) 442-3756
AT&T TECHNICAL CONSULTANT
Larry Risner (415) 460-5254
AT&T TECHNICAL CONSULTANT
Syd Reid (408) 522-4802
AT&T TECHNICAL HOTLINE
(800) 922-0354
AT&T PARTS ORDERING
(800) 922-PART
AT&T CUSTOMER INFORMATION CENTER
(800) 432-6600.
AT&T SERVICE CENTER 2200 Williams
Street (at Doolittle), San Leandro
(415) 678-1300 / 8AM - 4:30PM, M-F
This following list of AT&T support boards and boards with an
AT&T sub-board or conference was originally compiled by Ken Camp,
who can be contacted via one of the boards shown in 415 area or
via FIDO NetMail at 161/42 (The Records Department 415-426-0470).
Dick Steele and Ed Ely have provided additional information.
Please help us verify these numbers.
AT&T Nat'l Sup.Ctr. 201-769-5616
201-769-6397
Flea Market 201-446-1665
AT&T Development 201-658-5345
ITM Database 201-943-5419
The Right Choice 201-974-8317
AT&T Info. Exchange 201-980-2012
ASCII Neighborhood 203-934-9852
Deathstar 301-839-0705
Black Hole 305-260-6397
Florida Death Star 305-660-6300
INDY Net One 317-846-8675
CBM Computer Center 402-391-3102
The Soquel BBS 408-462-6329
Easy Access 415-829-6027
The Unknown 516-486-4705
Ed Hopper's Board 713-782-5454
Software Safari 717-226-1943
So. Cal. AT&T BBS 818-954-0530
Omega Systems BBS 501-565-8220
Hackney's Hideout 916-961-1042
Katy Korner RBBS-PC 713-578-6443
Phoenix BBS 305-791-9574
Tri-Borough BBS 201-838-8504
The Boardroom TBBS 213-498-6425

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