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    AST RESEARCH, INC.        TECHNICAL BULLETIN # 1069                 10-6-95

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    	   ADVANTAGE! EXPLORER AND BRAVO NOTEBOOK CONNER PARALLEL PORT
    					    BACKUP TAPE DRIVE

    PROBLEM
    Conner's model 250MQ parallel port backup tape drive does not function
    correctly on the Advantage! Explorer or the Bravo Notebook parallel port.
    When attempting to backup, an error message suggests that the tape should be
    formatted.  When trying to format the tape, the tape gets erased and begins
    formatting.  Every time segment 151 of 4200 is reached, the segment counter
    returns to 0 and begins to count up to 151 again.  After several loops, the
    format operation gives the following error message:

    	"Format Operation Failed Reference OC-09-17-01-0000".

    CAUSE
    The Advantage! Explorer and the Bravo notebook are incompatible with the
    current Conner parallel port device.

    SYSTEMS AFFECTED
    PART NUMBER AND DESCRIPTION

    501247-XXX     Bravo NB 486SX/25
    501248-XXX     Bravo NB 486SX/25 Color
    501249-XXX     Bravo NB 486SX/25 ColorPlus
    501262-XXX     Advantage! Explorer 486SX/25 Mono
    501263-XXX     Advantage! Explorer 486SX/25 Color
    501264-XXX     Advantage! Explorer 486SX/25 ColorPlus

    SOLUTION
    The Conner backup tape drive is not compatible with the C & T chipset that
    shipped with the Advantage! Explorer and the Bravo notebook.