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    AST RESEARCH, INC.          TECHNICAL BULLETIN # 1267               7-26-95

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    CONFIGURING 900N/910N TO RUN OS/2, PCMCIA TOKEN-RING AND THE NOVELL
    NETWARE REQUESTER

    PROBLEM

    When configuring an Ascentia 900N/910N notebook to run OS/2 (2.11 or Warp),
    PCMCIA Token-Ring, and the Novell Netware Requester, the system does not
    recognize the Token-Ring adapter and shows there are no resources available
    to that adapter, when viewing card status in the PCMCIA configuration.

    CAUSE

    There are differences between the way OS/2 v2.11 and Warp map resources with
    regards to PCMCIA support.   Warp utilizes a resource manager that queries
    the system memory and finds ROM BIOS from C0000-CBFFF.
    Even though the system is queried, Warp still attempts to map available
    space in an illegal area.

    OS/2 2.11 does not have a resource manager and is unable to detect the ROM
    BIOS.  OS/2 2.11 has an RMU (resource map utility) that excludes certain known
    resources from being used by card services.  The AST2RMU1.SYS file used by
    OS/2 2.11 was initially designed by IBM for the PowerExec and does not
    correctly identify and exclude the C0000-CBFFF range.  The Token-Ring driver
    by default uses CC000 and D8000 for memory mapped IO and shared RAM.  To make
    the adapter work, you must make additions to the NET.CFG file.

    SYSTEMS AFFECTED
    AST PART NUMBER AND DESCRIPTION

    501299-XXX      ASCENTIA 900N 4/50 STN - 10"
    501300-XXX      ASCENTIA 900N 4/50 TFT - 9"
    501302-XXX      ASCENTIA 900N 4/75 STN - 10"
    501304-XXX      ASCENTIA 900N 4/75 TFT - 10"
    501592-XXX      ASCENTIA 910N 4/50 STN - 10"
    501590-XXX      ASCENTIA 910N 4/75 STN - 10"
    501589-XXX      ASCENTIA 910N 4/75 TFT - 10"

    SOLUTION

    Below are the steps required to install OS/2 2.11 or Warp, PCMCIA Token-Ring
    and the Novell Netware Requester in your notebook computer.

    1. Install OS/2 by following standard procedures as specified in the
    documentation provided by IBM.

    2. Install and configure the proper SSVLSI driver that is specifically
    designed for AST portable systems, which utilize the VLSI PCMCIA chipset.
    The file name for OS/2 v2.11 is OS2P21.ZIP; and for Warp it is OS2P30.ZIP.
    Follow the directions contained in the README file included with each zip file.
    These files can be located on the IBM BBS at (919) 517-0001.
    Follow this path:

    List Files
    List
    [17] Device Drivers
    List
    (Find files OS2P21.ZIP and OS2P30.ZIP)

    3. Install the OS/2 Novell Netware Requester v2.11 and use the TOKENCS.SYS
    driver.  This driver is not on the list of choices available so you must type
    it in manually.  (When entering the driver name, type exactly as listed above).
    Install the Token-Ring driver disk v3.01 which is created from the
    TRCCA301.ZIP file.  Follow the directions contained in the README file
    included with the zip file.  This file can be found on IBM's OEM BBS
    (919) 543-6004.  Follow this path:

    Download
    Type file name

    4. Make the following additions/changes to the CONFIG.SYS (OS/2 2.11)
    and NET.CFG (OS/2 2.11 and Warp) files.

    Additions:

    WARP:  Make the following additions to the NET.CFG file.

       PCMCIA
       MEM #1 D4000
       MEM #2 D8000

    OS/2 2.11:  Make additions to both the CONFIG.SYS and the NET.CFG files.

    CONFIG.SYS ( in PCMCIA section)

    Change:
    	BASEDEV=AST2RMU1.SYS
    To:
        BASEDEV=AST2RMU1.SYS /MX=C0000-CBFF

    NET.CFG

       PCMCIA
       MEM #1 D4000
       MEM #2 D8000