    AST RESEARCH, INC.        TECHNICAL BULLETIN # 1180          12/04/96

    TITLE:  Premmia GX Low HDD Benchmark Perform

    ISSUE

       The Premmia GX EIDE system indicates low hard disk drive
       benchmark performance, as compared to other third-party EIDE
       systems. This issue affects the following systems: 501457,
       501700, and 501522.

    BACKGROUND

       The system ships as a PIO (programmed input/output) mode "0"
       standard IDE by default, rather than PIO "mode 3" enhanced IDE.

    ACTION

       To improve hard disk drive performance, follow the steps below:

       1. Obtain file SETIDE.EXE from any of AST's On-Line!
          services as follows:

          AST WWW Site:  http://www.ast.com
          AST On-Line! BBS*:  See IB0001.TXT
          CompuServe:  GO: ASTFORUM
          Prodigy:   JUMP: ASTSUPPORT

          * Refer to IB0001.TXT for a list of AST's
            international BBS numbers.

       2. Run SETIDE.EXE from DOS and follow the on-screen
          instructions.

       3. Enable the 32-bit disk I/O and set multi- sectoring to
          auto. The system will perform to designed
          specifications.

    NOTES

       N/A

    TAN N/A

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