    AST RESEARCH, INC.         TECHNICAL BULLETIN #0838               06-28-93

                 POWER EXEC FN/F2 AND F3 KEYS NOT WORKING UNDER UNIX

    PROBLEM:       After the UNIX operating systems boots up the Fn/F2 and F3
                   keys will not function.

    CAUSE:         While the UNIX system is booting it looks past the BIOS and
                   directly at the hardware. As it is doing this UNIX looks at
                   the serial port and sees the port disabled.  As a result the
                   Fn F2 and F3 functions are disabled.

    SYSTEMS
    AFFECTED:      Power Exec 4/25SL.

    SOLUTION:      Enter the setup for the machine by pressing the Fn F2 key
                   before booting UNIX and enable the serial port. After this is
                   done the UNIX will boot and the function keys will operate
                   normally.