    AST RESEARCH, INC.       TECHNICAL BULLETIN # 1531           7-19-96

    TITLE: Advantage! Explorer, Floppy Drive

    SUMMARY

       When making backups or installing large programs, the floppy drive
       on the Advantage! Explorer system may stop working and the user may
       be unable to access any diskettes until after a reboot.

       This issue applies to the following systems: 501939.

    ISSUE

       When making backups or installing large programs, the floppy drive
       may stop working and the user may be unable to access any diskettes
       until after a reboot.   The BIOS the Advantage! Explorer system is
       using is version 1.03.00.

       This issue applies to the Advantage! Explorer system, AST part
       number 501939.

    BACKGROUND

       Advantage! Explorer system BIOS versions prior to 1.03.10Q may cause
       this problem.

    ACTION

       Update the Advantage! Explorer system BIOS to version 1.03.10Q,
       AST part number 905592-031 or higher.  File 05592031.EXE is
       available from one 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.

       To decompress this file, create a temporary directory on your
       hard drive, copy the downloaded file to that directory, and run
       the file.

       For additional information on the Advantage! Explorer system BIOS,
       see Software Bulletin # 0320 on any of AST's On-Line! Services.

    NOTES

       N/A

    TAN 004532DF

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