    AST RESEARCH, INC.        TECHNICAL BULLETIN # 1641          12/10/96

    TITLE:  Netware 4.1 Machine Check Exception

    ISSUE

       After installing Netware 4.1 patches (410PT6.EXE) on any
       Pentium-based system that does not contain cache parity checking
       (such as the Manhattan G system), Netware 4.1 will load with the
       following message:

         "Machine Check Exception not supported.
          Netware will not load CPU & local cache parity
          checking."

          OS Loading.....

       Netware will continue to load without any additional messages.

       This issue affects all the types of systems mentioned above,
       regardless of manufacturer.

    BACKGROUND

       Previous Netware 4.1 installations required the patch,
       CR4CRLFX.EXE, to complete the installation.  This patch allowed
       the installation to proceed. See 1045TB.TXT, for instructions.

       This patch and the current LOADER.EXE supplied with the
       410PT6.EXE are not compatible.

       Novell has determined that the elimination of the message by
       CR4CRLFX.EXE would not provide an accurate account of available
       features for Netware's SFTIII Operating System.

    ACTION

       There is no action required because Novell Netware 4.1 is
       checking for a feature rather than a problem.

    NOTES

       The Machine Check Exception indicated by Netware 4.1 is a
       notification that parity checking will not be supported on the
       particular system reporting the message. Netware 4.1 is checking
       for a link between CPU and cache using a parity bit.  There is a
       parity bit available on the Pentium CPU chip, but there isn't a
       corresponding parity bit available on cache.  Since there is no
       link, Netware can not support parity checking on this system.

    TAN 004800AH

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