=====================================================================
	                                                 Last Revised
AST RESEARCH, INC.         SOFTWARE BULLETIN # 0380          07/22/97

=====================================================================

TITLE:  Manhattan S/CommercePro BIOS, v1.40
FILENAME(S) / PART NUMBER(S) / DESCRIPTION(S):
   05601033.EXE / 905601-033
   Manhattan S/CommercePro BIOS, v1.40 

SUMMARY

   File 05601033.EXE contains version 1.40 of the Manhattan 
   S6200/Commerce Pro (white case ONLY) system BIOS. This software 
   applies to the following systems ONLY: 503281 and 503282.
   
   IMPORTANT NOTE: After installing this new BIOS, an error message 
   will appear on the screen stating a mismatch in system ID. To 
   clear this error message, run the AMI System Configuration 
   Utility v4.12, part number 912801-034 or later.

   
RESOLUTIONS

   Version 1.40 includes the following resolution:
   
   Previous BIOS versions did not allow EISA devices with embedded 
   BIOS (such as SCSI controllers) to take control of the system in 
   order to initialize the EISA device. As a result, the device was 
   not able to function because the embedded BIOS could not load. 
   This problem has been fixed in this release.   


ENHANCEMENTS

   N/A   


PREVIOUS RELEASE(S)

   Previous releases included the following resolutions and 
   enhancements:


=============================================================
      
   Release: 1.30
   Date:    4/29/97
   
   Resolved a problem that ensued after mixing modules of different 
   sizes. The mixing resulted in a degradation of system 
   performance.
   
      
   Resolved the system hang condition that occurred if the keyboard 
   keys were pressed during boot.
      
   Increased the length of time that the Automatic Server Reboot 
   (ASR) mechanism uses to determine that the system is hung and 
   that it needs to be reset. The counter was set to four seconds 
   before, and now it is set to eight seconds. This was done to 
   prevent false hung conditions that were sometimes caused by SCSI 
   controller drivers that took longer than four seconds to 
   initialize.   
   
   Added a BIOS flash file part number field in the BIOS that will 
   allow manufacturing to determine what BIOS flash file corresponds 
   to that system.


NOTES

   There are two versions of the Manhattan S/6200 and Commerce Pro. 
   This BIOS must be used only in the Manhattan S/6200 and Commerce 
   Pro systems that received the following hardware modifications to 
   the system board and processor board:
   
           Intel Orion C0 chipset ( processor board )
           Cirrus Logic 5429 VGA controller ( system board )
           DEC 21052 AB PCI-PCI bridge ( system board )
   
   This system can be identified as having a white case.
   
   If this BIOS is installed in a Manhattan S or Commerce Pro (Black 
   Chassis) server that does not have all of the hardware components 
   listed above, then the system will become unusable. The system 
   would then have to be reflashed with the appropriate BIOS.
   
   BIOS version 1.40 is NOT backward compatible with BIOS 3.90 (AST 
   part number 905573-035 or later) used by the 501832 and 503076 
   systems. Do NOT flash those systems with this new BIOS.

   For information on installing this update, please view the 
   README.TXT file that accompanies the update.

   You can download this file from the following services:

   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. 

TAN 001915ML

---------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this data sheet is subject to change without 
notice. AST Research, Inc. shall not be liable for technical or 
editorial errors or omissions contained herein; nor for incidental or 
consequential damages resulting from the furnishing, performance, 
or use of this material. This material contains information protected
by copyright. No part of this material may be reproduced in any form
without prior written consent from AST Research, Inc. 
All rights reserved.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Template Rev 02