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AST RESEARCH, INC.          TECHNICAL BULLETIN # 1006                 10-28-94

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     ASCENTIA 900N FAILS TO CONNECT TO THE LAN WITH THE POWERSTATION WHILE
                      LOADING MADGE 16/4 TOKEN RING DRIVERS

PROBLEM:        While docked on a PowerStation (both PowerStation I and
                PowerStation II), the Ascentia 900N system fails to connect to
                the LAN while loading the MADGE 16/4, or the MADGE SMART 16/4
                Token Ring drivers.

CAUSE:          The Madge 16/4 (MADGEODI.COM version 3.42 and below) and the
                Madge SMART 16/4 Smart (SMART.EXE version 3.47 and below)
                Token Ring drivers are incompatible with the Ascentia 900N's
                VLSI I/O controller.

SYSTEMS
AFFECTED:       All Ascentia 900N systems using a PowerStation and a Madge
                16/4, or a Madge Smart 16/4, Token Ring Adapter.

                    AST                                               REVISION
                PART NUMBER            DESCRIPTION                      LEVEL

                501299-2XX      ASCENTIA 900N 4/50 CS10                  All
                501300-3XX      ASCENTIA 900N 4/50 CT9                   All
                501302-2XX      ASCENTIA 900N 4/75 CS10                  All
                501304-3XX      ASCENTIA 900N 4/75 CT10                  All
                500982-001      POWERSTATION I                           All
                500982-002      POWERSTATION I                           All
                501600-001      POWERSTATION II                          All

SOLUTION:       Contact Madge's Technical Support at (800) 876-2343 to obtain
                the latest Madge Token Ring drivers that support the AST
                Ascentia 900N system.

                The drivers are also on the Madge BBS.  Download file
                ASTDOCK.ZIP, which contains both the MADGEODI.COM and the
                SMART.EXE driver, by dialing (408) 955-0262.  The password to
                download this file is KCO.

CAUTION:        In no case will AST Computer be liable for damage to the
                system or loss of data caused by the improper implementation
                of this technical bulletin.