= AST RESEARCH, INC. TECHNICAL BULLETIN # 1148 5-3-95 = BRAVO MS/PREMMIA MX/ADVANTAGE! 8060P/8090P LOSS OF WINDOWS GROUPS (QUANTUM LIGHTNING IDE FIRMWARE UPDATE FIX) PROBLEM Some systems in the following configuration: Sound Blaster 16 Audio card Quantum Lightning 540 and 730 MB hard disk may have the following problems while in Windows: Out of memory errors Loss of Windows groups General Protection Fault errors CAUSE There is a timing issue between the BIOS reading the hard disk alternate status register (3F6), IRQ14 and BUSY from the drive. SOLUTION Quantum has issued a firmware update to their hard drives (Lightning 730 MB and 540 MB) extending the time between the end of sector transfer and assertion of IRQ14 from 10 usec to 15 usec. This firmware update is being provided by AST, via a diskette (AST P/N 911884-031) or from AST's BBS. NOTES Bravo MS and Premmia MX systems shipped prior to April 1995 with Qauntum Lightning 540 MB hard disks. The README file in the diskette mentions the fix for the Quantum Lightning 730 MB HD. However, it also works on the Quantum Lightning 540 MB hard drives. Quantum Lightning 540 MB hard disk drives marked as LT54A361-05-A, have the correct firmware. These drives DO NOT have the problem! and should not be updated! This firmware change has been implemented on all Quantum Lightning hard drives, that are now being shipped by AST. To order the diskette (AST P/N 911884-031), call AST Technical Support at 1-800-727-1278 or, download file 11884031.EXE from AST's BBS (817) 230-6850, from the "Systems" file area. AST's BBS supports modem speeds up to 28.8k bps. The above file will also be posted on: CompuServe Go ASTSUPPORT AST Worldwide Web Site http://www.ast.com