AST RESEARCH, INC.        TECHNICAL BULLETIN # 1661          02/11/97 
 
 
 
TITLE:  GPF Errors with HDR on Advantage! 9308
 
 
ISSUE 
 
   After upgrading the memory from 16MB (two 8MB SIMMs) to 32MB 
   (four 8MB SIMMs) on an Advantage! 9308 system, the system 
   intermittently exhibits General Protection Fault (GPF) errors or 
   system hangs during a Hard Disk Restore (HDR). The failures occur 
   during the HDR process, after extracting all the files from the 
   restore CD and restarting the system. 
   
   All the upgraded SIMM memory was obtained from approved vendors 
   and provided by AST. 
   
   This issue applies to the Advantage! 9308 system part number 
   503153-037 but may not be limited to this SKU.    

 
BACKGROUND 
 
   During the Hard Disk Restore process, after all the files are 
   extracted from the restore CD to the hard drive, the user is 
   prompted to restart the system. 
   
   After system restart, the batch file ORIGINAL.BAT (on the hard 
   drive) is renamed AUTOEXEC.BAT. 
   
   SMARTDRIVE is enabled in ORIGINAL.BAT.    

 
ACTION 
 
   To resolve the issue, perform the following steps when prompted 
   to restart the computer during the Hard Disk Restore process:
   
   1. At the DOS prompt enter the following command:
   
         C:
   
   2. From the C:\ prompt enter the following command:
    
         CD\WINDOWS\COMMAND
   
   3. Enter the following command:
   
         EDIT C:\ORIGINAL.BAT
   
   4. While in the editor, locate the statement within the 
      file that refers to SMARTDRIVE.EXE.  At the beginning 
      of this statement, insert the letters REM. 
      For example:
   
        REM SMARTDRIVE.EXE
   
   5. Press the [ALT] key, then the [F] key, to access the 
      file menu.
   
   6. Choose EXIT from the menu by pressing the [X] key. 
   
   7. When prompted, press [Y] to save the file.
   
   8. Remove the disk from the A: drive and the CD from the 
      CD-ROM drive, and restart the system.
   
   9. Follow the computer-generated prompts to complete the 
      installation of Windows 95.    

 
NOTES 
 
   N/A    

 
TAN 003747AN 
 
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