🚀 go-pugleaf

Thanks to all those people that answered my call for help
regarding problems with a Colorado Memory Systems XR4 QIC-40
tape backup unit.  The original problem was that the software
for this unit would not work on 386-DX systems - it complained
that the host computer is too fast!

So far I've been unable to make it work with a 33MHz 386-DX but
here is a summary of what I've since discovered:

A FAX to Colorado Memory Systems inc. revealed that they sold
the rights for the XR-4 to RC Electronics of California.  The RC
Electronics technical assistance people told me the following:

   The TAPE software will never support 386,486,etc CPUs.

   It's software timing loops running too fast causing the
   problem.

   The TAPE software does not support DOS version 5.0+ and may
   result in unexpected errors (in the hard disk file system???).

   RC's only suggestion is to update to a new tape backup unit
   and transfer each tape to the new format (ie read the tapes on
   the old 286 system to a hard drive, disconnect the XR4,
   install the new tape unit, format the old tape on the new
   unit, copy all the files from the hard disk back to the re-
   formatted tape.)  This could take some time considering all
   the old tapes in the bottom draw with experimental data.

Several people replied on Internet with the following suggestions:

   Run the CPU as slowly as possible.
   Turn off all cache.
   If the mother board has the appropriate chipset setup options,
   set DMA clock for the lowest rate, and longest DMA wait periods.
   Set the I/O bus clock to the lowest clock rate.

   Run alternative backup software that supports the XR4 drive.
   PC Tools Backup and others were mentioned but we don't have
   them (yet). Anyone know of public domain programs???
   The QIC-40 tape drive itself seems to be common among a
   number of manufacturers so it's possible software for another
   QIC-40 drive may work although error correction and data
   formats could well be different (at least we could use the old
   drives for something useful!).

Addresses:

   COLORADO MEMORY SYSTEMS inc.
   800 South Taft Ave.
   Loveland, CO 80537, USA
   Ph: (800)-346-9881,  int'l+1+303 669-6500
   FAX: (303) 667-0997
   BBS: (303) 635-6650

   RC Electronics
   3303 Harbor Blvd.
   Suit C7
   Costa Mesa, CA 92626
   Ph: (714) 375-3791

Thank again to all those people with suggestions and phone numbers,

Mark Harrison
University of Melbourne
Victoria, Australia