🚀 go-pugleaf

I do not know whether these questions belong in this group or
not; if not, please direct me to the correct group.

I am running MS-DOS 5.0 on a 386DX-33mHz cpu with an AMI bios
dated 08/15/90.  Drive A is a 360K 5.25"; drive B, a 1.4 meg
3.5"; and Drive C, 120 meg.  The version of SMARTDRV used is
smartdrv.exe, dated 3-10-92, included with Windows 3.1.

If I attempt I/O to drive A without the drive being ready, it
takes approximately 85 seconds for the timeout to occur and an 
error message returned.  But if I attempt I/O to drive B without
the drive being ready, the timeout is virtually instantaneous,
viz. just 1 or 2 seconds.

   1.  Is there some rationale for having such different
       timeouts?  Is there some good reason for having a long
       timeout on Drive A?

   2.  Where are the timeouts set? - in the drives themselves?;
       in CMOS?; in DOS?

   3.  If there is no good reason to have a long timeout on Drive
       A, is it possible to change that timeout, in particular to
       shorten it from 85 seconds to - let's say - 3 or 4
       seconds?

   4.  If so, HOW?

If you answer publicly to this newsgroup, would you please also
send a carbon copy to me directly (just so I'll be sure to get
your reply [a little redundancy can be a good thing]).  Thanks.

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Professor Norman Swartz   |  e-mail (via Internet): norman_swartz@sfu.ca
Department of Philosophy  |  e-mail (via Bitnet):   swartz@sfuvax
Simon Fraser University   |
Burnaby, B.C.             |  fax:                           (604)-291-4455
Canada V5A 1S6            |
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