🚀 go-pugleaf

RetroBBS NetNews Server

Inspired by RockSolid Light RIP Retro Guy

Article View: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Article #7134

Co-processor Error Line

#7134
From: Simpson David
Date: Sun, 13 Jan 1991 02:22
39 lines
1859 bytes
I have a Zeos 386 computer in which I installed a Cyrix 83D87
math co-processor last summer.  When I tested out the co-processor,
I discovered that the error line was inoperative; i.e. if I
try to use the co-processor to perform some illegal arithmetic
operation, I get a default result instead of an error signal.

For example, when I run the following Turbo Pascal program:
{=============================================================}
program COPTest (output);
{$N+,E+}
var
  x,y:  extended;
begin
  x := 0.0;
  y := -1.0;
  writeln ('Divide by zero test:  ',5.0/x);
  writeln ('sqrt(-1) = i = ',sqrt(y))
end.
{==============================================================}
I get a run-time error on another PC (using a co-processor with
an operative error line) but on MY machine I get:

    Divide by zero test:  0.00000000000000E+0000
    sqrt(-1) = i = -1.00000000000000E+0000

A Northgate 386 using a Cyrix co-processor correctly reports a
run-time error when running this program, but my Zeos 386 gives
these default values (and I have tried TWO different Cyrix
co-processors).

Does anyone have a Zeos 386 PC with an Intel 80387 who 
could test the co-processor error line (such as with the above
program)?  I would also appreciate hearing from anyone who has
had a similar problem.  (I suspect the problem is somewhere in
the motherboard.)

Thanks for any info!
                                David Simpson
Technical Details
Message-ID: <1991Jan13.022254.26650@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu>
Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!utzoo!attcan!uunet!jarthur!usc!wuarchive!rex!ames!haven!boingo.med.jhu.edu!aplcen!simpson

Show Full Headers
Complete Article Headers
Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!utzoo!attcan!uunet!jarthur!usc!wuarchive!rex!ames!haven!boingo.med.jhu.edu!aplcen!simpson
From: simpson@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu (Simpson David)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: Co-processor Error Line
Message-ID: <1991Jan13.022254.26650@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu>
Date: 13 Jan 91 02:22:54 GMT
Reply-To: simpson@aplcen (Simpson David)
Organization: Johns Hopkins University
Lines: 39