🚀 go-pugleaf

Phil.Ryan@dsto.defence.gov.au (Philip Ryan) writes:

>Hi

>My brother has just won an old IBM PS/2 Model 50. It has an 80286, an internal 
>3.5" floppy, a 20 MB HD and an _external_ 5.25" floppy.
...
>What I have here is a catch-22: I need the device driver (and it is _not_ on 
>the machine) or DOS version 4.0 or later.... but even if I do get hold of the 
>driver, how do I get it onto the hard disk if the floppies aren't recognized?

>There are two ways that I can think of:

>1. Laplink, or equivalent, or kermit via the serial port (is there a serial 
...
>2. Take the HD out of the machine and put it into some other machine and copy 
...
>Any clues, hints, places to look for solutions, would be appreciated.

3. Borrow a DOS 4.0+ from someone. Boot off this disk. Install the patch
and boot normally in Dos 3.3 again. Seems less cumbersome to me.

Have you checked your ref. disk to see if it's on that one? Otherwise
try downloading the lastest ref disk from IBM
<ftp://ftp.pcco.ibm.com/pub/refdisks/rf905060a.dsk> (version 1.08) and
check if it isn't on this disk.

This is an excerpt from the IBM PS/2 Technical Assistant about the
DASDDRVR:

------------

 There is a lot of confusion over what DASDDRVR.SYS is, what it is used for, which PS/2 models require it, and what 
 exactly it fixes.  The following should dispel the mystery surrounding DASDDRVR.SYS. 

 What is it? 
 DASDDRVR.SYS (Direct Access Storage Device Driver) is a set of software patches that fix various BIOS bugs common to 
 several PS/2 models.  A common misconception is that DASDDRVR.SYS is a set of DOS patches; and additionally that it is 
 not needed with DOS 4.0x or later; only V3.3.  Both statements are incorrect. 

 IBM could have chosen to replace thousands of BIOS chips on PS/2 motherboards, yet went with the software approach.  
 Why? A program installs DASDDRVR.SYS on a PS/2 hard disk drive, and adds a statement to CONFIG.SYS.  Then when the 
 system is booted, the BIOS patches overwrite the BIOS code in memory (that was copied from the BIOS ROM chips).  Not 
 only does this give IBM and the user the flexibility of later replacing DASDDRVR.SYS with a newer version containing 
 additional BIOS patches, if necessary; but it also eliminates the down time and inconvenience that would result from 
 taking the system to an authorized servicer to have the BIOS ROM replaced. 

 Who needs it? 
 Originally, a few BIOS bugs were found affecting several PS/2 models.  Two different versions of DASDDRVR.SYS were 
 written, one for Micro Channel systems, and one for non-Micro Channel PS/2s.  As time passed, it was discovered that 
 several more PS/2s were affected by these or newer bugs.  Eventually the two versions of DASDDRVR.SYS were merged 
 into one, simplifying the effort of determining what to install on which systems. 

 So, to make a long story short, DOS 3.3 and later users who encounter the specific problems corrected by DASDDRVR.SYS 
 (see below), on the particular PS/2 models listed, should install DASDDRVR.SYS.  The install program will determine which 
 model you are installing it on, and only install those fixes that apply to that system.  (Those PS/2 models or submodels 
 not on the list, do not need DASDDRVR.SYS, and will not benefit by installing it.) 

 Why isn't DASDDRVR.SYS required on OS/2 or AIX-based PS/2s?  Because these operating systems routinely replace the 
 hardware BIOS code in memory with customized software versions, anyway.  So they already contain the fixes inherent in 
 DASDDRVR.SYS. 

 What problems does it fix? 
 There are currently twelve different bugs fixed.  The list below describes the fixes, and which systems are affected: 

  Problems                                              Systems Affected 
  1) Failures occur when reading some 720K         
     program diskettes.                                 8530-E01/E21; 8550-021; 8560-041/071; 8580-041/071. 
  2) Intermittent "Not Ready" or "General failure"      
     error messages when accessing diskettes.           8550-021; 8560-041/071; 8580-041/071. 
  3) 3.5" diskette format failures when attempting      
     to format multiple diskettes consecutively.        8550-021; 8560-041/071; 8580-041/071. 
  4) Combined 301 and 8502 error messages at       
     power on, or after power interruption.             8550-021; 8560-041/071. 
  5) System clock loses time (8550), or combined        
     162 and 163 errors during system POST              
     (8560).                                            8550-021; 8560-041/071. 
  6) Unable to install Power-on Password program   
     with DASDDRVR.SYS installed.                       8550-021; 8560-041/071; 8580-041/071. 
  7) Device attached to COM2, COM3, or COM4               
     not detected.                                      8530-E01/E21. 
  8) Devices that use interrupt request level 2           
     (IRQ2) fail.                                       8530-E01/E21. 
  9) 3.5" diskette format failures when attempting      
     to format more than one diskette.                  8570-Axx (all); 8580-Axx (all). 
  10) System performance degradation from                 
      processor-intensive devices.                      8550-021/031/061; 8555-031/061; 8560-041/071. 
  11) Error in microcode routine that enhances          
      long-term reliability of 60/120MB disk drives.    8550-061; 8555-061; 8570-061/121/A61/A21; 8573-061/121. 
  12) Time and date errors occur when resetting           
      time or date.  Intermittent date changes can      
      occur when system is restarted by pressing        
      Ctrl-Alt-Del.                                     8530 (all). 

  How do I get and install it? 
  Most versions of the various Micro Channel PS/2 Reference Diskettes contain some version of DASDDRVR.SYS.  (The 
  non-Micro Channel PS/2 Model 30 286 provides DASDDRVR.SYS on the Setup Diskette, instead.)  But because there have 
  been several versions of DASDDRVR.SYS released along the way, with different numbers of fixes, it is important to get 
  the latest possible version of the appropriate Reference Diskette.  Depending on the version of the diskette, there may be 
  additional fixes in a later version. 

  If you have access to the latest Reference Diskette, use it.  If not, you may call 800-IBM-7282, and request the PS/2 
  System Update Diskette (P/N 04G3288.  This diskette contains a version of DASDDRVR.SYS, but it is possible that by the 
  time you read this and order it, a newer version may have been released on a new Reference Diskette.  Still, a fairly 
  recent version is better than an older one you may have on the Reference Diskette that came with the system.  If 

  DASDDRVR.SYS is already installed on a system, but you don't know whether it is the latest, just look at the file size.  
  The current version (as of July 1991) is 3,068 bytes). 

  Installation is a snap.  Simply insert the diskette in the A: drive, and type:  A:INSTALL from the C> prompt.  That's all 
  there is to it!  The install program copies the DASDDRVR.SYS file to the hard disk drive, and updates CONFIG.SYS to use it.  
  After rebooting the system you are done. 

  One final note:  This driver may be ordered and installed by anyone.  It includes instructions, and does not require dealer 
  intervention. 

-----------

Christian
-- 
M. Christian Holmgreen / joker@diku.dk / mochmch@unidhp.uni-c.dk
M.Sc. student, University of Copenhagen, Dept. of Computer Science
"Human errors can only be avoided if one can avoid the use of humans"