Help,

I'm looking for any help to get this MKV <I> up and running. I just put together a new computer running a P4 Cel 2.4Ghz processor, 256MB RAM, onboard video, with a PCARC-AT (Arcnet) card installed into the MB ISA slot. This card was pulled from another backup (old 400Mhz PC) that was just tested. The new MB is running Pheonix Award Bios. When booted, I receive an "unexpected interrupt" dealing with the Arcnet card (but I can't read the whole thing--it's mostly jibberish to me anyway). The system will load IDOS fully but I just get "No Valid Data" from the MKV. I looked at everything I could think of but to no avail. I matched as much of the BIOS info as possible. I'm using the same unit setup from the running <I>. Nothing seems out of place but I still can't get it to see it. I am not the most up on IRQ settings but I think I've got them set right. To anyone that could give some guidance I would be greatly appreciative. You can also reach me at 540-832-9180.

Chris

 

Is the ARCNET card set to use interrupt 5? If so, your motherboard may have on-board sound card that is using interrupt 5 causing a conflict.

CTTech

 

<p>Update!
Here is the Error read when Arcnet.exec trys to load....
<pre>
Unexpected Interrupt F2 at 00F8:00000059 (flags=00000246) Error Code=none
EAX= 00000000 EBX=00000000 ECX= 00000000 EDX= 0000F000 ESI=00001A67
CRO= E000001B CR2= 00000000 CR3= 00177000 TASK REGISTER=0B68
Last Interrupt Serviced = F1 / INT= EAX 0C0C0108
Segment Registers: DS=0108 ES=0108 FS=0108 GS=0108
Task Name: ARCNET DRIVER ** TASK ABORTED**
01080000 1A670000 00000000 02460000 <--0F08: 00000FCC--> "F……..g……."
000000F8 00000059 00000108 01080108 <--0F08: 00000FDC--> "……y….."
00000000 00000000 00000000 00000246 <--0F08: 00000FEC--> "F….."
00000000 <--0F08: 00000FFC--> "……
</pre>

 

No, the card is manually set for IRQ 15, as is the arcnet.dat file.

 

The basic problem with trying to run MKV on more modern computers using an original Arcnet card is that the Mother Board BIOS won't accept the arcnet card, I don't know personally if the Phoenix BIOS will work,maybe somebody else reading this can confirm or not. This is another issue which maybe could be handled on this forum, which BIOS and motherboards will work. I have tried it with various computers, mainly Pentium 1 & 2, some work, some don't. Maybe that is your problem. I haven't seen the boot up problem that you had, usually the PC boots up OK but the Arcnet just won't communicate.

 

Forget the previous post regarding a new ARCNET card. IDOS will not support a PCI device.

 

If you will re-read the original post, you will see he is trying to re-use the original ISA (legacy) ARCnet card in a P4 home-built PC with an ISA slot.

It seems that most P4 motherboards do not come with ISA slots, and those that do use some kind of PCI interface with the ISA slot, which seems to work with some cards, and not with others.

Although they are harder and harder to find, P3 motherboards with ISA bus slots seem to have no problem with ISA bus ARCnet cards. There are some P3 industrial single-board PCs which have been successfully used in the Texas Micro CPU enclosure. But, they ain't cheap. Also, there are still some industrial PC manufacturers selling 19-inch rack-mount CPUs with P3 single-board PCs and passive ISA bus backplanes, but they're not cheap either.

 

The computer does boot all the way to the MK V Main screen. I only get this error code on bootup when the ARCDRIVE.EXEC tries to load. It just pops this error up in yellow and continues to boot. So what you said is correct, it is just not seeing the card. But why? There has to be some logical explanation. It's just an ISA card. Logically it should see it. This is killing me!

 

Most modern computers have accepted the standard interrupts. The BIOS controls most interrupt settings. For instance IRQ 15 is reserved for hard drives, 7 for printers, 3 and 4 for COM ports, 5 and 9 for sound cards and sometimes a mouse. Only 16 interrupts are available. First come, first serve. I will not go into depth on my memory alone.

If the ISA Arcnet card allows you to manually set the interrupt to 5; set it there. Make sure the settings are reflected in the MK V text file that configures the card. Ensure nothing else has prior reserved rights to irq 5.

If you cannot figure out where the "plug and play" devices are on your "out of the box P4" load WinXP and use device manager to ascertain the interrupts and addresses for the cards and internal motherboard devices. Addressing is just as important as irq.

Once you have a map of device addresses and interrupts, you should be able to port your arcnet card. That statement is only applicable if one is able to configure the card within a unreserved range of addresses/irq.

Proof:Last Interrupt Serviced = F1 / INT= EAX 0C0C0108
IRQ 15 is ALREADY USED!!!!!! Probably for a fixed drive i.e. hard drive/cdrom/dvd

First come: First served

I really hate to say this: but I have NO idea why anyone would try to revive a IDOS when used Cimplicity HMIs are available. A used HMI will have PCI bus with new PCI arcnets cards available; although "plug and play" is a little touchy on the NT4 workstations.

A HUGH plus for a change from IDOS would be the addition of a GUI Cimplicity interface.

CTTech

 

It may just be an ISA card but most ARCNET ISA cards have settings for their memory address setting, I/O address setting and interrupt setting. If you changed computers you may find that these resources are not available for your card. You may need to change the settings of your card to match unused memory and I/O spaces as well as utilizing a free interrupt. Which ARCNET chip are you using on the board and whose card are you using? If you can boot your computer in DOS and you are using a 9026 compatible chip (for example 9065, 9066) we can provide you with an application that will tell you if the card can be found at specific settings. Send me an email at blevine_at_ccontrols.com and I will provide you with a test application. You may need to try several settings before you find the proper settings for your card.

Bennet Levine
Contemporary Controls

 

I'll give you one reason why!!! They are CHEAP!!!!!

 

Call me ignorant but how do you get IRQ 15 is already used by:

Proof: Last Interrupt Serviced = F1 / INT= EAX 0C0C0108
IRQ 15 is ALREADY USED!!! Probably for a fixed drive i.e. hard drive/cdrom/dvd.

 

Hey All
I GOT IT!!!! Turned out that my base IO address in the Arcnet.dat file needed to be changed. Everything seems to boot fine. I'll let you know how that goes when I get the chance to install the fastest IDOS computer in the world! Thanks for all your help.

 

GOOD NEWS! Congratulations!

Can you tell us what you had to change the base IO address to, and how you came to find that out?

Thanks!

 

We have 15 Cimplicity HMI servers and 4 Cimplicity HMI viewers connected to a private network over fiber optic connections spanning 5 different geographical locations serving 15 GE frame 7 turbines.

We are able to view operational graphics, alarming, etc and troubleshoot any turbine from any location. The web servers residing on each HMI server can set up VIEW files, view and print routine forms (fillable pdfs), and extract data from the TCI(Turbine Control Interface)/Mark V turbine controllers.

This allows for a synergy among operators, technicians, and other maintanence personnel to communicate in a fashion that is time sensitive, supportive, and educational regardless of location.

This network also supports three OSI PI servers recording historical data from the turbines using arcnet and EGD.

I was just wondering what the "fastest IDOS ever created" can do?

CTTech

 

Hey,

Sorry I'm not getting back to you until now. After all that work on the MK Vs I needed to take some vacation.

Anyway I changed the base_io address from 2B0 (that's a zero) to 3E0.

Now how I came about it was though the tips on this site. I knew it had to work there was just some conflict or short circuit somewhere. But the tip that ultimately led me was from CTTech. I booted into XP and started looking at all the addresses used. This led me to working with COM1 address and the computer recognized the card, but I lost the use of the serial mouse. From here I just started a logical list of the different addresses the PC-ARC card could use starting from the last address of 3F0, then 3E0. Then POP it went. In the end it was some guess work but I'll take it however I can get it. If you need any more info let me know. By the way CTTech, the fastest IDOS system in the world can keep my units running. This is what I've got to work with and I don't make the calls. Thanks again for your help. All of you thanks. Maybe I can become an I&E tech now, instead of a knuckle dragger.


On July 20, 2007, CSA wrote:
> GOOD NEWS! Congratulations!
>
> Can you tell us what you had to change the base IO address to, and how you came to find that out? <

( Complete thread: http://www.control.com/thread/1026236859 )