PCMCIA Support on Compaq Aero Notebooks: Difference between revisions

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Return to [[The Warp Pharmacy:Hardware]]
Return to [[The Warp Pharmacy:Hardware]]


By [[Dan O'Reilly]]
''By Dan O'Reilly''


Last update: 6th November, 1995
Last update: 6th November, 1995


----
== Symptoms ==
== Symptoms ==
PCMCIA does not work properly on Compaq Aero systems.
PCMCIA does not work properly on Compaq Aero systems.


== Hardware ==
== Hardware ==
Compaq Aero 4/25 or 4/33c notebook systems.
Compaq Aero 4/25 or 4/33c notebook systems.


== Problem ==
== Problem ==
 
Although WARP will install on these systems, the user is unable to access the PCMCIA port.
Although WARP will install on these systems, the user is unable to access
the PCMCIA port.


== Procedure ==
== Procedure ==
 
The installation for WARP doesn't have a specfic PCMCIA choice for the Aero systems. The Aero uses the VLSI chipset for PCMCIA; thus, to enable PCMCIA, a compatible driver is available, in the archive [CVLSI3.ZIP]. To enable:
The installation for WARP doesn't have a specfic PCMCIA choice for the Aero
# In "selective install", select PCMCIA support for a Compaq Contura and install.
systems. The Aero uses the VLSI chipset for PCMCIA; thus, to enable PCMCIA,
# Copy the file SSVLSI.SYS from the CVLSI3.ZIP archive to \OS2 directory on the boot drive.
a compatible driver is available, in the archive [[CVLSI3.ZIP]]. To enable:
# Edit CONFIG.SYS to remove the reference to the Contura driver: <pre> BASEDEV=IBM2CMQ1.SYS</pre><br>and add the following: <pre> BASEDEV=SSVLSI.SYS</pre>
 
# In "selective install", select PCMCIA support for a Compaq Contura and   install.
# Copy the file SSVLSI.SYS from the CVLSI3.ZIP archive to \OS2 directory   on the boot drive.
# Edit CONFIG.SYS to remove the reference to the Contura driver: <pre>   BASEDEV=IBM2CMQ1.SYS </pre> <br>
and add the following: <pre>   BASEDEV=SSVLSI.SYS </pre>
# Reboot, and PCMCIA services will be available.
# Reboot, and PCMCIA services will be available.
   
   
== Notes ==
== Notes ==
 
The Compaq external floppy is not supported by this driver. To use this floppy, all references to PCMCIA drivers in your CONFIG.SYS file must be commented out, thereby disabling PCMCIA:
The Compaq external floppy is not supported by this driver. To use this
floppy, all references to PCMCIA drivers in your CONFIG.SYS file must be
commented out, thereby disabling PCMCIA:
 
<pre>
<pre>
BASEDEV=PCMCIA.SYS
BASEDEV=PCMCIA.SYS
Line 43: Line 28:
DEVICE=C:\OS2\BOOT\AUTODRV2.SYS
DEVICE=C:\OS2\BOOT\AUTODRV2.SYS
BASEDEV=SSVLSI.SYS
BASEDEV=SSVLSI.SYS
</pre>
</pre>
The floppy controller must be plugged into the PCMCIA slot before the notebook is booted.
The floppy controller must be plugged into the PCMCIA slot before the  
notebook is booted.


To get this supported, it'll take a concerted effort by Aero owners complaining to Compaq, so take the time to make the call!


To get this supported, it'll take a concerted effort by Aero owners
[Denis Cheong] writes (20th September, 1995):
complaining to Compaq, so take the time to make the call!
 
 
----
[[Denis Cheong]] writes (20th September, 1995):


I'm using OS/2 on my Aero, and would like to make the following comments:
I'm using OS/2 on my Aero, and would like to make the following comments:
 
# You must have an updated BIOS version on the Aero, otherwise the floppy drive will not be recognised at all when OS/2 is booted from the hard disk.  The BIOS from 12 July 1995 is the one that I'm currently using and works; it's location is [ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/softpaq/ROMPaqs/sp1291.exe]. There is also another (older) one that has problems reporting battery status to OS/2 (and DOS and Windows) at [ftp://ftp.europe.ibm.com/psmemea/os2drivers/pcmcia/sp1073.exe].
 
# You must have an updated BIOS version on the Aero, otherwise the floppy drive will not be recognised at all when OS/2 is booted from the hard disk.  The BIOS from 12 July 1995 is the one that I'm currently using and works; it's location is [[ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/softpaq/ROMPaqs/]]sp1291.exe. There is also another (older) one that has problems reporting battery status to OS/2 (and DOS and Windows) at [[ftp://ftp.europe.ibm.com/psmemea/os2drivers/pcmcia/]]sp1073.exe.
# It is possible to set up the PCMCIA floppy drive with hot-swapping of sorts by booting a DOS 6.2 window with the DOS PCMCIA drivers loaded to initialise the drive once it has been inserted.  You need to have PCMCIA.SYS loaded in your config.sys file to do this.  You only need to comment out the SSVLSI.SYS driver in the config.sys file to be able to access the floppy drive after booting.
# It is possible to set up the PCMCIA floppy drive with hot-swapping of sorts by booting a DOS 6.2 window with the DOS PCMCIA drivers loaded to initialise the drive once it has been inserted.  You need to have PCMCIA.SYS loaded in your config.sys file to do this.  You only need to comment out the SSVLSI.SYS driver in the config.sys file to be able to access the floppy drive after booting.
# It is also possible to set up the PCMCIA floppy drive with hot-swapping above with PCMCIA support, without switching between config.sys files.  The way to do it is to rename ibm1flpy.add to ibm1flpy.sys, load ibm1flpy.sys *before* ssvlsi.sys, and to boot the DOS 6.2 window to initialise the floppy drive after OS/2 boots.  You need to do this because SSVLSI.SYS's initialisation routines will clobber the floppy drive, which then requires cgi-bire-initialising.  The only problem with this, however, is that when the DOS 6.2 window is opened, it clobbers OS/2's PCMCIA hot-swapping detection... so you will have to manually close and re-start the card manager in OS/2 for it to detect that you have removed the floppy drive and inserted another card.  I have not yet found a solution to this, however I have had it working.  If anybody has any problems with installing OS/2 on their aero they can contact [[me]]
# It is also possible to set up the PCMCIA floppy drive with hot-swapping above with PCMCIA support, without switching between config.sys files.  The way to do it is to rename ibm1flpy.add to ibm1flpy.sys, load ibm1flpy.sys *before* ssvlsi.sys, and to boot the DOS 6.2 window to initialise the floppy drive after OS/2 boots.  You need to do this because SSVLSI.SYS's initialisation routines will clobber the floppy drive, which then requires cgi-bire-initialising.  The only problem with this, however, is that when the DOS 6.2 window is opened, it clobbers OS/2's PCMCIA hot-swapping detection... so you will have to manually close and re-start the card manager in OS/2 for it to detect that you have removed the floppy drive and inserted another card.  I have not yet found a solution to this, however I have had it working.  If anybody has any problems with installing OS/2 on their aero they can contact me
----
By  [[Dan O'Reilly]]
 
 


By [Dan O'Reilly]


Return to [[The Warp Pharmacy:Hardware]]
Return to [[The Warp Pharmacy:Hardware]]


[[Category:The Warp Pharmacy]]
[[Category:The Warp Pharmacy]]

Revision as of 16:42, 27 April 2017

Return to The Warp Pharmacy:Hardware

By Dan O'Reilly

Last update: 6th November, 1995

Symptoms

PCMCIA does not work properly on Compaq Aero systems.

Hardware

Compaq Aero 4/25 or 4/33c notebook systems.

Problem

Although WARP will install on these systems, the user is unable to access the PCMCIA port.

Procedure

The installation for WARP doesn't have a specfic PCMCIA choice for the Aero systems. The Aero uses the VLSI chipset for PCMCIA; thus, to enable PCMCIA, a compatible driver is available, in the archive [CVLSI3.ZIP]. To enable:

  1. In "selective install", select PCMCIA support for a Compaq Contura and install.
  2. Copy the file SSVLSI.SYS from the CVLSI3.ZIP archive to \OS2 directory on the boot drive.
  3. Edit CONFIG.SYS to remove the reference to the Contura driver:
     BASEDEV=IBM2CMQ1.SYS

    and add the following:
     BASEDEV=SSVLSI.SYS
  4. Reboot, and PCMCIA services will be available.

Notes

The Compaq external floppy is not supported by this driver. To use this floppy, all references to PCMCIA drivers in your CONFIG.SYS file must be commented out, thereby disabling PCMCIA:

BASEDEV=PCMCIA.SYS
DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VPCMCIA.SYS
DEVICE=C:\OS2\BOOT\AUTODRV2.SYS
BASEDEV=SSVLSI.SYS

The floppy controller must be plugged into the PCMCIA slot before the notebook is booted.

To get this supported, it'll take a concerted effort by Aero owners complaining to Compaq, so take the time to make the call!

[Denis Cheong] writes (20th September, 1995):

I'm using OS/2 on my Aero, and would like to make the following comments:

  1. You must have an updated BIOS version on the Aero, otherwise the floppy drive will not be recognised at all when OS/2 is booted from the hard disk. The BIOS from 12 July 1995 is the one that I'm currently using and works; it's location is [1]. There is also another (older) one that has problems reporting battery status to OS/2 (and DOS and Windows) at [2].
  2. It is possible to set up the PCMCIA floppy drive with hot-swapping of sorts by booting a DOS 6.2 window with the DOS PCMCIA drivers loaded to initialise the drive once it has been inserted. You need to have PCMCIA.SYS loaded in your config.sys file to do this. You only need to comment out the SSVLSI.SYS driver in the config.sys file to be able to access the floppy drive after booting.
  3. It is also possible to set up the PCMCIA floppy drive with hot-swapping above with PCMCIA support, without switching between config.sys files. The way to do it is to rename ibm1flpy.add to ibm1flpy.sys, load ibm1flpy.sys *before* ssvlsi.sys, and to boot the DOS 6.2 window to initialise the floppy drive after OS/2 boots. You need to do this because SSVLSI.SYS's initialisation routines will clobber the floppy drive, which then requires cgi-bire-initialising. The only problem with this, however, is that when the DOS 6.2 window is opened, it clobbers OS/2's PCMCIA hot-swapping detection... so you will have to manually close and re-start the card manager in OS/2 for it to detect that you have removed the floppy drive and inserted another card. I have not yet found a solution to this, however I have had it working. If anybody has any problems with installing OS/2 on their aero they can contact me

By [Dan O'Reilly]

Return to The Warp Pharmacy:Hardware