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BC F Series
Chapter 3 - Hardware Installation

Hardware Installation

Installation in a Cubix Enclosure

  1. Configure the hardware options as described in Chapter 2.
  2. Gain access to the backplane. Typically this requires removing the cover from the enclosure.
  3. Power down the enclosure or group in which the BC will be installed (if the BC is being installed in a Fault Tolerant subsystem, only the group that will contain the BC needs to be powered down).
  4. Seat the BC into the appropriate group in the backplane.
  5. Secure the BC with a screw on the end bracket.
  6. Install any peripheral devices required in the enclosure. Instructions for peripheral device installation may be found in the documentation accompanying the enclosure.
  7. Install any adapters required to provide connectors for peripheral devices as described later in this chapter.
  8. Connect the cables to all peripherals and I/0 connectors (refer to Chapter 2 - Hardware for connection information on each type of BC processor).
  9. Reassemble the system as necessary.
  10. Apply power.
  11. Use a monitor and keyboard to verify that the system is functioning properly. Monitor, keyboard and mouse support are provided through a multiplexer or via an adapter board as described in the Optional Video, Keyboard & Mouse section later in this chapter.
  12. Run the BIOS setup utility to configure the CMOS (refer to the American Megatrends, Inc. BIOS Configuration Program User's Guide).
  13. Install software as specified in the Software Installation & Configuration section of this chapter. Instructions to configure the 10/100 Base-T Ethernet drivers necessary to use the integrated Ethernet controller are included in the appendices.

PCI Extension - Overview and Installation

The BC F Series boards support PCI bus extension via the connection of an optional PCI bus extender card. The extender card, which connects to the 80-pin connector at location J16 on the BC board, extends the PCI bus to an ERS/FT II PCI Master Interconnect Board (MIB). When installed in the ERS/FT II subsystem, the ISA connectors on the BC board and the PCI connectors on the PCI bus extension card simultaneously engage the ISA and PCI connectors on the MIB. Note: the only subsystem supporting PCI extension is the ERS/FT II.

Two PCI extension cards are available, passive and active. The passive extension card is used on PCI MIBs with one or two PCI expansion slots. The active PCI extension card is equipped with a PCI-to-PCI bridge controller that extends the PCI bus to a maximum of four external controllers. The active PCI extension card is designed for use with MIBs having three to four PCI adapter slots for each BC F Series board installed. MIBs having fewer than three PCI adapter slots per BC installed will not support the active PCI extender card. Note: The only MIB supporting the active card is the 2x5 PCI + 2x2 ISA. For additional information on MIBs that support PCI bus extension, refer to "PCI MIB Configurations," in the documentation accompanying the Series II Subsystem. Both the active and passive PCI bus extender cards are illustrated on the following pages.

Figure 3-1 Active PCI Bus Extender Card

Figure 3-2 Passive PCI Bus Extender Card

 

PCI Bus Extender Card Installation

The PCI bus extender card is shipped with four #6 screws and two spacers. These parts are used to secure the extender card to the BC processor.

Figure 3 - 3 illustrates the location of parts referenced in the following instructions.

Installation Instructions:

  1. On the BC processor, insert two #6 screws through the two round cutouts on either side of the male 80-pin connector at location J16. Insert them up from the back side of the BC processor.
  2. Attach the spacers to the #6 screws and tighten.
  3. Connect the extender card’s female 80-pin connector to the BC processor’s male 80-pin connector.
  4. Insert the other #6 screws through the extender card’s round cutouts. The screws extend into the spacers and should be tightened to secure the extender card to the BC processor.
  5. Install the BC processor with the PCI bus extension card into the supporting ERS/FT II MIB slots.

    Note: The ERS/FT II PCI MIB’s have dedicated bus master positions that accept BC boards equipped with the PCI bus extender card. Care should be taken to see that edge connectors on both the BC board and the extension card are properly aligned before inserting them into the MIB slots. For more detail on how to install the BC into the ERS/FT II subsystem and MIB configurations supporting PCI bus extension refer to the documentation that accompanied the ERS/FT II subsystem.

    Figure 3-3
    Connecting the PCI Bus Extender Card to the BC Processor Board

Optional Video, Keyboard & Mouse

The video, keyboard, and PS/2 style mouse signals are normally cabled from headers on the top of the BC board to a Cubix multiplexer where they are ultimately brought out to standard connectors and attached to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. If a multiplexer is not used, Cubix can provide an optional adapter. This adapter is a printed circuit board and bracket that provide an interface between the BC headers and the Mini-DIN 6 and HD DSUB-15 connectors needed to connect a VGA monitor and PS/2 style keyboard and mouse. These optional connectors may be installed in an empty slot (where the end bracket of a board would normally be), or in the additional connector space of an auxiliary junction panel. Refer to "Peripheral Adapter Installation" for mounting instructions.

Figure 3-4
Video/Keyboard/Mouse Adapter Connected to the BC Processor

 

Optional LPT1

An optional parallel port may be added to function as LPT1 on the BC. This requires a Cubix LPT1 printed circuit board adapter and bracket which provide an interface between the BC header and the DB-25 connector. The optional connector may be installed in an empty slot (where the end bracket of a board would normally be), or in the additional connector space of an auxiliary junction panel. Refer to the Peripheral Adapter lnstallation section later in this chapter for mounting instructions.

Figure 3-5
LPT1 Adapter Connected to the BC Processor

 

Optional COM2

An optional second serial port may be added to function as COM2 of the BC. Connecting COM2 requires a Cubix printed circuit board adapter and bracket, which provide an interface between the BC header and the DB-9 connector. The connector may be installed in an empty slot (where the end bracket of a board would normally be), or in the additional connector space of an auxiliary junction panel. Refer to the Peripheral Adapter Installation section later in this chapter for mounting instructions.

Figure 3-6
COM2 Adapter Connected to the BC Processor

 

SCSI Device Installation

The BC F Series supports up to seven SCSI devices. These are connected via a 50-pin ribbon header (J14) located near the end bracket. Devices that are internal to the system enclosure may be cabled directly to J14 while devices external to the enclosure are connected via an adapter board that converts the 50-pin ribbon cable to a high density 50-pin shielded connector. Refer to the Peripheral Adapter lnstallation section later in this chapter for mounting

instructions. SCSI devices may be all internal (Figure 3-7), all external (Figure 3-8), or a mixture of internal and external (Figure 3-9).

Note! "T" indicates point of termination.

SCSI cables must be terminated at their end points as shown by the "T" in the illustrations. The BC F Series can be configured to supply termination at its connector (refer to Chapter 2).

Termination should be configured as "enabled" if the SCSI interface is not used. The last device on the SCSI cable must also supply a termination load to the cable. SCSI devices not at the end of the cable must have their termination loads disconnected. Enabling and disabling a SCSI device's termination may involve a switch or shunt setting or the installation or removal of resistive SIP or DIP packages on their circuit board. Consult the installation manual for the SCSI device to determine its termination options.

Peripheral Adapter Installation

Follow the steps below to install optional Cubix adapter boards for peripheral devices such as video, keyboard, mouse, and LPT1.

  1. Install the Cubix adapter in a panel opening on the system. Typically, an opening provided for an empty board space is dedicated to the adapter. In this case, install the bracket next to the BC board that requires the adapter port and tighten the screw firmly.

Alternately, if the adapter is being installed into a Cubix auxiliary junction panel, the bracket provided with the adapter should be removed. Unscrew the connector from the bracket and install the adapter into the desired panel opening.

  1. Connect one end of the provided cable to the appropriate header on the BC board. The pin-one side of the ribbon cable is marked with a colored (blue or red) stripe. Pin one on the BC box header is labeled with a triangular arrowhead (Ú). Align the pin-one side of the ribbon cable with pin one on the header.
  2. Connect the other end of the ribbon cable to the adapter. Pin one on the adapter's box header is labeled with a triangular arrowhead. Align the pin-one side of the ribbon cable with pin one on the adapter.
  3. Plug the peripheral device's cable into the connector.

 

EMI Suppression Filter Installation

Installation Instructions:

Software Installation & Configuration

Overview

To fully utilize all of the features integrated into the BC Series processors, the following software drivers and utilities are available:

BC Series Software - support for mouse and Cubix Supervisory System.

Ethernet Drivers - support for the on board 10/100 Base-T Ethernet interface (refer to the appendices for installation instructions).

Video Drivers - support for enhanced video resolutions.

SCSI Drivers - support for the on board SCSI interface (refer to PC-SCSI Software Installation Guide for installation instructions).

 

BC Series Software Installation

This section summarizes the procedure necessary for installation of the BC Series Software Installation Diskette. The subsequent sections detail the software options dependent upon the operating system and environment.

The functions provided by the BC Series Software are:

Remote mouse and keyboard support - required when the BC processor is functioning as a remote control host for a remote system using a mouse and/or keyboard, and no mouse or keyboard is physically attached to the BC host processor.

Mouse multiplexer support - required if a single mouse is shared via a Cubix multiplexer between multiple BC processors.

Cubix Supervisory System support - required for BC processors installed with a Cubix Supervisory System.

 

BC Series Software

The BC Series Software is designed to support a Logitech mouse only. The BC Series Software Installation Diskette contains the following files in the specified directories:

README.DOC - describes the files on the diskette.

OS2\BCSETOS2.SYS - provides Cubix Supervisory System support for BC processors installed with the OS/2 operating system.

OS2\CBXMOUSE.SYS - a mouse driver required to support mouse multiplexing in OS/2 environments.

DOS\BCSETUP.SYS - includes both mouse and Cubix Supervisory System support for BC processors with DOS and WINDOWS installed. A mouse driver (e.g. Logitech's MOUSE.COM or Microsoft's MOUSE.EXE) must be loaded for BCSETUP.SYS to provide mouse support.

DOS\VHOTFIX.386 - provides mouse multiplexer support in WINDOWS environments. VHOTFIX.386 must be loaded with BCSETUP.SYS and a mouse driver to provide mouse support.

NETWARE\BCACTIVE.NLM - provides Cubix Supervisory System support for BC processors installed with Novell NetWare 3.x/4.x server software.

The term "boot drive" refers to the drive from which the BC Series processor will boot.

 

DOS Environment Installation

BCSETUP

The Cubix DOS device driver BCSETUP.SYS supports the Cubix Supervisory System by providing an interface between the IES module and a BC processor running DOS. BCSETUP.SYS also provides remote mouse and keyboard support as well as mouse multiplexer support.

A mouse driver (e.g. Logitech's MOUSE.COM or Microsoft's MOUSE.EXE) must be loaded for BCSETUP.SYS to provide mouse support.

To install this driver on disk drives formatted with the DOS operating system, copy the BCSETUP.SYS file from the \DOS directory of the BC Series Software Installation Diskette to the root directory of the boot drive. Next, add the following line to CONFIG.SYS file in the root directory of the drive:

device = bcsetup.sys

This sets the following defaults:

Remote Mouse Support Enabled

Mouse Multiplexer Support Enabled

Interrupt Selection 15

Keyboard Type 101/102 Keys

The following is a list of options that may be used with this command. Place them on same line in the CONFIG.SYS file. Command line options are not case sensitive.

Command Line Option Explanation

-n 83/84 key keyboard

-M disable remote mouse support

-nl disable mouse multiplexing support

-i=x or hook interrupt x (decimal) for the Cubix

-int=x supervisor interface, where x= 10, 15 or "no". The "i=no" option disables the supervisor interface support in BCSETUP and frees interrupts 10 and 15.

-ep enables BC processors equipped with a BC NET UART (e.g., BC F Series), to be monitored by an IES I (original) module when installed in an ERS II subsystem. To determine if an IES I module is installed in the ERS II subsystem, refer to the following section "How to Differentiate an IES I from and IES II Module."

Do not use the -ep command if an IES II (enhanced) module is installed in the ERS II subsystem.

Command Line Examples

For example, to load BCSETUP for an 83/84 key keyboard, without mouse emulation, and hooking interrupt 1 0 for the supervisor interface support, the command line in the CONFIG.SYS file would appear as follows:

device = bcsetup.sys -n -m -i = I0

All BC mouse software is designed to be used explicitly with Logitech PS/2 style mice. If non-Logitech mice are to be used, the command line option -nl should be entered in the config.sys file following the mouse emulation software filename:

device= bcsetup.sys -nl

The -nl option disables the synchronizing algorithms specific to Logitech mice. As a result, mouse multiplexing is not supported.

Finally, reboot the BC processor to allow the modifications in the CONFIG.SYS file to take effect.

How to Differentiate an IES I Module from an IES II Module

To determine if an IES I module is installed in the ERS II subsystem, remove the subsystem’s cover and locate the IES module. As shown in Figure 3-12, either a 26-pin ribbon connector or a 3-pin molex connector will be located at the top of the board next to the "L" bracket. If the connector is a 26-pin ribbon connector, the module is an IES I. If a 3-pin molex connector, the module is an IES II.

Windows Environment Installation

VHOTFIX

The Cubix virtual device driver VHOTFIX.386 will "hot fix" a mouse in the Windows environment, allowing a mouse to function properly if it is attached locally to the BC processor after Windows is invoked, or if it is attached through a Cubix multiplexer and multiplexed to the BC processor after Windows is invoked.

To install this virtual device driver with Windows, first install BCSETUP as described in the DOS Environment Installation section. Locate the directory containing Windows virtual device driver files. They may be identified by their .386 extensions and are usually located in the \WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory. Copy the file VHOTFIX.386 from the \DOS directory of the BC Series Software Installation Diskette to the directory containing the other virtual device drivers. Modify the [386enh] section of the Windows SYSTEM.INI file (usually in the \WINDOWS directory) to include the line:

device = vhotfix.386

This program will function only if the device driver BCSETUP.SYS vl.10 or above is loaded in the CONFIG.SYS.

Finally, reboot the BC processor to allow the modifications to take effect.

 

Windows NT Drivers

Beginning with version 2.10, the BC Series Software Installation Diskette includes the following files required for Windows NT support:

WINNT\BCACTVNT.SYS - provides Cubix Supervisory System support for BC processors installed with the Windows NT operating system.

WINNT\CBXI8042.SYS - a mouse driver required to support mouse multiplexing in Windows/NT environments.

Installation

BCACTVNT

The Cubix device driver BCACTVNT.SYS supports the Cubix Supervisory System by providing an interface between the IES module and a BC processor running Windows NT.

  1. Copy the file BCACTVNT.SYS from the \WINNT directory of the BC Series Software Installation Diskette to the directory where the other Windows NT device drivers are located (usually \WINNT35\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS).
  2. Invoke the Registry Editor: Select File from the Program Manager menu. Select Run, and enter REGEDT32 for the filename. Click OK.
  3. In the Registry Editor, select the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE window.
  4. Double click on the SYSTEM folder.
  5. Double click on the CurrentControlSet folder.
  6. Double click on the Services folder.
  7. Select Edit from the menu. Select Add Key, and enter BCACTVNT for the name of the key. Click OK.
  8. Single click on the newly created key.
  9. Select Edit again from the menu. Select Add Value, and enter ErrorControl for the name of the value. Select REG_DWORD from the list box for the type of value. Click OK. Enter 0 for the value. Click OK.
  10. Select Edit again from the menu. Select Add Value, and enter Start for the name of the value. Select REG_DWORD from the list box for the type of value. Click OK. Enter 2 for the value. Click OK.
  11. Select Edit again from the menu. Select Add Value and enter Tag for the "value" name. Select REG_DWORD from the list box for the type of value. Click OK. Enter 1 for the value. Click OK.
  12. Select Edit again from the menu. Select Add Value and enter Type for the "value" name. Select REG_DWORD from the list box for the type of value. Click OK. Enter 1 for the value. Click OK.

Note: The device driver is now installed to provide Cubix Supervisory support using the default setting IRQ 0f (15 decimal). The following instructions show how to change to IRQ 0a (10 decimal) support.

 

To change the default IRQ setting:

  1. Invoke the Registry Editor: Select File from the Program Manager menu. Select Run, and enter REGEDT32 for the filename. Click OK.
  2. In the Registry Editor, select the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE window.
  3. Double click on the SYSTEM folder.
  4. Double click on the CurrentControlSet folder.
  5. Double click on the Services folder.
  6. Single click on the BCACTVNT key.
  7. Select Edit from the menu. Select Add Key, and enter Parameters for the name of the key. Click OK.
  8. Single click on the newly created key.
  9. Select Edit from the menu. Select Add Value and enter Interrupt for the "value" name. Select REG_DWORD from the list box for the type of value. Click OK. Enter 0a for the value. Click OK.

 

CBXI8042

CBXI8042.SYS is a complete multiplexed mouse and keyboard device driver for BC Series processors running Windows NT. CBXI8042.SYS replaces the I8042PRT.SYS device driver file.

  1. Copy the file CBXI8042.SYS from the \WINNT directory of the BC Series Software Installation Diskette to the directory where the other Windows NT device drivers are located (usually \WINNT35\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS).
  2. Invoke the Registry Editor: Select File from the Program Manager menu. Select Run, and enter REGEDT32 for the filename. Click OK.
  3. In the Registry Editor, select the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE window.
  4. Double click on the folder.SYSTEM
  5. Double click on the CurrentControlSet folder.
  6. Double click on the Services folder.
  7. Single click on the I8042PRT folder.
  8. Examine the window’s right half. If the field ImagePath exists, double click on ImagePath. Edit the string replacing I8042PRT.SYS with CBXI8042.SYS. Go to step 10.
  9. If the field ImagePath does not exist, select Edit from the menu. Select Add Value, and enter Image Path for the name of the value. Select REG_EXPAND_SZ from the list box for the type of value. Click OK. Enter \SystemRoot\System32\Drivers\CBXI8042.SYS as the string. Click OK.
  10. Shutdown Windows NT and reboot the BC processor. Enter the BIOS setup utility.
  11. Disable mouse support in the Advanced Setup section of the BIOS setup. Save changes and exit the BIOS Setup Utility.
  12. Cycle power to the BC processor. Installation is complete.

Note to User: These steps must be followed for the NT Mouse Driver to work properly.

 

OS/2 Environment Installation

BCSETOS2

The Cubix device driver BCSETOS2.SYS supports the Cubix Supervisory System by providing an interface between the IES module and a BC processor running OS/2.

To install this driver, copy the file BCSETOS2.SYS from the \OS2 directory of the BC Series Software Installation Diskette to the root directory of the boot drive.

Next, add the following line to CONFIG.SYS file in the root directory of the boot drive:

device = bcsetos2.sys

This will give the default option of interrupt 15 (decimal) for the Supervisor interface. If interrupt 1 0 is preferred, it must be specified on the same line in the CONFIG.SYS file. To load BCSETOS2 to use interrupt 1 0, the line in the CONFIG.SYS should appear as follows:

device= bcsetos2.sys -i = 1 0

If BCSETOS2.SYS is not specified in the CONFIG.SYS file, the BC will not support the Cubix Supervisory System and interrupts 1 0 and 1 5 are available for other uses.

Finally, reboot the BC processor to allow the modifications to take effect.

CBXMOUSE

The Cubix device driver CBXMOUSE.SYS provides mouse emulation and mouse multiplexer support for BC Series processors running OS/2 operating system.

To install this driver, copy the file CBXMOUSE.SYS from the \OS2 directory of the BC Series Software Installation Diskette to the \OS2 directory of the boot drive. Next, modify the CONFIG.SYS file in the root directory of the boot drive as follows:

remark out the line:

device = os2\mouse.sys

by placing "REM" in front of it, so that it reads:

rem device= os2\mouse.sys

add the line:

device = os2\cbxmouse.sys

CBXMOUSE.SYS is a fully functional mouse driver that replaces the MOUSE.SYS driver. CBXMOUSE.SYS loads PS/2 mouse support whether or not a mouse is physically present.

All BC mouse software is designed to be used explicitly with Logitech PS/2 style mice. If non-Logitech mice are to be used then the command line option -ni should be entered in the config.sys file following the mouse emulation software filename:

device= cbxmouse -ni

The -nl option disables the synchronizing algorithms specific to Logitech mice. As a result, mouse multiplexing is not supported.

Finally, reboot the BC processor to allow the modification in the CONFIG.SYS to take effect.

CBXMOUSE is intended for use in systems equipped with the Cubix multiplexer. If a mouse is to be shared by multiple OS/2-based processors via the multiplexer, the mouse must be booted on an OS/2 system (i.e. an OS/2-based processor must be selected by the multiplexer when the system is booted).

 

 

Windows 95 PS/2 Mouse Driver

This driver provides PS/2 mouse support on processors running Windows 95. If a Cubix mouse driver for Windows 95 was previously installed on a BC processor, the old files must be deleted before installing the new PS/2 mouse driver.

To Remove Old Cubix Windows 95 Mouse Driver Files:

  1. Start the processor in "Command Prompt" mode by pressing F8 during boot up (before the "Windows" logo appears).
  2. On the hard drive, delete the following file: VHOTFIX.386
  3. This file is generally in the root and \WINDOWS directories.
  4. Edit the CONFIG.SYS files in the root directory by modifying the line containing BCSETUP.SYS. to read: device=bcsetup.sys -M
  5. Edit the SYSTEM.INI file by changing MOUSE=*VMD to MOUSE=*VMOUSE. Remove the line DEVICE=*VHOTFIX.386.
  6. Note: the original MOUSE.DRV file for Windows 95 must be in the WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory. This file is dated "1995" as opposed to the Windows 3.1 MOUSE.DRV file dated "1992 at 3:10."
  7. Reboot the processor and continue with the next set of instructions, "To Install the Cubix PS/2 Mouse Driver for Windows 95".

 

To Install the Cubix PS/2 Mouse Driver for Windows 95:

  1. From the Cubix Subsystem’s front panel, select the group number of the processor on which the PS/2 Mouse Driver is to be installed. Then access Windows 95.

Note: if using a keyboard instead of a mouse, use the Alt, Tab, Arrow, and Enter keys to move and to select the buttons and options referenced in the following steps.

  1. Select the Start button by clicking on it or by pressing the Ctrl and Esc keys. The first set (list) of options appears.
  2. Select the Settings option. The "Settings" list appears.
  3. Select the Control Panel option. This opens the "Control Panel" window.
  4. From the "Control Panel" window, select the Add New Hardware icon.
  5. From the "Add New Hardware Wizard" window, click on the Next button.
  6. When prompted about whether or not Windows should search for the new hardware, select NO and click on the Next button. A list of hardware type options appears.
  7. From the Hardware Types list, select Mouse and click on the Next button. The Manufacturers and Models list appears.
  8. From the "Manufacturers and Models" list, click on the Have Disk button.
  9. Make sure the BC Series Installation diskette is in the floppy drive, and A:\ WIN95\ is the file path. Click on the OK button.
  10. When the Cubix Mouse Driver option appears, select it and click on the Next button.
  11. In response to the message "To continue installing the software needed by your hardware, click Finish," click on the Finish button. When the current window closes (in approximately 60 seconds), the installation is complete and the driver is available for immediate use. Note that rebooting the system is not required.

 

Operating the Mouse after Installation

To ensure the mouse functions properly during normal operations, be sure to "power on" the system and initiate resets as described below:

Note: Avoid moving the mouse when selecting channels and do not switch channels while the processor reboots.

 

Resetting a Processor:

Before initiating a "reset," make sure the mouse is attached and its channel selected on the subsystem’s front panel. Also, make sure the processor loads into Windows 95. When the Windows 95 screen appears, the mouse should be functional. If the mouse does not work, disconnect then reconnect the mouse connector.

 

When powering up the subsystem:

When the subsystem is powered up, make sure at least one processor completes the boot process with the mouse attached and its channel selected. If the mouse does not work, disconnect then reconnect the mouse connector.

 

NetWare Environment Installation

BCACTIVE

BCACTIVE.NLM is a NetWare Loadable Module (NLM) that supports the Cubix Supervisory System by providing an interface between the IES module and a BC processor running NetWare 3.x/4.x. To install Cubix Supervisory support on a BC processor running NetWare, first install the BCSETUP.SYS device driver on the DOS partition as previously explained in the DOS Environment Installation section. Then install BCACTIVE. NLM on the NetWare partition.

  • F Both BCSETUP.SYS and BCACTIVE.NLM must be installed with the same interrupt configuration.
    •

    To install the NLM on a BC processor functioning as a NetWare 3.X/4.x server, copy the file BCACTIVE.NLM from the NetWare subdirectory of the BC Series Software Installation Diskette to the SYSTEM subdirectory of the SYS volume of the NetWare server. Next, add the following line to the AUTOEXEC.NCF file on the NetWare partition:

    load bcactive 15

    This will load BCACTIVE.NLM with the default IRQ 15 configuration. Two interrupt levels are supported by the BC hardware: IRQ 1 0 and IRQ 15. If the IRQ 10 configuration is preferred, modify the load command as follows:

    load bcactive 10

    BCACTIVE must have a command line parameter specifying the IRQ and this must match the IRQ configuration of BCSETUP. BCACTIVE should not be loaded if BCSETUP is loaded without BC Supervisory System support (bcsetup.sys -INT= NO)

     

    Video Drivers

    Cubix currently uses the Cirrus Logic VGA video controller (CL-GD542X) on all BC F Series processor boards. This video controller is 100% VGA compatible and will run most VGA applications "out of the box." However, display drivers are available to improve the resolution for many software applications.

    When used with text-based word processing applications, the display drivers improve text resolution, providing greater readability. In graphics applications, the drivers provide greater detail by supporting higher graphics resolutions.

    If the BC is a remote control host, the enhanced resolution is often not desirable due to compatibility requirements between the host video and the video configuration on the remote PC.

    Acquiring Additional VGA Drivers

    There are currently five display driver diskettes produced by Cirrus Logic for the GD-542X chipset, as listed below:

    DOS Drivers & Utilities

    Windows 3.1 Drivers

    OS/2 v2.x Drivers

    OS/2 v2.x/Windows 3.x

    Windows NT

    Cirrus Logic releases new drivers and utilities about three times a year.

    The display drivers are not shipped with the BC processor boards, but they may be obtained by employing any of the following four methods.

    Method One

    If a hard disk drive was purchased from Cubix with a BC Series board that included integrated software (DOS, Windows, etc.), the video drivers are included on the hard drive in the directory \util\vga.

    Method Two

    The following drivers are available on the Cubix Customer Support BBS:

    K542X-Dl.ZIP DOS Drivers & Utilities

    K542X-D2.ZIP Windows 3.1 Drivers

    K542X-D3.ZIP OS/2 v2.x Drivers

    K542X-D4.ZIP OS/2 v2.x/Windows 3.x

    K542X-D5.ZIP Windows NT

    542XUG.TXT CL-GD542X Drivers User Guide

    IDCHIP.EXE Chipset Identifier Utility

    The Cubix Customer Service BBS can be reached at 702-888-1003 (no parity, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, 2400 baud and above).

    Method Three

    The drivers are available on the Cirrus Logic BBS. The phone number is 510-440-9080 (No parity, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit).

    Method Four

    For updates (diskettes and manual), call the Cirrus Logic Software Update Service. The phone number is 800-764-7200, Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm Pacific Standard Time. There is a $25.00 charge for the kit, plus shipping and handling. Prices are subject to change at the discretion of Cirrus Logic, Inc.

    This document, and all Web contents, Copyright © 1997 by Cubix Corp., Carson City, NV, USA.