At 01:13 AM 2/7/1999 Chew Yoke Lim wrote:
>
>I have a 386DX-33 machine running Windows 3.11. . . .
>
>The first is that it has a 8250 UART chip. . .
>
>The second is that it does not have LBA support. . . .
>
>The third is that although I have installed a CD-ROM drive, I have
>never been able to use it. . . .
>
>I reckoned that the solution to . . . would be installing [an
>EIDE controller]. . .


Lim:

Yes, you need EIDE (ATA-2 or higher) for LBA and CDROM
support. For more information, you can read the Enhanced
IDE/Fast-ATA/ATA-2 FAQ at:

 ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/pc-hardware-faq/enhanced-IDE/

Even if cost is the deciding factor, the better solution
is to upgrade to a new/used Pentium Classic (P54C) or MMX
(P55C) motherboard (or better) with on-board EIDE (and LBA)
support. Cost is the same as the EIDE controller card
itself and you get so many other benefits.

The newer BIOS, I/O subsystem, faster/wider bus, and
improved chipset support are worth the upgrade, even if
the total cost is a little more than the EIDE controller
by itself.

In the U.S., at computer shows, you can usually get an
used Pentium 100 classic with motherboard for under $50,
which is cheaper than a new Promise EIDE controller.
72-pin SIMMs can still be found for about $1.50 per MB
(add in pairs).

Your 386DX is long in the tooth and there are other inherent
BIOS limitations in addition to those you are experiencing
now. Better to upgrade the entire platform rather than a
piece of it.

Regards,

John

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