AST RESEARCH, INC.        TECHNICAL BULLETIN # 1644          12/19/96 
 
 
 
TITLE:  AST/IBM Token Ring and Ascentia P
 
 
ISSUE 
 
   When the point enabler software is loaded for the AST PCMCIA 
   Token Ring adapter, early Ascentia P systems may freeze or not 
   recognize the card. There are a number of cards affected by this 
   issue.  IBM has developed a new point enabler which will allow 
   the AST, IBM, Thomas Conrad, and other IBM-based cards to 
   function in the early Ascentia P systems. 
   
   This issue affects all Ascentia P systems.    

 
BACKGROUND 
 
   N/A    

 
ACTION 
 
   Download the file <A HREF="ftp://ftp.ast.com/P-OTHER/PTRNEW.EXE">PTRNEW.EXE</A> from any of AST's On-Line! services 
   as follows:
   
      AST WWW Site:  http://www.ast.com
      AST On-Line! BBS*:  See IB0001.TXT
      CompuServe:  GO: ASTFORUM
      Prodigy:   JUMP: ASTSUPPORT
   
      * Refer to IB0001.TXT for a list of AST's 
        international BBS numbers.
   
   To decompress this file, create a temporary directory on your 
   hard drive, copy the downloaded file to that directory, and run 
   the file. 
   
   This self-extracting zip file contains the new POINTTR.SYS and 
   EN0.MSG files. Replace your original files with these updated 
   files.    

 
NOTES 
 
   On early Ascentia P systems, it may be necessary to include the 
   following command line option when loading the point enabler:
   
       PCIC=FCFC
   
   This will tell the point enabler to look for the PCMCIA 
   controller at address FCFC instead of the default address. Refer 
   to your card's documentation for this and other command line options.    

 
TAN 000400DM 
 
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