Linux-Hardware Digest #218, Volume #13 Tue, 11 Jul 00 23:13:06 EDT
Contents:
Re: CPU temperature ("Ken Sattler")
Re: Linux home server: Clean-slate hardware plan? (David C.)
Re: Help! How to partition HD for dual Linux / DOS-Win3.11 system overcoming 8GB
DOS limit (Bob Martin)
llamadas internacionales gratuitas por internet ("Summer Son")
My SoundBlaster PCI 128 is locking power management (Bjoern Lindstroem)
Re: CPU temperature (David C.)
Re: Help! How to partition HD for dual Linux / DOS-Win3.11 system overcoming 8GB
DOS limit (James Alan Brown)
Re: Mounting an ATAPI CD-RW (alex)
Re: recommended DVD players and mice for Linux Mandrake 7 (Marcus Lauer)
ftape formatting problem (mike)
Re: K6 problem (Marcus Lauer)
Re: Please Help W/My Various Problems (lost passwd, x, "LI", and just a couple more)
(Bit Twister)
Re: CPU temperature (Alex)
Re: Recognizing 3C509B NIC (Dances With Crows)
Re: Please Help W/My Various Problems (lost passwd, x, "LI", and just a couple more)
(Bit Twister)
Re: 16 bit computer (hac)
Re: kudzu,pcmcia and sound (Joe Pfeiffer)
Re: ati rage 128 pro: random placement of text lines (Joe Pfeiffer)
Re: PCI Internal Modem (Joe Pfeiffer)
Re: Integrated motherboard (Joe Pfeiffer)
Re: 16 bit computer (Joe Pfeiffer)
Re: 16 bit computer (Joe Pfeiffer)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Ken Sattler" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: CPU temperature
Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2000 19:17:13 -0400
I had the same problem last summer when I built up the system I'm using now.
I tried everything that has been suggested here and some. It did no good. I
finally set the proccessor speed down to 400 mhz and it has been running
cool as you please ever since.
Ken
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (David C.)
Subject: Re: Linux home server: Clean-slate hardware plan?
Date: 11 Jul 2000 19:26:07 -0400
Scott Alfter writes:
> David C. wrote:
>> Scott Alfter writes:
>>>
>>> I'd disagree about the on-board video part, though, if it's of the
>>> UMA variety (like most SiS chipsets support). UMA will drag down
>>> the overall performance of the computer.
>>
>> Even for text-mode? OK. That surprises me.
>
> Maybe not as much as with a GUI, but the video generator will want to
> access system memory to refresh the display. The time it spends doing
> that is time that the processor won't be able to access memory.
Right. But when there's only 8K of memory used by the video system (4K
if you're in 25-line text mode), I don't think it will be noticed.
With a 64-bit bus, that 8K will steal 1000 cycles each refresh, or
72,000 cycles each second (assuming a 72Hz refresh). With the bus
running at 100MHz, we're talking about 0.072% of the memory bandwidth.
Which I don't think anyone will miss.
Now, I completely agree with you when it comes to graphics mode,
however. A simple 800x600 16-bit display consumes a minimum of 960,000
bytes of RAM. With a 64-bit bus, that's 120,000 memory cycles per
refresh, or 8,640,000 cycles per second (at 72Hz refresh). On a 100MHz
bus, this is 8.64% of the memory bandwidth. This may or may not be
noticed.
At higher resolutions, it gets even more scary. A 1600x1200 32-bit
display consumes a minimum of 7,680,000 bytes of memory. With a 64-bit
bus, that's 960,000 cycles per refresh or 69,120,000 cycles per second
(at 72Hz refresh). On a 100MHz bus, that's 69.12% of the total
bandwidth. That will DEIFNITELY be noticed.
In other words, I feel that a UMA video system is perfectly acceptible
for text-mode applications, is probably a bad idea for low-res graphics
apps, and is absolutely a bad idea for hi-res graphics.
-- David
------------------------------
From: Bob Martin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To: comp.os.linux.setup
Subject: Re: Help! How to partition HD for dual Linux / DOS-Win3.11 system
overcoming 8GB DOS limit
Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2000 23:30:18 +0000
phil ossifer wrote:
>
> Sorry if this is a FAQ. If it is, a pointer would be appreciated (for some
> reason comp.os.linux.answers is empty on my ISP's server (primenet).
>
> I'm going to set up a new system (128MB 700 MHZ Athlon) as a dual DOS/WFW3.11
> and Linux system. It has a 30GB Western Digital hard drive (and a Zip drive).
>
> Though it will eventually become a Linux-only system for quite a while I must
> get work done using the DOS/WFW software I'm familiar with. My current problem
> is the DOS 8GB hard drive barrier. I would like to have DOS programs be able to
> read Linux's files and Linux be able to read the dos data files.
>
It won't make much difference, DOS is not going be able to access the
linux partitions as it does not understand the linux filesystem. Linux
can mount and access DOS filesystems. Just make a partition for DOS and
install it first, then install linux.
--
Bob Martin
------------------------------
Reply-To: "Summer Son" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
From: "Summer Son" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: llamadas internacionales gratuitas por internet
Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2000 23:39:18 GMT
�alguien sabe alguna direcci�n que permita realizar llamadas internacionales
a trav�s de internet, de forma realmente gratuita?.
�que programas hay que bajarse, y donde?.
Gracias.
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Bjoern Lindstroem)
Subject: My SoundBlaster PCI 128 is locking power management
Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2000 01:53:24 +0200
When I have my sb128 inserted my computer does not turn itself of
when halted, and when I try to reboot it is turned off. Does
anyone have suggestions on how to fix this (apart from plugging
the card out)?
--
Bjoern Lindstroem <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://home.swipnet.se/bkhl
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (David C.)
Subject: Re: CPU temperature
Date: 11 Jul 2000 19:58:49 -0400
"Ken Sattler" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
>
> I had the same problem last summer when I built up the system I'm
> using now. I tried everything that has been suggested here and
> some. It did no good. I finally set the proccessor speed down to 400
> mhz and it has been running cool as you please ever since.
Sounds like you've got too much stuff in your case. Seriously, an
overcrowded case can block airflow to the point that it can't be cooled
properly.
Sure, slowing down the CPU will work, but now you've got a slower
computer.
A case with better airflow (perhaps a larger one, but not necessarily)
may help. If you've got device that can be moved to external cases
(like SCSI devices), that might also be a good idea.
-- David
------------------------------
From: James Alan Brown <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To: comp.os.linux.setup
Subject: Re: Help! How to partition HD for dual Linux / DOS-Win3.11 system overcoming
8GB DOS limit
Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2000 00:30:04 GMT
phil ossifer wrote:
>
>
>
> Sorry if this is a FAQ. If it is, a pointer would be appreciated (for
some
> reason comp.os.linux.answers is empty on my ISP's server (primenet).
>
> I'm going to set up a new system (128MB 700 MHZ Athlon) as a dual
DOS/WFW3.11
> and Linux system. It has a 30GB Western Digital hard drive (and a Zip
drive).
>
> Though it will eventually become a Linux-only system for quite a while I
must
> get work done using the DOS/WFW software I'm familiar with. My current
problem
> is the DOS 8GB hard drive barrier. I would like to have DOS programs be
able to
> read Linux's files and Linux be able to read the dos data files.
>
> I got the WD "cure", but it seems to muck with the MBR and/or do other
things
> that make me feel their solution is likely to interfere with Linux or at
least
> make the DOS partitions unavailable to Linux programs.
>
> I can't be the only one who wants to run Linux and DOS on a large drive.
Anyone
> have a more transparent solution then WD's Data Lifeguard Tools? (I am
quite
> experienced with DOS's way of doing things, but a total newbie to Linux,
so
> please be gentle.) I'm sure that just running Linux with DOS emulation
and
> perhaps some WINE is in my future, but for now I must have a DOS working
system
> while I ease up to speed with Linux. Can anyone suggest a partition
layout for
> the DOS/WFW partitions (at least 8GB) that will let me smoothly add Linux
> partition(s) at a later time while having both systems access each
other's data
> files?
>
> Thanks in advance
> Phil
>
>
>
First thing Phil...
Have you yet got a Linux Destro? if so what version and company is it?
If not then go and get SuSE Linux 6.4 and I will be happy to help you
config a dual booting system using SuSE Linux there is no problem on the
size of your hard drive but unless you use a destro such as SuSE 6.4 its
not so easy to config.
With SuSE Linux you can totally customise your partitions (expert mode via
yast1) and configure dual booting on any size of hard drive. Unfortunately
with other Linux destros its not so easy.
So if you have not got a Linux destro I would suggest you go for SuSE 6.4
and email me for any help you need to set it up.
I will be most happy to help you (Free help as is the Linux way)!
I have built many dual booting systems including the Athlon 600 and it
really works well under Linux.
Regards,
James
http://www.jabcomp.force9.co.uk/
--
Posted via CNET Help.com
http://www.help.com/
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (alex)
Crossposted-To: comp.os.linux.misc,comp.os.linux.setup
Subject: Re: Mounting an ATAPI CD-RW
Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2000 00:53:36 GMT
On 09 Jul 2000 19:25:29 EDT, [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Dances With Crows)
wrote:
>Edit /etc/conf.modules with your favorite text editor, and find the line
>that says "scsi_hostadapter". Remove that line, and replace it with this
>line:
> alias scsi_hostadapter ide-scsi
>This will force loading of the ide-scsi module whenever a "SCSI" device is
>accessed, which is what you want unless you have a real SCSI bus
>somewhere.
Actually, I have the ide-scsi module loaded in rc.modules. Is there a
reason for doing it in conf.modules? The one reason I can think of is
that the kernel would automatically load/unload the module, but I have
the autoload feature disabled, so would it work?
------------------------------
From: Marcus Lauer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: recommended DVD players and mice for Linux Mandrake 7
Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2000 18:03:17 +0200
On Tue, 11 Jul 2000, Dave McKay wrote:
><[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message news:8kfhuq$7a2$[EMAIL PROTECTED]...
>The problem here is that all my Linux knowledge can be written on a grain of
>sand :)
>
Nanotechnology is going to kill that metaphor.
Just a thought.
Marcus Lauer
------------------------------
Crossposted-To: comp.os.linux.setup
Subject: ftape formatting problem
From: mike <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2000 01:10:24 GMT
Using the newest ftape and ftape-tools (although I've had this error
before this newest rev), any time I try to format a QIC-80 tape in a
Colorado Jumbo 250 I get right to the very end of formatting (when it's
verifying) and it craps out with:
ftape-io.c (ftape_seek_head_to_track) - track out of bounds.
How can I fix this? Somehow I was able to format another 307ft tape and
have been able to write/read from it just fine. But all I have is the one
tape to use. I've tried more than a few other cartridges but always get
the same thing. Erasing, formatting and verifying go perfectly fine until
the very end (and I retension before starting).
I've tried bulk-erasing, fiddling with various ftape-tool formatting
options, etc., but nothing. I've also tried 'exit' ftape-tools when I hit
the error and killing it but apparently the last thing it does it write
the tape size because if I try to use a tape that's failed this way, ftape
exits stating, 'no space on device'. Kernel is 2.2.5 and I'm using an
FC-20 adapter for which I've compiled the correct parameters and settings
in conf.modules. And like I say, the drive and the one tape I was lucky
enough to get formatted work just fine.
I don't have access to a DOS partition to format the tape(s) with
Colorado's DOS front-end either (I think everything I'd need is bigger
than a floppy also).
Thanks...
Mike
--
========================
hardymi@@@earthlink.net
Windows PC: A computer with training wheels you can't remove.
------------------------------
From: Marcus Lauer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: K6 problem
Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2000 18:06:11 +0200
On Tue, 11 Jul 2000, Scott Alfter wrote:
>In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
>Carlos Franscico Sampaio Bonaf�
> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>>I have a K6-2 300Mhz with 64MB of RAM, all programs crash after some
>>time of use...
>>The motherboard is made by pc100 and I suspect it is causing the
>>troubles
>
>It's the motherboard. PCChips motherboards are notorious for their
>flakiness.
Did he say PCChips, or PC100? The latter is a memory specification for
SDRAM capable of running on a 100Mhz bus.
Marcus Lauer
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Bit Twister)
Crossposted-To:
comp.os.linux.help,comp.os.linux.misc,comp.os.linux.questions,comp.os.linux.redhat,comp.os.linux.setup
Subject: Re: Please Help W/My Various Problems (lost passwd, x, "LI", and just a
couple more)
Reply-To: This_news_group.invalid
Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2000 01:20:03 GMT
seems the posters forgot to tell you how to change root password
linux 1
at the prompt
passwd root
------------------------------
From: Alex <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: CPU temperature
Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2000 21:32:28 -0400
"David C." wrote:
> "Ken Sattler" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
> >
> > I had the same problem last summer when I built up the system I'm
> > using now. I tried everything that has been suggested here and
> > some. It did no good. I finally set the proccessor speed down to 400
> > mhz and it has been running cool as you please ever since.
>
No offense. But if want to run my PC at 400mhz, I would get a 400 k6-3. It
is a lot cheaper than 450 mhz cpu too. It runs pretty well at this
moment... It's just running HOT.
>
> Sounds like you've got too much stuff in your case. Seriously, an
> overcrowded case can block airflow to the point that it can't be cooled
> properly.
>
I really don't have a lot of stuff in the box... Let's see, I move the
SCSI CD-RW to external. One internal SCSI cd-rom and two hard drives. The
rest of the stuffs are pretty standard. A video, sound, network and two
SCSI cards.
>
> Sure, slowing down the CPU will work, but now you've got a slower
> computer.
>
> A case with better airflow (perhaps a larger one, but not necessarily)
> may help. If you've got device that can be moved to external cases
> (like SCSI devices), that might also be a good idea.
>
I think my case is 19 inches tall... It's not that small... I have just
re-apply the thermal compound (CPU heat sink) today.
I think... My CPU gets really hot when running full load (I run setiathome
almost 24hrs a day). I stopped it for a few hours today and the
temperature seems to come down. However, I did not reboot to check the
reading. I might as well check it again tomorrow...
>
> -- David
Alex.
--
============================================
The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
http://www.seti.org/
Registered with the Linux Counter. ID# 175126
http://counter.li.org/index.html
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Dances With Crows)
Subject: Re: Recognizing 3C509B NIC
Date: 11 Jul 2000 21:35:50 EDT
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
On Tue, 11 Jul 2000 15:46:52 -0400, root
<<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> shouted forth into the ether:
>I have turned off PNP mode, and the card is set to I/O 300 and IRQ 10,
>with no conflicts. It works fine on Win98, and it worked fine with
>RedHat 5.1... but now that I have installed the new Linux Mandrake 7.1,
>it just doesn't seem to want to find it. There is not even an eth0
>listed in the /dev directory, if there is supposed to.
No, there isn't supposed to be a /dev/eth0.
>Any hints would be greatly appreciated. I'm new to screwing around with
>this stuff and this problem has been the only major annoyance. Thanks.
modprobe 3c509 irq=10 ? Linux likes 3c509s and almost always works with
them once you've turned off PnP and set the card to known good I/O and
IRQs.
If that works, edit /etc/conf.modules to include the lines
alias eth0 3c509
options eth0 irq=10
and comment out any other lines that say "alias eth0".
BTW, don't do user things as root! Reading Usenet is definitely a user
thing, as are most normal activities.
--
Matt G / Dances With Crows /\ "Man could not stare too long at the face
\----[this space for rent]-----/ \ of the Computer or her children and still
\There is no Darkness in Eternity \ remain as Man." --David Zindell "So did
But only Light too dim for us to see\ they become Gods, or Usenetters?" --/me
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Bit Twister)
Crossposted-To:
comp.os.linux.help,comp.os.linux.misc,comp.os.linux.questions,comp.os.linux.redhat,comp.os.linux.setup
Subject: Re: Please Help W/My Various Problems (lost passwd, x, "LI", and just a
couple more)
Reply-To: This_news_group.invalid
Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2000 01:36:41 GMT
for sound configuration
/usr/sbin/sndconfig
------------------------------
From: hac <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: 16 bit computer
Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2000 02:15:49 GMT
"David C." wrote:
>
> hac writes:
> >>>
> >>> (4004->8008->8080; 8086/8088 can take 8 bit assembly code recompiled
> >>> -> 80286 -> 80386 )
> >>
> >> Uh huh. Have you done this? Didn't think so.
> >
> > "8086/8088 SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PACKAGE
> >
> > ...CONV86 converter for conversion of 8080/8085 assembly language
> > source code to 8086/8088 assembly language source..."
> >
> > "The package permits 8080/8085 users to efficiently convert existing
> > programs into 8086/8088 object code from either 8080/8085 assembly
> > language source code or PL/M source code."
> >
> > Page B-153, "The 8086 Family User's Manual", October 1979 Edition.
>
> This doesn't mean the chips share a common machine language.
So what? That's not what he claimed. It's not what you questioned.
"...8086/8088 can take 8 bit assembly code recompiled..." Absolutely
true. You doubted that he had ever done this. I don't, since I know
people who did do it. Intel supported it. Microsoft depended on
people porting their CP/M programs to DOS through such means.
To quote Intel again, "This 8080/8085 to 8086 mapping allows most
existing 8080/8085 program code to be directly translated into
8086/8088 code."
The x86 family is backwards compatible with 8080 assembly code. The
opcodes are different. The assembler syntax has minor differences.
But each 8080 register has an x86 register, each 8080 flag bit has an
x86 flag bit, and each 8080 instruction has an x86 instruction that
causes the same action, with the same result. Because of the binary
opcode difference, self-modifying code needs to be tweaked.
Interrupts are slightly different. The 8085-only RIM and SIM
instructions don't map. But everything else translates right over.
There really is the functional equivalent of an 8080 in every PIII.
Just as there is the equivalent of DOS in Windows, and the equivalent
of CP/M in DOS.
None of this has any great interest for me. I lived through this
period, supporting assemblers and debuggers, and remember the 8086
introduction. I just don't like to see someone "corrected" when they
were right to begin with.
--
Howard Christeller Irvine, CA [EMAIL PROTECTED]
------------------------------
From: Joe Pfeiffer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To: comp.os.linux.setup,comp.os.linux.portable,comp.os.linux.misc
Subject: Re: kudzu,pcmcia and sound
Date: 11 Jul 2000 19:58:11 -0600
[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Edward A. Falk) writes:
>
> Kudzu recognized & configured my modem on first boot, but now I see
> no reason to leave it turned on.
OTOH, I don't see any really good reason to turn it off. It runs at
startup and goes away; I don't have to reboot often enough for that to
be a problem!
> What's the "proper" way to disable an rc script? I usually rename
> the file from "S99xxx" to "s99xxx", but I don't know if there's
> a better way.
Somebody else suggested chkconfig; that works fine, but being old and
lazy I've started doing things like that from control-panel (I'll bet
there's some really *ugly* history behind the existence of both
control-panel and linuxconf!).
> Also, am I the only one who thinks that "kudzu" is a stupid name
> for a piece of system software? I prefer names that *mean* something,
> rather than having to read the source just to figure out WTF this
> does.
I'd agree -- but having named my last few projects after a composer
(see, if you take Graphical Graph Grammar Editor (two dimensional)
that gives you GGGEb, which sounds like the opening of Beethoven's
Fifth Symphony, so it was called Ludwig), a character in a movie
(Altaira, from ``Forbidden Planet'' since Robby the Robot was
introduced in that movie, and it was a robot control language) and a
science fiction writer (Isaac, since Asimov coined the term
``robotics'' and it was another robot control language), I'd be a
hypocrite...
--
Joseph J. Pfeiffer, Jr., Ph.D. Phone -- (505) 646-1605
Department of Computer Science FAX -- (505) 646-1002
New Mexico State University http://www.cs.nmsu.edu/~pfeiffer
VL 2000 Homepage: http://www.cs.orst.edu/~burnett/vl2000/
------------------------------
From: Joe Pfeiffer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: ati rage 128 pro: random placement of text lines
Date: 11 Jul 2000 20:09:31 -0600
Bob Terrell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
>
> Does anyone have a solution to this?
The driver on the SuSE site works (I had exactly the symptoms you
report with the standard 3.3.6 driver from RH 6.2; the SuSE driver
fixed it).
--
Joseph J. Pfeiffer, Jr., Ph.D. Phone -- (505) 646-1605
Department of Computer Science FAX -- (505) 646-1002
New Mexico State University http://www.cs.nmsu.edu/~pfeiffer
VL 2000 Homepage: http://www.cs.orst.edu/~burnett/vl2000/
------------------------------
From: Joe Pfeiffer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: PCI Internal Modem
Date: 11 Jul 2000 20:03:13 -0600
"Clifford A. Brown" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
> Unless manufacturers have started putting reset or power button/switches
> on their internal modems then it would probably be best to get an
> external modem for any UNIX/LINUX system. The only way to reset an
> internal modem when it gets into an unresponsive state is to reboot the
> system.
While that's true, I don't think my 3Com 56K PCI modem has ever
entered an unresponsive state.
--
Joseph J. Pfeiffer, Jr., Ph.D. Phone -- (505) 646-1605
Department of Computer Science FAX -- (505) 646-1002
New Mexico State University http://www.cs.nmsu.edu/~pfeiffer
VL 2000 Homepage: http://www.cs.orst.edu/~burnett/vl2000/
------------------------------
From: Joe Pfeiffer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: Integrated motherboard
Date: 11 Jul 2000 19:48:25 -0600
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
>
> Well... when I was shopping for my motherboard, the bare-bones
> versions ran about $220. Mine, which had onboard SCSI and ethernet,
> was $300. The cost of a comparable SCSI card (an AHA-2940UW) was,
> IIRC, at least $150. The cost of a comparable ethernet card was at
> least $70. That's nearly $450 for the whole set if I'd bought it
> piecemeal, and I'd come out two PCI slots short of where I am now.
Good grief! What boards are those?? I just paid ~ $80 for a Gigabyte
motherboard...
> The other factor to consider is that it's extremely difficult to find
> high-end motherboards with nothing integrated.
Well, ``nothing'' is a pretty strong requirement. But it's easy to
find them without video, sound, modem, or ethernet.
>
> I know nothing about UDMA/66 or whatever it is, because all drives
> should operate using the One True Interface, SCSI.
That certainly raises the price...
--
Joseph J. Pfeiffer, Jr., Ph.D. Phone -- (505) 646-1605
Department of Computer Science FAX -- (505) 646-1002
New Mexico State University http://www.cs.nmsu.edu/~pfeiffer
VL 2000 Homepage: http://www.cs.orst.edu/~burnett/vl2000/
------------------------------
From: Joe Pfeiffer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: 16 bit computer
Date: 11 Jul 2000 20:15:48 -0600
[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Kenneth R�rvik) writes:
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] (sanjeev) wrote in
> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
>
> >Hallo everybody
> >I have a very basic question:
> >What does te mean by 16 bit computer or 32 bit computer etc.?
>
> This refers to the width of the data-bus in the computer, i.e how many bits
> can be transferred at a time (a bus-clockcycle) on the databus. There are
> several buses in a computer system, for example the databus, address bus or
> even the PCI or ISA bus. A bus in this context means the interface between
> different parts of the computer.
>
> However, I am no bus-expert, so if anyone has corrections feel free .)
The term can really mean the width of many different parts of the
system. It has been used to mean the width of the integer registers
(probably the most common use), the width of the ALU (there have been
machines that implemented a 32-bit add as four 8-bit adds), the width
of the path between the CPU and memory.... Calling it the width of
the integer registers is probably the closest thing to a standard
definition (but I'll bet somebody will argue with me!).
Some manufacturers have tried to be honest about their machines
capabilities, and quoted the widths of several different parts. For
instance, Motorola referred to the 68000 as a 16/32 bit machine, since
it had a 16 bit data path to memory and 32 bit integer registers.
--
Joseph J. Pfeiffer, Jr., Ph.D. Phone -- (505) 646-1605
Department of Computer Science FAX -- (505) 646-1002
New Mexico State University http://www.cs.nmsu.edu/~pfeiffer
VL 2000 Homepage: http://www.cs.orst.edu/~burnett/vl2000/
------------------------------
From: Joe Pfeiffer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: 16 bit computer
Date: 11 Jul 2000 20:17:37 -0600
[EMAIL PROTECTED] (David C.) writes:
>
> This doesn't mean the chips share a common machine language. It only
> means that the people writing the documentation chose to use similar
> mnemonics for the new opcodes.
>
> Big deal. With that as a definition of "compatible", I can also claim
> that a 6800 is compatible with a 68040.
No, the definition is fuzzy, but there is a very clear mapping from
the 8080 registers and op codes to the 8086 registers and op codes, to
the point that it was reasonable to just assemble 8080 code to run on
an 8086.
You are right that they did not share a common (or even supersetted)
machine language.
--
Joseph J. Pfeiffer, Jr., Ph.D. Phone -- (505) 646-1605
Department of Computer Science FAX -- (505) 646-1002
New Mexico State University http://www.cs.nmsu.edu/~pfeiffer
VL 2000 Homepage: http://www.cs.orst.edu/~burnett/vl2000/
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