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AT serial & Prolok [message #112656] Mon, 16 September 2013 13:50
Anonymous
Karma:
Originally posted by: jdk@ecsvax.UUCP (Jack Kite)
Message-ID: <535@ecsvax.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 21-Jan-85 17:19:27 EST
Article-I.D.: ecsvax.535
Posted: Mon Jan 21 17:19:27 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 25-Jan-85 05:39:56 EST
Organization: NC Educational Computing Service
Lines: 44



    Between semesters this X-mas, I installed for a friend a satellite
based financial quote system ( stocks, options, etc.).	The software
from the vendor was written for an ibmpc xt but I received assurances
it would run on the ibmpc AT.  Since hard disk AT's are currently rare
in the Raleigh area, I bought a non-enhanced AT -- equiped it with
an ibm AT serial/parallel adapter, finished populating the system board
to 512kB, added the 128kB board for 640kB ( software requirement ),
and added a second 1.2mega-byte drive (B).
    Observations:
    1. On page 3 of the supplement for the serial/parallel adapter
       from the Technical Reference (1502494) for the AT there is a
       picture of the J1 jumper that must be configured for the serial
       port lineup - port1/port2.  It is of course backwards which you
       can verify by examining the circuit diagram on page 27.	What is
       particularly aggravating about this error is it just configures
       the interrupts ( 3&4 ) , so when you first set up the machine
       ( for port 1 ) and run your favorite asynchronous communication
       program everything appears to work, until you encounter packaged
       software that sets up a protocol using the interrupt.
    2. The software came copy protected with Prolok (tm?? of Vault Corp.?)
       on the standard 360kB floppy disk.  So the question is - can the
       fingerprint be read on a 1.2mb disk drive? --> a non-deterministic Yes!
       It turns out that the software vendor loads a large driver ( for
       communication with the satellite decoder ) in background.  He does
       this over the objection of the Prolok system which states I am using
       an unauthorized copy.  The complete system loads but does not run.
       After an exit to DOS (from vendor software) and another initiation
       of the vendor's software, Prolok does read the fingerprint and the
       program is allowed to run.  The conclusion is some bit is set in
       DOS that allows Prolok to read the disk as a 360kB disk.  The obvious
       problem is when does this bit get set.  Therefore if you are in the
       market for software for the AT that has the Prolok scheme on it, you
       should make sure you can return it for a refund prior to purchase.
    3. There has been talk on the net about Lauren's satellite project. I'd
       like to comment that last night we had an ice storm here in Raleigh
       that coated the satellite dish.	We never lost the signal and instead
       of Lauren's 300 baud setup, we are running 9600 baud!  Let's all
       wish the stargate project success.

			 Jack Kite    (jdk @ecsvax)  NCSU
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