126 lines
5.3 KiB
Plaintext
126 lines
5.3 KiB
Plaintext
What's The Difference
|
||
Between The BE3011
|
||
and SmartROM?
|
||
|
||
|
||
BE3011 - BIOS TABLE EXPANDER TABLE
|
||
|
||
The BE3011 (also known as BE, BTE, and BETTY) is basically just
|
||
what it is called; a BIOS Table Expander. The BE3011 is a ROM that
|
||
has a table of drive geometry entries ranging in capacity of 80MB
|
||
to 1G and is used to compliment the drive geometry entries that
|
||
already exist in the BIOS Table on the motherboard.
|
||
|
||
Most motherboard BIOS's, however, only have drive geometry support
|
||
in the standard range for up to a 140MB disk drive. This standard
|
||
range is commonly known as "Drive Types 1-46". Some BIOS's do
|
||
offer an expanded table beyond Type 46 and, in some cases, a User
|
||
Definable Disk Drive Type (or UDP, for User Definable Parameters).
|
||
However, because the DPT controller emulates the WD1003 disk
|
||
controller, it cannot utilize "standard" Drive Types that exceed
|
||
number 46 because this secondary drive table is stored in different
|
||
areas of system ROM on every
|
||
machine depending on the BIOS manufacturer. The Drive Type range
|
||
of 1-46 is standardized on every machine, however, and can be found
|
||
at system ROM address F000:E679. The UDP type can be used with the
|
||
DPT controller even though it does not appear in the standard Type
|
||
1-46 range. Refer to UDP.TXT or read Bulletin 7 on the Technical
|
||
Support BBS for details on installing with UDP's.
|
||
|
||
As the inability to have support for large capacity disk drives in
|
||
the standard Type 1-46 range became more apparent, DPT developed
|
||
the BE3011 BIOS Table Expander. The BE3011 sets the motherboard
|
||
CMOS to Type 1 (typically a 10MB drive entry) and sets up a
|
||
software vector (INT41) so that whenever the operating system makes
|
||
a disk call to Type 1, it will skip over the 10MB entry listed and
|
||
follow the vector to the BE3011 address (typically C800) where the
|
||
DPT drive table is stored. The installation of the BE3011 table
|
||
into system memory is accomplished by running DPTFMT on the disk
|
||
drive to be used.
|
||
|
||
|
||
WHEN TO USE THE BE3011
|
||
|
||
The BE3011 is only needed when using an operating system that is
|
||
BIOS dependant, and you are using a DPT controller in emulation
|
||
mode, and the hard disk you want to install is not supported by
|
||
your motherboard BIOS. Although the BE3011 is compatible with all
|
||
DPT controllers, it is usually only used on the PM3011 and PM2001
|
||
controllers. The BE3011 comes standard on the PM3011 controller
|
||
and is available as on option on the PM2001. PM2011 and PM2012
|
||
controllers usually take advantage of DPT SmartDrivers or SmartROM
|
||
thus eliminating the need for the BE3011. The following chart
|
||
shows which operating systems need the BE3011 and which do not:
|
||
|
||
Operating System Needs BIOS Expansion
|
||
-------------------------------------------------
|
||
Interactive YES
|
||
MS/PC DOS YES
|
||
Novell 2.1x, 2.2x, 3.x YES
|
||
OS/2 YES
|
||
PCMOS YES
|
||
Concurrent DOS YES
|
||
PICK YES
|
||
Microport UNIX NO
|
||
SCO UNIX NO
|
||
Xenix NO
|
||
QNX NO
|
||
THEOS NO
|
||
Novell 2.0x *
|
||
|
||
* Novell 2.0x will not operate with the BE3011. The DUB14 from
|
||
Golden Bow Systems is recommended and like the BE3011, will socket
|
||
directly onto the PM3011 or PM2001 controller.
|
||
|
||
|
||
BR401x - SmartROM
|
||
|
||
The SmartROM (also known as SR and DPT BIOS) is slightly more than
|
||
just a table entry as it has intelligence. Instead of having a
|
||
table of drive geometries, SmartROM instead formulates it's own
|
||
drive geometry based on the capacity of the drive installed.
|
||
SmartROM uses a 64 head 32 sector 1 cylinder = 1MB algorithm
|
||
(example: 350MB drive would have a SmartROM geometry of 350
|
||
cylinders, 64 heads, and 32 sectors). SmartROM is used primarily
|
||
for DOS, and because SmartROM sets the system CMOS to NO DRIVES
|
||
INSTALLED, SmartROM is not limited to the 528MB DOS limitation
|
||
we've all come to know and hate.
|
||
|
||
|
||
WHEN TO USE SMARTROM
|
||
|
||
SmartROM is used primarily for DOS, and is poses no benefits for
|
||
any other operating system besides DOS.
|
||
|
||
SmartROM is compatible with MS/PC DOS versions 3.3 through 5.0 on
|
||
the PM2012, PM2011, PM2001, and PM3011E/75 controllers. Benefits
|
||
include:
|
||
|
||
PM2012 - SmartROM provides DOS EISA enhanced mode, Bus Mastering,
|
||
support for hard disks over 528MB, support for tape drives, support
|
||
for CDROM drives, and support for multiple 2012 controllers.
|
||
Download SUPDEV.TXT for details on supported devices.
|
||
|
||
PM2011 - SmartROM provides DOS support for hard disks over 528MB,
|
||
support for tape drives, support for CDROM drives, and support for
|
||
multiple 2011 controllers. Download SUPDEV.TXT for details on
|
||
supported devices.
|
||
|
||
PM2001 - SmartROM provides DOS support for hard disks over 528MB,
|
||
support for tape drives, support for CDROM drives, and support for
|
||
multiple 2001 controllers. Download SUPDEV.TXT for details on
|
||
supported devices.
|
||
|
||
PM3011E/75 - SmartROM provides DOS support for hard disks over
|
||
528MB.
|
||
|
||
For operating systems other than DOS, the above benefits may be
|
||
achieved with the installation of a DPT SmartDriver. Download
|
||
UDP.TXT from the Technical Support BBS for details on SmartDriver
|
||
benefits.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|