Skip site navigation (1)Skip section navigation (2)
Date:      Mon, 20 May 1996 20:40:03 -0700 (PDT)
From:      Jim Dennis <jimd@mistery.mcafee.com>
To:        njensen@habaneros.com (Neil C. Jensen)
Cc:        questions@FreeBSD.org
Subject:   Re: tip & system hang-up
Message-ID:  <199605210340.UAA06819@mistery.mcafee.com>
In-Reply-To: <01BB4648.3DE618A0@jalapeno.habaneros.com> from "Neil C. Jensen" at May 20, 96 12:31:08 pm

next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
> 
> I just installed a modem, however, whenever I try and send it commands =
> via tip, it hangs-up my system so badly that I have to hard reboot. The =
> specifics are:
> 
> FreeBSD 2.1R
> USR Sportster 14.4 internal, IRQ3 COM2
> kernel configured for sio1 at 0x2f8-0x2ff irq 3 on isa.  type 16450 (I =
> am on an old 486SX)
> using ttyd1, cuaa1, etc.
> added V.32bis settings to /etc/gettytab per directions in Handbook
> added /etc/ttys mods: ttyd1 "/usr/libexec/getty" V19200 vt102 on
> 
> I can connect to the modem using either 'tip' or 'cu' (logged in as =
> root).
> I get the 'connected' prompt.
> If I exit without sending the modem any 'AT' commands I am disconnected =
> properly.
> Once I am connected, if I try and send the modem any commands at all =
> (ex. 'AT') the entire system hangs. The only way I can get back in is to =
> hard reboot the system.

	It is almost certainly an IRQ conflict.  Do you have DOS installed
	on a partition of the hard drive?  Do you have access to 
	Norton Utilities (7 or 8 or later)?  Try NDIAGS to identify the
	problem.  It was my personal experience that NDIAGS from Norton
	was *much* better than AMIDIAGS, System Sleuth, or CheckIt
	(and that opinion is truly not related to the fact that I used to
	work in their support department -- I had a low opinion of the 
	competition before I even knew that they were working on NDIAGS).

Jim Dennis,
System Administrator,
McAfee Associates
 
> I seem to recall someone on the list having a similar problem just a few =
> weeks ago, but I can't seem to find it in the archives.
> 
> Does anyone have any suggestions?

	Most likely it would be a conflict with an existing COM port
	(maybe your motherboard or IDE multi-function card as a COM port
	on it that is not disabled -- some *cannot* be properly disabled
	regardless of how you set their jumpers).  If you have an 
	ether card -- these commonly default to IRQ 3.  Maybe you can
	isolate and fix it with just that lead.  Otherwise isolation will
	get uglier.

	If you can't find a good PC hardware diagnostics package (and those 
	are *all* DOS based as far as I know) -- try the hardware technician's
	equivalent of brute force (I was a field service rep before I got
	into software tech support -- which was before I did a stint in 
	SQA and that was before I landed here in IS).

	Take everything out of the system except the video card.  Find
	a simple IDE paddle card (no I/O -- no printer port, not SCSI
	just IDE).  Get the system to boot like that (I realize this 
	might be painful if you're current drive is SCSI -- but it may
	be necessary).  Now put just the internal modem.  Try it.  If 
	that fails take out the internal and try just a serial card
	with an external modem.

	Personally (and I know you aren't going to like hearing this)
	I'd get rid of the internal modem, get a good STB or Boca
	serial card with a 16550AFN UART and an external modem.  These 
	are only a bit more expensive but they are worth the premium 
	for the life of the devices.  It is *so* much more reliable and 
	*so* much easier to troubleshoot than an internal.

	I've permanently banned internal modems from all my systems and 
	had multiple employers and customers commit to throwing out all
	that they had -- and standardizing on "real" modems.

	(I've been a BBS SysOp and supported PCAnywhere as well -- I also
	 used to support Concurrent DOS for both remote and multi-user
	(PCTerminals) applications -- I have a bit of experience with
	modems (though surprising little of it is related to Unix --
	just set up the one at home on the linux box as a dial in
	under mgetty once and use minicom sometimes).
	
> Thanks in advance.

	You're welcome.  I hope you get it before it gets to you?
	(I'm fighting with a DigiBoard intelligent EISA host adapter and
	a 16 port serial concentrator under TSX-32 right now -- no matter
	how long I stand in this game serial hardware gets harder to 
	configure)!

> Neil Jensen
> Habanero Studios Ltd.
> Vancouver, Canada

Jim Dennis,
System Administrator,
McAfee Associates
 



Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?199605210340.UAA06819>