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5160 + WD8003E/A Problem

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Raven

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I got my WD8003E/A in the mail today, 8-bit ISA Ethernet with RJ45 and AUI ports if you're not familiar. Anywho, I looked around on the net, and found no info on this specific card - stason had two similar cards, but not the /A variety, and not the same jumper numbering/layout.

I popped the card in, figuring that perhaps whatever the defaults were will be OK. It didn't cause any errors or anything, so I proceeded to find the packet driver on Crynwr (smc_wd). I put it on the 5160 and ran it as "smc_wd 0x60". It prints "The memory present at this address does not belong to WD/SMC/IBM". I tried 0x66, 0x62, same problems. I assume it needs some kind of I/O address change on the card and/or the driver, but I am unsure how to change it due to the lack of documentation.

Perhaps someone knows a source, has documentation, or knows due to owning one themselves?

Thanks.

Edit: BTW - I've seen this (http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/showthread.php?14344-Problem-with-WD8003W-and-a-PC-XT) thread, but it doesn't really help much except to confirm what I think the problem is. I'm going to toy around with the I/O address parameter though, perhaps I don't need to change a card setting.. Will let you guys know.

Also, I just tried setting additional options. When I specify the hardware IRQ (hardwired on the card with a resistor to 5) it warns me that "the hard disk on an XT usually uses IRQ 5. Use a different interrupt". I'm using the original XEBEC controller, so I'd expect this is the case. The HDD has been having some trouble (losing data, I have to re-sys it and re-copy files almost every time I use the machine after letting it sit overnight) so I've been pondering putting my XTIDE in it and a replacement newer HDD. That would solve the IRQ problem if I'm correct about the problem, but TBH I'd rather keep working with the HDD and try to get it working more stably rather than replace it, as it's the original full-height.
 
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Does this help?

Code: 
  JUMPER  PIN              FUNCTION SELECTED
  BLOCK   NUMBERS   NAME   WHEN JUMPER IS INSTALLED
  ------  --------  ----   ----------------------------
  W1       1-2      Zero   Select zero wait states for optimized
                    Wait   operation in a 6MHz AT.  (Factory
                           setting is jumper removed, which
                           ensures correct operation in faster
                           AT bus systems.)  This jumper is 
                           ignored in XT bus systems.

  W1             I/O Base  Selects the I/O Base Address
                  Address  (Up to 3 jumpers)

         3-4*,5-6*,9-10*   280 -- the factory setting
         5-6, 9-10         2A0
         3-4, 9-10         2C0
         9-10              2E0
         3-4, 5-6, 7-8     300
         5-6, 7-8          320
         3-4, 7-8          340

  W2     1-2      IRQ7     Interrupt request level.
         3-4      IRQ6     Only one jumper may be installed at a
         5-6      IRQ5     time.
         7-8      IRQ4
         9-10*    IRQ3     (Factory setting is IRQ3)
         11-12    IRQ2

  W3     1-2*     AUI-     Ethernet type: pins all jumpered to
         3-4*     BNC      use J1 BNC connector for this Ethernet
         5-6*              cable (* - the factory setting).
         7-8*              Jumpers all removed to use J2 AUI
         9-10*             connector (thick Ethernet cable).
         11-12*

  W4     1-2    Ethernet   Jumper removed for thin Ethernet and
                Version    IEEE 802.3/Version 2 thick Ethernet
                           (the factory setting);  jumper in-
                           stalled for thick Ethernet Version 1.

  W5     1-2*    Segment   Selects thin Ethernet segment length:
                 Length    jumpered for IEEE 802.3 standard 185m
                           length (*-the factory setting); jumper
                           removed for 300m extended length.

== Additiional Jumpers On ==
== EtherCard PLUS With ROM Socket Only (WD8003EBT) ==

  JUMPER  PIN              FUNCTION SELECTED
  BLOCK   NUMBERS   NAME   WHEN JUMPER IS INSTALLED
  ------  --------  ----   ----------------------------
  W6      Open      ROM    C0000 (16K, 32K, 64K ROMs)
          1-2       Base   C4000 (16K ROMs)
          3-4      Address C8000 (16K, 32K ROMs)
          1-2, 3-4         CC000 (16K ROMs)
          5-6              D0000 (16K, 32K, 64K ROMs)
          1-2, 5-6         D4000 (16K ROMs)
          3-4*, 5-6*       D8000 (16K, 32K ROMs)--factory setting
          1-2, 3-4, 5-6    DC000 (16K ROMs)
                           (NOTE:  Do not use addresses C0000
                           or C4000 for Boot ROMs)

  W6      7-8*,9-10* ROM   ROM Disabled -- the factory setting
  W9      3-4*       Size       "
  W10     3-4*                  "

  W6      Open       ROM   16 Kbytes ROM
  W9      3-4        Size       "
  W10     3-4                   "

  W6      7-8        ROM   32 Kbytes ROM
  W9      3-4        Size       "
  W10     1-2                   "

  W6      9-10       ROM   64 Kbytes ROM
  W9      1-2        Size       "
  W10     1-2                   "

  W7      3-4*       RAM   8 Kbytes RAM -- the factory setting
  W8      3-4*       Buffer    "
  W11     2-3*       Size      "  (NOTE:  valid 8 Kbyte RAM base
                           addresses are C0000, C2000, C8000,
                           CA000, D0000, D2000, D8000 and DA000.)

  W7      1-2        RAM   32 Kbytes RAM
  W8      1-2        Buffer       "
  W11     1-2        Size         "      (NOTE:  valid 32 Kbyte RAM
                           base addresses are C0000, C8000,
                           D0000 and D8000.)
 
The error message isn't about the software interrupt number. It is referring to the shared memory region that the WD8003 needs.

The shared memory region to use is not set by jumpers - it's done using software. On the command line for the packet driver you should be able to tell it the memory range to assign the onboard RAM to. Try a few different values, and use one that does not conflict with other memory in the machine. That should get you past that error.
 
The problem is that as soon as I start specifying the IRQ (second parameter after the sint) it buggers out over that, so I can't supply the memory region without incurring at least that other error.

And thanks Chuck, I'm sure that will help (if not now, at some point).
 
Chuck(G) said:
Does this help?
Click to expand...
Actually, I just pulled the card to see if any of this can help, and aside from W1 and the ROM size jumpers nothing is like my card. It has resistors soldered to determine IRQ (set to 5) and aside frome W1 and the unnumbered ROM jumpers, it has W21 which is otherwise unlabeled and not mentioned in this list you posted.

Edit: I've been going by the number on the bag it came in, perhaps this is it's proper model:
WD8003W D 21912

I am going to try taking the HDD controller (supposed to also be IRQ5) out and seeing if it has IRQ settings, if not I'll try running the netcard w/o it to see if that's the problem.
 
I had to reread the entire thread again to get my head around it.

You said the IRQ select has jumpers, but one was soldered on IRQ5? Does this look like it was done at the factory, or was it a home hack job? I'd be really surprised if it came from the factory like this - not being able to set the IRQ and having it conflict with the hard drive IRQ would be a serious no-no.

When you say the packet driver 'buggers out' after specifying the IRQ, is that because it doesn't match what is hard configured on the card, or does it just say something more like 'You are not allowed to set the IRQ for this card'?

My variant of the card is the WD8003WT. I can set everything. IRQ and IO addresses are set on the card, while the shared memory base address is set on the packet driver.

IRQ and I/O port addresses obviously can't conflict with anything else in your system, so if it is hard-wired for IRQ5 that is a nasty card. But these cards also have shared memory on them (not the ROM!) for buffering packets. You have to be able to set that on the packet driver command line, or live with the default setting. And there can't be anything else at that memory location either. (Use DEBUG before installing the card to probe the target area, or find a utility that can map used/unused memory regions above 640K.)
 
mbbrutman said:
IRQ and I/O port addresses obviously can't conflict with anything else in your system, so if it is hard-wired for IRQ5 that is a nasty card. But these cards also have shared memory on them (not the ROM!) for buffering packets. You have to be able to set that on the packet driver command line, or live with the default setting. And there can't be anything else at that memory location either. (Use DEBUG before installing the card to probe the target area, or find a utility that can map used/unused memory regions above 640K.)
Click to expand...

I have the exact same problem as Raven, and I believe it may be some timing issue with the buffer RAM. I am convinced that it's not a conflict issue because when I tried to get it working; I made completely sure none of the settings conflicted with anything, and I tried several settings for both the hardware and the driver.

When I tried to install my card in my IBM XT, the driver had the exact same issues as Raven's driver. I tried about 40 times, and it would only install correctly once. After it correctly installed, I uninstalled it and tried to reinstall it with the exact same settings as when it would correctly install. That second attempt did not work, and I have now given up on getting this card to work in an XT (it works perfectly fine in any 486).

So, I think it must either be a timing issue regarding the memory (TC5563APL-10), or it may be that the driver isn't properly written to support the timing of an IBM XT.
 
I doubt that you have the same problem. I'm still waiting for Raven to confirm it, but he said his card is permanently jumpered to IRQ5, which to me sounds completely wrong. If it was done, it was a bad modification.

As for the onboard RAM, I am quite sure that these cards are designed to work in 4.77Mhz PCs and XTs. They are 8 bit cards from the era. My WD8003 even works in my PCjr!

There are a lot of jumpers to configure .. and there are several versions of the packet driver that you can try out too before giving up on the card.


Mike
 
mbbrutman said:
I doubt that you have the same problem. I'm still waiting for Raven to confirm it, but he said his card is permanently jumpered to IRQ5, which to me sounds completely wrong. If it was done, it was a bad modification.
Click to expand...

My card is also permanently jumpered to IRQ5 by factory, by the surface-mount resistor "R7" labeled "000". However, I didn't have any HDDs or HDD controllers in my XT at that point.

The only jumpers on the card are W1 (Init 280), W9 (ROM Size) and W21. All other variable settings are stored within an EEPROM somewhere on the card. This may indicate that my (and possibly Raven's) card is of a different version than your card. My card is manufactured in late 1991, about the time WD sold it's networking division to SMC.

As of packet drivers, I could only find two. One (from Crynwr) have the issues described here, the other (from a SMC driver-disk) just crashes; sometimes giving me "divide error"s.
 
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Once again, it makes no sense to hard jumper an 8 bit card to one IRQ that is known to be in use. XT class hard drive controllers used IRQ5.

Are these cards supposed to be soft configured with a utility program? That would explain the curious lack of jumpers. I've been finding this page very helpful: http://www.stack.nl/~marcolz/network/wd80x3.html . There are some links to utility programs there for diagnostics and settings that you might have tried already, but if not will be very useful.

My card is old enough where the IRQ and IO ports have to be set by jumper, but the DRAM on the card is soft configured by the packet driver.
 
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mbbrutman said:
Are these cards supposed to be soft configured with a utility program? That would explain the curious lack of jumpers.
Click to expand...

That's correct. The setup program that can be found in the link you have is the same I used to setup my card. The program will work on an XT, so that's not a problem. However, the Packet driver on that link is the ones that crashes on my XT.

What version of the packet driver do you use?
 
I figured it was the driver, and when I retried with another driver I found on the Crynwr site, it worked (at least with a boot disk of DOS 6.2).

This is the driver (file PKT8000.COM):
http://www.crynwr.com/drivers/smcpkt5.zip

It would be interesting to se what results Raven gets if he tries this version.
 
Good - I have not had a chance to figure up the PCjr to get it's packet driver, but it smelled like a software configuration or packet driver issue.

So does the new packet driver allow you to set the IRQ from the command line? Or are you using the configuration utils?
 
mbbrutman said:
Good - I have not had a chance to figure up the PCjr to get it's packet driver, but it smelled like a software configuration or packet driver issue.

So does the new packet driver allow you to set the IRQ from the command line? Or are you using the configuration utils?
Click to expand...

It seems like the setup program allows me to set the IRQ setting, so I think the actual labeling on the card may be missleading in that case. The setup program is called "EZSETUP.EXE", and it's found in a self-extracting file called "gez122.exe"
 
I was unaware of these configuration utilities, so that will likely help. As for drivers, I tried every single packet driver I could get my hands on - every one from crynwr and every one in an FTP around the 'net that I could find. I will post back with results when I get the opportunity to put the card back in my XT and try stuff out.

As for the hard-jumpering it's a very neat soldering job of a resistor, as per said, so it does look factory-done (or at least card-maker-professional done).
 
Raven said:
As for the hard-jumpering it's a very neat soldering job of a resistor, as per said, so it does look factory-done (or at least card-maker-professional done).
Click to expand...

It seems like that is actually only for one of the IRQ settings. It does respond just perfectly to IRQ2, IRQ3, and IRQ7. That "jumper" is just if the final remaining option should be IRQ4, IRQ5 or IRQ6 (IRQ5 in our case).
 
I see. Sounds like it should work fine once I get that EZSETUP program up and running with it to configure. Thanks for the info.

I've been working on my 300mhz Pentium/Voodoo 2 box today, so I can't say when I'll get around to working on the 5160 again, but it should be within a week.
 
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