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Token-Ring Network 16/4 Busmaster

@8FC8.ADF IBM Token-Ring Network 16/4 Busmaster Server Adapter/A

TRMBUSM2.EXE Drivers/Diags/Option v3.0 (1.44MB version)
bk8r2000 T-R Network 16/4 Busmaster Server Adapter/A Interface HERE

TR Network 16/4 Busmaster
   Another Version?
16/4 Busmaster Repressed Memories
Error Messages
Calculate MAXTRANSMITS and MINRCVBUFFS
ADF Sections

TR 16/4 Busmaster "Monterey", P/N 74F4134 / 74F8653   / 93F1277

This is a 16-bit adapter. Only 5 signals from the 32-bit extension are used: -APAREN (-Address Parity Enable) APAR 0-2 (Address Parity for bits 0-23) and -SFDBKRTN (-Selected Feedback Return).

Another Version?

I have just picked up another 16/4 Busmaster (RS6K, 2-2). Looks to be an improved version. Maybe. Appears to have been made in 1995

ZM9 63F7704(ESD)
ZM30 39F7826 9519 PEH
ZM31 39F7826 9519 PEH
ZM42 93F1272 9511 PCO

16/4 Busmaster Reminicience

>Peter, can you shed some light on this? I know the TRB was dropped. Can't find an ECA on it other than the messed up fairness setting in the downlevel options disk.

From Peter (edited):
   Uh, we are talking about the TR 16/4 Busmaster Adapter /A (ID: 8FC8) here, right? Well - that thing was developed originally for the RS/6000 and sold as "Hi Performance TR Adapter" there and was very, very short lived (in terms of IBM) in the PS/2 world, because it was true crap.
   Technically it's based on the TROPIC chipset - or a further dead end development of it, which was discontinued for the much better LAN Streamer adapters.

>Why won't the bus master run when more than 16 MB of memory is installed in a server? Under Netware 3.12, the adapter NLM won't load because it says that it can't reserve memory space below the 16 meg boundary. Were these adapters limited through DMA to run only in the older machines?

From Peter (edited):
   The ADF lists NoDMA and I do know absolutely nothing about No- Well, the card has been designed to work under OS/2 - and did as far as I can tell. We had a few in 95s in the early 90, but they had no real advantage against the older TROPIC 16/4... so they got the moving-papers after the LANStreamer MC32 entered the stage. The 16/4 BM has been announced for a few machines only IIRC. Have no idea why it should choke with above 16MB - which is a 24-bit DMA boundary. The Mod. 80 cannot - for sure - it is known for problems with memory over 16MB. The modern(er) 9595 should be capable to handle it.
   If you look at the TR 16BM you will find that the 32-bit portion of the MCA connector is almost empty: No D16 - D31, no A24 - A31. The signals at that part are for card selection / feedback (-SFDBKRTN at pin A64) and address parity (-APAREN, APAR(0)-(2) - but not APAR(3) for the address bits 24-31). This adapter is basically a 16-bit card - and that would explain the misbehaviour. Since the physical interface covers only 24 address bits it is limited to 16MB memory - and the NLM will have to use the "lower 16" for all stuff.
   I -personally- would recommend getting rid of the card, install a generic TR-16/4 TROPIC instead, which has a much simpler driver, does not care for address parity and can be used on machines with over 16MB (proven..).
   About the "Token Ring 16/4 Busmaster Server Adapter" (8FC8) - often referenced as "High Performance Token Ring 16/4 Adapter": that's a parallel development originally intended for the RS/6000. It is largely based on the TROPIC technology but uses DMA (the TROPIC doesn't) and different I/O addresses. It is limited to 24-bit addressing / 16-bit data bus. It causes a lot trouble on machines with over 16MB RAM. It's a long card with *two* large and one medium-sized silver capped chips and very easy identifyable through the four 32K SRAM chips (61256 or compatible in 2 x 2 arrangement) at the card front end. This card is useless under almost any OS.

Error Messages (LT40009)

Error message LT40009 on the IBM 16/4 Token-Ring Network Busmaster Server Adapter/A. This may be caused by the busmaster receiving a frame with a routing field larger than 18 bytes. This occurs when the frame being received has traveled across 8 or more bridges. Setting the hop count to 7 on all bridges will prevent this problem.
   You should also update the IBMTRBM.OS2 device driver to the latest version, as least 3.00.18, to prevent this problem. It can be found in the device driver package located at the adapter's support page http://www.networking.ibm.com/support/trbusmstr 

NetWare requesters/servers drop sessions across Cisco routers

Fix

This problem can be resolved by performing any of the following corrective actions:
     Turn off multi-ring support for the Cisco router. This action is acceptable if the Cisco router is routing but not bridging. Set the Cisco RIF table addresses to the value Static, which prevents the router software from timing out the RIF cache entry.
     This action may or may not be acceptable, depending upon the network Configure the NetWare server watchdog packets. On NetWare 4.1, the watchdog packets default to first packet after five minutes idle; the parameter value can range from one minute to 14 days.
     Upgrade to 10(3) level of software for the Cisco router. This action could require a hardware upgrade for older routers.
     Configure an active LLC 802.2 protocol driver in the workstation:
          Win95, Win98, NT - Load the NetBEUI and MSDLC32 protocols.
          DOS/Win 3.X - Use LAN Support Program or IBM LAN Client with the LLC protocol configured.
          OS/2 - Configure the 802.2 protocol (LANDD) in MPTS.
          NetWare Server - Use Novell's IEEE8022.NLM.
     If you are using the IBM Turbo 16/4 Token-Ring Network ISA Adapter , the IBM Turbo 16/4 Token-Ring PC Card, the IBM Turbo 16/4 Token-Ring PC Card 2, or the IBM Auto Wake 16/4 Token-Ring Network ISA Adapter, specify the NOSHALLOWMODE  parameter for the device driver being used. 

Calculate  MAXTRANSMITS and  MINRCVBUFFS parameter 

MAXTRANSMITS
Use the following formula to compute the maximum value:
H(i) = RCVAREA(i) + ALLOCSIZECB(i) 

A H(i) value should be computed for each IBM Token-Ring Network 16/4 Busmaster Adapter, and the sum of all H(i) values must be less than 1 MB. (i) means individual. 

RCVAREA
Receive area for each adapter:
RCVAREA = MINRCVBUFFS x SIZWORKBUFF 

ALLOCSIZECB
   Control block area for each adapter. Must be less than 64KB
ALLOCSIZECB = 334 + (142 x MAXTRANSMITS) + (20 x MINRCVBUFFS) 

ADF Sections
Adapter Data Rate:  Operates at two different data rates:  4 Mbps or 16 Mbps. The adapter data rate MUST be set to the rate of the Token-Ring Network LAN segment to which you are connecting the adapter. 

Interrupt Level  Operates on one of eight interrupt levels:  2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11, or 12.  The preferred interrupt level is 2, but the adapter can operate on any of the eight levels if necessary. 

I/O Address  An adapter can operate at any of eight I/O address ranges (86A0 - 86AF to F6A0 - F6AF).  If more than one adapter in your computer is used, each adapter must be  assigned a separate I/O address range. 

Arbitration Levels Select one of fourteen arbitration levels: 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, or E. If more than one adapter is used in your computer, each adapter must be assigned a separate arbitration level. 

Fairness:  Operates with or without arbitration fairness. 

Bus Release:  During a Micro Channel DMA operation there are two different ways of releasing the bus after the Preempt signal.  After a Preempt occurs the bus can be released either immediately or by the maximum time allotted by the Micro Channel architecture.  The best performance is achieved if this adapter is allowed to continue for the maximum time allowed. 

Early Token Release  This function is only applicable at the adapter data rate of 16 Mbps.  The best performance of the network at 16 Mbps is achieved when Early Token Release in enabled.