Problems with modems

[Peter Anderson]

Robert,
I have tried the commands you suggested and the results are as follows:

hda is the Windows 98SE disk drive
----------------------------------

[root at localhost root]# hdparm -i /dev/hda

/dev/hda:

Model=WDC WD200BB-00AUA1, FwRev=18.20D18, SerialNo=WD-WMA6Y3240951
Config={ HardSect NotMFM HdSw>15uSec SpinMotCtl Fixed DTR>5Mbs FmtGapReq }
RawCHS=16383/16/63, TrkSize=57600, SectSize=600, ECCbytes=40
BuffType=DualPortCache, BuffSize=2048kB, MaxMultSect=16, MultSect=16
CurCHS=16383/16/63, CurSects=16514064, LBA=yes, LBAsects=39102336
IORDY=on/off, tPIO={min:120,w/IORDY:120}, tDMA={min:120,rec:120}
PIO modes:  pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4
DMA modes:  mdma0 mdma1 mdma2
UDMA modes: udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 *udma5
AdvancedPM=no WriteCache=enabled
Drive conforms to: device does not report version:  1 2 3 4 5


hdb is the Linux (RD8.0) disk drive
-----------------------------------

[root at localhost root]# hdparm -i /dev/hdb

/dev/hdb:

Model=WDC WD400BB-00DEA0, FwRev=05.03E05, SerialNo=WD-WCAD13896036
Config={ HardSect NotMFM HdSw>15uSec SpinMotCtl Fixed DTR>5Mbs FmtGapReq }
RawCHS=16383/16/63, TrkSize=57600, SectSize=600, ECCbytes=40
BuffType=DualPortCache, BuffSize=2048kB, MaxMultSect=16, MultSect=16
CurCHS=16383/16/63, CurSects=16514064, LBA=yes, LBAsects=78165360
IORDY=on/off, tPIO={min:120,w/IORDY:120}, tDMA={min:120,rec:120}
PIO modes:  pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4
DMA modes:  mdma0 mdma1 mdma2
UDMA modes: udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 *udma5
AdvancedPM=no WriteCache=enabled
Drive conforms to: device does not report version:  1 2 3 4 5

I am not sure that the above results tell me whether the unmask IRQ is set.
If its not could you please advise how it could be set.

Regards,
Peter

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Robert [mailto:robert at apex.net.au]
> Sent: Wednesday, January 08, 2003 10:26 PM
> To: Peter Anderson
> Cc: Canberra Linux Users Group
> Subject: Re: Problems with modems
>
> Check that you have unmask IRQ set for your harddrives.
> You can check using hdparm -i /dev/hda etc.
>
> If you don't have unmask IRQ set, any disk access tends to block IRQ's
> for a second which stops serial access to the modem which tends to make
> it hang up.
>
> --
> Robert Cohen
>
> Peter Anderson wrote:
...
> > I am a new user of Linux (but not new to computing).  I have RH8
installed
> > on a second hard drive (Win98 on the first).  I have an internal
Winmodem
> > (Netcomm IN5692 I think) but have not bothered to try and use it for
Linux
> > it just looks too hard at this stage.  I have been trying to connect to
> > the
> > Internet from Linux via one of two external modems: a Hayes Accura 56K
and
> > an old Maestro Executive (36K).
> >
> > The problem is that I can configure PPP and get onto the Internet but
the
> > time I stay connected is random from several seconds to quarter of an
hour
> > at very best (mostly it is several minutes).  This is very frustrating
and
> > my Canberra based ISP does not provide support for Linux (surprise!
> > surprise!).
> >