Stallion EasyConnection/EasyIO ATA Driver ----------------------------------------- SOFTWARE UPDATE INFORMATION for Windows NT ATA Driver 5.5.0 ------------------------------- Contents -------- 1. What is a "Support Update"? 2. Stallion policy on software updates 3. Current Updates to EasyConnection/EasyIO ATA Driver 5.5.0 for Windows NT 3.1 EasyConnection/EasyIO ATA Driver 5.5.0 Update 1 3.2 EasyConnection/EasyIO ATA Driver 5.5.9 Update 1 ================================================================================ 1. What is a "Support Update"? ------------------------------- An update to any Stallion software provided by Stallion Technologies with a version number that includes a "u", such as 5.5.0u1, indicates the software is an update to the standard software release for that product. An update indicates that the last release or update software has been modified to include feature enhancements, bug fixes or other changes but has not been fully regression tested as part of normal product release procedures. As such, the update software may contain known and unknown problems that may affect the system(s) the software is installed in or is used with. Software updates are created to address specific customer issues and, where warranted, are made available to customers via the Stallion web and ftp sites. As such, Stallion does not recommend installing software updates unless the specific problem the update addresses is being experienced on the system to which the update will be applied. It is standard procedure for software updates that prove to be successful in resolving problems to be included in the next full release of the software product. For further information on specific updates please contact Stallion Technical Support. ================================================================================ 2. Stallion policy on software updates --------------------------------------- Software updates are provided by Stallion Technologies to address specific customer requests for enhancments or to provide solutions to known problems. As a software update has not been fully tested, Stallion does not recommend installing software updates on systems not requiring them. Stallion Technologies provides software updates "as is" and without warranties of any kind. Use of the software update is at the risk of the user. While Stallion will provide Technical Support to customers who chooes to install the support update, Stallion does not guarantee problems arrising from use of the software update can be resolved. ================================================================================ 3. Current Updates to EasyConnection/EasyIO ATA Driver 5.5.0 for Windows NT ------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: Update 5.5.9u1 includes all previous updates, including 5.5.0u1. For this reason, update 5.5.0u1 has been replaced with 5.5.9u1. 3.1 EasyConnection/EasyIO ATA Driver 5.5.0 Update 1 ---------------------------------------------------- This driver update is for Windows NT only. Although the update also contains the ATA drivers for Windows 95 and DOS, neither of these drivers have been updated. The following issues have been fixed in 5.5.0u1 for Windows NT: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- SeqNo : 2561 Title : The 5.5.0 driver does not start on Citrix WinFrame 1.8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The following error appears on the WinFrame console when the system reboots. The \System Root\System32\drivers\StlnATA.sys device driver could not locate the entry point _alldiv in driver ntoskrnl.exe. A similar messge appears in the Event log along with the following message. The Stallion ATA Driver service failed to start due to the following error The specified procedure could not be found Needless to say, the driver has not started. Note that Citrix WinFrame 1.8 is based on NT 3.51 and Service Pack 5B. This issue has been identified and fixed in 5.5.0u1. Download and apply the update which is available from the Stallion web site. 3.2 EasyConnection/EasyIO ATA Driver 5.5.9 Update 1 ---------------------------------------------------- This driver update is for Windows NT only. Although the update also contains the ATA drivers for Windows 95 and DOS, neither of these drivers have been updated. The following issues have been fixed in 5.5.9u1 for Windows NT: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- SeqNo : 2687 Title : dtrfollow IO controls in ATA 5.5.0 not backwardly compatible ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the ATA 5.5.0 Windows NT driver, the IO controls for GET_DTRFOLLOW and SET_DTRFOLLOW were changed from: #define GET_DTRFOLLOW 0x800 #define SET_DTRFOLLOW 0x801 to: #define GET_DTRFOLLOW 0x900 #define SET_DTRFOLLOW 0x901 The problem is, these IO interfaces have been published in documentation and used by software developers who required these for controlling communications in systems using RS-485, where DTRFOLLOW needs to be controlled. The change of these values breaks their applications thus making the 5.5.0 driver not backwardly compatible with previous drivers. This problem has been fixed in 5.5.9u1. Download and apply the update which is available from the Stallion web site. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- SeqNo : 2656 Title : RTSFOLLOW doesn't work in the Windows NT driver ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- RTSFOLLOW in the current 5.5.0 driver doesn't work on Windows NT 4. The RTS signal is asserted when the port is first opened and stays asserted until the port is closed. This issue came to light when testing DTRFOLLOW (See entry 2635, below). RTSFOLLOW, except for the same problem as outlined in 2635, works on SCO Open Server 5 with the 5.5.1 driver. This was tested on a Windows NT 4.0 system with SP3 installed. This issue was identifed and resolved in update 5.5.8u1 and has been included in update 5.5.9u1. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- SeqNo : 2635 Title : DTR behaviour incorrect with DTRFOLLOW enabled on XP panel ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The behaviour of the DTR signal is incorrect when DTRFOLLOW is enabled on an XP 8D4 panel. The DTR signals pulses high just before a character is transmitted and do not remain high when the character is being transmitted. The width of the DTR pulse seems to be about half that observed on a non-XP 8D4 panel. The CD1400 based 8D4 behaves correctly. This issue was identifed and resolved in update 5.5.8u1 and has been included in update 5.5.9u1. ================================================================================ -END-