=
AST RESEARCH, INC. TECHNICAL BULLETIN # 1466 3-15-96
=
Bravo MS-T Adaptec AHA-2940 and AHA-2940UW
PROBLEM
When a warm boot is performed on the Bravo MS-T system, the error message
"Memory Error, Press any Key" may be displayed on the monitor's screen.
When this symptom occurs, the system locks up.
CAUSE
The BIOS in the Adaptec AHA-2940 Host Bus Adapter (HBA) is below revision
level 1.23.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
BIOS versions 1.20 and 1.21 for the AHA-2940 HBA were created to resolve
a compatibility issue. These BIOS releases were modified to search for an
empty portion of lower memory to decompress into. The BIOS identified an
empty portion of memory by checking for a segment that contains all zeros.
Some computer systems do not zero out the lower memory range when a
warm boot is performed (). If the BIOS can not find an
empty segment, it will clear the screen and print the message "Memory Error,
Press Any Key" on the monitor.
SOLUTION
Two solutions are available.
1. Performing a cold boot resolves the problem. A cold boot is accomplished
by turning power OFF to the computer and then turning it ON again.
2. Upgrading the BIOS on the AHA-2940 HBA to revision 1.23 or higher
resolves the problem. To receive a BIOS upgrade, contact the reseller
where the AHA-2940 HBA was purchased. Alternatively, Adaptec's
Technical Support team in the United States can be contacted at
(408) 934-7274. When contacting the reseller or support team, reference
Adaptec's bulletin titled "2940 V1.21".
SYSTEMS AFFECTED
AST Part Number and Description
501658-001 Bravo MS-T 4/66d
501777-301 Bravo MS-T P/100
Pentium is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation.