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AST RESEARCH, INC.           TECHNICAL BULLETIN # 1076               3-3-95

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			 ASCENTIA 700N/BRAVO NB RC HARD DISK DRIVE PROBLEMS


PROBLEM
Some Ascentia 700N systems may experience one or more of the following hard 
disk drive (HDD) problems:

- MS-DOS partition not retrieved or corrupted.
- FAT corrupted.
- File with crossed link on allocation units.
- No HDD boot (permanent or random problem).

CAUSE
Some battery contact springs may have sharp edges.  The battery contact spring 
sharp edges may cut through the HDD cable insulator and short the trace on the 
HDD cable (Flex printed circuit). The short circuit may render the HDD not 
functional. 

SYSTEMS AFFECTED
AST PART NUMBER AND DESCRIPTION

501595-XXX     ASCENTIA 700N 486SX33
501595-XXX     BRAVO NB RC 486S/33
501596-XXX     BRAVO NB RC 486/33 COLOR

SOLUTION
Take the Ascentia 700N system to an AST Authorized Service Center(ASC).  
The AST ASC will do one of the following:

1) Put additional Mylar insulator on the HDD cable. 
2) Replace the HDD cable with P/N 230674-001.