Subject: Re: 'novell compliant' ethernet cards
To: None <G.Michaelson@cc.uq.oz.au>
From: Charles M. Hannum <mycroft@gnu.ai.mit.edu>
List: current-users
Date: 12/12/1994 01:12:31
     It's also possible that your board isn't expecting to use DMA to
     normal memory.  Does it appear to have any RAM onboard?

   Uh.. yes I think so. the config util for DOS permits enabling burst-mode
   on the VL-bus, is this remotely relevant?

`Burst mode' has to do with DMA bus mastering.  I'd gather from that
your board is actually using DMA.  That's sort of how the PCnet chips
are intended to be used, so it's not particularly surprising.

Anyway, if it works, I'd suggest not screwing with it any more.  B-)

(BTW, for anyone who cares, I looked over the PCnet docs a while back,
and the only new feature that seemed genuinely useful to me (other
than possible using the added configuration registers to get IRQ and
DRQ settings from the chip) is to turn off the periodic transmit
buffer polling, since we explicitly tell the chip when there's a full
buffer.)