Ref: 10710095
Title: Problems using an Olivetti M240 with CGA monitor
Date:  07/20/88

Copyright 3Com Corporation, 1991.  All rights reserved.

The Olivetti M240 seemed to not work as a 3+ workstation if used with
anything other than an EGA adapter.

The symptoms were:  3C501 tests pass O.K. (even echo test), boot is O.K.,
BUT the user gets the famous "Name server not responding" when trying to
log in.

The Name server is all right of course (several non-M240 stations can
log in).

The problem was either with the CGA software or hardware implementation.
However, it is impossible to use another CGA adpater (seems the Olivetti
one is built in on the motherboard).

The temporary solution was to use shared memory on a 3C503 (but EtherStart
II can't be used) or single byte DMA mode ! (with a performance decrease).

After working with Olivetti engineering, here are the solutions for the
problems encountered with the Olivetti M240 machines:  There is a firmware
patch from Olivetti, which should solve these problems.  The motherboard
must be upgraded from release PAL PLYW to release PAL PLWW.

Summary of the problems encountered: 3C501, 3C503 (tested), and possibly
other 3Com boards didn't work in M240 when using their CGA adapter.

Workaround:  Use the Single Byte DMA mode or the Shared Memory
mode (possible on a 3C503).  The problem with using Shared Memory mode was
that using EtherStart II was not possible.

