README.TXT Driver File Contents (epatc.exe)

SHUTTLE CONNECTION PRODUCT FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Topics:

1. Parallel Port recognition issues

2. Miniport Driver (MPD) loading problems

3. Uninstalling or preventing a Shuttle MPD from loading

4. Removing the Shuttle software from your system

5. Assigning/Reassigning the Shuttle Device drive letter

6. Shuttle MPDs on NEC systems

7. Shuttle products and Plug'n'Play 

8. Daisy Chaining Shuttle Devices

9. Shuttle Hard Disks and FDISK

10. General Checks and Tips on improving overall performance

 
1. Parallel Port recognition issues

The system has an EPP parallel port, but the MPD does not initialize in EPP resulting 
in lower than expected speed. 

Solution:
The Shuttle MPD will initialise in EPP only for parallel port port bases set to 378h 
and 278h. If the parallel port to which the Shuttle Device is connected is configured 
for 3BCh, the MPD will not init in EPP.

Check the port base setting for the parallel port to which the Shuttle Device is 
connected in the following way:
From the Device Manager, expand the Ports(LPT and COM) item.
Click on the LPT port, Click on Properties, Select the Resources tab and the port base 
setting will be displayed. Change it to 378h or 278h and re-boot the system.

Check that the configuration for the parallel port in the systems CMOS setting also 
reflects the same change that has been made in the Device Manager.

Check if the parallel port mode setting in the CMOS is set to EPP.

A utility called PPTool is included on your installation diskette.  Running PPTool 
will provide you with information about your system configuration and will allow you 
to determine the maximum data rates that your parallel port can sustain.

2. Miniport Driver (MPD) loading problems

The system crashes after installing the Shuttle MPD.

Solution:
a. Disconnect the Shuttle Device and bring up the system. 
b. In the Device Manager, expand the SCSI adapters item, click on the Shuttle MPD 
entry, click on Properties, select the Settings tab, 
c. Type "/DE", 
d. Save and re-boot the system after connecting the Shuttle Device.

If this does not work:
Repeat steps a and b.
c. Type "/R2 /W2 /DI"
d. Save and re-boot the system after connecting the Shuttle Device.

Configuration clashes often lead to problems that crash the system or prevent the 
Shuttle MPD from loading successfully. Check that the other devices installed in 
the system are not configured to use the same port base and IRQ values. 
A typical example is Sound Cards which are popularly configured to use IRQ 7.  Refer 
to section 10. for more information on this topic.


3. Uninstalling or preventing a Shuttle MPD from loading

Solution:
To unistall the Shuttle MPD, in the Device Manager expand the SCSI Adapters item, 
select the entry for the Shuttle device, Click on Remove. Confirm when the 
confirmation dialogue box appears and re-boot the system to reflect the change. 
The Shuttle MPD entry will now no longer appear in the Device Manager under SCSI 
Adapters.
The MPD will NOT be deleted from it's installed path. 

To prevent the Shuttle MPD from loading, in the Device Manager, expand the SCSI 
Adapters item, the Shuttle MPD entry, Click on Properties, un-check the box that reads 
"Original Configuration[Current]". Re-boot the system, the MPD will not load. This 
can be verified  by the red "X" that will be displayed alongside the MPD entry in 
the Device Manager.


4. Removing the Shuttle software from your system

The software can be removed by using the Add/Remove Programs utility in the 
Control Panel folder.  Select the EPST Ver 1.03 entry, click on Add/Remove and then
confirm the delete.


5. Assigning/Reassigning the Shuttle Device drive letter

In the Device Manager, select the Shuttle Device by clicking on it, Click on the 
Settings tab, change the drive letter displayed and re-boot the system to reflect 
the change.


6. Shuttle MPDs on NEC systems

On machines like the NEC 9800 series, the MPD requires to be explicitly supplied with 
the parallel port IRQ and port base values. 
In the Device Manager, expand the SCSI Adapters item, click on the Shuttle MPD, click
on Properties, select the Settings tab, type the port base and IRQ values as follows:

PORT=0xAAA IRQ=B

The 0x prefex is mandatory. AAA is the port base e.g.378 and B is the IRQ value e.g.7.


7. Shuttle products and Plug'n'Play

Do Shuttle Products support PnP?
 
Answer:
PnP enabled Shuttle devices will be auto detected by Win 95 and can be installed by the 
Hardware Wizard. Insert the installation MPD diskette when prompted and subsequently 
check in the Device Manager for the MPD entry under SCSI Controllers.

Disconnecting and reconnecting a PnP Shuttle Device will require a Refresh to be 
forced at the Device Manager.


8. Daisy Chaining and Shuttle Devices

Multiple Shuttle Adapter Daisy Chaining is not currently supported.

SCSI device daisy chaining is supported.
Ensure that the first and the last device on the daisy chain are terminated properly 
and that all intermediate devices are NOT terminated.
Ensure that each device on the daisy chain has a unique SCSI Id.


9. Shuttle Hard Disks and FDISK

In order to partition the Shuttle HDD with the FDISK command, Int 13h support has to 
be enabled.
In the Device Manager, Select tthe Shuttle Device, Click on Properties, check the box 
pertaining to Int 13 support and re-boot the system.

Executing FDISK from the DOS prompt will now allow you to change to the disk connected 
to the Shuttle Connection.


10. General Checks and Tips on improving overall performance

Ensure that all cable connections are secure. 
Ensure that the CMOS setting configuration for the parallel port and the setting in 
the Device Manager are the same.
Ensure that there are no Port Base and IRQ clashes with other installed devices such 
as Sound Cards.
If  the parallel port supports EPP, ensure that the parallel port mode in the system 
CMOS is set for EPP.

To Step up the system performance, in the Control Panel, select System, select the 
Performance tab, click on File System, ensure that the  Performance is set to Full. 
Select the Trouble Shooting tab and ensure that the Write Behind Cache is enabled.    

These are usually the default settings.
 
The Shuttle MPDs are programmed to give maximum performance for the following 
parallel port Port Base and IRQ combinations:

378h and 3BCh and  IRQ 7
278h and IRQ 5

Port  Base and IRQ combinations other than these are likely to slow down the 
performance.

If your systems parallel port is configured differently, for e.g., 378h and IRQ 5, 
the IRQ value must be explicitly specified to the MPD as follows:

From the Control Panel, select System, click on Device Manager, expand the SCSI 
Controllers item, click on the Shuttle MPD entry, click on Properties, click on the 
Settings tab and type:

IRQ=5

Save the settings and re-boot the system.

Download Driver Pack

How To Update Drivers Manually

After your driver has been downloaded, follow these simple steps to install it.

  • Expand the archive file (if the download file is in zip or rar format).

  • If the expanded file has an .exe extension, double click it and follow the installation instructions.

  • Otherwise, open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start menu and selecting Device Manager.

  • Find the device and model you want to update in the device list.

  • Double-click on it to open the Properties dialog box.

  • From the Properties dialog box, select the Driver tab.

  • Click the Update Driver button, then follow the instructions.

Very important: You must reboot your system to ensure that any driver updates have taken effect.

For more help, visit our Driver Support section for step-by-step videos on how to install drivers for every file type.

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