Jackal1983 wrote on 2021-04-08, 02:18:

I have a ISA NIC based on the DP83800AVF 10/100 ISA MAC chipset. Since it has an option rom socket (28 pin, but that's not an issue) I'd like to use it to run the XT-IDE bios at startup in a 286 build I'm contemplating. However I have had precisely zero luck in finding any info or software for it so I can figure out what size chips it likes or how to configure it to run the option rom at boot. Packet drivers and other DOS utilities are also a no go. The killer? It's an Intel branded card (EtherExpress Pro/100 LAN Adaptor), you think there'd be some documentation! Any ideas? I'd hate to junk it, because the thing is new old stock.

Best driver option seems to be these which are listed on the Intel Support page on archive.org

Driver - https://www.helpjet.net/Fs-55764671-10843694-93119684.html

Support - https://web.archive.org/web/20021005011141/ht … 00isa/index.htm

Manual - http://cwcyrix.duckdns.org/intel-legacy-files … er/100iguid.pdf

You can also check here, where there still seems to be other Intel docs & drivers

http://cwcyrix.duckdns.org/intel-legacy-files … ive/LAN/Legacy/

http://files.mpoli.fi/hardware/NET/INTEL/

and you can find the National Semiconductor DP83800 Software Programmers Guide here

http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/components … tes/AN-0995.pdf

Good work PC HP !
Over at valdex found the Pro/100 boot agent doc that describes using a Network BOOT rom (and mentions 64k rom) and some how too's...

PC Hoarder Patrol wrote on 2021-04-08, 04:53:

Best driver option seems to be these which are listed on the Intel Support page on archive.org […]
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Jackal1983 wrote on 2021-04-08, 02:18:

I have a ISA NIC based on the DP83800AVF 10/100 ISA MAC chipset. Since it has an option rom socket (28 pin, but that's not an issue) I'd like to use it to run the XT-IDE bios at startup in a 286 build I'm contemplating. However I have had precisely zero luck in finding any info or software for it so I can figure out what size chips it likes or how to configure it to run the option rom at boot. Packet drivers and other DOS utilities are also a no go. The killer? It's an Intel branded card (EtherExpress Pro/100 LAN Adaptor), you think there'd be some documentation! Any ideas? I'd hate to junk it, because the thing is new old stock.

Best driver option seems to be these which are listed on the Intel Support page on archive.org

Driver - https://www.helpjet.net/Fs-55764671-10843694-93119684.html

Support - https://web.archive.org/web/20021005011141/ht … 00isa/index.htm

Manual - http://cwcyrix.duckdns.org/intel-legacy-files … er/100iguid.pdf

You can also check here, where there still seems to be other Intel docs & drivers

http://cwcyrix.duckdns.org/intel-legacy-files … ive/LAN/Legacy/

http://files.mpoli.fi/hardware/NET/INTEL/

and you can find the National Semiconductor DP83800 Software Programmers Guide here

http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/components … tes/AN-0995.pdf

Horun wrote on 2021-04-08, 23:28:

Good work PC HP !
Over at valdex found the Pro/100 boot agent doc that describes using a Network BOOT rom (and mentions 64k rom) and some how too's...

Thanks to both of you. Guess I've got a lot of reading to do. Hopefully one of those links contains a packet driver.

The driver link posted above does have the Config.exe needed to set NIC parm's and includes the DOS Client/LAN Manager and DOS Packet Driver.

Horun wrote on 2021-04-09, 00:14:

The driver link posted above does have the Config.exe needed to set NIC parm's and includes the DOS Client/LAN Manager and DOS Packet Driver.

That'll help. Which file is the packet driver?

If you download & run the compressed driver file (100IDISK.EXE) from the link I posted above, it'll expand all the various OS driver options including a directory named PCKTDRVR - the files you want are in there.

PC Hoarder Patrol wrote on 2021-04-09, 01:19:

If you download & run the compressed driver file (100IDISK.EXE) from the link I posted above, it'll expand all the various OS driver options including a directory named PCKTDRVR - the files you want are in there.

Thanks!

I use these EtherExpress Pro/100 ISA cards in about half a dozen systems and haven't had any problem with them. They are much cheaper than the rarer 3Com 100 mbit ISA card.

feipoa wrote on 2021-04-09, 04:24:

I use these EtherExpress Pro/100 ISA cards in about half a dozen systems and haven't had any problem with them. They are much cheaper than the rarer 3Com 100 mbit ISA card.

Any issues getting the XT-IDE bios running on them?

lol, haven't tried yet. covid has [indirectly] shutdown my hardware activities. But they work great as isa network cards. I figure 100 mbit ISA could be a collector's item soonish. Think I saw a 3Com 10/100 go for almost $200 a few years ago.

feipoa wrote on 2021-04-09, 05:21:

🤣, haven't tried yet. covid has [indirectly] shutdown my hardware activities. But they work great as isa network cards. I figure 100 mbit ISA could be a collector's item soonish. Think I saw a 3Com 10/100 go for almost $200 a few years ago.

Might just buy a Doublerom board (an EEPROM burner might turn out useful) with both versions (the small version and the larger version) of XT-IDE on it and whip up a 30 pin to 28 pin adaptor from a 30 pin socket and just try both in the NIC. If it doesn't work, I can eventually pickup a 3com NIC (there's an Etherlink 3 up right now for 25 bucks shipped) for use as a host for the BIOS (that's the primary purpose for the NIC, networking is a nice to have for the future thing) and use the Intel/NS NIC in my Slot A T-Bird build or my MediaGX build. Either one could eventually act as a file server to the 286. It'd be less of a pain than swapping CF or SD cards in and out. I wasn't aware 10/100 ISA cards were that uncommon. Interesting. I got mine as NOS surplus for about 25 bucks shipped about a year ago to go in a SS7 build I was working on. I'll definitely use it in something, to be sure. That slot A build might actually be a better candidate: dual boot a stripped down XP install to run GOG installers and dump the unpacked files onto the 286. Food for thought to be sure.

I have all of our computers on the network it really does make life super easy for transferring files and printing. My 6 year old loves to play all the old Magic School Bus games and he likes to print out different pictures and activities and having printer sharing makes that easy.