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Q39257: Hardware Compatibilities with QuickBASIC Version 4.50

Article: Q39257
Product(s): See article
Version(s): 4.50
Operating System(s): MS-DOS
Keyword(s): ENDUSER | SR# S881212-9 | mspl13_basic
Last Modified: 14-FEB-1991

QuickBASIC version 4.50 is more selective of the video hardware on
which it will operate than QuickBASIC versions 4.00 and 4.00b.
QuickBASIC requires a video card that is 100-percent compatible with
an IBM CGA, EGA, VGA, or Hercules monochrome card.

If QB.EXE version 4.50 does not operate with your video system, try
invoking QuickBASIC with each of the video-specific options, such as
the /b (black and white) option, the /nohi (no high intensity) option,
the /g (update screen as fast as possible) option, and the /h (high
resolution) option. Also, try setting the video mode from MS-DOS using
the Mode command before starting QuickBASIC (for example, Mode CO80
and Mode BW80).

If a ghost image appears after running QuickBASIC on your video
system, use the MS-DOS Mode command to clear the screen if CLS doesn't
clear it.

Below are computers and video adapters listed as compatible and
incompatible with QuickBASIC version 4.50.

The following video cards were successfully tested with QuickBASIC
version 4.50:

   (Note: If the card is a VGA but not an IBM PS/2 VGA, there will be
   problems swapping on screen 10.)

   AST EGA (256K)
   COMPAQ PORTABLE (monochrome)
   COMPAQ VGC (Compaq's name for VGA)
   Daewoo (Leading Edge/AT) EGA (256K) monochrome
   Genoa EGA (256K)
   Genoa EGA (256K) monochrome
   Hercules monochrome
   IBM EGA 256K
   IBM EGA 64K
   IBM PC Convertible
   IBM VGA (Non-PS/2)
   IBM PS/2 VGA
   IBM MCGA
   IBM EGA (64K) with monochrome
   IBM CGA
   IBM MDPA
   NCR EGA
   Olivetti monochrome
   Olivetti EGA (256K)
   Olivetti VGA
   Paradise Autoswitch EGA (256K)
   PC Limited VGA
   Tandy EGA (256K)
   Vega Video Seven (7) Deluxe EGA (256K)
   Zenith EGA monochrome

If the QB.EXE environment looks fine before running a program but is
not visible after running the program, try invoking SCREEN 0,0 at the
end of the program, or in QB.EXE's immediate window (F6 key). One
customer reported this solution on a Compaq 2e mono VGA, where the VGA
video card is built-in.

The following is a list of known compatibility problems:

1. According to Microsoft's testing, the following cards loaded
   QB.EXE, but had numerous problems with screen swapping:

      Tecmar VGA
      Quadram VGA
      Vega Video Seven (7) FastWrite VGA
      Vega VGA (a customer suggested QB /H for better Vega VGA
                behavior)

2. According to Microsoft's testing, the following cards will not
   load QB.EXE:

      COMPAQ Laptop (BIOS problem - no correction)
      COMPAQ SLT/286 (okay with AC power, fails with battery, unless
                     you disable the power-conservation utility
                     PWRCON.EXE or PWRCON.COM)
      Genoa SuperVGA HiRes
      ATI VIP VGA
      Sigma EGA!

In addition, the cards below have been reported by customers as
potential problem cards. The problems range from hanging the machine
to causing an unreadable display. Microsoft has not tested QuickBASIC
version 4.50 on the hardware listed below; therefore, we do not
guarantee compatibility. The potential problem cards are as follows
(this information may be inaccurate because it is reported secondhand
and is unconfirmed by Microsoft):

1. Computers with the following video cards installed (potential
   QuickBASIC compatibility problems):

      ATI VIP card
      Vega VGA from Video Seven (7) (although one customer said
         QB /H corrected QB.EXE problems with Vega VGA)
      Sigma VGA
      Everex EGA
      Older Quadram CGA cards
      Unisys CGA
      NEC EGA
      AST Turbo Scan EGA -- A customer reported he couldn't invoke
         QB.EXE 4.50 in 80- or 43-line mode on a PC clone with this
         card.
      Tecmar VGA -- In 43-line mode, the last seven lines on the screen
         are truncated. This was found to be a problem with the Tecmar
         VGA ROM versions 1.08 and 1.09.
      Packard Bell EGA -- A customer reported that the QB Express
         tutorial failed on this card, but Setup and the QB.EXE editor
         ran correctly.
      Paradise Auto-Switching VGA -- Two customers reported that this
         card caused QB.EXE 4.50 to hang when run on an IBM XT.

2. Computers, as follows (potential problems):

      Sperry PCs and XTs with Hercules and CGA cards
      Tandy 1000s with Tandy Enhanced CGA cards
      Leading Edge Model M (which comes with CGA or Hercules)
      Leading Edge Model D (but according to one customer, it might
         work on BIOS version 3.00 or later)
      IBM PCjr
      Zenith 151, an XT compatible, with EGA Boca, and up-to-date BIOS
      DEL 310 models that come with Vega Video Seven (7), VGA 16-bit
         graphics (try QB /H for better results)
      DEL AT-compatible with VGA monochrome system, Vega Video Seven (7)
         16-bit graphics card. Visibility problems reported in QB.EXE.
         The following reportedly do not help: QB /NOHI, /B, /H, and
         /G, and the Mode CO80 and Mode BW80 commands in DOS.
      Hyundai XT (Other non-XT Hyundai models may be OK, according to
         one customer.)
      Austin 286/12-5 computer -- a customer reported that QuickBASIC
         generated an "illegal function call" error when he tried to
         use SCREEN 9. This computer comes standard with a WDM-20 EGA
         card integrated into the motherboard and it seems that
         QuickBASIC will not recognize this card because SCREEN modes
         other than 0 give "Illegal function call."

A customer using the Zenith 151 reported an "Internal Stack Failure"
when holding down an arrow key for scrolling in the QB.EXE version
4.50 editor.

A customer reported that several QuickBASIC version 4.50 programs
(including DEMO1.EXE) fail to run on several Tandy 3000 computers with
a built-in EGA card connected to a RGB CM11 monitor. (The same program
works on the customer's Tandy 3000 if it is compiled with QuickBASIC
version 4.00.) There were no TSRs running on the customer's system,
and the Mode CO80 and CO40 DOS commands did not help.

For the ATI VGA Wonder card, some customers have reported "Illegal
Function Call" errors when using SCREEN 9 in QuickBASIC programs.
However, another customer reported that the ATI VGA Wonder card works
properly if you run the setup correctly for the monitor type connected
(monochrome, multisync, color, etc.). For example, if a monochrome
monitor is connected to the card but the setup is not set correctly,
SCREEN 9 fails, but SCREEN 10 may work. Setting the ATI VGA Wonder
card for the monochrome monitor makes SCREEN 9 work successfully.

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