HOW TO INSTALL DOWNLOADED 8394ei/8494 CONTROLLER SOFTWARE


Downloading and installing new software for your I-O 8394ei or 8494
controller requires completion of four steps:

1.  Download the desired zipped (self-extracting .exe) file from the
    I-O FTP site.
2.  Create a diskette (1.44M) that is empty except for two hidden operating
    system files.
3.  Unzip the downloaded file, and copy all of the resulting files to the
    new diskette.
4.  Use the controller's configuration procedure to set up the new diskette
    with your controller's configuration parameters.

Be sure that you download the correct software version for your particular
controller.  Consult I-O Support if you have any question about which
version you need.  The following sections give more details about completing
steps (2), (3), and (4).


CREATING A NEW CONTROLLER DISK

You will need an old controller disk, and a new blank 1.44M disk.  Follow
these steps:

2.a Copy the old disk to the new disk.  This can be done by using the
    DISKCOPY command on the command line, for example:

    >DISKCOPY A: A:       (start with old disk in A:, replace with new disk
                          when prompted)

    or, you can do the copy by using the Windows 'Copy Disk' utility
    (typically available from the File menu in My Computer).

    PLEASE NOTE:  Copying the disk CANNOT be done by simply copying all the
    files from the old disk to the new (for example by using the Windows
    Explorer).  The entire disk must be copied by one of the methods listed
    above.

2.b Delete all files from the new disk (however, see step 2.c below).  From
    the command line, for example:

    A:\>DEL *.*

    Depending on which model controller you have, there may or may not
    be subdirectories in the disk's root directory.  If there are
    subdirectories, delete them.  For example, if your disk has an LSP
    subdirectory:

    A:\>DELTREE LSP

    If you prefer, you can use the Windows Explorer to delete the files and
    directories.

2.c Verify that two 'hidden' systems files (IBMBIO.SYS and IBMDOS.SYS) remain 
    in the new disk's root directory.
    
    From the command line, for example:

    A:\>DIR /A:H
    IBMBIO.SYS
    IBMDOS.SYS

    Windows Explorer will show these files only if the folder options are
    set to show ALL files.

The new diskette is now ready to have the downloaded files copied onto it.


COPYING THE DOWNLOADED FILES TO THE NEW DISKETTE

You can do this by having your new diskette in the drive when you unzip
your downloaded file.  Just specify the diskette as the destination for
the unzip.  If your downloaded file is named 49401AA2.exe for example, from
the command line enter:

C:\>49401AA2 A:

If you wish, you can instead unzip to a directory on your hard drive and
then copy the resulting files, including any subdirectories, to the
diskette using Windows Explorer or a command line function, for example:

C:\8494>XCOPY *.* A: /s

However, be sure NOT to copy the original zipped file along with the
unzipped files; it's not needed on the diskette, and in most cases the
diskette will not have enough room for it.


CONFIGURING THE NEW DISKETTE

Before your controller can operate with your new diskette, the diskette will
have to be configured by following the procedure described in your controller's
User Guide.  The important point here is that you normally CANNOT use the
'Copy Configuration' option of the controller configuration program to copy
configuration data from your old diskette to the new one; this is because
the controller configuration data files are not compatible from one version
of controller software to another; you can use the 'Copy Configuration'
option only if your new software is the same version as your old software.

We recommend that when you have completed the above steps and have a diskette
that is properly created and configured, you make and save one or more
copies of the diskette.  Use the Windows 'Copy Disk' utility, or the
command line DISKCOPY command to make the copies, so that required operating
system information will be included on the backup copies.