AST RESEARCH, INC.         TECHNICAL BULLETIN #0838               06-28-93




             POWER EXEC FN/F2 AND F3 KEYS NOT WORKING UNDER UNIX


PROBLEM:       After the UNIX operating systems boots up the Fn/F2 and F3
               keys will not function.

CAUSE:         While the UNIX system is booting it looks past the BIOS and
               directly at the hardware. As it is doing this UNIX looks at
               the serial port and sees the port disabled.  As a result the
               Fn F2 and F3 functions are disabled.

SYSTEMS
AFFECTED:      Power Exec 4/25SL.

SOLUTION:      Enter the setup for the machine by pressing the Fn F2 key
               before booting UNIX and enable the serial port. After this is
               done the UNIX will boot and the function keys will operate
               normally.