tar problem on xenix 2.3 on dell 310

[william bader]

I have a Dell 310 running Xenix 2.3 with a Cybernetics 8mm tape drive and
an 8 port Arnet smartport card.  Running tar to the tape drive in multi-user
mode usually crashes the system (invalid opcode, kernel panic).
tar and doscp to the floppy will crash about 1 in 3 times, especially
if something else is running.  I was doing backups to tape in single user
mode every day for about three months, but it crashed today.
I suspect a Dell hardware problem related to the pattern of access to
RAM because earlier revisions of the 310 motherboard have had similar
problems, but Dell refuses to look at anything that does not happen
under DOS.  Any suggestions?

William Bader
215-837-8485