riddle@woton.UUCP (Prentiss Riddle ) (04/29/88)
We have just gotten a 6386 on 31-day trial from AT&T and have lots of
questions. Here's one:
Does anyone know whether it is possible to write a floppy on a UNIX PC
and read it on a 6386 WSG, or vice-versa? I've already determined by
experiment that the mountable floppy formats are incompatible. What
about cpio floppies, etc?
In desperation we may have to settle for writing DOS-format floppies on
the 3B1 using "mtools" and then reading them under VP/ix DOS on the
386! :-( (Once we receive the VP/ix software, that is...)
-- Prentiss Riddle ("Aprendiz de todo, maestro de nada.")
-- Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of my employer.
-- riddle%woton.uucp@cs.utexas.edu {ihnp4,uunet}!ut-sally!im4u!woton!riddlebill@ssbn.WLK.COM (Bill Kennedy) (05/03/88)
In article <1051@woton.UUCP> riddle@woton.UUCP (Prentiss Riddle ) writes: >We have just gotten a 6386 on 31-day trial from AT&T and have lots of >questions. Here's one: > >Does anyone know whether it is possible to write a floppy on a UNIX PC >and read it on a 6386 WSG, or vice-versa? I've already determined by >experiment that the mountable floppy formats are incompatible. What >about cpio floppies, etc? Not entirely kosher, but it will work. If you can locate a copy of the cpiopc [sic] for the PC 6300 PLUS you can use the `x' option, from TFM x Use UNIX PC floppy disk format (8 sector per track, 48tpi density 320K bytes total capacity). Special starting track conversions are done to be compatible with UNIX PC floppy formats. I have done it successfully on a PC 6300 PLUS, dozens of times for UNIX PC's with never a hitch. It is most helpful if you use a 360K drive if you are going to re-use the diskette. Alternatively, format the diskette on the 3B1 before writing it with the 6386 1.2Mb drive. The $64K question is where do you get a copy of cpiopc? It isn't in the 6386 distribution and TFM is silent about it. Perhaps the Hot Line could provide a copy for you, the PLUS appears to have lost its cadaver status with them, surely they could give you cpiopc. I can guarantee that cpiopc will work under 386 UNIX without modification, guess what file was the first one into the 386 with cpio :-) -- Bill Kennedy usenet {rutgers,ihnp4!killer,cbosgd}!ssbn!bill internet bill@ssbn.WLK.COM
ford@elgar.UUCP (Ford Prefect ) (05/09/88)
In article <186@ssbn.WLK.COM> bill@ssbn.UUCP (Bill Kennedy) writes: >In article <1051@woton.UUCP> riddle@woton.UUCP (Prentiss Riddle ) writes: >>Does anyone know whether it is possible to write a floppy on a UNIX PC >>and read it on a 6386 WSG, or vice-versa? >Not entirely kosher, but it will work. If you can locate a copy of the >cpiopc [sic] for the PC 6300 PLUS you can use the `x' option ... Here's another alternative: I have a program which lets the Unix PC read/write to the "raw" disk in 360K format, suitable for use with SCO Xenix "/dev/rfd048ds9" and Regulus "/dev/raw/fibm" devices. Probably others as well, but I have tested those formats. The usage is: fdwrite /dev/rfp020 <program_which_writes_to_stdout> or: fdread /dev/rfp020 <program_which_reads_from_stdin> For example: fdwrite /dev/rfp020 tar -cvf - foo bar baz And then to read it on Xenix: tar -xvf /dev/rfd048ds9 It's just a ten-liner that ioctl's the floppy and then execs the desired program. I'll mail or post as interest indicates. -=] Ford [=- "Once there were parking lots, (In Real Life: Mike Ditto) now it's a peaceful oasis. ford%kenobi@crash.CTS.COM This was a Pizza Hut, ...!sdcsvax!crash!kenobi!ford now it's all covered with daisies." -- Talking Heads
karl@ddsw1.UUCP (Karl Denninger) (05/17/88)
In article <148@elgar.UUCP> ford@kenobi.UUCP (Mike "Ford" Ditto) writes: $In article <186@ssbn.WLK.COM> bill@ssbn.UUCP (Bill Kennedy) writes: $>In article <1051@woton.UUCP> riddle@woton.UUCP (Prentiss Riddle ) writes: $>>Does anyone know whether it is possible to write a floppy on a UNIX PC $>>and read it on a 6386 WSG, or vice-versa? $ $>Not entirely kosher, but it will work. If you can locate a copy of the $>cpiopc [sic] for the PC 6300 PLUS you can use the `x' option ... $ $Here's another alternative: $ $I have a program which lets the Unix PC read/write to the "raw" disk $in 360K format, suitable for use with SCO Xenix "/dev/rfd048ds9" and $Regulus "/dev/raw/fibm" devices. Probably others as well, but I have $tested those formats. $ $The usage is: $ $ fdwrite /dev/rfp020 <program_which_writes_to_stdout> $or: fdread /dev/rfp020 <program_which_reads_from_stdin> $ $For example: $ $ fdwrite /dev/rfp020 tar -cvf - foo bar baz $ $And then to read it on Xenix: $ $ tar -xvf /dev/rfd048ds9 $ $It's just a ten-liner that ioctl's the floppy and then execs the $desired program. I'll mail or post as interest indicates. PLEASE PLEASE POST THIS. It would be most helpful to us and many others who are trying to interchange with a 3b1 and having no end of trouble. Also -- is this code freely redistributable? Thanks! --- Karl Denninger | Data: +1 312 566-8912 Macro Computer Solutions, Inc. | Voice: +1 312 566-8910 ...ihnp4!ddsw1!karl | "Quality solutions for work or play"
rga@cuuxb.ATT.COM (~XT4113000~Robert G. Arrigo~C25~H19~6527~) (05/19/88)
> Does anyone know whether it is possible to write a floppy on a UNIX PC > and read it on a 6386 WSG, or vice-versa? > excuse me if this has already been posted... try the utility /etc/.cpiopc with the 'x' option. it knows all about unixpc formatted floppies. -- bobster
riddle@woton.UUCP (Prentiss Riddle ) (05/20/88)
In article <1789@cuuxb.ATT.COM>, rga@cuuxb.ATT.COM (Robert G. Arrigo) writes: > > try the utility /etc/.cpiopc with the 'x' option. it knows all about > unixpc formatted floppies. Thanks for the tip! I tried this out and was able to make it work, but only one way. Here's what I found. There is indeed an executable file "/etc/.cpiopc" on our AT&T 6386. I could find no trace of documentation for it on-line or in the manuals, so I held my breath and ran it with no options. It spat out: Usage: cpiopc -o[acvBwxyz0..5] <name-list [>collection] cpiopc -i[cdmrtuvfBKwxyz0..5] [-n user] [pattern ...] [<collection] By experimentation I discovered that the -x option makes it use the floppy drive as the input device (with -i) or the output device (with -o), no matter how you may have input or output redirected. I was able to read a standard 3B1 install floppy on the 6386 using "/etc/.cpiopc -icBvx". I couldn't make it work going the other direction, however. I formatted a floppy on the 3B1, inserted it in the 6386 and apparently was able to write on it using the command "/etc/.cpiopc -ocBvx". My attempts to read the result on the 3B1 failed (I tried all variations of /dev/[r]fp02[01]). Does Robert Arrigo or anyone else by any chance have a "man" page or other documentation on /etc/.cpiopc? Or simply pointers on its use? And can anyone explain what this extremely important program is doing hidden in /etc with a "." in front of its name? Thanks. -- Prentiss Riddle ("Aprendiz de todo, maestro de nada.") -- Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of my employer. -- riddle%woton.uucp@cs.utexas.edu {ihnp4,uunet}!ut-sally!im4u!woton!riddle
wmh@mtuxo.UUCP (01435-W.HYLAND) (05/21/88)
AT&T's 386 UNIX System V Release 3.1 includes an undocumented and unsupported utility which enables the 386 UNIX System to read UNIX PC/3B1 floppies. Files copied to disk on the UNIX PC as such: find .-print | cpio -ocB > /dev/rfp021 may be read into the 386 UNIX System by the following command: /etc/.cpiopc -icxBd 6300 PLUS UNIX users may recognize this command as cpiopc. It works the same way and, quite naturally, is also useful in trasnferring from the PLUS to the 6386 WGS.
wmh@mtuxo.UUCP (W.HYLAND) (06/01/88)
> Does Robert Arrigo or anyone else by any chance have a "man" page or > other documentation on /etc/.cpiopc? Or simply pointers on its use? > And can anyone explain what this extremely important program is doing > hidden in /etc with a "." in front of its name? Thanks. > > -- Prentiss Riddle ("Aprendiz de todo, maestro de nada.") > -- Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of my employer. > -- riddle%woton.uucp@cs.utexas.edu {ihnp4,uunet}!ut-sally!im4u!woton!riddle The /etc/.cpiopc works as documented in the 6300plus User Reference Manual. This is where it came from and was included to facilitate the installation of 6300plus applications. [Note: 6300plus application binaries work without the need for modification on UNIX System V/386 Release 3.1 and later.] This was undocumented since Release 3.1 and later use a different installation mechanism and documenting the cpiopc method would continue to promote the old habit.