blandy@marduk.cs.cornell.edu (Jim Blandy) (06/27/88)
Could someone post a comprehensive explanation of exectly what is required (hardware, software, versions) to autoboot from a hard disk? Am I correct in thinking that 1) the drive controller must have a driver rom built in 2) it's impossible for A1000 owners to avoid using a KickStart disk on power-up (i.e. you can't put KickStart on your hard drive) 3) all of this is irrelevant until 1.3 comes out - you can't autoboot from ANYTHING until you have 1.3 ? I'm not asking about particular brands of drives or controllers - I want to understand the situation well enough so I can figure out what to ask; I don't want the dealers to explain anything to me. I've been keeping track of the discussions about the different manufacturers, so I've got that info. And how does DMA fit into this? Correct me: the ONLY advantage of DMA drives over non-DMA drives is that DMA goes faster. I'm sorry if this seems redundant; I've been trying to pick up bits here and there, but it's exactly that: bits here and there. Thanks. -- Jim Blandy - blandy@crnlcs.bitnet "insects were insects when man was just a burbling whatsit." - archie
papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) (06/27/88)
In article <18614@cornell.UUCP| blandy@cs.cornell.edu (Jim Blandy) writes: |Could someone post a comprehensive explanation of exectly what is required |(hardware, software, versions) to autoboot from a hard disk? Am I correct |in thinking that |1) the drive controller must have a driver rom built in Yes. |2) it's impossible for A1000 owners to avoid using a KickStart disk on | power-up (i.e. you can't put KickStart on your hard drive) Yes. For the A1000 CBM will distribute Kick 1.2.1 on floppy. On the A2000 and A500 a new Kickstart chip will be distributed (I as all other developers at DeVCon got one of these). For A1000 users maybe the "Kickstart Eliminator" could be used. I don't know if the chip is socketed on the KE. |3) all of this is irrelevant until 1.3 comes out - you can't autoboot | from ANYTHING until you have 1.3 Very true. -- Marco Papa 'Doc' -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= uucp:...!pollux!papa BIX:papa ARPAnet:pollux!papa@oberon.usc.edu "There's Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Diga!" -- Leo Schwab [quoting Rick Unland] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
sneakers@heimat.UUCP (Dan "Sneakers" Schein) (06/28/88)
In message <18614@cornell.UUCP> blandy@cs.cornell.edu (Jim Blandy) writes: >Could someone post a comprehensive explanation of exectly what is required >(hardware, software, versions) to autoboot from a hard disk? Im sure *someone* could, as to if they would or not, thats a different story. I will hit on a few areas with some details that should help... > Am I correct >in thinking that > >1) the drive controller must have a driver rom built in If you want to boot from that drive controller then yes. Basicly the new auto-boot HD controller from CBM, will have a copy of the "hd.device" file in ROM. This is the same file that is used (disk based of course) by the existing CBM hard drive controller. >2) it's impossible for A1000 owners to avoid using a KickStart disk on > power-up (i.e. you can't put KickStart on your hard drive) No this isnt true, There is a HD available *now* (and has been for a few months) from a 3rd party company (the name slips me right now) that can autoboot a 1000 witn no kickstart or workbench. >3) all of this is irrelevant until 1.3 comes out - you can't autoboot > from ANYTHING until you have 1.3 With above exception, the correct answer is yes. More correctly V1.3 KICKSTART comes out. >? I'm not asking about particular brands of drives or controllers - >I want to understand the situation well enough so I can figure out >what to ask; I don't want the dealers to explain anything to me. I've >been keeping track of the discussions about the different manufacturers, >so I've got that info. > >Jim Blandy - blandy@crnlcs.bitnet -- Dan "Sneakers" Schein -= Sneakers Computing =- 2455 McKinley Ave West Lawn PA 19609 {ihnp4|allegra|burdvax|rutgers}!cbmvax!heimat!sneakers Call BERKS AMIGA BBS - 24 Hrs - 3/12/2400 Baud - 40Meg - 215/678-7691 Those who worked the hardest are the last to surrender. (Gary Ward)