uhclem@trsvax.UUCP (03/09/90)
<> R1>BIOS is non-reentrant therefore it is impossible for a multitasking R1>system to trust it. Therefore you are right and your boss knows nothing. BIOS also assumes you are not in protected mode. Protected mode programs can't use segment registers as scratch registers and other stunts that are done all the time in the BIOS. That is why OS/2 keeps having to take the CPU out of protected mode so it can use the BIOS drivers. Can you say inefficient? <My opinion, and not that of my employer who prefers larger and slower software to justify bigger and faster systems...> "Thank you, Uh Clem." Frank Durda IV @ <trsvax!uhclem> ...decvax!microsoft!trsvax!uhclem ...hal6000!trsvax!uhclem
lws@comm.WANG.COM (Lyle Seaman) (03/23/90)
I may have missed part of this thread, so if this doesn't make sense, I apologize. If Xenix doesn't use the BIOS for anything (because the BIOS doesn't work w/ protected mode), then by extension, OS/2 and Unix don't use the BIOS either... Then howcum' I needed to upgrade my BIOS when I installed an ESDI controller? -- Lyle Wang lws@comm.wang.com 508 967 2322 Lowell, MA, USA uunet!comm.wang.com!lws
karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Karl Denninger) (03/23/90)
In article <1990Mar22.172812.29265@comm.WANG.COM> lws@comm.WANG.COM (Lyle Seaman) writes: > >I may have missed part of this thread, so if this doesn't make sense, >I apologize. > >If Xenix doesn't use the BIOS for anything (because the BIOS doesn't >work w/ protected mode), then by extension, OS/2 and Unix don't use >the BIOS either... > >Then howcum' I needed to upgrade my BIOS when I installed an ESDI >controller? The BIOS is used in a protected mode operating system only to boot the machine. The reason you needed to change your BIOS is that some older BIOSes didn't correctly execute the initialization code in add-on boards. This includes ESDI and other controllers with an on-board BIOS... thus those controllers would not work correctly. ESDI, SCSI and most RLL controllers typically have an on-board BIOS that loads the DPB block for the drives, thus "spoofing" the drive types. In the case of the ACB1542 SCSI adapters, it also enables redirection of the disk I/O routines for use under MSDOS (which is needed to boot from the SCSI devices). If the BIOS doesn't execute these routines correctly, you get no boot up, and thus Unix or Xenix (or OS/2) can't load. Once the system is up, the BIOS is not used at all; it can't be since it isn't reentrant. -- Karl Denninger (karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM, <well-connected>!ddsw1!karl) Public Access Data Line: [+1 708 566-8911], Voice: [+1 708 566-8910] Macro Computer Solutions, Inc. "Quality Solutions at a Fair Price"
jpp@tygra.UUCP (John Palmer) (03/23/90)
In article <1990Mar22.172812.29265@comm.WANG.COM> lws@comm.WANG.COM (Lyle Seaman) writes: } }I may have missed part of this thread, so if this doesn't make sense, }I apologize. } }If Xenix doesn't use the BIOS for anything (because the BIOS doesn't }work w/ protected mode), then by extension, OS/2 and Unix don't use }the BIOS either... Another related topic: Has anyone had any luck with installing COM3 or COM4? I've got an AT clone (386 Modular BIOS by Award) and am running SCO Xenix 2.3.2 (GT version). I tried to get COM3 and COM4 working but Xenix wont recognize them even though it allowed me to specify COM3 and COM4 with "mkdev serial". The SCO people said that "mkdev serial" lists COM3 and COM4 because one of the Wyse machines has a BIOS that supports these ports. He said that there was a way that COM3 and COM4 could become visible to Xenix but it would require some "hacking" that is "...not supported by SCO". Question: Has this been done by anyone out there and what does it involve? Thanks in advance. -- = CAT-TALK Conferencing Network, Prototype Computer Conferencing System = - 1-800-825-3069, 300/1200/2400/9600 baud, 8/N/1. New users use 'new' - = as a login id. E-Mail Address: jpp@ThunderCat.COM = - <<<Redistribution to GEnie PROHIBITED!!!>>>> -
jca@pnet01.cts.com (John C. Archambeau) (03/24/90)
lws@comm.WANG.COM (Lyle Seaman) writes: >I may have missed part of this thread, so if this doesn't make sense, >I apologize. > >If Xenix doesn't use the BIOS for anything (because the BIOS doesn't >work w/ protected mode), then by extension, OS/2 and Unix don't use >the BIOS either... > >Then howcum' I needed to upgrade my BIOS when I installed an ESDI >controller? Probably to low level format the hard drive. // JCA /* **--------------------------------------------------------------------------* ** Flames : /dev/null | My opinions are exactly that, ** ARPANET : crash!pnet01!jca@nosc.mil | mine. Bill Gates couldn't buy ** INTERNET: jca@pnet01.cts.com | it, but he could rent it. :) ** UUCP : {nosc ucsd hplabs!hd-sdd}!crash!pnet01!jca **--------------------------------------------------------------------------* */
darcy@druid.uucp (D'Arcy J.M. Cain) (03/28/90)
In article <1934@crash.cts.com> jca@pnet01.cts.com (John C. Archambeau) writes: >lws@comm.WANG.COM (Lyle Seaman) writes: >>I may have missed part of this thread, so if this doesn't make sense, >>I apologize. >> >>If Xenix doesn't use the BIOS for anything (because the BIOS doesn't >>work w/ protected mode), then by extension, OS/2 and Unix don't use >>the BIOS either... >> >>Then howcum' I needed to upgrade my BIOS when I installed an ESDI >>controller? > >Probably to low level format the hard drive. > More likely to boot the machine. -- D'Arcy J.M. Cain (darcy@druid) | Thank goodness we don't get all D'Arcy Cain Consulting | the government we pay for. West Hill, Ontario, Canada | (416) 281-6094 |