root@qetzal.UUCP (Admin) (08/25/87)
Greetings again - Here is a list of scheduled bug fixes
from Microport. I speak for hundreds - THANKS!! rcw@qetzal
Just snip and print!
---------------------------------------8-x-------------------------
Report of Open Bugs for SystemV/AT 286
Tue Aug 4 1987
Distributed by:
Microport Systems
10 Victor Square
Scotts Valley, CA 95066
(408) 438-8649
The Next Microport Update Will Be 2.3,
Scheduled for Release on August 31, 1987
Report PRI.1-2.Bugs Generated by Ace program pri.1.2 page 1
32 Priority: 3 Release: 1.2 Found in: uucp Verified
Communicating with Honey-Danber uucp may present a problem if its nodename
is greater than 6 chars. The uucp supplied with SysV truncates to 6 chars.
Work Around: An alias can be used to truncate to 6 characters.
55 Priority: 3 Release: 1.2 Found in: mail Verified
long mail or mailx messages (>32k) will report transmission failure even
though successfully transmitted.
Work Around: Message can be ignored.
62 Priority: 3 Release: 1.2 Found in: optimizer Verified
Optimizer can give fatal error, asm error, or cause a core dump.
Work Around: don't give the -O optimizer option to cc if these problems are encountered.
64 Priority: 2 Release: 1.2 Found in: df Scheduled
df on a mounted file system closes floppy
Work Around: Remount the floppy file system.
To be fixed in 2.3
129 Priority: 2 Release: 1.3.6 Found in: vi Verified
in vi, >> in rapid succession will put you in ex mode
Work Around: You can recover with :vi, or you can use the h,j,k, and l keys instead.
137 Priority: 3 Release: 1.3.6 Found in: labelit Scheduled
labelit -n does not work for floppy
Work Around: use volcopy to label floppies for use with finc and frec
To be fixed in 2.3
158 Priority: 3 Release: Found in: doscp Scheduled
doscp will truncate file if larger than buffer space
Work Around:
To be fixed in 2.3
172 Priority: 2 Release: 1.3.6 Found in: os Scheduled
data exception hangs system with 287 chip in place
Work Around: Pull 287 chip, or avoid data exceptions (such as divide by 0).
To be fixed in 2.3
174 Priority: 2 Release: 1.3.6 Found in: cc,F77 Scheduled
log and log10 don't work for 1/sqrt(2)<x<1.
Work Around:
To be fixed in 2.3.1
191 Priority: 2 Release: 1.3.6 Found in: as Verified
hash table overflow compiling large programs. This happens both with cc
c compiler and the f77 compiler.
Work Around: Break into smaller modules.
316 Priority: 3 Release: 1.3.6 Found in: os Verified
data terminals using 8 bit protocols are not supported through gettydefs
Work Around: this is a known limitation.
329 Priority: 2 Release: 1.3.6 Found in: cc Verified
declaring an array of pointers to structures whose total size would be
greater than 64K causes the C compiler to complain, even though the array
itself is not greater than 64K.
Work Around: Try to avoid this configuration.
Report PRI.1-2.Bugs Generated by Ace program pri.1.2 page 2
334 Priority: 3 Release: 1.3.6 Found in: csh Verified
environment variables such as $PROMPT are not accessible from the C shell,
biving the error message "Undefined variable."
Work Around: use bourne shell instead
348 Priority: 3 Release: 1.3.6 Found in: f77 Verified
char conversion func. doesn't work on int*4 (default); compiler complains
with "no table entry" error message.
Work Around: explicitly use int*2 for conversion
350 Priority: 3 Release: 1.3.6 Found in: cc Verified
"wasted space" generated when a vaiable has the same name as a function
Work Around: change variable name
360 Priority: 3 Release: 1.3.6 Found in: ar Verified
ar with archive file > 200K causes core dump
Work Around: break up the archive files into smaller libraries
373 Priority: 3 Release: 1.3.6 Found in: csh Verified
commands executed from csh which return errors coredump if in back quotes
Work Around: run bourne shell instead.
404 Priority: 3 Release: 1.3.6 Found in: fprintf Verified
using fprintf to write to a file opened in "r+" mode will cause written
data to be lost.
Work Around: set the _IOWRT flag by hand: "fp->_flag|=_IOWRT" (fp=file pointer)
411 Priority: 3 Release: 1.3.6 Found in: console driver Scheduled
graphics chars will not display on the console
Work Around: preceed them by a printable ASCII character
To be fixed in 2.3
419 Priority: 3 Release: 1.3.6 Found in: vi Scheduled
substituting using the "s" command may become inoperable;
Work Around: delete a line, then undoing the change, restores operatability of "s"
To be fixed in 2.3.1
422 Priority: 3 Release: 1.3.6 Found in: uucico Verified
uucico will core dump when the -x option is used, but only when uucico
would have completed successfully.
Work Around: The -x option is still useful for debugging uucp connection problems.
431 Priority: 2 Release: 1.3.6 Found in: system clock Scheduled
system clock runs slow, about 30 minutes a day
Work Around: Edit /usr/spool/cron/crontabs/root to reset the clock several times a day
To be fixed in 2.3
436 Priority: 1 Release: 1.3.6 Found in: fdisk Scheduled
two bad tracks assigned same alternate cylinders when adding to bad
track table after the system is running.
Work Around: Always create a fresh bad track table.
To be fixed in 2.3
Report PRI.1-2.Bugs Generated by Ace program pri.1.2 page 3
451 Priority: 3 Release: 2.2 Found in: malloc Verified
malloc(3x), the new version of malloc, may dump core.
Work Around: Try using malloc(3c)
452 Priority: 3 Release: 2.2 Found in: tar Verified
tar does successfully overflow across multiple floppies
Work Around: use cpio through the raw interface; /dev/rdsk/fd
453 Priority: 3 Release: 2.2 Found in: uucp Verified
uucp mail arrives "from uucp", and so "r" gets sent to uucp instead of usr.
Work Around: reply using a new invocation of mail.
454 Priority: 1 Release: 2.2 Found in: doscp Scheduled
Sometimes doscp complains with "bad cluster" message. (16 bit FAT problem)
Work Around:
To be fixed in 2.3
455 Priority: 2 Release: 2.2 Found in: floppy driver Scheduled
floppy driver can only access 40 tracks of 720k floppies.
Work Around: Use "format -f0 -179 /dev/rdsk/fd096ds9" cannot access rest of floppy
To be fixed in 2.3
459 Priority: 3 Release: 1.3.6 Found in: ld Verified
ld with -m only produces header information.
Work Around: avoid the use of the -m option with ld.
460 Priority: 2 Release: 2.2 Found in: cpio Verified
copying file to/from mounted floppy fails sometimes
Work Around: moving to subdirectory of hard disk file system and copy will work ok.
461 Priority: 2 Release: 2.2 Found in: ulimit Scheduled
ulimit set to 50000 with patch causes system to be unbootable
Work Around:
To be fixed in 2.3
463 Priority: 3 Release: 2.2 Found in: cpio Scheduled
"trackcheck overrun, cyl 0" errors on raw floppy device
Work Around: Informative only; does not adversely affect the system.
To be fixed in 2.3
465 Priority: 2 Release: 2.2 Found in: Ctrl-Alt-Del Scheduled
shutdown w/ctrl-alt-del from boot floppy does not clear mount table
Work Around: Use sync; sync; sync; init 0 to shutdown floppy rooted file system
To be fixed in 2.3
472 Priority: 3 Release: 2.2 Found in: optimizer Fixed, not Incorporated
struct { float a,b; } *p;
c(x.y) float *x,*y; { *x=p->a; *y=p->b; }
with -O -Ml option to cc gets "Fatal error in /lib/optim: Status 0213"
Work Around: compile without the optimizer.
fixed in V.3 c compiler
475 Priority: 2 Release: 2.2 Found in: accell Verified
Using unify accell may panic the system.
Work Around: Set environment variable NSEGS with setenv NSEGS=2.
Report PRI.1-2.Bugs Generated by Ace program pri.1.2 page 4
478 Priority: 1 Release: 2.2 Found in: dos 3.3 Scheduled
DOS 3.3 extended partitions not usable with 2.2 SystemV/AT.
Work Around: Avoid extended DOS partitions
To be fixed in 2.3
497 Priority: 2 Release: 2.2 Found in: doscp Verified
doscp file G: flsetdma failed. Works when logged off virt. console
Work Around: Log off of virtual console
515 Priority: 3 Release: 2.2 Found in: floppy driver Scheduled
Use of a write protected floppy as output causes tss fault.
Work Around: Make sure the write protect tab is not on the floppy when you output to it.
To be fixed in 2.3
541 Priority: 1 Release: 2.2 Found in: boot time Scheduled
booting from floppy, nothing on screen. Cannot get virt. screens
Work Around:
To be fixed in 2.3
542 Priority: 2 Release: Found in: lp Verified
Spurious form feeds from parallel driver
Work Around: set transparent mode
547 Priority: 2 Release: 2.2 Found in: Ctrl-Alt-Del Scheduled
Ctrl-Alt-Del can corrupt boot floppies
Work Around:
To be fixed in 2.3
550 Priority: 2 Release: Found in: format Verified
For some drives, format gives timeout errors when formatting a virgin disk
Work Around: Format with a different utility, such as SpeedStore or Disk Manager.
560 Priority: 2 Release: 2.2 Found in: dos util. Scheduled
There are problems with dos utilities when going to and from the dos
partition on the hard disk.
Work Around:
To be fixed in 2.3
568 Priority: 3 Release: 1.3.6 Found in: doscp Scheduled
doscp -bm file c: mungs up dos partition
Work Around:
To be fixed in 2.3
591 Priority: 3 Release: 1.3.6 Found in: doscp Scheduled
doscp creates a hidden file on the dos partition
Work Around:
To be fixed in 2.3
597 Priority: 3 Release: 2.2 Found in: doscp Scheduled
ln /dev/rdsk/0s5 /dev/dos/c. run doscp writing to c: munged dos
Work Around:
To be fixed in 2.3
Report PRI.1-2.Bugs Generated by Ace program pri.1.2 page 5
599 Priority: 3 Release: 1.3.6 Found in: dosdir Scheduled
problems reading dos subdirectories with TVI controller
Work Around:
To be fixed in 2.3
605 Priority: 1 Release: 2.2 Found in: fsck Verified
fsck can give negative numbers and trash file system when you have
a very large file system
Work Around: use fsck -f to repair, and then check with fsck
611 Priority: 2 Release: 2.2 Found in: Ethernet Verified
rsh <system> <cmd> gives "stty: Deadlock condition if locked"
Work Around: don't put stty commands in .cshrc or don't use csh as your login shell
627 Priority: 1 Release: 2.2 Found in: install Scheduled
Can't install on AST Premium due to floppy drive incompatibility.
Work Around: Substitute a different floppy drive.
To be fixed in 2.3
628 Priority: 1 Release: 2.2 Found in: boot time Scheduled
ATI EGA Wonder card gets garbage in EGA mode.
Work Around:
To be fixed in 2.3
639 Priority: 2 Release: 2.2 Found in: boot time Verified
Intelligent Microsystems distributes PTI-203 2MB multifunction cards.
With 120ns chips in upper MB, you get a double panic immediately on bootup.
This only occurs at 10MHz.
Work Around: Company recommends using 150ns chips.
672 Priority: 3 Release: 2.2 Found in: cron Verified
cron is set to EST when resetting clock. Uses wrong time zone.
Work Around: Add the line ./etc/TIMEZONE to the crontabs file.
684 Priority: 2 Release: 2.2 Found in: dosdir Scheduled
dosdir c: home directory works, but sub-dirs get garbage.
Work Around:
To be fixed in 2.3
687 Priority: 3 Release: 2.2 Found in: cu/getty Fixed, not Incorporated
dial out at 1200 baud works, but modem not reset to 2400 when getty at 2400
Work Around: use hayes modem software setting to handle this
Not yet scheduled
700 Priority: 3 Release: 2.2 Found in: Verified
Cannot open ttyM1 with O_NDELAY (modem control) - hangs.
Work Around: Avoid O_NDELAY option to open.
701 Priority: 3 Release: 1.3.6 Found in: regex compiler Verified
In a regular expression, the bracketing by '\(' makes the expression fail.
Work Around: Avoid the use of '\(' and '\)' in regular expressions.
716 Priority: 2 Release: 2.2 Found in: cflow Verified
cflow gets "lpfx: PANIC! nargs=258" no matter what args it's fed.
Report PRI.1-2.Bugs Generated by Ace program pri.1.2 page 6
736 Priority: 2 Release: 2.2 Found in: cc Verified
program with constant core dumps when constant > 28672. (large model)
739 Priority: 3 Release: 2.2 Found in: df Verified
If you are downloading floppies to the hard disk, and you run out of file
space, df will not display the amount left for the file system that ran
out of space.
Work Around: use df /dev/dsk/0s0
741 Priority: 1 Release: 2.2 Found in: uucp Scheduled
uucp at 9600 baud can cause tss fault.
Work Around:
To be fixed in 2.3
742 Priority: 2 Release: 2.2.2 Found in: doscp Verified
Under some conditions, doscp from unix to dos will destroy file
allocation tables in dos. This is an intermittent bug.
750 Priority: 2 Release: 2.2 Found in: boot time Verified
ATI EGA Wonder card won't boot in autoswitch mode.
Work Around: Avoid booting in autoswitch mode.
Report PRI.1-2.Bugs Generated by Ace program pri.1.2 page 7zeeff@b-tech.UUCP (Jon Zeeff) (08/27/87)
Microport's attitude is ridiculous. There are quite a few serious problems and the suggested solution is usually "oh, so just don't use that". I suggest that Microport take these things a bit more seriously, especially the ones that are so easy to fix. -- Jon Zeeff Branch Technology, uunet!umix!b-tech!zeeff zeeff%b-tech.uucp@umix.cc.umich.edu
brian@casemo.UUCP (Brian Cuthie ) (09/01/87)
In article <3090@b-tech.UUCP>, zeeff@b-tech.UUCP (Jon Zeeff) writes: > Microport's attitude is ridiculous. There are quite a few serious problems > and the suggested solution is usually "oh, so just don't use that". > > I suggest that Microport take these things a bit more seriously, especially > the ones that are so easy to fix. I agree totally ! I have had microport sys V/AT for at least 8 months now and have had some real problems getting support from those guys. Originally, I had problems with double panics with the serial ports. After being told by tech support, several times, that it must be something I was doing, I finally got hold of an engineer. He was the first person to even ask what the trap address was :-} Now, they want to charge me $149/yr to call and have them tell me that it's not their bug. Even when they do find a bug they seem to be *far* more interested in releasing a new product that they can charge new $$$$ for than supporting the products they've already sold. I'm really losing my patients with microport and I'm about to just ditch the whole thing. I think I'll buy a 68020 box and get UNIX from a company that is interested in supporting it *after* they've got my money. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Brian Cuthie CASE Communications Columbia, MD 21046 (301) 290 - 7443