tlhilde@en.ecn.purdue.edu (Troy Hildebrand) (09/29/90)
Ok, everybody...I'v decided to go with a 386sx, thanks for all the
useful information you provided. In short, it seems that all software
written for the 386DX will work with the 386sx. The jury is still
out on whether or not software is able to tell the difference between
the two. Some people claim yes, some no.
Now that the processor has been decided, I have ordered a computer.
And I want to run Intel Unix on it.
The problem is, the manager at the firm from which I purchased the
computer claims that the usual controller card the ship with SCSI
drives is 'incompatable with Unix'. (He indicated that it was not
compatable with any versions of Unix.)
The controller card is the ST02 Seagate conrtoller, the drive is a
Seagate 80 Mb SCSI drive. Is there any reason why this is so? Is this
true?
I thought maybe they just did not have the proper device driver
for the drive...Could this be so? If so, does anyone have a driver
program for the ST02 controller?
He did offer me an alternative (of course!)...For an additional chunk
of money I can purchase a Future Domain (controller card) 'clone'.
Is this necessary? I hope not, because I am already over budget.
Please respond by mail, with suggestions of what i might do, explanations
of anything which i seem to mis-understand (or which you know better
than I) or pointers on how i might investigate writing a driver for this
hardware setup.
Thanks..
Troy
--
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Troy Hildebrand | That'll be the last | The Internet: more than just
tlhilde@en.ecn.purdue.edu | teacup I have... | a free phone system! Whee!
tiptop@vet.vet.purdue.edu | lhughes@b11.ingr.com (Lawrence Hughes) (10/01/90)
I'd be suprised if you can find a device driver for the SC02 (or SC01, which I think is the same thing without floppy support), but would be interested if you do (esp. for Intel UNIX V/386). HOWEVER, a really good solution is to get the DPT PM2001/95 SCSI controller, which is FULLY REGISTER COMPATIBLE with the standard MFM AT HD controllers, so ANY *NIX/386 will run on it! This controller is available at least from TechData (800-553-7904) for $255 - also available (presumably cheaper) as DPT PM2001/90 (no floppy support). In addition to the HD (and FLOPPY on /95) this card supports up to 5 other SCSI devices via a standard SCSI bus / connector on the back of the card (also via internal SCSI cable?). After considerable research, this is the card I ordered for a 486 *nix system I'm putting together - don't have all the pieces yet, so can't confirm by personal observation that it works, but I have a 99.99% confidence that it will... (assured by mfg. and Intel that it will, and it DOES make sense...). Jury is still out until all pieces arrive whether I can use the SCSI bus to support an external SCSI cartridge tape drive - but I hope to... should be purely a matter of drivers... of course you COULD always write your OWN drivers, which is no worse than having all your teeth pulled - OUT YOUR EAR.... *grin* DISCLAIMER: the only connection I have with either DPT or TechData is as a customer for one of the above boards... furthermore, I am speaking for myself, not for Intergraph Corporation...
src@scuzzy.in-berlin.de (Heiko Blume) (10/07/90)
lhughes@b11.ingr.com (Lawrence Hughes) writes: >I'd be suprised if you can find a device driver for the SC02 (or SC01, which >I think is the same thing without floppy support), but would be interested if >you do (esp. for Intel UNIX V/386). a driver for microport sys v/386 was posted to alt.sources on 17 Sep 90. however, it's not possible to boot with it. >HOWEVER, a really good solution is to get the DPT PM2001/95 SCSI controller, >which is FULLY REGISTER COMPATIBLE with the standard MFM AT HD controllers, >so ANY *NIX/386 will run on it! sure, but you won't get the real advantages that scsi devices offer. i strongly recommend using host adapters that offer threaded/overlapping operation, like the adaptec aha-154[02]A. its also very interesting how the DTP controller would allow you to address seven devices on the SCSI bus. as far as i know those registers have one bit for drive select?! you also won't be able to use streamers, printers, nodems etc. of course, if your unix doesn't support such host adapters you out of luck. i wouldn't buy such one in the first place.... >After considerable research, this is the card I ordered for a 486 *nix system the poor machine...you realize that you'll use 5 year old technology in a high tech machine??!! -- Heiko Blume c/o Diakite blume@scuzzy.in-berlin.de FAX (+49 30) 882 50 65 Kottbusser Damm 28 blume@scuzzy.mbx.sub.org VOICE (+49 30) 691 88 93 D-1000 Berlin 61 blume@netmbx.de TELEX 184174 intro d scuzzy Any ACU,f 38400 6919520 ogin:--ogin: nuucp ssword: nuucp [HST,V.42bis]