[comp.os.minix] 1.5.5: xt_wini.c / bios_wini.c PROBLEMS

sbakker@cs.vu.nl (03/07/90)

Hello,
	Recently I got a copy of Minix 1.5.5 and since 1.3 couldn't correctly
access the hard disk, this was the first thing I tried.

I'm using a Laser XT-3 clone, i8086 CPU, 10 MHz, 20 Mb Seagate ST225.

I got the following results:
	xt_wini boot (#1):
		Booted OK. Couldn't reset the hard disk, though.
		When I tried 'dd' the hd driver said:
			"hard disk won't reset, status = 0"
		This is the same message I got with 1.3
		Strange enough, it doen't give this message when I'm booting,
		so it is probably able to reset the controller once and read
		the partition table. After that, any w_reset() fails.

	at_wini boot (#2):
		Didn't boot at all, which was to be expected on an XT.

	bios_wini boot (#3):
		Didn't boot.
		I inserted the rootfloppy, hit '=' and the following happened:
			- The floppy light went on.
			- Nothing else happened.
			  I checked by pressing 'F1'. FS was waiting for
			  FLOPPY, FLOPPY was waiting for HARDWARE, HARDWARE
			  was doing nothing.
		My guess is, that the floppy driver misses an interrupt.
		I also had this problem using the BIOS version 1.3 and I 
		found out that 1.3 was hanging after issueing a RECALIBRATE.

		xt_wini 1.3 occasionally had the same problems.

Now, I have the following questions:
	- What is wrong with xt_wini? Is it a timing problem ?
	  If so, why does the first w_reset() succeed ?

	- What is wrong with bios_wini? The FLOPPY problem has to have 
	  something to do with the hd-driver using the BIOS, because
	  xt_wini.c doesn't give me these problems.

	= Can it be fixed ? 
	= How ?

Please help me out with this. If the BIOS-version doesn't work on my PC, 
there's a big chance it will fail on other PC's also.
		
			Thanks in advance,
				Steven Bakker
				(sbakker@cs.vu.nl)