wayne@csri.toronto.edu (Wayne Hayes) (05/30/89)
I'm new to the ms-dos world, just having purchased an AT w/ 40MB hard drive. I'm excited about MINIX... small UNIX system with full source for $80. I have a few questions... Can I run regular ms-dos programs from within minix? Can I put it on my hard drive (Miniscribe 3650)? If I partition my hard drive correctly, can I still boot up regular ms-dos ignoring the minix partition? And what address do I write to (Prenice-Hall?) to order minix? I seem remember reading that some of it's commands use different syntax / command lines than UNIX. How much different? And really important to me, is the c compiler ANSI? Has anyone tried porting over GNU's gcc? And one more minor thing, mostly just curiosity: can I use the c compiler to generate (non-commercial) ms-dos runnable code as well as minix code? Thanks in advance.... Wayne Hayes -- "Open the pod bay doors, HAL." "I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that." Wayne Hayes INTERNET: wayne@csri.toronto.edu CIS: 72401,3525
mjs@cbnewsl.ATT.COM (Mike Scheutzow) (06/03/89)
> Article 1595 of comp.os.minix: > From: wayne@csri.toronto.edu (Wayne Hayes) > I'm new to the ms-dos world, just having purchased an AT w/ 40MB hard drive. > I'm excited about MINIX... small UNIX system with full source for $80. I have > a few questions... > Can I run regular ms-dos programs from within minix? No. > Can I put it on my hard drive (Miniscribe 3650)? Probably. You may even be able to read it back off the disk :-). The most recent minix info-sheet has this comment ('hd cnt' means 'disk head count': Miniscribe 3650/WD1003-WA2 HDC v1.1&v1.2 ok, (fix fsck hd cnt) [edhall] > If I partition my hard drive correctly, > can I still boot up regular ms-dos ignoring the minix partition? Yes. My preferred method is to boot minix from a floppy. MS-DOS boots if there is no disk in drive A:. > And what address do I write to (Prenice-Hall?) to order minix? Order by telephone number (201) 767-5937 using a credit card. Be aware that the operators think of this as a 'book', so ask him/her to read back the exact 'title'. You're looking for: MINIX for 512K IBM PC/AT $79.95 (0-13-583303-5) I consider Andrew Tannenbaum's textbook "Operating Sytems: Design and Implementation" to be required reading with this software. The source disks are somewhat lacking in startup instructions and man entries (not to mention the root password). The hardcover book costs about $40. Title: Operating Systems: Design and Implementation Author: Andrew S. Tanenbaum Publisher: Prentice-Hall ISBN: 0-13-637406-9 (Hardcover) 0-13-637331-3 (Paperback, outside of U.S. and Canada) > I seem remember reading that some of it's commands use different > syntax / command lines than UNIX. How much different? MINIX is based on an older version of unix(tm) called Version 7. I don't think you'll have any problems if you already know any other unix(tm). I haven't had any problems, but proper documentation is critical (Looking at the source to figure out command-line options is a real pain.) > And really important to me, is the c compiler ANSI? No. The compiler works, but it is still maturing. It has little problems like ignoring the 'static' keyword. > Has anyone tried porting over GNU's gcc? Yes. Lack of address space (only 64K segments) and lack of memory (640K is a drop in the bucket for programs like this) make this a difficult task. > And one more minor thing, mostly just curiosity: can I use > the c compiler to generate (non-commercial) ms-dos runnable code as well > as minix code? Programs that stick to 'high level' interfaces (eg fopen()) and run on a teletype-like device can be compatible at the c-code source level. This means you need one compiler for minix and another for ms-dos. Simple things like moving the cursor or reading unbuffered input are done in completely different ways on the two systems. The ms-dos compilers I am aware of do not have unix-compatible libraries. > Thanks in advance.... > Wayne Hayes You're welcome. Mike S. att!cbnewsl!mjs
mem@unify.UUCP (Mark Mason) (10/07/89)
Hello, I am looking at getting a '386 box in about a month. A major reason for doing this is so that I can run minix on it. I have read the info sheet posted to the net about a week ago, and I have some questions about it (and other things). The current version of minix appears to be 1.3 (with 1.4 shortly on the way). The info sheet only gives ISBNs for version 1.1 and the 1.1->1.2 upgrade from PH. Later in the sheet, it is noted that 1.3 is the current version and that you can get it from PH. Is this true, and if so, can someone send me a complete list of the ISBNs for minix? Is there any hardware that would be recommended to stay away from (I know about the compat. list). I assume in most cases, a 'N' in the compat. list means someone has not produced a patch yet - but it should be possible. Awhile back (couple months) someone in this group made mention of a 386 protected-mode project for minix. What is the status of this (if it is real), and who is involved in it? Thanks for you time, -- mem@unify tektronix!sequent!unify!mem csusac!unify!mem All opinions are my own, my employer hired me for facts.
ncoverby@ndsuvax.UUCP (Glen Overby) (10/16/89)
In article <1170@unify.UUCP> mem@unify.UUCP (Mark Mason) writes: > The current version of minix appears to be 1.3 (with > 1.4 shortly on the way). The info sheet only gives ISBNs > for version 1.1 and the 1.1->1.2 upgrade from PH. The current PC version is 1.3. The ISBN numbers in the Info Sheet are for PC version 1.3 and ST version 1.1. They are the ones Andy Tanenbaum posted within the past month. The upgrade contains all sources for v1.3, so it isn't "from" any version, but you do need to have *some* version running with your hard disk so you can recompile the whole thing. -- Glen Overby <ncoverby@plains.nodak.edu> uunet!ndsuvax!ncoverby (UUCP) ncoverby@ndsuvax (Bitnet)
pcolsen@super.ORG (Peter C Olsen) (10/17/89)
> >The upgrade contains all sources for v1.3, so it isn't "from" any version, >but you do need to have *some* version running with your hard disk so you >can recompile the whole thing. >-- Warning --- FLAME ON I surmise that this means those of us who have never got our Version 1.2 kernals to recognize our hard-disks ought to burn our disks and manuals? Perhaps the Luddites **WERE** right. FLAME OFF. Peter Olsen super.super.org