weyrich@csun1.UUCP (Orville Weyrich) (05/01/89)
I am considering ordering a copy of MINIX using the coupon in the back of Tanenbaum's book. The coupon gives me a choice of either "640k IBM PCs" or "IBM PC/ATs". Someone on the net also mentioned something about $90, but my book says $79.95. QUESTION #1: What is the difference between the 640k IBM PCs version and the IBM PC/ATs version? Is it only in the configuration of the binary, or is the source also different? QUESTION #2: I actually have a Micronics 80386 motherboard. Will the AT version work? Does Minix 1.3 work with an Adaptec RLL 1:1 interleave hard drive controller? QUESTION #4: I also have a Tandy 1000A with a "Smart-card" hard disk card (not the Tandy standard card). Has anyone gotten Minix working with this hardcard? QUESTION #4: What is the correct price? -- Orville R. Weyrich, Jr. | UUCP : ...gatech!csun1!weyrich Department of Computer Science | INTERNET: weyrich@csun1.cs.uga.edu University of Georgia | Athens, GA 30602 USA | MA BELL : (404) 542-1082
jca@pnet01.cts.com (John C. Archambeau) (05/08/89)
Answer #1:
The sources are identical. The differences are in the distribution, the AT
version comes on 1.2 MB floppies, while the PC version comes on 360K floppies.
Also, the AT version is configured to use less memory (512K), but you can
recompile the kernel to use the full 640K base.
Answer #2:
It should, but doesn't necessarily mean that it will. As for the RLL
controllers, there's a big caveat with using them with Minix. The wini.c is
originally written to work with MFM controllers. There are patches available
to make them work with RLL controllers.
Answer #3:
I don't know. I stay away from Tandy's due to their hardware compatability
problems, and unless you're a good system programmer, I wouldn't use Minix
with it. There are Tandy patches for Minix, but I would worry because of
Tandy's notorious compatability problems.
Answer #4:
$79.95 if you buy the disks only from Prentice-Hall. And I don't know if
they're still pulling their bull of clearing out their 1.2 disks or not. You
can buy the disks and the cross reference manual for $116 at some bookstores
though, but I haven't seen 1.3 versions of those distributions yet.
JCA
UUCP: {nosc ucsd hplabs!hp-sdd}!crash!pnet01!jca
ARPA: crash!pnet01!jca@nosc.mil
INET: jca@pnet01.cts.comjdeitch@pnet01.cts.com (Jim Deitch) (05/08/89)
jca@pnet01.cts.com (John C. Archambeau) writes: > >Answer #4: > > $79.95 if you buy the disks only from Prentice-Hall. And I don't know if >they're still pulling their bull of clearing out their 1.2 disks or not. You >can buy the disks and the cross reference manual for $116 at some bookstores >though, but I haven't seen 1.3 versions of those distributions yet. > > JCA I just got the full blown package for an AT from Prentice-Hall and it is true 1.3. Works like a champ. Don't know about the upgrades though. Jim UUCP: {nosc ucsd hplabs!hp-sdd}!crash!pnet01!jdeitch ARPA: crash!pnet01!jdeitch@nosc.mil INET: jdeitch@pnet01.cts.com
weyrich@csun1.UUCP (Orville Weyrich) (05/09/89)
From article <4163@crash.cts.com>, by jca@pnet01.cts.com (John C. Archambeau): > You > can buy the disks and the cross reference manual for $116 at some bookstores Is the cross reference manual of any use to someone who has the Minix text? Thanks. -- Orville R. Weyrich, Jr. | UUCP : ...gatech!csun1!weyrich Department of Computer Science | INTERNET: weyrich@csun1.cs.uga.edu University of Georgia | Athens, GA 30602 USA | MA BELL : (404) 542-1082
ncoverby@ndsuvax.UUCP (Glen Overby) (05/09/89)
In article <4163@crash.cts.com> jca@pnet01.cts.com (John C. Archambeau) writes: > The sources are identical. The differences are in the distribution, the AT >version comes on 1.2 MB floppies, while the PC version comes on 360K floppies. >Also, the AT version is configured to use less memory (512K), but you can >recompile the kernel to use the full 640K base. Hu? Minix uses all memory under 640K that it can find. There is a library function called "get_tot_mem()" that is used by mm/main.c (line 5517) to determinethe number of memory clicks. "Reconfiguring" Minix to use 640K consists of installing chips (maybe flipping DIP switches, if you have a DIPpy model PC) and booting Minix. The AT kernel comes compiled with at_wini.c rather than xt_wini.c (I hope!). The RLL patch I did for the Adaptec was: change NR_SECTORS from 17 to 25, and increase the timeout value to 32767. The ROM wini apparently will require a similar hack on NR_SECTORS. -- Glen Overby <ncoverby@plains.nodak.edu> uunet!ndsuvax!ncoverby (UUCP) ncoverby@ndsuvax (Bitnet)
jca@pnet01.cts.com (John C. Archambeau) (05/14/89)
My mistake about 512K and the AT distribution. It's designed to work with
512K AT's because of the smaller ramdisk. This I believe is attributed to the
size of the root file system. I accidently tested this theory once by putting
in /usr instead of the root file system and it loaded in the full 360K file
system.
That is true, the AT distribution does have at_wini.c embedded in the binary,
but if you're one of the people who has an XT controller in an AT box, you're
going to have to recompile the kernel to set the interrupt vector for an XT
controller and link in xt_wini.c as opposed to at_wini.c (as with my AT box).
JCA
UUCP: {nosc ucsd hplabs!hp-sdd}!crash!pnet01!jca
ARPA: crash!pnet01!jca@nosc.mil
INET: jca@pnet01.cts.com