[comp.unix.microport] problems installing Archive tape driver

buck@siswat.UUCP (A. Lester Buck) (10/18/88)

I recently upgraded to Microport SystemV/AT V2.4, mainly because
this release includes drivers for cartridge tape backups that
were separate cost items before.  But I have been unable to get
the driver working.
	
	Hardware: 8MHz AT clone, Archive 499 controller (long card),
		Archive 60 Mbyte external cartridge tape
	Jumpers: IRQ 5 (vector 37), DMA chan 1, port base addr 0x200
	tape works fine under DOS using the supplied software
		and installation programs (to keep DOS driver in
		sync with hardware jumpers)

I uncommented the "ar" entries in master and dfile.wini.
IRQ 5 is vector 37 in master, which was also being used with "lp",
so I removed the 37 from the lp entry, leaving lp as using only 39.
I made a new kernel and installed it.

/dev/rmt0 already exists (no mknod required),
so I try  "cat /etc/passwd >/dev/rmt0", but the system
hangs (console still accepts input, but cannot intr out).
With the stock kernel, the above command returns with "cannot open ...".

Microport tech support has been helpful, but they are stumped.
(Much thanks to John Plocher and Thuan-tit.)  We went over every jumper
on the controller and we agree exactly.  Same PROM revision level.
They are sending me a beta copy of a new Everex/Archive driver to try.
There seems to exist no documentation for this installation.
I haven't received any man(7) pages for the "ev" or "ar" driver,
or any man(1) pages for the tape support programs such as tape(1)
or strm(1), and I don't know what else.

If you have a working Archive 499 tape controller installed, would
you please contact me and summarize your installation particulars?
I would also be interested in Everex installations, as these cards
use the save (ev) driver.

Thanks alot,


-- 
A. Lester Buck		...!uhnix1!moray!siswat!buck

larry@focsys.UUCP (Larry Williamson) (10/18/88)

In article <331@siswat.UUCP> buck@siswat.UUCP (A. Lester Buck) writes:
>I recently upgraded to Microport SystemV/AT V2.4, mainly because
>this release includes drivers for cartridge tape backups that
>[...]
>I uncommented the "ar" entries in master and dfile.wini.
>IRQ 5 is vector 37 in master, which was also being used with "lp",
>so I removed the 37 from the lp entry, leaving lp as using only 39.
>I made a new kernel and installed it.

I had a similiar problem when I tried to install my tape drive a
few months ago. I was dealing with Jas at the time. He found out
that it is necessary to define in your dfile.wini file that you have
a maximum of 2 lineprinters even though you really only have one.

We were not able to determine why there is an interdependancy between
the lp driver and the tape driver. 

Here are my master and dfile.wini entries for the offending devices.

* @(#)master	2.3
*                                       blk     chr
* name	vector	hndlrs	type	prefix	maj	maj	max #	struct decl.
*-----	------	------	----	------	---	---	----- 	----------------
lp	39	ocwis	c	lp	0	7	3
ev	37	ocrw	c	ev	0	9	1

* @(#)dfile.microport	2.3
lp	0	2
ev	0	1

We have only one lineprinter and only one tape drive. You must state that
you have 2 line printers in your dfile.wini.

Good luck,
    Larry

-- 
Larry Williamson  -- Focus Automation Systems -- Waterloo, Ontario
                       watmath!focsys!larry       (519) 746-4918

john@wa3wbu.UUCP (John Gayman) (10/19/88)

    Do you have the additioanl nodes that were a part of the previous
tape software like rmt8 & rmt16 ?

    Usually a tape operation goes like this:

   echo o | tape /dev/mt/rmt16    (resets the tape controller)
   find . -depth -print | cpio -ocv | strm /dev/mt/rmt0  (sends files to tape)

   I never tried your "cat file > /dev/mt" before. I have been using an
Everex Excell Stream 60 with 2.3U for almost a year and it has performed
flawlessly.

					John


-- 
John Gayman, WA3WBU              |           UUCP: uunet!wa3wbu!john
1869 Valley Rd.                  |           ARPA: john@wa3wbu.uu.net 
Marysville, PA 17053             |           Packet: WA3WBU @ AK3P 

fyl@ssc.UUCP (Phil Hughes) (10/19/88)

In article <331@siswat.UUCP>, buck@siswat.UUCP (A. Lester Buck) writes:

[ story of configuring the archive tape driver in V/AT 2.4]

> /dev/rmt0 already exists (no mknod required),
> so I try  "cat /etc/passwd >/dev/rmt0", but the system
> hangs (console still accepts input, but cannot intr out).

I did what you did with the Everex driver.  Then I looked around
and found a whole bunch of nodes other than /dev/rmt0.  In particular,
/dev/mt/1m and a few others.  These seem to talk to the tape drive
ok.  I wish I had some documentation that said what they were but ... .

Also, when you get it working, don't forget to pipe stuff thru strm,
which has a man page on the system.  Good luck and if anyone knows
what all the nodes in /dev/mt are, please let me know.

-- 
Phil Hughes, SSC, Inc. P.O. Box 55549, Seattle, WA 98155  (206)FOR-UNIX
    uw-beaver!tikal!ssc!fyl or uunet!pilchuck!ssc!fyl or attmail!ssc!fyl

john@wa3wbu.UUCP (John Gayman) (10/20/88)

In article <208@focsys.UUCP>, larry@focsys.UUCP (Larry Williamson) writes:
> 
> * @(#)dfile.microport	2.3
> lp	0	2
> ev	0	1
> 
> We have only one lineprinter and only one tape drive. You must state that
> you have 2 line printers in your dfile.wini.
> 

     I just checked my dfile.wini and although I have the Everex tape
drivers installed, I only have one printer defined in dfile.wini. My
edits were done as part of the installation script provided by
Microport. It has been working great since I installed it.

					John



-- 
John Gayman, WA3WBU              |           UUCP: uunet!wa3wbu!john
1869 Valley Rd.                  |           ARPA: john@wa3wbu.uu.net 
Marysville, PA 17053             |           Packet: WA3WBU @ AK3P 

john@wa3wbu.UUCP (John Gayman) (10/21/88)

In article <1505@ssc.UUCP>, fyl@ssc.UUCP (Phil Hughes) writes:
> Also, when you get it working, don't forget to pipe stuff thru strm,
> which has a man page on the system.  Good luck and if anyone knows
> what all the nodes in /dev/mt are, please let me know.
> 
   Here are the node functions as per the documentation with the 2.3
Everex drivers:

			/dev/mt/rmt0  -  rewind the tape

			/dev/mt/rmt8  -  fast fwd to end, then rewind

			/dev/mt/rmt16 -  reset the tape controller

			/dev/mt/rmt64 -  erase the tape cartridge

   You also use the "tape" utility to accomplish some of this. Like if you
wanted to reset the controller you would simply issue the command
"echo o | tape /dev/mt/rmt16"  and re-tensioning a tape would be
"echo o | tape /dev/mt/rmt8".  Hope this helps you.


					John



-- 
John Gayman, WA3WBU              |           UUCP: uunet!wa3wbu!john
1869 Valley Rd.                  |           ARPA: john@wa3wbu.uu.net 
Marysville, PA 17053             |           Packet: WA3WBU @ AK3P