[comp.unix.i386] putting a machine together, some questions

daniel@island.uu.net (Dan Smith "Nightmare on Elway Street") (02/02/90)

	[in case this has been covered to death, Please email me
	at: dansmith@well.sf.ca.us or ucbcad.edu!island!daniel]

	My wife (sprice@well.sf.ca.us) and I are putting together
a 386 for home, and have a couple of questions.  First off, here's
our hardware list:

	33 Mhz 386 w/64k cache on a Mylex motherboard with AMI bios
	4 meg ram, probably 70 ns (to start)
	ESDI controller w/Toshiba 300 Meg drive (sorry don't know model
		numbers at the moment)
	Paradise 16 bit VGA w/512k -- 1024x768
	Microsoft bus mouse
	Northgate (OMNI) 101 keyboard
	2 ser/1 par ports
	NEC 4D monitor

	we'll need to get a tape backup (definitely!)...I want to get
	a 1/4" drive in order to be compatible with Sun 1/4" (I'm
	assuming that "tar" or any other standard utility on a 386
	Unix will be compatible with SunOS versions....hmmm, perhaps
	I should not assume so much!

	now, for software...

	I'm confused as to whether to go with ESIX, Interactive Systems,
or SCO (further confused as to difference between SCO Xenix and SCO Unix!)
We want something that's going to be compatible with the above hardware
(we can still make changes in the hardware list, that's no problem),
obviously, and something that can run X11R4, possibly with Motif.

	I lean towards ESIX because of price and Xenix binary compatibility.

	Oh, and one other thing...my wife wants to have OS/2 and
DOS partitions on this (yea, I know...we have this constant teasing
at home of Unix vs OS/2, X vs PM...that 300 meg doesn't seem like
it's going to be enough!).  Is it feasible to set up the machine
to boot into one of 3 environments?  It's possible that we could get
another disk so that one would be all Unix, and the other one would
be split between OS/2 and DOS...

	So I ask for your opinions: which Unix?  what hardware changes would
you make?  My thanks in advance.

				dan
-- 
   dansmith@well.sf.ca.us   daniel@island.uu.net   unicom!daniel@pacbell.com
ph: (415) 332 3278 (h), 491 1000 (w) disclaimer: Island's coffee was laced :-)

mark@gizzmo.UUCP (mark hilliard) (02/03/90)

In article <1349@island.uu.net> daniel@island.uu.net (Dan Smith "Nightmare on Elway Street") writes:
>
>	33 Mhz 386 w/64k cache on a Mylex motherboard with AMI bios

This board has a NON-STANDARD caching system which is incompatable with MOST
dual ported memory cards.  I have extensivly tested Mylex boards and had 
BAD experiences with all of the caching boards. Some companies 
make custom work arounds for their cards to support the mylex board, 
but only a few.  I gave up on Mylex and started using AMI boards with
NO problems with caching and dual ported memory.

>	Microsoft bus mouse

Chances are that this will need one of the interrupts that your dual serial
card needs.

>	2 ser/1 par ports

You might want to consider the Megaport serial board.  This board is the 
fastest serial board around and it will work fine with the bus mouse.

>	NEC 4D monitor

Nice choice.

>	I'm confused as to whether to go with ESIX, Interactive Systems,
>or SCO (further confused as to difference between SCO Xenix and SCO Unix!)
>We want something that's going to be compatible with the above hardware
>(we can still make changes in the hardware list, that's no problem),
>obviously, and something that can run X11R4, possibly with Motif.
>
>	I lean towards ESIX because of price and Xenix binary compatibility.

Interactive (in my expierence) is a better choice.  It has Xenix binary 
compatibility as well as X11R4 and Motif (all of which I am running). It
may cost a little more, but it is a great product.  I have installed 
MANY systems with Interactive, and have always been pleased.  I have
also used SCO and thint that Interactive is a smoother product.

>	Oh, and one other thing...my wife wants to have OS/2 and
>DOS partitions on this (yea, I know...we have this constant teasing
>at home of Unix vs OS/2, X vs PM...that 300 meg doesn't seem like
>it's going to be enough!).  Is it feasible to set up the machine
>to boot into one of 3 environments?  

Yes, you can set up different partitions that you can switch between
via fdisk.  You can also mount MS-DOS partitions from within
Interactive by using the mount -f DOS command and then access the
data from unix or vpix.

Mark Hilliard
rutgers!rochester!kodak!gizzmo!mark
mark@kodak

bbanning@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (banning) (02/03/90)

In response to the question regarding *nix, DOS, and OS/2 on the same drive:

     I have all three booting from the same drive.  I have:

          SCO Unix V/386 3.2 Maint Supp A.
          Everex (a la MS) DOS 3.3
          Everex (a la MS) OS/2 1.1
          Everex 386/33
          DTC ESDI disk controller
          CDC Wren V Drive
          MS bus mouse - bummer it only has 2 buttons!
          Everex 60mb (3M DC600A) cartridge drive (I think it works with the
            Sun, I am about to try it.)

     Now, the Unix documentation claims that one can not do this!  But here is
how I have successfully done the very thing they said could not be done:

    1) Partition drive:
       A) 1st partition: DOS, Primary.
          NOT larger than 32mb.
          MUST start on track 1!!! - room for *nix boot block.
          DO NOT use Disk Manager or any other funky "super partition" stuff.
       B) 2nd partiton: DOS, Extended - if desired.
          NO Limit on size.
          MUST NOT use Disk Manager or any other funky stuff.
          Use simple DOS extended partition - this is so OS/2 can find it!
       C) *nix partition - rest of drive.

    2) Low level format drive.
    3) Install DOS Primanry and Extended Partitions.  NOT *nix-let it do that. 
    4) Format DOS Primary and Extended Partitions with DOS.  Use /s option
       to transfer the boot block and system to drive.
    5) Install reset of DOS utilities.

    6) Boot and install OS/2 with the installation utilities.  I recommend
       Everex's port of OS/2 1.1 - it is very solid compared to others.  Wait
       for 1.2 and 2.0 for a while.  NOT stable!

    7) When installing OS/2 DO NOT reformat the partition.

    8) Install the Dual Boot option.  This allows you to start OS/2 or DOS
       when booting from the Primary DOS partition.

    9) Install *nix via the manufacturer's directions.
       NOTE: be sure to set the *nix partition to the active state.

   10) When booting *nix (on most ports) enter 'dos' at the 'boot' prompt.
       this will logically activate the dos partition and boot from it BUT..
       you have the dual boot option selected so you will be asked to start
       OS/2 or DOS .... you pick.   

      Neat, eh?

If you have questions, give me a call
(812) 331-1142 evenings.
bbanning@silver.ucs.indiana.edu

jay@metran.UUCP (Jay Ts) (02/03/90)

In article <1349@island.uu.net>, daniel@island.uu.net (Dan Smith "Nightmare on Elway Street") writes:
> 
> 	My wife (sprice@well.sf.ca.us) and I are putting together
> a 386 for home, and have a couple of questions.  First off, here's
> our hardware list:
> 
> 	33 Mhz 386 w/64k cache on a Mylex motherboard with AMI bios
>	[etc.]

I am using a home-built system based on Mylex's MI386-20 motherboard.  My system
passed BIOS tests OK, but wouldn't boot UNIX.  Symptom: System freezes at the
"Booting the UNIX System..." message from ISC's 386/ix.

I called Mylex's Technical Support, which is where the *real* trouble began.
They have (had?) a horrible phone system, which has disconnected 2/3 of my
calls to them.  When I tried to leave messages on their "phone mail", it took
days for the calls to be returned.  By then I had already managed to get a
call through direct to a Tech Support person.  He explained that it was the
AMI BIOS which was the problem.

(Background: I had received a photo brochure from Mylex, specifying that the
MI386-20 supports UNIX and was available with an Award or Phoenix BIOS.  The
photo shows an AMI BIOS, if you look *real* close.)

I was told they would ship me a Phoenix BIOS, and I could return the AMI BIOS
for a refund.  When the new BIOS did not arrive as expected, I called back
(more problems with the phone system...).  I was told that something had gone
wrong, (due to a miscommunication between Tech Support and the department that
actually was supposed to ship the chips) but the new BIOS would go out the same
day.  After a couple more cycles of waiting, calling back, and them trying to
correct the matter, I was referred to their Customer Relations Dept. where a
very good person finally made sure I got the Phoenix BIOS.  He (it seems I have
made a serious error in losing his name) had been aware of the problem with the
phones and corporate structure/communications and had tried to get the
management to make the appropriate changes.  (He had some really good ideas...)

I hope that they finally listen to him, for I simply cannot recommend Mylex
products to *anyone* until they get their act together!

By the way, the Phoenix BIOS works, but after 2 months, I still have not
received the refund they promised...

				Jay Ts, Director
				Metran Technology
				Clearwater FL
				...!uunet!metran!jay