[comp.unix.aix] driver problems

u714092@eagle.larc.nasa.gov (prichard devon ) (02/22/91)

I have a new RS/6000 which runs but is having problems with accessing
the 4mm tape and the r/w optical drive I ordered with it.  apparently the
drivers for these two aren't totally right, and my computer dude wants
some info on the drivers.  the following is his comments re the drivers;

"...They are the IBM drivers. Specifically, is there any information
on the Sony SMO optical erasable drive and the WangDat 1300 4mm tape drive.
Biggest problem is with the 4mm.  Also, what is broken in the
the example drivers for the CDrom that is given in the examples in
/usr/lpp/bos/samples as this is the driver that I will start with to 
make one that might work with the Sony.  Also, is that a good single book
that explains the drivers for their system in something more that glossy
8x10 words."

the department computer dude is more familiar with VMS than unix but is
real good with drivers and hardware. anything which will help us get
working drivers would really be appreciated.




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 | Devon Prichard                "The atrocious crime of being a young  |
 | u714092@eagle.larc.nasa.gov,   man... I shall neither attempt to     |
 | prichard@ias.larc.nasa.gov     palliate nor deny."                   |
 |                                William Pitt, House of Commons, 1741  |
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steve@ibmpa.awdpa.ibm.com (Steve DeJarnett) (02/23/91)

In article <U714092.91Feb21155509@eagle.larc.nasa.gov> u714092@eagle.larc.nasa.gov (prichard devon ) writes:
>"...They are the IBM drivers. Specifically, is there any information
>on the Sony SMO optical erasable drive and the WangDat 1300 4mm tape drive.

	Well, I don't believe either of these are actually DIRECTLY supported
by AIXv3.1.  Check with your salescritter for further clarification on that,
though.

>Biggest problem is with the 4mm.  Also, what is broken in the
>the example drivers for the CDrom that is given in the examples in
>/usr/lpp/bos/samples as this is the driver that I will start with to 
>make one that might work with the Sony.  Also, is that a good single book
>that explains the drivers for their system in something more that glossy
>8x10 words."

	Well, there's nothing per-say broken with the drivers in 
/usr/lpp/bos/samples, they're just not complete.  The headers say something to
the effect of "this is only a partial driver".  Basically caveat hactor...:-)
As for information on writing drivers for the 6000, InfoExplorer has books on
supplied Kernel Extensions, which talks about device driver operations and 
Kernel Extensions and Device Support Programming Concepts, which has a chapter 
on writing a device driver for AIXv3,

	There is also an article in the first (I believe) edition of AIXpert
magazine (an IBM publication about the RISC System/6000 -- see your sales rep.
to get a subscription) which has an article on the how/where/when/why/what of
writing an AIXv3 device driver written by Sam Drake from IBM's Almaden Research
Center.

	Hope those help.

	Steve

Steve DeJarnett			Internet: steve@ibmpa.awdpa.ibm.com
IBM PSP Palo Alto		UUCP:	  uunet!ibmpa.awdpa.ibm.com!steve
(415) 855-3510			IBM VNET: dejarnet at ausvmq
These opinions are my own.  I doubt IBM wants them.......