shiva@well.sf.ca.us (Kenneth Porter) (05/29/91)
How difficult is it to directly program an ISA/EISA host adapter? Ie. how good is the hardware-level documentation from the various vendors? For example, does the Adaptec SCSI Master kit provide register-level documentation for those who want to roll their own drivers (I know about ASPI but what about under OS/2?)? How about DPT, Mylex, etc.? Target operating system is initially DOS and OS/2 1.3, to be followed by Unix SVR4 and OS/2 2.0. Ken (shiva@well.sf.ca.us)
db@seachg.uucp (David Bell) (05/31/91)
In article <25098@well.sf.ca.us> shiva@well.sf.ca.us (Kenneth Porter) writes: > >How difficult is it to directly program an ISA/EISA host >adapter? Ie. how good is the hardware-level documentation from >the various vendors? For example, does the Adaptec SCSI Master >kit provide register-level documentation for those who want to >roll their own drivers > >Ken (shiva@well.sf.ca.us) All I can tell you is that the Adaptec 1542b kit does not. We recently bought an Adaptec card under the illusion that we would be able to write our own device drivers, disk maintenance utilities, backup utilities etc. When we asked for a tech manual to give us the register level info needed, we were told that this information was proprietory ! Any drivers etc. must be purchased from adaptec. This is NOT the type of support we are used to getting to say the least. If anyone knows of a vendor that supplies high performance SCSI host adaptors, and also includes programming info please let me know !! -- Dave Bell Sea Change Corporation Mississauga, Ontario, Canada UUCP: ...!uunet!attcan!seachg!db
neese@adaptx1.UUCP (05/31/91)
>/* ---------- "Rolling One's Own Device Drivers" ---------- */ > >How difficult is it to directly program an ISA/EISA host >adapter? Ie. how good is the hardware-level documentation from >the various vendors? For example, does the Adaptec SCSI Master >kit provide register-level documentation for those who want to >roll their own drivers (I know about ASPI but what about under >OS/2?)? How about DPT, Mylex, etc.? Target operating system >is initially DOS and OS/2 1.3, to be followed by Unix SVR4 and >OS/2 2.0. The SCSI Master Kit does not come with Tech Ref manual. I can provide it to you if you like. Roy Neese Adaptec Senior SCSI Applications Engineer UUCP @ neese@adaptex uunet!cs.utexas.edu!utacfd!merch!adaptex!neese
norsk@sequent.com (05/31/91)
In article <1991May30.184825.6659@seachg.uucp> db@seachg.UUCP (David Bell) writes: >In article <25098@well.sf.ca.us> shiva@well.sf.ca.us (Kenneth Porter) writes: >> >>How difficult is it to directly program an ISA/EISA host >>adapter? Ie. how good is the hardware-level documentation from >>the various vendors? For example, does the Adaptec SCSI Master >>kit provide register-level documentation for those who want to >>roll their own drivers >> >>Ken (shiva@well.sf.ca.us) > >All I can tell you is that the Adaptec 1542b kit does not. We recently bought >an Adaptec card under the illusion that we would be able to write our own >device drivers, disk maintenance utilities, backup utilities etc. > >When we asked for a tech manual to give us the register level info needed, >we were told that this information was proprietory ! Any drivers etc. must >be purchased from adaptec. This is NOT the type of support we are used to >getting to say the least. You ask the wrong guys. I got the docs and wrote a device driver for the AHA-1542B, for a class I took. Got it running under XENIX, but first got it running under DOS in a stand alone EXE file. (Not a DOS driver, just a driver that the test program could use to ensure it worked - thats how I do most of the drivers for UNIX, first do a prototype under DOS then move it to UNIX) Also got the ASPI manual and am now writing some stuff to interface to that, and this code will be portable across all of the adaptec HBAs. For DOS, it would be better to write to the the ASPI interface than to the HBA interface. Under other OSs not supporting ASPI, you need your own. NOTE: All the UNIX systems come with a aha-154x driver in them. Yes, docs are difficult to come by but not if you are persistent. Adaptec manuals I know of. Each about $10. from Adaptec Literature Dept, 691 South Milpitas Blvd. Mulpitas, CA 95035, or via their phone system , Literature Deptment Aha-1540A/1542A User's Manual 1989 This is not a user's manual its a programming manual that shows a device driver writer how to talk to the board. Full description of the ports, jumpering, mailbox format,etc. Document Scope: This manual provdies the intformation required to install and program the AHA-1540A and the AHA-1542A Intelligent Host Adapters in AT bus-based systems. [manuals probably exists for the 1522 and 1640 boards] AHA-1540B/1542B User's Manual. Same programming interface, register files, but differnt jumpers than the 1540A/1542A AHA-1540B/1542B Installation Guide Advanced SCSI Programming Interface (ASPI) - DOS Specification there are others for OS/2, Novell, etc If you wish my DOS prototype source, ping me back, I get it to you. The board's interface isn't too bad. I like the board. Also, in the minix newsgroup, about a month ago, someone posted a Minix driver for the 1540, but just a disk driver, not a general purpose SCSI driver - shame, but minix isn't too good for a layered driver approach. > >If anyone knows of a vendor that supplies high performance SCSI host >adaptors, and also includes programming info please let me know !! adaptec has been better than the others. -- Douglas Thompson UUCP: ..{tektronix,ogicse,uunet}!sequent!norsk Internet: norsk@sequent.com "The scientist builds to learn; the engineer learns in order to build." Fred Brooks Tapes are GOOD! Tapes are VERY, VERY GOOD! Including 8MM. Tapes are my friends.
gsteckel@vergil.East.Sun.COM (Geoff Steckel - Sun BOS Hardware CONTRACTOR) (06/01/91)
In article <1991May30.184825.6659@seachg.uucp> db@seachg.UUCP (David Bell) writes: -In article <25098@well.sf.ca.us> shiva@well.sf.ca.us (Kenneth Porter) writes: -> ->How difficult is it to directly program an ISA/EISA host ->adapter? Ie. how good is the hardware-level documentation from ->the various vendors? For example, does the Adaptec SCSI Master ->kit provide register-level documentation for those who want to ->roll their own drivers -> ->Ken (shiva@well.sf.ca.us) - -When we asked for a tech manual to give us the register level info needed, -we were told that this information was proprietory ! Any drivers etc. must -be purchased from adaptec. This is NOT the type of support we are used to -getting to say the least. I was able to order the register level documentation for the AHA-1542 directly from Adaptec. They charge $20 unless you can talk your local rep/office out of it. Call them in CA (I don't have the phone # here) and as for tech documents. You'll get a recording which describes how to order the manual. They want a check in advance. It took about 2-3 weeks. While I have many reservations about Adaptec support, the manual looks complete, and the board certainly works. Their Multibus I board, however, didn't, so I wound up using an NCR board instead. good luck, geoff steckel (gwes@wjh12.harvard.EDU) (...!husc6!wjh12!omnivore!gws) Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Sun Microsystems, despite the From: line. This posting is entirely the author's responsibility.