[comp.unix.msdos] Problems running Windows 3.0 under Merge/386

mju@mudos.ann-arbor.mi.us (Marc Unangst) (01/21/91)

I'm currently trying to set up Windows 3.0 to run under the version of
Merge/386 that SCO relabels as ODT-DOS and ships with Open Desktop
v1.0.  I'm trying to install it on the Unix partition as accessed from
DOS (as drive C:).  The system is an Everex STEP 386/20 with an Everex
Viewpoint VGA, Everex Monitor 400 (standard VGA) and Microsoft serial
mouse.

So, I put disk #1 in drive A:, switch to drive A:, and type SETUP.
The installation program may not be working right; it thinks I've got
an 84- or 86-key keyboard and an IBM PC LAN network.  I reconfigure it
for an AT 101-key keyboard and no network, and proceed with the
install.  It gets partway through the second disk, and then exits.
The error message looks like "Merge/386 exception trap error", but
it's difficult to say exactly what it is becaue the screen immediately
clears and I'm sitting back at the Unix prompt.

I'm entering Merge/386 by typing "dos" at the Unix prompt.  I'm logged
in as root.  I don't have the com. port with the mouse on it enabled
in the Merge/386 shell, but that shouldn't matter for the install.

Has anybody installed Windows 3.0 under Merge/386?  How'd you do it?
Is this even possible?  SCO, are you listening?


--
Marc Unangst               |
mju@mudos.ann-arbor.mi.us  | "Bus error: passengers dumped"
...!umich!leebai!mudos!mju | 

jackv@turnkey.tcc.com (Jack F. Vogel) (01/22/91)

In article <0XV4V2w164w@mudos.ann-arbor.mi.us> mju@mudos.ann-arbor.mi.us (Marc Unangst) writes:
 
[ trying to install Windows 3.0 under Merge....]

>The error message looks like "Merge/386 exception trap error", but
>it's difficult to say exactly what it is becaue the screen immediately
>clears and I'm sitting back at the Unix prompt.
 
I am not really a Merge expert but a former office-mate of mine was one
of the original developers and I seem to recall a conversation once about
Windows 3.0 and the problem was that it really did not want to run in a
pure 8086 mode, that is it would attempt to execute priveleged 386 
instructions. I think this is what causes the above error.

>Has anybody installed Windows 3.0 under Merge/386?  How'd you do it?
>Is this even possible?  SCO, are you listening?
 
Again, I am not 100% positive, but nearly so that this is not possible
given the nature of the Windows code and the way Merge is currently
implemented. Perhaps SCO will give you better news??

Disclaimer: I do not speak for LCC.


-- 
Jack F. Vogel			jackv@locus.com
AIX370 Technical Support	       - or -
Locus Computing Corp.		jackv@turnkey.TCC.COM

sassan@locus.com (Sassan Behzadi) (01/23/91)

In article <0XV4V2w164w@mudos.ann-arbor.mi.us> mju@mudos.ann-arbor.mi.us (Marc Unangst) writes:

>I'm currently trying to set up Windows 3.0 to run under the version of
>Merge/386 that SCO relabels as ODT-DOS and ships with Open Desktop
>v1.0.  
>
>It gets partway through the second disk, and then exits.
>The error message looks like "Merge/386 exception trap error", 
>
>Has anybody installed Windows 3.0 under Merge/386?  How'd you do it?
>Is this even possible?  SCO, are you listening?

Windows 3.0 will not work on the Merge supplied in ODT 1.0. 
The problem has been fixed and the Merge in ODT 1.1 now supports it.
You may want to check with SCO about the availability of ODT 1.1
and their upgrade policy.

--------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Sassan Behzadi                                                          
sassan@locus.COM                                                     
Locus Computing Corporation, Los Angeles                               
---------------------------------------------------------------------

mpd@anomaly.SBS.COM (Michael P. Deignan) (01/23/91)

mju@mudos.ann-arbor.mi.us (Marc Unangst) writes:

>Has anybody installed Windows 3.0 under Merge/386?  How'd you do it?
>Is this even possible?  SCO, are you listening?

The problem is that the WINDOWS kernel detects that you have a 386, and
attempts to put itself into 386 protected mode.

There was a patch posted to SCO.OPENDESKTOP a while ago describing this
problem, and included an "unofficial" patch to get around the problem.

I know someone using Windows 3.0 under ODT-DOS on a regular basis without 
problems.

The only "tradeoff" is that you can only run windows in "real mode", you can't
run it in protected mode under ODT-DOS.

MD
-- 
--  Michael P. Deignan                      / They're not "bombs". 
--  Domain: mpd@anomaly.sbs.com            /  They're "gifts".
--    UUCP: ...!uunet!rayssd!anomaly!mpd  /   "Gifts From Above".
-- Telebit: +1 401 455 0347              /

davidsen@sixhub.UUCP (Wm E. Davidsen Jr) (01/23/91)

In article <0XV4V2w164w@mudos.ann-arbor.mi.us> mju@mudos.ann-arbor.mi.us (Marc Unangst) writes:

| Has anybody installed Windows 3.0 under Merge/386?  How'd you do it?
| Is this even possible?  SCO, are you listening?

  There's a something call which windows is documented to use to
determine the CPU type. Sorry if I can't remember the details, I can
remember who to ask tomorrow. At any rate, MSoft documented this method,
but then used something else in W3 instead. The call works in VPIX, I
believe in merge, too, but it's not used.

  There is supposed to be a patch which makes this all work anyway. I'll
ask tomorrow for the details, I overhead this whole thing going on as a
discussion over lunch or somewhere.
-- 
bill davidsen - davidsen@sixhub.uucp (uunet!crdgw1!sixhub!davidsen)
    sysop *IX BBS and Public Access UNIX
    moderator of comp.binaries.ibm.pc and 80386 mailing list
"Stupidity, like virtue, is its own reward" -me

weyrich (Dr. Orville R. Weyrich) (01/24/91)

In article <0XV4V2w164w@mudos.ann-arbor.mi.us> mju@mudos.ann-arbor.mi.us (Marc Unangst) writes:
>I'm currently trying to set up Windows 3.0 to run under the version of
>Merge/386 that SCO relabels as ODT-DOS and ships with Open Desktop
>
>The installation program may not be working right; it thinks I've got
>an 84- or 86-key keyboard and an IBM PC LAN network.  I reconfigure it
>for an AT 101-key keyboard and no network, and proceed with the
>
I run DOS MERGE with Microport Unix, and when I installed Borland Paradox,
it required that I install it as "other network operating system" (i.e.
not Novell, not 3-com, etc). It works fine.

The point is, I think that MERGE is intended to act as a network version
of DOS, and to get your software to run, it must be setup that way.

Your configuration is different, your mileage may vary ;-).

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