wmandrus@world.std.com (WayneM) (02/26/91)
I'd like to verify something about ISC before I buy. I was told the a dual boot option was *not* part of ISC's package unlike SCO's. This sounds strange considering that ISC allows mounting of DOS partitions as well as access via VP/ix. So, can you or can't you have DOS and ISC Unix partitions coexist on the same drive with a boot option at power-up?? Thanks -w
gwr@world.std.com (Gordon W. Ross) (02/27/91)
In article <1879@chinacat.Unicom.COM> chip@chinacat.Unicom.COM (Chip Rosenthal) comments about bootmenu: >[...] I think it's fdisk replacement is a bit crude, but the >package is functional. On the other hand, it really gives you full >access to the fdisk table and I have tried it under both XENIX and >DOS. (The DOS binary was generated by SCO's cross compile stuff.) >-- >Chip Rosenthal 512-482-8260 | >Unicom Systems Development | I saw Elvis in my wtmp file. ><chip@chinacat.Unicom.COM> | I wrote the bootmenu and pfdisk package, and yes, pfdisk has a very simple line oriented command language, but for good reasons. First, pfdisk is a tool one seldom uses, so there's little motivation to expend the effort to give it a flashy, full-screen user interface. Secondly, I wanted to be able to use its output as an ASCII record of the fdisk partition table. The saved output from pfdisk (from the "list" command) can be used to re-create a partition table. Lastly, the simple I/O model allows pfdisk to be easily embedded in a script. (It has built-in help too. What more does one really need?) The reason I needed to write a replacement for fdisk was to simplify replacement of the fdisk boot code without smashing the partition table. Features I decided to include are: Set boot menu names (when new boot code is in use) Compatibility with old fdisk (old boot code in use) Complete control over fdisk table contents So now, when I turn on my computer, it asks: 1 MS-LOSS 2 Minix 3 4 ESIX Boot partition? (1-4) I'm happy! -- Gordon Ross (gwr@world.std.com)
dawes@suphys.physics.su.OZ.AU (David Dawes) (02/27/91)
In article <1991Feb27.073543.17557@world.std.com> gwr@world.std.com (Gordon W. Ross) writes: >In article <1879@chinacat.Unicom.COM> chip@chinacat.Unicom.COM >(Chip Rosenthal) comments about bootmenu: >>[...] I think it's fdisk replacement is a bit crude, but the >>package is functional. On the other hand, it really gives you full >>access to the fdisk table and I have tried it under both XENIX and >>DOS. (The DOS binary was generated by SCO's cross compile stuff.) >>-- >>Chip Rosenthal 512-482-8260 | >>Unicom Systems Development | I saw Elvis in my wtmp file. >><chip@chinacat.Unicom.COM> | > >I wrote the bootmenu and pfdisk package, and yes, pfdisk has a very >simple line oriented command language, but for good reasons. First, >pfdisk is a tool one seldom uses, so there's little motivation to >expend the effort to give it a flashy, full-screen user interface. >Secondly, I wanted to be able to use its output as an ASCII record >of the fdisk partition table. The saved output from pfdisk (from the >"list" command) can be used to re-create a partition table. Lastly, >the simple I/O model allows pfdisk to be easily embedded in a script. >(It has built-in help too. What more does one really need?) > >The reason I needed to write a replacement for fdisk was to simplify >replacement of the fdisk boot code without smashing the partition table. >Features I decided to include are: > Set boot menu names (when new boot code is in use) > Compatibility with old fdisk (old boot code in use) > Complete control over fdisk table contents > >So now, when I turn on my computer, it asks: > > 1 MS-LOSS > 2 Minix > 3 > 4 ESIX >Boot partition? (1-4) > >I'm happy! So am I! The pfdisk/bootmenu stuff is great. Thanks for making it available. David -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ David Dawes (dawes@suphys.physics.su.oz.au) DoD#210 | Phone: +612 692 2639 School of Physics, University of Sydney, Australia | Fax: +612 660 2903 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
bill@polygen.uucp (Bill Poitras) (03/03/91)
In article <1991Feb25.210428.4566@world.std.com> wmandrus@world.std.com (WayneM) writes: [stuff deleted] >This sounds strange considering that ISC allows mounting of DOS ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >partitions as well as access via VP/ix. So, can you or can't you have ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >DOS and ISC Unix partitions coexist on the same drive with a boot >option at power-up?? p How do you do this. I have tried to define D: in vpix as /dev/rdsk/1p1 and vpix won't accept it. +-----------------+---------------------------+-----------------------------+ | Bill Poitras | Polygen Corporation | {princeton mit-eddie | | (bill) | Waltham, MA USA | bu sunne}!polygen!bill | | | FAX (617)890-8694 | bill@polygen.com | +-----------------+---------------------------+-----------------------------+
paul@actrix.gen.nz (Paul Gillingwater) (03/04/91)
In article <1991Feb25.210428.4566@world.std.com> wmandrus@world.std.com (WayneM) writes: > I'd like to verify something about ISC before I buy. I was told the > a dual boot option was *not* part of ISC's package unlike SCO's. > This sounds strange considering that ISC allows mounting of DOS > partitions as well as access via VP/ix. So, can you or can't you have > DOS and ISC Unix partitions coexist on the same drive with a boot > option at power-up?? We did this through our BIOS. Yes, it's possible if your BIOS let's you specify the controller and partition to boot from. -- Paul Gillingwater, paul@actrix.gen.nz
brando@uicsl.csl.uiuc.edu (Brandon Brown) (03/04/91)
bill@polygen.uucp (Bill Poitras) writes: >In article <1991Feb25.210428.4566@world.std.com> wmandrus@world.std.com (WayneM) writes: >[stuff deleted] >>This sounds strange considering that ISC allows mounting of DOS > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >>partitions as well as access via VP/ix. So, can you or can't you have > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >>DOS and ISC Unix partitions coexist on the same drive with a boot >>option at power-up?? >How do you do this. I have tried to define D: in vpix as /dev/rdsk/1p1 >and vpix won't accept it. Well as far as on power-up I believe someone posted a small little "boot menu" for ISC to boot either to DOS or Unix on the initial boot, but I wouldn't recommend it, unless you really switch between the two alot. I would use the` "fdisk" commands on both Unix and DOS to switch between the two. As far as the VP/ix definition of the D drive in the vpix/vpix.cnf file, I definitely wouldn't suggest doing it this way. This method only leads to a ~single-user" capability to the DOS partition. A better way is to use Unix to mount the partition: # mount -f DOS /dev/dsk/1p1 /drived Then, when under VP/ix, modify the autoexec.bat file on the virtual C: drive to have the line: dosmount d:\drived This will redirect your VP/ix session to use D: as /drived under Unix.... +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Brandon Brown | Internet: brando@uicsl.csl.uiuc.edu | | Coordinated Science Laboratory | UUCP: uiucuxc!addamax!brando!brown | | University of Illinois | CompuServe: 73040,447 | | Urbana, IL 61801 | GEnie: macbrando | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Kimmo.Suominen@lut.fi (Kimmo Suominen) (03/05/91)
>>>>> On 4 Mar 91 14:19:01 GMT, brando@uicsl.csl.uiuc.edu (Brandon Brown) said: >How do you do this. I have tried to define D: in vpix as /dev/rdsk/1p1 >and vpix won't accept it. There was something strange about this - I think you needed to use 1p0. I know the manual says otherwise, and I know it seems funny to use the entire disk - but it works... Brandon> As far as the VP/ix definition of the D drive in the Brandon> vpix/vpix.cnf file, I definitely wouldn't suggest doing it Brandon> this way. This method only leads to a ~single-user" Brandon> capability to the DOS partition. A better way is to use Unix Brandon> to mount the partition: Brandon> # mount -f DOS /dev/dsk/1p1 /drived But this will cause VP/ix to think it is a Unix file system, and certain programs perform more nicely on a DOS file system. Also, WP won't work at all on a Unix file system. And there's more: if you for instance do a BIIIG XCOPY or RESTORE from a backup, you'll hit the inode limit on the DOS file system through Unix. This will be really messy, as you will end up looping through the same files all over again, or, as in the case of restore, the command will terminate in the middle of its work. But it is true, multi-user only works through mounts in the Unix file system. -- Kim / Internet: Kimmo.Suominen@lut.fi "That's what I think." / Bitnet: KIM@FINFILES
bill@bilver.uucp (Bill Vermillion) (03/05/91)
In article <1991Mar4.141901.4772@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> brando@uicsl.csl.uiuc.edu (Brandon Brown) writes: >bill@polygen.uucp (Bill Poitras) writes: (prior comments on vp.ix drive access deleted) >Well as far as on power-up I believe someone posted a small little "boot menu" >for ISC to boot either to DOS or Unix on the initial boot, but I wouldn't >recommend it, unless you really switch between the two alot. I would use the` >"fdisk" commands on both Unix and DOS to switch between the two. Well I would surely recommend >AGAINST< fooling with the fdisk. I have seen systems get wiped out with this. Some systems furnish a dual boot, if not get the one posted here, or do the following (which I recommend to all those I work for who don't want/have the dual boot option. Make a bootable DOS disk, with a switch to C: drive, and be sure to include the comspec option to specify command.com on C:. I have never had problem with the dual boot. -- Bill Vermillion - UUCP: uunet!tarpit!bilver!bill : bill@bilver.UUCP
brando@uicsl.csl.uiuc.edu (Brandon Brown) (03/12/91)
bill@bilver.uucp (Bill Vermillion) writes: >In article <1991Mar4.141901.4772@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> brando@uicsl.csl.uiuc.edu (Brandon Brown) writes: >>bill@polygen.uucp (Bill Poitras) writes: > >(prior comments on vp.ix drive access deleted) > >>Well as far as on power-up I believe someone posted a small little "boot menu" >>for ISC to boot either to DOS or Unix on the initial boot, but I wouldn't >>recommend it, unless you really switch between the two alot. I would use the` >>"fdisk" commands on both Unix and DOS to switch between the two. >Well I would surely recommend >AGAINST< fooling with the fdisk. I have >seen systems get wiped out with this. Some systems furnish a dual boot, if >not get the one posted here, or do the following (which I recommend to all >those I work for who don't want/have the dual boot option. How would simply changing the active partition wipe the disk? Unless you delete the partition, what harm could you possibly inflict? >I have never had problem with the dual boot. I have never had a problem with "fdisk". +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Brandon Brown | Internet: brando@uicsl.csl.uiuc.edu | | Coordinated Science Laboratory | UUCP: uiucuxc!addamax!brando!brown | | University of Illinois | CompuServe: 73040,447 | | Urbana, IL 61801 | GEnie: macbrando | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
rcbarn@rwa.urc.tue.nl (Raymond Nijssen) (03/13/91)
brando@uicsl.csl.uiuc.edu (Brandon Brown) writes: >bill@bilver.uucp (Bill Vermillion) writes: >>In article <1991Mar4.141901.4772@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> brando@uicsl.csl.uiuc.edu (Brandon Brown) writes: >>>bill@polygen.uucp (Bill Poitras) writes: >>> >>>Well as far as on power-up I believe someone posted a small little "boot menu" >>>for ISC to boot either to DOS or Unix on the initial boot, but I wouldn't >>>recommend it, unless you really switch between the two alot. I would use the` >>>"fdisk" commands on both Unix and DOS to switch between the two. >> >>Well I would surely recommend >AGAINST< fooling with the fdisk. I have >>seen systems get wiped out with this. Some systems furnish a dual boot, if >>not get the one posted here, or do the following (which I recommend to all >>those I work for who don't want/have the dual boot option. >> >How would simply changing the active partition wipe the disk? Unless you >delete the partition, what harm could you possibly inflict? Just changing the active partition allone should be harmless indeed. But it's not that simple; your disk can be wiped if you use the DOS fdisk; I have seen some stupid programs, but this one really beats all records. The very first sector on your disk contains a small program, loaded and started by the system BIOS. It looks in the 4-entry partition table for the first entry that has the active bit set; it then skips to the sector specified by that entry. However, there is no standardisation about the order of the entries in the table, e.g. AT&T's fdisk partition table program starts looking for the active partition at the 4th entry downto the first one; DOS starts at the first one. There are lots of scenarios in which this discrepancy can load to very confusing and dangerous situations. A bootselector program enables you to choose at boottime via a menu between the partition you want to boot from. This program resides in the sector containing the partition table, and replaces the program put there by some fdisk program. If you aren't an expert in this field, or don't have a local wizard, I strongly discourage you to fool around with different fdisk programs or bootselectors. Anyway, the PD program 'bootsel.zip' at ftp.win.tue.nl works for me and many others. | Raymond X.T. Nijssen | Eindhoven Univ. of Technology | | raymond@es.ele.tue.nl | EH 7.13, PO 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands | | "Don't put that on the wall in a tax-payer supported museum!" Pat Buchanan | -- | Raymond X.T. Nijssen | Eindhoven Univ. of Technology | | raymond@es.ele.tue.nl | EH 7.13, PO 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands | | "Don't put that on the wall in a tax-payer supported museum!" Pat Buchanan |
brando@uicsl.csl.uiuc.edu (Brandon Brown) (03/20/91)
rcbarn@rwa.urc.tue.nl (Raymond Nijssen) writes: >A bootselector program enables you to choose at boottime via a menu between >the partition you want to boot from. This program resides in the sector >containing the partition table, and replaces the program put there by some >fdisk program. >If you aren't an expert in this field, or don't have a local wizard, I >strongly discourage you to fool around with different fdisk programs or >bootselectors. >Anyway, the PD program 'bootsel.zip' at ftp.win.tue.nl works for me >and many others. Well, what mechanisms to programs such as these offer for auto-booting machines, such as after a crash? Is it as brain-dead as the savecore stuff? I would rather it save the system image (if it can, of course) and then have the machine boot automatically into Unix...