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From: ted@blia.BLI.COM (Ted Marshall)
Newsgroups: comp.org.decus
Subject: Re: ramdisk on an 11/750? (under VMS)...
Message-ID: <932@blia.BLI.COM>
Date: Wed, 12-Nov-86 19:09:23 EST
Article-I.D.: blia.932
Posted: Wed Nov 12 19:09:23 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 16-Nov-86 20:07:31 EST
References: <263@stsci.uucp> <1653@ncoast.UUCP>
Organization: Britton Lee, Los Gatos, CA
Lines: 24
Summary: DEC provides an unsupported ram disk driver with VMS



There is a ram disk driver on the VMS 4.2 and later distribution. It is called
PDDRIVER. DEC uses it in SYS$UPDATE:STABACKIT.COM when building stand-alone
backup kits for micro-VAX media. However, DEC didn't want users to be able
to use it so instead of including the required initialization code in a
separate file, the MACRO code is in-line in the .COM file. It assembles
it, uses it and then deletes it. There was also an article on PDDRIVER in
either DEC PROFESSIONAL or VAX PROFESSIONAL magazine within the last two
months.

Check out the files and/or the magazine. I haven't actually tried to use the
driver but I know that it is used by the command file. Also, I don't have any
performance figures.

The story I heard at fall DECUS was that someone asked a developer what
PDDRIVER is. The developer responded "That's not supposed to be on the tape!"

Hope this helps.

Ted Marshall @ Britton Lee, Inc.
(408) 378-7000
[ I would put my network address here, but I'm a new net user and I haven't
  figured out what it is yet! ]