Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!focsys!larry
From: larry@focsys.UUCP (Larry Williamson )
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Diskless booting (bubble? battery backup ram?)
Keywords: diskless booting bubble memory nonvolatile memory
Message-ID: <171@focsys.UUCP>
Date: 28 Apr 88 16:58:38 GMT
Organization: Focus Automation Systems, Waterloo, Ont.
Lines: 25


We are installing a network of industrial XT's in a factory. These XT's
will be acting as dumb colour terminals connected to a Unix system.
Because of the industrial environment, we would like to have these
XT's diskless. 

We see two basic solutions.
    . have msdos installed on a nonvolatile memory system in the XT
    . boot msdos over the serial port from the Unix machine.

The nonvolatile memory system would be acceptable if it can be
upgraded without replacing any chips, ie using ROM is out. Bubble
memory, or battery backup ram is okay. We will also want to have
this memory system hold our communication program.

Booting over the serial line would be acceptable, except that the
boot times could become rather lengthy. The serial channel will be
running at 9600 baud max. 

Does anyone know of a solution to this problem? Are there any products
on the market that will do what we want?
-- 
Larry Williamson                      Focus Automation Systems
UUCP: watmath!focsys!larry    608 Weber St. N, Waterloo, Ontario N2V 1K4
                                          +1 519 746 4918