Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!bloom-beacon!gatech!udel!mmdf
From: jnall%FSU.BITNET@cunyvm.cuny.edu (John Nall 904-644-5241)
Newsgroups: comp.os.minix
Subject: 1.3d Status
Message-ID: <6158@louie.udel.EDU>
Date: 29 Dec 88 22:34:02 GMT
Sender: mmdf@udel.EDU
Lines: 39

J. Applegate (japplega@CSM9A.UUCP) inquires as to whether other people
have experienced the same problems with 1.3d as he has, citing errors in
dosread.

I have 1.3d up and running (via the D1.2-1.3 files from bugs.nosc.mil).
So far the only problems experienced are as follows:

  1.  Dosread/write/dir does not work.  Same problem as reported by
      Applegate -- unexpected traps.  I just use the 1.2 version, which
      works file.

  2.  PATCH never gets through the update from 1.2 to 1.3d for MINED.
     Claims there is not enough RAM disk.  I've stripped it down to the
     bare minimum with no success.  No problem -- I used Stevie anyway{

  Everything else seems to work great.  Running on an AT, with the root
in extended memory and loading from a harddisk partition, MINIX is beginning
to resemble a real operating system rather than a teaching tool.

I do have a couple of questions, which stem more from my own lack of
knowledge about Unix than any deficiency of the system:

(a)  The User_Guide says ". . . fsck assumes you have 4 heads...if this is
not so, change the code accordingly."  Sounds great, except the 4 seems to
be hardwired into fsck, rather than an easily-located DEFINE statement.
Come on, guys!!!  Can anyone give me a hint?  (I know that I SHOULD be able
to find it on my own, but I can't).

(b) The documentation doesn't really say how to go about using the RS232
driver.  I notice that F1 doesn't list it as an active task.  Does one
just make up a /dev/tty1?

(c)  Ditto with Kermit.

BUT...it is a good system.

John Nall
Computer Science Department
Florida State University (jnall@rai.fsu.edu)