Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!mailrus!sharkey!cfctech!rphroy!trux!car
From: car@trux.UUCP (Chris Rende)
Newsgroups: comp.os.minix
Subject: Re: minix 1.3 on 386/vga/rll system
Message-ID: <340@trux.UUCP>
Date: 17 Dec 89 22:10:19 GMT
References: <913@crash.cts.com>
Organization: Central Cartage, Sterling Hgts., MI
Lines: 47

In article <913@crash.cts.com>, jca@pnet01.cts.com (John C. Archambeau) writes:
> car@trux.UUCP (Chris Rende) writes:
> >I'm running Minix 1.2 on an XT with a SMS OMTI 5510/5520 HD controller using
> >a modified xt_wini. I have 1 ST-213 disk (10Mb: 612 cyl, 2 hds) and
> >1 ST-412 disk (10Mb: 306 cyl, 4 hds).
>  
> I'm very familiar with the OMTI 5520A.  And there's a bit more than getting
> around the parameters.  There's a problem with DMA as well, at least with my
> system there was.

Once I changed xt_wini.c:init_params() to call win_specify() with the hard
coded disk geometry information everything started working great.
I'm running Minix 1.2 on an XT, your system sounds like Minix 1.3 on an AT.

> >Note that in my case I had to have a HD controller which allows the two
> >disks to have a different geometry.
>  
> The 5520A will allow it, but you have to enter the parameters at low level
> format.

I used DISK_MANAGER to do the low level format. I just told DISK_MANAGER how
I wanted the disk formatted and it did it.

> I don't know why you'd be running 1.2
> anyway unless you just can't get 1.3 anywhere or it's just too much of a
> hassle to get (which I believe is the sole reason why people are still playing
> with 1.2 which has some problems, 1.3d is clean for most part).

I bought Minix when 1.2 was being shipped. Since I couldn't get Minix to work
with my HD and because I only have one floppy drive I put Minix on the shelf.
Eventually I borrowed another floppy drive, did some hacking on xt_wini, and
got my HD up and running.

Now it is time to catch-up to the rest of the Minix world.

> As for controllers, I can not emphasize enough about getting one that is as
> Western Digital compatable as you can get.

I had to make do with what I could afford. I got a controller and a 10Mb drive
for $50.

car.
-- 
Christopher A. Rende           Central Cartage (Nixdorf/Pyramid/SysVR2/BSD4.3)
uunet!edsews!rphroy!trux!car   Multics,DTSS,Unix,Shortwave,Scanners,StarTrek
 trux!car@uunet.uu.net         Minix 1.2,PC/XT,Mac+,TRS-80 Model I,1802 ELF
       "I don't ever remember forgetting anything." - Chris Rende