Digital screwed up and did not factory install a floppy, RX23L, in a
DEC ALPHAstation 255/233 we received recently. I'm trying to install
it now, but have some questions about it.
The disk came with documentation which indicates that Digital uses
multiple hardware suppliers (Teac, Mitsubishi, Citizen, Mitsumi,
Yasakawa) for drives. Unfortunately my disk did not match any of
figures Digital supplied in the documentation to aid the user in
determining the proper jumper settings. The only one which is not
pictured is the Mitsumi and so I am assuming the drive sent is
manufactured by Mitsumi. However, Digital did not bother to specify
list the jumper settings for the Mitsumi drive either. The
documentation clearly states "the jumpers set at the factory for
proper operation on personal computers."
Using the anemic documentation provided by Digital I connected the
"date" and "power" cables using the only ribbon and power cables
remaining inside the workstation. Also installed are a SEAGATE
ST15150N (rz0), and a RZ26F (rz3).
When I power up the system the indicator light on the floppy stays on
*all* the time. I would have assumed the light would only come on when
the drive was being accessed. Is the way the drive is supposed to
operate?
I added the following lines to my configuration file:
controller fdi0 at isa0 slot 5
device disk fd0 at fdi0 drive 0
device disk fd1 at fdi0 drive 1
I then rebuilt the kernel and rebooted. I see the following during
boot:
Mar 15 10:31:45 ***** vmunix: fdi0 at isa0
Mar 15 10:31:45 ***** vmunix: fd0 at fdi0 unit 0
Mar 15 10:31:45 ***** vmunix: fd1 at fdi0 unit 1
I also did a MAKEDEV for fd[01].
There was a recent post where someone was able to use the tar command
to list the contents of an archive file. I'm not sure of the proper
sequence of commands to use the floppy. There have been a couple of
posts which leave me somewhat confused as to which sequence of
commands to use, and which devices should be referenced on commands
like mount and/or tar for example. I also do not understand the
relationship between /dev/fd and /dev/fd[01][ac], if one exists at
all.
Ultimately I'd like to build the mtools package so the floppy could be
used like a PC disk. I just tried building mtools, but the the
following messages:
Can't open /dev/fd0c: I/O error
Cannot initialize 'A:'
I'd appreciate any assistance.
Thanks!
-- Bob
Received on Sat Mar 15 1997 - 17:26:33 NZDT