comp.os.coherent comp.os.linux.announce comp.os.mach comp.os.minix
comp.os.xinu comp.periphs comp.unix.bsd comp.unix.pc-clone.32bit
comp.os.386bsd.developmet

Released 00:59:43 Thu  03-11-1993
       +----------------------------------------+
         QQQQQQ   II   CCCCCC
         QQ  QQ   II   CC        N  E  W  S
         QQ  QQ   II   CC
         QQ  QQ   II   CC        for 386bsd
         QQQQQQ   II   CCCCCC    Vol.1   no.2
            QQ
       +----------------------------------------+
               News about QIC-40/80

  From the desk of the quasi-editor-in-chief:
       "Just because I am numbering these things don't get the idea
        that I am going to do any more of these".

       *=======================================*
       |       Tabloid contents                |
       *=======================================*
       |  <1>__ What tape drives are involved? |
       |  <2>__ What tape drives work?         |
       |  <3>__ Implementation problems.       |
       |  <4>__ What DOCS you'll need?         |
       |  <5>__ REPORT: The other OS efforts.  |
       |  <M>__ Meaningless dribble.           |
       |  <F>__ FLAMES to the editor           |
       |  <N>__ NEXT ISSUE                     |
       *=======================================*
       hint: search for "<?>__"


 <1>__ What tape drive are involved?


       The tape drive list that follows is for QIC-40/80 drives only.

       A FAR FROM COMPLETE LIST.
       -------------------------
       Manufacture     model number            misc.
       -----------     ------------            -----
       ArchiveXL       3240/3540/5240/5540     (now Maynard)
       CMS                                     (Colorado Memory Systems)
       Mountain
       IOMega
       Sysgen*

       * Sysgen claims a proprietary format, but the software has
         CMS labels on it.

 <2>__ What tape drives work?

       The list that follows is **NOT** QIC-40/80.

       A FAR FROM COMPLETE LIST.
       -------------------------
       Manufacture     model number            misc.
       -----------     ------------            -----
       Wangtek         5525ES                  AHA1542B%, AHA1742%

       from the FAQ
       ------------
       Archive         2150
       Tandberg TDC    3660                    DC6250, DC6150*, DC600A
       WangDAT         3200
       Wangtek         5099EN
       Wangtek         5150EQ
       Wangtek         5150ES

       * NOT TESTED yet.
       % connect to controller listed

       Andrew Cornwall & Robert Kemp has graciously volunteered
       to collect data on  ALL tape drives that work with 386bsd..
       Send him your tape drive name, model number and Manufacture.
       As well as any other important info you may have (revision
       number, etc.)

       E-mail:     [email protected]           (Bob Kemp)
       E-mail:     [email protected]    (Andrew Cornwall)
       Subject: LOTS (List Of Tape Subsystems) for 386bsd

 <2>__ Implementation problems. (from the hardware point of view)

           Not all problems stem from the FDC, or the typical hardware
       implementation problems. Some problems arrive because either the
       machine (the AT), the OS (Operating System), and/or the controller
       do not, or are not, able to meet the requirements of the
       QIC-40/80 standard.

           We will look at the hardware problems today, for the AT
       perspective.

               NO-INDEX line
               -------------
               In the days before LSI (Large Scale Integration), I was
       told in order to format your floppy disk you had to fill your
       memory buffer with the data you were going to write to the disk.
       This included all the "Clock Marks" and CRC's (or Check SUMS).
               Well in those days the INDEX MARKER was very big business.
       It told you when the INDEX *HOLE* went past the LED. Thereby, giving
       you a very good que on when to start writing new data _or_ start
       formatting a new track on the disk.
               Today the descendant of the INTEL 8272a and the NEC765a
       do not support the INDEX MARKER. It was not needed when the IBM-PC
       came to market (so why bother).

               Why is this important to US?

               AS you will come to know the QIC-40/80 standard needs
       the INDEX MARKER to send us a timing que, for Acknowledgement
       to commands and data-ready-signals. Without it we must improvise.

       NOTE: The new MCA chips are supposed to support the INDEX MARKER.

               NO-Accurate clock
               -----------------
               Not having an INDEX MARKER does pose a big problem for
       US, but the STANDARD says that "the host driver software will
       continue to function regardless of the hardware limitations.".
               Meaning that we must *accurately* have the driver respond
       to the tape drive when needed. _and_ as we are working in UNIX
       there is no *really* accurate clock, but other OSs (SCO) have made
       it operate, so it is possible.

               FDC time out
               ------------
               Time-outs by the FDC must be handled manually, meaning
       that the on board hardware can not handle this, so we must.

               QIC not ready
               -------------
               This is an ugly problem that (I guess) is a fall back
       to VMS technology.  What happens is that some tape drives do a
       "seek load point" on the tape. _And_ guess what.  If the
       microcode (on the tape drive) does not find a "load point" it
       may rewind the tape to find it, which can take up to three
       minutes.  Meanwhile the QIC controller(some) do not respond to
       commands.  Hence, "We die in the water for three minutes".

               QIC incorrect mode
               ------------------
               The QIC has several modes of operation, including the
       undocumented shutdown.  If you make a call to the drive and
       you are in an incorrect mode, the drive "takes a dump" leaving
       the program unaware until you figure it out. FUN...

               QIC data pending
               ----------------
               This leaves us with a documented problem with QIC.
       It is stated that when asking for "reports" from the drive
       the last bit (binary decision) is left in the buffer, until
       the user clears it. UGHH detail.



 <3>__ What DOCS you'll need?

       These documents are needed in that most of the new inexpensive
       drive (ie. 120/250 meg capacity) are QIC-80.
       The QIC-40/80 both connect to the floppy drive controller.
       The new QIC-385, when passed, will connect to the
       FDC or IDE controller.

       Tape Standard*  Basic Interface   Magnetic Head    Data Compression
       -------------   ---------------   -------------    ----------------
       QIC-40          QIC-107**         QIC-106          QIC-122/QIC-130
       QIC-80          QIC-115**         QIC-118             "   /   "
       QIC-385         QIC-117**         QIC-133             "   /   "

       *The ECC (Error Correction) Codes are included.
       **All three interface standards apply to all three tape standards

 <4>__ REPORT: The other OS efforts.
       ====================================================
       D A V I D    B R O W N  --   QIC-40/80 MACH386
       ====================================================
       David did not respond in time for publishing.
       However his last message implied that he was extremely
       busy and had not made much progress on the driver.

       ====================================================
       K A R L     H E I N Z   --   QIC-40/80 LINUX
       ====================================================
       From: Karl Heinz Kremer QA <[email protected]>
       To: [email protected]
       Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1993 08:50:54 -0500
       Subject: Re: ftape-1.02

       Current status of my project:
               I finally managed to write something to tape and
       read something back.  The both some-things, are not completely
       identical :-)   Looks like my reads do not start at the
       beginning of the data I have written to the tape, _or_ the
       write does not start with the first byte of the data I want
       to write...
               But, despite all the problems, it is one step
       further in the direction of a working driver.
       ====================================================

 <M>__ Meaningless dribble.

       "If you cannot -in the long run- tell everyone what you
        have been doing, your doing has been worthless."
                                       -Erwin Schrodinger.

       "The number sense is not confined to the human race."
                                       -Isaac Asimov
                                       -realm of numbers
                                       -p.7

       "Those who initiate scientific and technological advances,
        are frequently moved by the loftiest motives and display
        a genuine desire to improve the quality of life of those
        affected by their innovations."
                                       -Mike Cooley
                                       -Architect or Bee?
                                       -p.34

       "Religion, in the context of software design, is a body of
        beliefs about design rights and design wrongs."
                                       -Gordon Letwin
                                       -Inside OS/2
                                       -Chapter 3: The OS/2 Religion

 <F>__ FLAMES to the editor

       ====================================================
       From [email protected] Wed Mar  3 14:14:23 1993
       Subject: Re: Subject: Re: [REPOST] RTC Real Time Clock
       To: Jesus Monroy Jr <[email protected]>

       > -----------
       >         Do you have a *POINT* to mailing all this rhetoric?

       Yes:

          You are writing articles that are a) wrong, b)mis-splelt and
          c) don't show you in a particularly good light.

       *How* can I trust your QIC driver *with my data*, based on the
       errors *I* can see in what you post?

       Sit down and read what I am trying to tell you!

       Please!

       joe.
       ====================================================

       IN the interest of Joe's sanity I will employ a
       spell checker now.

                               Thanks for your comments
                                       [email protected]
       ====================================================

 <N>__ NEXT ISSUE

       Implementation problems from the software side.

You are viewing proxied material from infinitelyremote.com. The copyright of proxied material belongs to its original authors. Any comments or complaints in relation to proxied material should be directed to the original authors of the content concerned. Please see the disclaimer for more details.