[pups] RE: Vtserver & 2.11 standalone progs

[Fred N. van Kempen]

Robert and Warren,

Robert asks:
> Is Ultrix installable from Vtserver yet? It appears to be the only other
> version of unix that will work with MSCP disk drives, and maybe I'd have
> better luck with it than 2.11BSD. If you have any Ultrix utilities
> semi-running I'd be glad to test them for you!

and Warren replies:
> Robert, Fred van Kempen has been bashing his head on Ultrix with VT, but
> has been making progress over the past few days. I'll cc this e-mail to
> him and he can tell you the story :)
The status is as follows.  Feel free to relay onto the various newsgoups
and lists; I obviously lack the time to :)

- VTserver runs on my VAX (Ultrix-32 V4.4 and V4.5)
- Client code is now in Ultrix-11 V3.1

I can get VTserver to upload the primary boot loader to the PDP-11 (I test
with two.. a MicroPDP-11/23 and a MicroPDP-11/53) and that in turn makes
the box load the Boot: program.

When that is loaded, I can go two ways:

- type "install" and Boot: will load the RAM disk from the server, and
  switch to that.  Works.

- manually load and run programs.  Works.

The problem here, is, that Ultrix uses a very complicated memory setup,
which forces some MMU fiddling into all the drivers.  Warren's driver was
done for BSD and V7, which do not have this "problem".

I am now adding this MMU support to the driver, and that's the end of it..
all other parts work fine.

Here is a test run log.  Falafel is the VAX 3100.  My VTserver program
uploads the boot code to the (Micro-)PDP-11 if the "-o" option is given.

{falafel:~/ULT} $ vt -o
Virtual tape server, $Revision: 2.3 $ 
stty cs8 -parenb 9600 clocal crtscts
Opening port /dev/tty01 ....  open
Sending PDP-11 Boot Code to uODT
........................................................................
[Enterring TERMINAL/SERVER mode. Escape with <ESC><ESC>]

VTS: Opened boot
 
bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb
bbb
bbbbb
Sizing Memory...  

To list options, type help then press <RETURN>

23Boot: vt(0,0)scat

VTS: Opened scat
VTS: Opened syscall
File: vt(0,0)contents

VTS: Opened contents
File 1:
        2 copies of magtape boots
File 5:
        This file (contents)
File 6:
        The program mkfs (make a ULTRIX-11 file system)
File 7:
        The program restor (restore a dump onto a file system)
File 8:
        The program dskinit (disk format and verify)
Filre 9:
        The program bads (scan disk for brams for memory disk (file system
image
)
File 14:
        rcmds: optional software loaded into ROOT (TAR image)
File 15:
|
V
File 31:
        ucmds: optional software loaded into /USR (TAR images)
File 32:
        sysgen: optional sorftware for re-loading sysgen (TAR image)
File 33:
        The ULTRIX-11 root file system in dump/restor format
File 34:
        The ULTRIX-11 /usr file system in dump/restor format
Exit called


23Boot: 
------------------------------------

The other commands work similarly.  I only need to revamp the MMU stuff,
and then I'm done and we can boot/install Ultrix-11 from VT !

--fred


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