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From: jmonroy@netcom.com (Jesus Monroy Jr)
Subject: QIC NEWS; vol.1 no.2
Status: RO
Message-ID: <1993Mar11.082847.28421@netcom.com>
Apparently-To: comp-os-linux-announce@uunet.uu.net
Originator: mdw@db.TC.Cornell.EDU
Sender: news@tc.cornell.edu
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Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1993 08:28:47 GMT
Approved: linux-announce@tc.cornell.edu (Matt Welsh)
Lines: 266
[Although this isn't strictly Linux-related, I'll approve it, since I'm the
only moderated group on the Newsgroups line. --mdw]
Released
+----------------------------------------+
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: rsk@dcs.qmw.ac.uk (Bob Kemp)
E-mail: watpod77@ccs.carleton.ca (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 <khk@raster.Kodak.COM>
To: jmonroy@netcom.com
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 joe@jshark.inet-uk.co.uk Wed Mar 3 14:14:23 1993
Subject: Re: Subject: Re: [REPOST] RTC Real Time Clock
To: Jesus Monroy Jr <jmonroy@netcom.com>
> -----------
> 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
jmonroy@netcom.com
====================================================
<N>__ NEXT ISSUE
Implementation problems from the software side.
--
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