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From: terry@cs.weber.edu (Terry Lambert)
Newsgroups: comp.os.386bsd.questions,comp.os.386bsd.misc
Subject: Re: Q: How about Adaptec 2940 PCI-SCSI?
Date: 29 Sep 1994 21:57:13 GMT
Organization: Weber State University, Ogden, UT
Lines: 33
Distribution: inet
Message-ID: <36fd7p$5u2@u.cc.utah.edu>
References: <TRI.94Sep28113829@pooh.hut.fi> <36d3qg$p25@csugrad.cs.vt.edu>
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.weber.edu

In article <36d3qg$p25@csugrad.cs.vt.edu> jaitken@vt.edu writes:
] Timo J. Rinne (tri@pooh.hut.fi) wrote:
] : Just wonder if Adaptec 2940, PCI SCSI controlled is supported by any
] : current BSD version...
] 
] No it isn't.  I asked this awhile back because the FAQ wasn't clear (I
] think it has been updated since then) but none of the Adaptec 2xxx cards
] are supported.  Adaptec won't tell anyone how to program them.

I know that this is a fine sematic point, but I'm irresistably drawn to
making it once again.

Adaptec *will* tell you how to program it.  It's just that they want
a non-disclosure signed first, which means you'd be able to distribute
binaries of drivers, but no source.

There is a Linux driver with home-grown microcode that works for several
of these controllers on sunsite.unc.edu.  Look for it there.

Finally, the things can boot DOS.  Since you can't load microcode even
from DOS without DOS being booted in the first place, you *must* admit
to the possiblity of "default microcode".  Adaptec is rumored to give
programming information for the default microcode; I haven't checked,
since I don't buy Adaptec products any more.

So a driver is possible, three ways.


					Terry Lambert
					terry@cs.weber.edu
---
Any opinions in this posting are my own and not those of my present
or previous employers.