m88k.com: Howto install unknown SCSI disk System V/88 R4V4

Installing System V/88 R4V4 operating system with an unknown SCSI disk

Why and where this HOWTO is needed

When installing a Motorola System V/88 R4V4 operating system only a limited list of scsi disks is available for installation by default. Other disks are not identified and installation is not possible. With these instructions many SCSI disks can be used for installation. If You have a supported SCSI disk You do not need this information. You can identify this if Your disk is listed as an installation option or not.

Keywords

Motorola System V/88 R4V4
Non-supported SCSI disk
Installation

Pre-requisities

Motorola System V/88 R4V4 compatible computer
Installation tape
SCSI disk
SCSI disk information (size, count of 512-byte blocks)
MVME card must identify the disk intended for installation

Expected knowledge

Unix and shell usage
Vi editor commands
Prior successful installation (at least with this You may get some)
Basic SCSI disk understanding
Basic Motorola computer (MVME board) and R4V4 knowledge

Target

TO: get a new SCSI disk identified by the installation script
NOT: to debug Your SCSI disk, cabling, termination, SCSI driver or controller
Disk "COMPAQ DCHS09Y" used as an example. This may be a IBM disk

Steps to complete:

Step 1 - Boot and get board prompt

Start up the computer
Stop any auto-boot or test actions (use BREAK, usually Control-Break with a PC keyboard)
Go to MVME board diagnostic/debug menu (eg. prompt: 197-Bug>)
You can use "he" command or "he <command>" to get help.

Step 2 - Check disk visibility

Check SCSI disk availability with the "ioi" command. Your disk must be identified by the board otherwise the installation will not succeed at all. SCSI disk types and functionality varies and some disks working elsewhere may not be identified at all. The disks are also usually very old and working conditions vary.
Note and write down or save the screen containing the Inquiry-Data of Your disk. You need this information soon.
My intention is to add the disk "COMPAQ DCHS09Y" for installation.
If Your disk is not visible check the configuration and termination settings. You should also use other computer eg. Linux with a Adaptec SCSI adapter to check You disk is operational. Motorola R4V4 is not good at it and does not give much tools to examine. If disk looks working in other computer it may not still be visible with Motorola MVME computer.


Example of a ioi command:

197-Bug>ioi
I/O Inquiry Status:
CLUN  DLUN  CNTRL-TYPE  DADDR  DTYPE  RM  Inquiry-Data
   0     0  VME197      0      $00    N   COMPAQ   ST34371N         0388
   0    10  VME197      1      $00    N   SEAGATE  ST12400N         9328
   0    20  VME197      1      $00    N   COMPAQ   DCHS09Y          5858
   0    40  VME197      4      $01    Y   TANDBERG TDC 3800         =05:
   0    50  VME197      5      $01    Y   ARCHIVE  Python 28388-XXX 5.AC

Step 3 - Boot with the installation tape

Set the installation tape in the tape drive.
IMPORTANT: Always check Your tape drive condition and never use original tapes but copies. Tape drive capstan may be foul.
Boot the installation tape with the command "bo 0 40"

Step 4 - Go to Maintenance shell

Proceed with the installation script until You are prompted for from 1) Full installation to 4) Enter maintenance mode.
Select 4) Enter maintenance mode

Step 5 - Edit SCSI information

Go to /etc directory.
Copy the file scsifmt.info to scsifmt.orig
Create an addition with Your disk information:
echo \"COMPAQ\" \"DCHS09Y\" dchs09y 7 \"9GB COMPAQ\" > scsifmt.add
where:
\"COMPAQ\" corresponds to Your disk's Inquiry data Vendor ID
\"DCHS09Y\" corresponds to Your disk's Inquiry data Disk ID
dchs09y is a disk definition file created during next steps
7 is the raw/whole disk slice (always 7 as far as I know)
\"9GB COMPAQ\" is disk title shown during disk selection
Create a new scsifmt.info with:
cat scsifmt.orig scsifmt.add >scsifmt.info

Step 6 - Create disk definition file

Go to /etc/dskdefs directory
Create a copy of a current disk ddefs file
command: cat msea12400 dchs09y
the file naming is free for You to choose but it must be same as added to the scsifmt.info file.
You should know Your disk's capacity in 512 byte sectors. If You do not know excatly use something below estimated capacity.
You can also use an existing ddefs file for testing purposes and create an exact definition later.
You should also divide the capacity to sectors/track, tracks/cylinder and heads(disk data platters). Actual numbers need to be right because this is a history relic but sectors * tracks * heads = total sectors must equal when creating the ddefs file. The defined disk capacity does not need to match exactly. Of course You should not try to exceed the disk's capacity.

Step 7 - Update ddefs file with disk data

Edit the ddefs file:
command: ddefs -e dchs09y

	Change the disk data accordingly. Do not change any other information.

                       Comment: SEAGATE ST12400N         COMPAQ DCHS09Y
                     Disk type: 5890 5898
                Format command: (none)
             Diagnostic tracks: no
             Bad spot strategy: PERFECT
   Maximum number of bad spots: 100
             Number of sectors: 4119428                  17773500
        Sector size (in bytes): 512
             Sectors per track: 174                      50
                     Cylinders: 850                      20910
                         Heads: 19                       17
      Precompensation cylinder: 3236                     20910

Save the changes when on the Comment: - line with "w"
Close the program when on the Comment: - line with "q"

Step 8 - Restart installation and reload new configuration

Exit the Maintenance shell with the command: exit

VERY IMPORTANT (I have spent countless hours to discover this):
Interrupt the installation script with Control-C. You should see:

Leaving maintenance shell:
                UNIX SYSTEM V/88 Release 4 Upgrade/Installation

You have the following options:

1) Full installation
2) Upgrade an existing R40V4.2 or later system
3) Exit without doing anything (reboot)
4) Enter maintenance mode

Enter option number of choice: [ 1-4 ]  ^C
                         Installation/Upgrade Interrupt
You have interrupted the installation or upgrade
No modifications to the system have yet taken place.

1) Restart the installation.
2) Reboot the machine.
3) Shutdown the machine.

Enter option number of choice: [ 1-3 ] ( 1 ) 1

DO NOT Reboot.
Save Your installation log. Practise makes the master.
If You need to reboot You will loose Your updated configuration.
Select the Restart option.

Step 9 <Final> - See the disk and start installation

Continue with 1) Full installation

When You are prompted for a disk You should see Your disk as an option.

Option  Disk                    Description

1)      /dev/dsk/m197_c0d1      2.0GB SCSI (SEAGATE)
2)      /dev/dsk/m197_c0d2      9GB COMPAQ

Note that my /dev/dsk/m197_c0d0 COMPAQ ST34371N is not visible although it can be seen before boot with the ioi command because I did not create a the disk definition and scsi information for it.
My /dev/dsk/m197_c0d1 SEAGATE ST12400N is visible because it is supported by default in scsifmt.info and dskdefs.
Select Your disk and continue with Your installation.
You can use my installation log as a reference (see References). It may be hard to identify prompts and responses in the file but it is left to the reader to identify. Default selections with <RETURN> are of course not visible at all making it a bit harder.
Have fun with Your Motorola computer!
We at m88k.com do!

References

Installation log.txt

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