Requirements for installing AIX 1.3 on a PS/2 P70?

[Mattis Lind]

Hello!

I'd like to try to install AIX 1.3 on a PS/2 P70 with a Future Domain MCS-600 card attached to a SCSI disk.

Is the MCS-600 card compatible with AIX 1.3? Is there any particular to think of when doing this install? Or for that matter, is the P70 at all compatible with AIX?

I did a try using the SCSI boot disks but there were no questions asked to specify an external drive. It immediately tried the internal DBA/ESDI disk.

Is there PS/2 AIX manuals online somewhere. I also have difficulty to find AIX manuals online. Are they available somewhere?

Best regards,

Mattis Lind

[Louis Ohland]

Wow, I haven't thought of AIX 1.3 in a while.

Not sure about SCSI on a DBA-ESDI system. I assume you pulled the
DBA-ESDI drive?

If you are going SCSI, the short IBM SCSI/A would be directly supported.
http://ps-2.kev009.com/ohlandl/IBM_SCSI/scsi-A.html

I would expect that PTF0024 would be more flexible.

Something that MIGHT work is an IBM SCSI-2, Patriot. It has an IBM BIOS.
This is a Future Domain MCS-700, sans power tap. Also, the MCS-700 /
Patriot has a HPDB50 external port, which has dedicated ground lines for
the SCSI signal cables.

http://ps-2.kev009.com/ohlandl/SCSI/MCS.html

You may have to be a bit thoughtful, the P70 (and P73" lower slots are
TIGHT. It might be that the power tap is pointing directly into the
metal fan shroud. It may be simpler to solder a drive able in there with
a 6" cable. Then run that up to the drive bay.

This is for a P73, but the ideal is similar.
http://ps-2.kev009.com/ohlandl/8573/8573-P75.html#P75_Drive_Carrier

[Louis Ohland]

http://ps-2.kev009.com/ohlandl/AIX_1-3/AIX_PTF0024_U436295.html

IX45088 Support added for PS/2 Micro-Channel Future Domain SCSI adapter.

[Louis Ohland]

http://ps-2.kev009.com/ohlandl/AIX_1-3/AIX_PTF0024.html

U436295 also contains the new boot and install disks.

U436295 includes all of the fixes in the previous OPSYS ptf (U400005).

On 2/16/2017 09:23, Mattis Lind wrote:

[Louis Ohland]

http://ps-2.kev009.com/ohlandl/AIX_1-3/AIX_on_IDE.html

"The AIX installation process ran with the 3 PTF0024 boot and
installation diskettes, and then the 15 GA BOS diskettes."

On 2/16/2017 09:23, Mattis Lind wrote:

[Louis Ohland]

https://www-01.ibm.com/common/ssi/ShowDoc.wss?docURL=/common/ssi/rep_ca/3/877/ENUSZP90-0183/index.html&lang=en&request_locale=en

o 5775-RCA (66F3799) AIX PS/2 Graphic User Environment Version
1.1 Distribution and Usage Authorisation
AIX PS/2 Graphic User Environment Version 1.1 is a
state-of-the-art graphical user interface and programming
environment for IBM AIX workstations and is designed to be
compatible with the same application programming interface (API)
as the NextStep product, Software Release 1.0, provided by
NeXT,(3) Incorporated.

[Mattis Lind]

Thanks Louis for all this information!

Regarding the DBA/ESDI drive. It was not removed from the configuration. So it appears it the install wrote to that disk instead but then complained that it was to small. Do I need to remove the ESDI disk before installing on the SCSI drive?

This is the Future Domain controller I have: http://i.imgur.com/vsXAx1z.jpg

I will try with the PTF0024 disks instead.

/Mattis

[Louis Ohland]

Shaa-zaam! Learned something new today, the MCS-600 uses term networks,
unlike the MCS-700, which uses an 18-line active terminator. Both have a
jumper for TERMPWR Enables terminating-resistor voltage and should
normally left in place.

Ohhh... lookit that, MCS-700 uses 18C50 with a 40.0000MHz osc, the
MCS-600 uses a 1800 with a 40.850MHz osc.

As long as the DBA-ESDI is plugged in, it is enabled. It will be the
primary drive. You could connect the MCS-600 to an external drive while
futzing about with a way to internally mount a SCSI drive.

With the 600, leave the term networks in place >unless< you have both
internal -AND- external drives attached....

[Louis Ohland]

http://ps-2.kev009.com/aixps2/Books/

Sorry, there is no index. I'll go get Bob Eager's old index and link it.

You will need a IBM Book Reader for the *.BOO and *.BKS files. What OS
are you running? I have the BookReader running under Win7... 95/98/NT
and OS/2 are also supported.

[Louis Ohland]

Huh, where'd it go? Kevin, currently conducting page salvage operations
right now.

[Louis Ohland]

http://ps-2.kev009.com/ohlandl/AIX_1-3/AIX_documents.html

I must link the files to Kevin's site.

Eventually, all the files will come from here:
http://ps-2.kev009.com/aixps2/Books/

[Louis Ohland]

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg24000232

Prerequisites
- Microsoft® Windows® 95, 98, 2000
- Windows NT®
- Windows 3.1

Library Reader/Windows - US Eng, Danish, German, Spanish, French,
Italian, Dutch, Brazil-Por, Swedish

Technical support

Formal support is no longer available for the IBM Library Reader for
Windows. The IBM Library Reader has been replaced with the newer
Java®-based IBM Softcopy Reader which can be downloaded for free and is
fully supported by BookManager. The IBM Softcopy Reader is now included
on the IBM Softcopy Collection Kit CD-ROMs. However, for our customers
whose system does not support Java, you may still download and use the
IBM Library Reader Windows version on an "as-is" basis.

ftp://ps.software.ibm.com/ps/products/bookmanager/

[WBSTClarke]

Hi Matthis,

since your FD MCS600 has the Future Domain v3.20 BIOS ROM, you may have trouble even if you remove the ESDI drive:
http://ps-2.kev009.com/ohlandl/8573/8573-P70.html#Disable_ESDI
as the FD BIOS does NOT hook the IBM SCSI Int 4Bh calls, which I believe AIX for PS/2 requires for its drivers.

You'd be better off with an IBM Fast SCSI-2 "Patriot" adapter (a.k.a. FD MCS700, with IBM BIOS ROM), or possibly with such a ROM installed in your MCS600 (I believe the TMC1800 and TMC18C50 chips are functionally equivalent), but I cannot guarantee the latter, never having had an MCS600 to test.

Cheers,
WBST

[Louis Ohland]

ftp://ps.software.ibm.com/ps/products/bookmanager/info/hints.boo

DOS, OS2, RS6000, Win

[Mattis Lind]

I found the github repo for the boo2pdf by Kevin Bowling. I was planning to download it and try run it.

I do have Win XP, Win 7 and Win 10 (and MacOS and Linux) around. Since book reader runs under Win 7 I assume it would run under XP as well, right?

/Mattis

[Mattis Lind]

> Hi Matthis,
>
> since your FD MCS600 has the Future Domain v3.20 BIOS ROM, you may have trouble even if you remove the ESDI drive:
> http://ps-2.kev009.com/ohlandl/8573/8573-P70.html#Disable_ESDI
> as the FD BIOS does NOT hook the IBM SCSI Int 4Bh calls, which I believe AIX for PS/2 requires for its drivers.
>
> You'd be better off with an IBM Fast SCSI-2 "Patriot" adapter (a.k.a. FD MCS700, with IBM BIOS ROM), or possibly with such a ROM installed in your MCS600 (I believe the TMC1800 and TMC18C50 chips are functionally equivalent), but I cannot guarantee the latter, never having had an MCS600 to test.
>
> Cheers,
> WBST

Ahh. Then that is one reason for not detecting my SCSI board. Maybe a good first try is to program a new EPROM then. Does anyone have a copy of the MCS-700 IBM EPROM?

/Mattis

[Louis Ohland]

http://ps-2.kev009.com/ohlandl/SCSI/MCS.html

IBM BIOS v1.01 for FD MCS-700 card used in PS/2 Model 77s. 27C64
http://ps-2.kev009.com/ohlandl/SCSI/FD_700_IBM_101.ZIP

I have looked and never foundt documentation on either the TMC-1800 or
TMC-18C50. But they are probably code compatible (like the IBM 82C32,
80188, 80186, 80186XL)

[Louis Ohland]

No Win10 here, but it should.

[WBSTClarke]

I remember reading (Bob Eager's?) linked document about the rise of Future Domain and their chipset's development history. Perhaps lost to the mists of time now, but a fascinating read. Essentially, the TMC18C50 is a CMOS implementation of the TMC1800, IIRC.

[Louis Ohland]

http://jack.hoa.org/FDCStory/FDCindex.php

On 2/18/2017 10:41, WBSTClarke wrote:
> On Saturday, 18 February 2017 13:17:30 UTC, Louis Ohland wrote:
>> http://ps-2.kev009.com/ohlandl/SCSI/MCS.html
>>
>> IBM BIOS v1.01 for FD MCS-700 card used in PS/2 Model 77s. 27C64
>> http://ps-2.kev009.com/ohlandl/SCSI/FD_700_IBM_101.ZIP
>>
>> I have looked and never foundt documentation on either the TMC-1800 or
>> TMC-18C50. But they are probably code compatible (like the IBM 82C32,
>> 80188, 80186, 80186XL)
>>
>> On 2/18/2017 03:28, Mattis Lind wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi Matthis,
>>>>
>>>> since your FD MCS600 has the Future Domain v3.20 BIOS ROM, you may have trouble even if you remove the ESDI drive:
>>>> http://ps-2.kev009.com/ohlandl/8573/8573-P70.html#Disable_ESDI
>>>> as the FD BIOS does NOT hook the IBM SCSI Int 4Bh calls, which I believe AIX for PS/2 requires for its drivers.
>>>>

>>>> You'd be better off with an IBM Fast SCSI-2 "Patriot" adapter (a.k.a. FD MCS700, with IBM BIOS ROM), or possibly with such a ROM installed in your MCS600 (I believe the TMC1800 and TMC18C50 chips are functionally equivalent), but I cannot guarantee the latter, never having had an MCS600 to test..

[Mattis Lind]

Ok. So finally I manage to put the IBM 1.01 image onto an 27C64 and replace the old EPROM with the new.

When first starting it said "1047000 221" when starting up. Regardless of attached SCSI device or not.
Starting the reference disk gave me that the config was still OK and that there were a Future Domain controller installed. I was hoping for an IBM controller...

I removed the FD SCSI board and had the reference disk config program remove it from the configuration and the subsequently reinstall it and rerun the config program. But it still was detected as a Future Domain SCSI. But now there were no 1047 221 message any longer (with SCSI device attached).

So it appears that it is not the EPROM that identify the card but something else on the board.

Since I am not fully as used to have IBM does the plug & play / auto config thing with ADF files I simply do not understand how the machine detects the board as a FD board rather than a IBM board. What would be the difference between a MCS-700 and a IBM SCSI and how can the machine detect it?

Maybe this all boils down to the TMC-18C50 vs TMC-1800 chipset difference.

Regarding the BIOS how does the IBM announce itself when starting? The FD BIOS showed a banner and searched for disks. With an IBM bios it just takes quite long time to start.

[Louis Ohland]

Sounds familiar, must research.

On 3/9/2017 06:39, Mattis Lind wrote:
> "1047000 221"

[Louis Ohland]

Need more coffee.

> When first starting it said "1047000 221" when starting up.
Regardless of attached SCSI device or not.
> Starting the reference disk gave me that the config was still OK and
that there were a Future Domain controller installed. I was hoping for
an IBM controller...
>
> I removed the FD SCSI board and had the reference disk config program
remove it from the configuration and the subsequently reinstall it and
rerun the config program. But it still was detected as a Future Domain
SCSI. But now there were no 1047 221 message any longer (with SCSI
device attached).

1047 221 occurs when no SCSI device attached. Your re-install must of
cleared the error condition. FD BIOS, set HD to ID0, IBM BIOS, set HD to
ID6. IBM used the ANSI standard, ID7 for SCSI controller, then downward.
Most everyone else used ID7 for the SCSI controller, but ID0 and up.

Did you use XGAOPT to patch theP70 refdisk?

http://ps-2.kev009.com/ohlandl/video/xgaopt.exe
Installs the updated (as of '92) SC.EXE, XGA/2, and SCSI, SCSI
w/cache ADFs, plus updated *.dgs. For 5565, 5657, 70486, 7080, 7677, 90,
95, P70, P75

> So it appears that it is not the EPROM that identify the card but
something else on the board.

Whenever I have used a Patriot, it reports itself as an IBM SCSI-2
adapter. But I have never tried updating the MCS-600 with an IBM BIOS.
It is possible that the MCS-600 reports itself differently. The TMC-1800
was known to have issues that required some software fixes that the
later TMC-18C50 corrected.

> Since I am not fully as used to have IBM does the plug & play / auto
config thing with ADF files I simply do not understand how the machine
detects the board as a FD board rather than a IBM board. What would be
the difference between a MCS-700 and a IBM SCSI and how can the machine
detect it?

Again, I am used to the MCS-700/TMC-18C50/IBM BIOS. Every time I have
used a Patriot, it shows up as an IBM SCSI-2. I can't remember if it
shows up under set and view SCSI devices, it should.

> Maybe this all boils down to the TMC-18C50 vs TMC-1800 chipset
difference.

Very possible.

> Regarding the BIOS how does the IBM announce itself when starting?
The FD BIOS showed a banner and searched for disks. With an IBM bios it
just takes quite long time to start.

The IBM adapter will NOT announce itself during boot. Not sure about the
long time. SCSI HD set to ID6?

The FD BIOS will show a banner, and it should look for a HD at ID0 (or
ID1). If it cannot findt a HD at ID0 or ID1, then it does not boot.

Did you patch your refdisk with XGAOPT to get the '92 version of Set
Configuration (SC.EXE)?

IBM BIOS card should be ID7 (default) and the SCSI HD should be ID6.

What SCSI HD are you using?

[WBSTClarke]

The hardware and Adapter Id. is the same for both. You need to delete the Future Domain ADF from the Reference Diskette and then install the IBM ADF. This is where SC.EXE gets its text strings from. The BIOS chip plays no part in that aspect of configuration, only the BIOS code implemented, either Future Domain SCSI CAM or IBM Int 4Bh SCSI.

HTTH,
WBST

[Lorenzo Mollicone]

I've been tinkering with a Patriot as well, IBM version, modified with support bits for the onboard power tap. IBM bios v1.01. Boots to the HDD. Does not show up in config under Set SCSI config, won't lay a partition either, not supported by the system. (8595/9595?) Single Parallel/Serial planar.

Is there a modified ADF that might allow for this guy to interact better with the config program? Is there a diagnostic file available, either IBM made or created in the wild?

Morning all.

[Louis Ohland]

There is no *.DGS for it. You have to use the Future Domain diagnostics
for it. The IBM SCSI-2 options disk might have the diagnostics program
for it, if not, then PowerSCSI.

[Louis Ohland]

Future Domain's SCSI Device Analyzer

FDSDA is a Diagnostics utility designed to give users and developers
a means of testing the Future Domain SCSI host adapters and a wide range
of SCSI devices.

http://ps-2.kev009.com/ohlandl/SCSI/FD_scsidiag.exe

I looked at the help file, it only mentions checking the BIOS ROM.

[WBSTClarke]

The IBM Patriot adapter's v1.01 BIOS does not provide the "IML support in SCSI" option, and thus System Partition, which is a bit setting reported by QCONFIG /D /P from a full PC-DOS 7+ installation, only the real partition type "Convenience Partition".

I've not disassembled the Patriot BIOS code in detail, nor the different SC.EXE utilities from the 90/95 Reference Diskettes and that from the 9576/77 i/s Reference Diskettes (which does support Set/View SCSI Devices attached to the Patriot). This may be Adapter Id. and/or system specific and Reference Diskette related "gotchas".

HTTH,
WBST

[WBSTClarke]

I believe FDSDA will only work with the Future Domain, Future CAM SCSI interface, and thus either their BIOS ROM installed, or the DCAM/MCAM18XX DOS device driver interface.

HTTH,
WBST

[Louis Ohland]

nor the different SC.EXE utilities from the 90/95 Reference Diskettes
and that from the 9576/77 i/s Reference Diskettes (which does support
Set/View SCSI Devices attached to the Patriot).

So, Tim, it appears we have another opportunity to patch our refdisks.
Maybe.

In the spirit of getting into really deep Super High Intensity
Tinkering, can the P70 refdisk accept the 76/77i SC.EXE?

What date is the 95-Type 4 SC.EXE, what date is the 76/77i SC.EXE? Is it
really worth the bother of updating >IF< you do NOT have a Patriot?

I suppose you might be able to add the updated SC.EXE to a refdisk. I
DIMMly remember Peter saying the refdisk does not care about the level.
Are there any file dependencies that we might break?

[Lorenzo Mollicone]

If we can figure this out, then maybe my SCSI2SD experiment could be more than a glorified scsi hard card, and actually closer to the IBM SCSI w/ attached HDD (the actual motivator in the quest for disk-on-adapter.. lol)

[WBSTClarke]

The 76/77i SC.EXE announces itself as v2.67, but that planar's hardware features (e.g. SIMM slot memmory detect, extended CMOS size and possibly layout, etc.) will be completely different from that of, say, a P70 or 8595 or 9595 planar's. At present, I have no detailed idea how the configuration control files interact (P&Splanar-id.ADFs. Splanar-id.ADF is definitely a planar-specific configuration executable with embedded data values and strings, and Pplanar-id.ADF is definitely a planar-specific textual control ADF.) and what, if any, embedded data values may reside in the SC.EXE itself to control these aspects. I wouldn't try just whacking that SC.EXE onto a different system's Reference Diskette just to see what breaks without have done some detailed disassembly first, and that takes many Sourcer iterations and days of effort to interpret.

The devil's always in the details.

[Lorenzo Mollicone]

I wish I knew how... you know how my idle hands get... lol