Problems with the 2.3 boot loader and odd hardware

[Dragos Ruiu]

  Starting with SysV/AT 2.3 uPort has a boot loader that
Dos. At the Boot prompt you type DOS and tadaa you get 
to the junky stuff.
  We have a problem with this, I tried to get my machine
running DECNet/Dos, an ethernet based nework of dos and
VMS machines running under Locus' DosMERGE. It looked
really promising, it manages to send raw packets using
a Micom/Interlan card.
  When we tried it with the preferred ethernet adapter,
DEC's DEPCA, a nifty card that has on card buffers and
other goodies we had no end of problems.

The PROBLEM:

  When Unix boots, it sends this card into orbit, after
it has booted, this card goes useless. Even a Ctrl-Alt-Del
(three finger salute) reboot does not fix it. If you boot
DOS after Unix, it still doesn't work. You must actually
power down the machine.

The REAL CATCH!:

 Even if you boot dos from the boot loader (the "boot:"
prompt) the card goes crazy. But if you change the active
partition and have dos boot directly, everything is great
and fine.

The Question:
 
 So what does the boot loader DO ? Does Anyone have Source?
Why would it even touch hardware installed in the system other
than the disk drive ?


-- 
Dragos Ruiu   ruiu at dragos.UUCP        The first Myth of Management: 
        ...alberta!dragos!ruiu					It exists.

Disclaimer: SaskPower R&D is in not responsible for my opinions or machine.