problems installing Archive tape driver

[A. Lester Buck]

I recently upgraded to Microport SystemV/AT V2.4, mainly because
this release includes drivers for cartridge tape backups that
were separate cost items before.  But I have been unable to get
the driver working.
	
	Hardware: 8MHz AT clone, Archive 499 controller (long card),
		Archive 60 Mbyte external cartridge tape
	Jumpers: IRQ 5 (vector 37), DMA chan 1, port base addr 0x200
	tape works fine under DOS using the supplied software
		and installation programs (to keep DOS driver in
		sync with hardware jumpers)

I uncommented the "ar" entries in master and dfile.wini.
IRQ 5 is vector 37 in master, which was also being used with "lp",
so I removed the 37 from the lp entry, leaving lp as using only 39.
I made a new kernel and installed it.

/dev/rmt0 already exists (no mknod required),
so I try  "cat /etc/passwd >/dev/rmt0", but the system
hangs (console still accepts input, but cannot intr out).
With the stock kernel, the above command returns with "cannot open ...".

Microport tech support has been helpful, but they are stumped.
(Much thanks to John Plocher and Thuan-tit.)  We went over every jumper
on the controller and we agree exactly.  Same PROM revision level.
They are sending me a beta copy of a new Everex/Archive driver to try.
There seems to exist no documentation for this installation.
I haven't received any man(7) pages for the "ev" or "ar" driver,
or any man(1) pages for the tape support programs such as tape(1)
or strm(1), and I don't know what else.

If you have a working Archive 499 tape controller installed, would
you please contact me and summarize your installation particulars?
I would also be interested in Everex installations, as these cards
use the save (ev) driver.

Thanks alot,


-- 
A. Lester Buck		...!uhnix1!moray!siswat!buck