Everex Tapes vs Xenix

[Super user]

In article <333 at hudson.acc.virginia.edu> wrp at biochsn.acc.Virginia.EDU (William R. Pearson) writes:
>
>	I would like to continue my saga of the installation of an
>Everex 60 Mbyte streaming tape drive under Xenix.  I have received
>three responses to my initial question, how do you install a
>Everex 60 Mbyte streaming tape drive with QIC02 controller under
>xenix.  One of these was a call from SCO, the lady said that I
>needed to get the Mountain tape driver, which I did.  It is marked
>"Fix# xnx071".  Another kind individual told me that my controller/tape
>combination would work out of the box, and told me the IRQ vector,
>DMA, and address to use.  A third person told me how to test if the
>tape drive could be installed.
>
>	None of these options have worked.  I talked to SCO this
>afternoon, and the lady (in tech support this time) said that SCO
>does not support Everex tape controllers, they are too slow, and
>you have to get a driver from Everex.  (A slight change in the story
>now that I have spent the money).  Apparently I am going to be forced
>to get the drivers from everex (the reason that I purchased the
>QIC02 controller in the first place was to avoid this), so once again,
>I ask the question:
>
>	Has anyone gotten an everex QIC02 controller to work with
>Xenix286 version 2.2.1?
>
>Bill Pearson
>wrp at virginia.EDU

Bill,
	I have installed Everex tape drives on several Xenix systems,
both 286 and 386.  I found that there were only a few requirements:

	1.	The system must be running Xenix 2.2 or greater
	2.	The link kit must be installed
	3.	The tape must be configured using the "mkdev tape"
		script.
	4.	In the mkdev script, configure a cartridge tape drive
	5.	Set the tape parameters as follows:

			1. Controller type	3		(type W)
			2. DMA channel		1
			3. Interrupt Vector	5
			4. Base Address		0300H

	6.	Finish installing the system, set the tape card to the
		above addresses, install, and reboot the system using
		the new kernel.  When the system boots up you should see
		a line on the screen indicating the tape drive is available. 

	7.	Try accessing the tape drive using the tape device rct0.
		Be sure the tape drive is on and a non-write protected
		tape is in the drive.

	
I have also installed a tape drive on a Xenix 2.1.3 system using the
drivers supplied by Everex.  It works, but GOD IS IT SLOW!!


	Jonathan B. Bayer
	Intelligent Software Products, Inc.
	Rockville Centre, NY

	uunet!ispi!root

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