Installing SCO OpenServer 5 and SCO UNIX 3.2v4.2 on VS660 (Intel)

When installing the above software on the VS660, there are a number of pitfalls to be aware of. These are summarised as follows:

SCO OpenServer 5

• System BIOS IDE translation mode set to Extended CHS.
• Erase the master boot block if any operating system exists (DOS is pre-installed as shipped from Apricot).
• BTLD (Boot Time Loadable Driver) required to enable correct operation of keyboard.
• Correct definition of hard disk drive parameters during installation.

SCO UNIX 3.2v4.2

Installation for SCO OpenServer 5 only (no DOS)

Refer to IPB 3212 for a problem that exists with the OpenServer 5 installation software not recognising the master boot block correctly. As described in the IPB it is worth erasing the master boot block before the installation is started - the Apricot diagnostic “TES050” is a suitable utility to use for this. If the master boot block is not erased the installation could fail with an error can’t read bad block list at the fdisk stage during an Interactive fdisk/divvy installation.

We recommend to always select an Interactive fdisk/divvy installation - see IPB 3198 for details.

Ensure that you have a copy of the 'kbp' BTLD on floppy disk. This is currently available on Area 39 of Insight BBS, and on the Insight CD (from rel. 11) and is called 'oss424a.Z'.

At the boot: prompt, type:

biosgeom=(cyl,heads,spt) defbootstr ahslink=kbp

The biosgeom parameter will override the parameters that UNIX picks up from the system BIOS. Substitute the correct physical parameters for the disk being used for cyl, heads, spt. For example, the QUANTUM Fireball 1280A (1.2 Gb) would be set to 2483,16,63. If this is set wrong, the software may install, but not boot. Note that biosgeom counts from 1, so the above total will be interpreted correctly as 2484 cylinders.

If installation is to be done from a SCSI CD, then specify the adapter to be used in the command line as well. For an Adaptec 1510 card set to I/O 340, IRQ10 the syntax would be:

biosgeom=(2483,16,63) defbootstr adapter=spad(0x340,0xa,0)ahslink=kbp

Note: The above is entered as one continuous line.

When prompted, insert the floppy disk containing the 'kbp' BTLD. The system will build this in automatically.

During Hard Disk Setup, Select the interactive fdisk/divvy installation option (see IPB 3198 for details). This will allow the disk parameters to be examined/modified. These should correspond to the values set with biosgeom previously. If they don't, select the option to modify disk parameters, and type them in manually. This is typically the case if Extended CHS IDE translation mode has been set in the system BIOS (recommended). If in doubt, type them in anyway, as biosgeom has been known not to work correctly in the past.

If the disk geometry has been set correctly, installation will continue as normal. If there is a problem, the installation script will go into a loop around the fdisk partition creation menu, with the error:

Can't read bad block list

At this point, the only option is to abort the installation and start again.

Installation for SCO OpenServer 5 with DOS partition

There are additional issues to remember, when installing SCO OpenServer 5 with a DOS partition on the same disk drive. Because of a problem with the installation process, the following method must be used to install this configuration.

First, the masterboot record on the hard disk must be zeroed. This can be done using Apricot diagnostic TES050 (Version 3.00). This can be found on the Insight CD in the \diags directory. Running the destructive surface scan for short time will overwrite any previous data on the drive. This is particularly important if a previous attempt at installing software was done (either UNIX or DOS).

Re-boot the system, and ensure IDE translation mode is set to Extended CHS. The installation can be done using Standard CHS, but is not recommended, as this will severely restrict available disk space.

Install DOS as normal from the installation disks. Exit from the DOS installation routine with the F3 key and manually set the size of the MS-DOS partition required with the fdisk command. This is important, as a default DOS installation will try to use all the available space for DOS.

When the DOS installation is complete, re-boot the system using the SCO OpenServer 5 boot disk. At the Boot: prompt, type:

biosgeom defbootstr adapter=spad(0x340,0xa,0) ahslink=kbp

Note: The above is entered as one continuous line.

Do not add any parameters to biosgeom this time. The above syntax will allow the software to determine the correct disk geometry for itself. The line given in the example also installs an Adaptec 1510 SCSI controller on IRQ10 and I/O 340 as described in the previous section. Substitute appropriate values for other controller types as necessary

As before, have the keyboard supplement floppy to hand and insert this when prompted.

The SCO OpenServer 5 installation continues as before. Select the interactive/fdisk divvy option , using Rest of disk for UNIX. Make the Unix partition active. The system will not allow you to quit from the partitioning stage. It will report:

Can't read bad block list

This is normal only in this case.

Switch the machine off, and start the UNIX installation from scratch. DOS must not be reinstalled - it is not required to do so anyway.

Proceed exactly as before, but at the disk partitioning stage, only view the current partition status. It should still be set as before. Do not alter it.

The installation should then continue to the division set up and operating system software loading.

Once installed, the system should then boot into either UNIX or DOS as required.

As with any SCO OpenServer 5 installation, ensure that the latest Release Supplement is added to the system when complete. At the time of writing, this is Release Supplement 5.0.0d which updates the base operating system. There is a supplement to further update the networking subsystem which should also be installed and this is the Networking Supplement 1.0.0. These can be found in Area 39 of Apricot Insight BBS (rs500v[123].dsk for Release Supplement 5.0.0d and net100V[123].dsk for. Networking Supplement 1.0.0), and the Insight CD (from rel 10) under the same file names.

SCO UNIX 3.2v4.2 (with or without DOS partition)

We have currently found no keyboard problems with the VS660 under SCO UNIX 3.2v4.2, although the BTLD mentioned earlier (oss424a) is suitable for installation under SCO UNIX 3.2v4.2. We would suggest that unless specific problems arise with this configuration, that the BTLD is not installed. The disk drive parameters are more critical however, and must be set up as follows.

Before installation, ensure that the system BIOS setup that refers to the IDE translation mode, is set to Standard CHS. This is important, as SCO UNIX 3.2v4.2 will not boot if this is not done.

There are no additional parameters to specify at the boot: prompt, unless additional controllers/devices are being installed at this point. There is no biosgeom command on SCO UNIX 3.2v4.2, so the disk drive parameters must be examined/specified later.

During installation, select the fully configurable installation option. When prompted to display current disk parameters, check the hard disk cylinder count. For SCO UNIX 3.2v4.2, this must not exceed 2047 cylinders. If it does, then modify this parameter to read 2047. A typical example would be the Quantum Fireball 1.2Gb drive, which has 2484 cylinders.

Again, if the geometry is correct, installation will continue normally. Otherwise, it will loop around the fdisk/partition menu with a can't read bad block list error.

As before, ensure all relevant patches for SCO UNIX 3.2v4.2 are added to the system on completion of the initial installation. Refer to IPB 3183 for details.

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