Subject: Re: Before Acorn Worldm what?
To: None <port-arm32@NetBSD.ORG>
From: Chris Manning <chrism@spuddy.mew.co.uk>
List: port-arm32
Date: 10/13/1996 12:58:21
In message <199610112009.VAA15226@physig4.ph.kcl.ac.uk>
          amb@physig4.ph.kcl.ac.uk (Mark Brinicombe) wrote:

> Once the release is on the ftp site I will be able to put these
> on a CDROM. SO this will be ready for Acorn World.

So how does a visitor to the show acquire a copy of the CD?


> Hopefully we may also have some more docs available for the show.

Never having installed unix in any form I could certainly do with some good
documentation.   ;-)

I have a RPC600 running RO3.6, with 32+4+2MB of memory, a CD-ROM drive and a
540MB IDE disc. Well, the disc's already more than half full so I'm hoping
to buy a larger one at the show, but what?

Looking at such documentation as I've been able to find I see

   Currently there are alpha stage polling drivers for Cumana SCSI II and
   Powertec SCSI II cards. An alpha Oak SCSI I driver has been be completed.
   A new Acorn SCSI I driver has now been written (04/03/96) that replaces
   the existing alpha stage driver. This new driver is a low more reliable
   and also supports interrupts. Other SCSI drivers planned (but not limited
   to) are Morley, VTI and Yellowstone

No mention there of the 16-bit Cumana card that I have in my A400 (yes, I
know about problems with NDAs), so I guess I can't use that.  No mention
either of the Connect 32.

Of course I'm tempted simply to buy a large IDE disc, even though it'd mean
discarding my existing drive (both my IDE slots are occupied).  I can get a
2.5GB one (can I put RiscBSD at the top end of one of those?  can I see the
files from the RO side of the fence?) for at least 100ukp less than I'd have
to pay for a 2GB SCSI, but how do I back it up?

I'm strongly tempted to go for a Jaz (I don't like the idea of tapes), but
if I'm going to do that could I simply run RiscBSD from a removable disc?
How reliable are they if used continuously, rather than simply for taking
backups?

All advice on choosing a SCSI card and hard disc(s) will be gratefully
received.



Chris