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Article #8109

xenix and necv20 questions

#8109
From: dave brewer, SD Eng, PAMI
Date: Thu, 02 Oct 1986 16:14
45 lines
2351 bytes

llllline eater ! 


This is my first posting to the net and I would appreciate any
feedback on netiquette abuse I may perpetrate.

2 questions.

1) I have an IBM clone switchable between 4.77 and 8 MHz.
   With an 8088-2 installed the clone functions normally
   at either speed, any PC-DOS 3.2 command including
   diskcopy .
   With a NEC V20-8 (8 MHz version of the V20) the system
   functions normally at 8 MHZ, while at 4.77 MHz the
   system will hang on any hard disk access.
   
   Can anyone explain this ?

2) When attempting to install Xenix 2.0 from SCO via Microsoft 
   onto a hard disk (20 M Seagate, National controller which otherwise
   seem to function perfectly), the boot disk functions normally;
   letters A through Z display routinely.  I then invoke the 
   "hdinit" program from the root disk,
   which is supposed to call the Xenix fdisk program and set up
   a Xenix partition on the hard disk.  It accesses the hard disk and
   comes back with the message "Invalid fixed disk parameter table"
   and then the hdinit command aborts.
   
   For anyone who has used Xenix I have these questions :
   a) which DOS (MS, PC, and version did you use)  ?
   b) what was the state of the hard disk when you ran hdinit
      i.e. did you have it partitioned, what sizes, what partition
      was active, was the hard disk formatted from DOS first, etc ? 

   c) given that any monetary investment in Xenix is irrelevant to
      this question,  should I fight with the DOS and/or Xenix 
      internals in an attempt to get Xenix installed.  i.e. Is
      Xenix on a PC-XT with one 20 M hard drive and 2 floppies
      worthwhile or is it a just a waste of memory space ?


UUCP  : {decvax|ihnp4}!watmath!watdcsu!brewster
Else  : Dave Brewer, (519) 886-6657
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Message-ID: <2613@watdcsu.UUCP>
Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!utzoo!watmath!watnot!watdcsu!brewster

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Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site watdcsu.UUCP
Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!utzoo!watmath!watnot!watdcsu!brewster
From: brewster@watdcsu.UUCP (dave brewer,  SD Eng, PAMI )
Newsgroups: net.micro.pc
Subject: xenix and necv20 questions
Message-ID: <2613@watdcsu.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 2-Oct-86 12:14:06 EDT
Article-I.D.: watdcsu.2613
Posted: Thu Oct  2 12:14:06 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 4-Oct-86 05:34:02 EDT
Distribution: net
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 45