From: wayned.bbs@cybernet.cse.fau.edu
Newsgroups: comp.os.coherent
Subject: Coherent 4.0 experiences
Date: 21 Aug 92 00:09:56 GMT
Organization: Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton

Trying to install Coherent 386 4.0 on my Gateway 2000 486/33C with 
Adaptec SCSI controller and Maxtor 550 Meg drive was a real pain.

The installation procedure constantly refused to install without trashing 
the file system.  Every time I ran it, it would ask for each diskette and 
seem to be installing fine.  The last thing it does is run fsck.  That 
did it every time.  All kinds of file system errors, and different ones 
each time I re-installed it.  The errors could not be corrected by fsck 
and rendered the file system either with invalid free lists, cross linked 
i-nodes and other types of errors.

MWC told me that the diskettes were probably defective and that they 
would send a new set out UPS blue.  It's been a week and no diskettes.

I managed to get it installed by running the installation procedure only 
until the machine booted and asked for the rest of the diskettes.  Check 
of file system, all fine so far.  The problem must be in the code that 
copies all of the utilities from the remaining diskettes.  I used cpdir 
on each of the remaining diskettes and ran fsck after each one.  So far 
so good.  All thet remains is to modify the brc and other initialization 
files and uncompress manual files, etc.  This procedure worked fine and 
Coherent 4.0 is now up and running on my machine and still no replacement 
diskettes.  Just for kicks I called MWC and asked how I could install the 
system manually.  The answer, from tech support the next day was, "It 
can't be done.  The installation program must be used."  Bull.  I then 
told the tech what I had done and he insisted that I was only running 
single user mode. Bull again.  I have 4 virtual consoles and two serial 
terminals all logged in at the same time.

I was going to port some device code to run my Intel SatisFAXion modem to 
Coherent and discovered that db, the 4.0 debugger, does not work at all.  
There is no way to set a breakpoint anywhere in your code that db will 
break at.  Another call to tech support gave the reply, "Yeah, db is 
broke really bad."  No shit.  Oh, by the way Mr. Developer, (I'm not 
gonna use his name) dis you know that a user program can issue IN and OUT 
CPU instructions in protect mode and Coherent won't trap?  Tech reply, 
"Yeah we know about that too."  Well, when is a fix going to be available 
for these problems?  Tech, "I dunno. Probably in the next release."  When 
is that gonna be? "I dunno. You know we are working on a source level 
debugger?"  Yeah, that's fine and dandy but, how about something that 
works now?  Anything is better than nothing.

Well, I guess I shouldn't complain too much.  What do you expect for a 
hundred bucks?  Maybe there would be a little more software available for 
Coherent if there was a debugger that worked.

Enough rambling from me.  Just thought there might be someone out there 
ready to fork out that hundred bucks.  My advice: Don't do it, not yet 
anyway.

+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Wayne Desmond                     | Happily using and working (read:  |
| OS/2 Consultant/Programmer        | earning a GOOD living) with       |
| (wayned.bbs@cybernet.cse.fau.edu) | OS/2, since version 1.1.          |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
Newsgroups: comp.os.coherent
Subject: Re: anyone in Canada seen their upgrade yet?