From: aris@lasernet.co.za (Aris Stathakis)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.xenix.sco
Subject: Re: SCO Xenix compatability & Systems
Keywords: Xenix compatability
Date: 12 Nov 92 06:30:47 GMT
Article-I.D.: lasernet.1992Nov12.063047.23755
Organization: Lasernet (Pty) Ltd.

In <1229@consult.UUCP> bob@consult.UUCP (Bob Willey CDP) writes:

>In article <BxGn8t.AMq@acsu.buffalo.edu> v505pda4@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Jerome J Schentag) writes:
>>In article <1228@consult.UUCP>, bob@consult.UUCP (Bob Willey CDP) writes...
>#>We have recently been doing some testing for several clients
>#>about running SCO Xenix 386 v2.3.4 on various machines.
>#> 
>#>We have seen problems on several machines (486/33 & 486/50) where it
>#>has problems booting the N1 diskette.  Comes up with a string of "EEEE"'s.
>#>The number of EEE's will vary. Sometimes it will come to the Boot:
>#>prompt and many times it will not???
>#>The machines have AMI BIOS, and various controllers.
>#>>.. Bob Willey, CDP          ..  |  ..  uunet!consult!bob  bob@ccs.com   ..<
>#
>>We had the same problem when we decided to upgrade our Xenix system to a 486-33
>>from a 384-40.  I discovered that when I turned off the internal and external 
>>486 cache (which the AMI bios I had allowed) The system would boot normally
>>but was slower than the 386 (bummer 8-( .)  After a call to tech support
>>for the hardware suggested turning on one wait state for the cache everything
>>worked fine.  It was amazing, first time I actually got a correct answer to a
>>problem in less than 30 seconds.  Seems that the machine works fine with
>>0 wait state cache under dos, but needs 1 wait state in cache for Xenix.

>This sounds interesting, but after checking into the advanced CMOS
>setup options on the AMI BIOS we find that there are options for disabling
>the internal cache and the external cache, but nothing about wait states
>for the cache.  There is an option for wait states on the memory, and
>also an option for Bus/Clk (2/4, 2/5, etc.).  We have tried disabling
>the cache without any success, and also fooling around with the Bus/Clk
>speed.  Did not seem to improve the problem.  Have not yet tried the
>DRAM wait states. That will be next.

Here is something from the SCO IT scripts:


When I boot from the N1 floppy, EEEEEEEEEEs appear on the console.

RELEASE:  SCO XENIX System V Operating System Generic
          SCO UNIX System V Operating System Generic

PROBLEM:   When I boot from the N1 floppy, EEEEEEEEEEEEEEs appear on the 
	   console. 

CAUSE:     The boot(HW) program performed a BIOS interrupt 13H to read a
           portion of the kernel from the diskette.  BIOS returns with the
           carry bit set, indicating an error.  The boot program then uses BIOS
           interrupt 10H to print an E to the screen.  

           Note that this is the ONLY time when the UNIX or XENIX operating
           system makes a BIOS call -- once the kernel is loaded BIOS is not
           used.
           
           Some possible causes for this are:   
         
           (1) The N1 floppy is not properly adjusted in the floppy drive.
           
           (2) Bad or temperamental floppy drive. 
 
           (3) Corrupted N1 floppy.

           (4) Caching is enabled.

SOLUTION:  To resolve the problem, take the following steps:
           
           (a) Insert the N1 in the floppy drive slot and adjust  
               the floppy. 
               
               Power the machine off and on to reboot from the N1 again; 
	       check for reappearance  of the problem. 

           (b) If the problem still exists after repeating step (a), 
               then try booting a DOS, or other bootable, diskette. 
              
               If the machine successfully boots a diskette, it indicates 
	       that your N1 floppy is corrupted. 

               You are entitled to a free replacement floppy.

-- 
Aris Stathakis        Tel:+27 11 887 4220 |Gimme a beer and money sandwich -  
SCO Unix Support      Fax:+27 11 887 1141 |Hold the bread. - Waldo D.R. Dobbs
Lasernet (Pty) Ltd    X25: 06550 11642692 |_________________________________
P.O. Box 78446, Sandton, 2146, R.S.A       Internet: aris@lasernet.co.za
Newsgroups: comp.unix.xenix.sco