From: mjw@sw.stratus.com (Michael Wilson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Microbotics Hardframe help needed. please
Date: 16 Dec 1992 18:02:57 GMT
Organization: Stratus Computer, Inc.
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: cowabunga.sw.stratus.com
Keywords: Microbotics, Hardframe, SCSI, Ricoh 5500

Hello,

Sorry for the size but I figure the more information I
provide up front the more likely I'll be able to get help
in solving this vexing problem.

Here's the set up that I've finally put together on my
Amiga 1000.  A Microbotics HardFrame purchased used from 
the internet is installed in the expansion cabinet, no
problem there.  I fashioned a 50-pin SCSI internal to
external cable to the rear of the expansion cabinet.
Then a 4-6 foot 50-50 SCSI external cable runs to another
cabinet with its own power supply and fan that contains a
Ricoh 5500 50MB removable cartridge drive.  It came with
documentation so I know I've jumpered the device address
correctly as unit 1.  The Ricoh is the only device on the
adapter and is terminated.

The HardFrame and HardFrame.info files are in the expansion
directory.  It seems I have to have the Ricoh powered on
in order to boot.  If it isn't then after inserting
Kickstart 1.3 I never get the insert workbench image.  I
can live with this for now.  I think I also have to have a
cartridge inserted but am not sure anymore.  Anyway if
I have power and cartridge I boot just fine.  SysInfo
reports the existance and serial numbers of all three
cards in the expansion box (8M memory, prototype A2090, and
the HardFrame).

The formathf command works just fine, reporting the
presence of the Microbotics Hardframe and the Ricoh 5500
as unit 001.  The drive access light flashes and I can
hear the arm move as the low level format proceeds.  I
get no errors from this procedure.

Next I try to run rdprep.  My objective is to use the
same filesystem (oldfilesystem) as I use on my two hard
42MB MFM Microscience hard drives.  I figured if this
worked I would consider using the newer fastfilesystem.
The problem is even after answering all of the questions
presented by rdprep I can't do a cd or dir or mount the
device.  Neither info, assign, nor sysinfo show the SCSI
Ricoh drive.

In truth some of the questions asked by the rdprep are
confusing to me.  I know all the answers for number of
cylinders, number of heads, bytes per block etcetera. But
the stuff on Rigid Disk Blocks vs. Partitions is confusing.
I want only one partition.  I prefer the oldfilesystem
but will use fastfilesystem if necessary.  When it asks
about how many Rigid Disk Blocks to reserve it suggests
the same number as I input for blocks per cylinder or track
which is 37 for the Ricoh 5500.  rdprep seems pretty happy
with the numbers.  By the way I'm not trying to auto-boot
from any hard drive, I'm quite satisfied with Kickstart
and Workbench floopies.

Rdprep then asks if I want to install a filesystem.  This
is where things get bleak.  If I say yes, it provides a
suggested default value of DOS^@ if I take the default it
says it can't find it.  If I provide l:fastfilesystem as
input to the prompt rdprep accepts the input but I still
can't seem to use the Ricoh.  I know of no name or file
in the devs: directory that corresponds to the oldfilesystem.
If I respond "N" to the prompt for installing a file system
I skip to the part that asks how I want to partition the disk
drive.  I want one partition so I basically accept all of
the defaults presented since they are what I would expect
for a single partition and are similar to what one finds in
a MountList entry for a hddisk.device.  It also asks for a
device name, and asks for five characters exactly.  It's odd
because it gives a prompt that provides a default that contains
the exact same DOS^@ value that was in an earlier prompt for a
file system name.  I have tried taking the default value,
and putting in my own admittedly arbitrary values.  Nothing
seems to change the result of not being able to find the
device.  I'm putting this together at the office and hence
from memory.  I have tried naming this device ff0: scsi:
DOS^@:, all sorts of things.  I even made an entry in the
devs:MountList as FF0: with HardFrame.device just as I have
done with my MFM drives using hddisk.device with no luck.
I have made the MountList entry both oldfilesystem and
fastfilesystem with no change in results.  I have noticed
that if there is an entry in MountList and you do a
mount command before doing rdprep you will guru the machine
every time you run rdprep.  In fact rdprep just likes to visit
the guru a lot.

So basically I need a lot of information/documentation on
rdprep and/or HardFrame that I currently don't possess.  I
also need to know if I need any other commands/files in
order to access any device attached to the hardframe. 
What's this business about installing a filesystem?  Do I
need an entry in the devs/MountList file?  If so what values
are required and which if any must match input to rdprep.

I also found that on the HardFrame board there is a 20+ male
pin connector just next to the 50-pin male SCSI connector.
What is this for?  There is a set of six jumper pins on the
adapter and a second set of three in another location I
don't recall their labels offhand.  The set of three are all
open, which is the way they arrived.  The set of six has,
with the 50-pin connector oriented below the jumper pins,
from left to right, closed, closed, closed, open, open, open.
It would be nice to know the function of all these jumpers.
If I recall the machine would not boot until these three
jumpers were installed.  In lieu of documentation I just
started at the left and kept adding one until the machine
booted.

Any help/information anyone can provide will be carefully
applied and the results recorded.  If you think it would
help, I can call you from home while I'm in front of the
system and walkthrough it step by step, if you just tell me
when would be a good time for you to participate.  Or reply
with info and pehaps a sample devs:mountlist file and input
for rdprep.

Thanks in advance,
Michael Wilson