Device driver help

[Mark Haines]

The long, boring story:

   I recently took a job with the O.U. physics department. We have a DEC
MicroVAX II. When I got here it was running under Ultrix v1.2 and we had
v2.3 with manuals and media. Also hanging around is some code for a device
driver. The driver code is for a DRV11-WA, a DMA card.  When I first started
I had no idea what I was doing. But as time progressed, I learned more and
more about what's going on.
   However, I am now at an impass. There are questions I can't seem to find
answers to. I seem to be able to compile the code into the kernel, but when
I try and open the device through a node, it comes back with "No such device
or address". This is the same error I get when I make a node with an
arbitrary number. I've listed my device driver in the devices file, so
why doesn't it find it? Is there something else I'm missing?
   It might be good if someone out there could suggest a book or paper on
writing a device driver. I've looked through a couple of Unix books and
understand the basic principles, but not the specifics. I would also like
to know if there are any differences as far device drivers are concerned
between v1.2 and v2.3 of Ultrix. I would much rather be running v2.3 (actually
I would much rather be running v4.2, but I can't seem to talk then prof into
shelling out the $$).
   Actually, the whole reason I'm running v1.2 is that before I got this
job, someone managed to compile in a psuedo-functional device driver. I
have a copy of the binary image of it, but not the source code. I'm told
that the source code I was given is close to the orginal, but not quite.
   Anyways, that's the long, boring story. Any help would be appreciated.
If you have any to offer (help that is) please send me mail at:

haines at valkyrie.ecn.uoknor.edu


Thanks in advance,
    Mark


P.S. - Anyone got some spare hair? I seem to have pulled most of mine out.