New s4 Diagnostics

[Pat Myrto]

This posting is to make folks aware of a possible problem in the
recent posting of the new s4diag package.  I don't know if someone
else has posted this info, and I missed it, but to be safe, here goes:

The problem is in the Install script.  Everything will appear to be
fine, the diagnostic boots, and works, if everything is done as
instructed.  The catch is that the Install script calls the iv program
using the FD10nl description file.  THIS PRODUCES A DISK WITH NO
LOADER OR PLACE TO COPY ONE LATER.

The diagnostic disk so made will boot, because when no loader is found
on the floppy, the loader on the hard disk is used, and it searches
the floppy first.  However, if one installs a NEW hard disk, which has
never seen a UNIXPC format, there is going to be no loader available.
This will mean that one will not be able to use the diagnostic until
the hard disk has been formatted with the old diagnostic, so a loader
is available to start the new diagnostic.  If one is using the new
diags to initialize a disk with over 1024 cylinders, this could be
annoying.

To confirm my suspicion in this area, I checked out the diagnostic
disk that comes with the distribution using iv -tv, and it does indeed
have a loader partition of 35 blocks, and the silent loader on it.

The fix is simple - just edit the Install script that accompanied the
s4diag uuencode, and change the filename used by the iv command line
from /usr/lib/iv/FD10nl to /usr/lib/iv/FD10sl, and then re-run the
install script, to reformat with the larger slice 0 and copy the
loader onto the floppy.  Using the FD10sl description file
accomplishes this.  With this change, everything else is done as
before, and one can verify the disk is bootable by running the
shutdown command, with the new diagnostic floppy in the drive and the
door closed.  Assuming it boots the diagnostic normally, simply open
the drive door, and select option number 7 to restart your system.

Good luck...

-- 
pat at rwing     ...!nwnexus!mltco!camco!happym!\      (Pat Myrto),  Seattle, WA
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WISDOM:    "Travelling unarmed is like boating without a life jacket"