SCO 5.0.7 No Root Controller Found

Mon Sep 14 06:56:18 PDT 2020

Thank you Joe,

We will check out these tech articles.

On Mon, Sep 14, 2020 at 9:48 AM Joe Chasan <joe at magnatechonline.com> wrote:

> It's been way too long since I've messed with boot strings, but odds are
> LSIL driver would have been the best bet for this model.
>
> see:
> http://wdb1.sco.com/kb/showta?taid=126701
> http://wdb1.sco.com/kb/showta?taid=126687
> http://wdb1.sco.com/kb/showta?taid=126828
>
> Getting OpenServer to run bare metal on any box less than 10 years old may
> prove an exercise in frustration.  If he can't get anywhere, it may be
> less
> work to install some virtualization host like VMWare or VirtualBox and
> install
> SCO as a guest virtual machine there.
>
> -joe
>
> On Sun, Sep 13, 2020 at 08:02:54AM -0400, Jason Garner via Filepro-list
> wrote:
> > Good Morning,
> >
> > I am working with John Esak loading SCO Openserver 5.0.7 on a Dell
> > Precision T7400 workstation. We have been unable to get the SCO
> > bootstrapper to detect the root disk controller. John asked me to post
> this
> > request for help on the filepro list server. See Below:
> >
> >
> >
> > Jason,
> >
> > I think I may have exhausted my old and decrepit knowledge on SCO
> > Openserver 5.07 and bootstrapping invarious BTLD_s at install time.
> >
> >
> >
> > The server you have been helping me load with 5.07 will become my
> personal
> > FilePro server if I can ever get it loaded properly.  It is such a nice
> > machine_ I am really impressed with it. Built like a tank and will be
> more
> > than I ever need.
> >
> >
> >
> > Maybe you could forward  this question out to the FilePro list_ there are
> > (or used to be) many highly capable people on that list using Openserver
> > 5.0.7, and though many have probably switched to Linux, they will
> > definitely  remember more than I do about the correct syntax for loading
> > the WD BTLD drivers at install time with BTLD floppy disks.
> >
> >
> >
> > I think all we really need to know, is **what** is the name of the HBA on
> > the motherboard of the Dell Precision T7400 server?  A name that matches
> up
> > with the correct BTLD driver for WD through SATA_ whether the early
> group,
> > or the later additions done with ahslink instead of link.
> >
> > As to the layout of the motherboard on the machine, there are 3 SATA
> ports
> > that are available as well as 4 more under AHCI/ATA through an  onboard
> > HBA.  The HBA seems to enumerate as a SAS6, but I don_t see that as a
> BTLD
> > available in either the first BTLD release or the second.
> >
> >
> >
> > This is obviously a bit before PERC5 and PERC6 controllers.  I remember
> > using LSiL as the controller/driver in the past for some DELL machines,
> but
> > since that hasn_t worked_ I_m now running through the end of the
> variations
> > I can remember.
> >
> >
> >
> > I_ve tried using a USB CDROM (instead of the SATA one that came with the
> > machine) to continue with the install and have used just about every
> > bootstring I can imagine to load different drivers so that the T7400 can
> be
> > loaded from scratch with a valid boot floppy  and/or  valid install CD.
> > The BTLD for the WD supplements all load perfectly, but it never actually
> > lets me see the hard drive root disk controller.
> >
> >
> >
> > I have tried dozens (feels like millions)  of combinations of defbootstr
> > commands, but none get it right_ obviously this is because I don_t know
> > what to call the HBA on the T7400 motherboard.
> >
> >
> >
> > I have of course tried loading directly to the main 3 motherboard SATA
> > ports as well without using AHC, but ATA mode_ every choice seems to be
> > fruitless.
> >
> >
> >
> > I have a junk old machine that has a _legacy_ choice for its SATA/PATA
> > configuration instead of just ATA/AHC and what is called _compliant_.
> This
> > would be more what I_m used to seeing and expecting, but the few attempts
> > with that machine are yielding the same results  even though it **also**
> > perfectly loads the WD BTLLD with no errors, it gets me all the way to
> the
> > place where it should see the hard drives, but just like the Dell,  no
> > joy.  I have tried different media, cables, etc. I_m very certain this
> is a
> > simple need for a correct _defbootstr__
> >
> >
> >
> > I_m hoping someone knows a trick or a gotcha get-around for the Dell
> T7400
> > that I have not found.  Dell, obviously, won_t talk to me without a
> service
> > contract_. Unfortunately, This was a used, but perfect condition server I
> > found_. So no help there.
> >
> >
> >
> > Maybe some of you might  remember, I_m looking for something like this:
> >
> >
> >
> > Boot:  defbootstr link=fd(60)wd Srom=lsil(0,0,2,0) Sdsk=lsil(0,0,3,0)
> >
> >
> >
> > I_ve run through some stuff about _atapishift_ to no avail, and even
> tried
> >  to  install using a USB CDrom with something like:
> >
> >
> >
> > Defbootstr Srom=usb_msto(0,0,3,0)
> >
> >
> >
> > And so forth_Nothing gets me all the way to _seeing_ the root
> controller. _
> >
> >
> >
> > If anyone has any ideas, please contact us  through a return email to
> Jason
> > _ through Jason_. Or me at john at timescape.com..
> >
> >
> >
> > Thanks, Jason_ maybe someone from days of yore will know the answer to
> this
> > frustrating sticking point.
> >
> > Talk to you soon, and thanks for forwarding this to the _list_ for me.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > John
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> >
> > John Esak
> >
> > Tucson, AZ
> >
> >
> > --
> > Jason Garner
> > Systems Administrator
> >
> > 1801 Oberlin Rd, Suite 204
> > Middletown, PA 17057
> > Work   717-985-1122 x 1139
> > Mobile 717-645-3521
> > <tim.barr at evalsvs.com>jason.garner at evalsvs.com
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-- 
Jason Garner
Systems Administrator

1801 Oberlin Rd, Suite 204
Middletown, PA 17057
Work   717-985-1122 x 1139
Mobile 717-645-3521
<tim.barr at evalsvs.com>jason.garner at evalsvs.com
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