Re: Sider (Xebec/Datamac SASI) drive and UCSD Pascal 1.1 (Apple Pascal)

[msg <msg@REMOVETHIScybertheque.org>]

Thanks again Wayne for your efforts!

According to your D2 manual pages, stock Apple Pascal 1.1 should
recognize the Sider's Pascal volumes when the floppy is booted
from the Main Menu; I had expected this behavior on our system
but this is where the problem lies.  Floppy booted Pascal, whether
cold or warm booted fails to recognize the volumes. This is of
course using the early version of the Xebec software which we
rescued from the original hard drive.

This system is part of a high-end CAD workstation; all of the Xebec
code is dated 1981 through 1984.  The Xebec HBA and bridge controller
are OEM; the utilities on the original drive are recognizable as
components of Siderware, although there is no reference to the
drive by that name and all company references are to Xebec and
Datamac.

There must have been some additional installation code to prep
the Pascal volumes in some way to make them appear on-line to
Apple Pascal. The OEM utility to create the volumes (names them
and zeros them) succeeds; the OEM utility to change Pascal unit
numbers also works.  There is an OEM Pascal program 'XBOOT.COM.CODE'
which successfully creates the Pascal boot loader on the drive so that
'SYSTEM.APPLE' is loaded from the drive; however the 'HOME' volume never
appears on-line so Pascal looks to the floppy to complete the boot.
After booting, no hard disk volumes appear on-line in Filer.

I will start fresh with your version of Siderware as an experiment;
if the firmware compatibility remains an issue, I'll appreciate
getting the binary you offered and I'll burn a new prom.

Michael

Wayne Stewart wrote:
> 
> I scanned all the parts of the D2 manual that seemed relevant. You
> can find them at http://www3.telus.net/waynes/Sider_D2/
> 
> The software that came with the D2 I have here seems to have the same
> part number as  the software for my D4, I'll check and see if it is
> actually the same. I have another Sider stored at another location that
> may have different software but I won't be able to get by there for a
> few days.
> 
> One option if the software doesn't work with the ROM version on your
> card might be to try a later ROM. If you're able to burn one I can
> forward the binary file or if not then I can email you a copy.
> 
> Wayne