INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTALLING THE FLOPPY HANDLER The non-system version of this handler can be added to any OS/8 system by .RUNning the BUILD program. Load the handler from the device containing the binary (the file name is RX11NS.BN) using the $LOAD command (BUILD com- mands are shown with a leading '$' which is printed by BUILD - not typed by the user), then use the $PRINT command to list the handlers available, with the last line showing: RX11: D0 D1 D2 This printout reveals that the 'group name' of the handler is 'RX11' - an indication that it works with either the RX01 or RX02 controller, using a RT/11-compatible data format. The 3 'entry point' names, 'D0', 'D1', 'D2' refer to the three possible disk drives supported by the handler (D2 only applies to DSD-210 systems). Use the $INSERT command to select the drives you want, e.g. $IN RX11:D0,D1 (and D2, if you have a three-drive DSD-210 system). A $PR command will then show the following: RX11: *D0 *D1 D2 with a '*' showing the drives that were selected. Note that no more than 9 lines (including the line with the name 'SYS') can have '*'s, with 14 stars total. These limits are determined by the amount of space available in the system area for handlers. The name 'DSK' can also be equated to any one of the starred names. DSK is the 'default' device, which is used when a file specification omits the device name. If unassigned, DSK=SYS (recommended). After checking that you have not exceeded the limits on the number of lines (9) or names (14), use the $BOOT command to finish the installation. Wait for the message 'SYSTEM BUILT' to appear, then save the new version of BUILD with a '.SAVE dev:BUILD' command (you can use any name you like). Before .SQUISHing or .ZEROing a disk it is necessary to patch location 13650 in PIP.SV with the number of blocks available. Proceed as follows: .DATE 25-AUG-83 (same date as the handler) .GET SYS PIP .ODT 13650/xxxx 6545 (equals -667(10)) ^C .SA SYS PIP (use 2 .SA commands to put) .SA SYS PIP (PIP back in the same spot) This completes the installation of the non-system handler. There are two 'run-time' options, however, that you may wish to change with the .SET command: (1) the number of retries after an error, and (2) the data format used. Such changes may be made in the following way: .SET D1 LOC 0 (change the retry count: 0002/5 (2 is normal, make it 5) .SET D1 LOC 200 (change the data format: 0000/1 or 0001/0 (0=RT/11 format, 1=6100) The latter option permits the non-system handler to read either 'D' or 'F' type disks. ('F' format is used on 6100-based systems, 'D' format is used on all other machines.) INSTALLING THE RX11/RX61 SYSTEM HANDLER Installing the system handler on a floppy-based system is complicated by the fact that for a brief moment it is necessary to have TWO system de- vices: the old system which is used for running BUILD, and the new system which is being built - both of which normally want to use the same disk! Fortunately the system handler has a little-known property that allows it to be booted up ON EITHER DRIVE (so the system can be used even if Drive 0 fails). Using this feature, one can run the old system on Drive 1 while building the new system on Drive 0. The first step in the installation procedure is thus to boot up a sys- tem disk (containing the BUILD program) on Drive 1. If you already have a system running on Drive 0, just type .BOOT, wait for the '/' prompt, move the disk to Drive 1, type 'RX' (followed by RETURN), and then run BUILD: .RUN SYS:BUILD (Note use of .RUN, -not- .R) Now read in the new system handler with the command: $LOAD dev:RX11SY (or $LOAD dev:RX61SY). (Note: if the binary file is not on the system device, you must use the name 'RXA0:' to access the other drive, since the system disk is now 'RXA1:') The difference between the RX11 and RX61 versions of the handler is the data format used: the RX61 version is optimized for the '6100' microprocessor (used in DECstations), while the RX11 version uses a RT/11-compatible format and is optimized for speed! The RX11 version will work on a 6100-system, but it is v-e-r-y slow; the RX61 version also works on non-6100 systems, but at only half the speed of the RX11 version. After loading the handler, the $PR command will show the following: RXSY: SYS D0 D1 (from loading RX11SY) or RXSY: SYS F0 F1 (from loading RX61SY) indicating that the 'group name' is RXSY, with 3 entry points: SYS (usually drive 0), D0/F0 (the same as SYS), and D1/F1 (drive/floppy 1). Note that both Drive 0 and Drive 1 are supported by the 'system' handler - unlike the standard DEC handler, which supports only Drive 0. This means that unless you have a three-drive DSD-210 system, you will not need to include the non- system handler, which gives you a free 'device slot' for something else (the 'DSKN' handler described below, for instance), and also means that less time is required to access files on drive 1 because the handler is always in mem- ory (non-system handlers must be loaded before they can be used). Use the $INSERT command to select the desired handlers; you MUST insert SYS, but D0/F0 is optional: $IN RXSY:SYS,D0,D1. If you wish you can equate DSK with D1, but the default (DSK=SYS), is recommended. Be sure that a copy of the standard RX01 handler has been installed so you can read your old disks (and so you can use the .DUP command). An improved (faster) version of the RX01NS handler is supplied which will work on both RX01 or RX02 sys- tems (DEC's version will not). And finally, if you have a 3-drive DSD-210 system, you will need to install the non-system handler for 'D2'. When you have finished configuring the system (remember: no more than 9 lines with '*'s in them, and no more than 14 '*'s total), type CTRL/C to recall the monitor and save the new version of BUILD: .SA SYS:BUILD (or use some other name) The Moment Has Now Arrived: Restart BUILD with the .START command, put a blank disk in Drive 0, and use the $BOOT command to move the system from one disk to the other (*see note below). Because you are building a new system (rather than just changing an old one), BUILD asks: WRITE ZERO DIRECT? The answer is YES! You are now running on the new system, but the disk contains only the monitor - there are no programs yet. The first thing to do is thus to .RUN RXA1:FOTP so you can transfer all the necessary CUSPS (Commonly Used System ProgramS) to the new disk. You can use a *SYS: (changing 7200 to 4200) If you forget to make this patch when running BUILD on such a system, the handler will 'hang' and you will have to re-boot and start all over again. A final note: the name for the second disk drive is either D1: or F1: depending upon whether you installed the RT/11-compatible, or the 'VT/78' version. The name 'RXA1:' refers to disks written using the standard DEC handler. However, the .DUP command (i.e. the RXCOPY.SV program) REQUIRES the use of the names 'RXA0' and 'RXA1', even though the handler associated with those names is NOT used by the program! Thus to make a 'backup copy' of the new system disk, you must use the command: .DUP RXA1: