Re: SCO OpenServer 6.0 and Dell Poweredge 2800

From: Ian Wilson (scobloke2_at_infotop.co.uk)
Date: 09/15/05 

Date: Thu, 15 Sep 2005 11:16:41 +0000 (UTC)

Rob wrote:
> Ian Wilson wrote:
>
>>rebeccalip@gmail.com wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Dear,
>>>
>>>For the latest version of SCO OpenServer 6.0, not much user comments
>>>can be found on the Internet.
>>>
>>>We will purchase Dell PowerEdge 2800 for running SCO Unix. Right now,
>>>we are using OpenServer 5.06. We want to know whether it's worth to
>>>upgrade the OS to 6.0?
>>
>>
>>>Will it be compatible?
>>>
>>>On the SCO hardware list, I can see PowerEdge 2800 is certified with
>>>OpenServer 5.06. But for OpenServer 6.0, no Dell server is certified.
>>>
>>>Thanks for any comments!
>>
>>
>>It appears Dell haven't submitted any hardware for certification. There
>>is a reasonable choice of certified harware from IBM and HP.
>>
>>Googling suggests that the Dell PowerEdge 2800 may be OK although people
>>have problems with CD-RW and suggest obtaining a plain CD-ROM drive for
>>the install. Also there may be problems obtaining OSR6 drivers for some
>>of Dell's PERC RAID controllers and maybe some of their on-board LAN
>>adapters. I'd plan to fill a couple of PCI slots with Adaptec/Intel
>>products.
>>
>>As a reference point: I just installed OSR6 + MP1 + EFS on a HP Proliant
>>ML350 G4, which is certified with no notes about any non-functioning
>>parts. Unexpectedly, OSR6 won't recognise the parallel port on this
>>machine so I have been forced into using a workaround using the USB port
>>for attaching a local laser printer. I also had to tweak the video
>>settings for a 17" TFT monitor to get the correct resolution. Other than
>>that it seems fine. So even certified hardware may need some extra time
>>spending on configuration.
>>
>>Based on other comments I've seen in this newsgroup, I'd also consider
>>the IBM xSeries.
>
>
> Ian,
>
> I know that Compaq/HP were used (at least, they were in the past) to
> having some HW boxes with non standard parallel ports; with "non
> standard" I mean with parameters (such as IRQ and I/O address) which did
> non conform to the standards.
>
> Are you in the position to check if yours is one of the above ?
>

The BIOS settings are:
"Embedded LPT Port" is set to "LPT1; IRQ7",
    the other options are: "LPT2: IRQ5" or "LPT3; IRQ7".
    I haven't tried the others.
"Embedded LPT Mode Support" is set to "EPP w/ECP",
    the other options are: "SPP Extended" or "EPP 1.9".
    I tried all modes with a reboot each time - no joy.

When I boot a Knoppix Linux CD and run # dmesg
it reports this info:
   Parport0: PC-Style at 0x378 (0x778) [PCSPP,TRISTATE,EPP]
   Parport0: irq 7 detected
   Parport0: Printer, Hewlett-Packard hp LaserJet 2420
and I can print using the parallel port.

OSR6 autodetects parallel ports so there is no way of specifying IRQs
and I/O addresses using the commands previously used in OSR5 (scoadmin
or mkdev parallel).

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