Re: [9fans] Toshiba Tecra 720 (notebook)

[okamoto@granite.cias.osakafu-u.ac.jp]

>I think we gotta do some configuration on the kernel or something to get it
>work.

I tried to figure out it during this new year vacation, and failed.  At first, I tried to see it
on the working kernel itself what's going on here.

The devfloppy.c reports me as follows when I dispatched a: command:

floppyrevive in
sra ff srb ff dor ff msr 80 dir 7e
floppyrevive out
sra ff srb ff dor ff msr 80 dir 7e
changed
sra ff srb ff dor ff msr 80 dir 7e
xfer: failed 40 10 0
offset 0 len 9216
DMA overrun: retry
floppyxfer: retrying
xfer: failed 40 10 0
offset 0 len 9216
DMA overrun: retry
floppyxfer: retrying
xfer: failed 40 10 0
offset 0 len 9216
DMA overrun: retry
floppyxfer: retrying
xfer: failed 40 10 0
offset 0 len 9216
DMA overrun: retry
changed: trying 3½DD
sra ff srb ff dor ff msr 80 dir 7e
xfer: failed 40 1 0
offset 0 len 4608
floppyxfer: retrying
xfer: failed 40 1 0
offset 0 len 4608
floppyxfer: retrying
xfer: failed 40 1 0
offset 0 len 4608
floppyxfer: retrying
xfer: failed 40 1 0
offset 0 len 4608
changed: truing 3½HD
sra ff srb ff dor ff

mount: mount /n/a: : unknown format

I think this error messages say we need some trick to change the controller mode from something
wrong (probably 5¼HD format 6 rotations/sec) to 3½HD (5 rotations/sec).  But I don't know the
command for this purpose.  I don't even knwo what kind of controller chip is used on my Tecra
720 notebook...

Then, I tried to check the floppy.c file of Linux, and found there is nothing for such codes which
means Linux cann't boot itself on this machine, too.   I was much surprised to find this. :-)

Then, I also checked NEC's PC98 codes, and found something such control seruence, and tried it
on my notebook which lead me to the miserable state.  NEC's PC98 has 3½HD, 3½DD and 5¼HD
format as 3½ floppy format.  It seems to do some trick (mode_set), however, it's controller chip
(7072A)may be different from mine.  Therefore, I'm now thinking that we cannot use those notebook's
floppy drive unless we could get some information neccessary for this trick.

Kenji