NAME

intro − introduction to special files and hardware support

DESCRIPTION

This section describes the special files, related driver functions, and networking support available in the system.  In this part of the manual, the SYNOPSIS section of each configurable device gives a sample specification for use in constructing a system description for the /sys/conf/configscript, the autoconfig(8), program and descibes the major and minor device numbers and their encoding. The DIAGNOSTICS section lists messages which may appear on the console and/or in the system error log /usr/adm/messages due to errors in device operation. 

This section contains both devices which may be configured into the system, “4” entries, and network related information, “4N”, “4P”, and “4F” entries; The networking support is introduced in intro(4N).

PDP DEVICE SUPPORT

This section describes the hardware supported on the DEC PDP-11.  Software support for these devices comes in two forms.  A hardware device may be supported with a character or block device driver, or it may be used within the networking subsystem and have a network interface driver. Block and character devices are accessed through files in the file system of a special type; c.f. mknod(8). Network interfaces are indirectly accessed through the interprocess communication facilities provided by the system; see socket(2).

A hardware device is identified to the system at configuration time and the appropriate device or network interface driver is then compiled into the system.  When the resultant system is booted, the autoconfiguration facilities in the system probe for the device on either the UNIBUS (or Q-bus) or MASSBUS and, if found, enable the software support for it.  If a device does not respond at autoconfiguration time it is not accessible at any time afterwards.  To enable a device which did not autoconfigure, the system will have to be rebooted. 

The autoconfiguration system is described in autoconfig(8). A list of the supported devices is given below.

SEE ALSO

intro(4), networking(4), config(8). 

LIST OF DEVICES

The devices listed below are supported in this incarnation of the system.  Pseudo-devices are not listed.  Listed also are devices which are in various stages of porting to 2.11BSD from 4.3BSD. 

Devices are indicated by their functional interface.  If second vendor products provide functionally identical interfaces they should be usable with the supplied software.  (Beware, however, that we promise the software works ONLY with the hardware indicated on the appropriate manual page.) Occasionally, new devices of a similar type may be added simply by creating appropriate table entries in the driver. 

The following are known to work:
accACC LH/DH IMP communications interface
deDEC DEUNA 10Mb/s Ethernet controller
dhDH-11 emulators, terminal multiplexor
dhuDHU-11 terminal multiplexor
dzDZ-11 terminal multiplexor
ec3Com 10Mb/s Ethernet controller
hkRK6-11/RK06 and RK07 moving head disk
htTM03 MASSBUS tape drive interface (with TE-16, TU-45, TU-77)
ilInterlan 1010, 1010A, 2010A 10Mb/s Ethernet controller
lpLP-11 parallel line printer interface
qeDEC DEQNA Q-bus 10 Mb/s Ethernet interface
raDEC UDA-50, RQDX, KLESI disk controllers
rkDEC RK05 disk controller
rlDEC RL-11 disk controller
rxDEC RX02 floppy interface
siSI 9500 disk controller
tmTM-11/TE-10 tape drive interface
tmscpTMSCP-compatible tape controllers (e.g., TU81, TK50)
tsTS-11 tape drive interface
vvProteon proNET 10Mb/s and 80Mb/s ring network interface
xpGeneral purpose SMD disk controller
 The following should work:
drDR-11W general purpose DMA UNIBUS interface
 The following worked in the past but will probably require work:
cssDEC IMP-11A communications interface
dmcDEC DMC-11/DMR-11 point-to-point communications device
enXerox 3Mb/s Ethernet controller (obsolete)
sriDR-11C IMP interface
 It should be possible to port these from 4.3BSD:
exExcelan 10Mb/s Ethernet controller
ixInterlan NP-100 10Mb/s Ethernet controller
npInterlan NP-100 10Mb/s Ethernet controller (intelligent mode)
pclDEC PCL-11 communications interface
 No idea whether any of the following could be ported:
adData translation A/D interface
ctC/A/T or APS phototypesetter
ddnACC ACP625 DDN Standard Mode X.25 IMP interface
dmfDEC DMF-32 terminal multiplexor and parallel printer interface
dmzDEC DMZ-32 terminal multiplexor
dnDEC DN-11 autodialer interface
hdhACC IF-11/HDH IMP interface
hpMASSBUS disk interface (with RP06, RM03, RM05, etc.)
hyDR-11B or GI-13 interface to an NSC Hyperchannel
kgKL-11/DL-11W line clock
mtTM78 MASSBUS tape drive interface
tuVAX-11/730 TU58 console cassette interface
unDR-11W interface to Ungermann-Bass
upEmulex SC-21V, SC-31 UNIBUS disk controller
utUNIBUS TU-45 tape drive interface
uuTU58 dual cassette drive interface (DL11)
vaBenson-Varian printer/plotter interface
vpVersatec printer/plotter interface

4th Berkeley Distribution  —  January 27, 1996