INTRO(7-SysV)       RISC/os Reference Manual        INTRO(7-SysV)



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.

     This section contains both devices that might be configured
     into the system, ``7'' entries, and network related informa-
     tion, ``7N'', ``7P'', and ``7F'' entries.  Networking sup-
     port is introduced in intro(7N).

     STREAMS [see intro(2)] software drivers, modules and the
     STREAMS-generic set of ioctl(2) system calls are also
     described.

     For hardware related files, the names of the entries are
     generally derived from names for the hardware, as opposed to
     the names of the special files themselves.  Characteristics
     of both the hardware device and the corresponding UNIX sys-
     tem device driver are discussed where applicable.

     Disk device file names are in the following format:

                          /dev/{r}dsk/c#d#s#

     where r indicates a raw interface to the disk, the c# indi-
     cates the controller number, d# indicates the device
     attached to the controller and s# indicates the section
     number of the partitioned device.

     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 /etc/config pro-
     gram.  The DIAGNOSTICS section lists messages that might
     appear on the console and/or in the system error log
     /usr/adm/messages from errors in device operation; see sys-
     logd(8) for more information.

MIPS DEVICE SUPPORT
     This section describes the hardware supported on the MIPS
     systems.  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 net-
     working 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(2).  Network
     interfaces are indirectly accessed through the interprocess
     communication facilities provided by the system; see
     socket(2).





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INTRO(7-SysV)       RISC/os Reference Manual        INTRO(7-SysV)



     A hardware device is identified to the system at configura-
     tion time and the appropriate device or network interface
     driver is then compiled into the system.   When the resul-
     tant system is booted, the autoconfiguration facilities in
     the system probe for the device on the VMEbus and, if found,
     enable the software support for it.   If a VMEbus device
     does not respond at autoconfiguration time it is not acces-
     sible at any time afterwards.   To enable a VMEbus device
     that did not autoconfigure, the system will have to be
     rebooted.

     A list of the supported devices is given below.

SEE ALSO
     intro(7N).
     Disk/Tape Management in the System Administrator's Guide.

LIST OF DEVICES
     The devices listed below are supported in this incarnation
     of the system.   Pseudo-devices are not listed.  Devices are
     indicated by their functional interface.  If second vendor
     products provide functionally identical interfaces they
     should be usable with the supplied software.  (Beware, how-
     ever, that we promise the software works ONLY with the
     hardware indicated on the appropriate manual page.)  Occa-
     sionally, new devices of a similar type may be added simply
     by creating appropriate table entries in the driver.


          cp        ISI Communications Processor
          dkip      Interphase V-SMD 3200 Disk Controller
          enp       CMC 10Mb/s Ethernet Controller
          mt        Tape Drive Interface
          st        ISI QIC-2 1/4" Streaming Tape Drive Interface





















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