Need to create megasas driver floppy for new install

I have a new Dell PowerEdge 2900 with perc5/i and no os. I need to install SCO Openserver 6 and I need create a megasas BTLD floppy in order to install the os.

http://ftp.sco.com/pub/unixware7/714/drivers/megasas_1.1/README.hba.megasas.1.1.txt

According to the link, I need to download the driver and create the floppy on with an Openserver 6 computer. I don't have a computer with Openserver 6 installed! I need OS6 to create the BTLD floppy but I can't create the BTLD floppy until OS6 is installed....

Following the instructions in the link above, I tried to create the floppy on Openserver 5.0.7 but it doesn't work, the floppy isn't read during the OS6 install. Anyone have any ideas on how I can create the BTLD floppy on Windows or Openserver 5.0.7?

And it can't hurt to ask... any good samaritan out there with OS6 willing to create and send me a megasas BTLD floppy?

Hi JPop,

It should work with a floppy created on SCO Unix 5.07.
I've done the same with SCO Openserver 5.05 and SCO Openserver 6.0 for a mega driver (Dell Poweredge 1800 Perc DC4)
You need to format the floppy first.

format -v /dev/rfd0135ds18

After that follow the following instructions (with your driver image of coarse)
I. Installation: OpenServer 6/UnixWare 7 installation

      While installing OpenServer 6/UnixWare 7, be sure to 
      insert the mega HBA diskette before any HBA diskettes 
      supplied with your media kit. 
       
      In order to create an HBA diskette, take the following 
      steps: 
       
      1. Become root and create a new directory by typing: 
       
                      $ su 
                      Password: <type your root password> 
                      \# mkdir /tmp/hba 
                      \# cd /tmp/hba 
       
      2. Download the hba.mega.803.image file to the newly 
      created /tmp/hba directory on your machine. 
       
      3. Make an mega diskette from the image file using this 
      command after inserting a formatted floppy in your floppy 
      drive. 
       
      \# dd if=hba.mega.803.image of=/dev/dsk/f0t obs=36b 
       
      4. Use this mega diskette during system installation.

Good luck.

Frederik

Hi Frederik,

Thanks for your reply!

I have done all that but the new install fails. I guess I assumed that the floppy was not created properly in OS5.0.7 but maybe that's not the problem after all.

The Dell 2900 does not have a floppy drive so I attached a USB floppy drive with the megasas floppy inserted prior to powering up. At the point of install where I am prompted to load more HBA drivers and I answer yes, additional drivers are loaded from the install CD but the floppy does not appear to be read. The floppy drive light never comes on and the megasas driver is not in the list of available drivers. If I continue with the installation anyhow, I eventually get the error "Incorrect hard disk partitioning information has been detected on hard drive disk:0...". I am fairly certain this error occurs when when OS6 doesn't see the hard drive.

According to installation instructions, USB media can be used during a fresh installation. I don't know why the floppy is not being read. Any more suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I found more info regarding the USB floppy not being read at install:

SCO OpenServer Release 6.0.0 Late News

Following these instructions, I found that the USB port I plugged the floppy into was not working so I plugged into a different port. Then the floppy was read! Unfortunately, when loading the driver from the floppy I just go a new error: "Error when mounting HBA media". I tried a couple differnet floppies just in case it was a bad floppy.

So I'm back to where I was, I don't know if the megasas driver is being created properly from OS5.0.7.

Problem solved. The megasas floppy wasn't being read at install because of the way I created it. I finally solved it by downloading in binary format and using rawrite to create the floppy in DOS.