floppy image

[philo]

Now that I have all my machines up & running it's time to play.
I was recently informed of a site where can access Xenix and I should be
able to play a Unix...text based game.
https://www.pcjs.org/software/pcx86/sys/unix/sco/xenix/086/2.1.3/


All I have to do is put it on a floppy image.

I can create a floppy image by using "dd" or by using Virtual Box.

It is impossible to write to it.

What the heck is going on? All I get is access denied.

I Googled an saw a lot of people asking the same questions.
Zero answers .

[Grant Taylor]

Post by philo
What the heck is going on? All I get is access denied.

Check the ownership and permissions of the file that is being used for
the image.

Make sure that it's writable by the user(s) that is (are) trying to use it.

[philo]

Post by Grant Taylor

Post by philo
What the heck is going on? All I get is access denied.

Check the ownership and permissions of the file that is being used for
the image.
Make sure that it's writable by the user(s) that is (are) trying to use it.

Cannot change permissions.

anyway, guy I'm talking to on the Unix group sent me a floppy image with
games on it. It's going to be interesting seeing how they work.

[philo]

Post by philo
Now that I have all my machines up & running it's time to play.
I was recently informed of a site where can access Xenix and I should be
able to play a Unix...text based game.
https://www.pcjs.org/software/pcx86/sys/unix/sco/xenix/086/2.1.3/
All I have to do is put it on a floppy image.
I can create a floppy image by using "dd" or by using Virtual Box.
It is impossible to write to it.
What the heck is going on? All I get is access denied.
I Googled an saw a lot of people asking the same questions. Zero answers .

On my Linux machine an use Virtual Box to create a floppy image, I can
mount it but it's impossible to write to it.


If I make an image (for use on my Unix machine)


So I made a file of zeros of the right size (360K - tar-file-size) with:
dd if=/dev/zero of=partial.img bs=1 count=327680

then cat aliens.tar partial.img >aliens.img





# mkdir /usr/games # cd /usr/games # tar -xvf /dev/fd0 # chmod +x aliens
# chown bin aliens # chgrp bin aliens # /usr/games/aliens



$ tar -cf a.tar aliens $ dd if=/dev/zero of=partial.img bs=1
count=327680 $ cat a.tar partial.img >SCO\ Xenix\ aliens.img $ tar -tvf
./SCO\ Xenix\ aliens.img


From Linux, that .img file is NOT moutable but when I can mount it on
the on-line Xenix emulator and extract it's contents

I do not understand at all the two DIFFERENT .img files

What's going on?

[Marco Moock]

Post by philo
I can create a floppy image by using "dd" or by using Virtual Box.
It is impossible to write to it.
What the heck is going on? All I get is access denied.

Run
ls -la <filename>
and post the content here.

[philo]

Post by Marco Moock

Post by philo
I can create a floppy image by using "dd" or by using Virtual Box.
It is impossible to write to it.
What the heck is going on? All I get is access denied.

Run
ls -la <filename>
and post the content here.

Her is how I used the floppy option to transfer data to the Xenix
on-line virtual machine for my "aliens" game


So I made a file of zeros of the right size (360K - tar-file-size) with:
dd if=/dev/zero of=partial.img bs=1 count=327680

then cat aliens.tar partial.img >aliens.img





# mkdir /usr/games # cd /usr/games # tar -xvf /dev/fd0 # chmod +x aliens
# chown bin aliens # chgrp bin aliens # /usr/games/aliens



$ tar -cf a.tar aliens $ dd if=/dev/zero of=partial.img bs=1
count=327680 $ cat a.tar partial.img >SCO\ Xenix\ aliens.img $ tar -tvf
./SCO\ Xenix\ aliens.img


Even though it was an img file...it was not a mountable image using Mate
Disk Image mounter.

That said, it worked


OTOH if I use Virtual Box to make a floppy image, that is something I
can mount. The problem is , it's impossible to write to

On my Windows machine if I use Win Image to create a floppy image, I can
write data to it or delete.

That is why I'm puzzled

[Grant Taylor]

Post by philo
OTOH if I use Virtual Box to make a floppy image, that is something I
can mount. The problem is , it's impossible to write to

It seems to me like you may have multiple things working against you.

My experience has been that VirtualBox (along with some other
hypervisors) want to be able to understand what's on the disk (image).
Meaning you can't just use them as a raw storage device holding
whatever. You need to use a file system that VirtualBox understands.

The next issue you'll likely run into is that the software inside of the
VM may not know how to work with that same format. -- I wouldn't bet a
gas station cup of coffee that Xenix would understand a FAT-12 file
system used on DOS (compatible OS) floppy disks.

[philo]

Post by Grant Taylor

Post by philo
OTOH if I use Virtual Box to make a floppy image, that is something I
can mount. The problem is , it's impossible to write to

It seems to me like you may have multiple things working against you.
My experience has been that VirtualBox (along with some other
hypervisors) want to be able to understand what's on the disk (image).
Meaning you can't just use them as a raw storage device holding
whatever.  You need to use a file system that VirtualBox understands.
The next issue you'll likely run into is that the software inside of the
VM may not know how to work with that same format.  --  I wouldn't bet a
gas station cup of coffee that Xenix would understand a FAT-12 file
system used on DOS (compatible OS) floppy disks.

Agreed.

When I was working on that SCO server, I wanted to get data off it but
there was no other OS I had that could read HTFS

I did format a floppy on it but it could not be read from my Windows
machine so I agree SCO probably does not know FAT-12

There was too much data to retrieve to use floppies>

The guy who built it (who was in another state) talked me through doing
essentially a tape back up onto another partition, then restoring it to
my Linux machine.


Anyway, this is pretty much a moot point because using floppies is
really nothing I'd do other that simply to experiment.


OT but BTW, I got a good laugh today.

I went to get a driver off the Asus site and it was a zip file.

That's normal and no big deal even for a novice used.

When I unzipped it, I got a good laugh...the file was a .rar

At this point a novice user would probably not to too happy

[Paul]

Post by Grant Taylor

OTOH if I use Virtual Box to make a floppy image, that is something I can mount. The problem is , it's impossible to write to

It seems to me like you may have multiple things working against you.
My experience has been that VirtualBox (along with some other hypervisors) want to be able to understand what's on the disk (image). Meaning you can't just use them as a raw storage device holding whatever.  You need to use a file system that VirtualBox understands.
The next issue you'll likely run into is that the software inside of the VM may not know how to work with that same format.  --  I wouldn't bet a gas station cup of coffee that Xenix would understand a FAT-12 file system used on DOS (compatible OS) floppy disks.

VirtualBox.

# Things that smell like floppy

guest ------ 34-pin floppy (physical floppy, 34 pin cable)

------ USB packet passthru to USB Mitsui floppy 1440K

------ virtual floppy controller, add virtual floppy drive, taking .img file

$ Things that smell like USB sticks

guest ------ USB packet passthru to actual USB stick

------ virtual USB controller, add USB "disk", taking .vhd file (can be accepted as a "stick")

There are things in that list that do not support boot.

Xenix supports 720K floppy of some sort, plus there is
a Xenix file system. The "disktype" utility reports:

Regular file, size 720 KiB (737280 bytes)
XENIX file system (SysV variant), little-endian, 1 KiB blocks

When you prepare a floppy .img file and put a tarfile first,
followed by zeros, that's an emulation of a "tape". That's
what a tape would taste like.

Would an OS be crazy enough to probe every storage bus for
"tape behavior" ???

Back in the day, on SCSI bus, if you stuck something at
address "6" on a certain OS, it would get probed for tape behavior.
Do a rewind. Check the mode sense. That sort of thing.

For an OS to be probing a floppy that way, that's pretty weird.

It's unlikely that Xenix would know what FAT12 is. but
you never know.

Paul

[philo]

Post by Paul

Post by Grant Taylor

Post by philo
OTOH if I use Virtual Box to make a floppy image, that is something I

can mount. The problem is , it's impossible to write to

Post by Paul

Post by Grant Taylor
It seems to me like you may have multiple things working against you.
My experience has been that VirtualBox (along with some other

hypervisors) want to be able to understand what's on the disk (image).
Meaning you can't just use them as a raw storage device holding whatever.
You need to use a file system that VirtualBox understands.

Post by Paul

Post by Grant Taylor
The next issue you'll likely run into is that the software inside of the

VM may not know how to work with that same format. -- I wouldn't bet a gas
station cup of coffee that Xenix would understand a FAT-12 file system used
on DOS (compatible OS) floppy disks.

Post by Paul
VirtualBox.
# Things that smell like floppy
guest ------ 34-pin floppy (physical floppy, 34 pin cable)
------ USB packet passthru to USB Mitsui floppy 1440K
------ virtual floppy controller, add virtual floppy drive, taking .img file
$ Things that smell like USB sticks
guest ------ USB packet passthru to actual USB stick
------ virtual USB controller, add USB "disk", taking .vhd file

(can be accepted as a "stick")

Post by Paul
There are things in that list that do not support boot.
Xenix supports 720K floppy of some sort, plus there is
Regular file, size 720 KiB (737280 bytes)
XENIX file system (SysV variant), little-endian, 1 KiB blocks
When you prepare a floppy .img file and put a tarfile first,
followed by zeros, that's an emulation of a "tape". That's
what a tape would taste like.
Would an OS be crazy enough to probe every storage bus for
"tape behavior" ???
Back in the day, on SCSI bus, if you stuck something at
address "6" on a certain OS, it would get probed for tape behavior.
Do a rewind. Check the mode sense. That sort of thing.
For an OS to be probing a floppy that way, that's pretty weird.
It's unlikely that Xenix would know what FAT12 is. but
you never know.
Paul

Done setting up all my Linux machines.

Now testing out a Win98 P-1

[Philo]

Now posting from my NT 3.51 machine

Post by philo

Post by Paul

Post by Grant Taylor

Post by philo
OTOH if I use Virtual Box to make a floppy image, that is something I

can mount. The problem is , it's impossible to write to

Post by Paul

Post by Grant Taylor
It seems to me like you may have multiple things working against you.
My experience has been that VirtualBox (along with some other

hypervisors) want to be able to understand what's on the disk (image).
Meaning you can't just use them as a raw storage device holding whatever.
You need to use a file system that VirtualBox understands.

Post by Paul

Post by Grant Taylor
The next issue you'll likely run into is that the software inside of the

VM may not know how to work with that same format. -- I wouldn't bet a gas
station cup of coffee that Xenix would understand a FAT-12 file system used
on DOS (compatible OS) floppy disks.

Post by Paul
VirtualBox.
# Things that smell like floppy
guest ------ 34-pin floppy (physical floppy, 34 pin cable)
------ USB packet passthru to USB Mitsui floppy 1440K
------ virtual floppy controller, add virtual floppy drive,

taking .img file

Post by Paul
$ Things that smell like USB sticks
guest ------ USB packet passthru to actual USB stick
------ virtual USB controller, add USB "disk", taking .vhd file

(can be accepted as a "stick")

Post by Paul
There are things in that list that do not support boot.
Xenix supports 720K floppy of some sort, plus there is
Regular file, size 720 KiB (737280 bytes)
XENIX file system (SysV variant), little-endian, 1 KiB blocks
When you prepare a floppy .img file and put a tarfile first,
followed by zeros, that's an emulation of a "tape". That's
what a tape would taste like.
Would an OS be crazy enough to probe every storage bus for
"tape behavior" ???
Back in the day, on SCSI bus, if you stuck something at
address "6" on a certain OS, it would get probed for tape behavior.
Do a rewind. Check the mode sense. That sort of thing.
For an OS to be probing a floppy that way, that's pretty weird.
It's unlikely that Xenix would know what FAT12 is. but
you never know.
Paul

Done setting up all my Linux machines.
Now testing out a Win98 P-1

[Philo]

and now posting from my ECS machine

Post by Paul

Post by Grant Taylor

OTOH if I use Virtual Box to make a floppy image, that is something I can mount. The problem is , it's impossible to write to

It seems to me like you may have multiple things working against you.
My experience has been that VirtualBox (along with some other hypervisors) want to be able to understand what's on the disk (image). Meaning you can't just use them as a raw storage device holding whatever. You need to use a file system that VirtualBox understands.
The next issue you'll likely run into is that the software inside of the VM may not know how to work with that same format. -- I wouldn't bet a gas station cup of coffee that Xenix would understand a FAT-12 file system used on DOS (compatible OS) floppy disks.

VirtualBox.
# Things that smell like floppy
guest ------ 34-pin floppy (physical floppy, 34 pin cable)
------ USB packet passthru to USB Mitsui floppy 1440K
------ virtual floppy controller, add virtual floppy drive, taking .img file
$ Things that smell like USB sticks
guest ------ USB packet passthru to actual USB stick
------ virtual USB controller, add USB "disk", taking .vhd file (can be accepted as a "stick")
There are things in that list that do not support boot.
Xenix supports 720K floppy of some sort, plus there is
Regular file, size 720 KiB (737280 bytes)
XENIX file system (SysV variant), little-endian, 1 KiB blocks
When you prepare a floppy .img file and put a tarfile first,
followed by zeros, that's an emulation of a "tape". That's
what a tape would taste like.
Would an OS be crazy enough to probe every storage bus for
"tape behavior" ???
Back in the day, on SCSI bus, if you stuck something at
address "6" on a certain OS, it would get probed for tape behavior.
Do a rewind. Check the mode sense. That sort of thing.
For an OS to be probing a floppy that way, that's pretty weird.
It's unlikely that Xenix would know what FAT12 is. but
you never know.
Paul

[philo565]

Post by Paul

OTOH if I use Virtual Box to make a floppy image, that is something I can mount. The problem is , it's impossible to write t

There are things in that list that do not support boot.
Back in the day, on SCSI bus, if you stuck something at
address "6" on a certain OS, it would get probed for tape behavior.
Do a rewind. Check the mode sense. That sort of thing.
For an OS to be probing a floppy that way, that's pretty weird.
It's unlikely that Xenix would know what FAT12 is. but
you never know.
Paul

And now, my crowning achievement,
Posting from SCO _UNIX