[Info-vax] Ods2 reader utility mount

[Richard B. Gilbert]

ChrisQ wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> Am trying to recover some files from a couple of cdc 94171-330 scsi
> drives which were originally fitted to a Microvax II around 1990-1992.
> It was the main lab machine here at the time, before deserting to Sun3 a
> while later.
> 
> I no longer have enough Qbus parts locally to build a working Microvax,
> so downloaded the ODS2 utility to catalog and read the drives. Tried it
> first on XP, but the xp disk man. utility won't let you assign a drive
> letter (which ods2 needs to mount the drive) until the drive is
> initialised, which is not really what I had in mind :-). Ok, move drive
> to Solaris 10 sparc box, but there's not much info with the utility, no
> examples of how to mount drive under unix. Have  tried various runes to
> get the drive mounted without success. ie: mount c6t1d0 /mnt, mount
> /dev/dsk/c6t0d0 /mnt, mount c6t1d0 etc etc.
> 
> Drives are 20+ years old, but CDC made em good in those days and spin up
> fine, (After replacing one shorted tant cap on one and lubing the ground
> spring on the spindles) They are seen and recognised by windoze and
> sol10 format utility, so it looks like it will all fly, just can't get
> the drives mounted. Any ideas re correct syntax ?...
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Chris

They aren't going to mount under VMS unless there is a ODS-2 file system 
present and in good repair!

Mounting on a Unix box also requires that a file system be present; one 
that will be recognized by whatever flavor of Unix you are using.

If the drive is working at all, either O/S should allow you to dump the 
raw blocks.

$ MOUNT /FOREIGN   DKAnnn:
$ DUMP DKAnnn:

If there is a corrupted ODS-2 file system present you should still be 
able to MOUNT /FOREIGN and do an:
$ ANALYZE /DISK_STRUCTURE /REPAIR /CONFIRM DKAnnn:

If it won't MOUNT /FOREIGN I'd drop it in the trash and get on with my life!