Installing or upgrading an SCO OpenServer system

Installing Boot-Time Loadable Drivers (BTLDs)

Boot-Time Loadable Drivers (BTLDs) provide access to hardware devices that are not supported by the current kernel. The boot(HW) program invokes the separate link(HW) program to link-edit the new driver into the kernel after it has been loaded, but before it runs. You would typically use a BTLD package to add a driver needed for installation, although you can use a BTLD at any subsequent time to add a driver to your system. Using a BTLD, you can install onto new hardware, or use new hardware as soon as a driver is available. New and updated BTLDs for current and previous SCO OpenServer releases can be downloaded from the SCO Support Download Area:

ftp://ftp.sco.com/pub/openserver5/drivers

To install Boot-Time Loadable Drivers during an SCO OpenServer installation:

Use the link(HW) program. This can only be accessed from the Boot: prompt; it cannot be executed once the kernel has loaded.
Invoke link by typing link at the Boot: prompt and pressing <Enter>, or by using the link= bootstring argument.
If you invoke link directly, it prompts for the names of the packages to load:
```
   What packages do you need linked into the system,
   or q to quit?: pkg1 pkg2
```
The link command ignores any link= bootstring arguments.
Alternatively, you can use a link= bootstring argument which has the syntax:

link="pkg1 pkg2 ..."

where pkg1, pkg2 and so on are the names of BTLD packages to be linked into the loaded system kernel.
If the package names do not include the name of the device from which to read the BTLDs, you can define the device using the bltd (or btlddev) bootstring. The default device is usually the same as the one from which the boot program was loaded.
After the kernel loads but before it runs, link prompts you to insert the appropriate floppy disk for each BTLD package you specified.
You may now be prompted to enter any tunable parameters and hardware-dependent parameters such as the interrupt vector (IRQ), DMA channel, and base I/O address. If any conflicts occur (for example, if the interrupt vector that the boot-loaded driver wants to use is already occupied by another driver), boot explains the problem, lists the possible resolutions, and prompts you to choose.
If any errors occur while the BTLDs are being extracted, you must reboot the system. Insert the SCO OpenServer Boot Disk and enter restart at the Boot: prompt to restart the installation or upgrade from the beginning.
NOTE: Retain the BTLD disk(s) for use later in the installation. You will need them to configure the drivers into the Link Kit.
At the end of the installation, after the software is loaded and the kernel is rebuilt, you see a table of the packages installed on the disk. Enter the name of the BTLD package to install, or press <Enter> to install the default package.