INTRO(4)

NAME
intro - introduction to special files and hardware support

DESCRIPTION
The manual pages in section 4 describe the special files, related driver functions, and networking support available in the system. 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 config(8) program. The DIAGNOSTICS section lists messages which may appear on the console and/or in the system error log /var/log/messages due to errors in device operation; see syslogd(8) for more information.

This section contains both devices which may be configured into the system and network related information. The networking support is introduced in netintro(4).

DEVICE SUPPORT
This section describes the hardware supported on the HP 9000/300 and 9000/400 series. 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 networking subsystem and have a network interface driver. Block and character devices are accessed through files in the file system of a special type; see mknod(8). Network interfaces are indirectly accessed through the interprocess communication facilities provided by the system; see socket(2).

A hardware device is identified to the system at configuration time and the appropriate device or network interface driver is then compiled into the system. When the resultant system is booted, the autoconfiguration facilities in the system probe for the device and, if found, enable the software support for it. If a device does not respond at autoconfiguration time it is not accessible at any time afterwards. To enable a device which did not autoconfigure, the system will have to be rebooted.

The autoconfiguration system is described in autoconf(4). A list of the supported devices is given below.

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. Not all supported devices are listed.

Occasionally, new devices of a similar type may be added simply by creating appropriate table entries in the driver; for example, new CS/80 drives.

apci(4)
    Apollo utility chip serial communications interface
arcofi(4)
    Siemens PSB2160 audio codec
ct(4)
    CS/80 cartridge tape interface
dca(4)
    HP 98644A serial communications interface
dcm(4)
    HP 98642A serial communications multiplexer
dio(4)
    DIO/DIO-II bus
dnkbd(4)
    Apollo Domain keyboard and mouse
dvbox(4)
    HP98730 DaVinci frame buffer
frodo(4)
    Apollo Utility Chip
gbox(4)
    HP98700 Gatorbox frame buffer
hd(4)
    CS/80 disk interface
hil(4)
    introduction to HP-HIL support
hpibbus(4)
    HP-IB bus interface
hyper(4)
    HP A1096A Hyperion frame buffer
isabr(4)
    Frodo ISA bridge
le(4)
    AMD LANCE Ethernet device
nhpib(4)
    built-in 98624 and 98625 HP-IB interfaces
ppi(4)
    HP-IB printer/plotter interface
rbox(4)
    HP98720 Renaissance frame buffer
sgc(4)
    Standard Graphics Connection bus
spc(4)
    HP 98658 SCSI host adaptor driver
sti(4)
    HP Standard Text Interface
topcat(4)
    Topcat, Catseye and Kathmandu frame buffers
tvrx(4)
    HP98705 PersonalVRX “Tigershark” frame buffer

SEE ALSO
autoconf(4), config(8)

HISTORY
The HP300 intro first appeared in 4.3BSD Reno.