pcram(7D) Devices pcram(7D)NAMEpcram - PCMCIA RAM memory card device driver
SYNOPSIS
memory@<socket>/pcram@<technology>,0:c
memory@<socket>/pcram@<technology>,0:c,raw
DESCRIPTION
The PCMCIA RAM memory card device driver supports disk-like I/O access
to any standard PCMCIA static random access memory (SRAM) card and
dynamic random access memory (DRAM) card. The driver supports standard
PCMCIA SRAM/DRAM cards that contain a Card Information Structure (CIS).
RAM card densities in the 512Kilobytes to 64Mbyte range are supported.
PRECONFIGURATION
If a PC card memory device is recognized, the pcram device driver is
automatically loaded, the physical address allocated, and special files
created (if they do not already exist).
Known Problems and Limitations
The Solaris pcmem driver is not capable of handling "combo" memory
cards with multiple types of memory on them (for example, combined SRAM
and nonvolatile FLASH). Inserting such a card into a system running the
Solaris software may cause a system panic.
Because the PC card memory device is designed as a pseudo-floppy
diskette type, the only utility that can be used for formatting is
fdformat(1).
CONFIGURATION
Configuration topics include initial installation and configuration,
identifying an unrecognized device, special files, using PC card memory
devices, and hot-plugging.
Initial Installation and Configuration
1. Install the Solaris software.
2. Boot the system.
3. Insert the card.
Identifying an Unrecognized Device
If you insert a memory device and it is not recognized (no special
files created), use the prtconf command.
1. Become root.
2. Run the prtconf -D command to display the configuration recognized
by the system. A recognized device will appear in the prtconf out‐
put. For example:
# prtconf -D
. . .
pcic, instance #0 (driver name: pcic)
. . .
memory, instance #0 (driver name: pcmem)
pcram, instance #0 (driver name: pcram)
3. If your memory device does not appear at the end of the prtconf
output, it is not supported and cannot be used with the pcram
driver.
Special Files
The special files created for PC card memory devices act like disks and
have names in the form /dev/dsk/c#t#d#p# or /dev/dsk/c#t#d#s#. Abbrevi‐
ations used in the names are:
· c# Controller #
· t# Card technology type #, defined as follows:
0 Null--no device
1 ROM
2 OTPROM (One Time PROM)
3 UV EPROM
4 EEPROM
5 Flash EPROM
6 SRAM
7 DRAM
· d# Device region of type #, usually zero
· p# fdisk partition #
· s# Solaris slice #
Note - A device name can be specified either by a partition name (p#) or a
slice name (s#), but not both.
Using PC Card Memory Devices
Since the Solaris Volume Management software recognizes PC Card memory
devices, no special vold configuration is required. If you do not want
to use vold to manage your PC card memory devices, comment out the use
pcmem line in the /etc/vold.conf file. To comment out a line, insert a
# character at the beginning of the line.
PC Card memory devices do not need to have file systems on them, though
typically, before using a new PC Card memory card, you will want to
create a file system on it. DOS PCFS is the best format to use. (You
can use virtually any file system format on a PC card memory card, but
most other file system formats are platform-dependent, making them
unsuitable for moving data between different types of machines. See
"Using a PCMCIA Memory Card" in the OpenWindows Advanced User's Guide.)
Note - If you want to redirect the output of a tar command (or dd or
cpio) to a PC card memory device, first create a file system on
the card, using the fdformat(1) command without arguments. The
card must be reformatted before it can be written on again.
Hot-Plugging
If a memory card is removed while in use, the device driver returns
errors until the memory card is inserted into the appropriate socket.
Close and reopen the device with the card reinserted, and the memory
card will work.
· If you remove the card while in use as a file system, unmount the
file system using the umount command. Then reinsert the card and
remount the file system using the mount command.
· If you remove the card and interrupt a tar or cpio process, stop
the process, reinsert the card, and restart the process.
FILES
/kernel/drv/pcram pcram driver
/dev/dsk/cntndnsn block files
/dev/rdsk/cntndnsn raw fileswhere:
cn controller n
tn technology type n
0x1ROM,0x2OTPROM,0x3EPROM,
0x4EEPROM,0x5FLASH,0x6SRAM,
0x7DRAM
dn technology region in type n
sn slice n
SEE ALSOfdformat(1), pcmcia(7D), dkio(7I), pcmem(7D)SunOS 5.10 23 Oct 2000 pcram(7D)
