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XERO)(
BUSINESS SYSTEMS
Systems Development Department
To: Robert Kierr Date: September 12, 1978
From: H. C. Lauer Org: SDD/SD
Subject: Pilot status report Filed: [Iris]
Reference: Pilot Pre-alpha and Alpha releases, dated September 5, 1978 from H. C. Lauer to Robert Kierr
The following is a brief summary of the status of Pilot and of the components which, by agreement,
will be included in the Alpha release of Pilot. It appears that it is possible to come very close to
meeting our September 15 target for starting the release procedure. rIllC remaining unknowns are:
(1) how rapidly we can get new microcode releases into use by the Pilot group, and (2) the number
of "surprises" in demand paging.
Demand paging
All modifications to Pilot necessary to test demand paging are complete.
We have nm VFSTest (fOlmcrly MockClicnt) for an extended pedod in page faulting
mode, but without paging out existing code or data.
Charnley has identified a' means of making Dilillt restartable after page. faults (at the
expense of speed)
Garner is fixing a bug in XFER which prevents code segments from being demand paged.
Remaining tasks:
Fix the Map Log to allow larger log to be ~ept
Continue testing
OIS and PUP communications
Yogen is on schedule and in the midst of testing Pup communications (see Septembcr 5
memo); he has . . . 3 days remaining work on his contribulions to the Alpha release.
Disk-boatable microcode
Charnley claims that this problem is solved: a hardware fix is requircd to make it work.
Charnely will producc a new release of microcode Wednesday containing:
Long pointer disk controller
Restartahle BitBlt (short or long pointers)
"Identical" .BT and .MB versions
(Perhaps) Garner's fix for the XFER bug
Remaining tasks:
Make a second microcode release containillg long poinkr IUTFP and last minute
bug fixes
Compatible long pointer IRDC
Pilot status report 2
Pitts has dcveloped and tcsted a controller and driver.
Redell is waiting for this to appear in an official version of microcode to proceed
Remaining tasks:
Convert DiskIO for long pointer arguments
Move buffers into hyperspace
Mapping off the ends of files
Remaining tasks:
Minor bug fixes
Obscure case testing
Logging
Testing has been bogged down in the cycle of getting JaHcs's bug fixes bound into Pilot
Tom Horsley will take over