SCSI Controllers

scsi_bus

Name of the emulated SCSI disk controller: "pka" or "pkb"

scsi_id

A value between 0 and 7. This is the ID number of the emulated SCSI device. The SCSI adapter is preloaded with address 7. If required, set it to another value in the range of 0-7 from the VAX console.

load virtual_scsi_disk/chscsi pka_0 scsi_bus=pka scsi_id=0

container[N]

N=0…7

Text String

media_type[N]

N=0…7

Text String

Overrides the PRODUCT ID in the default SCSI INQUIRY data.

Valid values may contain uppercase letters, integers and spaces. The length of the string cannot exceed 16 characters.

If not specified, synthetic SCSI INQUIRY data is returned containing a PRODUCT ID selected based on the disk size.

Initially left unspecified.

geometry[N]

N=0…7

Text String

This formatted string value specifies the explicit geometry of the disk storage element

The string format is <X>”/”<Y>[“/”<Z>] where:

• "X" is the number of sectors per track;
• "Y" is the number of tracks per cylinder;
• "Z" (optional) is the number of cylinders on the unit. If omitted, Z is calculated based on X, Y and the total number of sectors on the unit that reflects the size of the disk storage element;

If this parameter is not set, CHARON-VAX will configure the geometry based on the most probable disk type.

use_io_file_buffering[N]

N=0…7

Text String

Instructs CHARON-VAX to enable host operating system I/O cache on reading/writing operations.

The following values are possible:

• "true" or "write-back" - the "write back" caching mode is used

• "write-through" - the "write through" caching mode is used

• "false" - caching is switched off

 Note that this caching has a significant effect only in case of mapping to disk containers, not physical drives.

When enabled, host operating system I/O cache may significantly improve I/O performance of the virtual system. At the same time maintaining I/O cache requires additional host resources (CPU and memory) which may negatively affect overall performance of the virtual system.

Initially is set to "false".

Example:

removable[N]

N=0…7

Initially set to “false” (fixed, non-removable).

load virtual_scsi_disk/chscsi pka_0 scsi_bus=pka scsi_id=0

set pka_0 container[0] = "C:\Charon\Disks\disk1.vdisk"
set pka_0 container[1] = "\\.\PhysicalDrive1"


set pka_0 container = "C:\Charon\Disks\disk1.vdisk"
set pka_0 media_type = "RZ1ED"

container[N]

N=0…7

Text String

"\\.\A:" or "\\.\B:"

load floppy_scsi_device/chscsi pka_0 scsi_bus=pka scsi_id=0
set pka_0 container= "\\.\A:"

container[N]

N=0…7

Text String

media_type[N]

N=0…7

Text String

Overrides PRODUCT ID in the default SCSI INQUIRY data.

Valid values may contain uppercase letters, integers and spaces. Length of this string cannot exceed 16 characters.

By default the PRODUCT ID returned is "TLZ04"

geometry[N]

N=0…7

Text String

Specifies the size of the tape image and (optionally) the size of the "early-warning" area at the end of the tape image.

Syntax:

where:

• <image-size> is the tape size in MB

• <early-warning-zone-size> is the size (in KB) of the space remaining on the tape when a warning to the OS is issued. If omitted, 64K is assumed.

Example:

load virtual_scsi_tape/chscsi pka_0 scsi_bus=pka scsi_id=0

set pka_0 container[0] = "C:\Charon\Tapes\tape1.vtape"
set pka_0 container[1] = "C:\Charon\Tapes\tape2.vtape"

set pka_0 container = "C:\Charon\Tapes\tape1.vtape"
set pka_0 media_type = "TLZ08"

container[N]

N=0…7

A string containing the device name to map to the emulator.

• ISO images
  • [<path-name>"\"]<file-name>[".iso"]
    

    Format: A string containing the full path to an *.iso image.

    If only the name of the *.iso image is specified, CHARON-VAX will look for the image in the folder where the emulator executable resides, typically

    "C:\Program Files (x86)\CHARON\Build_XXXXX\x86" (Windows x64; for Windows x86 the path is "C:\Program Files\CHARON\Build_XXXXX\x86").
    .

• CD-ROM and DVD drives (IDE and SATA)
  • "\\.\CdRom<X>", where X is 0, 1, …
    .
    

This parameter is initially not set, thus creating NO storage elements on the controller

media_type[N]

N=0…7

Text String

Overrides the PRODUCT ID in the default SCSI INQUIRY data.

Valid values may contain uppercase letters, integers and spaces. The length of the string cannot exceed 16 characters.

If not specified, synthetic SCSI INQUIRY data is returned containing a PRODUCT ID selected based on the disk size.

Initially left unspecified.

geometry[N]

N=0…7

Text String

This formatted string value specifies the explicit geometry of the disk storage element

The string format is <X>”/”<Y>[“/”<Z>] where:

• "X" is the number of sectors per track;
• "Y" is the number of tracks per cylinder;
• "Z" (optional) is the number of cylinders on the unit. If omitted, Z is calculated based on X, Y and the total number of sectors on the unit that reflects the size of the disk storage element;

If this parameter is not set, CHARON-VAX will configure the geometry based on the most probable disk type.

use_io_file_buffering[N]

N=0…7

Text String

Instructs CHARON-VAX to enable host operating system I/O cache on reading/writing operations.

The following values are possible:

• "true" or "write-back" - the "write back" caching mode is used

• "write-through" - the "write through" caching mode is used

• "false" - caching is switched off

 Note that this caching has a significant effect only in case of mapping to ISO images, not physical drives.

When enabled, host operating system I/O cache may significantly improve I/O performance of the virtual system. At the same time maintaining I/O cache requires additional host resources (CPU and memory) which may negatively affect overall performance of the virtual system.

Initially is set to "false".

Example:

load virtual_scsi_cdrom/chscsi pka_0 scsi_bus=pka scsi_id=0
set pka_0 container="\\.\CdRom0"

container[N]

N=0…7

Text String

A string containing the device name to map to the emulator.

• Physical tape drives recognized by Windows
  • "\\.\Tape<X>", where X is 0, 1, …
    .
• Physical tape drives and other SCSI devices not recognized by Windows
  • "\\.\Scsi<X>:<Y>:<Z>:<N>"
    

    Use the utility "Host Device Check" to find the values of X,Y,Z and N

    .

 This parameter is initially not set, thus creating NO storage elements on the controller

media_type[N]

N=0…7

Text String

Overrides the PRODUCT ID in the default SCSI INQUIRY data.

Valid values may contain uppercase letters, integers and spaces. The length of the string cannot exceed 16 characters.

If not specified, synthetic SCSI INQUIRY data is returned containing a PRODUCT ID selected based on the disk size.

Initially left unspecified.

geometry[N]

N=0…7

Text String

This formatted string value specifies the explicit geometry of the disk storage element

The string format is <X>”/”<Y>[“/”<Z>] where:

• "X" is the number of sectors per track;
• "Y" is the number of tracks per cylinder;
• "Z" (optional) is the number of cylinders on the unit. If omitted, Z is calculated based on X, Y and the total number of sectors on the unit that reflects the size of the disk storage element;

If this parameter is not set, CHARON-VAX will configure the geometry based on the most probable disk type.

removable[N]

N=0…7

Initially set to “false” (fixed, non-removable).

disconnect_timeout[N]

N=0…7

Sets logical unit disconnect timeout. This parameter helps if a connected SCSI device performs a given SCSI command for a very long time.

The default value depends on the type of the SCSI device attached. For example for a disk it is 10 seconds, for a tape - an hour. If the type of the device is not known the timeout is 1 hour.

Example: 48 days timeout

load physical_scsi_device/chscsi pka_0 scsi_bus=pka scsi_id=0
set pka_0 container="\\.\Tape0"