mingliu@athena.mit.edu (Minghsun Liu) (02/19/91)
Hi, Recently I had the chance to use some HP9836's. I was wondering if someone can give me the spec's on these computers. (i.e. os, disk format) And if there is a utility on IBM AT's that would allow the reading and writing of the disks formatted on these computers. Many thanx, Ming <mingliu@athena.mit.edu>
rjn@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Bob Niland) (02/20/91)
re: > Recently I had the chance to use some HP9836's. > I was wondering if someone can give me the spec's on these computers. Also known as HP 9000 Series 200 Model 236, introduced circa 1981. It is MC 68000 (8 or 12 MHz) or MC 68010 based. > (i.e. os, disk format) Runs stand-alone HP BASIC/WS, stand-alone Pascal/WS and HP-UX 2.1 or 5.1 (Series 200 HP-UX no longer available). The floppies use an HP format that dates from the late 70s. Single-sided, 66 tracks per surface (+4 spares), 16 sectors/track, 256 bytes/sector, 270,336 bytes formatted. The file system is usually HP-LIF (Logical Interchange Format). > And if there is a utility on IBM AT's that would allow > the reading and writing of the disks formatted on these computers. Oswego Software reportedly sells a LIF utility for PCs. Regards, Hewlett-Packard Bob Niland Internet: rjn@FC.HP.COM 3404 East Harmony Road UUCP: [hplabs|hpfcse]!hpfcrjn!rjn Ft Collins CO 80525-9599
crampton@hpldsla.sid.hp.com (David Crampton) (02/22/91)
HP Workstation Operation (formerly of Corvallis, then of somewhere in Colorado, today ???) created an HP LIFUTIL package about 18 months ago. I tried a beta version and it had good user interface; never used it routinely though.
marka@hpfcse.HP.COM (Mark Ahrens) (02/22/91)
>> And if there is a utility on IBM AT's that would allow >> the reading and writing of the disks formatted on these computers. > Oswego Software reportedly sells a LIF utility for PCs. Hewlett Packard also sells a LIF utility for PCs. E2080A list is ~$395 ( I forget ). Contact your local HP Sales Representative. Regards, Mark Ahrens Upstate NY T&M Sales Team
nyenhuis@dynamo.ecn.purdue.edu (John Nyenhuis) (02/23/91)
>>>In regards to the discussion on reading HP 9836 disks: > >The floppies use an HP format that dates from the late 70s. Single-sided, >66 tracks per surface (+4 spares), 16 sectors/track, 256 bytes/sector, >270,336 bytes formatted. The file system is usually HP-LIF (Logical >Interchange Format). > >> And if there is a utility on IBM AT's that would allow >> the reading and writing of the disks formatted on these computers. > I have written a program which can read individual floppy sectors on an IBM or compatable PC in numerous formats, including varous HP such as the 86, 125, 150, Integral, and presumably also the 9836. (This was not hard to do; just change the sector size and number of sectors per track in the disk base table.) My question: Is there technical information available on how files are organized on the HP 9836 and other machines? This apparently is referred to as the HP-LIF format. With this information, it would be possible to extend my program so individual files could be read and written. Thanks, John P.S. My program, diskpc is the name, writen in Turbo Pascal, allows the user to save an image of the disk to a file and also to write the image file to floppy. I have found it very handy for making backups. I'll be happy to email source code to the interested. John Nyenhuis Purdue University School of Electrical Engineering West Lafayette IN 47907 (317)494-3524 nyenhuis@ecn.purdue.edu
steve-t@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Steve Taylor) (03/24/91)
/comp.sys.hp/ nyenhuis@dynamo.ecn.purdue.edu (John Nyenhuis) // | My question: Is there technical information available on how files are | organized on the HP 9836 and other machines? This apparently is referred | to as the HP-LIF format. I seem to recall some discussion of this in the Desktop Dilemmas column of what is now _Workstation_ magazine. I don't have a specific reference. See if you can find back issues (was called _HP Design and Automation_, and other things earlier). Also, there's some information on pages 12-31 and 12-32 of _Installing and Maintaining the BASIC 5.0/5.1 System_ (HP pn 98613-90042). Regards, Steve taylor NOT A STATEMENT, OFFICIAL OR OTHERWISE, OF THE HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY.
paulp@hpfcdc.HP.COM (Paul Perlmutter) (03/26/91)
I have documentation for individuals interested in learning more about the LIF format. Contact me via E-mail: paulp@hpfcls.fc.hp.com