aad@stpstn.UUCP (Anthony A. Datri) (03/05/89)
We have a 9000/320, which reports upon booting that it has a 68020 processor. "file" reports binaries to be "s200 executables", regardless of whether they were compiled normally, or with the "-X" option that's supposed to make an executable for a 9000/200. Binaries compiled both ways are different sizes, and report differences with "diff". We have a need to provide 9000/200 versions of our products, but have no way of assuring that our binaries will run there, or even of telling whether a given binary "should" run on a 200. I'd appreciate any suggestions about how to feel more comfortable about our binaries. Our 9000/320 had 6 meg of memory, and I discovered an unused 9920 laying around with a bunch of 256k ram cards in it. I was able to guess at switch settings and stick two of these cards in the 320, where they seem to work fine, giving us 6.5 meg. Our docs say that a 9000/320 can take up to 7.5 meg of memory (an awfully strange figure), and I'd like to use those 256k cards from the 9920 do up it as far as I can. So is there any way I can use the 9920 box as an expansion backplane? The 320 consists of the cpu box plus one expansion box about the same size as the cpu. All slots are full now. The 9920 cpu board seems to have a 68010 on it -- would this machine happen to *be* something akin to a 9000/200? Historical evidence shows that this machine once ran HP-UX. Comments, suggestions, or even guffaws welcom. -- @disclaimer(Any concepts or opinions above are entirely mine, not those of my employer, my GIGI, my VT05, or my 11/34) beak is@>beak is not Anthony A. Datri @SysAdmin(Stepstone Corporation) aad@stepstone.com stpstn!aad
rjn@hpfcdc.HP.COM (Bob Niland) (03/06/89)
re: "We have a 9000/320..." > "file" reports binaries to be "s200 executables", regardless of > whether they were compiled normally, or with the "-X" option that's > supposed to make an executable for a 9000/200. "X" specifies generic MC68010. Lack of "X" specifies MC68020. This is only related to Series 200 in that Series 200 supported (at final release) only the MC68010 processor. The "s200" nomenclature is a historical artifact (if it ain't broke, don't fix it). > We have a need to provide 9000/200 versions of our products... Are you sure? Excluding the 9807A Integral Personal Computer (IPC), the number of Series 200 HP-UX systems sold was exceedingly small (compared to Series 200 BASIC/Pascal and the Series 300), and of those, I doubt that more than 100 are still in service (again, excluding the IPC). > ... but have no way of assuring that our binaries will run there, or even > of telling whether a given binary "should" run on a 200. I'd appreciate any > suggestions about how to feel more comfortable about our binaries. What are your target machines? A major change was made in our object code format at the 5.0 release. The earlier 2.x releases, which ran on MC68000 and MC68010 Series 200s and the IPC, cannot accept code generated on 5.x or later releases (including ANY Series 300 release). I cannot speak for the current IPC version. > Our docs say that a 9000/320 can take up to 7.5 meg of memory > (an awfully strange figure) The architectural limit on the 200/310/320 is 8.0 Mbytes, which was an astronomical amount when the 200 was introduced in 1981 with 64K RAM boards! The 8.0 figure is reduced by 1/2M by dedication of that address space to a field diagnostic card. 8.0 Mbytes may well work, but you may be asked to temporarily remove the last 1/2M during some service calls. Newer Series 300s do not have this restriction and up to 48 Mbytes has been tested. > and I'd like to use those 256k cards from the 9920 do up it as far as I can. You can use the 256K cards in the 320. Keep in mind that they do not have any error checking, not even parity. The boot ROM does conduct a full memory integrity check at power up. > So is there any way I can use the 9920 box as an expansion backplane? The > 320 consists of the cpu box plus one expansion box about the same size as > the cpu. All slots are full now. The 9920 (aka Model 220) box can be unofficially converted to a psuedo-9888A expander by the purchase of a card set (I'll look it up if you are interested) and the removal of the CPU board from the 9920. Considerations... * The 9888A connects to the 320 (or your plug-on 98568A expander) by consuming one of the I/O slots. You gain 16 external expander slots, but lose one mainframe slot. * The 9888A does not support RAM cards when used with Series 300. Therefore, the only cards you could migrate from the mainframe to the 9888A would be certain I/O cards. See your 98561-90020 Configuration Reference Manual for details. * The 9888A introduces two wait states. There is a performance penalty for moving cards out there. > The 9920 cpu board seems to have a 68010 on it -- would this machine happen > to *be* something akin to a 9000/200? Historical evidence shows that this > machine once ran HP-UX. That is a late HP9000 Model 220. It could run HP-UX 5.1, if you still have a copy. It cannot run the IPC-compatible HP-UX 2.x releases. No versions of Series 200 HP-UX are still available for purchase. (The current versions of stand-alone BASIC and Pascal Workstation operating systems are still available and supported on the Model 220.) Incidently, the current release of Series 300 HP-UX is 6.5 (just about to ship), and it is the last release supporting MC68010. MC68020 or '030 is the required processor starting with HP-UX 7.0. You might be happier selling the 9920 to an HP equipment broker and obtaining some additional 1.0 Mbyte parity RAM cards. 2.0, 4.0 and 8.0 Mbyte cards are also available for 200/310/320 from third parties. Regards, Hewlett-Packard Bob Niland 3404 East Harmony Road ARPA: rjn%hpfcrjn@hplabs.HP.COM Fort Collins UUCP: [hplabs|hpu*!hpfcse]!hpfcla!rjn CO 80525-9599