wross@caen.engin.umich.edu (Wendy Ross) (08/07/90)
I am trying to set up a "release" code template on a server machine to use for network loading. I have a 9021 bos image, which I dd'd from the 9021 tape. We tried dd'ing our SE's "release" tape, but to no avail for some reason, which might have to do with the fact that our tape drives (cartridge) need hardware upgrades, but we aren't sure because no-one seems to know for sure what the tape hardware upgrades are supposed to do. In addition, his "release" tape is in a different format than the 9021 tape, and is apparently bootable. Could someone please help? Is 9021 the release version? What are the different versions floating around out there? What are the preloaded machines preloaded with? How do I make a bos image for network installation from a "release" bootable tape? What are the tape hardware upgrades supposed to do, anyhow? Who really shot J.R.? Many thanks to whomever can help. Wendy Ross internet: wross@caen.engin.umich.edu <Insert Amusing Quip Here>
wross@mondo.engin.umich.edu (Wendy Ross) (08/07/90)
Could someone please help clear up a huge amount of confusion! What *is* the release code, and how do we know when we've got it? Our SE claims that 9021 (Golden) is the release code. We've had 9021 loaded on two of our RS/6000s for several weeks now. Upon receiving a preloaded machine, we assumed that too had release code on it. We became suspicious when we noticed subtle differences between the preloaded machine and the 9021 machines. (I'm not talking about Xdesktop stuff, either!) Just today someone else from IBM claimed that several releases of 9021 were out, some more updated than others. They also claimed that some machines preloaded earlier than others could be different. Our SE received "release" tapes after receiving 9021 tapes. He still claims that 9021 code is the same code, however. We, unfortunately, received our "release" code on 3.5" floppy diskettes. I haven't touched these yet, and was hoping to avoid shoving 108+ floppies through a machine. I am trying to set up a "release" code template on a server machine to use for network loading. I have a 9021 bos image, which I dd'd from the 9021 tape. We tried dd'ing our SE's "release" tape, but to no avail for some reason which might have to do with the fact that our tape drives (cartridge) need hardware upgrades, but we aren't sure because no-one seems to know for sure what the tape hardware upgrades are supposed to do. In addition, his "release" tape is in a different format than the 9021 tape, and is apparently bootable. Could someone please help? Is 9021 the release version? What are the different versions floating around out there? What are the preloaded machines preloaded with? How do I make a bos image for network installation from a "release" bootable tape? What are the tape hardware upgrades supposed to do, anyhow? Who really shot J.R.? Many thanks to whomever can help. Wendy Ross internet: wross@caen.engin.umich.edu <Insert Amusing Quip Here>
madd@world.std.com (jim frost) (08/07/90)
wross@caen.engin.umich.edu (Wendy Ross) writes: >Is 9021 the release version? According to our IBM rep 9021F is golden. I spent a lot of time on the phone last week getting that information out of him. The 9021 tape we have bears no markings indicating it as either F or golden (unlike the info tape). So far as I know it's not bootable -- you have to stuff in diskettes before it loads from the tape. Didn't try booting it though. jim frost saber software jimf@saber.com
shair@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Bob Shair) (08/07/90)
wross@mondo.engin.umich.edu (Wendy Ross) writes: >Could someone please help clear up a huge amount of confusion! >What *is* the release code, and how do we know when we've got it? > I've discussed this with a not-always-reliable source, and been told that Golden code has the first update applied to it. lslpp -h bos.obj should yield something like this: Option Name State Event Date Release User Name ------------- ---------- ---------- --------- --------------- ---------- bos.obj INACTIVE COMMIT 02/02/90 03.01.0000.0000 root INACTIVE APPLY 07/17/90 03.01.0000.0001 root ACTIVE COMMIT 07/17/90 03.01.0000.0001 root I've seen the date of the application of the update as early as April. >Upon receiving a preloaded machine, we assumed that too had release >code on it. We became suspicious when we noticed subtle differences >between the preloaded machine and the 9021 machines. I've only looked at two preloaded machines, both with only a 120MB disk, both shipped 6/29/90 (at General Availability of AIX). Neither of this small sample had the update applied. >Just today someone else from IBM claimed that several releases of 9021 >were out, some more updated than others. They also claimed that some >machines preloaded earlier than others could be different. >Our SE received "release" tapes after receiving 9021 tapes. He still >claims that 9021 code is the same code, however. I have been told this, too. Depending on which of MANY versions of 9021 your SE may have (some of which are required to run on very early hardware shipped to beta and IBM internal sites) it may or may not be exactly the same as the release code. They all seem to be close, if this is horseshoes or hand grenades. >How do I make a bos image for network installation >from a "release" bootable tape? My customer has managed to do this. They had to call for help before figuring it out, though. I'll try to get info tomorrow. >Who really shot J.R.? I, said the sparrow. (Oh no, that was C.R.) >Many thanks to whomever can help. Hope there's more light than confusion here. >Wendy Ross -- Bob Shair shair@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu Scientific Computing Specialist SHAIR@UIUCVMD (bitnet) IBM Champaign
au0005@dundee.austin.ibm.com (08/07/90)
In article <1990Aug7.023354.21179@world.std.com>, > Subject: Re: RS/6000 AIX release code > Date: 7 Aug 90 02:33:54 GMT > > wross@caen.engin.umich.edu (Wendy Ross) writes: > >Is 9021 the release version? > > According to our IBM rep 9021F is golden. I spent a lot of time on > the phone last week getting that information out of him. This is correct. 9021F is the Golden code. > > The 9021 tape we have bears no markings indicating it as either F or > golden (unlike the info tape). So far as I know it's not bootable -- > you have to stuff in diskettes before it loads from the tape. Didn't > try booting it though. The 9021 tape you have would most probably be 9021E2. This is the 'base' or 'silver' code that was built. You require the 9021E2.toF update to bring you fully to golden code for the BOS. If you are on Gold code, an lslpp -h should produce a level for bos of 03.01.0000.0001 The bootable tape does exist. It is not shipped generally as it requires that some tape drives have an ecn fitted ( I think a firmware chage ). Regards, Peter May, Australian Assignee to IBM Austin. #include <standard_disclaimer.h> /* * Comments and Opinions etc. etc. expressed are my own: * I doubt very much that IBM wants them! */
RAH@IBM.COM ("Russell A. Heise") (08/22/90)
wross@caen.engin.umich.edu (Wendy Ross) writes: > I am trying to set up a "release" code template on a server machine to > use for network loading. I have a 9021 bos image, which I dd'd > from the 9021 tape. We tried dd'ing our SE's "release" tape, but to no > avail for some reason, which might have to do with the fact that our tape > drives (cartridge) need hardware upgrades, but we aren't sure because > no-one seems to know for sure what the tape hardware upgrades are supposed > to do. In addition, his "release" tape is in a different format than > the 9021 tape, and is apparently bootable. > > Could someone please help? Is 9021 the release version? What are the > different versions floating around out there? What are the preloaded > machines preloaded with? How do I make a bos image for network installation > from a "release" bootable tape? What are the tape hardware upgrades > supposed to do, anyhow? Who really shot J.R.? Yes, 9021 is the release version, *with* fixes. Preloaded machines have been loaded with the latest version with the fixes. The two hardware upgrades allow the RISC System/6000 to boot from a tape drive. The first upgrade modifies the system unit so that it will try to boot from the tape. The second upgrade modifies the tape drive to allow it to read from the tape without rewinding. Russ Heise, AIX Technical Support, IBM