Info-3b2 Digest, Number 21
Info-3b2 Mailing List
info-3b2 at lamc
Tue Oct 4 03:12:09 AEST 1988
Info-3b2 Digest, Number 21
Saturday, October 1st 1988
Today's Topics:
upgrading
Re: Help needed booting 3B2/400
Re: Info-3b2 Digest, Number 20
Re: Help needed booting 3B2/400
Re: Help needed booting 3B2/400
New Info
Please post
New WE 32200 VMEbus board
Re: Help needed booting 3B2/400
Re: Help needed booting 3b2/400
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: lll-tis!ames!mailrus!umix!neti2!neti1!cak (Carol Kamm)
Subject: upgrading
Date: Fri, 30 Sep 88 8:54:32 EDT
We are an Independent Developer of 3B2 software. Our poor little 3B2-300
has never been upgraded to a 310, and is running Release 3.1 of System V.
Several of our customers, however, have release 3.1.1 and I'm now
hearing about 3.1.2, and even 3.2.1!
We have applied to AT&T's Vendor Involvement Program, hoping that some
support will be forthcoming from them, but in the meantime I thought I'd
ask this group for answers to my questions as well, so here goes.
How can we get an upgrade to the latest release of Unix, whether 3.1.1,
3.1.2, or 3.2.1? Do we have to upgrade the 300 or not? (I suspect not,
although I'm sure performance would improve if we did. Cost is definitely
a factor.)
Does anyone else out there have experience with the VIP group at AT&T,
and if so, was it useful at all?
Thanks in advance for any advice/assistance.
Carol Kamm
Product Manager
Marae Groupware, Inc.
1565 Eastover Place
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(313)/995-4030
e-mail: ...!umix!marae!cak
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 30 Sep 88 08:50 CDT
From: sysop at killer.Dallas.TX.US (Charles Boykin-BBS Admin)
Subject: Re: Help needed booting 3B2/400
You can disconnect the battery which will default nvram. This will get the
FW password back to the default. Then, when in firmware, try booting from
/etc/system rather than /unix ( after running through diagnostics ).
Charlie
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Info-3b2 Digest, Number 20
Date: 30 Sep 88 12:55:47 MDT (Fri)
From: lll-tis!ames!scicom.alphacdc.com!cyrill (Cyro Lord)
A short time ago, someone replyed about upgrading hard drives on the 3b2's
with larger drives not from ATT. They made reference to the DEVTOOLS disk
and i have been trying to get information about this disk ever since. Does
anyone out there know what this disk is, or where to get one.
---
Cyro Lord Alpha Comm. Dev. Corp. - DOMAIN cyrill at scicom.alphacdc.com
UUCP {ncar,nbires,boulder,isis}!scicom!cyrill
Being alive is learning to make love with what you most fear. - James Baldwin
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 30 Sep 88 16:23:51 BST
Subject: Re: Help needed booting 3B2/400
From: hoptoad!quaduk!graham (Graham Glen)
>
> So, the question is, how to I get the machine to try to boot from somewhere
> other than the (presumably corrupt) hard disk, or how to do get it to have a
> sane firmware password. At the moment I'm completely lost.
>
Well, it is easier to do on a /300, but it can still be done on a /400,
here's how:
1. Remove the Lid.
2. When you look at the machine from the front, you will see on the
right hand side near the front a small rectangular thing with two
wires leading out of it. This is the battery which powers the NVRAM.
Unfortunately this battery has been encapsulated.
3. If you follow the wires from the battery back to the motherboard
you will see that the go into a plug which is plugged into the
motherboard.
4. Attempt to remove this plug.
5. Step 4 can't be done - the card cage gets in the way (sorry, my
attempt at humour, or as you people spell it humor.)
6. Remove the screws which hold the cardcage down to the chassis (we
spell that one the same at least).
7. Either remove the cable from the CTC controller, or if that card is
located somewhere down at the bottom, remove the other end from the
drive so you have room to play with.
8. Lift the cardcage off from the motherboard.
9. If you have taken too many screws out, you may find the motherboard
comes out as well. (It's at least 2 years since I did this).
10. Remember that plug on the end of the battery lead which you
discovered about 45 minutes ago? Well, you should now be able to
unplug it from the motherboard.
11. Keep it disconnected for at least 2 minutes, 5 or 10 for safety.
12. By now, the NVRAM should have reverted to its default settings
(among other things, the firmware password will now be MCP again).
13. Put the whole lot back together, probably in the reverse sequence
to how it came apart.
I hope this is of some help to you.
Graham
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Help needed booting 3B2/400
From: pacbell!sactoh0!pacengr!smp
jhhAsaAs far as a firmware password, make sure your terminal is not using parity
and if you only have the option of setting the terminal to send a space or
mark as the parity bit, set it to space. If you still cannot get into firmware,
then as an absolute last resort to get back to the default firmware password,
you can disconnect the NVRAM battery. This wil vaporize any firmware password
mods. as well as any configuration info. Be cautious about disconnecting
the battery, as you will lose all config.(which boards are installed) info.
your non-volatile clock and your firmware password. The filledt firmware utility will rebuild your Equipped Device Table when you get into firmware, read
the System Administration Utilities Guide on filledt.
Other than that, good luck.....
.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 30 Sep 88 19:52:28 edt
From: len at netsys.COM (Len Rose)
Subject: New Info
Here is something that was sent to me..
Hope it sparks your interest!!
>From uucp Fri Sep 30 15:47 EDT 1988
>From att!houxs!mlh Fri Sep 30 15:47:34 1988
Received: by netsys.COM (4.12/2.5/04-02-88)
id AA19619; Fri, 30 Sep 88 15:47:43 edt
Date: Fri, 30 Sep 88 15:47:34 edt
From: att!houxs!mlh
Message-Id: <8809301947.AA19619 at netsys.COM>
Received: by att.ATT.COM (smail2.6 att-mt)
id AA03070; 30 Sep 88 13:57:24 EDT (Fri)
To: att!rutgers!ukma!uflorida!haven!grebyn!netsys!root
Subject: Please post
Your posting of the following would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Marc Harrison
AT&T - Holmdel
------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: New WE 32200 VMEbus board
Keywords: University discount, 3B compatible
Those of you who are avid 3B2 enthusiasts may be aware that
Microproject Corporation has had a VMEbus Single Board Computer
based upon the new AT&T WE 32200 chipset under development. The
first board was delivered to us here in Holmdel last month,
and this posting reports our experiences and impressions thus far.
(The board is 100% 3B2 object code compatible).
The board was plugged into an existing 32100-based system with the
clock speed at 24 MHz (the top speed of the 32100 is 18 MHz).
Our initial thrust was to get the existing release of UNIX
System V/VME for the 32100 to boot ---
and it booted the first time. We were able to successfully put the
system through its paces and log multiple users on simultaneously.
So far no hitches and several pleasant surprises.
Our next effort was aimed at enabling the on-chip 4 Kbyte two-way
set associative data cache, a new feature of the 32200 which adds
significant performance over the 32100. This required some firmware
and operating system modifications. Again, we were able to boot and
execute flawlessly.
In absolute terms, the sheer performance of the board is what is
most impressive, offering roughly 8 MIPs of system throughput.
The bottom line - at a system level the performance is roughly
twice that of an 18 MHz 32100 system and 2.6 times that of a 14
MHz box (this is quite impressive considering that neither the bus
nor disks get any faster).
Microproject can supply a more complete and detailed benchmark report
to anyone who's interested, call them at (213) 306-8000 or
...!uunet!mpusa!inquiry .
For anyone who's interested, the board is currently in (very)
limited production, with high volumes available by years' end.
We at AT&T are in the process of completing the UNIX System
development and should also have this done in a few months.
What follows is a press release from Microproject.
(Normally, I would post only to the new products group, but I've
gotten so many calls from readers of this group, please use 'N' key
if you're not interested!)
Marc Harrison
AT&T - Holmdel
(201) 949-1779
Cornet 233-1779
...!att!hotps!mlh
(PLEASE NOTE NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS!)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
> MICROPROJECT INTRODUCES 8 MIPS, WE32200 UNIX SYSTEM
> Offers Special Prices for Universities
> Microproject Corporation has announced the introduction of its UNICORN
> B200 UNIX computer system. Based on the 24 MHz WE32200 microprocessor,
> the UNICORN B200 offers 100 percent software compatibility with AT&T's
> 3B2 line of computers. Initial industry standard benchmark tests of the
> UNICORN B200 have demonstrated performance in the range of 8 MIPS.
> The UNICORN B200 also features the open architecture of the VMEbus,
> providing tremendous flexibility to the user. At the heart of the
> UNICORN B200 is a single-board computer, the MP322SBC, which has been
> designed by Microproject to maximize UNIX performance. In addition
> to the AT&T WE32200 chipset, it features either 4 or 8 on-board,
> dual-ported RAM, an MMU with 4 KB cache, as well as 2 RS-232C serial
> ports.
> The UNICORN B200 is available in either 6, 12, or 20 VMEbus-slot
> configurations. An intelligent (68020-based) SCSI controller and 16
> intelligent RS-232C serial ports are standard with either
> configuration. Using these intelligent modules to handle
> computationally intensive I/O tasks greatly improves the overall system
> performance. A wide range of disk and tape storage options are also
> available, as are specially priced upgrade packages for current users
> of AT&T's WE321SB VMEbus Single Board Computer.
> For the next two months, Microproject will be extending a special
> discount on the UNICORN B200 to universities and other academic
> institutions. Microproject is offering the 12-slot UNICORN B200 to
> these customers for $39,995. This compares favorably with AT&T's
> WE32200-based 3B2/700, which lists for $70,000 to $75,000.
> "We are anxious to establish a strong presence in the university
> environment," said Ken Sims, Microproject's marketing manager. "The
> UNICORN B200 offers superior system performance and provides full
> compatibility with existing AT&T UNIX System V applications software.
> In addition, AT&T maintenance coverage is available for the UNICORN
> B200," Sims added. Special pricing has also been established for
> AT&T organizations.
> For information about the UNICORN B200, please contact either Ken Sims
> or Zion Bar-el at (213) 306-8000 or write to:
> Microproject Corporation
> 4551 Glencoe Avenue, Suite 225
> Marina del Rey, CA 90292
> FAX: (213) 305-1493
> Email: ...!uunet!mpusa!inquiry
UNIX and WE are registered trademarks of AT&T
Len Rose - Netsys,Inc.
len at ames.arc.nasa.gov or len at netsys.com
--
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 30 Sep 88 17:52:37 cdt
From: sun!emx.utexas.edu!mybest!paddock (Steve Paddock)
Subject: Re: Help needed booting 3B2/400
This failure to reconize the firmware password sounds like it
could be a terminal parity problem. Use a 4410 terminal with
space parity and try again. It'll fool you, because the <CR>
appears to work.
Then refer to the magic mode stuff, boot off the floppy and
change initdefault in /etc/inittab from 2 to S. Boot the
root partition and start poking around.
I had a similar deal recently; one of the net files in /etc/rc2.d
was corrupt and that was all there was.
Steve
--
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steve Paddock uunet!bigtex!mybest!paddock
ut-emx!mybest!paddock
{attmail|gbsic5|bscaus}!uhous1!paddock
------------------------------
From: ucsfmis!ide!uunet!3b2!danno
Date: Fri, 30 Sep 88 10:20:18 EDT
Subject: Re: Help needed booting 3b2/400
> I have a sick 3b2/400, and don't know what to do. I'd appreciate any help I
> can get.
>
> Symptoms: The machine passes diagnostics, and begins to boot, does the fsck's
> and echos
> mount ... /usr2
>
> A this stage nothing more happens. OK, so I guess there is something wrong
> (probably) on the root partition.
>
This may sound _VERY_ odd, but I know for a fact that if the console
terminal's parity is not set properly, (Let's see... is it even, or none?)
Two things may occur:
1. The firmware password is not recognized.
2. The system does not completely boot.
The above have happened to me on two occasions in the past two years. In
both instances, changing the parity on the console cured it. Don't ask me
why...
> So, I try to get the machine to fail diagnostics (so that I can get it into
> firmware mode). Disconnecting the ethernet is a good way to acheive that.
My personal favorite is pressing the RESET switch while the system is in
firmware diagnostic mode. After a few seconds, you will get the standard
GENERAL SYSTEM FAILURE... message.
I know the above possisble cure sounds strange, but I've seen stranger
things. (Like a water-logged 3b2 coming to life with the use of a blow-dryer)
--
danno
Daniel S. Notov | {monster,uunet}!onm3b2!danno
Ogilvy & Mather, Inc. |
New York, NY |
-------------------------------------
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