HELP me access a VAX CPU serial numb - (nf)

[jab at uokvax.UUCP]

#R:cubsvax:-13500:uokvax:6200008:000:766
uokvax!jab    Jan  7 11:44:00 1984

I believe that accessing the System ID register will get you the serial 
number (it WILL get you the machine type, e.g. 780 or 750 or...); it's not
easy to get to that, though --- Unix tries to keep you from needing to 
know what kind of machine you're running on.

Looking in the VAX Architecture Handbook (1981, page 165), the "MFPR"
instruction (move prom priviledged register) is documented. I believe
that to get use this instruction, though, you need to be in kernel mode.
If it's IMPERATIVE that you have access to that information, well, the
only way I can think of doing it is hacking your kernel to provide such
a system call, and that's not a wise thing to do. (Mainly, it doesn't
make your program any safer --- think about it.)

	Jeff Bowles
	Lisle, IL