🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <2pbi9k$n21@gazette.bcm.tmc.edu>
sderby@crick.ssctr.bcm.tmc.edu (Stuart P. Derby) writes:
>
>>>  We have a Xerox 4850 and are using the Entire software. We've had the
>>>printer only a few months and are still adjusting to running it, but
>>>we've run into some problems with large (2,600+ pages) PostScript jobs.
 
... trimmed
 
>>Not much about PS in prticular, but a couple of questions come to mind:
>>1) Which ESS/Controller do you have? Is it the newer SCSI model (CPU,
>>   peripheral cabinet are separate) or the FDDC (one piece)?  The SCSI
>>   unit fixed a number of quirky printing problems, and is faster.
>
>  Our controller is one piece.
>
YSU has a Xerox 4850 since the end of August 1993.
We use Xerox's XPAF 2.2 software (level XA4102) and HIP on the 4850
(the software on the printer is at 3.7).
 
>>2) What controller OS is being used? V3.5, or V4.0? I seem to remember a
>>   problem with the controller page processing having to 'catch up' to the
>>   printer, but it was fixed I think with V4.0 R1.8.  There were also
>>   disk fill up/freeze up probs w/older versions, if memory serves me
>>   correctly.
>
>  Looks like we're running V3.7, but yes we see the 'catch up' problem too.
>
YSU's controller OS is at V3.7.  My Xerox SSE said today that V4.0 is only
available for the 4890 (not the 4850).  Is V4.0 available for the 4850?
We have had many problems with the 4850 since August.  Software (XPAF and
controller OS), Hardware, and undetermined.  We have had problems when the
disk fills up and we have had freeze up problems with no indication of a
problem.  Problems, problems, and more problems.
 
>>3) Are you using an Ethernet network or otherwise? Until recently, I belive
>>   they were _still_ perfecting ENET w/ the OS.
>
>  We're using Ethernet (10BaseT). The controller and Sun host are talking
>XNS while everything else on the network talks TCP/IP. When we send
>our big .PS jobs we see a lot of collisions at the controller's
>transceiver, though our network people tell us we're not filling up
>the bandwidth. Even so, there are plans to move the Sun host and
>controller to a 'quieter' sub-net.
 
YSU initially had the network card but removed it after they found out
that it only talks XNS.
 
>  We also have a tag-and-bus connection to our Unisys mainframe, and this
>is the channel for 90% plus of our print work.
>
YSU uses a channel (tag-and-bus) connection to our Amdahl mainframe running
MVS/XA JES2 2.2.3 with XPAF 2.2 (XA4102 - very current) software.
We have XNS=YES specified in the XPAF startup parms for the printer and
use HIP on the controller.  My Xerox SSE wants me to run the controller
ONLINE rather than HIP and set XNS=NO in the XPAF startup parms.  He says
that we would have less trouble doing this.  He says that some XPAF experts
that he speaks to said to do this.  The XPAF experts that I have spoke to
said not to do this.  You would lose too many benefits.
What do you think?
 
... trimmed
>
>  We wore out our friendly CSEs & co. on a weird intermittent hardware
>problem. After swapping EVERY board, power supply, disk drive, back-plane,
>print engine, etc. etc., and a visit from the California expert,
>the problem persisted and we got a complete swap. The new machine's
>good (knock on wood - we've had it 3 weeks), and the old one's being
>autopsied. I hasten to add that the service support was timely and
>appropriate. Anyway, we've been talking to the help-line folks a bit,
>but mostly we've been in the "are we running this right?" mode. Our
>PostScript work is of lower priority to us than other stuff, and we're
>just now getting around to investigating the problems...
>
YSU is considering a complete swap of the 4850 also.
Maybe with another vendor's printer also!
 
--> Troy Allen Cross, Software Specialist (MVS/XA & CICS/MVS SYSPROG)       <--
--> Youngstown State University, 410 Wick Avenue, Youngstown, OH 44555-3036 <--
--> A.K.A. on BITNET as TAC@YSUB and Internet as TAC@YSU.EDU                <--