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Article #3994

RE: 8600 mbox eco

#3994
From: oberman
Date: Sun, 29 Mar 1987 18:44
24 lines
1917 bytes
>The fix for the 8600 memory bug that is tickled by DEUNA/LAT changes the
>cpu serial number.  Field service usually neglects to tell you that your
>serial number is going to change.  When you re-boot, some of your third
>party proprietary software may no longer work......

VAXs have no software readable cpu serial number. The do have a system ID
number. This number is for DEC use in determining ECO and FCO status. Any
FCO will change the system id. That's why it's there. On some processor
type a lot of CPU have the same SID. And I don't believe all of the new CPUs
even have them. They are some times even settable by DIP switches.

I wish third party software vendors would get to understand this and NOT
use them as keys. It is my policy that is several systems are bid, I reject
any using this silly scheme unless the cost of any alternative is totally
prohibative. The time and effort involved in fixing this when you have
virtually every type ov VAX CPU DEC has ever made is absurd! (Have you ever
had to enter an ISSCO system password? It's several lines of random characters
which have to be exactly right!)

						R. Kevin Oberman
						Lawrence Livermore Nat'l Lab
						arpa: oberman@lll-icdc.arpa
						(415) 422-6955
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From: oberman@LLL-ICDC.ARPA.UUCP
Newsgroups: mod.computers.vax
Subject: RE: 8600 mbox eco
Message-ID: <8703292023.AA13013@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Date: Sun, 29-Mar-87 13:44:00 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.8703292023.AA13013
Posted: Sun Mar 29 13:44:00 1987
Date-Received: Mon, 30-Mar-87 02:54:08 EST
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: "Oberman, Kevin" <oberman@lll-icdc.arpa>
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Organization: The ARPA Internet
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