🚀 go-pugleaf

re: 7925, 7970E and 2608A on HP 9000 Series 200 HP-UX (9836U)

> /***** hpfcmp:net.micro.hp / uwvax!david /  2:14 pm  Jun  1, 1985*/
> I have some questions regarding hp 9836U (series 200) systems running
> HPUX. We have 3 of these, two of them up and running.
> 
> 1) Perihperal  devices:  We  might  have  the  opportunity  to  install  some
>    additional hp devices.  They are not listed in the installation  manual as
>    supported,  however.  Can any of the  following be installed?  Does anyone
>    know about device drivers for them?

  You're right, they're all unsupported,  but I'll tell you what we know about
  attempting to use them.  "Unsupported" by the way, means:

  * Your local HP SE may not have the  information  that I'm posting here (I'm
    working  on  correcting  this).  So, if this  info  doesn't  work,  HP has
    limited  ability  to further  assist  you.  HP field  people  are also not
    obliged to assist you with using unsupported peripherals.

  * If you discover any bugs related to unsupported  peripherals,  HP DOES NOT
    commit to correct them.

  * Your  local  HP CE has no  diagnostics  for  this  combination  of CPU and
    peripherals.  Consequently,  HP can't  write a  service  contract  on this
    combination  of products  AS A SYSTEM.  So keep the old  computer on which
    these  peripherals  ARE  supported,  and make  sure you have at least  one
    supported disc on your 9836U.

  * HP has never tested this  combination  of products for RFI/EMI  regulatory
    conformance (FCC/VDE).  You assume responsibility for any interference the
    system might generate.

> * HP 7925 hard disks

  The disc must be a recent 7925M Option 102 (master  HP-IB drive), that is, a
  7925C or 7925D drive with a 13037C or 13037D  Multi-Access  Controller (MAC)
  and 12745A HP-IB  interface (in the 13037).  A 7925S  (slave) has no MAC.  A
  7925H  (ICD) will not work at all, and earlier MAC discs  (7925A/B)  may not
  work.  Recent-vintage  parallel-interfaced  MAC  discs can be  converted  to
  HP-IB by  adding  the  12745A  card to the MAC  controller,  but I  wouldn't
  recommend this since I can't guarantee it will work.

  There is code in the boot ROMs (3.0 and 4.0) as well as the HP-UX 2.1 kernel
  which may be able to  communicate  with the 7925M#102.  You must (and should
  already)  have one each 98625A  Disc HP-IB  interface  and 98620B DMA cards.
  Set the 98625A for  interrupt  level 6 (HP-UX will issue a warning that this
  configuration is unsupported).

  For the  'mknod',  use block mode driver major number 2 and  character  mode
  driver major number 11.  The minor numbers  (which  designate  HP-IB address
  and unit  numbers) are the same as for the 9121D/S and  9133A/B/V/XV  discs.
  The number of blocks (for 'mkfs') is 115200.  The disc is not partitioned.

> * HP 7970E 9-track tape drive

  The tape  drive  must be a 7970E  Option  426, 436, 626, 636, or 826 (all of
  which   designate   an  HP-IB   interfaced   master   drive).  If  it  is  a
  parallel-interfaced  7970E, you'll need to convert it to HP-IB with a 26072A
  kit.  Some  older  HP-IB  drives  may need an  upgrade to the  latest  HP-IB
  interface.  If  you   install   the  tape   drive  in  a   26078A   cabinet,
  congratulations!, you now have a supported 7971A tape drive.

> * HP 2608A line printer

  The printer must be the 2608A Option 046 HP-IB interfaced version.  If it is
  the  parallel-differential  version, you'll need to convert it with a 26002A
  Option 046 kit (I wouldn't  recommend this, since I can't  guarantee it will
  work).

  It may be possible to do simple space&print operations on this printer using
  its primary  character set only.  All other sets, VFC  operations  and other
  features require HP-IB secondary  commands, not presently possible in Series
  200 HP-UX.  Try using the same mknod as for a 2631B/G,  and if that  doesn't
  work, then use the "dumb" printer driver.

> 2) Graphics:  The 9836U is  suppossed  to  support  graphics,  using  the DGL
>    routines.  We  have  tried  using  the  demos  supplied,  but  the  screen
>    initialization  routine  (ZDINT)  fails, with an error of 2.  ZDINT is not
>    documented, although the other routines are.

  Does the special  file for the CRT have the same name in /dev as the name in
  the demo program?  It didn't when I tried this on my system a few weeks ago.
  By the way, if you have either RCS or AMS software support services, you can
  (and should) direct  questions about supported  products to your HP response
  center.  The net is a very slow way to get questions answered.

Regards,                                                Hewlett-Packard
Bob Niland                                              3404 East Harmony Road
hplabs!hpfcla!rjn                                       Fort Collins CO  80525

This response does not represent the official position of the  Hewlett-Packard
Company.  The above data is provided for  informational  purposes only.  It is
supplied without warranty of any kind.