[Info-vax] openvms support for ultra3 scsi on xp1000

[Stephen Hoffman]

On 2012-10-28 18:55:19 +0000, Stuart Martin said:

> On Sunday, October 28, 2012 5:36:55 PM UTC, Stephen Hoffman wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> But the biggest problem with the XP1000 series is the comparatively
>> 
>> ancient "current" version of SRM firmware in that series.
>> 
> 
> what are the implications of this? That later versions of openvms are 
> unavailable to it? or something else?

The implications?  Um, OK.  This AlphaStation XP1000 series (EV6 600 
MHz and later the 667 MHz) was announced in 1999.  So there's that.

After product release, most Alpha systems saw a number of SRM firmware 
updates over the years, adding fixes, new device and device boot 
support, or other capabilities.

This particular system did not see particularly many SRM firmware 
updates.  IIRC, the terminal version of SRM for this box is V5.9.  
That's very old, as SRM goes.

This means your particular AlphaStation XP1000 system will not have the 
fixes and the device support that was added in later releases of SRM 
firmware.

GbE support, for instance, is very limited.  Newer SCSI controllers are 
also limited.  Etc.

If this is a hobbyist system, there are often less-old (newer?) choices 
around.  (And I happen to like the XP1000; it's cheap, it's quiet, it's 
a decent-sized box and - when it works - it works.  But it's cheap for 
various reasons, not the least of which is its age, and the antique SRM 
firmware version.)



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