Firmware

[Wim Van den Wyngaert]

Can I get into trouble when I use a high firmware version on an old machine with VMS 6.2 1H3 ? (eg alphaserver 1000 with 5.4)

Wim

[Kris Clippeleyr]

Wim,
Although I'm not completely sure, I don't see that this can be problematic.
The booklet accompanying the firmware CD, always talks about "minimal acceptable FW".
In case of V6.2-1H3, the minimal FW should be on CD V3.6.
Greetz,
Kris (aka Qkcl)

[John Gillings · Accepted solution]

Wim,

It shouldn't be a problem. Later versions just add new stuff and fix bugs, they don't take away old stuff.

If you're paranoid, just make sure you've got a firmware disk for the version you have that's working. Any sign of trouble, just revert to the known good version.

[Kris Clippeleyr]

Wim,
Sorry, I hit the submit button too soon.
The booklet also states that

Later versions of firmware are supported with earlier versions of operating systems.

So, if any problem arises, you still can contact HP, and let them fix it :-;
Greetz,
Kris (aka Qkcl)

[Wim Van den Wyngaert]

Kris,

Very well but my Alphaserver is running 6.2 1H3 with firmware 3.0 dd 1995 ...

Wim

[Kris Clippeleyr]

Wim,


Very well but my Alphaserver is running 6.2 1H3 with firmware 3.0 dd 1995

That's nice. But I meant that the minimum FW for the combination V6.2-1H3 & AlphaServer 1000, is on the CD marked V3.6.
It could well be that on that CD, the FW version for an AlphaServer 1000is 3.0.
Greetz,
Kris (aka Qkcl)

[Ian Miller.]

Generally it should not. But YMMV.
Once I had an issue with a AS1000A 5/400 on which I upgraded the firmware and it would not boot. I think it was running VMS V7.1. I discovered that if I installed the current patches for that VMS version then it did boot.

[Wim Van den Wyngaert]

While on the subject : tried to download .exe firmware file. Not possible due to security of this bank.
It would be nice if HP offered the files as .txt ...

Wim

[Wim Van den Wyngaert]

I created a diskette on VMS as described here
http://ftp.digital.com/pub/DEC/Alpha/firmware/readmes/archive/as1000.html#method_2
but now I get failed to open dva0.0.0.0.1
I power cycled the server (first time since 1995 I think) : no change.

What's wrong ?

Wim

[Wim Van den Wyngaert]

Just found in the release notes :

Minimum VMS version for firmware 5.4 is 7.2 !!!

So, not supported to use it with 6.2 1h3.

Wim