HP HP-2117F on ebay

Christian wrote... It is quite possible that the base set is on the cpu board and the rest is on the fab, making it "complete". But it is also possible that some of the required F firmware was on a FEM in slot 10. Or it could have been user or vendor microcode on a FEM in slot 10. Or some I/O card even, as I've seen systems with no FEM where they used a 3 connector shielded ribbon cable even though they only had a FAB, just cause it's the only cable they had apparently. Of course, it is also possible that there is no base set at all and someone wrote a custom base set for process control. That's the beauty of the box, everything was changeable including the base set. All I was saying is that since there is nothing in slot 10, and there IS a dangling ribbon cable there, it is likely (although not certain) that some firmware is missing. I think we can agree that is a reasonable postulation. Whether the FEM being missing means it is not an F is debatable apparently, but I was under the impression the base set could be on the cpu board and all the rest on the FAB. No FEM required. Apparently HP documentation is at odds then. See the HP 1000 M/E/F series computers technical reference handbook, part number 5955-0282, appendix A, pages A-3 and A-4. It's quite clear there that the FAB was optional on the E and standard on the F (and ostensibly standard because it was necessary to house the larger microcode set). Isn't that priority in the sense of pecking order for entry points, not in the sense of any type of execution priority? That is certainly possible, hence my comment. Ditto for me... that my machines have their roms on the FAB. I've noticed my E's beat the pants off my 2100A/S machines - the specs say approximately twice as fast. But I still love the front panel appeal of the 2100 over the 21MX any day :) It's easier to enter programs with and it certainly has more blinkylights :) Jay