12 Mar
2009
12 Mar
'09
12:15 a.m.
On Wed, Mar 11, 2009 at 8:15 PM, J. David Bryan <jdbryan at acm.org> wrote:
The F-series probably will. ?The only question is
whether the self-test
microcode that is executed at power-up will pass without the FPP box. ?As I
recall, it will, but all of the floating-point and some of the double-
integer instructions will not work.
My 2117F will pass the microcode self-test without the FPP box. I
originally acquired the 2117F without the FPP, then a while later
picked up the FPP. The only issue I had passing the self-test was
learning that the power supply had the battery option which prevents
the CPU from starting unless an appropriate resister (~800ohm?) is
connected acros the battery connector thermistor inputs. That has
been discussed on this list a few times in the past.
It should work, modulo the malfunctioning
instructions. ?The E-series, with
memory and a memory controller, will have functioning firmware-based
floating point instructions. ?So I'd recommend concentrating on a
functional E rather than a damaged F.
If the 2113E Josh has now is the one that came from me a while back I
gave it a quick try with known good memory section boards from my
2117F and the front panel didn't seem to respond at all, if I remember
correctly. So maybe in his case the 2117F might be the better system
to start with.
If the 2117F works except for microcode issues without the FPP, could
you just swap the firmware from the 2113E into the 2117F to turn it
into a working 2113E equivalent?
-Glen