dec3000 v70 fw relnote

Order Number: XX-BEC88-8A

This document, "DEC 3000 Systems and TURBOchannel Options Update Utility Procedures," provides comprehensive instructions for updating the firmware on various DEC 3000 computer models (ranging from 300 to 900 series) and their TURBOchannel options.

The firmware updates are performed using the Loadable Firmware Update Utility, which supports four primary methods:

  1. CD-ROM Disk Upgrade: Involves determining the CD-ROM drive's device number, booting from the utility disc, entering an update command, and then restarting the system.
  2. MOP Network Upgrade: Requires copying the update file to a VMS, ULTRIX, or DIGITAL UNIX host, setting up the host, and then booting the target DEC 3000 system from the network.
  3. BOOTP Network Upgrade: Involves mounting the utility CD-ROM on a host, modifying the /etc/bootptab file, invoking bootpd and tftpd daemons, and booting the DEC 3000 from the BOOTP server.
  4. InfoServer Upgrade: Requires inserting the utility disc into an InfoServer (with a minimum kernel revision of 2.2 and MOP enabled) and booting the DEC 3000 via a specific command.

A crucial prerequisite for any firmware update is ensuring the ROM update jumper on the system or option is enabled to allow flash ROM writes. While systems are typically shipped with the jumper enabled, the document provides detailed physical procedures for locating and moving this jumper for different DEC 3000 models if it needs to be changed.

The utility offers commands such as update, verify, list, show, and set. For TURBOchannel options, a repair command is also available for cases where an adapter is unrecognized or has an empty flash ROM. The document emphasizes the importance of carefully following all steps to prevent rendering the system or option inoperable, and includes warnings about static electricity and power-off discharge times. It also contains compatibility tables for firmware revisions with OpenVMS and DIGITAL UNIX, along with troubleshooting information for various scenarios.

XX-BEC88-8A
June 1999
56 pages
Quality

Original
0.4MB

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