More HP microcode & loader rom detective work

From: Bob Shannon <bshannon_at_tiac.net>
Date: Sun Aug 1 07:50:14 2004

E's and F's use the same architecture!

Later revisions of the F series firmware 'packaged' the microcode
options differently, but the
basic E-series microroutines run exactly the same way on an F series.

What makes an F series an F series is a external floating point
accelerator box and ADDITIONAL
microcode to drive it. Then there is a series of microcode options that
are only available for
machines with this external box and internal microcode, options like the
scientific instruction set, etc.

There is no 'difference' to the CPU boards between E and F machines, its
just a batch of bolt-on
hardware and firmware ROM's.

Jay West wrote:

>Dwight wrote...
>
>> My understanding is that for the E series, the only difference
>>between the E and the F is the additional firmware ROMs. My
>>understanding is that you'd need the ROM expansion board.
>>
>No, the E and F series use different microcode - the architecture is
>definitely different. Backwards compatable, but definitely different under
>the hood.
>
>> I hope you are going to make some binary files of all these ROMs.
>>
>Absolutely, unequivically :)
>
>>Maybe Al can make a directory to hold ROM images
>>
>*points*
>
>Jay
>
>---
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>
>
Received on Sun Aug 01 2004 - 07:50:14 BST