FW: HP2000/Access - benchmarks

From: Jay West <jwest_at_classiccmp.org>
Date: Fri Jan 23 22:24:41 2004

> Yes, GMU had an HP 2000 ACCESS system with 21MX-E processors,

Are you sure it was 21MX-E and not 21MX-M? Just curious!

> 7920 disc (50
> MB of which the ACCESS operating system could only address the first 33
> MB), 32K WORDS of RAM in each processor, 32 MUX ports, SYNC card (for
RJE),
> 7970 1600 BPI tape, and an HP 2640B terminal as the console.

My full 2000/Access config is 2100A cpu w/32K, 2100S cpu w/32K, 7906 drive
(20mb, 15mb usable cause access sees it as a 7905), 7900A drive (10mb) 16
Mux ports, Sync card for RJE, 7970 1600 bpi tape, 2748b paper tape punch,
2895b paper tape reader, 7261 optical card reader, and 2610 printer :) The
7261 and 2610 haven't been refurbed yet though. I hope to switch from 2100
cpus to 21MX-E's at some point.

> I was the system manager for the GMU HP 2000 from its delivery in August,
> 1978 until I left GMU in January, 1984

If you are ever in St. Louis, stop by and you can reminisce and boot Access
up :)

> I used the source code and manuals to
> patch the ACCESS OS we used.

I have a whole list of patches for 2000E, mostly with regards to terminal
handling (accepting 80 column lines instead of 72 max), baud rates, etc.

>Was the 21MX-E twice as fast? Three
> times as fast? I can't say - too many years have gone by.

Remember, there are like three different kinds of memory you can put in an
E, each one up the line is a fair amount faster. So, how fast the E is
depends on which of those memory types is installed.

> If I remember correctly, a
> disc diagnostic/utility program (which I think was called SLUTH) was used
> to configure the drive.

I have seen mention of a program called SLUTH for disc drives, but my
impression was that it was a 3rd party program, not HP. HP always wanted you
to use their diagnostics to format the drive (plus, Access can format a pack
all by itself).

> Question: How are the 7905 and 7906 discs you are using formatted?
The 7905/06 drives can be formatted with quite a few different utilities,
most notably either the 13037/790x diagnostic, or via Access itself.

> John
> *** When replying to this message, please do not delete these ***
> *** signature lines. Otakon Katsucon HP3000-L _at_classiccmp.org ***
>
>
Received on Fri Jan 23 2004 - 22:24:41 GMT