More HP microcode & loader rom detective work

From: J. David Bryan <jdbryan_at_acm.org>
Date: Wed Jul 28 11:58:07 2004

On 27 Jul 2004 at 9:34, Jay West wrote:

> But a few lines in various docs make me think that perhaps older rev E
> series didn't have FP built in.

Which docs and which lines? I'll check my March 1977 HP Journal that
introduces the E-series, but as far as I know, all MX machines had floating
point routines built in.


> Some docs mention that when ordering FFP, you can specify option -100
> to get some additional roms, necessary for E series machines with a
> serial number less than 21XX (co-incidence on the rev number). I'm
> guessing that the additional roms are FP?

No, they're DMS. From the "HP 1000 M/E/F-Series Hardware Technical Data"
brochure, HP 5953-2832, August 1982, page 6-2:

  "If the Fast FORTRAN Processor is ordered for a machine which does
   not have the 13307B Dynamic Mapping Instructions, 13306B option 100
   must be ordered; the 13307B contains part of the FFP."


> The roms in question are:
>
> 13306-80013
> 13306-80014
> 13306-80015
> 13306-80016
> 13306-80017
> 13306-80018

The "ROM Part Number History" from the "Communicator/1000 for Software
Update 6.0" (HP 5951-6201) lists those ROMs as part of the "E-Series Fast
FORTRAN Processor ROMs (modules 33, 34, 35)." E-Series DMS ROMs (module
32) were 13307-80027 through -80032.

The next update combined the 1K FFP and DMS ROMs into the set 13037-80033
through -80035 and 5090-0589 through -0591 (4K ROMs).

                                      -- Dave
Received on Wed Jul 28 2004 - 11:58:07 BST