SUMMARY: How to determine if a firmware upgrade is required?

From: <nam_at_sharpwa.com>
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 96 11:00:43 -0700

Here are the replies I recieved about Firmware upgrades.
Thanks much..

Basically
        1. read the firmware docs on the disk
        2. methodes to determin current firmware level

>From the release notes Addendum
DEC 3000
Firmware 3.5 is shipped with DU 4.0
Firmware CD rom contains Version 6.5 firmware for DEC 3000 series. but the
supported PALcode version is at Version 1.35 wich is out of date.
The correct firmware supportinb PALcode version 1.45.
on 3.6 CD-rom with firmware 6.7

also available from .....
ftp://ftp.digital.com/pub/Digital/Alpha/firmware/interim/

confusing abit.
my firmware version is Firmware revision: 3.2
so I guess I need to upgrade.



**************************************************************************8
If you have access to DSNlink, simply put in a request there. I found
the response time to be quite good.

 ________________________________________________________
|Steven L. Jenkins Systems Software |
|sjenkins_at_iastate.edu 239 Durham |
|(515)294-9889 |
|________________________________________________________|
*****************************************************************************8

Generally, you look at the Release Notes or Installation Guide. One, or both,
will list the minimally required firmware levels.

Then you need to determine what you have on your system. While running Digital
UNIX (as root), try:

uerf | grep Firmware

The last entry seen will be the most recent and, therefore, will show the
current firmware level that you have.

>From console mode, you can usually do a "show config" or "show dev" and the
firmware revision will be shown with the info for the processor.

Dave


============================================================================
Dave Parker, Installation GroupE-Mail djp_at_unx.dec.com
USG/UESG unxa::parker
Digital Equipment Corporation
Manalapan, NJ 07726
*****************************************************************************8

Get the documentation that comes with the firmware
(i.e. read it off the firmware CDROM)
and print it (if you can figure out which file(s) to print)
and there are tables buried in the document indicating which operating systems
and hardware require which firmware.
Generally, every major and many minor versions have required new firmware.
Plan on it every time.

Alternatively, you can download the documents from
Via ftp:
ftp://ftp.digital.com/pub/Digital/Alpha/firmware/

Via WWW:
http://www.service.digital.com/alpha/server/firmware/


Belonis

> Greetings,
>
> How to determine if a firmware upgrade is required?
>
> Nick
> marcelja_at_sharpwa.com
>

-- 
J.James(Jim)Belonis II, U of Washington Physics Computer Cost Center Manager
belonis_at_phys.washington.edu Internet    University of Washington Physics Dept. 
http://www.phys.washington.edu/~belonis r. B234 Physics Astronomy Building
1pm to midnite 7 days  (206) 685-8695   Box 351560      Seattle, WA 98195-1560
*****************************************************************************8
Contact DEC or look at their release notes on the Web.
Bruce Whittaker.
*****************************************************************************8
Normally a f/w upgrade is not needed, sometimes it corrects a few bugs or adds
some more functionality. Some new version of DU may need the f/w upgrade, the
only way to tell is to read the documentation of the firmware CD and the
firmware required section of the new operation system disk.
__________________________________________________________________________
 Paul Ottaway 
 (Siemens Plessey Systems, Eurocontrol Maastricht UAC, NL 6191,RX Beek, NL)
 100737,2577_at_compuserve.com(Private)
 paul.ottaway_at_mas.eurocontrol.be     (work)
 ott_at_mas.eurocontrol.be(work)
__________________________________________________________________________
 
*****************************************************************************8
> How to determine if a firmware upgrade is required?
Check the 'doc' area on the firmware CD (or the documentation on the
firmware area on ftp.digital.com)
>
> Nick
> marcelja_at_sharpwa.com
>-- End of excerpt from nam_at_sharpwa.com
-- 
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      *         Knut Helleboe                    | DAMN GOOD COFFEE !! *
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You can find which firmware version we have installed with 
the command:
>>> sh version
>From the boot prompt.  Now I suppose you can now compare
the version installed with the version required for your
new DU being installed.
-- 
======================================================================
   J. Felippe Beaklini                           felippe_at_fis.unb.br
   Dep. de Fisica - Instituto de Ciencias Exatas, Univ. de Brasilia
   71910-900 Brasilia, DF - Brazil                   55-61-348-2868
----------------------------------------------------------------------
             Enemies come and go. Friends accumulate!
======================================================================
*****************************************************************************8
Read the release notes supplied by Digital - one section lists the
required firmware revision levels. Then go to your console prompt and
type:
>> sho config
regards
W. Hahling - Digital Equipment Corp. - Townsville/Australia
*****************************************************************************8

Received on Tue Jun 25 1996 - 20:26:35 NZST