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Aucbvax.5226 fa.unix-wizards utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!unix-wizards Tue Nov 17 20:14:07 1981 Re: Chronic DEC Hardware Problems >From menlo70!sytek!rob@Berkeley Tue Nov 17 20:06:29 1981 Re: wales@UCLA-Security comments on chronic DEC ...

How many times have we heard "If you were running VMS, we could look at the ERRLOG ..." rhetoric.

The current mainstay to the DEC preventive maintenance program for field support via DEC Support is VMS and UEPT if your are VAXen folk. The first level support personnel's only connection to understanding the 11/780 or 11/750 hardware problems comes from the little diagnostic messages from the VSM/OS or the UEPT diagnostic. If they cannot find with these, they may even attempt to run stand alone diagnostics if they know how. (This may sound like a flame, but I am not joking).

Now for additional fun you must add third-party hardware like, National memory boards, Emulex and Able controllers and CDC disk drives. Next mix the above 4.1BSD VM/UNIX and stir until your DEC CE crys *uncle*. Sound familiar?

Don't give up hope if you find yourself between the hard place and the rock. The only thing that is lacking for your local DEC support types is a little UNIX education. I have had a lot of success with showing them simple things like machine-check printouts and how they dump all processor handbook registers. For the lack of ERRLOG, why not lead them to DMESG(8) printouts and show them that UNIX does track hardware errors.

The point of the education is that UNIX is as mature about machine operation as VMS or RSX which will help in gaining CE understanding and acceptance of your installation.

Enjoy, Rob Cardoza <UCBVAX!MENLO70!SYTEK!ROB>

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