Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!execu!sequoia!balkan!wrangler!bill From: bill@wrangler.WLK.COM (Bill Kennedy) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ncr Subject: Vr2 to Vr3 upgrade, CAVEAT!!! Keywords: FPP Vr3 Vr2 Message-ID: <551@wrangler.WLK.COM> Date: 12 Mar 91 22:01:37 GMT Organization: W.L. Kennedy Jr. & Associates, Pipe Creek, TX Lines: 68 I have just been told something and while I would like to believe that it is incorrect, I'm told that it's the final and definitive answer. This is a little long, but if you have a Tower 32/400 and are thinking about the "generous" upgrade offer from Vr2 to Vr3, read on. History: Last July I bought a used Tower 32/400 with the optional 8K cache memory and floating point processor. The system came with System V release 2. There were some things that I wanted to do that would be a lot easier if I upgraded from Vr2 to Vr3 so I bought the package from Wyle Labs, my distributor, ~$750 with a new manual set. I'll not talk about the hell I went through to get the upgrade and the terrible time I had getting it installed. Once I finally did get Vr3 installed and working I noticed that sus firmware ($5151) recognized and passed the 68881 FPP but that sysdef said that it was not present. Process: I asked Wyle Labs about it and they said that I had a hardware problem. They said that they had checked with NCR and that only a defective FPP would exhibit that behavior or that I had the clock jumpered wrong. To prove my point I re-installed Vr2 and the FPP was fine. I posted a m'aidez to this group and got several responses suggesting that there was some option I needed to install, so I installed them all. No net change, the FPP works in Vr2, doesn't work in Vr3. The thing slipped through the cracks at Wyle but the sales rep finally slugged it out with his people who (I ASSume) slugged it out with NCR. I vigorously objected to the suggestion that I buy into CODAR, my feeling is that there's not a thing wrong with the FPP other than a software-only upgrade. Situation: Today Wyle called back and said that they had tracked it down, once and for all. There is apparently a hardware pre-requisite for the FPP to work with Vr3. It's a daughter board with some PALs and a clock chip, part number 3466-K018. It costs $1950, Wyle said that in view of all the grief, they'd discount that to less than $1300 for me. Questions: Yes, I'm upset, but I'll try and contain my upset to just the preface. Please also note that my upset presupposes that Wyle and I have been told the truth. I'm outraged and apalled that I'm sold a software upgrade with a pre-requisite hardware option that costs nearly three times as much. I'm angry that I was not warned (I've read the RELDEF) that my FPP was going to stop working after I installed the new operating system without buying a $2000 hardware option. I'm really miffed that I was given the royal run around only to end up $2000 away from something that I already had, WORKING! Is this really true? Do you really have to buy the $2000 hardware board to make the OS upgrade work with the FPP (which used to work)? If it's true then why didn't someone say so? It appears to me that it should have been emblazoned in shocking pink letters on the tape "If you have an FPP, do not open or install this update without part number 3466-K018 installed. Contact your distributor for details." Sheesh! The whole darned FPP isn't but $1400, why should I have to spend that again plus just to continue using the one I had? Greg Hackney mentioned that he required some hardware changes to upgrade his Towers to Vr3 but he said it was to make WIN-TCP work. Since SWBT is on NCR maintenance maybe that's why it didn't come up, if it's true. This newsgroup is blessedly free of wanton flaming and I certainly don't want to change that. On the other hand, if I have been correctly informed, I think NCR deserves a fuel-air weapon for flagrant foul play. If I have been misinformed would someone please tell me the "real" truth so that I can calm down and get my FPP working again? Please post unless you require anonymity in which case email and I'll post so that others can avoid what I went through. Thanks, -- Bill Kennedy usenet {att,cs.utexas.edu,pyramid!daver}!ssbn.wlk.com!bill internet bill@ssbn.WLK.COM or attmail!ssbn!bill