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From: vandys@sequent.com (Andrew Valencia)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp
Subject: Re: README: Hazard in 68040 upgrades for HP9000/400t!
Keywords: 68040, HP9000/400t
Message-ID: <1991Jun6.022121.18717@sequent.com>
Date: 6 Jun 91 02:21:21 GMT
Article-I.D.: sequent.1991Jun6.022121.18717
References: <3270@sparko.gwu.edu>
Sender: news@sequent.com (News on Muncher)
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Organization: Sequent Computer Systems, Inc.
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gritz@seas.gwu.edu (Larry Gritz) writes:
>   At first, we were very happy with the two- to three-fold increase in speed.
>Then, one by one, we started to come across programs that ran slower on the
>64040's.  Not a little slower, but TEN TIMES SLOWER OR MORE!

I seem to remember that they moved the floating point functions onto
the '040 chip, but that they couldn't fit all of them.  Moto arranged for
some emulation code, appropriate for a trap handler, to be written and
made available to '040 system vendors.  I very much suspect that you're
being hit by this.

One thought is to see if you can get that code and link it in from user
mode.  Then you only have to pay for emulating the instruction--not the
whole trap shmear.  With the speed of the '040, this may not even perform
badly at all!  If HP's giving you the runaround, you may be talking to the
wrong folks.  With its divisional structure, HP is a lot more like a bunch
of closely tied companies than you might expect.  See if you can get through
to a tech support type at the Fort Collins, CO systems division--they do
a lot of 300/400 stuff out there, they also do a lot of X windows.  Something
tells me they might have a trick or two left to show you.

								Andy

Disclaimer: these are only my opinions