Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!hplabs!hpfcso!rjn
From: rjn@hpfcso.HP.COM (Bob Niland)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp
Subject: Re: hp9000/217, what can it do?
Message-ID: <7370078@hpfcso.HP.COM>
Date: 11 Feb 90 18:34:04 GMT
References: <43426@lanl.gov>
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA
Lines: 53

re: >	I just inherited an HP9000/217...

RAM, I/O and other accesory cards are still available.


> 1) Is it safe to conclude that this machine does not have a hard disk
>    since it couldn't find the system?

It does not (as a built-in).  The 217 used external HP-IB hard drives
such as the 9133-series and 9153-series.  The 10/20/40 Mbyte 9153C is still
available, although not formally supported on the 217.


> 2) What (besides two 3 1/2 inch floppies) is in a 9122? Will the
> 3 1/2 inch floppies use industry standard floppy disks? If so,
> what flavor?

Presumably you have a 9122D.  Depending on the vintage, it may support
IBM 720K format.  It definitely supports all the HP 256-, 512- and 1024-byte
sector, single- and double-sided formats.  File system support depends on
the operating system.


> 3) What is an HP98626 mentioned as being at 9?

The built-in RS-232C interface (the 50-pin connector), which is clone of
the separately 98626A plug-in serial interface card.


> 4) The video output is labelled as "composite video". Is this
> really NTSC video?

I don't think so.


> 5) What operating systems will this machine run and is there a
> C compiler for it?

It will run the latest versions of HP's stand-alone BASIC (5.13) or Pascal
(3.2).  Both are available on 3.5" floppy, can execute floppy-based, and you
have enough memory for them.  There once was HP-UX, but the last Series 200
version was 5.17 and it is no longer available.  (Series 300 is at 7.0 and
has required a 68020 or better since 6.5.)

I used to own a 217, and swapped it for a 310 (now a 332) during the 1985
trade-in promotion.  If I were in your position, I would contact a used
equipment broker who specializes in HP gear.  Your 217 may be worth more to
an existing customer in need of a spare/replacement unit than to you.

Regards,                                              Hewlett-Packard
Bob Niland                                            3404 East Harmony Road
rjn%hpfcrjn@hplabs.HP.COM                             Fort Collins
UUCP: [hplabs|hpu*!hpfcse]!hpfcla!rjn                 CO          80525-9599