RS/6000 AIX release code

[Russell A. Heise]

 wross at caen.engin.umich.edu (Wendy Ross) writes:

 > I am trying to set up a "release" code template on a server machine to
 > use for network loading.  I have a 9021 bos image, which I dd'd
 > from the 9021 tape.  We tried dd'ing our SE's "release" tape, but to no
 > avail for some reason, which might have to do with the fact that our tape
 > drives (cartridge) need hardware upgrades, but we aren't sure because
 > no-one seems to know for sure what the tape hardware upgrades are supposed
 > to do.  In addition, his "release" tape is in a different format than
 > the 9021 tape, and is apparently bootable.
 >
 > Could someone please help?  Is 9021 the release version?  What are the
 > different versions floating around out there?  What are the preloaded
 > machines preloaded with?  How do I make a bos image for network installation
 > from a "release" bootable tape?  What are the tape hardware upgrades
 > supposed to do, anyhow?  Who really shot J.R.?

 Yes, 9021 is the release version, *with* fixes.  Preloaded machines have
 been loaded with the latest version with the fixes.  The two hardware
 upgrades allow the RISC System/6000 to boot from a tape drive.  The
 first upgrade modifies the system unit so that it will try to boot from
 the tape.  The second upgrade modifies the tape drive to allow it to
 read from the tape without rewinding.

Russ Heise, AIX Technical Support, IBM