Very Computer

First, before anyone gets in a snit over how I got myself into this
situation, let me just say at the outset, "I'm cheap and I'm lazy."  Now
that this is clear to everyone, I can begin.

I've been running a small association membership database on a Model C04
with 960MB of DASD ever since the C04 was considered a good starter machine
(I hear that muffled laughter and I'm going to ignore it).

I stopped upgrading the operating system at V2R2 because it was running fine
and if it ain't broke...well, what's to fix? (Was that a*of astonishment
from the V4R4 crowd?)

I've got V2R3 tapes sitting in their original plastic, having never been
installed. (I know, it's blasphemous. But be honest now. Who among you have
ever been e*d to sit through an OS upgrade?)

I backup my data nightly (I may be lazy, but I'm not stupid), to a third
party 2GB quarter inch tape drive, which I had replaced several years ago
when its controller died.  Unfortunately, I have recently learned that the
replacement will not read or write to the old 120MB 1/4 inch tapes!  I reads
and writes the 2GB Magnus tapes just fine, but chokes on the older format.
I suspect this is due to its emulating a 6346 (not supported on a C04) while
the AS400 thinks it is talking to a 6341.

We just completed the Y2K update of our Association Management software,
having first had to transfer all the files from the 120MB tapes used by my
software vendor to the 2GB tapes my machine can read (a friendly CE at IBM
did this for me for free, by the way).

But all this is just background. Here's the problem:

After 10 years of operation, I'm finally running out of DASD.  So I've
finally decided to bite the bullet and buy a new box.  I'm looking at a new
Model 170 and moving up to V4.  That means a CISC to RISC conversion.  In
order to even begin to contemplate this move, however, I've been told I need
to be at V2R3 or better to run the upgrade assistant software and to do the
conversion.

According to IBM's records, I am licensed for V3R1, but I've never seen the
software.  I've also been told that IBM no longer supports such ancient
versions of the OS so a "media refresh" is not available.

My question is this: Is there any place on God's green earth where they
store these older versions of the OS and licensed programs?  A place where
an old reprobate can go to repent of his sloth and parsimony and find
salvation in glorious, though obsolete, V3R1 (preferably on 2GB tapes, but
I'll settle for 120MB tapes)?

As always, I am humbled in the presence of those who do this for a living.

Your grateful petitioner,
Mark Fotheringham

    You don't need the upgrade assistant, you just need to know
all your current programs have observablility. Those that don't
will have to be recompiled before you can convert them. I
converted from a B10 running V2R2M0 with no problems.

     Since you'll be doing a side by side conversion, the C04
setting next to the 170, you can just save and restore all your
user libraries. If a CE could convert your tapes, it seem to me
that the new system will read the 2G tapes.

     It was easier for me to simply add the user profiles,
change the system values by hand and then restore the
libraries. I was using OfficeVisions so I did have to save and
restore only private folders to the new system.

     Regards, Worley

Quote:> First, before anyone gets in a snit over how I got myself into this
> situation, let me just say at the outset, "I'm cheap and I'm lazy."  Now
> that this is clear to everyone, I can begin.

> I've been running a small association membership database on a Model C04
> with 960MB of DASD ever since the C04 was considered a good starter machine
> (I hear that muffled laughter and I'm going to ignore it).

> I stopped upgrading the operating system at V2R2 because it was running fine
> and if it ain't broke...well, what's to fix? (Was that a*of astonishment
> from the V4R4 crowd?)

> I've got V2R3 tapes sitting in their original plastic, having never been
> installed. (I know, it's blasphemous. But be honest now. Who among you have
> ever been e*d to sit through an OS upgrade?)

> I backup my data nightly (I may be lazy, but I'm not stupid), to a third
> party 2GB quarter inch tape drive, which I had replaced several years ago
> when its controller died.  Unfortunately, I have recently learned that the
> replacement will not read or write to the old 120MB 1/4 inch tapes!  I reads
> and writes the 2GB Magnus tapes just fine, but chokes on the older format.
> I suspect this is due to its emulating a 6346 (not supported on a C04) while
> the AS400 thinks it is talking to a 6341.

> We just completed the Y2K update of our Association Management software,
> having first had to transfer all the files from the 120MB tapes used by my
> software vendor to the 2GB tapes my machine can read (a friendly CE at IBM
> did this for me for free, by the way).

> But all this is just background. Here's the problem:

> After 10 years of operation, I'm finally running out of DASD.  So I've
> finally decided to bite the bullet and buy a new box.  I'm looking at a new
> Model 170 and moving up to V4.  That means a CISC to RISC conversion.  In
> order to even begin to contemplate this move, however, I've been told I need
> to be at V2R3 or better to run the upgrade assistant software and to do the
> conversion.

> According to IBM's records, I am licensed for V3R1, but I've never seen the
> software.  I've also been told that IBM no longer supports such ancient
> versions of the OS so a "media refresh" is not available.

> My question is this: Is there any place on God's green earth where they
> store these older versions of the OS and licensed programs?  A place where
> an old reprobate can go to repent of his sloth and parsimony and find
> salvation in glorious, though obsolete, V3R1 (preferably on 2GB tapes, but
> I'll settle for 120MB tapes)?

it may not be as bad as you think...

first of all, will you be getting new software from your vendor when you
switch systems?  if so, you'll only need to move your files, and the
cisc/risc doesn't matter there.

in a few weeks i'll be upgrading an association that has a b10 running
on v2r1, so i'm not laughing or gasping at all.  just grateful they are
finally getting it done.

btw, have you tested having another system read your tapes?  sometimes
brand x tapes can't be read by other tape drives.

nj

Quote:>     You don't need the upgrade assistant, you just need to know
> all your current programs have observablility. Those that don't
> will have to be recompiled before you can convert them. I
> converted from a B10 running V2R2M0 with no problems.

>      Since you'll be doing a side by side conversion, the C04
> setting next to the 170, you can just save and restore all your
> user libraries. If a CE could convert your tapes, it seem to me
> that the new system will read the 2G tapes.

>      It was easier for me to simply add the user profiles,
> change the system values by hand and then restore the
> libraries. I was using OfficeVisions so I did have to save and
> restore only private folders to the new system.

that's what i thought too.  with a c04, there can't be many users, or
devices.  i've always just printed the devices out and rekeyed them.  

we've done several of these conversions, and i've never used the
assistant.  since we are converting our own stuff, it seemed like an
exercise in paperwork.  

the 'official' ibm position is you should be at v2r3, but the stuff will
restore from any version.  

if you are restoring your application software, ask the vendor for
advice.  did you remove observability to help it fit on your disk?  then
you will have to recompile everything, or get another copy from the
vendor.  if observability has not been removed, there is a procedure you
run on the new computer that will convert it all for you with a single
step.

nj

If you peruse the documentation for the e-jump <or CISC to RISC from V2R3M0> you
should be able to infer any actions necessary to accomplish the upgrade with the
least difficulties... although like others have responded, my guess per
inference of system setup I'd guess you need litte more than a little
customizing & cofiguration <eg. create users, and enrollment to OV> to a new
system followed by restore of user data.  But per storage being a concern, if
you choose to do a CISC upgrade first, I would recommend using the V2R3 upgrade
vs V3R1.

Regards, Chuck
All comments provided "as is" with no warranties of any kind whatsoever.

Quote:>But per storage being a concern, if
> you choose to do a CISC upgrade first, I would recommend using the V2R3
upgrade
> vs V3R1.

I second this.  V3R1 takes up significantly more space than V2R3.  You do
NOT want to run out of DASD part way through your upgrade!  Might want to
look at the e jump stuff IBM has, I'm not too familiar with the offering
though.  

-Ilena Ayala