Aaron Kulkis wrote: > James Knott wrote: >> Hans Witvliet wrote: >>>> The only computer I have with RAID also has error correcting >>>> memory, as >>>> many servers use. Also, back in the days when I was a computer tech, >>>> servicing mini-computers, hard drive failures were far more frequent >>>> than memory. >>>> >>> mem, mobo's and cpu's are most likely to suffer from ESD (and heath) >>> The effects will show up sometimes at late as in several years. >>> I found out that most shops haven;t got a faintest clue what ESD is. >>> >>> Drives will suffer not only from ESD and heath but also from wear, >>> G-forces. >>> >>> So if you obtain your system from proper qualified supplier, that takes >>> precautions and test the componentes before using them, or take those >>> precautions yourself. chances that you suffer from mem problems is >>> often >>> smaller than HDD problems. >>> >>> Note, I assume you treat your components well, playing with >>> overclocking, wrong ras/cas timing, overheated north-bridge can also >>> cause "funny effects". >>> Output of the powersupply has to meet more stricter demands, as mem and >>> cpu are using still lower voltages these days. A spike of 0.1 volt did >>> do anything some years ago, but can corrupt the content of your DDR >>> today. >>> >>> hw >>> >> Back in the days when I supported mini-computers, everything was TTL >> logic, with ECL used in some critical areas. The CPU was two 15 inch >> square boards! A 200 MB disk pack drive was the size of a washing >> machine and required 3 phase power. Some of the systems I worked on >> were water cooled. Back in those days, I worked down to the microcode >> level, that is the instruction set within the CPU, that enabled it to >> run the instruction set the applications would use. > > And some CPUs from IBM even had the capability of CHANGING > instruction sets between processes. Like an IBM 370 could > simulate several single-user IBM 360's and single-user IBM > 704's by just switching microcode with each context switch. > > IBM's software from the era is nothing to rave about, but > their hardware has always been top notch. > > The Data General Eclipse line had a feature called "Writable Control Store", which could be used to add custom instructions to the CPU. The VAX 11/780 had it's microcode loaded from floppy at boot, but I don't recall if it was changeable in the same manner as the Eclipse WCS.
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