%META:TOPICINFO{author="ChrisBartram" date="1170382137" format="1.1" version="1.2"}%
%META:TOPICPARENT{name="Hp3000UpgradeTo50"}%
---+ Checklist for updating to MPE/iX 5.0 on the HP3000

1. The check-off list that came from HP. 

2. Make sure the HPSUSAN in the kit is the right one for your computer. 

  --[[JohnBeckett]]

I updated my 927LX last month and found it was a relatively painless experience. A couple other suggestions, in no particular order: 

3. Read Interact back issues. Besides a recent update checklist article, the ones from a year or more ago under the title "An MPE Programmer Looks at MPE 5.0 [or POSIX]" are good. Sorry, I don't remember dates or authors and my back issues are at the office :-) 

4. Check the contents of the SUBSYS tape (not a formality, stuff can get left out) 

5. Review the conventions for POSIX file naming and "MPE escaped syntax." Review your backup procedures to be sure everything you want backed up does get backed up. If you are using a third-party product like RoadRunner, make sure (a) it is MPE 5.0 compatible and (b) it can back up the HFS directories, not just the MPE accounts under 5.0. (A) and (b) aren't necessarily the same. For example, I received an MPE 5.0 compatible RoadRunner upgrade automatically in February but had to request an additional upgrade before I could back up the HFS directories. 

6. Check the status of all your other third party software products. Packages like MPEX will handle 5.0 just fine but it is prudent to install the 5.0 compatible version of any utility you rely on before installing 5.0 itself. 

7. Be aware that if you have software or files stored off a 5.0 system and restored to your 4.0 system, there may be access problems. For example, I received a QUIZ schema from a software vendor; the schema was created on the vendor's 5.0 system and I restored it to my 4.0 system and made it readable by ANY; after the 5.0 update, users couldn't access the schema anymore; I first had to RELEASE the schema (band-aid solution), then change the POSIX owner and group IDs (permanent solution). You may not know you have files of this kind unless you contact your vendors and ask. 

8. If your system is low on disk space, reserve the required space in advance. 

9. If your system has limited memory, review the patch documents and apply the patch for low-memory systems. There is also a patch to resolve a bug whereby STORE silently ignores tape write errors and can, under some circumstances, create a bad tape without telling you. If you depend on STORE, you should be sure to apply the patch at the same time you do the update. 

  --[[JohnClark]]

10. Keep in mind that, the way 5.0 is installed by default, users without capability will not have access to the root / directory and non-MPE directories under root. This means you are pretty secure to start with. But users can _create_ POSIX directories within MPE accounts and you will need to monitor this. It isn't an installation issue, as such, but there are implications: unless your users are quite sophisticated, you can update without immediate security risk; longer term, you can't ignore POSIX even if you don't mean to use it. 

As much as anything, preparing for the 5.0 update is a question of comfort level. I found that if you follow the installation instructions, it goes by the book and isn't much more involved than any other update. The difference is how much new stuff there is to to learn in order to stay on top of the system _after_ the update. 

  --SM

I have made three upgrades to 5.0 and will do the fourth this Saturday. 

The only problem is disc-space. Use the time until the upgrade to get the free space on ldev 1 that you must have. I have created the AXLDEV1 file (see the upgrade manual) in advance so I don't have to bother about enough disc-space. If you are short of space you have plenty of time to get a new disc drive. 

  --[[NilsOlovFransson]]


-- Main.ChrisBartram - 17 May 2006