Snip Richards comments - all of which I agree with...

I was going to schedule a 6.0 upgrade here, and after talking it over with
some others who had already done it - I decided to hold off for a bit...

Having done upgrades, this is offered to the masses:

1.  READ THE COMMUNICATOR.  Find out what's changed.  The Communicator is
the HP3000 bible for changes between operating systems.  Read the technical
articles after reading the summaries, for those areas you have a vested
interest.

As Richard said, but cannot be stressed enough:

2.  Make sure you have an SLT from your current installation, a printed copy
of your configuration (run SYSINFO in the TELESUP account - and PRINT it
out).  It's always good to have this around anyway, especially in your
disaster recovery manual.  Also, print and keep a copy of your network
configuration from NMMGR.

3.  Make two backups, both with the ;DIRECTORY option.  The SLT and the
backup will be immensely helpful if you have to backdate the system.  Why 2?
If one backup was written on media that might be defective or about to
become defective, you have a spare.  If you have time, run VSTORE on both -
just in case!

... more pieces of wisdom ...

4.  Schedule this on a weekend.  If you've never done this before, you will
need time.  It might go very smoothly, consider yourself lucky.

5.  READ THE "READ ME FIRST" Manual that came with your 6.0 tapes before
doing anything!  It contains vital information on which products may have a
slight bug in them (such as FTP).  If you are reliant on any of these items
which may have problems, put off the upgrade.

6.  FOLLOW DIRECTIONS!  Richard said it bluntly, and so will I.  If the
manual says "Do this" - then do it.  Don't take shortcuts because you will
almost certainly FUBAR the upgrade.

7.  I've seen people perform an INSTALL instead of an UPDATE.  For those
familiar with the older MPE/V boxes, an INSTALL is the same as a RELOAD - it
wipes the discs clean.  UPDATE, UPDATE, UPDATE.

8.  If you have access to the RC, be sure to have the number and your system
handle ready.  If you run into trouble, use them!  If you don't have access
to the RC, ask your accounting folks to give you two blank Purchase Orders
to use just in case, then use the RC.  Yes, you will be billed Time and
Materials, but if you are sitting with a dead machine, having the authority
to incur T&M is better than having a dead system on Monday, or even worse, a
really FUBARed system because you tried to correct something, and made a
mistake.

... and every person on this list has made a mistake at some point on
another (and if they say they didn't, they are lying! :)  The watchword for
upgrading is CYA.

Good Luck,
Joe Geiser

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Joe Geiser
CSI Business Solutions, LLC
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