PA-RISC information - since 1999

PA-RISC Hardware

Overview

HP 9000 PA-RISC computers are based on HP Precision Architecture, a conservative HP RISC design from the 1980s and 1990s for Unix servers and workstations. HP’s own PA-RISC processors from the early 32-bit TS-1, based on TTL, to the modern dual-core 64-bit PA-8900 in the mid-2000s.

HP designed and produced most processors in-house, as it did with the custom HP chipsets and platform designs used in HP 9000 PA-RISC servers and workstations. There were many special HP expansion cards for HP 9000 I/O buses, and again for graphics and videos HP often used inhouse PA-RISC graphics adapters.

PA-RISC computers use their own Boot Menu, the PDC boot ROM, and display error codes on LEDs and LCDs on the system front.

Phases

PA-RISC hardware platforms and computers were developed and marketed in waves by HP, based on technological advances, market development and the computerization since the 1980s. HP 9000 PA-RISC computers can be grouped into four periods:

Phase Design Processors Chips Used in
Phase I
Infancy: Early Architecture
Early TS-1, NS-1, NS-2, PCX SIU/SPI, CTB Early 800 servers
Phase II Growth: 32-bit 1990s
ASP/Viper PA-7000, PA-7100 Viper. ASP 700 workstations
800 servers
74x VME
Phase III Maturity: The heydays
LASI PA-7100LC, PA-7300LC MIOC, LASI, Wax, Dino 700 workstations
74x VME
U2/UTurn PA-7200, PA-8000, PA-8200 MMC/SMC, U2, UTurn,
LASI, Wax, Dino, Cujo
Visualize workstations
Lettered servers
Astro PA-8500, PA-8600, PA-8700 Astro, Elroy Visualize workstations
Lettered servers
Stretch PA-8500, PA-8600, PA-8700 DEW, Prelude, IKE, Elroy Integrity servers
Phase IV Decline: 64-bit to Itanium
Cell PA-8700, PA-8800 PA-8900 CC, XBC, SBA, Elroy Integrity servers
Superdome mainframes
zx1 PA-8800 PA-8900, Itanium 2 Pluto, Mercury Integrity servers
Superdome mainframes
Itanium computers

History

PA-RISC ended with very advanced 64-bit designs in the Decline (IV) phase during EPIC Itanium. The overall HP PA-RISC and HP 9000 story is much longer, together with the equally complex history of PA-RISC operating systems.

There is also a timeline of PA-RISC releases and pricing from 1982 to the 2010s.

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