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PA-RISC Processors

PA-7000 (PCX-S) processor

Overview

The PA-7000, or PCX-S, was a 32-bit processor with PA-RISC 1.1 architecture, introduced in 1991. It had a MMU for virtual memory management. It was first used in the HP 9000 700 series workstations and later in some of the HP 9000 800 Nova servers. The PA-7000 was a multi-chip implementation fabricated in HP’s own CMOS26B process with an external FPU.

After previous PA-RISC 1.0 processors from the 1980s were mostly geared towards (expensive) transaction processing and multi-user environments, the PA-7000 was designed to extend PA-RISC down to low cost desktop workstation systems. The PA-7000 design process facilitated use of existing technologies, first extension to the PA-RISC architecture and a collaboration with an external silicon vendor (Texas Instruments) for the FPU.

Graphics requirements were integrated into the design process of the PA-7000 processor, memory and system buses.

Details

Used in

References

  1. CMOS PA-RISC processor for a new family of workstations, M. Forsyth et al, COMPCON Spring '91 Digest of Papers, 1991
  2. Évolution des gammes de processeurs MIPS, DEC Alpha, PowerPC, SPARC, x86 et PA-RISC (PDF) André Seznec and Thierry Lafage (INRIA: June 1997)
  3. Midrange PA-RISC Workstations with Price/Performance Leadership (.pdf) pp. 6-11 Andrew J. DeBaets and Kathleen M. Wheeler (August 1992: Hewlett-Packard Journal)
  4. VLSI Circuits for Low-End and Midrange PA-RISC Computers (.pdf) pp. 12-22 Craig A. Gleason (August 1992: Hewlett-Packard Journal)

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