Author Topic: Latest possible Kernel etc for OS/2Warp3 (WarpServer4)-And:Happy new Year 2023!  (Read 5913 times)

Sigurd Fastenrath

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Like Thomas Müller I do play around with the OS/2 Warp Server 4 Advanced. After 20 years, when I did it for the last time in 2002, I already setup the UPDCD environment from Zsolt Kaddar to update this OS/2 Version to the latest possible, trying to include the latest drivers (AHCI, USB, NVME, GENGRADD and so on). I will attach pictures later this day.

I know, it is easier to use WSeB, that I do have as well, and that I already updated to the latest possible. But for some nostalgic reason I still  "love" look and fell of the good old Warp 3 version, as it was in 1995 the very first Version of OS/2 I come in contact with. And so the OS/2 Warp Server 4 Andvanced (I willt ry to add SMP support as well) is the KING of this Version 3.

Besides other Ficpac for the server, tcpip and so on, I do use BaseFP42German, as this is the last one I remember to be a german one. I do have a FP44 English as well and will extract OS2KRNL, DOSCALL1.DLL from this as well.

It is such a long time ago, that I can not remember correctly, but I guess there is no chance, but I would like to ask:

- what is the latest kernel revision for Warp 3 (Warp Server 4)?
- does anybody ever succeded in using a Warp 4 kernel with Warp 3 (i.e.: 14.104a)?

It takes only about 5 minutes to create an updated ISO on my Thinkpad X250, that then can be directly tested with Virtualbox at the parallel Windows 8.1 installation on this device. So it is very easy and fast for me to check what will work and what not.

I will even give the OS/4 Kernel a shot.

What other hints do you have for me?
- by replacing the Kernel, wich other files should be replaced as well to match it (DOSCALL1.DLL, ...??)?

This is just for fun, it is like Kirk answerd to Spock being asked: "What is the reason for climbing a rock?" - "Because it is there!"

 ::) ;) :D

I wish all of you a happy, healthy and good new Year 2023, stay safe!!!

And thank you very much!


« Last Edit: December 31, 2022, 10:17:21 am by Sigurd Fastenrath »

Tom

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What other hints do you have for me?
- by replacing the Kernel, wich other files should be replaced as well to match it (DOSCALL1.DLL, ...??)?

I wish all of you a happy, healthy and good new Year 2023, stay safe!!!

And thank you very much!

os2ldr should also match os2krnl, together with doscall1.dll

You too all the best for 2023 and thanks for the many very interesting experiments you have reported about in the previous years!

Edit: os2dump must also match !
« Last Edit: January 01, 2023, 12:49:42 am by Tom »

Lars

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The Warp3 kernel is a dead end. It does not contain the KEE functionality which means that no current driver will work (including JFS.IFS, as an example as well as the USB stack).
« Last Edit: December 31, 2022, 01:36:34 pm by Lars »

Martin Iturbide

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Hi Sigurd

I also share your amusement to play with an older version of OS/2. With UpdCD I always wonder, as a playful exercise on how far can we get with Warp 3, Warp 4, etc.
It would be like creating our own convenience packs images like "Warp 3.1", "Warp 4.1" or "OS/2 2.2".

In my case I like to see the experiment as "What if OS/2 Warp Server 4.1 Advanced ever existed?" what patched it should had? What is the latest level of drivers it would work on it?

If I had the time I would love to create first an UpdCD new ISO for "OS/2 Warp Server 4.0 Advanced" in English with the official/supported fixpacks  that will include:
- Fixpack 43 - XR_W043 - 8.268
- Device Driver Fixpack - XR_D002
- MPTS - WR_8621
- TCP/IP 4.1 (?)
- LAN Services - IP_8532
Those are like the official updates for that version of OS/2 for what I can see. I'm open for corrections here.

And for second phase it will be awesome to try to get it to max, like upgrading the kernel, trying XR_D003, latest TCP/IP latest IBM USB drivers , etc, etc... and see if the "Frankenstein walks". Sigurd, you are already on that stage for what I see.  ;D

Check this two links to try to set the idea of what are the official/supported fixpacks for "OS/2 Warp Server 4.0 Advanced"
- Alex Taylor - OS/2 Visual FixPak Guides
- WarpUpdates International (Archived)

Also, just for fun. Happy New Year.

Regards
« Last Edit: December 31, 2022, 03:43:27 pm by Martin Iturbide »
Martin Iturbide
OS2World NewsMaster
... just share the dream.

Sigurd Fastenrath

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Thanks for the hints!

Yes, Martin, I am already at a "Farpoint"  :)

So far I get with Kernel Version 14.104a (UNI or W4) the (not unexpected it does not work at first shot  ;)  )  Error Messages seen in the last picture. Those say: "Problems with os2ldr.msg" (at least something like that) :D

The other 3 pictures show my UPDCD enviroment.




Dave Yeo

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I notice that in x:\os2\install\smp and w4 are versions of harderr.exe. Running strings on it, it seems to have the kernel boot messages on it, the tail of strings harderr.exe,
Code: [Select]
EA program in this session encountered a problem and cannot
continue.
%@#IBM:14.103#@ OS/2 Hard Error Daemon

So it seems it too should match the kernel.
As for SMP, I wouldn't be surprised if too much is not SMP safe. I tried updating Warp v4 fp15 to SMP, it would trp in under a minute after the desktop came up.

Tom

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I notice that in x:\os2\install\smp and w4 are versions of harderr.exe. Running strings on it, it seems to have the kernel boot messages on it, the tail of strings harderr.exe,
Code: [Select]
EA program in this session encountered a problem and cannot
continue.
%@#IBM:14.103#@ OS/2 Hard Error Daemon

So it seems it too should match the kernel.
As for SMP, I wouldn't be surprised if too much is not SMP safe. I tried updating Warp v4 fp15 to SMP, it would trp in under a minute after the desktop came up.

When Scott Garfinkle from IBM still uploaded testkernels to IBM's testcase server, he always put os2ldr, os2dump (forgot this one in my previous answer) and os2krnl into the zipfiles. But never harderr.exe

Dave Yeo

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Yes, the one here was 14.103 and works fine with kernel 14.201, it probably hardly ever needed updating but going from a W3 kernel to W4 or higher might need an update and the error messages that Sigurd posted might be caused  by this, if only the lack of proper error messages.

Sigurd Fastenrath

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The Warp3 kernel is a dead end. It does not contain the KEE functionality which means that no current driver will work (including JFS.IFS, as an example as well as the USB stack).

Hi Lars,

thanks fort this information! As I can see here (Thanks Martin to remind me of this wunderfull pages by Alex Taylor!) in the picture, XR*D002 is the latest driver package for Warp Server 4. I already added XR*D003 to my UPDCD build, wich now oviously makes no sence once I can not integrate Kernels from Warp 4.

Thanks again!!


Sigurd Fastenrath

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Yes, the one here was 14.103 and works fine with kernel 14.201, it probably hardly ever needed updating but going from a W3 kernel to W4 or higher might need an update and the error messages that Sigurd posted might be caused  by this, if only the lack of proper error messages.

Thanks Dave! I will give it a shot with the file from Warp 4.52!