# IBM System/34 > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/IBM_System/34 > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/IBM_System/34.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_System%2F34 > Source revision: 1339156487 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) The **IBM System/34** was an [IBM](/source/IBM) [midrange computer](/source/Midrange_computer) introduced in 1977.[2] It was withdrawn from marketing in February 1985.[2] It was a multi-user, multi-tasking successor to the single-user [System/32](/source/System/32). It included two processors, one based on the System/32 and the second based on the [System/3](/source/System/3). Like the System/32 and the System/3, the System/34 was primarily programmed in the [RPG II](/source/IBM_RPG) language.[3] ## Hardware The 5340 System Unit contained the processing unit, the disk storage and the [diskette drive](/source/Floppy_disk). It had several access doors on both sides. Inside, were swing-out assemblies where the circuit boards and memory cards were mounted. It weighed 700 lb (320 kg) and used 220V power.[4] The [IBM 5250](/source/IBM_5250) series of [terminals](/source/Computer_terminals) were the primary interface to the System/34. ### Processors S/34s had two processors, the Control Storage Processor (CSP), and the Main Storage Processor (MSP). The MSP was the workhorse, based on [System/3](/source/System/3) architecture; it performed the instructions in the computer programs. The CSP was the governor, a different processor with different [RISC](/source/RISC)-like instruction set, based on [System/32](/source/System/32) architecture; it performed system functions in the background. The CSP also executed the optional *Scientific Macroinstructions*, which were a set of emulated floating point operations used by the System/34 Fortran compiler and optionally in assembly code.[5] The clock speed of the CPUs inside a System/34 was fixed at 1 MHz for the MSP and 4 MHz for the CSP. Special utility programs were able to make direct calls to the CSP to perform certain functions; these are usually system programs like $CNFIG which was used to configure the computer system. ### Memory and storage The smallest S/34 had 48K of RAM and an 8.6 MB hard drive. The largest configured S/34 could support 256K of RAM and 256MB of disk space. S/34 hard drives contained a feature called "the extra cylinder," so that bad spots on the drive were detected and dynamically mapped out to good spots on the extra cylinder. Disk space on the System/34 was organized by [blocks](/source/Block_(data_storage)) of 2560 bytes. The System/34 supported [memory paging](/source/Memory_paging), referring to as *swapping*.[6] The System/34 could either swap out entire programs, or individual segments of a program in order to free up memory for other programs to run. One of the machine's most distinctive features was an off-line storage mechanism that utilized ""—boxes of 8-inch floppies that the machine could [load and eject](#Upto23) in a nonsequential fashion.[7][8][9] ## Software ### Operating System Main article: [System Support Program](/source/System_Support_Program) The [System Support Program](/source/System_Support_Program) (SSP) was the only operating system of the S/34. It contained support for multiprogramming, multiple processors, 36 devices, job queues, printer queues, security, [indexed file](/source/Indexed_file) support. Fully installed, it was about 5 MB.[10] The [Operational Control Language](/source/Operational_Control_Language) (OCL) was the control language of SSP. ### Programming The System/34's initial programming languages were limited to [RPG II](/source/RPG_II) and Basic Assembler[11] when introduced in 1977.[12] [FORTRAN](/source/FORTRAN) was fully available six months after the 34's introduction,[7] and [COBOL](/source/COBOL) was available as a [PRPQ](/source/Request_price_quotation).[13] [BASIC](/source/System/34_BASIC) was introduced later. ## Successor systems The [IBM System/38](/source/IBM_System/38) was intended to be the successor of the System/34 and the earlier System/3x systems. However, due to the delays in the development of the System/38 and the high cost of the hardware once complete, IBM developed the simpler and cheaper [System/36](/source/System/36) platform which was more widely adopted than the System/38.[14] The System/36 was an evolution of the System/34 design, but the two machines were not object-code compatible. Instead, the System/36 offered source code compatibility, allowing System/34 applications to be recompiled on a System/36 with little to no changes. Some System/34 hardware was incompatible with the System/36. A third-party product from *California Software Products, Inc.* named BABY/34 allowed System/34 applications to be ported to [IBM PC compatible](/source/IBM_PC_compatible) hardware running [MS-DOS](/source/MS-DOS).[15][16] ## References 1. [*ibm :: system34 :: GA21-9242-1 System 34 Installation Manual-Physical Planning Sep77*](https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_ibmsystem3nstallationManualPhysicalPlanningSep77_810249/page/n10/mode/1up). 1977-03-13. 1. IBM Corporation (23 January 2003). ["System/34"](https://web.archive.org/web/20050122174350/http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/vintage/vintage_4506VV2236.html). *IBM Archives*. Archived from [the original](http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/vintage/vintage_4506VV2236.html) on January 22, 2005. Retrieved December 4, 2012. 1. ["System 34 RPG II Reference Manual"](http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/ibm/system34/SC21-7667-4_System_34_RPG_II_Reference_Manual_Jan82.pdf) 1. ["3533 Spring Creek Road"](https://www.nytimes.com/real-estate/usa/tx/collinsville/homes-for-sale/3533-spring-creek-road/2712-56799761). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. March 1, 2019. Insulated Shop space, with 220V power. 1. ["IBM System/34 and IBM System/32 Scientific Macroinstructions Functions Reference Manual"](http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/ibm/system34/SA21-9275-0_IBM_System_34_and_System_32_Scientific_Microinstructions_Functions_Reference_Manual_1st_ed_197807.pdf). *Bitsavers*. IBM. July 1978. Retrieved 2021-12-22. 1. ["System/34 Concepts and Design Guide"](http://bitsavers.org/pdf/ibm/system34/SC21-7742-3_System_34_Concepts_and_Design_Guide_Jan82.pdf). IBM. January 1982. Retrieved 2021-08-01. 1. [*System/34 Introduction*](http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/ibm/system34/GC21-5153-2_System_34_Introduction_Mar78.pdf). March 1978. 1. "the diskette magazine drive can process up to 23 diskettes without manual intervention. -p.11 1. "three slots for holding individual diskettes and two slots for holding magazines of 10 individual diskettes." -p.20 1. ["IBM System/34 System Support Program Logic Manual"](http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/ibm/system34/plm/LY21-0050-0_System_34_System_Support_Program_Logic_Manual_System_Dec77.pdf) 1. ["Fortran IV One Highlight Of IBM 34 Enhancements"](https://www-merlijn.archive.org/details/computerworld1139unse/page/23/mode/1up). *[Computerworld](/source/Computerworld)*. September 26, 1977. p. 23.[dead link] 1. Andrew Pollack (May 17, 1983). ["I.B.M. introduces computer to replace System 34 model"](https://www.nytimes.com/1983/05/17/business/ibm-introduces-computer-to-replace-system-34-model.html). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)* 1. "potentially available ... special order" 1. Frank G. Soltis (1997). [*Inside the AS/400, Second Edition*](https://books.google.com/books?id=5DoPAAAACAAJ). Duke Press. ISBN 978-1882419661. 1. ["BABY/34™ Software enables you to run IBM System/34 RPG II programs on your PCs, XTs and ATs"](https://archive.org/details/computerworld1911unse/page/50/mode/1up). *[Computerworld](/source/Computerworld)*. March 18, 1985. p. 50. 1. ["Product Briefs"](https://books.google.com/books?id=Yi8EAAAAMBAJ). *[InfoWorld](/source/InfoWorld)*. July 21, 1986. p. 47. ## Further reading - Massoglia, Charles. *Everything You Always Wanted to Know About the System/34 But Nobody Told You* - Massoglia, Charles. *System/3, System/34, and System/36 Disk Sort as a Programming Language* - Massoglia, Charles. *Writing and Using System/34 Procedures Effectively*[citation needed] ## External links - ["IBM Archives: System/34"](https://web.archive.org/web/20181005060844/https://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/vintage/vintage_4506VV2236.html). Archived from [the original](https://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/vintage/vintage_4506VV2236.html) on 2018-10-05. - ["Bitsavers Archive of System/34 Documentation"](http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/ibm/system34/) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [IBM System/34](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_System%2F34) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_System%2F34?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.