From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: bqt@Update.UU.SE (Johnny Billquist) Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1999 21:07:11 +0100 (MET) Subject: OK I got this here VAXen thingie.... what is it? In-Reply-To: <199901051541.KAA27177@seedlab1.cropsci.ncsu.edu> Message-ID: On Tue, 5 Jan 1999, User Rdkeys Robert D. Keys wrote: > OK, Dummy here stuck his foot in his choppers an' won the bid on that > VAXen for the grand total of eleven buckeroos de realme. What can I > run with it? It was just too much fun to pass up, and it drew too many > chuckles from the PC crowd in the surplus warehouse....(:+}}.... Smile. It's a decent machine. > Machine: VAXstation 3500, no consoles or external boxes, only the tower. > > Tape Drive: TK70 > > Hard Drive: RA70 > > Boards: > > SLOT BOARD NUMBER DESCRIPTION > ---- ------------ ---------------------------------------------- > 1 KA650 -BA CPU > 2 MS650 -AA > 3 MS650 -AA Both are memory boards. Don't know for sure how much. 8 or 16 megs apiece, I'd guess. > 4 DELQA -SA Ethernet. > 5 VCB02 > 6 VCB02 > 7 VCB02 Sounds like a graphic subsystem. > 8 CXY08 Plotter interface? > 9 TQK70 Controller for the TK70 tape drive. > 10 KDA50 > 11 KDA50 Controller for the RA70 disk. (The controller can have up to four disks attached). > What boards are needed to bring up the machine minimally and test it out? CPU and memory minimum. I'd recommend to remove the VCB02 and CXY08, since you don't have the peripherials. Move all other cards up to delete the empty space in the middle. > How should one fire it up the first time, without blowing it up? Turn on the power. > I am working with the original owner of the beast to see if he may have > a box of odd manuals and hopefully tapes still in storage somewhere. > If not, I am at ground zero with it. It's a pretty easy machine to play around with. > I am assuming it will have to be run headless, via an old VT-52ish > Zenith terminal I have, or a Kermit with VT-100 emulation. I don't > have the main color monitor for it, or the mouse and keyboard. > What is the pinout of the silly MMJ connector on the CPU? > Will a plain terminal work OK? Plain terminal will do. In fact, it *expexts* to get a plain terminal. The MMJ is a DEC thingie. The electrical levels are compatible with RS-232. You can get a cable from DEC, or perhaps some other place. I also know that the pinouts have been published on the net from tim to time. > What kinds of printer can be hooked up to it, via what protocols? Protocols? That's software! As for electrically connecting it, that depends on what card you put in the machine! Paralell or serial, you choose! > What is the best way to network it into my local home ethernet coax? I assume you have 10Base2, so get an AUI-cable to extend the connection from the DELQA to outside the box, get a 10Base2-transciever, and you're set. For other types of carriers, get the proper transciever! :-) > Any suggestions are appreciated. Yes. Boot NetBSD on it. Get 1.3.2, which works pretty fine on the machine. You can netboot it to get started. Johnny Johnny Billquist || "I'm on a bus || on a psychedelic trip email: bqt at update.uu.se || Reading murder books pdp is alive! || tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol Received: (from major at localhost) by minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au (8.9.1/8.9.1) id IAA11143 for pups-liszt; Wed, 6 Jan 1999 08:54:54 +1100 (EST) Received: from seedlab1.cropsci.ncsu.edu (seedlab1.cropsci.ncsu.edu [152.1.88.4]) by minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au (8.9.1/8.9.1) with ESMTP id IAA11138 for ; Wed, 6 Jan 1999 08:54:44 +1100 (EST) Received: (from rdkeys at localhost) by seedlab1.cropsci.ncsu.edu (8.8.8/8.8.8) id QAA28061; Tue, 5 Jan 1999 16:47:55 -0500 (EST) (envelope-from rdkeys) From: "User Rdkeys Robert D. Keys" Message-Id: <199901052147.QAA28061 at seedlab1.cropsci.ncsu.edu> Subject: Re: OK I got this here VAXen thingie.... what is it? In-Reply-To: from Johnny Billquist at "Jan 5, 99 09:07:11 pm" To: bqt at Update.UU.SE (Johnny Billquist) Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1999 16:47:55 -0500 (EST) Cc: pups at minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au, bsdbob at seedlab1.cropsci.ncsu.edu X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4ME+ PL38 (25)] MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: owner-pups at minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au Precedence: bulk > On Tue, 5 Jan 1999, User Rdkeys Robert D. Keys wrote: > > > OK, Dummy here stuck his foot in his choppers an' won the bid on that > > VAXen for the grand total of eleven buckeroos de realme. What can I > > run with it? It was just too much fun to pass up, and it drew too many > > chuckles from the PC crowd in the surplus warehouse....(:+}}.... > > Smile. It's a decent machine. I am beginning to think my eleven buckeroos de realme were well spent! > > Hard Drive: RA70 What different SDI(?) drives will fit and work in the VAXstation, for our play purposes. Someone mentioned a 1 gig and a 2 gig size that I might want to use instead of the RA70, although beggars like me can't be too choosy. A pair of RA70's would make a fair minimal box. A pair of 2 gig drives would make a very comfy box to use as the main home server. > > What boards are needed to bring up the machine minimally and test it out? > > CPU and memory minimum. > I'd recommend to remove the VCB02 and CXY08, since you don't have the > peripherials. Move all other cards up to delete the empty space in the > middle. OK. What should cover the blank space in the rack, or just leave it open? Any funky jumpers to set like on Sun VME backplanes? > > How should one fire it up the first time, without blowing it up? > > Turn on the power. I was thinking about boot sequences for roms or whatever, or anything strange in the callup from a dumb terminal. Someone mentioned setting a break switch and a baud rate dial on the CPU? > > I am working with the original owner of the beast to see if he may have > > a box of odd manuals and hopefully tapes still in storage somewhere. > > If not, I am at ground zero with it. > > It's a pretty easy machine to play around with. I did get a box from the previous owner a few minutes ago, and there were a dozen or so TK50 tapes that I need to sort out what is on them. He though they were Ultrix and VMS tapes. If they turn out to be unknowns, I can probably use them to get someone to write a good boot tape for a BSD flavor, perhaps. If they are, indeed Ultrix, would that be better or worse than a 4.3BSD or NetBSD or such? I have never run Ultrix, but I am comfy with 4.3BSD or NetBSD kinds of things, as long as they don't get too strange. I don't think I would like a VMS. > Plain terminal will do. In fact, it *expexts* to get a plain terminal. > The MMJ is a DEC thingie. The electrical levels are compatible with > RS-232. You can get a cable from DEC, or perhaps some other place. I also > know that the pinouts have been published on the net from tim to time. Also, the guy gave me a cable with a DEC female DB25 adapter, a MMJ end, an RJ11 end, and a plain RS232 DB25 male adapter. Would that be usable for a console or is that some kind of printer cable? He thought it was plain serial, but was not sure. > > What kinds of printer can be hooked up to it, via what protocols? > > Protocols? That's software! > As for electrically connecting it, that depends on what card you put in > the machine! Paralell or serial, you choose! Well, I prefer serial, no-handshake printer lines on my old junkque. That is a carryover from my early CP/M days where one never knew which RS232 cable to use, and I got quickly in the habit of 3-wiring everything, instead. Software or non-shake protocol always worked, if 4/5, 4/8/20 were jumpered on each end. One of my friends said that DEC did some strange protocols on serial lines, and I was just checking for sure. > > What is the best way to network it into my local home ethernet coax? > > I assume you have 10Base2, so get an AUI-cable to extend the connection > from the DELQA to outside the box, get a 10Base2-transciever, and you're > set. For other types of carriers, get the proper transciever! :-) I must rub the right rabbit's food today. Another friend gave me a DEC dongle box and cable that is an AUI to BNC transceiver (DECSTA?). That is a good find, or the right find, perhaps? > > Any suggestions are appreciated. > > Yes. Boot NetBSD on it. Get 1.3.2, which works pretty fine on the machine. > You can netboot it to get started. My problem is getting it up to a network. My home net is mostly down or only running between whichever two boxes I can get up at the same time. Most are AIX/4.3BSD IBM RT-PC boxes or FreeBSD/AIX x86 boxes. Proper netbooting on them is a bit wierd. I might could drag it into the office and netboot off the archives somewhere. That may be the easiest thing to do, practically. Most of the boxes I prefer to load via tape, if possible for a lowest common denominator boot when all else may fail. That way, everything is covered. What needs to be cleaned out around the cabinetry or power supplies or backplane? I don't want to get dustbunny fireballs rolling out of it, if possible. Is there anything I should look out for in preflighting the beast, over the usual blow it out with a vacuum cleaner or air hose? > Johnny Anyway, toy VAXuser getting there little by little.....(:+}}.... Maybe I will get the itch to fire it up tonight. Now to feed the Reddy Kilowatt meter man. I hear these VAXen things make him very happy. Bob Keys Received: (from major at localhost) by minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au (8.9.1/8.9.1) id JAA11273 for pups-liszt; Wed, 6 Jan 1999 09:33:18 +1100 (EST) Received: from henry.cs.adfa.edu.au (henry.cs.adfa.oz.au [131.236.21.158]) by minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au (8.9.1/8.9.1) with ESMTP id JAA11268 for ; Wed, 6 Jan 1999 09:33:09 +1100 (EST) Received: (from wkt at localhost) by henry.cs.adfa.edu.au (8.9.1/8.9.1) id JAA12801 for pups at minnie.cs.adfa.oz.au; Wed, 6 Jan 1999 09:33:57 +1100 (EST) (envelope-from wkt) From: Warren Toomey Message-Id: <199901052233.JAA12801 at henry.cs.adfa.edu.au> Subject: V8's roots? To: pups at minnie.cs.adfa.oz.au (Unix Heritage Society) Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1999 09:33:57 +1100 (EST) Reply-To: wkt at cs.adfa.oz.au X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4ME+ PL43 (25)] MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: owner-pups at minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au Precedence: bulk Just got this email from a friend... ----- Forwarded message from David Blackman ----- Just had a quick look at [Warren's Unix family tree diagram] You list Research V8 as successor to V7, which is true i guess, but i've seen several sources say most of the kernel was derived from a BSD version, probably 4.1. ----- End of forwarded message from David Blackman ----- Can anybody confirm or deny this? I suppose I should ask Dennis. Ta, Warren Received: (from major at localhost) by minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au (8.9.1/8.9.1) id LAA11605 for pups-liszt; Wed, 6 Jan 1999 11:36:31 +1100 (EST) Received: from henry.cs.adfa.edu.au (henry.cs.adfa.oz.au [131.236.21.158]) by minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au (8.9.1/8.9.1) with ESMTP id LAA11600 for ; Wed, 6 Jan 1999 11:36:23 +1100 (EST) Received: (from wkt at localhost) by henry.cs.adfa.edu.au (8.9.1/8.9.1) id LAA15385 for pups at minnie.cs.adfa.oz.au; Wed, 6 Jan 1999 11:37:10 +1100 (EST) (envelope-from wkt) From: Warren Toomey Message-Id: <199901060037.LAA15385 at henry.cs.adfa.edu.au> Subject: Apout: new version + freeze To: pups at minnie.cs.adfa.oz.au (Unix Heritage Society) Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1999 11:37:10 +1100 (EST) Reply-To: wkt at cs.adfa.oz.au X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4ME+ PL43 (25)] MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: owner-pups at minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au Precedence: bulk All, I've put yet a new version of the Apout PDP-11 a.out simulator in ftp://minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au/pub/PDP-11/Sims/Apout and now I'm going to stop working on it for a while. This means you won't get these annoying emails any more :-) Current version is apout2.2alpha6. The latest changes are: + Runs 2.11BSD binaries, including overlay binaries + Runs shell scripts + Can exec native binaries as well as PDP-11 a.out binaries + Has floating point operations + Still emulates V5/V6/V7 UNIX binaries + On a Pentium Pro 350MHz, compiles the 2.11BSD GENERIC kernel in 4 minutes 16 seconds. + Now uses u_int* throughout + Finally, a man page exists Enjoy! Warren Received: (from major at localhost) by minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au (8.9.1/8.9.1) id NAA12041 for pups-liszt; Wed, 6 Jan 1999 13:56:09 +1100 (EST) Received: from Zeke.Update.UU.SE (IDENT:2026 at Zeke.Update.UU.SE [130.238.11.14]) by minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au (8.9.1/8.9.1) with ESMTP id NAA12035 for ; Wed, 6 Jan 1999 13:55:56 +1100 (EST) Received: from localhost (bqt at localhost) by Zeke.Update.UU.SE (8.8.8/8.8.8) with SMTP id DAA12954; Wed, 6 Jan 1999 03:54:33 +0100 Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1999 03:54:31 +0100 (MET) From: Johnny Billquist To: "User Rdkeys Robert D. Keys" cc: pups at minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au, bsdbob at seedlab1.cropsci.ncsu.edu Subject: Re: OK I got this here VAXen thingie.... what is it? In-Reply-To: <199901052147.QAA28061 at seedlab1.cropsci.ncsu.edu> Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Sender: owner-pups at minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au Precedence: bulk On Tue, 5 Jan 1999, User Rdkeys Robert D. Keys wrote: > I am beginning to think my eleven buckeroos de realme were well spent! I'd say so. > What different SDI(?) drives will fit and work in the VAXstation, for our > play purposes. Someone mentioned a 1 gig and a 2 gig size that I might > want to use instead of the RA70, although beggars like me can't be too > choosy. A pair of RA70's would make a fair minimal box. A pair of > 2 gig drives would make a very comfy box to use as the main home server. Fit as in physically fit. The RA7x series will fit. However, only the RA70 as far as I know have a switch pack for setting unit numbers. Any other type of drive will default to unit zero unless you have a proper front panel. All RA-drives will work however. Me I have one RA72 in the box, two RA90 and one RA92 lying on the floor. :-) Also remember that VAX binaries are *smaller* than what you might be used to see. This is a CISC. > OK. What should cover the blank space in the rack, or just leave it open? If you have blank covers, put them there. It improves the air flow in the box. But you should be able to run it as is. > Any funky jumpers to set like on Sun VME backplanes? Nope. Just keep al the cards next to each other. > > > How should one fire it up the first time, without blowing it up? > > > > Turn on the power. > > I was thinking about boot sequences for roms or whatever, or anything > strange in the callup from a dumb terminal. Someone mentioned setting > a break switch and a baud rate dial on the CPU? Ok. To boot the machine, try "B ", where disks are DUAx, tape is MUA0 and ethernet XNA0 (I think...) If you open up the front you'll notice that the CPU fron panel cover has, in addition to the connector for the console, a small display, a three position dial switch and a two-position switch. If you look at the back of the panel, you have thumbweel. The thumbweel sets the baudrate for the console. There should be a sticker beside it with the key. The three-position switch selects power-up action. Language menu, boot or eternal selftest. The two-position switch selects whether booting to console prompt, or booting all the way with OS. There are a number of commands you can give at the ">>>" prompt. Useful is (among others) "SHOW ETHERNET" which tells your ethernet address. > I did get a box from the previous owner a few minutes ago, and there > were a dozen or so TK50 tapes that I need to sort out what is on them. Try booting them. > He though they were Ultrix and VMS tapes. If they turn out to be > unknowns, I can probably use them to get someone to write a good > boot tape for a BSD flavor, perhaps. If they are, indeed Ultrix, > would that be better or worse than a 4.3BSD or NetBSD or such? Ultrix is definitely not something you want to run. It's okay to have around, but it's not that much fun. It's more or less a mix between 4.2 and 4.3. > I have never run Ultrix, but I am comfy with 4.3BSD or NetBSD kinds > of things, as long as they don't get too strange. I don't think I > would like a VMS. VMS is nice. :-) > > Plain terminal will do. In fact, it *expexts* to get a plain terminal. > > The MMJ is a DEC thingie. The electrical levels are compatible with > > RS-232. You can get a cable from DEC, or perhaps some other place. I also > > know that the pinouts have been published on the net from tim to time. > > Also, the guy gave me a cable with a DEC female DB25 adapter, a MMJ end, > an RJ11 end, and a plain RS232 DB25 male adapter. Would that be usable > for a console or is that some kind of printer cable? He thought it was > plain serial, but was not sure. The cable should be usable. If you have a VT220 or newer, the cable can be used without any adapter at all. > > > What kinds of printer can be hooked up to it, via what protocols? > > > > Protocols? That's software! > > As for electrically connecting it, that depends on what card you put in > > the machine! Paralell or serial, you choose! > > Well, I prefer serial, no-handshake printer lines on my old junkque. Ah. Intelligent opinion. Since the CXY08 is a serial interface, that's your answer. (If the CXY08 has a driver for the OS of your choise.) > That is a carryover from my early CP/M days where one never knew > which RS232 cable to use, and I got quickly in the habit of 3-wiring > everything, instead. Software or non-shake protocol always worked, > if 4/5, 4/8/20 were jumpered on each end. One of my friends said that > DEC did some strange protocols on serial lines, and I was just checking > for sure. DEC has very seldom done strange things. It's rather the other way around... Most likely your friend might have heard of DECs refusal to use modem signals for handshake, since neither a computer, nor a printer is a modem. (And by the book they are right, it's just that most other people like to violate this fact. :-) DEC always uses XON/XOFF. > > > What is the best way to network it into my local home ethernet coax? > > > > I assume you have 10Base2, so get an AUI-cable to extend the connection > > from the DELQA to outside the box, get a 10Base2-transciever, and you're > > set. For other types of carriers, get the proper transciever! :-) > > I must rub the right rabbit's food today. Another friend gave me a DEC dongle > box and cable that is an AUI to BNC transceiver (DECSTA?). That is a good > find, or the right find, perhaps? Probably. I don't know offhand what the DEC transciever is called, but I doubt there are any others with the right kind of looking connectors. > > > Any suggestions are appreciated. > > > > Yes. Boot NetBSD on it. Get 1.3.2, which works pretty fine on the machine. > > You can netboot it to get started. > > My problem is getting it up to a network. My home net is mostly down > or only running between whichever two boxes I can get up at the same time. > Most are AIX/4.3BSD IBM RT-PC boxes or FreeBSD/AIX x86 boxes. Proper > netbooting on them is a bit wierd. Well, it isn't *them* you are about to netboot, but the VAX. :-) > I might could drag it into the office and netboot off the archives somewhere. > That may be the easiest thing to do, practically. Maybe. > Most of the boxes I prefer to load via tape, if possible for a lowest common > denominator boot when all else may fail. That way, everything is covered. Well, if you have VMS or Ultrix, you can write out tapes... > What needs to be cleaned out around the cabinetry or power supplies or > backplane? I don't want to get dustbunny fireballs rolling out of it, > if possible. Is there anything I should look out for in preflighting > the beast, over the usual blow it out with a vacuum cleaner or air hose? Getting the dust out is always a Good Thing (tm). If you are a hardware junkie, you'll start by disassembling the power supply into small bits and check it out througly before reassembling it and allowing it to feed the system. Me, I'd just power the thing on. :-) > Anyway, toy VAXuser getting there little by little.....(:+}}.... > Maybe I will get the itch to fire it up tonight. Now to feed the > Reddy Kilowatt meter man. I hear these VAXen things make him very > happy. Nah. A 3500 is a small thing. Try an 8650 instead. :-) Johnny Johnny Billquist || "I'm on a bus || on a psychedelic trip email: bqt at update.uu.se || Reading murder books pdp is alive! || tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol Received: (from major at localhost) by minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au (8.9.1/8.9.1) id RAA12768 for pups-liszt; Wed, 6 Jan 1999 17:37:38 +1100 (EST) Received: from flamingo.McKusick.COM (flamingo.mckusick.com [209.31.233.178]) by minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au (8.9.1/8.9.1) with ESMTP id RAA12763 for ; Wed, 6 Jan 1999 17:37:15 +1100 (EST) Received: from flamingo.McKusick.COM (mckusick at localhost [127.0.0.1]) by flamingo.McKusick.COM (8.8.5/8.8.5) with ESMTP id VAA26800; Tue, 5 Jan 1999 21:47:34 -0800 (PST) Message-Id: <199901060547.VAA26800 at flamingo.McKusick.COM> To: wkt at cs.adfa.oz.au Subject: Re: V8's roots? cc: pups at minnie.cs.adfa.oz.au (Unix Heritage Society) In-reply-to: Your message of "Wed, 06 Jan 1999 09:33:57 +1100." <199901052233.JAA12801 at henry.cs.adfa.edu.au> Date: Tue, 05 Jan 1999 21:46:58 -0800 From: Kirk McKusick Sender: owner-pups at minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au Precedence: bulk From: Warren Toomey Subject: V8's roots? To: pups at minnie.cs.adfa.oz.au (Unix Heritage Society) Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1999 09:33:57 +1100 (EST) Reply-To: wkt at cs.adfa.oz.au Sender: owner-pups at minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au Just got this email from a friend... ----- Forwarded message from David Blackman ----- Just had a quick look at [Warren's Unix family tree diagram] You list Research V8 as successor to V7, which is true i guess, but i've seen several sources say most of the kernel was derived from a BSD version, probably 4.1. ----- End of forwarded message from David Blackman ----- Can anybody confirm or deny this? I suppose I should ask Dennis. Ta, Warren There was a big infusion of 4.1BSD into the research group system between V7 and V8. Dennis could give you more details. ~Kirk Received: (from major at localhost) by minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au (8.9.1/8.9.1) id FAA14605 for pups-liszt; Thu, 7 Jan 1999 05:14:10 +1100 (EST) Received: from mpl.ucsd.edu (chiton.ucsd.edu [192.135.238.128]) by minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au (8.9.1/8.9.1) with ESMTP id FAA14600 for ; Thu, 7 Jan 1999 05:14:01 +1100 (EST) Received: (from cdl at localhost) by mpl.ucsd.edu (8.8.8+Sun/8.8.8) id KAA24704; Wed, 6 Jan 1999 10:07:15 -0800 (PST) Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1999 10:07:15 -0800 (PST) From: Carl Lowenstein Message-Id: <199901061807.KAA24704 at mpl.ucsd.edu> To: bqt at Update.UU.SE, rdkeys at seedlab1.cropsci.ncsu.edu Subject: Re: OK I got this here VAXen thingie.... what is it? Cc: bsdbob at seedlab1.cropsci.ncsu.edu, pups at minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au Sender: owner-pups at minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au Precedence: bulk > Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1999 21:07:11 +0100 (MET) > From: Johnny Billquist > On Tue, 5 Jan 1999, User Rdkeys Robert D. Keys wrote: > > > OK, Dummy here stuck his foot in his choppers an' won the bid on that > > VAXen for the grand total of eleven buckeroos de realme. What can I > > run with it? It was just too much fun to pass up, and it drew too many > > chuckles from the PC crowd in the surplus warehouse....(:+}}.... > > I assume you have 10Base2, so get an AUI-cable to extend the connection > from the DELQA to outside the box, get a 10Base2-transciever, and you're > set. For other types of carriers, get the proper transciever! :-) For short runs of AUI cable (a couple of feet) you can cheat by using crimp-on IDC connectors and flat ribbon cable. Frequently that is more available than real AUI cables. carl carl lowenstein marine physical lab u.c. san diego clowenstein at ucsd.edu Received: (from major at localhost) by minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au (8.9.1/8.9.1) id GAA14757 for pups-liszt; Thu, 7 Jan 1999 06:27:50 +1100 (EST) Received: from eclipse.scl.cwru.edu (eclipse.SCL.CWRU.Edu [129.22.32.56]) by minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au (8.9.1/8.9.1) with ESMTP id GAA14752 for ; Thu, 7 Jan 1999 06:27:41 +1100 (EST) Received: (from smap at localhost) by eclipse.scl.cwru.edu (8.8.8/adam2.2) id OAA27257; Wed, 6 Jan 1999 14:27:35 -0500 (EST) Received: from (k2.scl.cwru.edu [129.22.32.50]) by eclipse via smap (V2.0) id xma027255; Wed, 6 Jan 99 14:27:32 -0500 Received: by k2.cwru.edu (8.6.12/SMI-SVR4) id OAA02019; Wed, 6 Jan 1999 14:31:32 -0500 Received: from (skybridge.scl.cwru.edu [129.22.32.1]) by k2.scl.cwru.edu via smap (V2.0) id xma002015; Wed, 6 Jan 99 19:31:28 GMT Received: by skybridge.scl.cwru.edu (SMI-8.6/SMI-SVR4) id OAA03424; Wed, 6 Jan 1999 14:41:03 -0500 Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1999 14:41:03 -0500 From: mxs46@k2.scl.cwru.edu (Michael Sokolov) Message-Id: <199901061941.OAA03424 at skybridge.scl.cwru.edu> To: pups at minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au Subject: Re: OK I got this here VAXen thingie.... what is it? Cc: rdkeys at seedlab1.cropsci.ncsu.edu Sender: owner-pups at minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au Precedence: bulk "User Rdkeys Robert D. Keys" wrote: > Machine: VAXstation 3500, no consoles or external boxes, only the tower. Will run my latest OS release, 4.3BSD-Quasijarus0, like a charm. > Tape Drive: TK70 Great! 4.3BSD-Quasijarus0 bootstraps from TK70s beaufifully. > Hard Drive: RA70 Also great! You are incredibly lucky here that 4.3BSD-* already knows about RA70 and thus you can install 4.3BSD-Quasijarus0 on this disk directly even when it's unlabeled. If you had third-party MSCP disks, you would have to install Ultrix first to label the disk. This is due to 4.3BSD-Quasijarus0's inability to install on unknown unlabeled disks. This limitation will be lifted in the next Quasijarus release, which I'm already working on. > 1 KA650 -BA A very nice CPU, rated at 2.8 VUPs. 4.3BSD-Quasijarus0 fully supports it (better than CSRG's Tahoe and Reno releases). KA650 support is present in the GENERIC kernel, so it will Just Boot (tm). The "-BA" part means that it has bit 1 set in the second longword of the EPROM, causing DEC proprietary OSes to treat it as a "single-user" machine. Research OSes like 4.3BSD-* ignore this bit. But if you do want to convert your machine to "multiuser" status, clear bit 1, set bit 0, and recalculate the checksum (you'll need an EPROM blaster). This will turn your CPU into a KA650-AA. You also have the option of upgrading this CPU to a KA655 (3.8 VUPs) or KA660 (5 VUPs). KA655 is also fully supported by 4.3BSD-Quasijarus0, and KA660 support is coming soon (100% guarrantee that I'll get it before NetBSD does). > 2 MS650 -AA > 3 MS650 -AA -AA is a 8 MB board, so you have a total of 16 MB of RAM. Note, though, that -AAs are old boards, and they work only with KA650 and KA640. If you decide to upgrade to KA655 or KA660, you'll need either DEC MS650-Bx or third-party MS650-compatible memory. These work with all KA650 series CPUs. > 4 DELQA -SA Ethernet. Fully supported by Berkeley UNIX since 4.3BSD. > 5 VCB02 > 6 VCB02 > 7 VCB02 QDSS video. 4.3BSD-Quasijarus0 should support this (untested), but since you don't have a VAXstation monitor or keyboard anyway, pull these three boards out and move everything else to the right (you can't leave empty Q-bus slots in the middle). > 8 CXY08 8-line asynchronous multiplexer (8-port serial interface). Not sure if 4.3BSD-* has a driver for it (I haven't touched this area and left it as it was in CSRG's Tahoe release). It has some drivers for DEC asynchronous multiplexers, but DEC made a lot of different ones, and I don't know where does CXY08 stand with respect to everything else DEC has produced. Ultrix supports it for sure, though. > 9 TQK70 Controller for TK70. > 10 KDA50 > 11 KDA50 Controller for RA70 (or any other SDI disks you may want to connect). > Any suggestions are appreciated. Hmm, it looks like you have already been brainwashed by one NutBSDist. Please don't listen to him. Running NetBSD is conduct unbecoming a PUPS/TUHS member. NetBSD is the worst OS a VAX can run. Its code is a total mess, and its "developers" are incompetent morons (I know, I've been on their list for 6 months or so). They have no clue as to how to write VAX OSes, and their list of supported hardware is as skinny as their brains. NetBSD is extremely flaky, and it's extremely bloated. My authoritative advice to you is to run 4.3BSD-Quasijarus0, my latest release made two weeks ago (I'm the maintainer of 4.3BSD-*). It comes with 100% complete source code, and, picture this, the entire system with all binaries _and full sources_ fits in 75 MB! It's absolutely True and Pure UNIX, nothing can be better. There is also Ultrix. No matter how much those losers insult it, it's one of the best OSes in the Universe, second only to 4.3BSD-Quasijarus. Despite what some incompetent morons may say, it is not a "4.2/4.3 mix", it's 100% 4.3. True, it has been interDIGITated by DEC, which makes it a little impure and bloated (and binary-only), but otherwise it's OK. It is bigger than a binary-only 4.3BSD-Quasijarus0 installation, but certainly much smaller than NutBSD. As for the DEC additions, just ignore them! Just because Ultrix optionally supports Sun YP, Hesiod, and other crap doesn't mean that you have to use it! In fact, it's already disabled by default! Just don't enable it, that's all! When /etc/svc.conf selects "local,bind" for hosts and "local" for everything else, Ultrix becomes indistinguishable from 4.3BSD! I can bet that if I show you two VAXen, one running 4.3BSD and the other running Ultrix, you won't be able to tell easily which is which. Also some Ultrix-specific features are really nice. Take NFS, for example. I will certainly add NFS to 4.3BSD-Quasijarus at some point. Also don't forget that Ultrix runs on almost every VAX ever made. I often run Ultrix instead of 4.3BSD-* when the latter doesn't run on the hardware in question. In fact, this is what Ultrix is best for: a fallback OS to replace 4.3BSD-* when it doesn't support the hardware. Of course 4.3BSD-Quasijarus is the best OS in the Universe, and you should always run it whenever possible, but when you can't Ultrix is a very good fallback because it's so close. But since you have a KA650, you don't have to worry about this, as 4.3BSD-Quasijarus0 will run on it like a charm. Best of luck with it. 4.3BSD-Quasijarus0 is in the PUPS archive in the Distributions/4bsd/43quasi0.vax directory. Sincerely, Michael Sokolov Cellular phone: 216-217-2579 ARPA Internet SMTP mail: mxs46 at k2.scl.cwru.edu Received: (from major at localhost) by minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au (8.9.1/8.9.1) id GAA14819 for pups-liszt; Thu, 7 Jan 1999 06:35:05 +1100 (EST) Received: from eclipse.scl.cwru.edu (eclipse.SCL.CWRU.Edu [129.22.32.56]) by minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au (8.9.1/8.9.1) with ESMTP id GAA14799 for ; Thu, 7 Jan 1999 06:34:54 +1100 (EST) Received: (from smap at localhost) by eclipse.scl.cwru.edu (8.8.8/adam2.2) id OAA27257; Wed, 6 Jan 1999 14:27:35 -0500 (EST) Received: from (k2.scl.cwru.edu [129.22.32.50]) by eclipse via smap (V2.0) id xma027255; Wed, 6 Jan 99 14:27:32 -0500 Received: by k2.cwru.edu (8.6.12/SMI-SVR4) id OAA02019; Wed, 6 Jan 1999 14:31:32 -0500 Received: from (skybridge.scl.cwru.edu [129.22.32.1]) by k2.scl.cwru.edu via smap (V2.0) id xma002015; Wed, 6 Jan 99 19:31:28 GMT Received: by skybridge.scl.cwru.edu (SMI-8.6/SMI-SVR4) id OAA03424; Wed, 6 Jan 1999 14:41:03 -0500 Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1999 14:41:03 -0500 From: mxs46@k2.scl.cwru.edu (Michael Sokolov) Message-Id: <199901061941.OAA03424 at skybridge.scl.cwru.edu> To: pups at minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au Subject: Re: OK I got this here VAXen thingie.... what is it? Cc: rdkeys at seedlab1.cropsci.ncsu.edu Sender: owner-pups at minnie.cs.adfa.edu.au Precedence: bulk "User Rdkeys Robert D. Keys" wrote: > Machine: VAXstation 3500, no consoles or external boxes, only the tower. Will run my latest OS release, 4.3BSD-Quasijarus0, like a charm. > Tape Drive: TK70 Great! 4.3BSD-Quasijarus0 bootstraps from TK70s beaufifully. > Hard Drive: RA70 Also great! You are incredibly lucky here that 4.3BSD-* already knows about RA70 and thus you can install 4.3BSD-Quasijarus0 on this disk directly even when it's unlabeled. If you had third-party MSCP disks, you would have to install Ultrix first to label the disk. This is due to 4.3BSD-Quasijarus0's inability to install on unknown unlabeled disks. This limitation will be lifted in the next Quasijarus release, which I'm already working on. > 1 KA650 -BA A very nice CPU, rated at 2.8 VUPs. 4.3BSD-Quasijarus0 fully supports it (better than CSRG's Tahoe and Reno releases). KA650 support is present in the GENERIC kernel, so it will Just Boot (tm). The "-BA" part means that it has bit 1 set in the second longword of the EPROM, causing DEC proprietary OSes to treat it as a "single-user" machine. Research OSes like 4.3BSD-* ignore this bit. But if you do want to convert your machine to "multiuser" status, clear bit 1, set bit 0, and recalculate the checksum (you'll need an EPROM blaster). This will turn your CPU into a KA650-AA. You also have the option of upgrading this CPU to a KA655 (3.8 VUPs) or KA660 (5 VUPs). KA655 is also fully supported by 4.3BSD-Quasijarus0, and KA660 support is coming soon (100% guarrantee that I'll get it before NetBSD does). > 2 MS650 -AA > 3 MS650 -AA -AA is a 8 MB board, so you have a total of 16 MB of RAM. Note, though, that -AAs are old boards, and they work only with KA650 and KA640. If you decide to upgrade to KA655 or KA660, you'll need either DEC MS650-Bx or third-party MS650-compatible memory. These work with all KA650 series CPUs. > 4 DELQA -SA Ethernet. Fully supported by Berkeley UNIX since 4.3BSD. > 5 VCB02 > 6 VCB02 > 7 VCB02 QDSS video. 4.3BSD-Quasijarus0 should support this (untested), but since you don't have a VAXstation monitor or keyboard anyway, pull these three boards out and move everything else to the right (you can't leave empty Q-bus slots in the middle). > 8 CXY08 8-line asynchronous multiplexer (8-port serial interface). Not sure if 4.3BSD-* has a driver for it (I haven't touched this area and left it as it was in CSRG's Tahoe release). It has some drivers for DEC asynchronous multiplexers, but DEC made a lot of different ones, and I don't know where does CXY08 stand with respect to everything else DEC has produced. Ultrix supports it for sure, though. > 9 TQK70 Controller for TK70. > 10 KDA50 > 11 KDA50 Controller for RA70 (or any other SDI disks you may want to connect). > Any suggestions are appreciated. Hmm, it looks like you have already been brainwashed by one NutBSDist. Please don't listen to him. Running NetBSD is conduct unbecoming a PUPS/TUHS member. NetBSD is the worst OS a VAX can run. Its code is a total mess, and its "developers" are incompetent morons (I know, I've been on their list for 6 months or so). They have no clue as to how to write VAX OSes, and their list of supported hardware is as skinny as their brains. NetBSD is extremely flaky, and it's extremely bloated. My authoritative advice to you is to run 4.3BSD-Quasijarus0, my latest release made two weeks ago (I'm the maintainer of 4.3BSD-*). It comes with 100% complete source code, and, picture this, the entire system with all binaries _and full sources_ fits in 75 MB! It's absolutely True and Pure UNIX, nothing can be better. There is also Ultrix. No matter how much those losers insult it, it's one of the best OSes in the Universe, second only to 4.3BSD-Quasijarus. Despite what some incompetent morons may say, it is not a "4.2/4.3 mix", it's 100% 4.3. True, it has been interDIGITated by DEC, which makes it a little impure and bloated (and binary-only), but otherwise it's OK. It is bigger than a binary-only 4.3BSD-Quasijarus0 installation, but certainly much smaller than NutBSD. As for the DEC additions, just ignore them! Just because Ultrix optionally supports Sun YP, Hesiod, and other crap doesn't mean that you have to use it! In fact, it's already disabled by default! Just don't enable it, that's all! When /etc/svc.conf selects "local,bind" for hosts and "local" for everything else, Ultrix becomes indistinguishable from 4.3BSD! I can bet that if I show you two VAXen, one running 4.3BSD and the other running Ultrix, you won't be able to tell easily which is which. Also some Ultrix-specific features are really nice. Take NFS, for example. I will certainly add NFS to 4.3BSD-Quasijarus at some point. Also don't forget that Ultrix runs on almost every VAX ever made. I often run Ultrix instead of 4.3BSD-* when the latter doesn't run on the hardware in question. In fact, this is what Ultrix is best for: a fallback OS to replace 4.3BSD-* when it doesn't support the hardware. Of course 4.3BSD-Quasijarus is the best OS in the Universe, and you should always run it whenever possible, but when you can't Ultrix is a very good fallback because it's so close. But since you have a KA650, you don't have to worry about this, as 4.3BSD-Quasijarus0 will run on it like a charm. Best of luck with it. 4.3BSD-Quasijarus0 is in the PUPS archive in the Distributions/4bsd/43quasi0.vax directory. Sincerely, Michael Sokolov Cellular phone: 216-217-2579 ARPA Internet SMTP mail: mxs46 at k2.scl.cwru.edu