[cctalk] Re: MicroVAX 3100 ( was: Re: Re: VAX and OpenVMS)

I gotcha. I don't know if I have seen a SCSI DVD drive. I guess I have never looked for one. That's a good idea though. When I run low on CD-Rs I'll have to look for one. Thanks, - Peter

On Sun, Dec 7, 2025 at 8:30 PM Wayne S &lt;Wayne.Sudol(a)hotmail.com&gt; wrote: > I was just suggesting thst you might be atto replace the cd drive with a > dvd drive. Maybe there is a driver available for vms. > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Dec 7, 2025, at 17:19, Peter Ekstrom &lt;epekstrom(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote: > >  > I have a stack of CD-R disks so I'll burn an ISO image I have onto one of > those and give that a try. A CDROM drive can't read a DVD so it has to be a > CD-R. > > - Peter > > On Sun, Dec 7, 2025 at 5:27 PM Wayne S &lt;Wayne.Sudol(a)hotmail.com&gt; wrote: > >> Also: what kind of cd is your cdrom going to use? I have an Alphastation >> 200 and the cdrom only takes the old 640 mb cd’s which are difficult to >> find. >> Maybe a dvd drive could work? >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >>> On Dec 7, 2025, at 14:25, Wayne S &lt;wayne.sudol(a)hotmail.com&gt; wrote: >>> >>> Anything interesting software on the system? >>> >>> Sent from my iPhone >>> >>>> On Dec 7, 2025, at 14:20, Peter Ekstrom via cctalk < >> cctalk(a)classiccmp.org&gt; wrote: >>>> Yeah, both ideas are good ideas. I am considering replacing the rz25, >> or >>>> adding a ZuluSCSI, that way I could assign one of the devices for >> backups. >>>> For now, I am just trying to preserve what's on the disk now. I want >> to do >>>> a fresh install once the CDROM arrives. It is an interesting exercise >> to me. >>>> Right now that RZ25 is running nicely without much noise so no rush I >> don't >>>> think, but still. >>>> >>>> - Peter >>>> >>>>> On Sun, Dec 7, 2025 at 5:00 PM Hans-Ulrich Hölscher via cctalk < >>>>> cctalk(a)classiccmp.org&gt; wrote: >>>>> >>>>> ... and the resulting backup will be much more reliable than the one >>>>> written by an old tape drive (which model, by the way?) on a possibly >> old >>>>> tape, if that ever succeeds. >>>>> I made especially frustration experiences using the once famous TK50 >>>>> drives, and even (a little) more recent DAT drives tend to fail very >> often >>>>> nowadays. >>>>> One disadvantage, however, is the necessary struggle with licensing, >>>>> although that can be managed with a little help. >>>>> Another option is a backup over network WITHOUT using an operating >> system >>>>> running on the system to be saved. Unfortunately it has up to now been >>>>> tested on MicroVAX I and MicroVAX II systems using a DEQNA or DELQA >> network >>>>> adapter only. It uses a simh VAX to send a special machine language >> program >>>>> to the backup target computer, on that the program in turn uses MSCP >>>>> commands to send a bit-wise disk copy back to the simh VAX. It is >> new, it >>>>> is unconventional, but it has been successfully tested on several >> MicroVAX >>>>> I and MicroVAX II computers. I think it is time to get out one of my >>>>> VAXstation 3100s (won't make any difference) and test it there. But >> you >>>>> will need to be patient – other projects have priority for the time >> being. >>>>> To be honest - I expect the program will need adaptation to the newer >>>>> hardware, especially the network adapter - MSCP hasn't changed I >> think. >>>>> Am So., 7. Dez. 2025 um 22:27 Uhr schrieb Antonio Carlini via cctalk < >>>>> cctalk(a)classiccmp.org&gt;gt;: >>>>> >>>>>>> On 07/12/2025 20:27, Peter Ekstrom via cctalk wrote: >>>>>>>> I managed to reset the system password so now I can login as well. >> It >>>>>>> runs >>>>>>>> pretty well. >>>>>>>> I tried to make a tape backup of what's on the disk but it seems >> all my >>>>>>>> tapes dirty-up >>>>>>>> the head of the tape drive. Anyone know of a way to clean an actual >>>>> tape? >>>>>>> Pull all the >>>>>>> tape out and wipe it with a dry cloth? >>>>>> One option would be to create a SIMH VMS host, configure it to be in >> a >>>>>> cluster, configure your real HW uV3100 to be a satellite node >> (booting >>>>>> off a root on the SIMH host system disk), boot the uV3100 into the >>>>>> cluster, mount the uV3100 disk and back it up with BACKUP. >>>>>> >>>>>> That might be easier and quicker than cleaning a tape. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Antonio >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> Antonio Carlini >>>>>> antonio(a)acarlini.com >>>>>> >>>>>>