Microvax II 'primer'?

On Sun, Jan 21, 2018 at 11:25 AM, Jules Richardson via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote: First thing I would do myself is remove the NiCad battery pack from the back of the console connector bulkhead panel and inspect the console panel PCB for any signs of corrosion. In my experience those old NiCad battery packs can leak and start to destroy anything near them. Note that the DB9 connector on the MicroVAX KA630 / 650 / 655 console bulkhead panel is not the same as the usual PC standard. For DEC original cables you need a BCC08, or if you're doing MMJ cables an H8571-B or an H8575-B MMJ adapter. Of course you can always build your own cable. Table 14-7 MicroVAX DB9 Pin-out http://h41379.www4.hpe.com/faq/vmsfaq_025.html#tbl_uvdb9 Table 14-8 DECconnect MMJ Connectors and Adapters http://h41379.www4.hpe.com/faq/vmsfaq_025.html#wires2 http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/vax/630/ MP02071_630QB_Mar85.pdf -- Maintenance Print Set Page 85 of the PDF, Function Selection & SLU Module (FS&SLU) for M7608 (KA630) AZ-GM3AA-MN_uVAXII_Maint_Oct85.pdf -- MicroVAX Maintenance Guide Page 23 of the PDF, page 1-15, FIGURE 1-10 Backplane Grant Continuity If this is your first time with a BA123 it is important to note that the right most slots 1 through 4 are Q22/CD slots. Don't put any dual wide cards in the lower CD half of slots 1 through 4. The CPU should always be in slot 1 and the first memory card in slot 2. If you have a second memory card it would go in slot 3. If slot 3 or slot 4 would otherwise be empty you need an M9047 grant continuity only in the top AB half of the slots. If any AB or CD half of slots 5 through 12 would otherwise be empty you need an M9047 grant continuity in each half between the CPU and the last slot that is in use. The M7606 KA630 CPU contains 1MB. Together with the M7608 4MB memory board you then have 5MB total. I've never tried running a system with that little memory. If you're actually going to do anything with the system you might look for a cheap M7609 8MB memory board to use instead for 9MB, or use both for 13MB if you have a 3-way memory bus cable. If it was me I might look for a cheap M7620 KA650 or M7625 KA655 CPU and 1 to 3 M7622 16MB memory boards. Those CPUs can use up to 64MB but you are limited to 3 memory boards in a BA123 because there are only 4 Q22/CD slots. I maxed out my own BA123 with an M7625 KA655 CPU and 2 Dataram 32MB memory boards to get to 64MB. -Glen