ISO: DEC VR100 and early X releases - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

5 Sep 2020

Hi all --

I was fortunate enough to be able to complete my VAXstation 100 setup this
week, after a years-long search for parts.  (In particular the M7452 fiber
optic interface and the fiber optic cabling itself.)

After futzing with the 4.3bsd kernel and compiling X10R4 on my VAX-11/750,
I actually have it running! (See the below for a picture)

https://1drv.ms/u/s!Aqb36sqnCIfMo_cUO4EiMWOHZVk8yg

I'm kind of amazed that it all just worked after all this time.

As you can see, I'm using an LCD for the display, and that just won't do.
The official monitor for the VS100 was the VR100; a 19" monochrome CRT with
BNC inputs on the rear for H and V sync and the video signal (ttl level
signaling).  Anyone have one of these?

I'm also looking for earlier releases of X to run on this -- the VS100 was
the development platform for X (and W ran on it at one point as well).  I
haven't been able to track down anything prior to X10R3.  Does anyone know
of an archive of these earlier releases?  While I'm at it -- anyone know
precisely what I need to use this under VMS?  I believe 4.7 was the last
VMS release that supported it, but there were additional packages that
needed to be installed to support it, and I'm not entirely sure what they
are.

Thanks as always,
Josh