17 Apr
2001
17 Apr
'01
7:59 p.m.
I have a MicroVAX II in a BA23 cabinet. I'd like
to convert this to a PDP-11. I know I'll need to
replace the CPU and memory and remove the GPX boards,
but what else do I need to replace? The disk is an
RD54 on a RQDX3 controller and the tape is a TK50
on a TQK50. I've also got a DELQA Ethernet board.
--
Eric Dittman
dittman(a)dittman.net
17 Apr
17 Apr
8:34 p.m.
I have a MicroVAX II in a BA23 cabinet. I'd like
to convert this to a PDP-11. I know I'll need to
replace the CPU and memory and remove the GPX boards,
but what else do I need to replace? The disk is an
RD54 on a RQDX3 controller and the tape is a TK50
on a TQK50. I've also got a DELQA Ethernet board.
That's all you need to replace except for the Cab Kit for the CPU board.
The RD54 is one of the best MFM disks you can have in it, however, I'd
really recommend finding a 3rd party ESDI or SCSI controller if you can.
Zane
--
| Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Administrator |
| healyzh(a)aracnet.com (primary) | OpenVMS Enthusiast |
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+----------------------------------+----------------------------+
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| http://www.aracnet.com/~healyzh/ |
18 Apr
18 Apr
3:34 a.m.
I have a
MicroVAX II in a BA23 cabinet. I'd like
to convert this to a PDP-11. I know I'll need to
replace the CPU and memory and remove the GPX boards,
but what else do I need to replace? The disk is an
RD54 on a RQDX3 controller and the tape is a TK50
on a TQK50. I've also got a DELQA Ethernet board.
That's all you need to replace except for the Cab Kit for the CPU board.
The RD54 is one of the best MFM disks you can have in it, however, I'd
really recommend finding a 3rd party ESDI or SCSI controller if you can. 
5:18 a.m.
Eric Dittman wrote:
Now for the next obvious question: Does anyone have
a spare CPU/memory/cab kit for sale?
Jerome Fine replies:
Would you be satisfied with an M8189 (KDF11-B or a quad
11/23) and 1/2 MByte of memory? I don't know where they
might be right now, but I could look if the answer is yes.
And then are you going to ask for software as well? If not, which
OS are you going to run and have you thought about documentation
and spares and backup?
By the way, if you are going to use RT-11, then V5.03 is the version
that I would strongly recommend as the least version since previous
versions are not able to access the full drive, only the first 32 MBytes.
And prior to V5.0, RT-11 could not even use an RD54. Actually,
V5.0 probably can't use an RD54 either since I doubt that it can
manage the RQDX3, but starting with V5.03, RT-11 is OK.
However, the TK50 was not supported until at least V5.04 and
possibly not until around V5.04A or V5.04C - I not sure which.
7:11 a.m.
Now for the
next obvious question: Does anyone have
a spare CPU/memory/cab kit for sale?
Jerome Fine replies:
Would you be satisfied with an M8189 (KDF11-B or a quad
11/23) and 1/2 MByte of memory? I don't know where they
might be right now, but I could look if the answer is yes. And then are you going to ask for software as well?
If not, which
OS are you going to run and have you thought about documentation
and spares and backup?
I've got the OS. As for spares, I've got a spare set of the
everything but the CPU and memory. This came about as a
"gee, I've got all this stuff from when I used to work on
a PDP-11, and now that I've got a house and computer room
I want to get a PDP-11 running off my own." The MVII was
an obvious starting point since it has a Q-bus and I don't
use it anymore since I've got a couple of faster VAX systems.
By the way, if you are going to use RT-11, then V5.03
is the version
that I would strongly recommend as the least version since previous
versions are not able to access the full drive, only the first 32 MBytes.
And prior to V5.0, RT-11 could not even use an RD54. Actually,
V5.0 probably can't use an RD54 either since I doubt that it can
manage the RQDX3, but starting with V5.03, RT-11 is OK.
However, the TK50 was not supported until at least V5.04 and
possibly not until around V5.04A or V5.04C - I not sure which.
I've used RT-11, but I've mostly used RSX-11M.
--
Eric Dittman
dittman(a)dittman.net
8:46 a.m.
However, the TK50 was not supported until at least
V5.04 and
possibly not until around V5.04A or V5.04C - I not sure which.
Plain old V5.04 supports the TK50.
Zane
--
| Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Administrator |
| healyzh(a)aracnet.com (primary) | OpenVMS Enthusiast |
| healyzh(a)holonet.net (alternate) | Classic Computer Collector |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------+
| Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, |
| and Zane's Computer Museum. |
| http://www.aracnet.com/~healyzh/ |
9:18 a.m.
By the way, if you are going to use RT-11, then V5.03
is the version
that I would strongly recommend as the least version since previous
versions are not able to access the full drive, only the first 32 MBytes.
And prior to V5.0, RT-11 could not even use an RD54. Actually, V5.0
probably can't use an RD54 either since I doubt that it can manage the
RQDX3, but starting with V5.03, RT-11 is OK.
MSCP support was first added in V5.0, so no, the RD54 won't work.
Neither will RX33s, or any of the RD series which needs an RQDX3,
since that wasn't completely supported until V5.2.
Megan Gentry
Former RT-11 Developer
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| Megan Gentry, EMT/B, PP-ASEL | Internet (work): gentry!zk3.dec.com |
| Unix Support Engineering Group | (home): mbg!world.std.com |
| Compaq Computer Corporation | addresses need '@' in place of '!' |
| 110 Spitbrook Rd. ZK03-2/T43 | URL: http://world.std.com/~mbg/ |
| Nashua, NH 03062 | "pdp-11 programmer - some assembler |
| (603) 884 1055 | required." - mbg KB1FCA |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
22 Apr
22 Apr
9:18 a.m.
You need to replace the plastic button on the front to say "MicroPDP" :-)
Depends on what you run on it of course. The RQDX is MSCP and the TK50 is
TMSCP. That means RSX-11M 4.2 or above and RT-11 5.4 or above.
I moved an 11/23 into a BA23 and it worked fine. Although now its back in
the BA11 and I've got a Q-bus extender connecting it to the BA23.
--Chuck
At 11:59 PM 4/17/01 -0500, you wrote:
I have a MicroVAX II in a BA23 cabinet. I'd like
to convert this to a PDP-11. I know I'll need to
replace the CPU and memory and remove the GPX boards,
but what else do I need to replace? The disk is an
RD54 on a RQDX3 controller and the tape is a TK50
on a TQK50. I've also got a DELQA Ethernet board.
--
Eric Dittman
dittman(a)dittman.net
8473
days inactive
8478
days old
7 comments
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