Help verify contents of MVII - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

15 Nov 1998

-----Original Message-----
From: Christian Fandt &lt;cfandt(a)netsync.net&gt;
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
&lt;classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu&gt;
Date: Monday, 16 November 1998 7:52
Subject: Help verify contents of MVII

...
 Briefly, I have a Microvax II that I got in that big
haul of DEC gear this
past July. 
Sorry, must have been before I was in the list, what did you get? :^)

...
 FWIW: the hard disk is an RD53, there's no FD.

As I understand it, the FDD/TK50 was an either/or thing.

...
 I also got a raggy looking VT220 I still need to check
out which I
understand is needed for MVII's. 
Not necessarily a 220.  A VT100 would do, or even a pc running a terminal
emulation.
The trick is more to do with the pinout of the console port on the MVII
which is not what
you probably  expect.

...
 The Ethernet modules were already missing from the two
big VAXen and maybe
from one of the PDPs that I got in that haul so there could have been
Ethernet cards in a couple of these MVII slots which could account for part
of the empties. 
I could have a spare VAXBI Ethernet adaptor if you get stuck.  What model
Vaxen?

...
 Would like to wire Ethernet into this house to
interconnect
machines, but first things first (such as *finishing* work on the house and
getting machines to just  _run_!) 
Good starting point.

...
 Other than the obvious, such as checking PSU, etc.
before lighting it up,
are there any other words of wisdom or MVII info sources anyone could
direct me to? I have basically no documentation except for most of a set of
VMS 5.4 manuals - 
Microvax FAQ is the best spot, there is a section there on the MVII and it's
console connections.
URl is http://anacin.nsc.vcu.edu/~jim/mvax/mvax_faq_text.html
There is also a lot of useful stuff in the VMS FAQ, I don't have the url
handy here, I'll
post it from work later today.  I strongly recommend reading both docs,
there is some
duplication, but I found things in the VMS faq (like the pinout of the MVII
console port) that
are not in the MVII FAQ.

...
 and I of course do not yet know what OS this machine
runs
(but likely VMS of some version I suspect.) 
Almost certainly.  5.4 or 5.5 most likely.  The docs are not a lot different
for the versions.
I have a vms 5.5 manual set that I use for a vms 6 system.
...

There's a few online URLs I have scrounged that have some MVII info bits
but as I said, none talk specifically about this bus thing. (So maybe it's
a non-issue but I don't know . . .) 
There is some archived email/ng correspondence in the MVII FAQ that
discusses such
things, ie moving cards around, removing cards etc.
That may be of help.

Cheers

Geoff
Computer Room Internet Cafe
Port Pirie
South Australia.
netcafe(a)pirie.mtx.net.au