Well while snipe hunting in the lab ;-) I can across 2 dusty machines. I noted the BA213 written on both of them and quickly sat down and wrote every part listed on its back (front?). What I need to know is how do I get started with the 2 machines? Here's what they have: Model 640QS-B2 BA213 MS650/M7621 KA640/M7624 M7559 DSV11-SA/M3108 M9060-YA KSQSA/M5976-SA TQK70/M7559-00 M9060-YA Can these machines run Linux or NetBSD. Where do I get OpenVMS? And yes I'm pretty sure that we are licensed for VMS (Corp ITS is crazy about that kind of thing!). Thanks -- Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry ncherry(a)home.net http://members.home.net/ncherry (Text only) http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/lightsey/52 (Graphics) http://linuxha.sourceforge.net/ (SourceForge)

healyzh(a)aracnet.com wrote: Internally; I don't know, Externally; just the terminator. I haven't found the keyboard for the terminal yet and I haven't powered it up. I did find out that they previously worked fine. Even though the machines are in the lab they're for my personal use. If I can con-vince my new boss that I have a use for one of them they'll be added to the LHA project test lab in my garage. :-) One will stay VMS, I've never worked directly with VMS but I was very impressed with their networking! I don't know which OS to run at home. NetBSD would fit nicely with the LHA project but I want a VMS system too. Maybe I can get both systems. :-) -- Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry ncherry(a)home.net http://members.home.net/ncherry (Text only) http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/lightsey/52 (Graphics) http://linuxha.sourceforge.net/ (SourceForge)

Yes, they will run NetBSD but NetBSD doesn't support DSSI drives yet. If you have SCSI drives attached to the KZQSA then you're in luck there. The M9060A boards are the dummy load boards used to keep enough load on the BA213's switchers to insure that they "light up". The number of disks inside can be ascertained by looking for numbered plugs in the front panel. --Chuck At 08:38 PM 9/7/00 -0400, you wrote:

At 09:36 PM 9/7/00 -0700, Zane wrote: Fortunately (unfortunately? :-)) I happen to be _very_ familiar with the BA213 and this particular processor. The KA640 uses the SII chip for an onboard DSSI interface, the disks are cabled to the CPU card through the cabinet to the right and up under the TK70. Typically there are three "rails" for 5-1/4" disk drives (full height) but I've also seen some that had a "double rail" on the right side to support a couple of half height DSSI drives (RF30 etc). The ethernet is implemented on the CPU board as well and thus this particular CPU needs the CPU bulkhead that supplys the connector. The follow-on to this particular processor is the KA660 which is found in the VAX 4000/200 however peripherally it is identically equipped (can even use the same memory) albeit nearly twice as fast. The KA640 is equivalent to the MicroVAX III in performance although it does a bit better on disk throughput as the DSSI bus is really 4MB/sec vs the Q-bus which seems slower. It was not unusual for these systems to use a DSSI port for clustering. I should have one for sale at the VCF :-) [probably running VMS] Differn't strokes and all that. My take is that BSD _exists_ because of the VAX so it at least has a right to be there (caveat the joke that NetBSD is being ported _back_ to the VAX from the PC) --Chuck

Eric Smith wrote: Nope, the cab kit on the BA123 (and BA23) is incompatible with the one on the KA640 and KA660. One could kludge something together perhaps. In this case the "Sbox" handles are actually a separate cab kit that plugs into the CPU card with an IDC type connector. The cab hit holds on to the BA213 with a couple of half-twist screws. The best you can do in a BA123 "legally" is the KA655 (MicroVAX 3+) that does about 2.8VUPs. --Chuck

With the help of Doug Quebbeman and Steve Robertson and Kevin Davidson of QS Technologies, we repatriated a very nice Pr1me 9650 system with Centronics printer from Greenville, SC back to New England. We apprecaite all the assitance, and are looking forward to the day when we pull it out of its temporary storage and get it running again.

Chuck wrote: Ah! Now I understand! Thanks! OK, I though the lack of ethernet was a little odd. Zane

No, I didn't mean to say that, I meant to say KFQSA. Sigh. The sentence should read: "...if you have SCSI drives attached *or* the KFQSA then you are in luck there." --Chuck At 10:31 AM 9/8/00 -0600, you wrote:

Somebody rang a big Ol' bell for me the other day. They alluded that VAXen ship with hardware ID's, something that I had forgotten years ago (I actually wrote ID encoders for some G.E. software back in 1985) This led to some panic. If the only source of software is new or near new copies, then some VAX architectures with limited disk or memory would not be able to run it -- and without being able to re-HWID old SW copies, they could not be made to run on other configs, even exact matches. Anybody know if: All VAXes have HWIDs? Even micros? Is it possible for some Third trusted party to permit back revision VMS copies to run on different copies of HW with other CPUID's? I checked http://www.montagar.com/hobbyist/faq.html but couldn't find much of anything there. Thanks in Advance John A.

Marvin, If it's what I think it is then I have two NIB optical disks for it. They're Panasonic part number TQ-FD22 and they're made by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co in Japan. Make an offer if you're interested in the disks. FWIW these are more surplus from NASA KSC. Joe At 05:03 PM 9/7/00 -0700, you wrote:

At 10:57 PM 9/7/00 -0700, you wrote: That's what I thought. Do you happen to have (or can get a hold of) the machine used to No, I have no idea. These disks came from an auction and I didn't see any sign of the machine that used them. I'll check tomorrow and see if he is I'll look around for the machine but I wouldn't hold my breath till I found one. Joe other sold in