28 Jun
2002
28 Jun
'02
1:07 a.m.
I seem to remember someone saying that the DECservers are basically a
Q-Bus PDP-11 system. Is this correct, or am I thinking of something else?
Also, does anyone know what they're based off of and if it's possible to
make them boot a 'conventional' os by changing their bootroms?
Thanks
-- Pat
28 Jun
28 Jun
6:17 a.m.
I seem to remember someone saying that the DECservers
are basically a
Q-Bus PDP-11 system. Is this correct, or am I thinking of something else?
Also, does anyone know what they're based off of and if it's possible to
make them boot a 'conventional' os by changing their bootroms?
The DECserver 500 and 550 are PDP-11 systems. The others
are not.
--
Eric Dittman
dittman(a)dittman.net
Check out the DEC Enthusiasts Club at http://www.dittman.net/
2:50 a.m.
On Fri, 28 Jun 2002, Eric Dittman wrote:
OK, What are the 100 and 700 based off of, and can they be hacked to do
other useful things (ie run a different OS given the appropriate boot
roms)? Specifically, what kind of CPU / other hardware is in the box?
-- Pat
I seem to
remember someone saying that the DECservers are basically a
Q-Bus PDP-11 system. Is this correct, or am I thinking of something else?
Also, does anyone know what they're based off of and if it's possible to
make them boot a 'conventional' os by changing their bootroms?
The DECserver 500 and 550 are PDP-11 systems. The others
are not.
7:46 a.m.
The DECserver
500 and 550 are PDP-11 systems. The others
are not.
OK, What are the 100 and 700 based off of, and can they be hacked to do
other useful things (ie run a different OS given the appropriate boot
roms)? Specifically, what kind of CPU / other hardware is in the box? 
9:03 a.m.
OK, What are the 100 and 700 based off of, and can
they be hacked to do
other useful things (ie run a different OS given the appropriate boot
roms)? Specifically, what kind of CPU / other hardware is in the box?
-- Pat
IIRC, the 100 _must_ be netbooted, and the 700 might have to be (I believe
it came in two flavors, one of which doesn't need to be netbooted). I've
never heard of anyone useing these for anything other than their original
purpose.
I'm not sure, but I think you can use the 700 as a console server once
you've gotten it to load its software.
Zane
11:46 a.m.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Zane H. Healy" <healyzh(a)aracnet.com>
To: <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
Sent: Friday, June 28, 2002 05:03 PM
Subject: Re: Question about DECservers
The 100 sports an MC68000 CPU, mops it's firmware, and has line drivers that
may (haven't verified myself) provide modem control as well. I looked
inside my 100 for a few minutes. Someone said they might have the tech
reference for it, but I never heard back if it was found or not and I
haven't persued it.
OK, What are
the 100 and 700 based off of, and can they be hacked to do
other useful things (ie run a different OS given the appropriate boot
roms)? Specifically, what kind of CPU / other hardware is in the box?
-- Pat
IIRC, the 100 _must_ be netbooted, and the 700 might have to be (I believe
it came in two flavors, one of which doesn't need to be netbooted). I've
never heard of anyone useing these for anything other than their original
purpose.
I'm not sure, but I think you can use the 700 as a console server once
you've gotten it to load its software.
The 100 is LAT-only. Not a problem if you plug it in to a VAXherd, but it
might be a limiting factor if you want to use it in a non-VMS application.
Zane
Bob
30 Jun
30 Jun
6:22 p.m.
On Fri, Jun 28, 2002 at 07:46:13PM -0400, Robert Schaefer wrote:
The 100 is LAT-only. Not a problem if you plug it in to a VAXherd, but it
might be a limiting factor if you want to use it in a non-VMS application.
I've been trying to get time to test this:
http://theory.lcs.mit.edu/~fredette/latd/
with a DECServer 200MC but I haven't had the time (yet). Looks like fun
though.
Trick(y) question: What was the first non-DEC lat/decnet terminal
server ? (I've got one with 32 out of possible 128 ports :)
--
jht
10:50 p.m.
Trick(y) question: What was the first non-DEC lat/decnet terminal
server ? (I've got one with 32 out of possible 128 ports :)
Oh, am I full of it today. I just started thinking about it and now I'm
not so sure that Datability is actually the correct answer. Could be
Emulex or someone else. Anyone know for sure ?
Anyway, I've got one Vista VCP-1000 and it's pretty nice. telnet/lat and
other nifty stuff. Goes in nicely with the rest of my "forgotten
manufacturers" networking equipment (synoptics, DEC etc.) :-)
--
jht
28 Jun
28 Jun
7:01 a.m.
--- Patrick Finnegan <pat(a)purdueriots.com> wrote:
I seem to remember someone saying that the DECservers
are basically a
Q-Bus PDP-11 system. Is this correct, or am I thinking of something
else?
As Eric Dittman already pointed out, you are correct in the case of
the DECserver 500 and 550. There is a (labelled) KDJ11 board on a
Qbus. I have one (the CPU board, not the DECserver).
Also, does anyone know what they're based off of
and if it's possible to
make them boot a 'conventional' os by changing their bootroms?
My board was so modified (by someone else). I have not had a chance to
play with it yet - it has a BA213-style DEC handle and I have no
compatible enclosures. My choices are to use a Qbus extender (for
testing, obviously) or to drill off the handle and replace it with
an older one or to get a newer enclosure. I think I will eventually
get a BA213 chassis (seeing as how one went for $20 at Dayton with the
KA655 board, memory, disk controller and two DELQAs still installed!)
but temporarily, I might remove the handle. One minor problem with
that is what to do with the diagnostic LED and console MMJ - in a BA-213,
it fits nicely on the bracket (unlike a console I/O panel for, say,
a MicroVAX I or II in a BA23) I was thinking of making an extender cable
for a BA23, but hadn't gotten around to punching holes in a metal plate
to mount it.
AFAIK, there will be no perceptible difference between a KDJ11 board
from a DECserver 5xx and a _real_ MicroPDP-11/53 cpu
board - they both
have some locally mounted RAM, same boot ROMs, etc. Your
operating
system will probably not see any difference - it's the same card once
you have the same firmware in it.
-ethan
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11:27 a.m.
depends upon the model.. which model are you referring to?
Patrick Finnegan wrote:
I seem to remember someone saying that the DECservers
are basically a
Q-Bus PDP-11 system. Is this correct, or am I thinking of something else?
Also, does anyone know what they're based off of and if it's possible to
make them boot a 'conventional' os by changing their bootroms?
Thanks
-- Pat
7971
days inactive
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9 comments
7 participants
participants (7)
-
davebarnes＠adelphia.net -
dittman＠dittman.net -
erd_6502＠yahoo.com -
healyzh＠aracnet.com -
jarkko.teppo＠er-grp.com -
pat＠purdueriots.com -
rschaefe＠gcfn.org