27 Jul
1999
27 Jul
'99
11:19 p.m.
Well, I got the console cable, monitor, and monitor cable tonite. I didn't
get the keyboard (thankfully) as he'd not found one.
Dug up a couple LK201's in storage, came home found a powercable (actually
unplugged a Sparc 2 to get the power), and turned it on. Booted nice and
smooth. Looks to be running some munged version of POS 3.2 with the VAX
Console software on top of it.
Now I've got a couple software related questions.
First is there a way to get out of the VAX Console software into something
resembleing POS? It doesn't look like it.
Second. How do I get it to boot off of a floppy? Opps, never mind. I
just booted off of my RT-11 floppy. The problem seems to be with the copy
I made a year or so ago to use, now I'm using the original and it boots
fine. COOL! Hmm, this might explain why I couldn't get the /73 to boot
off of that floppy.
OK, that brings up a third question. Can a Quantum 540 hard drive turned
into a RD52 on a VAXstation 2000 be used in a DEC Pro380? Or do you need
to do some kind of funky formating on the Pro itself. I'm thinking of
setting up a Hard Drive with POS, and one with RT-11 when I can find the
time.
Zane
| Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator |
| healyzh(a)aracnet.com (primary) | Linux 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/ |
28 Jul
28 Jul
1:58 a.m.
----- Original Message -----
From: Zane H. Healy <healyzh(a)aracnet.com>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, 28 July 1999 1:49
Subject: More on DEC Pro 380
I think there is a startup file that can be changed to stop the console
software running.
I've got a manual somewhere here that explains the install procedure.
OK, that brings up a third question. Can a Quantum
540 hard drive turned
into a RD52 on a VAXstation 2000 be used in a DEC Pro380? Or do you need
to do some kind of funky formating on the Pro itself.
I have an identical vaxconsole/Pro380 that came with my Vax 8530.
It had a dud hard drive and I (eventually) managed to sub a common or garden
Seagate(?) (I think - will check) MFM drive. IIRC, I had to LLF it in a PC
before POS would format it.
Aside from that, it was no big problem.
I did try 2 or 3 "status unknown" MFM drives before I found one that would
work.
I'm thinking of
setting up a Hard Drive with POS, and one with RT-11 when I can find the
time.
Sounds like fun. Might have to try that myself in my copious free
time......;^)
Cheers
Geoff Roberts
Computer Systems Manager
Saint Mark's College
Port Pirie, South Australia.
Email: geoffrob(a)stmarks.pp.catholic.edu.au
netcafe(a)pirie.mtx.net.au
ICQ #: 1970476
Work Phone: 61-8-8633-8834 (1100-1800 Mon-Thurs)
2:08 a.m.
On Wed, 28 Jul 1999, Geoff Roberts wrote:
I have an identical vaxconsole/Pro380 that came with my
Vax 8530.
It had a dud hard drive and I (eventually) managed to sub a common or garden
Seagate(?) (I think - will check) MFM drive. IIRC, I had to LLF it in a PC
before POS would format it.
Aside from that, it was no big problem.
I did try 2 or 3 "status unknown" MFM drives before I found one that would
work.
The RD31 was a Seagate ST225, and the RD32 was an ST251...The ST251 did
something like 40ms avg. access, and the ST251-1 was 28ms...The best upgrade I
ever did in one of my pdp11/73s running RSTS/E was replace the ST251 with an
ST251-1. :-)
Anyway do the MFM controllers in PROs have the same hard-coded drive model
restrictions as their Qbus big brothers, like the RQDXn family?
Also, on the subject of RT11...Does anyone know if Mentec has any sort of
"hobbyist" class license for the PDP11 OSs, or if not, does anyone know what
their actual prices are like?
-Dave McGuire
7:32 a.m.
The RD31 was a Seagate ST225, and the RD32 was an ST251...The ST251 did
something like 40ms avg. access, and the ST251-1 was 28ms...The best upgrade I
ever did in one of my pdp11/73s running RSTS/E was replace the ST251 with an
ST251-1. :-)
Quantum D540 is the RD52, 31mb and faster than either of the seagates.
Also the 251 has a lousy track record for reliability (heat and skimpy spindle
bearings).
Anyway do the MFM controllers in PROs have the same
hard-coded drive model
restrictions as their Qbus big brothers, like the RQDXn family?
yes and no. they are limited to drives they were used with up to I think
the rd32. No, it's not a MSCP controller like RQDX.
Also, on the subject of RT11...Does anyone know if
Mentec has any sort of
"hobbyist" class license for the PDP11 OSs, or if not, does anyone know what
their actual prices are like?
No on the hobby license yet. No idea on prices.
Allison
2:09 p.m.
On Wed, 28 Jul 1999, allisonp(a)world.std.com wrote:
The Q540 was spec'd at, I believe, 35ms...but the ST251-1 (not 251) was 28ms.
I do agree about the heat and spindle bearing issues, though, 100%. I have
*never* seen a '540 fail. And they made much cooler sounds. :-)
Hmm. I think I'll ask them about the prices. By the "yet", are you
suggesting that someone is working on it? :-)
-Dave McGuire
The RD31 was
a Seagate ST225, and the RD32 was an ST251...The ST251 did
something like 40ms avg. access, and the ST251-1 was 28ms...The best upgrade I
ever did in one of my pdp11/73s running RSTS/E was replace the ST251 with an
ST251-1. :-)
Quantum D540 is the RD52, 31mb and faster than either of the seagates.
Also the 251 has a lousy track record for reliability (heat and skimpy spindle
bearings). Also, on the
subject of RT11...Does anyone know if Mentec has any sort of
"hobbyist" class license for the PDP11 OSs, or if not, does anyone know what
their actual prices are like?
No on the hobby license yet. No idea on prices. 
11:06 a.m.
A couple of notes:
1) Which MFM drives you can use with your Pro 380 depends on the ROMs
on the harddrive adapter card. You need to determine that and consult
the archives at sunsite for a blurb that details which drives go with
which revisions of the ROMs.
2) If you don't have a daughterboard memory expansion card (NOT a memory
expansion card on the CTI bus), you can add 512KB easily. That turns
your Pro 380 into a 1MB machine without using a slot. I have available
spare daughterboard memory cards that you can strip the 64Kbit chips
from and add 256Kbit chips to get the 512KB. Let me know if you want
one.
3) To format harddrives in general, you can use the Pro Maintenance programs
that you normally run to check out the machine (available at ftp.update.uu.se)
When you start the program, before typing anything, you must type a magic
sequence of keystrokes to get the low-level formatting routine included in
the normal menu. The magic sequence is... I forgot! I'll have to look it
up later when I get home. Or maybe someone else can beat me to it?
4) When handling the CTI bus cards, be very careful of static and spurious
charges. It's very easy to zap these boards for some reason. Maybe the
PS doesn't discharge the caps?
Dave
"Zane H. Healy" wrote:
Well, I got the console cable, monitor, and monitor cable tonite. I didn't
get the keyboard (thankfully) as he'd not found one.
Dug up a couple LK201's in storage, came home found a powercable (actually
unplugged a Sparc 2 to get the power), and turned it on. Booted nice and
smooth. Looks to be running some munged version of POS 3.2 with the VAX
Console software on top of it.
Now I've got a couple software related questions.
First is there a way to get out of the VAX Console software into something
resembleing POS? It doesn't look like it.
Second. How do I get it to boot off of a floppy? Opps, never mind. I
just booted off of my RT-11 floppy. The problem seems to be with the copy
I made a year or so ago to use, now I'm using the original and it boots
fine. COOL! Hmm, this might explain why I couldn't get the /73 to boot
off of that floppy.
OK, that brings up a third question. Can a Quantum 540 hard drive turned
into a RD52 on a VAXstation 2000 be used in a DEC Pro380? Or do you need
to do some kind of funky formating on the Pro itself. I'm thinking of
setting up a Hard Drive with POS, and one with RT-11 when I can find the
time.
Zane
| Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator |
| healyzh(a)aracnet.com (primary) | Linux 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/ |
10:07 p.m.
In case anyone cares, the magic keystroke sequence is
F12 F19 F5
on an LK201 keyboard. I assume it would be the same on
other compatible keyboards.
So, if you boot up the Pro/Installation and Maintenance
V3.2 disks (PRO179 at ftp.update.uu.se) and press that
key sequence before doing anything else, a menu item that
allows you to do a low-level harddisk format is added to
the usual menu.
If you don't have the ROMs at the correct revision level
for the model of the drive you have installed, it usually
just formats 10MB (an RD51).
Dave
"David C. Jenner" wrote:
3) To format harddrives in general, you can use the Pro Maintenance programs
that you normally run to check out the machine (available at ftp.update.uu.se)
When you start the program, before typing anything, you must type a magic
sequence of keystrokes to get the low-level formatting routine included in
the normal menu. The magic sequence is... I forgot! I'll have to look it
up later when I get home. Or maybe someone else can beat me to it?
9285
days inactive
9286
days old
6 comments
5 participants
participants (5)
-
allisonp＠world.std.com -
djenner＠halcyon.com -
geoffrob＠stmarks.pp.catholic.edu.au -
healyzh＠aracnet.com -
mcguire＠neurotica.com