MicroVax II

[Douglas Taylor]

On 7/29/2016 10:55 PM, Glen Slick wrote:
> On Fri, Jul 29, 2016 at 6:08 PM, Douglas Taylor <dj.taylor4 at comcast.net> wrote:
>> I just got a MicroVax II in the BA123 world box chassis.  I has a TK50,
>> RX50, RXDQ2, but no DEQNA.  I'd like to get it running an OS.
>>
>> The DU disks don't work, but I have a couple of Qbus SCSI controllers that
>> might come in handy.
>>
>> What OS's can I use with this hardware?  NetBSD?  Are versions of VMS
>> available?  How do you get an OS onto this system?
> What Qbus SCSI controllers do you have? The CMD CQD-200 CQD-220, Dilog
> SQ706A, Emulex UC07 I have tried were all able to boot from an
> appropriate SCSI CD-ROM drive. That how I usually go about installing
> OpenVMS 7.3 on a Qbus VAX. I never got around to picking up a SCSI-SD
> adapter yet. I just use old fashioned rotating drives, although they
> are 68-pin drives with 50-pin adapters.
>
> I have a BA123 that I maxed out as a something close to a VAXstation
> III/GPX. Replaced the M7606 KA630 with a M7625 KA655. There are only 4
> Q22/CD slots so normally you can only have 48MB using 3 M7622 MS650
> 16MB boards plus the CPU. I found a couple of third-party 32MB boards
> to max out at 64MB. Added a (2x) M7168 + M7169 VCB02 set for the GPX
> graphics.
>
> The BA123 is an interesting item for DEC collectors and I'm glad I was
> able to pick one up, although it's been a while now since I last
> powered it up.

I agree, I remember using a MicroVax II in the BA123 box back in the mid 
1980's and wanted to have one and now I do.

The only thing I forgot was just how heavy the damn thing is!

I just looked and here is what I have:

VMS V5.5-2 BIN Oct 92 Disk 1 of 1 CDROM

Viking SCSI controller - I think this is disk only and used it in the 
past. Viking A/B A4.0 on rom.

Alphatronix SCSI controller - this is rebadged Viking not sure how it is 
set up, disk/tape or disk.

Emulex UC07 - this is has S-box handles and have used it in a VAX 4000.

DEC KZQSA - this is also S-box also

CMD - CQD 223A/TM in S-box configuration

DEC - RRD42 external SCSI CDROM drive

I've only used the Viking boards to control a single drive in the past ( 
I think, its been a long time ).

I am reluctant to remove the S-box handles as they seem to be riveted to 
the board.

The CD is DEC and I'm not sure of how much is on it, is it just an OS?  
Can it be used with the MVII?

It looks like I could use one of the Viking controllers to talk to the 
RRD42 and a SCSI to SD card drive and get up and running. How many 
things could go wrong?

Doug