Burnable, patched Microvax-2000 SCSI-boot EPROM images?

[Peter Coghlan]

Jonathan Stone <kiwi_jonathan at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> I recently rescued two Microvax-2000s but both have dead RD53s.  Does
> anyone have a ROMable image of the Microvax 2000/Vaxstation 2000 boot-PROM
> patches from Wolfgang Moeller at http://ftp.gwdg.de/pub/vms/pk2k/ ?  Â
> I'm looking to install NetBSD, not VMS and I don't have any VMS systems
> on which to run PATCH.   Microvax 2000 specs say it can sustain 3.3MB/s
> I/O, which has to be via the SCSI interface.  So a SCSI emulator should
> be significantly higher performance than an MFM drive (either 30+ year
> old drive, or emulator).
>
> Web-searching shows a Sean O'Banion has burned the PROMs successfully; I
> haven't yet found other names.
> If someone is willing to burn at least one set of EPROMs for me, I'd pay
> for the service (either ship EPROMS, or pay for them).
> 
> Â
>

I can probably burn a set of EPROMS.  You don't say where you are but if
"kiwi" in your email address is a hint, you are probably on nearly the
exact opposite side of the planet from where I am (Ireland).

If you want me to have a try, please send me eight 27256s, four for your
microvax and four for mine.  That will help cover the cost of the return
postage for your four.

If you want to try other options, maybe you could put some minimal boot
code on a MOP server and have your MV2000 boot from that over the network
before it tries to access your SCSI disk?  Or put some code on a floppy disk
and boot from that?  If you have a suitable adapter cable, you can plug a
5.25in HD floppy drive into your MV2000 provided it can be jumpered suitably
to look line an RX33.  My experience with random PC drives says some can
and some can't.  A 3.5in drive can also be used but the ROMs are expecting
an RX33 so an RX33 disk image should be written to the 3.5in floppy.

Regards,
Peter Coghlan.