Vaxstation 3100 - I have console access

[Richard Loken]

On Sat, 20 Feb 2016, Bryan Everly wrote:

> Also I found a SCSI only controller on eBay for $30 that did have the
> eprom in it so I picked it up. I will try it and see if I can at least
> see the SCSI bus and drive. If that works then what do you think my
> odds are of being able to move the eprom over to the SCSI/MFM board
> and getting my floppy working?

I vote against moving the eprom to your controller, I expect they are not
the same.  If you can get the SCSI controller working then pretend you
don't have a floppy drive, it would be more useful to install a CDrom
drive, I have seen VAX/VMS distros on cds and on TK50 tapes but never had
call to want a floppy drive.

I think the 3100 will be very particular about the model of CD drive that
you attach.

So I looked in mine and sent you a couple pictures of the SCSI controller
which does not have a floppy controller on it.  I have a couple manuals
for the VS3100 but I cannot find them at the moments.  Since I had the
box open, I removed the NiCd battery pack which is not leaking but just
might do that some day.

I am interested in knowing what is gained by having an floppy drive since
most VAXstations do not seem to have one.  I have worked mostly with large
VAXen: the VAX 8600, 8650, 8820, 4000 model 300, and 4000 model 505A
as well as two little VAXstations: the 2000 and the 3100 and none of
them had a floppy drive.

-- 
   Richard Loken VE6BSV, Systems Programmer - VMS   : "...underneath those
   Athabasca University				   : tuques we wear, our
   Athabasca, Alberta Canada			   : heads are naked!"
   ** rlloken at telus.net **                         :    - Arthur Black