MicroVax II

[Jerry Weiss]

On Jul 29, 2016, at 8:30 PM, Zane Healy <healyzh at aracnet.com> wrote:
> 
> 
>> On 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.
>> 
>> Can you use those SD to SCSI convertors in this type of configuration?  Anyone have experience with this?
>> 
>> What OS's can I use with this hardware?  NetBSD?  Are versions of VMS available?  How do you get an OS onto this system?
> 
> The all around best choice would be VAX/VMS v5.5-2.  You can get Hobbyist licenses.  The OS was available as part of the Hobbyist program.  If you add a SCSI adapter, you can hopefully attach a CD.  IIRC, it will run up to either v7.2 or 7.3, at least I know I had v7.2 on a MicroVAX III (well, technically I still do, if it will boot).
> 
> Ultrix would also be available.
> 
> What I did though was I gave it a brain transplant, and converted mine to a PDP-11 once I got a better VAX.
> 
> I need to invest in a couple of those SD adapters myself.  I’d really like to put one on one of my AlphaStation 200 4/233’s.  Hopefully they’ll still work.  It’s been years since I’ve done anything with my DEC HW. :-(
> 

I have booted both V7.3 and V5.5-2  off a 4GB SD with SCSI2SD V4.6 on a MicroVax II with 16 Mb.     Note that DEQNA will not work (at all) on either version.  You’ll need a DELQA.

You should be able to build a system with an emulator and then copy the binary to an SD card. i’ve taken images both ways without problems.   Alternately if you get a DELQA, you can netboot off of another Vaxen and build an bootable disk that way.

Jerry