MicroVax II

[Jerry Weiss]

On Jul 30, 2016, at 10:26 AM, Douglas Taylor <dj.taylor4 at comcast.net> wrote:
> 
> On 7/29/2016 10:30 PM, Jerry Weiss wrote:
>> 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
> 
> That is awfully good news for me.  How did you format the SD card?  What kind of drive was it emulating?
> 
> I don't have 16 Mb, but 5 Mb.  I understand the DEQNA was not supported in VMS 5, should've kept the one I had.
> 

I use a UC07 controller and it presents the SD/SCS2SD as a MSCP drive. It doesn’t matter what type of drive I label the drive using 
the Emulex built it utilities  (RA81, RA92..). VMS sees all the space the SCSI2SD adapter presents.   The SD is
is a block level device and can be written directly to.  No further (lower level) formatting is necessary.

	<!-- ********************************************************
	Drive geometry settings.
	********************************************************* -->

	<scsiSectors>7603200</scsiSectors>
	<bytesPerSector>512</bytesPerSector>
	<sectorsPerTrack>63</sectorsPerTrack>

	<headsPerCylinder>255</headsPerCylinder>

	<!-- ********************************************************
	Drive identification information. The SCSI2SD doesn't
	care what these are set to. Use these strings to trick a OS
	thinking a specific hard drive model is attached.
	********************************************************* -->

	<!-- 8 character vendor string -->
	<!-- For Apple HD SC Setup/Drive Setup, use ' SEAGATE' -->
	<vendor>DEC     </vendor>

	<!-- 16 character produce identifier -->
	<!-- For Apple HD SC Setup/Drive Setup, use '          ST225N' -->
	<prodId>RA92            </prodId>

	<!-- 4 character product revision number -->
	<!-- For Apple HD SC Setup/Drive Setup, use '1.0 ' -->
	<revision>4.30</revision>

	<!-- 16 character serial number -->
	<serial>VAX50001        </serial> 

Start off by getting the Hobbyist License.   When you sign up you get access to a VMS 7.3 distribution Iso.
Then you need to sort out your install method.  Either burn the ISO and  try to boot it or go
the emulation route.  

Jerry