MicroVAX 3100-30 - won't boot...
AdeV
Any assistance appreciated...
Firing up the MV3100-30, it runs through its POST with only an ethernet
error reported, follows:
K45-A V1.4-38D-V4.2
[mac address]
24MB
[long progress block]
?? 001 9 NI 0172
>>>
According to the book, that error is caused by not having a loop-back
adpater on the Ethernet port (or, indeed, any kind of device on the
port).
Typing "sh er" returns the following diagnostic info:
>>> sh er
? 001 1 NVR 0025
?? 001 9 NI 00AC
001 0000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000
>>>
Somewhat confusingly, NVR code 0025 doesn't exist in the manual (in
either decimal or hex) - but as a soft error that shouldn't be a
problem. The NI error appears to be the loopback issue (d0172 = hAC)
"sh dev" reveals "DKA0" to be the hard disk, which reports:
?43 FILESTRUCT
Assuming that means it's unformatted or corrupted, I then boot from the
CD, DKA500.
This appears to work, getting as far as the messages:
-DKA500
%SYSBOOT-I-SYSBOOT Mapping the SYSDUMP.DMP on the System Disk
%SYSBOOT-W-SYSBOOT Can not map SYSDUMP.DMP on the System Disk
%SYSBOOT-W-SYSBOOT Can not map PAGEFILE.SYS on the System Disk
OpenVMS (TM) VAX Version X7G7 Major version id = 1 Minor version id = 0
however, it stalls there, and I have to power cycle the machine to
regain control. The CD can be heard doing stuff for a while, but
eventually it seems to stop accessing it - hard to tell, as the
"activity" light seems to be more of an "on" light...
Any ideas what's happening? Am I asking too much of this system, trying
to install OpenVMS7.3?
The media is a freshly-burned CDR (the original CDR wouldn't play at
all). It is possible that the drive is dirty inside, could that cause
this issue?
BTW, the simh version is working just fine now, thanks for the various
assists with that one :)
--
Cheers!
Ade.
AdeV
>
> This appears to work, getting as far as the messages:
>
> -DKA500
> %SYSBOOT-I-SYSBOOT Mapping the SYSDUMP.DMP on the System Disk
> %SYSBOOT-W-SYSBOOT Can not map SYSDUMP.DMP on the System Disk
> %SYSBOOT-W-SYSBOOT Can not map PAGEFILE.SYS on the System Disk
> OpenVMS (TM) VAX Version X7G7 Major version id = 1 Minor version id = 0
>
> however, it stalls there, and I have to power cycle the machine to
> regain control. The CD can be heard doing stuff for a while, but
> eventually it seems to stop accessing it
Hmm, of course, it COULD be trying to format the HDD... how long should
I leave it before I give up? It's a 1.08GB drive, and so far I've left
it at the OpenVMS message for maybe 1/2hr.
--
Cheers!
Ade.
H Vlems
A microVAX 3100-30 is not fast but it won't take half an hour to
format a disk. Which, incidentally, it doesn't. The installation
procedure initializes the disk, which puts a label on the disk and the
filesystem. A microVAX 3100-30 is quite selective, it won't just boot
off any cdrom drive. Is it a DEC drive or something else?
In case it is third party hardware make sure it is set for 512 B block
transfers.
The 43 FILESTRUCT error means that the disk is not bootable.
If you have a working version of simh and connect the 3100-30 to the
network, can you try booting it as a cluster satellite?
Hans Vlems
PS
you dont happen to be in the Netherlands, do you?
Steven Schweda
> Hmm, of course, it COULD be trying to format the HDD...
Not likely. That's not something it would do on its own.
> how long should
> I leave it before I give up? It's a 1.08GB drive, and so far I've left
> it at the OpenVMS message for maybe 1/2hr.
Not long. Not that long. Where is your console terminal
connected? On some newer (Alpha) systems, if you choose the
wrong serial port, then you may get some messages, but
eventually the system starts talking to only the right port,
so a terminal on the wrong port looks dead. (I've never tried
using the wrong port on an old VAX.)
With an NVR complaint, I'd guess that the battery is dead,
so the TOY clock is mis-set, so VMS will ask the user for the
date and time during start-up. If it's asking on some other
serial port, then you may have a very long wait before it
continues.
Otherwise, there is some boot-time debugging which can be
turned on. Should be in the FAQ.
FrankS
> On some newer (Alpha) systems, if you choose the
> wrong serial port, then you may get some messages, but
> eventually the system starts talking to only the right port,
> so a terminal on the wrong port looks dead. (I've never tried
> using the wrong port on an old VAX.)
>
If he was on the wrong port then he wouldn't get the POST display
(which he references in the original message).
I'm more inclined to believe either an incompatible CD-ROM drive, or a
bad burn of the CD image. Many times in the past I've seen copies of
CD-ROMs not work in certain drives. Something about not properly
closing the image.
Better to use original media.
AdeV
> A microVAX 3100-30 is not fast but it won't take half an hour to
> format a disk. Which, incidentally, it doesn't. The installation
> procedure initializes the disk, which puts a label on the disk and the
> filesystem.
Hm, damn. It was a theory, at least
> A microVAX 3100-30 is quite selective, it won't just boot
> off any cdrom drive.
The CD is the drive which came with the machine; not that that's
necessarily any indication of it's suitability, mind. It is kind of
floating around in there, not held down by anything other than its
cables (and some sellotape now...)
> Is it a DEC drive or something else?
> In case it is third party hardware make sure it is set for 512 B block
> transfers.
It's a Sony CDU76S drive. I can't see anywhere to set the block size; so
either it does it by default, or not at all.
I have a Plextor PX-12csi here which does have a BLOCK jumper setting;
I've just installed that to see if it'll do the job, but now I need to
go find a CD caddy... (it's never easy...)
> If you have a working version of simh and connect the 3100-30 to the
> network, can you try booting it as a cluster satellite?
Unfortunately, I don't have the means to connect either the thin or
thicknet ethernet to the rest of my network, until I buy some more bits
(specifically, a transciever) - and, even then, I wouldn't know how to
do it!
> Hans Vlems
>
> PS
> you dont happen to be in the Netherlands, do you?
No, I'm in the UK. I've visited NL often, however, having installed a
phone reporting system for Achmea (Apeldoorn) a few years back. So I've
had to go back a few times for upgrades, and so on.
--
Cheers!
Ade.
AdeV
> AdeV wrote:
>
> > Hmm, of course, it COULD be trying to format the HDD...
>
> Not likely. That's not something it would do on its own.
>
> > how long should
> > I leave it before I give up? It's a 1.08GB drive, and so far I've left
> > it at the OpenVMS message for maybe 1/2hr.
>
> Not long. Not that long. Where is your console terminal
> connected? On some newer (Alpha) systems, if you choose the
> wrong serial port, then you may get some messages, but
> eventually the system starts talking to only the right port,
> so a terminal on the wrong port looks dead. (I've never tried
> using the wrong port on an old VAX.)
I've got 2 terminals plugged in, in ports 0 & 2. Depending on where the
dip switch is set, either of those ports are the active one. I need to
try the printer port too, but that needs a NUL modem cable I think, and
mine are all straight through. Although I'm sure I've got a null modem
adapter here somewhere....
> With an NVR complaint, I'd guess that the battery is dead,
Me too, the system's been unplugged & stored in a box for at least 5
years, maybe longer, it'd be amazing if the battery lasted that long.
> so the TOY clock is mis-set, so VMS will ask the user for the
> date and time during start-up. If it's asking on some other
> serial port, then you may have a very long wait before it
> continues.
True, although the next message I was expecting to see is:
%WBM-I-WBMINFO Write Bitmap has successfully completed initialization.
and that should appear before the time/date prompt?
>
> Otherwise, there is some boot-time debugging which can be
> turned on. Should be in the FAQ.
>
I'll look, ta.
--
Cheers!
Ade.
Michael Kraemer
<sp...@solutionengineers.com> writes:
> H Vlems may or may not have intoned:
>
> > A microVAX 3100-30 is not fast but it won't take half an hour to
> > format a disk. Which, incidentally, it doesn't. The installation
> > procedure initializes the disk, which puts a label on the disk and the
> > filesystem.
>
> Hm, damn. It was a theory, at least
>
> > A microVAX 3100-30 is quite selective, it won't just boot
> > off any cdrom drive.
>
> The CD is the drive which came with the machine; not that that's
> necessarily any indication of it's suitability, mind. It is kind of
> floating around in there, not held down by anything other than its
> cables (and some sellotape now...)
>
>
>
> > Is it a DEC drive or something else?
> > In case it is third party hardware make sure it is set for 512 B block
> > transfers.
>
> It's a Sony CDU76S drive. I can't see anywhere to set the block size; so
> either it does it by default, or not at all.
>
> I have a Plextor PX-12csi here which does have a BLOCK jumper setting;
> I've just installed that to see if it'll do the job, but now I need to
> go find a CD caddy... (it's never easy...)
>
It's not just that 512 byte story,
VAXen are extremely picky as far as boot CD-ROMs are concerned.
I never had success beyond original RRDxx and possibly
Toshiba XM-4101B. Even the often cited panacea "Plextor"
sometimes fails.
A list of tested machine/CD combos can be found at
Steven Schweda
> I've got 2 terminals plugged in, in ports 0 & 2. Depending on where the
> dip switch is set, either of those ports are the active one. I need to
> try the printer port too, but that needs a NUL modem cable I think, and
> mine are all straight through. Although I'm sure I've got a null modem
> adapter here somewhere....
About a real MicroVAX 3100, I know nothing, but on a
VAXstation/VAXserver 3100, it's the printer port you want.
Everything's complicated.
Wilm Boerhout
[snipped]
> Otherwise, there is some boot-time debugging which can be
> turned on. Should be in the FAQ.
B /R5:20000 [DKAxxx] should get you some, /R5:30000 some more
/Wilm
Paul Sture
<ab2d2df3-a785-43f2...@a32g2000yqm.googlegroups.com>,
FrankS <sapi...@noesys.com> wrote:
In that case, may we ask the OP what software was used to burn the CD?
--
Paul Sture
AdeV
You may....
The "original" disk (which is a CDR copy) - unknown. I used this disk to
make an NRG image file using Nero 6, which I converted into an ISO using
nrg2iso. This ISO was then used to (successfully) install SimH.
The NRG image I burned back to a Verbatim CDR, using a Dell CD writer,
again with Nero 6 - at its slowest supported burn speed of 4x.
I also downloaded a copy of VMS7.3 from a well known torrent website,
this was in "img" format. I've successfully used that to install a simh
instance as well, but I am unable to burn that to a real disk, as all
the utilities I've tried simply complain about it.
FWIW, both the original CDR and my newly burnt copy are able to boot as
far as the VMS message - the new CD somewhat more reliably than the
original one.
--
Cheers!
Ade.
AEF
In fact, there is:
14.3.3.2 Which serial port is the console on the MicroVAX 3100?
Just to keep life interesting, the MicroVAX 3100
has
some "interesting" console ports behaviours based
on the setting of the BREAK enable switch. When the
console is not enabled to respond to BREAK, MMJ-1
is the console port. MMJ-3 will (confusingly)
output
the results of the selftest in parallel with MMJ-1.
When the console is enabled to respond to BREAK,
MMJ-3
Yep, yet more fun!
BTW, I know that on my MicroVAX 3180's the setting is set at power-up
(or perhaps boot, I think power-up); changing when it's up and running
definitely has no effect.
Also, on my MicroVAX 3190 and 3195s, the console port is MMJ-3,
period.
AEF
Steven Schweda
> The "original" disk (which is a CDR copy) - unknown. I used this disk to
> make an NRG image file using Nero 6, which I converted into an ISO using
> nrg2iso. This ISO was then used to (successfully) install SimH.
>
> The NRG image I burned back to a Verbatim CDR, using a Dell CD writer,
> again with Nero 6 - at its slowest supported burn speed of 4x.
Well, that sounds like enough to wreck the data several
times over.
> I also downloaded a copy of VMS7.3 from a well known torrent website,
> this was in "img" format. I've successfully used that to install a simh
> instance as well, but I am unable to burn that to a real disk, as all
> the utilities I've tried simply complain about it.
Perhaps because it holds an ODS2 file system, not a simple
ISO-9660 file system.
> FWIW, both the original CDR and my newly burnt copy are able to boot as
> far as the VMS message - the new CD somewhat more reliably than the
> original one.
I've made good CD-ROM copies using cdrecord. I haven't
tried using Windows software.
AdeV
Thanks for the advice, Wilm.
Both of those changed the output message, so instead of displaying the
VMS banner, I got:
[same sysboot messages as last time, about the paging file, then]
%SYSBOOT-E-Unable to locate file PDDRIVER.EXE
83 BOOT SYS
The uVax then tried to boot from the network, until I told it not to.
Seems to me the CDR is not being read properly?
--
Cheers!
Ade.
H Vlems
I can mail you a verified copy, no problem. I spent enough money
already on stamps for Christmas cards....
Alternatively, I can set up an Alpha for inbound ftp and you can
download your own image. But I strongly suspect that this is the
master version of the VMS073.IMG file you've found on the internet!
I'm more interested in the Plextor drive, did you manage to locate the
caddy?
Michael Kraemer is right though, VMS doesný play well with third party
cd drives. A VAXstation 3100 M78 uses a Pioneer DR-U12X and an
Alphaserver 1200
has a Toshiba XM-5701TA. All the others use DEC RRD4x drives.
Good luck
Hans
Wilm Boerhout
Hmm, I did not expect the boot switches to alter the boot sequence, just
to deliver progress reports about loading drivers etc. so you can see
where it goes wrong.
Then again, if reading the CD-ROM is the problem, displaying output
might alter the timing of reads, and so alter the actual failure point.
Seems to me that letting it boot over Ethernet is your best bet (after
setting up your Simh VAX as a cluster boot server)
/Wilm
Mike Rechtman
to boot from a non-original CD, even from a CDR written as a direct copy using
CDRECORD on an alpha machine.
--
Mike R.
Home: http://alpha.mike-r.com/
QOTD: http://alpha.mike-r.com/php/qotd.php
No Micro$oft products were used in the URLs above, or in preparing this message.
Recommended reading: http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html#before
AdeV
> AdeV wrote:
>
> > The "original" disk (which is a CDR copy) - unknown. I used this disk to
> > make an NRG image file using Nero 6, which I converted into an ISO using
> > nrg2iso. This ISO was then used to (successfully) install SimH.
> >
> > The NRG image I burned back to a Verbatim CDR, using a Dell CD writer,
> > again with Nero 6 - at its slowest supported burn speed of 4x.
>
> Well, that sounds like enough to wreck the data several
> times over.
In theory, it shouldn't touch the data; it's a raw image, so just a
series of 1s & 0s. This is borne out by the fact that simh will use any
of the images (although, I admit, I've not tried the CD "in the flesh")
quite happily.
> > I also downloaded a copy of VMS7.3 from a well known torrent website,
> > this was in "img" format. I've successfully used that to install a simh
> > instance as well, but I am unable to burn that to a real disk, as all
> > the utilities I've tried simply complain about it.
>
> Perhaps because it holds an ODS2 file system, not a simple
> ISO-9660 file system.
I wasn't aware of the specific FS type, but I had twigged it wasn't a
"normal" one.
--
Cheers!
Ade.
AdeV
> AdeV mentioned on 31-12-2009 17:01:
> > Wilm Boerhout may or may not have intoned:
> >
> >
> > Thanks for the advice, Wilm.
> >
> > Both of those changed the output message, so instead of displaying the
> > VMS banner, I got:
> > [same sysboot messages as last time, about the paging file, then]
> > %SYSBOOT-E-Unable to locate file PDDRIVER.EXE
> > 83 BOOT SYS
> >
> > The uVax then tried to boot from the network, until I told it not to.
> >
> > Seems to me the CDR is not being read properly?
>
> Hmm, I did not expect the boot switches to alter the boot sequence, just
> to deliver progress reports about loading drivers etc. so you can see
> where it goes wrong.
It seems to be rather early in the process.... I can only assume that,
if allowed to boot normally, it's loading something corrupt causing a
system crash (hence needing to power off/on); wheras setting the flags
make it take a different path, which it is completely unable to do...
Maybe. It's all a bit of a guess, TBH.
> Seems to me that letting it boot over Ethernet is your best bet (after
> setting up your Simh VAX as a cluster boot server)
I think you're right. I've no idea how to do that, is it covered (in
%VAX-ADMIN-NEWBIE terms...) anywhere? But anyway, I need at least an AUI
transciever to plug the '3100 into my lan, so that will be next week at
the earliest now.
--
Cheers!
Ade.
AdeV
> On Dec 31, 5:01 pm, AdeV <s...@solutionengineers.com> wrote:
> > Wilm Boerhout may or may not have intoned:
> >
> > > Steven Schweda mentioned on 31-12-2009 14:38:
> >
> > > [snipped]
> >
> > > > Otherwise, there is some boot-time debugging which can be
> > > > turned on. Should be in the FAQ.
> >
> > > B /R5:20000 [DKAxxx] should get you some, /R5:30000 some more
> >
> > Thanks for the advice, Wilm.
> >
> > Both of those changed the output message, so instead of displaying the
> > VMS banner, I got:
> > [same sysboot messages as last time, about the paging file, then]
> > %SYSBOOT-E-Unable to locate file PDDRIVER.EXE
> > 83 BOOT SYS
> >
> > The uVax then tried to boot from the network, until I told it not to.
> >
> > Seems to me the CDR is not being read properly?
> >
> > --
> > Cheers!
> > Ade.
>
> I can mail you a verified copy, no problem. I spent enough money
> already on stamps for Christmas cards....
Thanks - but I think I've got too many potential failure points at the
moment... drive itself, media, or maybe even the machine...
> I'm more interested in the Plextor drive, did you manage to locate the
> caddy?
Unfortunately, the only caddy I have is for a DVD drive, and it won't
fit in the plextor :( So another dead end. It seems that caddy CD drives
simply don't exist these days (not surprising, really) - even eBay drew
a blank. Shame, because I've got another 6 of these Plextors to try
out... (they came in a special 7-drive tower unit - but with no caddies)
> Michael Kraemer is right though, VMS doesný play well with third party
> cd drives. A VAXstation 3100 M78 uses a Pioneer DR-U12X and an
> Alphaserver 1200
> has a Toshiba XM-5701TA. All the others use DEC RRD4x drives.
I think the network boot is the favourite option now, as that will take
the CD out of the equation entirely - but I won't have the hardware to
do that until next week at the earliest.
--
Cheers!
Ade.
Wilm Boerhout
[log in as system, and then:)
$ @cluster_config
Cluster Configuration Procedure
Executing on a VAX System
DECnet Phase IV is installed on this node.
This procedure has detected that the LANACP
LAN server process is running on this node.
NOTE:
LANACP is the most efficient way to provide down line load
service to satellites and it is strongly recommended that
LANACP be used instead of DECnet.
Answer YES to the following question if you want
to use LANACP for down line loading satellites.
Do you want LANACP instead of DECnet for cluster boot serving? [YES]
[answer YES here preferably]
[...]
Take the lead from the questions in the DCL script.
There is also a clustering manual, but following the script, then
rebooting your Simh VAX, and then booting the "satellite" 3100 into the
cluster should work. You can then then transfer kits or images to the
3100 disk, best chance is to restore the VMS073.B saveset to a disk on
the 3100, and then booting from that disk, completing the install on the
3100.
/Wilm
Wilm Boerhout
Oops, the correct sequence would be:
1. Use CLSUTER_CONIFG to set up the Simh VAX as a cluster
2. Reboot Simh VAX
3. Use CLUSTEr_CONFIG to ADD the 3100 as a satellite to the cluster
4. boot the 3100 over Ethernet into the cluster
5. Restore saveset B
/Wilm
JF Mezei
> AdeV may or may not have intoned:
>>
>> This appears to work, getting as far as the messages:
>>
>> -DKA500
>> %SYSBOOT-I-SYSBOOT Mapping the SYSDUMP.DMP on the System Disk
>> %SYSBOOT-W-SYSBOOT Can not map SYSDUMP.DMP on the System Disk
>> %SYSBOOT-W-SYSBOOT Can not map PAGEFILE.SYS on the System Disk
>> OpenVMS (TM) VAX Version X7G7 Major version id = 1 Minor version id = 0
>>
>> however, it stalls there,
I had this happen with a SCSI-1 disk in a Vaxstation 3100-30 (not the
same as Microvax 3100-30). At that stage, I would unplug the power from
the drive for a second or two and puyg it back in and it unfroze the
system. VMS was sending a SCSI-2 command and waiting for the drive to
respond or something. The unplugging probabbly cancelled that io and let
VMS move on and there was no problem after that.
glen herrmannsfeldt
(snip on CD boot VAX)
> It's not just that 512 byte story,
> VAXen are extremely picky as far as boot CD-ROMs are concerned.
> I never had success beyond original RRDxx and possibly
> Toshiba XM-4101B. Even the often cited panacea "Plextor"
> sometimes fails.
Last time I did it, even with a 512B CD drive it didn't work.
I copied the CD to a SCSI disk with dd running NetBSD (I believe
on the VAX) and then booted that. If you have a few 1GB SCSI
disks around that is probably the best way. It might boot
faster than of CD, too.
-- glen
Bob Koehler
> Assuming that means it's unformatted or corrupted, I then boot from the
> CD, DKA500.
>
> This appears to work, getting as far as the messages:
>
> -DKA500
> %SYSBOOT-I-SYSBOOT Mapping the SYSDUMP.DMP on the System Disk
> %SYSBOOT-W-SYSBOOT Can not map SYSDUMP.DMP on the System Disk
> %SYSBOOT-W-SYSBOOT Can not map PAGEFILE.SYS on the System Disk
> OpenVMS (TM) VAX Version X7G7 Major version id = 1 Minor version id = 0
>
> however, it stalls there, and I have to power cycle the machine to
> regain control. The CD can be heard doing stuff for a while, but
> eventually it seems to stop accessing it - hard to tell, as the
> "activity" light seems to be more of an "on" light...
At this point the boot may seem to stall for a while. Try getting
a cup of coffee. Oh, actually, on this system try getting lunch.
Bob Koehler
>
> Hmm, of course, it COULD be trying to format the HDD... how long should
> I leave it before I give up? It's a 1.08GB drive, and so far I've left
> it at the OpenVMS message for maybe 1/2hr.
Absolutely, positively, not.
cc
CY
minisys, you know like if one forgot sys pass... just guessing, just
passed midnight here 09/10 so.... bye
AdeV
>
> I had this happen with a SCSI-1 disk in a Vaxstation 3100-30 (not the
> same as Microvax 3100-30). At that stage, I would unplug the power from
> the drive for a second or two and puyg it back in and it unfroze the
> system. VMS was sending a SCSI-2 command and waiting for the drive to
> respond or something. The unplugging probabbly cancelled that io and let
> VMS move on and there was no problem after that.
It was an intriguing idea, which unfortunately didn't work :(
Worth a try, though, thanks for the suggestion.
--
Cheers!
Ade.
Kari Uusimäki
> cd drives. A VAXstation 3100 M78 uses a Pioneer DR-U12X and an
> Alphaserver 1200
> has a Toshiba XM-5701TA. All the others use DEC RRD4x drives.
> Good luck
>
>
> Hans
Btw. many of the DEC RRD* drives are made by Toshiba. But if the CD
drive wouldn't work correctly the boot wouldn't go as far as it appears
to have now. I also do suspect the CD medium rather than the drive. If
Hans sends you a tested CD try using that first.
The old RRD drives weren't built to support CD-R media and they are
known not to accept CD-R media. The CD-R drives instead are built to be
fast rather than accurate. The latest RRD drives (like the RRD46) do
accept CD-R media better. If you find one on Ebay, go for it. They
should be affordable.
Good luck with your VMS hobby!
Kari
Simon Clubley
>
> Btw. many of the DEC RRD* drives are made by Toshiba. But if the CD
> drive wouldn't work correctly the boot wouldn't go as far as it appears
> to have now. I also do suspect the CD medium rather than the drive. If
> Hans sends you a tested CD try using that first.
>
I have not seen anyone point out yet that VAX/VMS uses the VMB drivers
for the first part of the boot and only switches to the VMS drivers
after VMS has started booting.
It's been my personal experience in the (distant) past that the VMB
drivers are much more tolerant of hardware compatibility issues than
the VMS drivers are.
In other words, if there's a compatibility issue, it's entirely possible
that VMS will appear to hang after the first part of the boot. However,
my own experience with incompatible drives (IIRC) was that the drive would
go offline as far as VMS was concerned and VMS would report this
offline status.
Simon.
--
Simon Clubley, clubley@remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP
Microsoft: Bringing you 1980's technology to a 21st century world
Michael Kraemer
> Btw. many of the DEC RRD* drives are made by Toshiba.
and Toshiba's are sometimes recognized as RRD*.
> But if the CD
> drive wouldn't work correctly the boot wouldn't go as far as it appears
> to have now. I also do suspect the CD medium rather than the drive. If
> Hans sends you a tested CD try using that first.
>
> The old RRD drives weren't built to support CD-R media and they are
> known not to accept CD-R media.
Seems to depend.
I have seen DECstations boot from CD-R in a RRD40,
whereas VAXstations reported lots of errors with the same drive.
> The CD-R drives instead are built to be
> fast rather than accurate. The latest RRD drives (like the RRD46) do
> accept CD-R media better. If you find one on Ebay, go for it. They
> should be affordable.
I haven't seen one in the past two or three years.
And I guess they won't be cheap.
Bob Eager
>> The old RRD drives weren't built to support CD-R media and they are
>> known not to accept CD-R media.
>
> Seems to depend.
> I have seen DECstations boot from CD-R in a RRD40, whereas VAXstations
> reported lots of errors with the same drive.
>
>> The CD-R drives instead are built to be fast rather than accurate. The
>> latest RRD drives (like the RRD46) do accept CD-R media better. If you
>> find one on Ebay, go for it. They should be affordable.
>
> I haven't seen one in the past two or three years. And I guess they
> won't be cheap.
I have an RRD-40, but I also have an original IBM PS/2 'CDROM I' drive.
That uses the later Sony caddies, and has worked on a MicroVAX II and a
couple of different VAXStations. Probably because it's actually a Toshiba
drive.
--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK:
http://www.mirrorservice.org
H Vlems
> > cd drives. A VAXstation 3100 M78 uses a Pioneer DR-U12X and an
> > Alphaserver 1200
> > has a Toshiba XM-5701TA. All the others use DEC RRD4x drives.
> > Good luck
>
> > Hans
>
> Btw. many of the DEC RRD* drives are made by Toshiba. But if the CD
> drive wouldn't work correctly the boot wouldn't go as far as it appears
> to have now. I also do suspect the CD medium rather than the drive. If
> Hans sends you a tested CD try using that first.
>
> The old RRD drives weren't built to support CD-R media and they are
> known not to accept CD-R media. The CD-R drives instead are built to be
> fast rather than accurate. The latest RRD drives (like the RRD46) do
> accept CD-R media better. If you find one on Ebay, go for it. They
> should be affordable.
>
> Good luck with your VMS hobby!
>
>
> - Show quoted text -
Ade, if you'd like a copy (tested) of the VAX/VMS V7.3 cd then send
an email to hvlems#at#zonnet#dot#nl with your postal address.
All I ask ik return is a postcard of your home town.
Hans
AdeV
Thanks to everyone who tried to help me out with this one. With your
input, and a bit of bodgery, I now have a working MicroVAX!
In the end, I basically set it up as follows:
1) Install onto simh, add decnet & vmscluster. Suffer licence problems,
as per other posts...
2) Use vmscluster to boot MicroVAX, similar license problems...
3) Add 2nd hard drive. Install VMS onto 2nd HDD using network booted
version
4) Boot to 2nd HDD. Proceed as for new VMS install. It works!!!
So, many thanks one & all... I now have a REAL VAX running REAL VMS!
Mucho happy bunny :) Time to start scouring eBay for that 8800 :)
--
Cheers!
Ade.