Questions concerning DEC 3000/300x system
John Smith
I recently purchased a DEC 3000/300x, but it's a bare bones system.
Here's the specs for it that I've been given:
175MHz 21064 CPU
No RAM
No disks
On-board slow/narrow SCSI-2
On-board 8-bit audio
Two turbo channel slots
Room for a 3.5" half-height disk
Two serial ports
On-board 10base-T/UTP
Is there anything else that's "standard" on this system when it's *just* a
motherboard with CPU, case, and power supply?
I've purchased RAM for it (2 SIMMs: 2x36 (a.k.a. 8MB) 72-pin parity fast
page for 16MB of RAM total), but I still need a hard drive and keyboard.
Where obtain those or details concerning those parts?
I've heard that finding a monitor for this system might be a huge
expense in both time and money, so I'd like to use a serial terminal to
access the system. I have *no* idea how to do that, though. Can someone
point me in the right direction?
The system comes with on-board 8-bit audio; can I use speakers that I'd
use w/ an IBM-compatible PC with that?
Can I get a floppy drive and/or CD-ROM drive for this system? I'd really
like at least a floppy drive so I don't have to deal with netbooting, and a
CD-ROM drive would be a nice feature.
What operating system should I use? I'd like to install Debian GNU/Linux
since I've heard that Red Hat Linux for Alpha isn't very reliable. Debian's
typically smaller, too, but what about BSD? I'd prefer Linux or BSD since
they're free, but if there's something else that's *highly* recommended,
I'll see what I can swing.
Is there anything else I need to think about? I've tried to think of
everything, but I've honestly never working with anything besides
IBM-compatible PCs.
Thanks,
Wes Kurdziolek
xu...@vt.edu
shsrms/aka/shsrms
it is stable on the alpha, does not require a monitor or keyboard.
check out www.netbsd.org, and hit the alpha implementations.
The linux alpha faq also has some good info.
good luck!
bob
Zane H. Healy
> I've purchased RAM for it (2 SIMMs: 2x36 (a.k.a. 8MB) 72-pin parity fast
> page for 16MB of RAM total), but I still need a hard drive and keyboard.
> Where obtain those or details concerning those parts?
You can probably get away with a simple 50-pin SCSI Hard Drive. Though I
took a stranger route and attached a StorageWorks shelf to my 3000/300LX.
> I've heard that finding a monitor for this system might be a huge
> expense in both time and money, so I'd like to use a serial terminal to
> access the system. I have *no* idea how to do that, though. Can someone
> point me in the right direction?
With my system I simply plugged a VT420 into one of the ports and as I
recall that's all it took. There might be a switch somewhere that needs
flipped.
> The system comes with on-board 8-bit audio; can I use speakers that I'd
> use w/ an IBM-compatible PC with that?
Before worrying about what speakers to use, I'd worry about if your chosen
OS supports the audio.
> Can I get a floppy drive and/or CD-ROM drive for this system? I'd really
> like at least a floppy drive so I don't have to deal with netbooting, and a
> CD-ROM drive would be a nice feature.
Floppy, dunno. CD-ROM no problem, I'd recommend a SCSI CD-ROM that supports
512-byte blocks instead of the standard 2048-byte blocks.
> What operating system should I use? I'd like to install Debian GNU/Linux
> since I've heard that Red Hat Linux for Alpha isn't very reliable. Debian's
> typically smaller, too, but what about BSD? I'd prefer Linux or BSD since
> they're free, but if there's something else that's *highly* recommended,
> I'll see what I can swing.
Why not run OpenVMS? It ROCKS! If you must run UNIX on it <sigh> I'd
recommend either OpenBSD, or Tru64.
For Hobbyist use OpenVMS is free if your a member of DECUS (you can join for
free). The Tru64 Hobbyist version is $99, and actually sounds better than
the OpenVMS Hobbyist in that the License PAKs aren't time limited. Plus
Tru64 includes the CD's. You can get the OpenVMS CD's for $20.
> Is there anything else I need to think about? I've tried to think of
> everything, but I've honestly never working with anything besides
> IBM-compatible PCs.
Oh, I don't know. How about the fact you might not want to go back to
working with IBM-compatibles after this? Be aware though that the system
you're playing with is seriously dated, so don't judge the platform to
harshly based on your experiences with it. It's a nice box, but it won't
blow you away like ones 2-3 years newer than it, or better yet a 21164 or
21264 :^)
Zane
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Michael Engel
: I recently purchased a DEC 3000/300x, but it's a bare bones system.
: Here's the specs for it that I've been given:
: 175MHz 21064 CPU
: No RAM
: No disks
[...]
: I've purchased RAM for it (2 SIMMs: 2x36 (a.k.a. 8MB) 72-pin parity fast
: page for 16MB of RAM total), but I still need a hard drive and keyboard.
: Where obtain those or details concerning those parts?
Any narrow SCSI hard disk should work. Keyboard and mouse are DEC-specific,
the part numbers are LK201 or LK401 for the keyboard and VSXXX-AA or VSXXX-GA
for the mouse. You'll also need an adapter from 15-pin D-Sub to RJ11 (keyboard)
and 9-pin Mini-DIN (mouse).
: I've heard that finding a monitor for this system might be a huge
: expense in both time and money, so I'd like to use a serial terminal to
: access the system. I have *no* idea how to do that, though. Can someone
: point me in the right direction?
Any good 17" screen will work as long as it is able to accept sync on green
and has BNC inputs. Both of my 17" monitors here work on my 3000/300X.
: The system comes with on-board 8-bit audio; can I use speakers that I'd
: use w/ an IBM-compatible PC with that?
You'll need an adapter but the speakers are probably compatible.
[...]
: What operating system should I use? I'd like to install Debian GNU/Linux
: since I've heard that Red Hat Linux for Alpha isn't very reliable.
RedHat for Alpha is about as reliable as Debian/Alpha, but ...
: Debian's typically smaller, too,
... Linux doesn't support the old DEC 3000 TurboChannel Alphas, so you're
out of luck here.
: but what about BSD? I'd prefer Linux or BSD since
: they're free, but if there's something else that's *highly* recommended,
: I'll see what I can swing.
NetBSD and OpenBSD will run. AFAIK, OpenBSD only has support for serial
console.
regards,
Michael
--
Michael Engel (en...@unix-ag.org)
Eric Schnoebelen
Michael Engel <en...@math.uni-siegen.de> wrote:
- John Smith <wkur...@vt.edu> wrote:
- : but what about BSD? I'd prefer Linux or BSD since
- : they're free, but if there's something else that's *highly* recommended,
- : I'll see what I can swing.
-
- NetBSD and OpenBSD will run. AFAIK, OpenBSD only has support for serial
- console.
Er, ah, don't tell my AXPpci33, nor my PC64, nor my
PC164, all of which are running NetBSD using a serial console..
In fact, it appears that NetBSD almost always starts out
supporting the serial console, and adding the graphical console
later.
Visit http://www.netbsd.org/Ports/alpha/ to learn more.
Subscribe to port-...@netbsd.org for even more info. (subscribe
at majo...@netbsd.org.)
--
Eric Schnoebelen er...@cirr.com http://www.cirr.com
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of APL, I shall
fear no evil, for I can string six primitive monadic and dyadic
operators together. -- Steve Higgins