Microvax 3400

From: Geoff Roberts <geoffrob_at_stmarks.pp.catholic.edu.au>
Date: Tue Dec 21 01:31:19 1999

----- Original Message -----
From: Chuck McManis <cmcmanis_at_mcmanis.com>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp_at_u.washington.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, 21 December 1999 4:43
Subject: Re: Microvax 3400


> Its a nice little VAX, nicer still if you upgrade it...
>
> >Unfortunately it's missing its (DSSI) drives. I hate that. Security...
> >Seems to have the following bits in a biggish cube on casters. (BA213 I
> >think).
>
> Fortunately DSSI drives seem to be popping up a lot lately.

I don't think I'll need them. The mysterious cards are in fact 2 x Emulex
UC07 SCSI controllers.
There is also another Emulex card a QT1410402, which I am informed is a
Pertec tape controller.

> several on Ebay and the local scrap yard had a bunch recently (RF30's so
> hardly worth it, but whatever) check the Austrialian DEC reseller near
you.

DEC Adelaide is about 140 miles. I guess that's near enough. Only one in
the state.

> They may be willing to let one or two go for a "song."

I'd REALLY like to see THAT.....;^)

>
> >TQK50 M7546-00 TK50 Controller
> >TK50 tape drive
>
> Interesting, mine came with a TK70.

Seems to depend when they were made I think. It's definitely a TQK50/TK50
combo, I've got
TK70's in my Vax 6000's.

> >KFQSA-SA M7769 Storage Adapter (DSSI Disk Interface)
>
> The 3400 has a DSSI interface on the CPU card, did you get another board
as
> well?

Disregard. If it's in there, I haven't found it, and yes, what I take to be
the DSSI
cable seems to go to the KA640-AA

> I'm unfamiliar with the term "honda" connector but the DSSI connector
looks
> like a SCSI-2 high density connector with a couple of guide pins stuck up
> from it.

That's the one on the end of the cable I took to be DSSI.
The others are in fact the SCSI-2 style high density connectors.
The UC07's have one each on the faceplate.

> >DRQ3B-SA M7658-PA 2 port parallel interface (If I'm looking at the
right
> >bits, it has a couple of
> >connectors that look more like old type SCSI (Sorta oversized female
> >Centronics connectors?)
> >on the front panel. What in heck did these talk to? A line printer?

> Sweet! It talks to anything you want it to talk to. General purpose DMA
> driven parallel port (dual)

> Could be SDI connectors.

?? As in Storage Device Interface? Or do you mean something else?
It's not SDI in that sense. Nothing like it.
The cables come from a board with LEXIDATA on it.
Hard to see numbers, the stuff in the etch is covered by one of the handles.
It could be anything.

> >the dress panel that covers the leds, TK50 etc.
> >The sliding cover is still there but the one behind it on the bulkhead is
> >missing. (Any spares out there?)
>
> Well there is a "front" that sits over the front of the box and has a
slide
> up translucent door that covers the tape drive area.

That's there and intact

>Are you missing the metal frame that covers the disk bulkhead?
The metal frame is there, with the buttons and leds mounted on it, however,
it appears
it is missing a (presumably) plastic dress cover, that surrounds and covers
the led/button
area and the region around the TK50..

> >It seems mostly alive, a quick power up had the LED countdown going
through
> >ok, apart from stops due to lack of
> >disk drives and no smoke or bad smells.....
>
> Well if it gets to number 3 then you can probably net boot it into a
> cluster or netbsd. (NetBSD doesn't support the on board DSSI yet though)

I have plenty of VMS and a couple of boxen for servers, we'll see.

Cheers

Geoff Roberts
Computer Systems Manager
Saint Mark's College
Port Pirie, South Australia.
Email: geoffrob_at_stmarks.pp.catholic.edu.au
           netcafe_at_pirie.mtx.net.au
ICQ #: 1970476
Received on Tue Dec 21 1999 - 01:31:19 GMT