uVax II questions

From: emanuel stiebler <emu_at_ecubics.com>
Date: Fri Feb 26 18:52:41 1999

Hi Chuck,

----------
> From: Chuck McManis <cmcmanis_at_freegate.com>
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp_at_u.washington.edu>
> Subject: uVax II questions
> Date: Friday, February 26, 1999 3:51 PM
>
> Howdy, I've taken delivery on two MicroVax II's, one is a model 630QY-A2
> and the other is a 630QB-A2, the QY is basically a narrow cabinet and the
> QB is a wide cabinet. Both have 8MB and both have ethernet controllers.

Ethernet is fine ;-)) Most common on the MVII is the DEQNA.

> Both were stripped of drives although one still has a tape unit. (TK50?
How
> can I tell?)

TK50 has a bigger button with a LED in it, TK70 has a small button and
three LED's.
 
> Here are the questions:
>
> 1) I'd like to find a disk or two for these (they each have slots for
four
> disks of the DU type.) what do I need to look for?

Standard were the RD51/RD52/RD53/RD54 disks. You would be lucky to find
some of these. The controller is RQDX..
The biggest of these disks is the rd54, which is appr. 150MB.

You can buy a SCSI controller for it (appr $1000)

ESDI controllers & disks are the cheapest. (my opinion ;-))
Once again, the controller is expensive, appr. $100-200. Disks are $0-100,
which is appr 70-660MB.

> Are there size limitations?

Budget. ;-))

> 2) Can these things be booted over the network in a pinch? (one has no
tape
> drive)

If you try to use NetBSD, is ok. But you need a host for the files...
In case you don't know, there is a hobbyist VMS out there, no cost. But the
CD is sold out, new one comes in March (?)
So If you like to use VMS, you should aske the group about tapes...
 
> 2b) Do these things have boot roms that are interactive ala ODT?

a little like ...

> Until I get disks is there anyway to verify that they work?

Netboot.
 
> 3) Would it make sense to combine the memory cards so that I have one
16MB
> VAX or should I leave it at two VAXen?

What you wrote, is that you have 8 MB on each. If it is one board, you need
the cable & you can use two of them in one system. If you have already two
memory boards in each, bad. Than you got the 4MB boards.
 
> 4) One has a busextender unit that goes to a non-DEC disk card labelled:
> "Wombat" (its a disk controller of some sort) with tag WQESD 2.8M
> SCD-RQD11/EC
>
> a) This is ESDI controller yes?

Guess so. (You are lucky !!!)
There are other here on this group, who use them.

> b) It has four data connectors so four drives?
> c) Its in a different backplane UNIBUS perhaps? (quad height)

??? Should be all q-bus.
 
> All in all it wasn't a bad deal at $18 each.

Yes. But you can get them for free already.

cheers,
emanuel
Received on Fri Feb 26 1999 - 18:52:41 GMT