Reviving a MicroVAX II

From: allisonp <allisonp_at_world.std.com>
Date: Sun Jul 2 06:54:27 2000

>in getting it up and running. I want to run VMS on this, not
interested in the version of BSD out there, already have enough
Unix boxen. The main thing I'm missing, besides getting VMS
itself are drives. This system is in the BA123 enclosure and has a
TK50 tape drive. It contains the following boards:

M7606-AC CPU
M7608-BP Memory
M7608-BP Memory
M7546 Tape controller (TK50)
M7516 DELQA (eithernet)
M7516 DELQA (eithernet)... machine was likely used as a router.
M3104 16port serial
M9058 Disk breakout board (used for going from RQDX3
                   controller to MFMdisks and floppies)

>What all drive options are there and what would people
recommend? What are my options for getting VMS for this? Any
other help or comments appreciated.


Ok, what you need is either a RQDX3 (M7555 hard disk controller board
and a few RD54s or a SCSI card like the CMD200 and RZ56(680mb).
The problem is SCSI controllers generally don't go cheap. Ideally to run
VMS7.2 you need 300mb of disk(s) however smaller is possible.

The SCSI board is convenient as it will allow for a CDrom needed to
install from hobbiest CD. Other wise RRD40 and controller will be needed
or someone that can cut TK50s from the CD.

There is a hobbiest VMS license and even media available (www.decus.org).

I happen to run one of these and they are fine systems for 1987
technology.

Allison
Received on Sun Jul 02 2000 - 06:54:27 BST