The more I like my VAX, the more I hate Compaq...

From: Roger Merchberger <zmerch_at_30below.com>
Date: Tue Jun 6 21:14:46 2000

I have online documentation for most things DEC *software* I have now, and
most of the time, I can even figure out how to install it! However, I have
nearly zero documentation for the hardware...

So I've been hunting (fairly hard) for the last few days trying to find
documentation on the hardware on the World Wide Waste-o-time... with few
results. I did find a really interesting page here:

http://www.digital.com/lists/QB_archive_HD.html

but most of the MicroVAX links are dead, and the few that work don't seem
to help me.

Ontopically, the main problem I'm having with my MicroVAX is: I finally got
several pieces of software installed, not the least of which is BASIC. I
even have the licenses entered, so it'll actually *run*! ;-) However, I've
tried EDIT with every /SWITCH I can see, and I haven't a clue how to run
the line editor, and the screen editor abends with a "terminal unknown"
type of error. FYI: I have the 2Meg 8-plane Graphics card, and VMS 7.1
installed... VMS seems not to understand what type of terminal emulation
will work with the card, and I've monkeyed with the SET TERMINAL jazz until
I'm blue in the face (and you thought I was ugly before! ;-). A really
quick pointer there would be *fantastic!*

(oh, and one other quick thing on the MV: Are there any DOS/Linux utils to
read/write to a MV formatted floppy?)

Offtopically, the DEC 3000 model 300 has *got* to be the hardest DEC piece
of equipment to find info for... I can't seem to find anything *at all*
about the hardware other than processor speed, which the 'puter is more
than kind enough to tell me during the boot-up process.
Is the printer port serial or parallel, and depending upon which, what type
of cable do I need to hook it to either an: Epson Photo 700 (yes, I know
I'll be limited to text only -- that's o.k.) or an Epson EPL-7000 laser
which has both parallel and serial, and from what I was told, a 3Meg buffer
upgrade which also includes PostScript.

I'll stick my 'scope on the darned thing if I have to (which I will if I
can't get any info on this thing by the weekend) but just a reference page
with pinouts would be great!

I'll even make a deal: I'll *make* a webpage with info on this thing
(including pinouts) if someone has the tech references...

Anywho, thanks a lot, especially if it get's my MicroVAX programming in
BASIC soon...

See ya,
Roger "Merch" Merchberger
--
Roger "Merch" Merchberger   ---   sysadmin, Iceberg Computers
Recycling is good, right???  Ok, so I'll recycle an old .sig.
If at first you don't succeed, nuclear warhead
disarmament should *not* be your first career choice.
Received on Tue Jun 06 2000 - 21:14:46 BST

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