----- Original Message -----
From: <Mzthompson_at_aol.com>
To: <classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org>
Cc: <ncherry_at_home.net>
Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2000 11:54 AM
Subject: Re: Vax Station 3100
> Yesterday, in response to Neil Cherry's post on his DEC machine I wrote:
>
> > Just behind the memory is the video frame buffer. It is either
> > a VFB02 mono, or a VFB02 color (p/n 54-19469-01).
>
> Correction: the mono video frame buffer is a VFB01
>
> Later Neil Cherry <ncherry_at_home.net> wrote:
>
> > According to message I found during a web search, I may have purchased a
> > lemon. It states that the machine won't boot without a keyboard and
mouse.
> > Well I don't have any. I'll have to hunt them down and then load *BSD.
>
> To which Mike Ford <mikeford_at_socal.rr.com> wrote:
>
> > No idea on mice, but I still have some LK201 and LK401 DEC keyboards.
>
> Hey Neil, given your 'lemon', some water & sugar: Lemonade!
>
> I have also got some spare LK201's. Also buried deep somewhere is
> a couple unused hockey puck mice still in the original box, and they
> lastest haul included a bag of hockey pucks as well.
>
> Also adding his two bits was "Sean Caron" <sean_at_techcare.com> and he
wrote:
>
> > You may have read about the insidious mouse port dependency on these
> > machines :)
>
> > These systems must have either a mouse or a "mouse port terminator"
> > installed on them to boot NetBSD (and others, perhaps) from the graphics
> console. I think
> > more information on them can be found on the NetBSD/pmax Web site, or
you
> could
> > also probably look it up by typing something like "DECstation 3100 mouse
> > terminator" into your favorite search engine.
>
> Here's the info:
>
> : How can I run a DECstation without the display?
> : (From the Ultrix FAQ found at ftp.digital.com)
>
> : To turn a DECstation 2100/3100 into a DECsystem 2100/3100 you need to:
>
> : 1. Remove the Graphics board, keyboard and mouse.
> : 2. Put a mouse loopback connector in the hole for the mouse plug.
> : The loopback connector part number is: 12-25628-01
>
> : To make your own:
>
> : Short Transmit data to Receive Data, pins 2->4 as shown in the diagram.
> : (view looking at the plug).
>
> : 5 6 7
> : o o o
> : 4 o === o 1
> : o o
> : 3 2
>
>
> > I'm not sure if its a problem if you boot the system off a serial
console
> > (which, incidentially, you can do; just hook up a terminal to the port
with
> > the printer icon next to it and flip the little DIP switch S3 on the
back
> > of the system - then you don't even need a mouse, keyboard, or monitor).
>
> Sean, here I will have to say: Huh? There is no DIP switch on the back of
> a DECstation 3100's. Is this something on the back of a VAXstation 3100?
> If so, I thought we decided this was a DECstation 3100.
>
> > Unfortunately, unless you have a MMJ terminal (VT3/400 series) you'll
need
> > to either buy or build a converter to break out MMJ to something more
> > useful. The only problem is that (out here, at least), MMJ plugs are
just
> > about impossible to find and the converters (MMJ->DB25) cost $25 from
DEC.
> > Ouch!
>
> Ouch is right, never knew DEC wanted that much. Maybe I need to take
> my shoe box full of 'em to my safe deposit box. ;-))
>
> And then Neil Cherry wrote:
>
> > 2 ways around that problem, minor surgery (exacto blade) or major
surgery
> > (remove MMJ and solder in appropriate 6 pin RJ outlet). I think I'll
> > start with the exacto first. Actually there is a 3rd method I'll try
first
> > and that is the exacto the RJ11 plug so it no longer has the tab on it.
>
> Neil, if you want to use a PC as a terminal and need one, I have a couple
> spare MMJ cables. Or in case you want to 'roll your own' I will post a
> 'fact file' on MMJ. I have posted it here in the past, but probably not
> a bad idea to post again.
>
> Mike
>
Sorry; you caught me confusing the DECstation 3100 with the VAXstation 3100
in that respect :)
--Sean Caron (root_at_diablonet.net) |
http://www.diablonet.net
Received on Thu Oct 19 2000 - 13:39:50 BST