Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation (aka DEC) built many systems from a variety of architectures during their history. At
this stage I have a number of Alphas, VAXen and IBM-PC compatbiles.
Alpha systems
Aside from a few bad Dalls RTC/NVRAM chips the Alphas are mostly fine. Only four machines are currently known to
have issues:
- The AlphaServer DS20 has some power issue: it starts up first time just fine, but once you turn it off
you can't turn it back on for a few hours
- The AlphaServer 1000 has a blown PSU - probably repairable
- One of the AlphaStation 200s doesn't turn on - maybe the PSU needs recapping
- The Multia doesn't work reliably
- One of the AlphaServer 4100s had its CPU and RAM moved to the other machine by its previous
owner resulting in one machine with no CPUs and one with two. Should probably buy more CPUs and RAM
sometime as running these machines with only one CPU is a bit sad
VAX systems
The VAXen are in a somewhat worse state than the alphas - probably in part due to their age, and part due to
the awful idea of using rechargable NiCd batteries for keeping time. Only the VAXstation 3100 m30 is known to
work right now, the TEMPEST one should also work too but I don't have most of the required cables to operate it:
- The VAXstation 2000s came to me after some years with leaking batteries. Currently in peieces awaiting
a repair attempt.
- One of the MicroVAX 3500s (really a 3800 I guess - KA655 CPU) also arrived with a leaking batteries.
Thankfully the mess was contained to the console bulkhead panel. Currently awaiting repairs
- The other MicroVAX 3500 now fails POST - stops at test 9
(Memory management chip). Awaiting further investigation and repairs.
- One VAXstation 4000/60 just crashed one day and failed most of its
self tests after a power cycle. A few years later its not even starting POST now - all diagnostic LEDs stay on
- The other VAXstation 4000/60 doesn't complete POST anymore - possibly a
bad Dallas RTC chip? The power switch on this machine also doesn't work reliably
PCs
Digital also sold a line of PC Clients and Servers the last of which were retired sometime between February and 20 April 1999.
I currently have the following machines in my collection:
Other Hardware
Misc Documents
