6. General VAX and hardware information
Contents of this section
6.1 Where can I find more information about VAXen?
A: There's lots of Digital and VAX information on the 'net. Here are some pointers:
6.2 What are those boards in my VAX?
A: Good question and somewhat of a nightmare if you didn't get any
documentation with your system. The primary source of information about
modules/boards is Dave
McGuire's "DEC Module Database Search".
Also, here's one list made by Turo Heikkinen
<tjheikki@niksula.hut.fi> (from an email to me):
<![CDATA[
------------------- Begin included message -------------------------------
Date: Sun, 25 Feb 1996 22:20:26 +0200 (EET)
From: Turo Heikkinen <tjheikki@niksula.hut.fi>
To: Gunnar Helliesen <gunnar@bitcon.no>
Subject: Re: VAXBSD
> > What about some VAX hardware FAQ? Those boxes are full of strange boards
> You are right, in fact I'm working on just that. If you have any info to
> contribute - please feel free to mail it to me! ;-)
Dunno much but this is what I've found out about my hardware:
M3104 - 8*serial
M7164 - QDA Processor: processor for 7165
M7165 - QDA SDI: 4*weird port ???
M7168 - QDSS 4 plane: 4 plane graphics board, 2 of them makes 8 planes
M7169 - controls 1-2 of 7168
M7505 - DEQNA: DEc Q-bus etherNet Adaptor
M7546 - TQK50(?): TK50 tape adaptor
M7555 - RQDX3(?): ESDI hard disk controller
M7606 - KA630: uVAX II processor board
M7608 - 4M memory board, 144* 1*256k DIL
M7651 - ????
M9047 - Grant Continuity Card - ????
TK50 - 95M tape
RD53 - 71M Micropolis ESDI disk
__________
/__//-/ Turo Heikkinen - http://www.hut.fi/~tjheikki for more info
Why stop now, just when I was hating it? - Marvin
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Yet another list made by Robert Smith
<rmsmith@csc.com> (from an email to me):
<![CDATA[
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Date: Sat, 25 Jan 1997 17:47:19 -0500 (EST)
From: Robert Smith <rmsmith@csc.com>
To: Gunnar Helliesen <gunnar@bitcon.no>
Subject: Re: Hardware section of FAQ (6.2?)
Gunnar,
Here is my list of hardware in the microvaxen I have seen:
M3104 DHV 8 line async mux
M3105 DHV 16 line async mux
M3106 DZQ mux.
M3107 ??? 8 line asynce mux
M3108 ??? 2 Line sync mux
M7146 TK50 controller
M7164 QDA Proc - part of QDA50
M7168 QDSS 4 Plane board 8
M7169 QDSS base module
M7504 DEQNA ether interface
M7516 DELQA ether interface
M7555 RQDX3 - MFM disk controller (RD53, 52, 51, and 50) and floppy (RX50/33)
M7602 QVSS video subsystem x
M7606 KA630
M7607 MS630 1MB
M7608 MS630 2/4/8MB
M7609 MS630 8MB
M7769 KFSQA
M8020 DPV synchronous interface
M8053 DMV
M8377 KXT11 aux proc
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You'll also find some useful information in
The
TRIUMF Data Acquisition Group: VAX Hardware Inventory page.
6.3 Can I make my own VAXstation II/GPX monitor cable?
A: Sure. Here's how (from a message to port-vax by Dave Clarke
<Dave.Clarke@swindon.gpsemi.com>):
<![CDATA[
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Date: Thu, 7 Mar 1996 08:12:56 GMT
From: Dave Clarke x8048 <Dave.Clarke@swindon.gpsemi.com>
To: port-vax@NetBSD.ORG
Subject: Re: GPX cable
[edited]
Here is some information on the connection required for the BC18Z cable, the
one that connects between a VaxStation II/GPX and VR290 monitor.
Description DEC BC-18 Cable, DB15
Video Mouse &
Keyboard
Connections
Keyboard RJ-11
Keyboard Transmit Pin 15 Pin 1
Keyboard Receive Pin 7 Pin 2
Keyboard Ground Pin 14 Pin 3
Keyboard Power Pin 8 Pin 4
Mouse Mini din
Mouse Transmit Pin 5 Pin 2
Mouse Receive Pin 13 Pin 3
Mouse Ground Pin 6 Pin 1
Mouse Power +5V Pin 4 Pin 5
Mouse Power -20V Pin 12 Pin 4
Pins 6 & 7 No connection
Red video Pin 9 Red BNC Center
Red ground Pin 1 Red BNC shield
Green video Pin 10 Green BNC Center
Green ground Pin 2 Green BNC shield
Blue video Pin 1 Blue BNC Center
Blue ground Pin 3 Blue BNC shield
Dave.
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You should, however, note the following (from a message to port-vax by
Kevin P. Neal <kpneal@eos.ncsu.edu>):
<![CDATA[
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Date: Sun, 24 Mar 1996 23:46:16 -0500 (EST)
From: kpneal@eos.ncsu.edu
To: port-vax@NetBSD.ORG
Subject: Cabling fun
Here is an interesting bit of info that might help somebody
else sometime:
The VAX -> (monitor | keyboard | mouse) cable (what is this thing
called?) has one interesting nip.
If you have a *color* cable and a *mono* framebuffer, then the
mono+sync signal will come out of the *red* output, not the
green as you might expect (well, sync on green, right?).
This had me stumped for a while.
[edited]
(Give partial credit to Brian Reece (bpreece@eos.ncsu.edu), because this
is what *he* discovered at my place with my uVAX and his scope.)
XCOMM --------------------------------------------------------
XCOMM Kevin P. Neal, Sophomore CSC/CPE kpneal@eos.ncsu.edu
XCOMM North Carolina State University kevinneal@bix.com
XCOMM --------------------------------------------------------
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6.4 How can I identify my old CDC/Imprimis disk?
A: Thanks to Marc Malagelada i Duch <marc@hades.udg.es>, here's the
list:
<![CDATA[
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Old CDC/Imprimis
WREN and SWIFT MODEL NUMBERING SYSTEM
(using 94155-85P as example)
Model # digit Description
------------- ----------------------------
|| >>----> Facility Location
94 155-85P 94 = OK City
97 = Twin Cities
|| >>----> Series and Form Factor
94 15 5-85P 10 = RSD 20 = Sabre
15 = FSD 20 = Wren II HH
15 = Wren I FH 21 = Wren III HH
15 = Wren II FH 22 = Sabre-2HP
16 = Wren III FH 22 = Wren V HH
17 = Wren IV FH 24 = Wren VI HH
18 = Wren V FH 35 = Swift HH
19 = Wren VI FH 50 = Elite FH
60 = Wren VII FH
| >>----> Interface
9415 5 -85P 0 = SMD 5 = ST506/412
1 = SCSI/SASI 6 = ESDI
2 = LDI 7 = ISI (Outside)
3 = FDI 8 = 80286
3 = IPI-3 8 = SID
4 = AT 9 = IPI-2
4 = ISI (Inside)
|| >>----> Capacity
94155- 85 P Unformatted capacity in Megabytes (a few
models had formatted capacity, here)
| >>----> Special Designation
94155-85 P P = Precompensation
M = MacWren
H = High Performance
D = Differential
S = Synchronous Spindle Capability - Wren
S = Synchronous SCSI - Swift
G = Gigabyte
Conversion Chart:
Old CDC/Imprimis model # to new Seagate model #
CDC/Imprimis Seagate
===========================
94155-135 --- ST4135R
94155-85 --- ST4085
94155-86 --- ST4086
94155-96 --- ST4097
94161-182 --- ST4182N
94166-182 --- ST4182E
94171-350 --- ST4350N
94171-376 --- ST4376N
94181-385H --- ST4385N
94181-702 --- ST4702N
94186-383 --- ST4383E
94186-383H --- ST4384E
94186-442 --- ST4442E
94191-766 --- ST4766N
94196-766 --- ST4766E
94204-65 --- ST274A
94204-71 --- ST280A
94204-74 --- ST274A
94204-81 --- ST280A
94205-51 --- ST253
94205-77 --- ST279R
94211-106 --- ST2106N
94216-106 --- ST2106E
94221-125 --- ST2125N
94241-383 --- ST2383N
94241-502 --- ST2502N
94244-274 --- ST2274A
94244-383 --- ST2383A
94246-182 --- ST2182E
94246-383 --- ST2383E
94351-090 --- ST1090N
94351-111 --- ST1111N
94351-126 --- ST1126N
94351-133S --- ST1133NS
94351-155 --- ST1156N
94351-155S --- ST1156NS
94351-160 --- ST1162N
94351-186S --- ST1186NS
94351-200 --- ST1201N
94351-200S --- ST1201NS
94351-230S --- ST1239NS
94354-090 --- ST1090A
94354-111 --- ST1111A
94354-126 --- ST1126A
94354-133 --- ST1133A
94354-155 --- ST1156A
94354-160 --- ST1162A
94354-186 --- ST1186A
94354-200 --- ST1201A
94354-239 --- ST1239A
94355-100 --- ST1100
94355-150 --- ST1150R
94356-111 --- ST1111E
94356-155 --- ST1156E
94356-200 --- ST1201E
94601-12G/M --- ST41200N
94601-767H --- ST4767N
97100-80 --- ST683J
97150-160 --- ST6165J
97150-300 --- ST6315J
97150-340 --- ST6344J
97150-500 --- ST6516J
97200-1130 --- ST81123J
97200-12G --- ST81236J
97200-23G --- ST82272K
97200-25G --- ST82500J
97200-368 --- ST8368J
97200-500 --- ST8500J
97200-736 --- ST8741J
97200-850 --- ST8851J
97201-12G --- ST81236N
97201-25G --- ST82500N
97201-368 --- ST8368N
97201-500 --- ST8500N
97201-736 --- ST8741N
97201-850 --- ST8851N
97209-12G --- ST81236K
97209-25G --- ST82500K
97229-1150 --- ST81154K
97289-21G --- ST82105K
97299-23G --- ST82368K
97500-12G --- ST41201J
97501-12G --- ST41520N
97509-12G --- ST41201K
Note: Some Imprimis models have no Seagate model equivalent,
if so, see OLD WREN
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6.5 Can I convert my big VAX' 3-phase power-supply for home use?
A: I was about to say "don't try this at home, kids" - but I guess you'll
have to ;-)
This message was posted to port-vax by Andre Skarzynski
<andre@capes1.vector.co.za>, but was originally written by Leon
Heinkelein <HEINKELN@firga.sun.ac.za>:
<![CDATA[
------------------- Begin included message -------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Mar 1996 08:06:20 -0200
From: Andre Skarzynski <andre@capes1.vector.co.za>
To: port-vax@NetBSD.ORG
Subject: Re: Converting 3-pahse VAX Power.
Here is a note from my friend about how he converted his VAX to run on single
phase. I am sending it to the list, as a few people where intereseted and I am
sure others may be too.
------------- Begin Forwarded Message -------------
>From HEINKELN@firga.sun.ac.za Wed Mar 27 17:22:14 1996
>From: "Leon Heinkelein" <HEINKELN@firga.sun.ac.za>
To: andre@capes1.vector.co.za (Andre Skarzynski)
Date: Wed, 27 Mar 1996 17:18:44 GMT+200
Subject: Re: Converting 3-pahse VAX Power.
> Hi Leon,
>
> I hope I find you well. I had a great long weekend at the Buff'. Anyway,
> the reason I called/wrote, is that I would like to please have the details
> of converting a 3-phase VAX power to single like you did at home. BTW, what
> model VAXen are you running? and what current are they drawing?
>
> Cheers,
>
> Andre'
Hello Andre
Looking to upgrade , eh ? The machine I have at home is a VAX 6220. 2
cpu's , 96 MB of RAM. Used to need three phase power , as you
correctly observe.
The power system architecture of the VAX is arranged so that each
power regulator needs a DC supply of 300V. There are various ways of
obtaining this. They use a single phase bridge on the smaller
machines (just like a PC PSU) , off 220V this gives about 311V. (220
* sqrt (2)) . However , on the larger machines , it gets a little
more involved. On the 6000 series they use a 3-phase controlled
bridge , so they can actually regulate the 300V line. It's laid out
like this (here goes nothing) :
____________________ +300V
| | |
-__ -__ -__ thyristors
^ ^ ^
| | |
L1 ------* | |
L2 -----------* |
L3 ----------------*
| | |
- - - diodes
^ ^ ^
| | |
--------------------- Return
The three-phase controlled bridge ( as you can see ) uses the Phase
to Phase voltage ( NOT the phase to neutral voltage ). With a 3-phase
220V supply thats about 380V AC. Multiply that by sqrt(2) and you
have about 520V DC . KABOOM ! However , in america , on a 115V 3-
phase system , phase to phase is 208V , multiply by sqrt(2) and you
get about 300V DC. All 6000 series machines for 380V therefore came
equipped with a 3-phase xformer which takes the 380 V phase/phase to
208V phase/phase. Which of course is very close to our neutral/phase
, which is 220V. The way to do it , then , is to bypass the xformer,
connect L1 in the drawing to LIVE , say , and connect L2 to NEUTRAL ,
and leave L3 open. The circuit then works just like a single phase
controlled bridge rectifier , and works very well , giving about 305
V on the DC power bus.
Total current is ( I'm guesstimating now) propably about 4A ,
measured on the AC side , around 0.8-1.0 KVA.
I you get a 6000 (or similar) machine let me know. I have worked out
a very elegant way to do the above mod which entails no soldering ,
no disconnecting of joints etc , and can be put back to factory
standard in about 30 secs.
Good luck
Leon
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Johnny Billquist <qmwjyb@emw.ericsson.se> had something to add
to this (in a message to port-vax):
<![CDATA[
------------------- Begin included message -------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Mar 96 11:12:37 +0100
From: Johnny Billquist konsult <qmwjyb@emw.ericsson.se>
To: port-vax@NetBSD.ORG, andre@capes1.vector.co.za
Subject: Re: Converting 3-pahse VAX Power.
> Here is a note from my friend about how he converted his VAX to run on single
> phase. I am sending it to the list, as a few people where intereseted and I
am
> sure others may be too.
And just to make sure you don't do a big mistake: *Never* do this
with a VAX86x0.
They really *do* need the 3-phase. The large fans are 3-phase motors,
so unless you have all three phases, your fans ain't going to run.
And the 86x0 is made with ECL, so you can guess what will happen
pretty fast.
For the same reason, never connect an 86x0 with the phases backwards,
or you'll get your fans running backwards, which will lead to the
same result (which I'm sure someone from LUDD can tell... ;-)
Johnny
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6.6 The lighter side of VAX.
A couple of brilliant obervations from a fortune-cookie program (author
unknown):
<![CDATA[
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Well, my terminal's locked up, and I ain't got any Mail,
And I can't recall the last time that my program didn't fail;
I've got stacks in my structs, I've got arrays in my queues,
I've got the : Segmentation violation -- Core dumped blues.
If you think that it's nice that you get what you C,
Then go : illogical statement with your whole family,
'Cause the Supreme Court ain't the only place with : Bus error views.
I've got the : Segmentation violation -- Core dumped blues.
On a PDP-11, life should be a breeze,
But with VAXen in the house even magnetic tapes would freeze.
Now you might think that unlike VAXen I'd know who I abuse,
I've got the : Segmentation violation -- Core dumped blues.
-- Core Dumped Blues
Proposed Additions to the PDP-11 Instruction Set:
PI Punch Invalid
POPI Punch Operator Immediately
PVLC Punch Variable Length Card
RASC Read And Shred Card
RPM Read Programmers Mind
RSSC reduce speed, step carefully (for improved accuracy)
RTAB Rewind tape and break
RWDSK rewind disk
RWOC Read Writing On Card
SCRBL scribble to disk - faster than a write
SLC Search for Lost Chord
SPSW Scramble Program Status Word
SRSD Seek Record and Scar Disk
STROM Store in Read Only Memory
TDB Transfer and Drop Bit
WBT Water Binary Tree
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I would like to add:
<![CDATA[
HCF Halt and Catch Fire
]]>
Some useful (if obscure) man-pages (again, author unknown):
<![CDATA[
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BABY(1) USER COMMANDS BABY(1)
NAME
BABY - create new process from two parent processes
SYNOPSIS
BABY [ -sex ] [ -name ]
DESCRIPTION
BABY is initiated when one parent process polls another server
process through a socket connection (BSD) or through pipes in the
System V implementation. BABY runs at a low priority for approximately
40 weeks then terminates with heavy system load. Most systems require
constant monitoring when BABY reaches its final stages of execution.
Older implementations of BABY required that the initiating
process not be present at the time of completion. In these versions
the initiating process is awakened and notified of the results upon
completion. Modern versions allow both parent processes to be active
during the final stages of BABY.
OPTIONS
-sex
option indicating type of process created.
-name
process identification to be attached to the new process.
RESULT
Successful execution of the BABY(1) results in new process
being created and named. Parent processes then typically
broadcast messages to all other processes informing them of their
new status in the system.
BUGS
The SLEEP command may not work on either parent processes for some
time afterward, as new BABY processes constantly send interrupts
which must be handled by one or more parent.
BABY processes upon being created may frequently dump
in /tmp requiring /tmp to be cleaned out frequently by one
of the parent processes.
SEE ALSO
sleep(1) dump(8) cry(3)
SEX(6) EUNUCH Programmer's Manual SEX(6)
NAME
sex - have sex
SYNOPSIS
sex [ options ] ... [ username ] ...
DESCRIPTION
sex allows the invoker to have sex with the user(s) speci-
fied in the command line. If no users are specified, they
are taken from the LOVERS environment variable. Options to
make things more interesting are as follows:
-1 masturbate
-a external stimulus (aphrodisiac) option
-b buggery
-B<animal>
bestiality with <animal>
-c chocolate sauce option
-C chaining option (cuffs included) (see also -m -s -W)
-d<file>
get a date with the features described in <file>
-e exhibitionism (image sent to all machines on the net)
-f foreplay option
-F nasal sex with plants
-i coitus interruptus (messy!)
-j jacuzzi option (California sites only)
-l leather option
-m masochism (see -s)
-M triple parallel (Menage a Trois) option
-n necrophilia (if target process is not dead, program
kills it)
-o oral option
-O parallel access (orgy)
-p debug option (proposition only)
-P pedophilia (must specify a child process)
Printed 2/15/87 2/15/87 1
SEX(6) EUNUCH Programmer's Manual SEX(6)
-q quickie (wham, bam, thank you, ma'am)
-s sadism (target must set -m)
-S sundae option
-v voyeurism (surveys the entire net)
-w whipped cream option
-W whips (see also -s, -C, and -m)
ENVIRONMENT
LOVERS
is a list of default partners which will be used if
none are specified in the command line. If any are
specified, the values in LOVERS is ignored.
FILES
/usr/lib/sex/animals animals for bestiality
/usr/lib/sex/blackbook possible dates
/usr/lib/sex/sundaes sundae recipes
/usr/lib/sex/s&m sado-masochistic equipment
BUGS
^C (quit process) may leave the user very unsatisfied.
^Z (stop process) is usually quite messy.
MAN AUTHOR
Author prefers to be anonymous.
HISTORY
Oldest program ever.
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Table of contents of this chapter,
General table of contents.