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| Manufacturer: | Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) | ||
| Model: | MicroVAX 3500 | ||
| Hostname: | lhnvax | Address: | 192.168.0.218 |
| CPU: | DEC KA650 (CVAX) | RAM: | 32MB in three boards (16,8,8) |
| System Software: | DEC VAX/VMS: Compaq OpenVMS 7.3 | ||
| Software: | Compaq BASIC v3.9, DEC FORTRAN-77 v6.6, DEC C/CXX v6.4, DECset v12.8 (LSE and MMS only), DEC PASCAL v5.8, DEC TCP/IP v5.1 | ||
| Services: | Telnet (Local access only) | ||
This VAX started life at the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research as "LHN" in Lower Hutt during the late 80s. It then moved to GNS Science when DSIR was split up in the 90s. It remained at GNS Science until the 20th of December 2008. It was not the original machine to be called "LHN" - it replaced a VAX-11/780 of the same name.
This was my second VAX which I purchased from the original owner in December 2008. It is currently setup and running OpenVMS 7.3 nicely from a SCSI disk attached to one of the ports on the UC08 SCSI controller. The hard disk is called DUB2 and the CD-ROM drive is called DUB3. Notes on accessing the controllers firmware can be found on the page about the Emulex UC07/UC08 SCSI Controller.
Unlike the previous one, this one is in very good condition - the only problem is the handle lock on the TK70 drive appears to be broken (there was a tape stuck in the drive and it seems someone tried to remove it with force). The battery has not yet exploded and it has all of its panels convering the QBus slots. It even came with its manuals and a front cover key. The machine also came with a full set of cables - power, two SCSI cables, six cables & boxes for the CXA16 boards, two MMJ cables, a handful of MMJ plugs and four short (~30cm) cables with an MMJ plug crimped on one end ready to make adapters.
Aside from the TK70, the machine has no drives installed or attached. The machine was configured with the following boards when I got it. I have not changed any of this.
| Slot: | Module: | Option: | Description: |
| 1 | M7620 | KA650 | KA650 CPU board |
| 2 | M7621 | MS650-AA | 8-MByte RAM for KA650 |
| 3 | M7621 | MS650-AA | 8-MByte RAM for KA650 |
| 4 | M7622 | MS650-BA | 16MByte MOS RAM for KA650 |
| 5 | M7516-PA | DELQA-SA | Ethernet Interface |
| 6 | M3118-YA | CXA16-M | 16-line Asynchronous Multiplexor w/DEC423 output (for BA200 series only) |
| 7 | M3118-YA | CXA16-M | 16-line Asynchronous Multiplexor w/DEC423 output (for BA200 series only) |
| 8 | M3118-YA | CXA16-M | 16-line Asynchronous Multiplexor w/DEC423 output (for BA200 series only) |
| 9 | Emulex UC07/UC08 SCSI Controller | ||
| 10AB | M7559 | TQK70 | TMSCP controller for TK70 |
| 10CD | 74-33507-01 blank plastic card (Dual height module spacer panel) | ||
| 11 | M7164 | KDA50-Q | QBus SDI Disk Adapter board 1 of 2 |
| 12 | M7165 | KDA50-Q | QBus SDI Disk Adabter board 2 of 2 |
Slot numbers link to a photo of the board from that slot where available. A picture of the boards installed in the case is also available.
Dead. 2011 was not a good year for VAXen at my house. This machine begins counting down its power on self tests on the little 7-segment display until it reaches 9 (Memory management chip tests) then stops. Could be a memory board or the CPU board has gone bad. I could try swapping over parts from akvax but considering its current condition (leaking battery) I'd rather not 'contaminate' lhnvax.
Plenty of terrible images of the machine like the ones below are available here.
Plus images of the H3104 Cable concentrators and BC16D-25 cables for the CXA16 boards here.
One of these had a slight problem at some point: