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| Manufacturer: | Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) | ||
| Model: | VAXstation 4000 Model 60 | ||
| Hostname: | svax | Address: | |
| CPU: | DEC KA46 (55MHz) | RAM: | 24MB |
| System Software: | formerly: DEC VAX/VMS: Compaq OpenVMS 7.3 | ||
| Software: | formerly: BASIC v3.9, Fortran v6.6, DEC C v6.4, Pascal v5.8, LSE | ||
| Services: | Telnet (Local Access Only) | ||
This VAXstation and another started life at the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (maybe GNS by then) in around 1992. It remained at GNS Science until the 20th of December 2008. The other VAXstation remained at GNS until the 28th of November 2009. It was used from the outset to run an accounting system called ONE written in DSM (Digital Standard MUMPS). The machine itself was also called ONE and was supported by an Auckland-based company called Avanti.
This was my third VAX which I purchased from the original owner in December 2008 along with a MicroVAX 3500 (number two). It is currently setup and running nicely as my fastest, smallest and most silent VAX.
Its physical condition is excellent. It had a few clips attached to it so that it could be strapped down (incase of an earthquake) in a 19" rack but these were easy enough to remove.
The machine came with no drives installed but it did come with its drive mounts. Installing an old 1GB narrow SCSI drive with two compaq screws was easy enough. As far as I know it is not possible to install an externally accessable drive in the 5.25" drive bay without finding a replacement plastic panel to go where the drive bay is.
The machine did however come with an LK401 keyboard, a mouse, a video cable ending in three BNC connectors, and a centronics SCSI cable. Sadly no monitor so for now it runs headless.
One day back in 2011 the entire system locked up while I was busy using it (GUI stoped responding, didn't respond over the network). Power cycling the machine resulted in POST errors of every kind (network, video, etc). Sadly it seems this machine is (for now) dead. My hope is that the PSU has failed and is no longer providing enough power causing the various connected devices to malfunction. Sourcing a replacement PSU in New Zealand probably isn't going to be much easier than replacing the entire machine though (very very difficult). I could try swapping the PSUs over from my one good VAXstation 4000 but I'd rather not risk it (its going to be hard enough sourcing one replacement PSU).
November 2023 update: The machine is even deader than before. It still powers up but there are no other signs of life. All diagnostic LEDs come on and stay on and nothing ever appears on the operator console.
Plenty of terrible images of the machine like the ones below are available here.
Links to manx pages are provided where available