On 7/29/2016 10:30 PM, Jerry Weiss wrote:
On Jul 29, 2016, at 8:30 PM, Zane Healy <heal...@aracnet.com> wrote:

On Jul 29, 2016, at 6:08 PM, Douglas Taylor <dj.tayl...@comcast.net> wrote:

I just got a MicroVax II in the BA123 world box chassis.  I has a TK50, RX50, 
RXDQ2, but no DEQNA.  I'd like to get it running an OS.

The DU disks don't work, but I have a couple of Qbus SCSI controllers that 
might come in handy.

Can you use those SD to SCSI convertors in this type of configuration?  Anyone 
have experience with this?

What OS's can I use with this hardware?  NetBSD?  Are versions of VMS 
available?  How do you get an OS onto this system?
The all around best choice would be VAX/VMS v5.5-2.  You can get Hobbyist 
licenses.  The OS was available as part of the Hobbyist program.  If you add a 
SCSI adapter, you can hopefully attach a CD.  IIRC, it will run up to either 
v7.2 or 7.3, at least I know I had v7.2 on a MicroVAX III (well, technically I 
still do, if it will boot).

Ultrix would also be available.

What I did though was I gave it a brain transplant, and converted mine to a 
PDP-11 once I got a better VAX.

I need to invest in a couple of those SD adapters myself.  I’d really like to 
put one on one of my AlphaStation 200 4/233’s.  Hopefully they’ll still work.  
It’s been years since I’ve done anything with my DEC HW. :-(

I have booted both V7.3 and V5.5-2  off a 4GB SD with SCSI2SD V4.6 on a 
MicroVax II with 16 Mb.     Note that DEQNA will not work (at all) on either 
version.  You’ll need a DELQA.

You should be able to build a system with an emulator and then copy the binary 
to an SD card. i’ve taken images both ways without problems.   Alternately if 
you get a DELQA, you can netboot off of another Vaxen and build an bootable 
disk that way.

Jerry

That is awfully good news for me. How did you format the SD card? What kind of drive was it emulating?

I don't have 16 Mb, but 5 Mb. I understand the DEQNA was not supported in VMS 5, should've kept the one I had.

Doug

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