> anyway, one of the things that give these old VAXen some of their charm are the
> sounds that they make.  the grind-grind-grind-grind-grind-grind-grind startup

Just the other day I scared the hell out of one of my
friends by powering up a 4000/200 (pedestal enclosure,
BA something). The VaxFans make quite an impressive
noise when turned on, before the thermostat (i think)
kicks in and they settle down a little.

(switch on the scsi harddisks, separate enclosure)
click
whirrrrrrr platrrr platrrr plrrr whirreeeeeeeee...

(turn the big switch)
click 
(red and green leds & the little number display flickering)
..rrrRRRRRROOOOAAAAARRRRRR!!!! rrrrrrrrr...

Okay, so we'd had a couple of beers and then some
more, but OTOH, when I first heard the noise, sober
and all, I thought the thing would explode or something :)

When the fans reach their peak, one can actually hear 
the air blowing, it's just like the beast yawns (or coughs?)
when awakened.


> sequence is classic, the old sad part is the TK50 is too quiet.  that was one
> of those charm things on the Sun QIC drives, LOUDEST tape drive i've ever heard.

Get a 9-track tape drive and stop whining :D


- hautis