> The little LED 7 segment display counts down from 9->3 and stays
> there.

That's normal, if you have it set to not autoboot, or if it tries to
autoboot and fails in certain ways.  It's almost certainly sitting at
the >>> prompt.

> I don't get any output on the serial lines on any known working
> serial cables =/ i've set my vt420 and the speed know to 9600 baud,
> 8n1

Are you certain your "known working serial cables" use the MicroVAX-II
pinout on the DE-9 end (as opposed to, say, peecee DE-9 serial pinout)?
(I don't find the MicroVAX-II pinout where I'd expect to, but I think
it's not the same as the peecee DE-9 serial pinout.)

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