See if I can help a bit...

NetBSD Bob wrote:

> OK, now to some board layout details.  The slots are, I think....
>
> 8        7        6        5        4        3        2        1
>
> <----- other ----------------------->        MEM      MEM      CPU
>
> looking from the back of the card cage where cards are inserted.
>
> The CPU and two memory cards are full height cards that I know came
> out of slots 1/2/3.

Yep.

> The rest of the cards are half height cards.  Is there an optimal
> setup of them for bus priority or that kind of thing?  I might
> expect the QD696 to be in slot 4 top, with bus arbitrator in bottom?
> Maybe M7546 TK50 in slot 5, with bus arbitrator in bottom?
> Maybe VIK/QTO scsi (is it tape or tape/HD capable?) in slot 6 with
> a bus arbitrator in the bottom.
> Maybe DEQNA in slot 7 top and DZQ11 in slot 7 bottom?

Perhaps some VAXgods can contradict me, but I've never found any specific
reason not to toss out the bus grants and just pack the cards in. top and
bottom, more or less. Of course, you want to order them for priority (Hmm..
DEQNA, DZQ11, VIK/QTO, TQK50, QD696?)

> The console is a 9 pin db thing on the top right backpanel?
> What is the serial port to the left of that with the dialup
> speed rotary switch, or am I confused about those?

Well, not dialup, so much as console port speed. Yes, that is the console.

> IFF I make up my own cable, to a standare Wyse sort of terminal
> or a VT420 terminal, is the cable straight through or is transmit
> and receive null modemed?  What are the minimum pins necessary
> to connect (I am used to using only 2/3/7 and jumpering at each
> end as necessary)?

2/3/7 should be fine. That's what I use, over a four-conductor phone cable.
VAX in the basement, terminal in the bedroom.

> The coaxial video output cable was disconnected from anything in
> the card cage, and rolled up next to the backpanel.  I am assuming
> that was because no video was left in the box (maybe it was a VS II
> earlier, but someone removed the video to make it a server of some
> sort, perhaps, in MVII rather than VSII configuration?

Um... are you sure that's video, and not ethernet? If I recall, the BA23
doesn't have enough oomph in the power supply to support the Q{D|V}SS...
Either way, if you don't have the board, take the cab kit out (unless you
don't have a blank to fill the hole - then leave it in).

My $0.02.

 -Buckaroo