Subject: Re: Old DEC software
To: None <port-pmax@netbsd.org,>
From: Greg A. Woods <woods@most.weird.com>
List: port-pmax
Date: 06/08/1999 19:22:37
[ On , June 6, 1999 at 03:12:04 (-0400), Nathan J. Williams wrote: ]
> Subject: Re: Old DEC software
>
> Allen Briggs <briggs@ninthwonder.com> writes:
> 
> > Sorry for the mostly off-topic question...  I'm hoping there are
> > some DEC-heads who might be able to help me.  I have a DECServer 300
> > terminal server that I want to use as a console server for my NetBSD
> > machines (m68k, pmax, alpha, arm32, etc.), but I don't have any boot
> > software for it.  Does anyone know where I can find it?  Is it still
> > possible to buy it from DEC/Compaq?
> > If not, does anyone have a copy floating around some almost forgotten
> > corner of a network?
> 
> 	I have one of these boxes too, and I started a search similar
> to yours, until someone pointed out the fact that the boxes speak DEC
> LAT on the ethernet port, so unless you have client or translator box
> that also speaks LAT, even getting it running isn't actually very
> productive. I've also heard it said that some Cisco boxes can do
> conversion of LAT or whatever the relevant protocol on top of LAT is
> to TCP, so if you have a handy Cisco, the DECserver might be worth
> more than a doorstop.

I have some DECserver 90TLs and a 900TM (hooked to a big DEChub900
multiswitch backplane, along with associated ethernet switches, hubs,
concentrators, etc.), which do speak TCP/IP, and I do have DECserver
NAS-v2.2 that does run on them, but do not have FLASH ROMs (though the
900TM has a PCMCIA slot for one) and as a result they make very poor
(almost useless) terminal servers because they need a running host to
boot from.  I'd been hoping to get rid of all of the screens on *all* of
my servers, but unless I can find a compatible FLASH card for the 900TM
I'll have to keep a head on at least one of the Unix servers....

Actually I'm still looking for compatible 4MB SIMMs (1MBx36 bit quad
CAS, 9 chips, 80ns, DEC Part # 4A-MS40-WB A01, aka DEC 20-41141-05, aka
SAMSUNG, KMM5361000B2G-8 9347 SEC) to upgrade some of the 90TLs too.

-- 
							Greg A. Woods

+1 416 218-0098      VE3TCP      <gwoods@acm.org>      <robohack!woods>
Planix, Inc. <woods@planix.com>; Secrets of the Weird <woods@weird.com>