>> Actually, to change the unit number of an RA90, you press TEST, followed by A
>> and B, and finally TEST again. Most can be experimented with, and you'll find
>> out how it works.
>
>  Great!  Got it...I can change the unit number now.  Thanks!

Good. Also, to check if the drive is OK, press <TEST> <WRITE LOCK>.
Doing this on a stopped disk checks some logic. Also try this on a
running disk to do additional tests. They should complete with a
display of "T 00" if everything is okay. (It might take a while...)

>  Now, more frustration...We just had a huge blizzard here in
>Washingto DC and I'm badly snowed-in, so I'm here at home hacking VAX
>stuff again. :)

Good for you!

>  I've got an ra90, two Systems Industries SDI disk subsystems, and
>two kda50 board sets.  No matter what I try, I can't get anything to
>see either the SI subsystems or the ra90.  I've used a bunch of
>ra-series drives but I have to sheepishly admit that I've never
>actually *built* a machine with an ra-type disk subsystem, and have no
>docs, so I really need a little help.

We'll try to see what we can uncover...

>  Here's my config:
>
>  MicroVAX-II, 9mb, kda50 at 772150, ra90 at id 000, tk50,
>  rqdx3 at 760334, bootable NetBSD/vax v1.1 kernel, as ra4, boots as "dub0"
>
>  To summarize...Any combination of booting from NetBSD at ra4 or
>booting Ultrix from tape, with either of my kda50 board sets, with
>either the ra90 or the SI subsystem, always sees the controller but
>never any drives attached.

Two obvious things occur to me. First, I hope you have pressed both
<A> and <B> in, since if the correct one isn't depressed, you'll never
get the disk online. By pressing both, you can be sure that the right
one is depressed.

Second. You kernel might not be compiled with that particular disk
unit in it. If so, you won't find it.

>  Whenever anything tries to access one of the drives, it leaves a
>code of some sort blinking on the LEDs of the "qda processor" card of
>the kda50.  The one marked "1" is blinking and the one marked "4" is
>on solid.  Is this an error code of some sort?

I don't think that's an error, but I don't have any manuals close
by. The lamps change patterns when any operations is going on...

>  Any help or info soon would be greatly appreciated; I'm stuck at
>home all night in the snow and want my VAX to work... :-)

Good luck.

	Johnny