Subject: Isn't getting VAXen to boot fun? :-)
To: None <port-vax@NetBSD.ORG>
From: Boris Gjenero <bgjenero@undergrad.math.uwaterloo.ca>
List: port-vax
Date: 05/16/1997 19:55:15
Well, this isn't stricly NetBSD related, but it is quite interesting. 
It is also very useful information for others who end up with this
problem.

I just decided to try to mop boot my second VAXstation 2000.  It has no
hard drive.  Anyways, I turn the thing on and I get... nothing.  I
immediately doubted cables or the serial port.  I tried booting again
with the keyboard and monitor and it worked.  Then I tried it with that
and the serial cable.  The VS2000 booted and the output went to the
serial console...  hmm.

Now I remembered hearing something about dummy load cards for the VS2000
power supply.  I just connected a 1A lightbulb to the 12V line and now
everything works.  I guess I should add some resistors instead, but the
bulb is nice because it can dissipate a lot of heat in such a small
package.

--
|  Boris Gjenero <bgjenero@undergrad.math.uwaterloo.ca>              |
|  Home page:  http://www.undergrad.math.uwaterloo.ca/~bgjenero/     |
|  "Luke, you're going to find that many of the truths we cling to   |
|  depend greatly on our own point of view." - Obi-Wan Kenobi, ROTJ  |