I've tried all of the ways and by *far* the easiest way to install NetBSD
on a uVAX II is to netboot it from an old PC running FreeBSD or Linux.
Further, netbooting makes it really easy to edit configs and stuff as you
can do it on the PC system and then boot into it on the MicroVAX.

That being said, I've now got TK70 capability on my uVAX II/III (was a II
but I've upgraded the CPU and Memory to a KA-655) and in theory could
create a bootable TK70 tape with the full release (it takes about 118MB so
it wouldn't fit on a TK50) The only thing I'm short of is TK70 tapes
themselves. I've ordered some from a guy who had know idea what they were
(described them over the phone) and if they are in fact real TK70 Compact
II tapes then I'll buy the rest of his stock and have some for emergencies :-)

Now the "original" big Vaxes used a PDP-11 as a console processor, now you
can use a cheap PC in this role. Obtain an inexpensive PC with two ethernet
adapters, an "extra" 2GB of disk space, and a copy of FreeBSD or Linux.
Connect COM2 from the PC to the console connector of the uVAX II, connect
one of the ethernets to the ethernet on the uVAX II. (This latter step can
be accomplished with a AUI->10BT adapter and a cross over cable.)

The 10 step method for getting NetBSD onto a uVAX II is pretty well
documented in Brian's "NetBooting faq." The skeleton for the MicroVAX II is:
	1) On the PC you can use the 'tip' program to connect to the
	   uVaxes console port.
	2) Compile and install both a DHCP server and MOP server(both
	   FreeBSD and Linux have them)
	3) Untar all of the binaries into filesystem with enough space on
	   the PC. Cd to the dev directory where you untarred the binaries
	   and type './MAKEDEV all' (it will complain a couple of times but
	   that is ok.
	4) Cd on the PC to the untarred etc directory and edit rc.conf and
	   fill it in with your values.
	5) Run the mop server in "debug" mode, switch to to the virtual
	   terminal connected to the uVAX II and type 'B XQA0' to the
	   chevron (>>>) prompt.
	6) Switch back to the PC console and note what ethernet address
	   is asking for MOP service. Use that address when setting up
	   MOP.
	7) Link boot.mop from the distribution to <ethernet-address>.SYS
	8) Edit the DHCP configuration file to give an IP address to the
	   uVAX and tell it where all the files are.	
	9) Export the filesystems from the PC via NFS.
      10) Switch back to the VAX and type 'B XQA0'

Your running NetBSD! Now label and newfs your hard disk, copy the release
there, follow the instructions in the FAQ for writing a boot block, reboot
and your done.
(note lots of people stop at step 10 above since sticking cheap disks in a
PC and mounting them is a lot easier than finding old DEC compatible drives!)

--Chuck

At 11:46 AM 5/27/99 +0000, NetBSD Mailing list wrote:
>>   I just finished compiling a NetBSD kernel for my uVAX II and after booting
>> there were 2 things which i don't know how to fix:
>
>Would it be possible for you to share how you installed your system
>initially with me?  Mine and another person's posting to this list
>regarding problems getting past the floppy/network miniroot boot
>have so far generated no responses on the list, and I guess I'll
>have to figure things out myself.  Knowing what method and steps
>you took to get netbsd going on your uVAX may prove helpful to me
>in getting it to work on my uVAX.
>
>Thanks in advance,
>				-skots
>--
>Scott G. Akmentins-Taylor     InterNet: staylor@mrynet.com
>MRY Systems			        staylor@idt.net, staylor@mrynet.lv
>Westlake Village, CA  USA		
>    (Skots Gregorijs Akmentins-Teilors -- just call me "Skots")
>		----- Labak miris neka sarkans -----