Re: Installing NetBSD on a MicroVax 3900

[Johnny Billquist <bqt%softjar.se@localhost>]

All I can say is that the only reasonably working way is over ethernet. You need 
some machine with a mop daemon running. A NetBSD system normally have mopd to do 
that. Then you just need to read up on netbooting, and also find an image that 
will boot.

        Johnny

Mr Ian Primus skrev:
> I now have a MicroVax 3900. I have cleaned the dust out of the system, replaced 
> the battery, and built a console cable. It works, and I can get to the chevron 
> prompt. The machine has:
>
> KA655 CPU
> MS650 16mb RAM boards (3)
> KDA50 SDI disk controller
> KLESI TU81 tape controller
> TQK70 TK70 controller
> CMD CQD-203/T SCSI tape controller
> DESQA ethernet
>
> The BA213 cabinet contains an RA70. The TK70 tape drive is missing.
>
> I also have two RA90's. So far, I have tried one of them, and it seems to work. 
> The RA70 also seems to work. Neither disk that I have tried contains a bootable 
> file system.
>
> Now, here's my problem. I want to get an OS loaded on this machine. I have a 
> friend that has a DEC CD boot server, and I can drive my system over there, 
> hook it up, and probably get VMS installed - and I do plan to load VMS at some 
> point. But, in the mean time, I would love to get NetBSD working on this. 
> But... how to do it? In my previous experiments with my MicroVax II, I tried to 
> install NetBSD from tape using the instructions in the FAQ. And I learned 
> several things. Namely, that the TK50 is an incredibly slow device, and that 
> NetBSD/VAX no longer has a working method of booting or installing from tape.
>
> This machine has a SCSI tape controller, but it can't handle SCSI disks. If 
> there is a method of installing NetBSD from tape, I can use a newer tape drive 
> (like a DLT4000, or an Exabyte drive) to install. I could probably boot from 
> Ethernet, but I've never done that with a VAX before.
>
> Any pointers?
>
> -Ian


--
Johnny Billquist                  || "I'm on a bus
                                  ||  on a psychedelic trip
email: bqt%softjar.se@localhost             ||  Reading murder books
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