Re: NetBSD on SIMH, but not microvax3900

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

(Oh, I should probably point out that I usually boot with a "boot rq" 
and nothing else/more.)

  Johnny

On 2024-03-07 21:43, Johnny Billquist wrote:
> Physically, one could never get 128M in an 11/780. However, 
> architecturally VAX supports up to 512M. So it shouldn't really be a 
> problem.
>
> I'm running NetBSD under simh as an 8650. Works fine. But it was 
> probably something like 2 years since I last updated my simh code. And I 
> can't remember when I did the actual installation of NetBSD, so it was 
> way long ago. But anyway, it works fine for me. But I'm running it with 
> 64M set up.
>
> My full simh config looks like this:
>
> =============
> set cpu model=8650
> set cpu 64
> set cpu idle=netbsd
> set rq0 rauser=8192
> set rq1 rauser=8192
> set rq2 rauser=8192
> set rq3 rrd40
> att rq0 bsd.dsk
> att rq1 bs1.dsk
> att rq2 bs2.dsk
> att rq3 bsd.bup
> att cs console.dsk
> set xu ena
> set xu type=delua
> set xu mac=aa:00:04:01:16:04
> att xu en0
> set rl dis
> set rp dis
> set cr dis
> set lpt dis
> set hk dis
> set ry dis
> set tu dis
> set ts dis
> set dz lines=8
> att dz 43
> set cons pchar=ffffffff
> set cons wru=1f
> #boot rq/r5:10008
> =============
>
> Happy to try and help more, if people are completely stuck. But at the 
> moment I'm not sure what the problem might be...
>
> However, note that until very recently, /boot was broken, and I used to 
> have to run /boot from ancient times. But the latest checkout works 
> fine. And it was not a toolchain issue, as it failed to boot even with a 
> cross compiled binary.
>
>    Johnny
>
>
> On 2024-03-07 20:13, Jan-Benedict Glaw wrote:
> > On Thu, 2024-03-07 13:56:02 -0500, Mouse <mouse%Rodents-Montreal.ORG@localhost> 
> > wrote:
> > > [simh-780 boot fail]
> > > > set cpu 128M
> > >
> > > > Suggestions for debugging it?
> > >
> > > Is 128 megs a possible memory config for a 780?  (That's a real
> > > question; I don't know the 780 enough to answer it myself.)
> >
> > I don't have/know the hardware, so I don't know. Just gave it a try
> > with 8 MB and 16 MB, both failed the same way.
> >
> >    However, I made a new observation: I accidentally hit theSPACE key
> > while waiting for "Press any key to abort autoboot 5", then gave it a
> > "boot netbsd" and expected it to restart. However, this time, it's
> > hanging instead of looping:
> >
> > ============================= 8< ------------------------------------
> > root@lili:/var/cache/laminar-vm/vax780# ./BIN/vax780 *cnf
> >
> > VAX 11/780 simulator V4.0-0 Current        git commit id: 9a73eb9d
> > /var/cache/laminar-vm/vax780/rpi_vax780.cnf-36> at xu tap:trap_17
> > Command not allowed
> > /var/cache/laminar-vm/vax780/rpi_vax780.cnf-42> boot rq3
> > Loading boot code from internal vmb.exe
> >
> > > > NetBSD/vax boot [1.12 ()] <<
> > > > Press any key to abort autoboot 4
> > getdisklabel: no disk label
> > nfs_open: must mount first.
> > open netbsd.vax: No such file or directory
> > > boot netbsd
> > getdisklabel: no disk label
> > nfs_open: must mount first.
> > 4405588+185132 [255216+240258]=0x4da004
> > Loading boot code from internal vmb.exe
> > Rebooting...
> >
> > > > NetBSD/vax boot [1.12 ()] <<
> > > > Press any key to abort autoboot 5
> > Press '?' for help
> > > ?
> > Commands:
> > ?       Show this help menu
> > help    Same as '?'
> > boot    Load and execute file
> > halt    Halts the system
> > > boot netbsd
> > getdisklabel: no disk label
> > nfs_open: must mount first.
> > 4405588+185132 [255216+240258]=0x4da004
> > ----------------------------- >8 ====================================
> >
> > > I'm wondering if there might be 780-specific code that assumes things
> > > like the maximum physical memory a 780 can actually have.  Something
> > > like, maybe, the memory sizing code assuming arithmetic won't overflow
> > > because the memory size can't be greater than whatever....
> >
> > 8 to 16 MB sounds at least reasonable. Maybe it could hold 128 MB,
> > but let's not stretch it too far.
> >
> > > I also notice a "Command not allowed" during startup.  I don't know
> > > enough to know, but that strikes me as at least potentially relevant.
> >
> > SIMH noticed it couldn't attach to the TAP device "trap_17", which I
> > missed to create and add to the bridge. If it had booted, it would
> > have had no working network...
> >
> > MfG, JBG

--
Johnny Billquist                  || "I'm on a bus
                                  ||  on a psychedelic trip
email: bqt%softjar.se@localhost             ||  Reading murder books
pdp is alive!                     ||  tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol