Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-07-02 Thread Ian S. King
It's not just a matter of size, but also of maintenance. Tony says, I have the docs, I can maintain it - but do you want to chase down a logic defect among a gazillion small- and medium-scale integration ICs? And the bus connections? And the wire wrap? And the microcode? (I have done this.) A

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-07-02 Thread devin davison
Ive got a large sgi altix 350 machine running here almost 24/7, uses quite a bit of power. Rivals the 2 air conditioners on power consumption. Power is not an issue, if i do get something bigger then ill just run the altix less and power up the vax. New house has an air conditioned office in the ga

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-07-01 Thread devin davison
Oh, a couple people asked my location. I'm in Vero Beach Florida.

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-07-01 Thread devin davison
I take it the buried vax 11/780 you found has been sold off by now? I would love to have one of the original larger machines such as the 780, although one of the smaller desktop machines would probably be a more sane decision to start off with.

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-07-01 Thread william degnan
thanks again. I will. I guess I should check my 4000-200 too. On Wed, Jul 1, 2015 at 11:33 PM, Glen Slick wrote: > On Wed, Jul 1, 2015 at 8:23 PM, william degnan > wrote: > > > > You're saying yes there is a battery in this machine? > > MicroVAX 3100, VAXserver 3100, > InfoServer 100 and Info

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-07-01 Thread Glen Slick
On Wed, Jul 1, 2015 at 8:23 PM, william degnan wrote: > > You're saying yes there is a battery in this machine? MicroVAX 3100, VAXserver 3100, InfoServer 100 and InfoServer 150/150 VXT Maintenance Guide EK-A0372-MG.B01 http://manx.classiccmp.org/collections/antonio/dec/MDS-1997-10/cd1/VOL001/035

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-07-01 Thread william degnan
ok. I will check it asap. Thanks for the info. basically this is a box turns on and works...so I have not spent much time other than just change the PW and access the system, connect to the internet quickly. You're saying yes there is a battery in this machine? On Wed, Jul 1, 2015 at 10:57 PM,

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-07-01 Thread Glen Slick
On Wed, Jul 1, 2015 at 7:13 PM, william degnan wrote: > The Microvax 3100 model DV-31BT4-A - what "number" is that model? > Originally I thought it was a "30" but then I found that there are 3100-30 > nameplates, so I must be wrong. Was there just a plain vanilla Microvax > 3100? Now you have me

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-07-01 Thread william degnan
Not that I doubt you but where is the DV-31BT4-A specifically referenced? How do you know that this is the KA41-A 10 or 20? On Wed, Jul 1, 2015 at 10:23 PM, Glen Slick wrote: > On Jul 1, 2015 7:13 PM, "william degnan" wrote: > > > > The Microvax 3100 model DV-31BT4-A - what "number" is that mod

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-07-01 Thread Glen Slick
On Jul 1, 2015 7:13 PM, "william degnan" wrote: > > The Microvax 3100 model DV-31BT4-A - what "number" is that model? > Originally I thought it was a "30" but then I found that there are 3100-30 > nameplates, so I must be wrong. Was there just a plain vanilla Microvax > 3100? Now you have me thi

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-07-01 Thread william degnan
The Microvax 3100 model DV-31BT4-A - what "number" is that model? Originally I thought it was a "30" but then I found that there are 3100-30 nameplates, so I must be wrong. Was there just a plain vanilla Microvax 3100? Now you have me thinking I need to check for a battery. I need to track down

RE: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-07-01 Thread Robert Jarratt
> I found that for some MicroVAXen, such as my 4000-300, there is a Panasonic > cordless phone battery that almost exactly fits where the original TOY battery > does, and the connector is the same! I've mentioned it here on CC, so the > part > number should be in the archives. Yes, I have done s

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-07-01 Thread Ian S. King
On Tue, Jun 30, 2015 at 2:30 PM, Peter Coghlan wrote: > william degnan wrote: > > > > I recently got a Microvax 3100 and a VAX 4000-200, very pleased with how > > easy they are to work with. I have had a lot more issues with > > Alpahservers. VAX/Aphas running one flavor or another of openVMS.

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-07-01 Thread Antonio Carlini
On 29 June 2015 at 23:04, Johnny Billquist wrote: > I don't remember if I have the printsets for the 8650, but we (Update) > sure have quite a lot of documentation for it. > > IIRC I do have some 8600 *training* printsets which I scanned and made available years ago. I think some *real* printset

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-07-01 Thread Mike Ross
Well if we're all putting down markers, I have an 11/780 and /730; I'd love a /750 to round out the collection. I used to have one, back in mid 1990s it was one of the first machines I collected... Got it up and running VMS, then loaned it to a friend, forgot to ask for it back, lost touch with fri

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-07-01 Thread Peter Coghlan
william degnan wrote: > > I recently got a Microvax 3100 and a VAX 4000-200, very pleased with how > easy they are to work with. I have had a lot more issues with > Alpahservers. VAX/Aphas running one flavor or another of openVMS. > > I agree with Ian, think the 3100's are a good starter VAX. My

RE: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-30 Thread tony duell
> they are known to multiply on their own... Well, of course they are. Isn't that what opcode C4 (for example) is for? -tony

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-30 Thread Ian S. King
I've been saying for some time that I think VAXen breed in the corners - I don't quite know where all of these VAXstations came from. (I still want a VLC, though - just saying.) -- Ian On Tue, Jun 30, 2015 at 6:57 PM, Ethan Dicks wrote: > On Tue, Jun 30, 2015 at 9:33 PM, Fred Cisin wrote: > >

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-30 Thread Ethan Dicks
On Tue, Jun 30, 2015 at 9:33 PM, Fred Cisin wrote: > If you have some storage, then you can lose a microcomputer. Oh, yeah. > If you lose a minicomputer, then you have a lot of storage. I recently found an 11/730 I thought I had to get rid of in 1994... (turns out I got rid of a spare we bough

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-30 Thread Brian L. Stuart
On Tue, 6/30/15, Vincent Slyngstad wrote: > > > I'll see if I can breed the one I just got.  :) > > Do *not* post pictures.  I'm still trying to forget seeing > the ones from that other guy. Don't worry. I don't have any plans to cross breed it with myself. Besides I doubt VMS would run very w

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-30 Thread Fred Cisin
If you have some storage, then you can lose a microcomputer. If you lose a minicomputer, then you have a lot of storage. If you lose a mainframe, then you have ENOUGH storage.

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-30 Thread Vincent Slyngstad
From: Brian L. Stuart: Tuesday, June 30, 2015 5:49 PM I'll see if I can breed the one I just got. :) Do *not* post pictures. I'm still trying to forget seeing the ones from that other guy. Vince

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-30 Thread Brian L. Stuart
> they are known to multiply on their own... Clearly someone who has one (or better more) 780s (or 730s) needs to start breeding them for the rest of us. I guess to be fair I should offer that if anyone wants a 3600 and they can reproduce asexually, I'll see if I can breed the one I just got. :)

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-30 Thread Mark J. Blair
> On Jun 29, 2015, at 01:22 , devin davison wrote: > > My main place for looking for hardware has been ebay, although most of what > im seeing is untested and expensive. Is there a better place to find older > machines like this? Back to the original topic: By posting your interest in joining

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-30 Thread Mark J. Blair
I still think I would enjoy acquiring an 11/780 series machine someday, when my wallet recharges and I've had time to excavate enough room out in my barn. But for now, I'm pretty stoked just to have my little 11/730. -- Mark J. Blair, NF6X http://www.nf6x.net/

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-30 Thread william degnan
they are known to multiply on their own... On Tue, Jun 30, 2015 at 7:14 PM, Guy Sotomayor wrote: > > > On 6/30/15 4:08 PM, Robert Jarratt wrote: > >> I think if I had the opportunity to own a 780 I would do my best to >> *make* space for it, although I fear it would mean having to rent storage >

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-30 Thread Guy Sotomayor
On 6/30/15 4:08 PM, Robert Jarratt wrote: I think if I had the opportunity to own a 780 I would do my best to *make* space for it, although I fear it would mean having to rent storage space. I'd love a 730 too. I am still incredulous that someone could "lose" or not realise they had a second

RE: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-30 Thread Robert Jarratt
> -Original Message- > From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Mark J. > Blair > Sent: 30 June 2015 19:10 > To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts > Subject: Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax > > > > On Jun 29, 2015, a

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-30 Thread Mark J. Blair
> On Jun 29, 2015, at 10:23 , Guy Sotomayor wrote: > You *know* you have too much stuff and it's packed too tightly when you can > "lose" a VAX 11/780! This reminds me of when I was exploring a surplus yard, and found a *fire truck* buried in a pile. Walked right by it a few times before I not

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-29 Thread Jerry Weiss
1) Start small. You can always add to the collection later.That often occurs, sometimes with accompanying amnesia of the actual transaction. 2) If you possess genes for “like to take things apart” and “ability to put things back together *** ” start with a Q-Bus VAX. The number and types

RE: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-29 Thread tony duell
> >> Well, ok, if your list was intended as a "first VAX" only list, then > > > > That is what I believe the OP was asking for, > > Yes. But I would never dream of suggesting a VAX-11/780 as a "first VAX" > either... I think most people would not even know what to do if > presented with 500 Kg of

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-29 Thread william degnan
I recently got a Microvax 3100 and a VAX 4000-200, very pleased with how easy they are to work with. I have had a lot more issues with Alpahservers. VAX/Aphas running one flavor or another of openVMS. I agree with Ian, think the 3100's are a good starter VAX. My 3100 system has two SCSI externa

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-29 Thread Ian S. King
Re: 11/780 as first VAX: no. That's just silly. I restored a pair of 11/785s (one a field-updated /780) for LCM. They're a wonderful machine, and I really really want one - after I win the lottery and can afford the power and space for it and can take the time to get and keep it running. Get a

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-29 Thread Johnny Billquist
On 2015-06-29 21:35, tony duell wrote: Well, ok, if your list was intended as a "first VAX" only list, then That is what I believe the OP was asking for, Yes. But I would never dream of suggesting a VAX-11/780 as a "first VAX" either... I think most people would not even know what to do if

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-29 Thread Ian S. King
I've been looking for a printset for the VAX 6000-600 for a long time. I've never found one.-- Ian On Mon, Jun 29, 2015 at 12:35 PM, tony duell wrote: > > > > Well, ok, if your list was intended as a "first VAX" only list, then > > That is what I believe the OP was asking for, > > > fair eno

RE: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-29 Thread tony duell
> > Well, ok, if your list was intended as a "first VAX" only list, then That is what I believe the OP was asking for, > fair enough. I would not consider most of those machines as good first > VAXen either. Although, the 6000 is actually not that hard, nor some of > the small 8000-machines, su

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-29 Thread Johnny Billquist
On 2015-06-29 21:21, tony duell wrote: So, where would you place a VAX8650 in there? Or the 6000- or 7000-series? :-D (Or, drool, a 9000?) Those come under the 'many other families' I would argue that those machines are much rarer and much harder to maintain than the 3 families I suggested for

RE: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-29 Thread tony duell
> > So, where would you place a VAX8650 in there? Or the 6000- or > 7000-series? :-D > (Or, drool, a 9000?) Those come under the 'many other families' I would argue that those machines are much rarer and much harder to maintain than the 3 families I suggested for a _first_ VAX. In fact having see

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-29 Thread Johnny Billquist
On 2015-06-29 18:08, tony duell wrote: on real hardware. What would be the best machine for a beginner to VAX Hardware to start out with? I think you need to think very carefully about what you want this machine to do. The ideal VAX for me is not going to necessarily be the ideal VAX for you.

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-29 Thread Guy Sotomayor
> On Jun 29, 2015, at 10:28 AM, tony duell wrote: > >> >> To give folks an idea of how much stuff I had jammed into my (many) storage >> units, as I was >> going through them trying to figure out what I'd keep and what I would >> "dispose" of, I found a >> VAX 11/780 that I didn't know that I

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-29 Thread William Donzelli
> To give folks an idea of how much stuff I had jammed into my (many) storage > units, as I was > going through them trying to figure out what I'd keep and what I would > "dispose" of, I found a > VAX 11/780 that I didn't know that I had. I knew that I had one in storage > as I was digging/sort

RE: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-29 Thread tony duell
> > To give folks an idea of how much stuff I had jammed into my (many) storage > units, as I was > going through them trying to figure out what I'd keep and what I would > "dispose" of, I found a > VAX 11/780 that I didn't know that I had. I knew that I had one in storage > as I was digging/so

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-29 Thread Guy Sotomayor
> On Jun 29, 2015, at 9:08 AM, tony duell wrote: > >> on real hardware. What would be the best machine for a beginner to VAX >> Hardware to start out with? > > I think you need to think very carefully about what you want this machine to > do. > The ideal VAX for me is not going to necessarily

RE: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-29 Thread tony duell
> on real hardware. What would be the best machine for a beginner to VAX > Hardware to start out with? I think you need to think very carefully about what you want this machine to do. The ideal VAX for me is not going to necessarily be the ideal VAX for you. In general there are 3 classes of VA

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-29 Thread william degnan
where are you located? On Jun 29, 2015 6:06 AM, "devin davison" wrote: > I have had an interest in the DEC VAX line of computers for some time now > and am trying to find a good place to get a system to start out with. The > main pourpose being to have a machine to use VMS on. I have been running

Re: Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-29 Thread Sean Caron
Hi Devin, Assuming you are in CONUS, checking eBay and hanging out on this list is probably the best places to check ... I would suggest for you a VAXstation 3100 series ... especially if you can find a 3100/76 for not too much money, it makes a pretty good machine... I paid maybe $130 for mine, "

Where to get a Vax or microvax

2015-06-29 Thread devin davison
I have had an interest in the DEC VAX line of computers for some time now and am trying to find a good place to get a system to start out with. The main pourpose being to have a machine to use VMS on. I have been running VMS on emulated hardware via SIMH, however i would like to move to running on