[Info-vax] MicroVAX 3100-30 - won't boot...

[Steven Schweda]

AdeV wrote:

> Hmm, of course, it COULD be trying to format the HDD...

   Not likely.  That's not something it would do on its own.

>  how long should
> I leave it before I give up? It's a 1.08GB drive, and so far I've left
> it at the OpenVMS message for maybe 1/2hr.

   Not long.  Not that long.  Where is your console terminal
connected?  On some newer (Alpha) systems, if you choose the
wrong serial port, then you may get some messages, but
eventually the system starts talking to only the right port,
so a terminal on the wrong port looks dead.  (I've never tried
using the wrong port on an old VAX.)

   With an NVR complaint, I'd guess that the battery is dead,
so the TOY clock is mis-set, so VMS will ask the user for the
date and time during start-up.  If it's asking on some other
serial port, then you may have a very long wait before it
continues.

   Otherwise, there is some boot-time debugging which can be
turned on.  Should be in the FAQ.