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

[AEF]

On Dec 31, 9:38 am, Steven Schweda <sms.antin... at gmail.com> wrote:
> 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.

In fact, there is:

 14.3.3.2  Which serial port is the console on the MicroVAX 3100?

                   Just to keep life interesting, the MicroVAX 3100
has
                   some "interesting" console ports behaviours based
                   on the setting of the BREAK enable switch. When the
                   console is not enabled to respond to BREAK, MMJ-1
                   is the console port. MMJ-3 will (confusingly)
output
                   the results of the selftest in parallel with MMJ-1.
                   When the console is enabled to respond to BREAK,
MMJ-3

Yep, yet more fun!

BTW, I know that on my MicroVAX 3180's the setting is set at power-up
(or perhaps boot, I think power-up); changing when it's up and running
definitely has no effect.

Also, on my MicroVAX 3190 and 3195s, the console port is MMJ-3,
period.

AEF