[Info-vax] Trying to boot a MicroVAX II with VMS 7.3

[JF Mezei]

Robert Jarratt wrote:

> I may have found a possible cause of my booting problems. I decided to 
> remove everything except the CPU, the tape controller and the DEQNA, so that 
> included removing the two memory boards (which incidentally look like they 
> are 4MB each). When I did this the console software did not come up when I 
> switched on the machine. 


Suggest you head over to http://www.hoffmanlabs.com and look at the FAQ
section (or ask the wizard, I can never remember). Mr Hoffman has a good
explanation of the serpentine nature of the Q-BUS on that machine.

Failure to get the >>> prompt is likely a Q-BUS issue. Boards need to go
in a desirable order (interrupt priority) and in a required order
(serpentine nature).  IF you must leave a spot open because you have a
half width board followed by a full width board, then you will need a
grant-continuity card to fill the foid to the right of the half width card.

I am not sure what you need to do with the 2 slots reserved for memory
if there is no memory there. Remember that memory boards not only plug
into the backpane, but there is also a ribbon cable that links them to
the motherboard.

I suggest you put back the memory boards.

The fact that you get to a SYSBOOT-F message means that you have already
 gotten to the initial bootstrap for VMS.

Also, perhaps others can confirm, but wouldn't VMS send out a explicit
message about the deqna not being supported anymore ?

BTW, in case you are not aware:

from node1:

MC SYSGEN
SYSGEN> USE $disk1:[SYS1.SYSEXE]VAXVMSSYS.PAR
SYSGEN> various commands
SYSGEN> WRITE $disk1:[SYS1.SYSEXE]VAXVMSSYS.PAR

This lets you manage SYSGEN parameters of another node from a
functioning node. Just make sure you don't use "write" alone because
that might write the other node's parameters into the current node :-)