[Info-vax] DEC Multia (UDB) issues

[John Wallace]

On Oct 17, 10:44 pm, MG <marcog... at SPAMxs4all.nl> wrote:
> Here's an update.  Now the system starts up, the SCSI errors are still
> there, but CDs seem to boot.  I've tried Tru64 V5.1B-6, which to my
> great surprise booted up, but only halted because it didn't have the
> minimally required amount of memory available (64 Mbyte, I only have
> 32).  The NVR/TOY battery is reportedly "dead", but I've been told it
> isn't the end of the world.
>
> Now there's a new problem: The floppy diskette that I prepared (using
> rawrite V0.7 for Windows) for OpenVMS Alpha V7.2 with the customized
> boot image (MLTIAV72.FLP) don't seem to work and I get "No Floppy Disk
> In Drive" error printed continuously.  I've used several other floppy
> diskettes, but to no avail.  (The strange thing is, the QSBYPASS.SCR
> and SRM.EXE files seemed to be read from the FAT-formatted diskette
> that I prepared earlier; another step in the Multia VMS installation
> process.)
>
> Does this perhaps sound familiar to anyone?
>
> Anyway, is running VMS on the Multia really worth it?  I thought it
> would be nice, so I can attach my LK-type keyboard to it and have a
> good editor with fully supported key mapping support at my disposal
> (the HP IP-KVM I have doesn't recognize the LK properly, which is a
> huge pity).
>
> Else I might consider running Tru64, in so far possible (since I have
> no PAKs), but then I'd need more RAM...  Not just for Tru64, actually,
> in general I'd like more RAM.  From what I've read so far, VMS seems
> to require more than 32 Mbyte as well.  Does anyone have memory for
> me, or know where I can find any?  (Or part numbers for me to look
> up.)
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
>   - MG

The executive summary seems to be that you need 72pin 36bit true
parity (not fake parity) Fast Page Mode (not EDO) SIMMs, 70ns or
faster, installed in pairs. There is a Multia webpage at
http://www.brouhaha.com/~eric/computers/udb.html
which has Crucial part numbers listed. I would be surprised if these
are available new for a sensible price, but back in the day they were
in reasonably widespread use around the industry in general. Not as
widespread as the non-parity ones, mind you.

Another generic specification is in the Multia Service Information I
referenced earlier, and on page 91 of that document there are some
part numbers. Unfortunately although the 36bit parity SIMMs are not
Multia-specific, the DEC memory part numbers in the book *are* Multia-
specific - to ensure that the revenue was booked to the right business
unit, the very same SIMM could have various saleable part numbers,
depending on whose product it was to be used in.

Is it worth the effort? Only you can make that decision. It is a
miracle of technology, one which few other people will have seen. Is
it a useful tool for getting things done? In most cases you'd be
better off with the app on a sensible VMS box and the X kbd/mouse/
display on something more modern.