[Info-vax] how to extract and install content from vms073lp.zip

[Johnny Billquist]

On 2012-04-03 14.18, Paul Sture wrote:
> On Sun, 01 Apr 2012 17:47:59 +0200, Johnny Billquist wrote:
>
>> Nonsense. VMS with VAX supports much larger disks than the RA92. The
>> largest actual, manufactured MSCP disk (which is what RA disks are) is
>> the RA73, which is 2 GB, compared to the 1.4GB of the RA92.
>
> But here we are talking about what devices are supported by SimH, not
> what real VAXen supported.

The comment didn't make that obvious. However, it's also untrue since in 
simh you have the RAUSER=n, which makes it present itself as a RA82, but 
with a size set to anything you want.

>> However, MSCP disks really are not tied to any specific size based on
>> the name of the disk reported by the disk itself. That is just a silly
>> string. However, I suspect that simh will create files of the size of
>> the disk, if you specify a disk name. That size is then reported to the
>> system when queried, and that size is what is relevant. Note how I say
>> "size" here, and not type. MSCP have a function to report the size of
>> the disk, and that is all any OS use to figure out the size of the disk.
>> And you can (even in simh) set the size to just about anything you care.
>> It's in disk blocks, and each block is 512 bytes. I think it's a 64-bit
>> number...
>>
>> However, VAXen also support SCSI, which have much larger disks than any
>> MSCP disk.
>
> According to the SimH document available here:
>
> http://simh.trailing-edge.com/pdf/vax_doc.pdf
>
> the following disks are supported:
>
> o - RLV12/RL01,RL02 Cartridge Disk
> o - RQDX3 MSCP Disk Controllers (RQ, RQB, RQC,RQD)
> o - RXV21/RX02 Floppy Disk (RY)

Well, that is what is supported that can exist on a VAX 3900, which is 
not the only VAX simh can emulate. But even if you look at the disk 
chapter of the doc you link to, you'll see inconsistencies, since it 
claims the RA disks, but RA disks cannot be connected to an rqdx3, which 
it claims is the only controller supported.

	Johnny