[Info-vax] terminal servers etc

[Chris Scheers]

Rich Jordan wrote:
> On Jan 8, 11:48 am, VAXman-  @SendSpamHere.ORG wrote:
>> In article <df4f40b1-e775-458f-a16f-3efb59b3b... at t5g2000vba.googlegroups.com>, Rich Jordan <jor... at ccs4vms.com> writes:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> On Jan 8, 7:40=A0am, F H <fhs... at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> For those who want to find a DECserver 90M on eBay or somewhere else:
>>>> please note that not all DECserver 90M terminal servers have a flash
>>>> memory card present!
>>>> There are two or even three types of 90M devices:
>>>> - Those without a flash card. They can be recognized by the absence of
>>>> an inscription on the front panel. They rely on MOP to download their
>>>> OS.
>>>> - Those with a 1 MB flash card. They have the inscription "1M Flash"
>>>> on the front panel. The OS is on that flash card but it takes several
>>>> minutes to decompress the OS on the flash card into memory. They will
>>>> download the OS over the network only when a special procedure is
>>>> followed at power-on time.
>>>> - It seems that a version exists with a 2 MB (or more) flash card.
>>>> This system boots stand-alone too and very fast because there is no
>>>> decompression to be done. I have however never seen this version.
>>> Are you sure about the no-flash models?  That doesn't show up in any
>>> of the networking catalogs I still have (though that predates the
>>> selloff of the networking division, now owned by VNETEK).  They did
>>> show 1 or 2MB FLASH models, and also early 1MB RAM and later 4MB RAM
>>> (for NAS software) but nothing in the 90M without flash boot
>>> capability.
>>> I need to open mine up and see what the flash looks like.  I'm pretty
>>> sure the RAM is just a standard 72 pin parity SIMM.
>> Let'sput this to rest.  I just opened one of my DECserver90Ms.
>>
>> RAM is soldered on the board. 8xTI-TMS44400DC (1048576-WORD BY 4-BIT
>> DYNAMIC RANDOM-ACCESS MEMORIES).  That comprises the 4MB of memory.
>> No SIMS, so there's no way to extend the memory.
>>
>> The flash sits on a small daughter card approximately 1.25"x3" and the
>> flash is soldered on it.  4xAMD28F020 (2 Megabit (256 K x 8-Bit) CMOS
>> 12.0 Volt, Bulk Erase Flash Memory).
>>
>> --
>> VAXman- A Bored Certified VMS Kernel Mode Hacker    VAXman(at)TMESIS(dot)ORG
>>
>> Well I speak to machines with the voice of humanity.
> 
> I sitll wonder if DEC ever did sell 90Ms with no flash.  I'm done
> checking my sources and haven't found a part number or reference for
> such a variation.
> 
> Your description jives with my unit.

I have a 90M with no flash.  It is packed away right now, so I can't 
very the part number.

I got it used, so it is possible that someone pulled the flash card, but 
I don't think so.  I remember that when I got it, I was curious and 
opened it up.  I could see where the flash card plugged in, but nothing 
was there.  It also did not appear to have been opened previously.

-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Chris Scheers, Applied Synergy, Inc.

Voice: 817-237-3360            Internet: chris at applied-synergy.com
   Fax: 817-237-3074