[Info-vax] Additional ethernet (e.g. 100BASE-TX) NIC for Multia/UDB?

[Hans Vlems]

On 30 jan, 01:44, Hans Bachner <H... at Bachner.priv.at> wrote:
> MG <marcog... at SPAMxs4all.nl> wrote:
> > On 29-jan-2013 21:51, Hans Bachner wrote:
> <snip>
> >> Beyond that, the DEXGA needs OpenVMS V7.3-1 at least, and the Multia
> >> support kits that I know about end with V7.2.
>
> > I had V7.3 running on it,
>
> You take me by surprise - do the V7.2 drivers (network, graphics) work
> with 7.3 as well?
>
> > but nowadays I'm running Tru64 UNIX V5.1B
> > (r2650, at the moment) on it.  Unlike VMS, Tru64 UNIX doesn't seem
> > to have problems with the system and installs happily on it...
>
> > It's too bad that the original DEC employee 'midnight hack' files
> > aren't to be found.
>
> Are you talking about the sources?
> The binaries are available on the Freeware V5 CD.
>
> >> [...] I'm curious enough to grab a Multia from the
> >> shelf, blow the dust off and just try it - but I won't have the time
> >> for the next few weeks :-(
>
> > That would be excellent, I wonder what the outcome will be!  Say, what
> > else do you have in your Multia/UDB?  (Like in terms of storage,
> > memory and so forth.)
>
> The one at home has a 233 MHz CPU, 152 MB of memory (added 128 to the
> original 24), an internal 518 MB Toshiba SCSI disk drive with Windows NT
> SP6 (several years ago, this was the PDC of my home Windows domain), and
> an external disk enclosure with two more disks - one with additional
> Windows file, and one with OpenVMS on it.
>
> I don't remember the exact configuration of the other one (the one on
> the shelf in the office), but it is a slower model (166 MHz) with a
> single internal disk and OpenVMS on it. You can find it in operation
> here:
>
> <http://b.it.co.at/cluster/IT-Symp-2006_Cluster.png>
>
> We built this cluster during the 2006 DECUS symposium in Düsseldorf,
> Germany. Half a dozen folks brought hardware and we just connected it to
> a three architecture, mixed physical/virtual, grossly mixed version,
> highly unsupported cluster :-)
>
> Hans.

When I got my Multia I did not have an AXP/VMS V7.2 CD so I tried a
V7.3 installation cd in stead.
And that worked: the Multia boots and runs for at least an hour. It is
the only system I own that is
not running VMS reliably: it crashes eventually after about an hour,
sometimes it lasts longer.
The system came with 40 MB memory and that was replaced with 256 MB.
High memory boards, the
lid just could be closed so now the system runs with 128 MB. Why the
system crashes I do not know.
Could be a heat issue or a VMS support issue. Using the graphics
console seems to reduce the up time
a lot more than a network login (CTERM, LAT or telnet).

VMS was installed with VMS on CDrom and the Multia drivers on a
floppy. The target disk was in a BA35x
cabinet. After the installation was complete the system disk was
transferred to the internal 2.5" hard disk.
It is not difficult to make an ISO file (LD file) from that V7.3
system disk.
Hans

PS
HECnet users: the image will be available on TITAAN:: next Saturday.