[Info-vax] Infoserver 150

[Bill Gunshannon]

On 1/17/19 4:40 PM, Dave Froble wrote:
> On 1/17/2019 1:43 PM, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
>> On 1/17/19 12:51 PM, Dave Froble wrote:
>>> On 1/17/2019 10:32 AM, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Just when you thought I coldn't copme up with any moreo
>>>> stupid questions....
>>>>
>>>> My Infoserver is a KA41.  Should I assume it also has the
>>>> disk size limit found on all my VS3100's?
>>>>
>>>> Got  my PAKs last night.  Less than 12 hours turnaround time.
>>>> Nice.  Sent a reply back and am waiting for a pointer to the
>>>> kits.  Email included a small FAQ which covered the loss of
>>>> VMS attributes.
>>>>
>>>> bill
>>>
>>> Well, there is one way to defeat two issues with one solution.
>>>
>>> Should you have a later VMS system, perhaps an Alpha or even itanic,
>>> you can use the InfoServer software under VMS, giving you both that
>>> capability plus a system running VMS.
>>
>> If I had an Alpha or an Itanic do you really think I would be using
>> a VS3100?  :-)
> 
> Well Bill, I don't know.  There are some who wish to use the older HW.

Oh, I like old hardware.  The VS3100 is sitting on top of 4 PDP-11's
right now.  And across the desk from them is a SunBlade 100.  Even
my Laptops are all old systems (one is a Gateway!)  But this current
project is very much about running VMS rather than just running
something on a VAX.  I also have Ultrix-32 and NetBSD for the VAX
but they can wait for now until I have my VMS systems running.  :-)

> 
>>> Network speeds on newer HW might be faster than the older disks, thus
>>> allowing old HW to still be used when one can no longer find old disks
>>> that work.
>>>
>>
>> I am pretty sure I have enough disks (of all sizes and flavors)
>> to last well past my demise.  The wonders of being a packrat.
> 
> Until you try to use them, and find that perhaps whatever lube is used 
> has dried up and the disks won't spin up.  I sometimes think one is 
> better off running an old disk, to keep it warmed up.  Sitting on the 
> shelf could be worse.

I have seldom seen the stiction problem on anything other than
old ST506 disks.  Electronics failure is more common on things
like SCSI's.  And, believe it or not, I still  have DEC RZ28
disks sealed in the wrappers they shipped in.  Don't know if
they are new or DEC Refurbished, but I really don't think that
makes a difference.  :-)

bill