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OpenVMS Hobbyist Program | Alpha Systems Forums | Alpha Hardware Forum
Author Have I lost a disk?
dtpoirot
Member

Posts: 15
Joined: 11.08.10
Posted on August 26 2010 16:58
Howdy all,

An AlphaStation 255/233 recently found it's way to my doorstep. The previous owner claims it has been off since 2007.

It took several trys reseating all the components and cables but it finally lit up an LCD monitor.

At first '>>>sh dev d' listed DKA0, DKA100 and DKA400 as drives where the last device is the SCSI CDROM.

I booted my OpenVMS 8.3 install media and tried setting DKA0 as the system drive. That effort failed and now the device no longer shows up during install or from the ROM monitor.

I know at one point I reset the DIP switches on the main board which should have reset the NVRAM and RTC.

Could this have made the drive dissapear?

...or is it more likely that the reason it was turned off in 2007 was that the system drive had failed?

Are there any diagnostics that I can run?

Is there any chance that a commodity SCSI drive will work or do I need to look for something special?


best regards,
- dan
Author RE: Have I lost a disk?
Altivo
Member

User Avatar

Posts: 86
Location: Illinois
Joined: 26.05.07
Posted on August 27 2010 01:18
Standard SCSI drives work, generally. Remember that there are multiple SCSI interfaces now, though. It will be easiest if you determine what the failed drive was and the type of interface it used, and match that.

You do not have to pay high prices for original DEC drives, though. I'm using Seagate drives from Ebay on my PWS 433au and they work fine.
http://altivo.dreamwidth.org/
Author RE: Have I lost a disk?
dtpoirot
Member

Posts: 15
Joined: 11.08.10
Posted on August 27 2010 03:26
Thanks for the info...

DKA0 was a Barracuda.

How is OpenVMS going to feel about a rediculously huge 15,000 RPM 75 GB drive with a buffer bigger than the RAM in some VMS machines!


regards,
Author RE: Have I lost a disk?
Altivo
Member

User Avatar

Posts: 86
Location: Illinois
Joined: 26.05.07
Posted on August 27 2010 11:10
There may be a drive size limitation, but I don't know what it is.

With SCSI, I don't think the RPM matters, but older software may not take enough advantage of the extra capabilities of the drive to make it worthwhile.
http://altivo.dreamwidth.org/
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malmberg
August 04 2022
No more VAX hobbyist licenses. Community licenses for Alpha/IA64/X86_64 VMS Software Inc. Commercial VMS software licenses for VAX available from HPE.

ozboomer
July 20 2022
Just re-visiting.. No more hobbyist licenses? Is that from vmssoftware.com, no 'community' licenses?

valdirfranco
July 01 2022
No more hobbyist license...sad

mister_wavey
February 12 2022
I recall that the disks failed on the public access VMS systems that included Fafner

parwezw
January 03 2022
Anyone know what happened to FAFNER.DYNDS.ORG? I had a hobbyist account here but can longer access the site.

gtackett
October 27 2021
Make that DECdfs _2.1A_ for Vax

gtackett
October 27 2021
I'm looking for DECdfs V2.4A kit for VAX. Asking here just in case anyone is still listening.

MarkRLV
September 17 2021
At one time, didn't this web site have a job board? I would love to use my legacy skills one last time in my career.

malmberg
January 18 2021
New Hobbyist PAKs for VAX/VMS are no longer available according to reports. Only commercial licenses are reported to be for sale from HPE

dfilip
January 16 2021
Can someone please point me to hobbyist license pak? I'm looking for VAX/VMS 7.1, DECnet Phase IV, and UCX/TCPIP ... have the 7.1 media, need the license paks ... thanks!

Bart
October 16 2020
OpenVMS, and this website!

malmberg
September 05 2020
VSI community non-commercial licenses for AXP/IA64 are available now.

malmberg
September 05 2020
See the forum about licensing. Don't know if HPE hobby licenses still being issued. Commercial licenses still being sold.

silfox70
September 01 2020
I need the license for OpenVMS7.3. Where can I find them?

malmberg
August 29 2020
Eisner, which is currently being moved, got an SSH update and the keys were updated to more modern encryption standards.

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