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Xref: sserve comp.unix.bsd:6193 comp.unix.ultrix:14187 Newsgroups: comp.system.dec,comp.unix.bsd,comp.unix.ultrix Path: sserve!manuel.anu.edu.au!munnari.oz.au!network.ucsd.edu!pacbell.com!decwrl!pa.dec.com!nntpd2.cxo.dec.com!nabeth!alan From: alan@nabeth.enet.dec.com (Alan Rollow - Alan's Home for Wayward Tumbleweeds.) Subject: Re: Free 8350 needs unix help to become a real computer Message-ID: <1992Oct6.200433.26259@nntpd2.cxo.dec.com> Lines: 58 Sender: alan@nabeth (Alan Rollow - Alan's Home for Wayward Tumbleweeds.) Reply-To: alan@nabeth.enet.dec.com (Alan Rollow - Alan's Home for Wayward Tumbleweeds.) Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation References: <1992Oct5.201519.33@nsrvan.vanc.wa.us> Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 20:04:33 GMT In article <1992Oct5.201519.33@nsrvan.vanc.wa.us>, sysevm@nsrvan.vanc.wa.us writes: > [ Typo correct by the Editor... ] > >Hello, > > I'm helping out our local college who has been given a VAX 8350. It >has VMS on it now and they would like to run unix being a unix shop. Tektronix >may donate a license so there is no problem there (or so we think). > > Here are my questions: > > The VMS os uses a special boot floppy. Do you need another for BSD? Assuming that BSD supports the 8350 (2 CPU system), they'll need a boot floppy. All that series did. > Where can I get one? If you get a normal distribution kit, it should include what's needed to make one. The ULTRIX installation procedure will build one for you if you provide the blank floppy. > Who is using ULTRIX on an 8350 and what do you think. I used one as a test system, so I wouldn't have to make my users endure the potential pain of their main work system run field test software. The main system was a VAX 8800 and considerably faster. At various times I had 40 MB+ of memory and four CPUs in the system. The four CPU version wasn't a supported configuration and never underwent any heavy load. It was a reasonable system though relatively slow. It depends on what you want to do with it. The VAX 8350 is a two CPU system, each CPU approximately the same speed as a 11/780. It uses the VAXBI as the system and I/O bus. >From what I last recall the largest memory board available was 16 MB and the smallest 2. The small version of the system had two six slot VAXBIs. The larger version had four VAXBIs. In either case it's limited to 16 VAXBI options, eight of which can be supported memory. The KDB50 is a reasonable disk controller if you don't need lots of disks. If you do need lots of disks then you need a CI adapter (CIBCA-BA is the one to prefer) and an HSC based disk farm. The VAXBI tape controller is for the TU81+; adequte if you can keep it streaming, lousy if you can't. At various there were as many as three Ethernet adapters available. I prefer the DEBNI myself. > > Any and all advise is welcome... > > >Thanks, Ethan > -- Alan Rollow alan@nabeth.cxo.dec.com