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LYNX-DEV Throwing out VAXen


From: Michael Sokolov
Subject: LYNX-DEV Throwing out VAXen
Date: Wed, 17 Sep 1997 15:28:47 -0400 (EDT)

   (This is primarily for Tom, but I'm posting it to lynx-dev in case
someone else has something to say.)
   
   Dear Tom,
   
   You have just written that you are going to throw out some VAXen.
Actually, I'm looking desperately for discarded/donated VAX hardware. I'm a
student at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) and I'm undertaking a
project for improving our campus network. At CWRU, we have an organization
called Information Network Services (INS) which is supposed to run our
network (CWRUnet) and maintain UNIX servers where users' E-mail is stored,
WWW pages are hosted, etc. However, INS runs its servers in a fascist and
paranoid way. They don't give anyone shell access, they confine _their
legitimate users_ to a captive FreeNet-like menu. In fact, in addition to
running CWRUnet, INS runs Cleveland Free-Net, for which such captivity is
justified, but those villains force the same system on CWRUnet users. They
commit zillions of other crimes against humanity for which they all should
have been guillotined a long time ago. As a result, the overwhelming
majority of CWRU students, faculty, and staff hate INS and seek an
alternative CWRUnet Service Provider (CSP). In the Spring 1997 semester I
have volunteered to become the leader of the alternative CSP movement. I'm
currently working on building a new UNIX system on CWRUnet to provide
accounts to CWRU students, faculty, and staff, and when I build it, I will
become its sysadmin. The current codename of that system is Harhan, named
after one alien starsystem in Uriy Petuhov's science-fiction epic "Star
Revenge" (yes, I'm doing a star revenge against INS).
   The OS I have chosen for Harhan is Berkeley UNIX(R) (remember my
comments on lynx-dev regarding Lynx under pure BSD?). The next step after
choosing the OS was choosing the hardware platform. The original, oldest,
and most stable platform for UNIX(R) is undoubtedly VAX, the support for
which dates back to V7 (or maybe V6). All versions of Berkeley UNIX(R) from
at least 3BSD to 4.3BSD run on VAXen. This choice of platform has also
turned out to be fortunate for my situation, since people at CWRU donate
VAXen with much less reluctance than other platforms supported by Berkeley
UNIX(R) (4.4BSD supports or kind-of-supports HP300s, DEC MIPS boxes, 386+
boxes, and SPARCs). I was offered some 386es, but those had everything non-
standard and getting them to work would cost more than they were worth.
   I have got a bunch of MicroVAXen, including a couple of QBUS systems, a
few VAXstation 2000 boxes, and a few VAXstation 3100/M38 boxes. However,
I'm still looking for more people who are willing to donate VAX hardware,
since the ones I already have are usually missing something, and given
their modest performance (and hence the modest number of users I can hope
to squeeze on each box), more boxes will help me out.
   Here are things that I need to make use of MicroVAXen I already have:
   - ST-412 MFM hard disk drives (HDDs) with about 100MB or higher capacity
to utilize my 2000s which unfortunately came to me diskless.
   - SCSI HDDs with about 100MB or higher capacity and narrow single-ended
interface to utilize my 3100s which unfortunately came to me diskless.
   - Expansion adapters for MicroVAX 2000 and VAXstation 2000. A bit of
explanation is in order. These systems have brick-like enclosures which are
normally 14 cm high, but one can screw in a little 4 cm high pizza-box into
the bottom of the enclosure, increasing its height to 18 cm and providing
space for at most three big external connectors for things like SCSI and
external ST-412. These pizza-boxes (or expansion adapters in official
terminology) are what I'm looking for. I think DEC always shipped the
MicroVAX flavor with one preinstalled, while the VAXstation flavor came
both with and without one, and DEC Field Service could install them
afterwards.
   - MicroVAX console cables. I'm looking for BCC08 cables (a DB9 connector
with a funny DEC pinout on one end and a female DB25 connector for a VT
terminal on the other end), MMJ-to-MMJ cables, and MMJ-to-VT terminal
adapters.
   - MicroVAX 2000 and VAXstation 2000 technical manuals, and any manuals
for MicroVAX 3100 and VAXstation 3100.
   Here are things that will make my MicroVAXen more powerful:
   - 12 MB memory modules for MicroVAX 2000 and VAXstation 2000.
   - KA655 CPU modules for/from QBUS MicroVAXen (such as MicroVAX/VAXserver
3800/3900) and memory modules that go with them. Right now I only have
KA630 and KA650.
   Here are the types of VAXen I can use to increase my machine base:
   - QBUS MicroVAXen (including MicroVAX, VAXstation, and VAXserver
flavors). Examples are IIs, 3400s, 3500s, 3600s, 3800s, and 3900s.
   - MicroVAX 2000 and VAXstation 2000.
   - MicroVAX 3100 and VAXstation 3100. I can use up to M38/M48. I don't
think I will be able to use 3100/M76 and higher.
   I'm also looking for CDC/Imprimis/Seagate Wren VI full-height ESDI HDDs.
They also known as 94196-766 or as ST4766E. They have a ESDI interface,
full-height form factor, and 676 MB of formatted capacity. I can also uses
similar HDDs from other manufacturers. I brought this up because these HDDs
often appear in QBUS MicroVAXen, connected to a Dilog ESDI controller.
   The lists above are things that I'm looking for. If you are throwing out
anything of that sort, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE donate it to me. This will
greatly help me and all other CWRUnet users seeking a refuge from INS.
   If you have something that you can donate to me, tell me first by E-mail
what it is, and I'll tell you the address to send it to. If that's a part
inside a machine that you don't know how to take out, I can give you a
detailed explanation of how to do it, or you could send the whole machine
if it's small.
   Thank you very much for any help.
   
   Sincerely,
   Michael Sokolov
   Phone: 440-646-1864
   ARPA Internet SMTP mail: address@hidden
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