Connecting to a MicroVAX 3100 Model 80

[vladstamate]

Hi all,

I have this nice MicroVAX 3100 Model 80 that powers on. I would like to connect to it somehow and see what it is doing. I opened it up and it has no less than 4 RZ25E HDDs! And a tape drive. This is a picture of the back of it.

1) I can recognize a BNC like connector, few SCSI connectors, but not much else. Can someone knowledgeable point some out on the back?

I have a few ISA network cards with BNC connectors as well as cable and terminators. However I was hoping for some kind of serial connection like say a PDP 11.

2) What are my chances to talk to it and how?

Regards.
Vlad.

 

[griffk]

Hi all,

I have this nice MicroVAX 3100 Model 80 that powers on. I would like to connect to it somehow and see what it is doing. I opened it up and it has no less than 4 RZ25E HDDs! And a tape drive. This is a picture of the back of it.

1) I can recognize a BNC like connector, few SCSI connectors, but not much else. Can someone knowledgeable point some out on the back?

I have a few ISA network cards with BNC connectors as well as cable and terminators. However I was hoping for some kind of serial connection like say a PDP 11.

2) What are my chances to talk to it and how?

Regards.
Vlad.

Well. I'm no uVax expert, but that blue DB25 looks like an RS232 plug...I'll see if I can dig up some paper on it,,,
gwk

 

[gslick]

On a MicroVAX 3100 Model 80 I believe the console port is the MMJ connector labeled 0.

Normally you would plug a BC16E cable into the connector labeled 0 and use an appropriate adapter on the other end of the cable. There were also some DEC terminals such as the VT320 that had MMJ connectors and with one of those you could use a BC16E cable without adapters on either end.

http://www.lammertbies.nl/comm/cable/dec-mmj.html

http://www.vt100.net/dec/vt320/serial_connections

 

[wa2flq]

Hi all,

I have this nice MicroVAX 3100 Model 80 that powers on. I would like to connect to it somehow and see what it is doing. I opened it up and it has no less than 4 RZ25E HDDs! And a tape drive. This is a picture of the back of it.

1) I can recognize a BNC like connector, few SCSI connectors, but not much else. Can someone knowledgeable point some out on the back?

I have a few ISA network cards with BNC connectors as well as cable and terminators. However I was hoping for some kind of serial connection like say a PDP 11.

2) What are my chances to talk to it and how?

Regards.
Vlad.

View attachment 25747

1) Next to the BNC is an AUI connector. A CentreCom210TS or equivalent can provide a 10baseT connection. Switch between the two controls which one is active.
The 50 pin Centronics port (lower right) is SCSI A bus connected internally to the RZ and Tape drives. I normally use a SCSI terminator on this port.

2) MMJ Port 3 is the console port - See http://h71000.www7.hp.com/faq/vmsfaq_025.html for information on how to make a cable.


See http://manx.classiccmp.org/collections/antonio/dec/a0574hr1.pdf for basic console commands.

 

[gslick]

MicroVAX 3100 Platform
BA42-B Enclosure Maintenance
EK-A0511-MG.001
http://manx.classiccmp.org/collections/mds-199909/cd1/vax/a0511mg1.pdf

Page 1-4, Figure 1-2 Controls, Indicators, Ports, and Connectors
Page 1-5, Table 1-1 Functions of the Controls, Indicators, Ports, and Connectors

On the Model 80 the console port is either MMJ port 0 or MMJ port 3 depending on the position of the break/enable switch.

Page 2-7, Table 2-3 Terminals Settings

Set the console terminal to 9600,N,8,1

 

[commodorejohn]

As has been said, you'll need an MMJ-to-D-shell adapter to enable serial console access. Luckily, there's at least one DEC-head on this forum who can hack them up (Lou, where're you at?) so it shouldn't be too difficult.

 

[vladstamate]

Thank you all for the help. This is the information I was looking for. Seems that as long as I can get a MMJ connector with a cable attached to it I can solder the other end into a DB25 (or DB9) and connect it to a terminal.

 

[billdeg]

For my similar system with the switches the way they are you'd attach the serial cable to the slot marked "3", other end to your terminal. I don't have the exact same as you but this should help:
http://vintagecomputer.net/digital/MicroVAX-3100/DEC_MicroVAX-3100_system_rear.jpg

Get a CentreCom 210T to connect to an ethernet cable so you can telnet to the outside world, once you get the terminal running.

I found if you connect an original DEC PC to a MicroVAX and use a mid-90's terminal program you get more "info" when the system boots. You get to choose your language, I'd have to re-check to see if there is anything else. Not sure how that all works compared to a VT terminal.

 

[Unknown_K]

I got lucky with my MicroVAX and ended up getting a VT525 terminal with RJJ cables so setting it up is easy. Never tried the serial ports.

 

[Jack.]

Hello!
It's pretty easy to build a MMJ-DB9 cable, just use this diagram

It's a three-cable connection, you can use a simple RJ11 cable by stripping out the the lock pin. Then you need to set up a 9600 8n1 connection (usually) and just connect to it. You should see 'KA-*something*' at your prompt, which is the processor ID, followed by some hex codes. This is the initial test sequence. Then you should get dropped to the '>>>' prompt. From there, type 'HELP', and go on. To see devices do 'SHOW DEV', and to boot use 'B *devname*'

Hope it helps!
Bye,
~Jack