VAX 4400 with OpenVMS v6.2 Diagnostics

[VPedraza]

The disk is a RF35/RZ35 and so far we haven't been able to find it.

[Steven Schweda]

> The disk is a RF35/RZ35 and so far we
> haven't been able to find it.

How hard have you been looking?

You'd better figure out which it is, RF35
(DSSI) or RZ35 (SCSI) before you buy one.
I'll assume that it's DSSI. Otherwise,
almost any SCSI disk might satisfy.

A quick search on eBay (computers) for:
(dec,digital) disk (rf3*,rf7*)
found some. More, if you'd accept a bigger
drive, either logically (RF36 @ 1.6GB, for
example) or physically (RF7*).

Assuming that it doesn't already have SCSI,
if I were serious about keeping this system
up, I'd keep an eye open for a bargain on a
Q-bus SCSI card. (I did see a very nice
looking CMD CQD-443/TM on eBay, but at $500,
it's out of my cheap-junk price range. Close
to home, though, in my case.)

[VPedraza]

The disks connect to the backplane of the Vax so I believe they aren't scsi.

This company is in chapter 11 so purchasing new stuff is difficult, if we could find a replacement for the broken one we could make a case and get some funds.

Otherwise we are screwed.

[Hoff]

Replacing a disk? I'd be looking to replace the whole of the VAX 4000 model 400 box, particularly if this box is running an important application. Either using available VAX emulation, or by porting forward to a newer VAX or (if you have the source code) to a newer platform. Whether to Integrity or otherwise.

And I'd not be replacing with an RZ3x nor RF* here; these disks are just too old. They were over-built, but they're now over-old.

The usual DSSI to SCSI adapter for systems of this vintage was the HSD05 series, or the HSD10 series. Moving to SCSI would be ab

If you're seriously tied into OpenVMS VAX V6.2 for some reason, Nemonix Engineering has a refurbishment program. And most of the independent vendors and consultants that follow this forum can assist with hardware-level upgrades and swaps, and with porting. And do start looking at how you can un-tie your production from this old VAX.

Stephen Hoffman
HoffmanLabs LLC

[Hoff]

You'll need to specifically identify the disk involved here.

I'm not aware of any disk that was connected directly to the backplane of a VAX. Ever. In the vintage of the VAX 4000 model 400 series, the two most common interconnects were the DSSI (RF-series) bus and the SCSI (RZ-series) bus.

SCSI was often via a DSSI to SCSI adapter, the HSD05 or HSD10.

Do not get a KFQSA; not for SCSI disks.

You'll pay more for a DSSI replacement, and (given the age) there's a much higher expectation of failure.

[Stanley F Quayle]

Hoff mentions VAX emulation. Let me give you a pointer:

http://www.stanq.com/charon-vax.html

Assuming you don't have any custom Qbus hardware, replacing it can be fast & easy.

[Shameless Plug Alert(tm) - I am a CHARON-VAX and CHARON-Alpha reseller.]