Annotation of www/vax.html, Revision 1.108
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1.1 deraadt 5: <title>OpenBSD/vax</title>
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1.99 tb 16:
1.106 bentley 17: <h2 id=OpenBSD>
1.99 tb 18: <a href="index.html">
1.106 bentley 19: <i>Open</i><b>BSD</b></a>
20: vax
1.99 tb 21: </h2>
22: <hr>
1.106 bentley 23:
24: <table><tr><td>
1.39 miod 25: <p>
26: OpenBSD/vax runs on a large set of the VAX computers manufactured by
27: <a href="http://www.digital.com">Digital</a> (then Compaq, now Hewlett-Packard).
1.106 bentley 28:
1.98 deraadt 29: <p>
1.39 miod 30: A mailing list dedicated to the OpenBSD/vax port is available at
1.106 bentley 31: <a href="mailto:vax@openbsd.org">vax@openbsd.org</a>.
1.39 miod 32: To join the OpenBSD/vax mailing list, send a message body of <b>"subscribe
33: vax"</b> to <a href="mailto:majordomo@openbsd.org">majordomo@openbsd.org</a>.
34: Please be sure to check our <a href="mail.html">mailing list policy</a> before
35: subscribing.
1.106 bentley 36:
1.98 deraadt 37: <p>
1.106 bentley 38: <strong>The OpenBSD/vax port was discontinued after the 5.9 release.</strong>
1.39 miod 39:
1.106 bentley 40: <td>
41: <a href="images/vax.jpg">
42: <img src="images/vax.jpg" width="350" height="467" alt="VAX">
43: </a>
44: </table>
1.1 deraadt 45:
1.3 fn 46: <hr>
1.91 bentley 47:
1.106 bentley 48: <h3 id="history"><strong>History:</strong></h3>
1.28 hugh 49:
1.12 ericj 50: <p>
1.32 hugh 51: VAX has been a supported OpenBSD architecture since early 2000, when code was
52: synchronized with NetBSD's port. Being the second architecture to run BSD Unix
53: (in 1979!), it seems appropriate that these venerable vaxen should still have
1.39 miod 54: a modern OS.
55:
56: <p>
57: The current codebase is mostly from Berkeley, with contributions of free
58: code from Digital, Mt Xinu, NetBSD, OpenBSD and others.
1.12 ericj 59:
60: <p>
1.53 jolan 61: After the port was synchronized with the NetBSD codebase, fixes and improvements
62: were made, such as support for 16 partitions per drive, support for more VAX
1.39 miod 63: models, improved emulation of unimplemented instructions, and so on.
1.28 hugh 64:
1.39 miod 65: <p>
1.108 ! tj 66: The result of this work is an operating system that is stable
1.39 miod 67: and familiar to any OpenBSD user.
68:
69: <hr>
1.91 bentley 70:
1.106 bentley 71: <h3 id="status"><strong>Current status:</strong></h3>
1.39 miod 72:
73: <p>
74: Currently, all the hardware listed in the
1.55 nick 75: <a href="#hardware">supported hardware</a> section below boots
1.39 miod 76: multi-user, and supports enough of the on-board devices to be generally
1.54 pedro 77: usable.
1.39 miod 78: Some models can only run diskless at the moment, though.
1.35 hugh 79:
80: <p>
1.65 miod 81: As of OpenBSD 4.0, most of the VAXstation frame buffers are
1.74 miod 82: supported.
1.64 miod 83:
84: <p>
85: Of course, regardless of frame buffer support, a complete set of X clients
86: and utilities is available, allowing OpenBSD/vax machines to behave as X11
87: font servers, or run X clients on remote display.
1.35 hugh 88:
1.39 miod 89: <p>
90: There a few problems still left in the OpenBSD/vax port, though:
1.35 hugh 91: <ul>
1.39 miod 92: <li>The current compiler sometimes has optimizer issues (i.e. gcc -O2
93: produces incorrect code, while -O1 or -O0 work). They are slowly being
94: worked on as we are aware of them. Most code should work nowadays.
95: <li>Addressing limits in the pmap module. This can cause the kernel to panic.
1.42 david 96: Some of these situations have been taken care of and fail gracefully,
1.39 miod 97: but there might be unfixed cases.
98: </ul>
1.28 hugh 99:
1.39 miod 100: <hr>
1.91 bentley 101:
1.106 bentley 102: <h3 id="hardware"><strong>Supported hardware:</strong></h3>
1.16 hugh 103:
104: <p>
1.39 miod 105: The list of supported hardware below is not meant to be exhaustive.
1.74 miod 106: Due to a limited inventory of systems available to developers,
107: not all hardware combinations have been tested.
1.39 miod 108:
109: <p>
110: As a result, OpenBSD/vax may actually run on your machine even if it's not
1.32 hugh 111: listed here, and we rely on your testing and feedback to keep this list up
1.39 miod 112: to date.
1.106 bentley 113: To help us improve the accuracy of this list, <strong>PLEASE</strong>
1.39 miod 114: <a href="faq/faq4.html#SendDmesg">send your dmesg</a> after installation
115: to <a href="mailto:dmesg@openbsd.org">dmesg@openbsd.org</a>.
116:
117: <h4>Supported models</h4>
1.12 ericj 118:
1.39 miod 119: <ul>
1.64 miod 120: <li>VAXstation 2000
1.106 bentley 121: <li>VAXstation 3100/{30,40} (<span class=scsi>SCSI</span>)
122: <li>VAXstation 3100/{38,48} (<span class=scsi>SCSI</span>)
123: <li>VAXstation 3100/76 (<span class=scsi>SCSI</span>)
124: <li>VAXstation 35x0 and 38x0 (<span class=scsi>SCSI</span>)
125: <li>VAXstation 4000/VLC (<span class=scsi>SCSI</span>)
126: <li>VAXstation 4000/60 (<span class=scsi>SCSI</span>)
127: <li>VAXstation 4000/90 (<span class=scsi>SCSI</span>)
128: <li>VAXstation 4000/90A (<span class=scsi>SCSI</span>)
129: <li>VAXstation 4000/96 (<span class=scsi>SCSI</span>)
1.64 miod 130: <li>MicroVAX 2000
1.106 bentley 131: <li>MicroVAX 3100/{10,20}{,e} (<span class=scsi>SCSI</span>)
132: <li>MicroVAX 3100/{30,40} (<span class=scsi>SCSI</span>)
133: <li>MicroVAX 3100/80 (<span class=scsi>SCSI</span>)
134: <li>MicroVAX 3100/85 (<span class=scsi>SCSI</span>)
135: <li>MicroVAX 3100/90 (<span class=scsi>SCSI</span>)
136: <li>MicroVAX 3100/95 (<span class=scsi>SCSI</span>)
137: <li>MicroVAX 3100/96 (<span class=scsi>SCSI</span>)
1.39 miod 138: <li>MicroVAX 3300
1.106 bentley 139: <li>VAX 4000 100 (<span class=scsi>SCSI</span>)
140: <li>VAX 4000 105 (<span class=scsi>SCSI</span>)
141: <li>VAX 4000 106 (<span class=scsi>SCSI</span>)
1.39 miod 142: <li>VAX 4000 200
1.107 deraadt 143: <li>VAX 4000 300
1.39 miod 144: <li>VAX 4000 {400,500,600}
145: <li>VAX 4000 {500A,700A}
1.65 miod 146: <li>VXT2000 and VXT2000+
1.101 tedu 147: <li>Emulated SIMH VAX
1.39 miod 148: </ul>
149:
1.64 miod 150: <h4>QBUS devices</h4>
151:
152: <ul>
153: <li>KFQSA MSCP DSSI controller
1.108 ! tj 154: (<a href="https://man.openbsd.org/OpenBSD-5.9/vax/uda.4">uda</a>)
1.64 miod 155: <li>Emulex UC08 MSCP SCSI controller
1.108 ! tj 156: (<a href="https://man.openbsd.org/OpenBSD-5.9/vax/uda.4">uda</a>)
1.64 miod 157: <li>CXY08 DHV-11 emulating serial ports
1.108 ! tj 158: (<a href="https://man.openbsd.org/OpenBSD-5.9/vax/dhu.4">dhu</a>)
1.64 miod 159: <li>DELQA Ethernet
1.108 ! tj 160: (<a href="https://man.openbsd.org/OpenBSD-5.9/vax/qe.4">qe</a>)
1.64 miod 161: </ul>
162:
163: <h4>Ethernet controllers</h4>
164:
165: <ul>
166: <li>on-board MicroVAX or VAXstation LANCE Ethernet
1.108 ! tj 167: (<a href="https://man.openbsd.org/OpenBSD-5.9/vax/le.4">le</a>)
1.64 miod 168: <li>DEC SGEC
1.108 ! tj 169: (<a href="https://man.openbsd.org/OpenBSD-5.9/vax/ze.4">ze</a>)
1.64 miod 170: </ul>
171:
172: <h4>SCSI controllers</h4>
173:
174: <ul>
175: <li>NCR5380
1.108 ! tj 176: (<a href="https://man.openbsd.org/OpenBSD-5.9/vax/asc.4">asc</a>)
1.64 miod 177: on-board SCSI
178: <li>NCR53C9x
1.108 ! tj 179: (<a href="https://man.openbsd.org/OpenBSD-5.9/vax/ncr.4">ncr</a>)
1.64 miod 180: on-board SCSI
1.74 miod 181: <li>SII
1.108 ! tj 182: (<a href="https://man.openbsd.org/OpenBSD-5.9/vax/sii.4">sii</a>)
1.74 miod 183: on-board SCSI on VAXstation 35x0/38x0 I/O module
1.64 miod 184: </ul>
185: <p>
1.74 miod 186: Either one of the first two controllers are found onboard most 3100s and
187: VAXstation 4000s, as well as the VAX 4000 10x series.
1.64 miod 188:
189: <h4>Serial ports</h4>
190:
191: <ul>
192: <li>DZ*11 or compatible serial ports
193: (<a
1.108 ! tj 194: href="https://man.openbsd.org/OpenBSD-5.9/vax/dz.4">dz</a>)
1.64 miod 195: <li>SC26C94 serial ports on VXT2000
1.108 ! tj 196: (<a href="https://man.openbsd.org/OpenBSD-5.9/vax/qsc.4">qsc</a>)
1.64 miod 197: </ul>
198:
1.65 miod 199: <h4>Frame buffers</h4>
1.64 miod 200:
201: <ul>
202: <li>VAXstation 3100 on-board monochrome frame buffer
1.108 ! tj 203: (<a href="https://man.openbsd.org/OpenBSD-5.9/vax/smg.4">smg</a>)
1.64 miod 204: <li>VAXstation 3100/{30,38,40,48} color frame buffer option
1.108 ! tj 205: (<a href="https://man.openbsd.org/OpenBSD-5.9/vax/gpx.4">gpx</a>)
1.70 miod 206: <li>VAXstation 3100/76 SPX frame buffer, also available as an option for
207: VAXstation 3100/{30,38,40,48}
1.108 ! tj 208: (<a href="https://man.openbsd.org/OpenBSD-5.9/vax/lcspx.4">lcspx</a>)
1.74 miod 209: <li>VAXstation 35x0/38x0 frame buffer
1.108 ! tj 210: (<a href="https://man.openbsd.org/OpenBSD-5.9/vax/legss.4">legss</a>),
1.74 miod 211: without the 16 planes option
1.64 miod 212: <li>VAXstation 4000/60 and 4000/VLC frame buffer
1.108 ! tj 213: (<a href="https://man.openbsd.org/OpenBSD-5.9/vax/lcg.4">lcg</a>)
1.64 miod 214: <li>VAXstation 4000/90 color frame buffer
1.108 ! tj 215: (<a href="https://man.openbsd.org/OpenBSD-5.9/vax/lcspx.4">lcspx</a>)
1.64 miod 216: <li>VXT2000 color frame buffer
1.108 ! tj 217: (<a href="https://man.openbsd.org/OpenBSD-5.9/vax/lcspx.4">lcspx</a>)
1.64 miod 218: </ul>
219:
220: <p>
1.74 miod 221: The VXT2000 monochrome frame buffer, the LEGSS 16 plane option and the
222: SPXg/SPXgt options for VAXstation 4000s are not supported yet.
1.64 miod 223:
1.65 miod 224: <h4>Input devices</h4>
1.64 miod 225:
226: <ul>
227: <li>LK201 and LK401 keyboards
1.108 ! tj 228: (<a href="https://man.openbsd.org/OpenBSD-5.9/vax/lkkbd.4">lkkbd</a>)
1.64 miod 229: <li>VSxxx mouse
1.108 ! tj 230: (<a href="https://man.openbsd.org/OpenBSD-5.9/vax/lkms.4">lkms</a>)
1.64 miod 231: </ul>
232:
1.3 fn 233: <hr>
1.91 bentley 234:
1.106 bentley 235: <h3 id="hwdocs"><strong>Documentation wanted:</strong></h3>
1.40 miod 236:
237: <ul>
1.64 miod 238: <li>Programming info for LCG, SPX, and SPXg/SPXgt framebuffers
1.40 miod 239: <li>Software references for SHAC DSSI
240: <li>Any edition VARM
241: </ul>
242:
243: <hr>
1.91 bentley 244:
1.106 bentley 245: <h3 id="install">
1.40 miod 246: <strong>Getting and installing OpenBSD/vax:</strong>
1.106 bentley 247: </h3>
1.40 miod 248:
249: <p>
1.104 tj 250: The last supported OpenBSD/vax release was
1.95 sthen 251: <a href="58.html">OpenBSD 5.8</a>.
1.40 miod 252: Here are the
1.102 tb 253: <a href="https://ftp.OpenBSD.org/pub/OpenBSD/5.8/vax/INSTALL.vax">
1.103 tb 254: OpenBSD/vax 5.8 installation instructions</a>.
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