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5: <title>OpenBSD/vax</title>
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16: <a href="index.html"><img alt="[OpenBSD]" height="30" width="141" src="images/smalltitle.gif" border="0"></a>
17: <p>
18: <h2><font color="#e00000">OpenBSD/vax</font></h2>
19:
20: <hr>
1.10 johns 21:
1.39 miod 22: <p>
23: <a href="images/vax.jpg">
24: <img src="images/vax.jpg" width="350" height="467" align="right" alt="[nothing sucks like a vax]">
25: </a>
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).
28:
29: <p>
30: A mailing list dedicated to the OpenBSD/vax port is available at
31: <u><font color="#23238e">vax@openbsd.org</font></u>.
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.
36:
37: <p>
38: The current port maintainers are
39: <a href="mailto:bjc@cvs.openbsd.org">Brandon Creighton</a>
40: and <a href="mailto:hugh@cvs.openbsd.org">Hugh Graham</a>.
41: Others are definitely welcome to contribute!
42:
43: <a href="#toc"></a>
44: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><i>Table of contents</i></font></h3>
45: <p>
46: <ul>
1.41 jufi 47: <li><a href="#history">History of the port</a>
1.39 miod 48: <li><a href="#status">Current status</a>
49: <li><a href="#projects">Project list</a>
1.55 nick 50: <li><a href="#hardware">Supported hardware</a>
1.39 miod 51: <li><a href="#hwdocs">Documentation wanted</a>
52: <li><a href="#install">Getting and installing OpenBSD/vax</a>
53: </ul>
1.1 deraadt 54:
1.3 fn 55: <hr>
1.39 miod 56: <a name="history"></a>
57: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><strong>History:</strong></font></h3>
1.28 hugh 58:
1.12 ericj 59: <p>
1.32 hugh 60: VAX has been a supported OpenBSD architecture since early 2000, when code was
61: synchronized with NetBSD's port. Being the second architecture to run BSD Unix
62: (in 1979!), it seems appropriate that these venerable vaxen should still have
1.39 miod 63: a modern OS.
64:
65: <p>
66: The current codebase is mostly from Berkeley, with contributions of free
67: code from Digital, Mt Xinu, NetBSD, OpenBSD and others.
1.12 ericj 68:
69: <p>
1.53 jolan 70: After the port was synchronized with the NetBSD codebase, fixes and improvements
71: were made, such as support for 16 partitions per drive, support for more VAX
1.39 miod 72: models, improved emulation of unimplemented instructions, and so on.
1.28 hugh 73:
1.39 miod 74: <p>
75: Development is ongoing, and changes are shared among VAX hackers even to
76: this day. The result of this work is an operating system that is stable
77: and familiar to any OpenBSD user.
78:
79: <hr>
80: <a name="status"></a>
81: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><strong>Current status:</strong></font></h3>
82:
83: <p>
84: Currently, all the hardware listed in the
1.55 nick 85: <a href="#hardware">supported hardware</a> section below boots
1.39 miod 86: multi-user, and supports enough of the on-board devices to be generally
1.54 pedro 87: usable.
1.39 miod 88: Some models can only run diskless at the moment, though.
1.35 hugh 89:
90: <p>
1.64 ! miod 91: As of OpenBSD 3.9, none of the VAXstation frame buffers were supported, and
! 92: there were no X Window System servers available.
! 93:
! 94: <p>
! 95: In OpenBSD<i>-CURRENT</i>, most of the VAXstation frame buffers are
! 96: supported, and some of them can run the X11R6 server.
! 97:
! 98: <p>
! 99: Of course, regardless of frame buffer support, a complete set of X clients
! 100: and utilities is available, allowing OpenBSD/vax machines to behave as X11
! 101: font servers, or run X clients on remote display.
1.35 hugh 102:
1.39 miod 103: <p>
104: There a few problems still left in the OpenBSD/vax port, though:
1.35 hugh 105: <ul>
1.39 miod 106: <li>The current compiler sometimes has optimizer issues (i.e. gcc -O2
107: produces incorrect code, while -O1 or -O0 work). They are slowly being
108: worked on as we are aware of them. Most code should work nowadays.
109: <li>Addressing limits in the pmap module. This can cause the kernel to panic.
1.42 david 110: Some of these situations have been taken care of and fail gracefully,
1.39 miod 111: but there might be unfixed cases.
1.28 hugh 112: </ul>
1.39 miod 113:
114: <hr>
115: <a name="projects"></a>
116: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><strong>Projects (in no particular order):
117: </strong></font></h3>
1.28 hugh 118:
119: <p>
1.39 miod 120: <ul>
121: <li>Write driver for the VAXstation 2000's HDC9224
122: (floppy/MFM hard disk controller)
123: <li>MSCP support may still be rough
1.64 ! miod 124: <li>Write and improve more frame buffer drivers
! 125: <li>Move to ELF and shared libraries
1.39 miod 126: <li>Support for any new systems we encounter
127: </ul>
1.28 hugh 128:
1.39 miod 129: <hr>
130: <a name="hardware"></a>
131: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><strong>Supported hardware:</strong></font></h3>
1.16 hugh 132:
133: <p>
1.39 miod 134: The list of supported hardware below is not meant to be exhaustive.
135: Due to a limited
1.18 hugh 136: <a href="want.html#vax">inventory of systems</a>
1.39 miod 137: available to developers, not all hardware combinations have been tested.
138:
139: <p>
140: As a result, OpenBSD/vax may actually run on your machine even if it's not
1.32 hugh 141: listed here, and we rely on your testing and feedback to keep this list up
1.39 miod 142: to date.
143: To help us improve the accuracy of this list, <b>PLEASE</b>
144: <a href="faq/faq4.html#SendDmesg">send your dmesg</a> after installation
145: to <a href="mailto:dmesg@openbsd.org">dmesg@openbsd.org</a>.
146:
147: <p>
148: <h4>Supported models</h4>
1.12 ericj 149:
1.13 ericj 150: <p>
1.39 miod 151: <ul>
1.64 ! miod 152: <li>VAXstation 2000
1.39 miod 153: <li>VAXstation 3100/{30,40} (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
154: <li>VAXstation 3100/{38,48} (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
155: <li>VAXstation 3100/76 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
156: <li>VAXstation 4000/VLC (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
157: <li>VAXstation 4000/60 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
158: <li>VAXstation 4000/90 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.64 ! miod 159: <li>VAXstation 4000/90A (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.39 miod 160: <li>VAXstation 4000/96 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.64 ! miod 161: <li>MicroVAX 2000
1.39 miod 162: <li>MicroVAX 3100/{10,20}{,e} (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
163: <li>MicroVAX 3100/{30,40} (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
164: <li>MicroVAX 3100/80 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.51 miod 165: <li>MicroVAX 3100/85 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.39 miod 166: <li>MicroVAX 3100/90 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.64 ! miod 167: <li>MicroVAX 3100/95 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
! 168: <li>MicroVAX 3100/96 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.39 miod 169: <li>MicroVAX 3300
170: <li>VAX 4000 100 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
171: <li>VAX 4000 105 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.61 mickey 172: <li>VAX 4000 106 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.39 miod 173: <li>VAX 4000 200
174: <li>VAX 4000 300
175: <li>VAX 4000 {400,500,600}
176: <li>VAX 4000 {500A,700A}
1.64 ! miod 177: <li>VXT2000 and VXT2000+ <i>(-CURRENT only)</i>
1.59 kettenis 178: <li><a href="vax-simh.html">SIMH VAX</a>
1.39 miod 179: </ul>
180:
1.64 ! miod 181: <p>
! 182: <h4>QBUS devices</h4>
! 183:
! 184: <p>
! 185: <ul>
! 186: <li>KFQSA MSCP DSSI controller
! 187: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=uda&sektion=4&arch=vax">uda</a>)
! 188: <li>Emulex UC08 MSCP SCSI controller
! 189: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=uda&sektion=4&arch=vax">uda</a>)
! 190: <li>CXY08 DHV-11 emulating serial ports
! 191: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=dhu&sektion=4&arch=vax">dhu</a>)
! 192: <li>DELQA Ethernet
! 193: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=qe&sektion=4&arch=vax">qe</a>)
! 194: </ul>
! 195:
! 196: <p>
! 197: <h4>Ethernet controllers</h4>
! 198:
! 199: <p>
! 200: <ul>
! 201: <li>on-board MicroVAX or VAXstation LANCE Ethernet
! 202: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=le&sektion=4&arch=vax">le</a>)
! 203: <li>DEC SGEC
! 204: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=ze&sektion=4&arch=vax">ze</a>)
! 205: </ul>
! 206:
! 207: <p>
! 208: <h4>SCSI controllers</h4>
! 209:
! 210: <p>
! 211: <ul>
! 212: <li>NCR5380
! 213: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=asc&sektion=4&arch=vax">asc</a>)
! 214: on-board SCSI
! 215: <li>NCR53C9x
! 216: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=ncr&sektion=4&arch=vax">ncr</a>)
! 217: on-board SCSI
! 218: </ul>
! 219: <p>
! 220: This includes most 3100s and VAXstation 4000s, as well as the VAX 4000 10x
! 221: series.
! 222:
! 223: <p>
! 224: <h4>Serial ports</h4>
! 225:
! 226: <p>
! 227: <ul>
! 228: <li>DZ*11 or compatible serial ports
! 229: (<a
! 230: href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=dz&sektion=4&arch=vax">dz</a>)
! 231: <li>SC26C94 serial ports on VXT2000
! 232: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=qsc&sektion=4&arch=vax">qsc</a>)
! 233: </ul>
! 234:
! 235: <p>
! 236: <h4>Frame buffers</h4> <i>(-CURRENT only)</i>
! 237:
! 238: <p>
! 239: <ul>
! 240: <li>VAXstation 3100 on-board monochrome frame buffer
! 241: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=smg&sektion=4&arch=vax">smg</a>)
! 242: <li>VAXstation 3100/{30,38,40,48} color frame buffer option
! 243: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=gpx&sektion=4&arch=vax">gpx</a>)
! 244: <li>VAXstation 4000/60 and 4000/VLC frame buffer
! 245: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lcg&sektion=4&arch=vax">lcg</a>)
! 246: <li>VAXstation 4000/90 color frame buffer
! 247: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lcspx&sektion=4&arch=vax">lcspx</a>)
! 248: <li>VXT2000 color frame buffer
! 249: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lcspx&sektion=4&arch=vax">lcspx</a>)
! 250: </ul>
! 251:
! 252: <p>
! 253: The VAXstation 3100 SPX frame buffer, the VXT2000 monochrome frame buffer and
! 254: the SPXg/SPXgt options for VAXstation 4000s are not supported yet.
! 255:
! 256: <p>
! 257: <h4>Input devices</h4> <i>(-CURRENT only)</i>
! 258:
! 259: <p>
! 260: <ul>
! 261: <li>LK201 and LK401 keyboards
! 262: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lkkbd&sektion=4&arch=vax">lkkbd</a>)
! 263: <li>VSxxx mouse
! 264: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lkms&sektion=4&arch=vax">lkms</a>)
! 265: </ul>
! 266:
1.3 fn 267: <hr>
1.40 miod 268: <a name="hwdocs"></a>
269: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><strong>Documentation wanted:</strong></font></h3>
270:
271: <p>
272: <ul>
1.64 ! miod 273: <li>Programming info for LCG, SPX, and SPXg/SPXgt framebuffers
1.40 miod 274: <li>Software references for SHAC DSSI
275: <li>Any edition VARM
276: </ul>
277:
278: <hr>
279: <a name="install"></a>
280: <h3><font color="#0000e0">
281: <strong>Getting and installing OpenBSD/vax:</strong>
282: </font></h3>
283:
284: <p>
285: The latest supported OpenBSD/vax release is
1.63 steven 286: <a href="39.html">OpenBSD 3.9</a>.
1.40 miod 287: Here are the
1.63 steven 288: <a href="ftp://ftp.OpenBSD.org/pub/OpenBSD/3.9/vax/INSTALL.vax">
289: OpenBSD/vax 3.9 installation instructions
1.40 miod 290: </a>.
291:
292: <p>
293: Snapshots are made available from time to time, in
294: <a href="ftp://ftp.OpenBSD.org/pub/OpenBSD/snapshots/vax">this location</a>
295: as well as in a few
296: <a href="ftp.html">mirrors</a>.
297: Here are the
298: <a href="ftp://ftp.OpenBSD.org/pub/OpenBSD/snapshots/vax/INSTALL.vax">
299: OpenBSD/vax snapshot installation instructions
300: </a> as well.
301:
302: <hr>
1.39 miod 303: <a href="plat.html">
304: <img height="24" width="24" src="back.gif" border="0" alt="Supported platforms">
305: </a>
306: <br>
307: <small><a href="mailto:www@openbsd.org">www@openbsd.org</a></small>
1.3 fn 308: <br>
1.64 ! miod 309: <small>$OpenBSD: vax.html,v 1.63 2006/05/07 21:09:38 steven Exp $</small>
1.3 fn 310:
311: </body>
312: </html>
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