Annotation of www/vax.html, Revision 1.69
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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:
1.68 nick 43: <a name="toc"></a>
1.39 miod 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>
1.65 miod 91: As of OpenBSD 4.0, most of the VAXstation frame buffers are
1.64 miod 92: supported, and some of them can run the X11R6 server.
93:
94: <p>
95: Of course, regardless of frame buffer support, a complete set of X clients
96: and utilities is available, allowing OpenBSD/vax machines to behave as X11
97: font servers, or run X clients on remote display.
1.35 hugh 98:
1.39 miod 99: <p>
100: There a few problems still left in the OpenBSD/vax port, though:
1.35 hugh 101: <ul>
1.39 miod 102: <li>The current compiler sometimes has optimizer issues (i.e. gcc -O2
103: produces incorrect code, while -O1 or -O0 work). They are slowly being
104: worked on as we are aware of them. Most code should work nowadays.
105: <li>Addressing limits in the pmap module. This can cause the kernel to panic.
1.42 david 106: Some of these situations have been taken care of and fail gracefully,
1.39 miod 107: but there might be unfixed cases.
1.28 hugh 108: </ul>
1.39 miod 109:
110: <hr>
111: <a name="projects"></a>
112: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><strong>Projects (in no particular order):
113: </strong></font></h3>
1.28 hugh 114:
115: <p>
1.39 miod 116: <ul>
117: <li>Write driver for the VAXstation 2000's HDC9224
118: (floppy/MFM hard disk controller)
119: <li>MSCP support may still be rough
1.64 miod 120: <li>Write and improve more frame buffer drivers
121: <li>Move to ELF and shared libraries
1.39 miod 122: <li>Support for any new systems we encounter
123: </ul>
1.28 hugh 124:
1.39 miod 125: <hr>
126: <a name="hardware"></a>
127: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><strong>Supported hardware:</strong></font></h3>
1.16 hugh 128:
129: <p>
1.39 miod 130: The list of supported hardware below is not meant to be exhaustive.
131: Due to a limited
1.18 hugh 132: <a href="want.html#vax">inventory of systems</a>
1.39 miod 133: available to developers, not all hardware combinations have been tested.
134:
135: <p>
136: As a result, OpenBSD/vax may actually run on your machine even if it's not
1.32 hugh 137: listed here, and we rely on your testing and feedback to keep this list up
1.39 miod 138: to date.
139: To help us improve the accuracy of this list, <b>PLEASE</b>
140: <a href="faq/faq4.html#SendDmesg">send your dmesg</a> after installation
141: to <a href="mailto:dmesg@openbsd.org">dmesg@openbsd.org</a>.
142:
143: <p>
144: <h4>Supported models</h4>
1.12 ericj 145:
1.13 ericj 146: <p>
1.39 miod 147: <ul>
1.64 miod 148: <li>VAXstation 2000
1.39 miod 149: <li>VAXstation 3100/{30,40} (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
150: <li>VAXstation 3100/{38,48} (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
151: <li>VAXstation 3100/76 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
152: <li>VAXstation 4000/VLC (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
153: <li>VAXstation 4000/60 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
154: <li>VAXstation 4000/90 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.64 miod 155: <li>VAXstation 4000/90A (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.39 miod 156: <li>VAXstation 4000/96 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.64 miod 157: <li>MicroVAX 2000
1.39 miod 158: <li>MicroVAX 3100/{10,20}{,e} (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
159: <li>MicroVAX 3100/{30,40} (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
160: <li>MicroVAX 3100/80 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.51 miod 161: <li>MicroVAX 3100/85 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.39 miod 162: <li>MicroVAX 3100/90 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.64 miod 163: <li>MicroVAX 3100/95 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
164: <li>MicroVAX 3100/96 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.39 miod 165: <li>MicroVAX 3300
166: <li>VAX 4000 100 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
167: <li>VAX 4000 105 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.61 mickey 168: <li>VAX 4000 106 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.39 miod 169: <li>VAX 4000 200
170: <li>VAX 4000 300
171: <li>VAX 4000 {400,500,600}
172: <li>VAX 4000 {500A,700A}
1.65 miod 173: <li>VXT2000 and VXT2000+
1.59 kettenis 174: <li><a href="vax-simh.html">SIMH VAX</a>
1.39 miod 175: </ul>
176:
1.64 miod 177: <p>
178: <h4>QBUS devices</h4>
179:
180: <p>
181: <ul>
182: <li>KFQSA MSCP DSSI controller
183: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=uda&sektion=4&arch=vax">uda</a>)
184: <li>Emulex UC08 MSCP SCSI controller
185: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=uda&sektion=4&arch=vax">uda</a>)
186: <li>CXY08 DHV-11 emulating serial ports
187: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=dhu&sektion=4&arch=vax">dhu</a>)
188: <li>DELQA Ethernet
189: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=qe&sektion=4&arch=vax">qe</a>)
190: </ul>
191:
192: <p>
193: <h4>Ethernet controllers</h4>
194:
195: <p>
196: <ul>
197: <li>on-board MicroVAX or VAXstation LANCE Ethernet
198: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=le&sektion=4&arch=vax">le</a>)
199: <li>DEC SGEC
200: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=ze&sektion=4&arch=vax">ze</a>)
201: </ul>
202:
203: <p>
204: <h4>SCSI controllers</h4>
205:
206: <p>
207: <ul>
208: <li>NCR5380
209: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=asc&sektion=4&arch=vax">asc</a>)
210: on-board SCSI
211: <li>NCR53C9x
212: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=ncr&sektion=4&arch=vax">ncr</a>)
213: on-board SCSI
214: </ul>
215: <p>
216: This includes most 3100s and VAXstation 4000s, as well as the VAX 4000 10x
217: series.
218:
219: <p>
220: <h4>Serial ports</h4>
221:
222: <p>
223: <ul>
224: <li>DZ*11 or compatible serial ports
225: (<a
226: href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=dz&sektion=4&arch=vax">dz</a>)
227: <li>SC26C94 serial ports on VXT2000
228: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=qsc&sektion=4&arch=vax">qsc</a>)
229: </ul>
230:
231: <p>
1.65 miod 232: <h4>Frame buffers</h4>
1.64 miod 233:
234: <p>
235: <ul>
236: <li>VAXstation 3100 on-board monochrome frame buffer
237: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=smg&sektion=4&arch=vax">smg</a>)
238: <li>VAXstation 3100/{30,38,40,48} color frame buffer option
239: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=gpx&sektion=4&arch=vax">gpx</a>)
240: <li>VAXstation 4000/60 and 4000/VLC frame buffer
241: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lcg&sektion=4&arch=vax">lcg</a>)
242: <li>VAXstation 4000/90 color frame buffer
243: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lcspx&sektion=4&arch=vax">lcspx</a>)
244: <li>VXT2000 color frame buffer
245: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lcspx&sektion=4&arch=vax">lcspx</a>)
246: </ul>
247:
248: <p>
249: The VAXstation 3100 SPX frame buffer, the VXT2000 monochrome frame buffer and
250: the SPXg/SPXgt options for VAXstation 4000s are not supported yet.
251:
252: <p>
1.65 miod 253: <h4>Input devices</h4>
1.64 miod 254:
255: <p>
256: <ul>
257: <li>LK201 and LK401 keyboards
258: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lkkbd&sektion=4&arch=vax">lkkbd</a>)
259: <li>VSxxx mouse
260: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lkms&sektion=4&arch=vax">lkms</a>)
261: </ul>
262:
1.3 fn 263: <hr>
1.40 miod 264: <a name="hwdocs"></a>
265: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><strong>Documentation wanted:</strong></font></h3>
266:
267: <p>
268: <ul>
1.64 miod 269: <li>Programming info for LCG, SPX, and SPXg/SPXgt framebuffers
1.40 miod 270: <li>Software references for SHAC DSSI
271: <li>Any edition VARM
272: </ul>
273:
274: <hr>
275: <a name="install"></a>
276: <h3><font color="#0000e0">
277: <strong>Getting and installing OpenBSD/vax:</strong>
278: </font></h3>
279:
280: <p>
281: The latest supported OpenBSD/vax release is
1.69 ! miod 282: <a href="42.html">OpenBSD 4.2</a>.
1.40 miod 283: Here are the
1.69 ! miod 284: <a href="ftp://ftp.OpenBSD.org/pub/OpenBSD/4.2/vax/INSTALL.vax">
! 285: OpenBSD/vax 4.2 installation instructions
1.40 miod 286: </a>.
287:
288: <p>
289: Snapshots are made available from time to time, in
290: <a href="ftp://ftp.OpenBSD.org/pub/OpenBSD/snapshots/vax">this location</a>
291: as well as in a few
292: <a href="ftp.html">mirrors</a>.
293: Here are the
294: <a href="ftp://ftp.OpenBSD.org/pub/OpenBSD/snapshots/vax/INSTALL.vax">
295: OpenBSD/vax snapshot installation instructions
296: </a> as well.
297:
298: <hr>
1.39 miod 299: <a href="plat.html">
300: <img height="24" width="24" src="back.gif" border="0" alt="Supported platforms">
301: </a>
302: <br>
303: <small><a href="mailto:www@openbsd.org">www@openbsd.org</a></small>
1.3 fn 304: <br>
1.69 ! miod 305: <small>$OpenBSD: vax.html,v 1.68 2007/05/15 02:10:53 nick Exp $</small>
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