Annotation of www/vax.html, Revision 1.74
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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
1.74 ! miod 92: supported.
1.64 miod 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>MSCP support may still be rough
1.64 miod 118: <li>Write and improve more frame buffer drivers
119: <li>Move to ELF and shared libraries
1.39 miod 120: <li>Support for any new systems we encounter
121: </ul>
1.28 hugh 122:
1.39 miod 123: <hr>
124: <a name="hardware"></a>
125: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><strong>Supported hardware:</strong></font></h3>
1.16 hugh 126:
127: <p>
1.39 miod 128: The list of supported hardware below is not meant to be exhaustive.
1.74 ! miod 129: Due to a limited inventory of systems available to developers,
! 130: not all hardware combinations have been tested.
1.39 miod 131:
132: <p>
133: As a result, OpenBSD/vax may actually run on your machine even if it's not
1.32 hugh 134: listed here, and we rely on your testing and feedback to keep this list up
1.39 miod 135: to date.
136: To help us improve the accuracy of this list, <b>PLEASE</b>
137: <a href="faq/faq4.html#SendDmesg">send your dmesg</a> after installation
138: to <a href="mailto:dmesg@openbsd.org">dmesg@openbsd.org</a>.
139:
140: <p>
141: <h4>Supported models</h4>
1.12 ericj 142:
1.13 ericj 143: <p>
1.39 miod 144: <ul>
1.64 miod 145: <li>VAXstation 2000
1.39 miod 146: <li>VAXstation 3100/{30,40} (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
147: <li>VAXstation 3100/{38,48} (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
148: <li>VAXstation 3100/76 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.74 ! miod 149: <li>VAXstation 35x0 and 38x0 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
! 150: <sup>*</sup>
1.39 miod 151: <li>VAXstation 4000/VLC (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
152: <li>VAXstation 4000/60 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
153: <li>VAXstation 4000/90 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.64 miod 154: <li>VAXstation 4000/90A (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.39 miod 155: <li>VAXstation 4000/96 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.64 miod 156: <li>MicroVAX 2000
1.39 miod 157: <li>MicroVAX 3100/{10,20}{,e} (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
158: <li>MicroVAX 3100/{30,40} (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
159: <li>MicroVAX 3100/80 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.51 miod 160: <li>MicroVAX 3100/85 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.39 miod 161: <li>MicroVAX 3100/90 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.64 miod 162: <li>MicroVAX 3100/95 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
163: <li>MicroVAX 3100/96 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.39 miod 164: <li>MicroVAX 3300
165: <li>VAX 4000 100 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
166: <li>VAX 4000 105 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.61 mickey 167: <li>VAX 4000 106 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.39 miod 168: <li>VAX 4000 200
169: <li>VAX 4000 300
170: <li>VAX 4000 {400,500,600}
171: <li>VAX 4000 {500A,700A}
1.65 miod 172: <li>VXT2000 and VXT2000+
1.59 kettenis 173: <li><a href="vax-simh.html">SIMH VAX</a>
1.39 miod 174: </ul>
175:
1.64 miod 176: <p>
1.74 ! miod 177: <sup>*</sup> Support for VAXstation 35x0 and 38x0 has been added after the 4.5
! 178: release.
! 179:
! 180: <p>
1.64 miod 181: <h4>QBUS devices</h4>
182:
183: <p>
184: <ul>
185: <li>KFQSA MSCP DSSI controller
186: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=uda&sektion=4&arch=vax">uda</a>)
187: <li>Emulex UC08 MSCP SCSI controller
188: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=uda&sektion=4&arch=vax">uda</a>)
189: <li>CXY08 DHV-11 emulating serial ports
190: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=dhu&sektion=4&arch=vax">dhu</a>)
191: <li>DELQA Ethernet
192: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=qe&sektion=4&arch=vax">qe</a>)
193: </ul>
194:
195: <p>
196: <h4>Ethernet controllers</h4>
197:
198: <p>
199: <ul>
200: <li>on-board MicroVAX or VAXstation LANCE Ethernet
201: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=le&sektion=4&arch=vax">le</a>)
202: <li>DEC SGEC
203: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=ze&sektion=4&arch=vax">ze</a>)
204: </ul>
205:
206: <p>
207: <h4>SCSI controllers</h4>
208:
209: <p>
210: <ul>
211: <li>NCR5380
212: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=asc&sektion=4&arch=vax">asc</a>)
213: on-board SCSI
214: <li>NCR53C9x
215: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=ncr&sektion=4&arch=vax">ncr</a>)
216: on-board SCSI
1.74 ! miod 217: <li>SII
! 218: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=sii&sektion=4&arch=vax">sii</a>)
! 219: on-board SCSI on VAXstation 35x0/38x0 I/O module
1.64 miod 220: </ul>
221: <p>
1.74 ! miod 222: Either one of the first two controllers are found onboard most 3100s and
! 223: VAXstation 4000s, as well as the VAX 4000 10x series.
1.64 miod 224:
225: <p>
226: <h4>Serial ports</h4>
227:
228: <p>
229: <ul>
230: <li>DZ*11 or compatible serial ports
231: (<a
232: href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=dz&sektion=4&arch=vax">dz</a>)
233: <li>SC26C94 serial ports on VXT2000
234: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=qsc&sektion=4&arch=vax">qsc</a>)
235: </ul>
236:
237: <p>
1.65 miod 238: <h4>Frame buffers</h4>
1.64 miod 239:
240: <p>
241: <ul>
242: <li>VAXstation 3100 on-board monochrome frame buffer
243: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=smg&sektion=4&arch=vax">smg</a>)
244: <li>VAXstation 3100/{30,38,40,48} color frame buffer option
245: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=gpx&sektion=4&arch=vax">gpx</a>)
1.70 miod 246: <li>VAXstation 3100/76 SPX frame buffer, also available as an option for
247: VAXstation 3100/{30,38,40,48}
1.72 miod 248: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lcspx&sektion=4&arch=vax">lcspx</a>)
1.74 ! miod 249: <li>VAXstation 35x0/38x0 frame buffer
! 250: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=legss&sektion=4&arch=vax">legss</a>),
! 251: without the 16 planes option
1.64 miod 252: <li>VAXstation 4000/60 and 4000/VLC frame buffer
253: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lcg&sektion=4&arch=vax">lcg</a>)
254: <li>VAXstation 4000/90 color frame buffer
255: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lcspx&sektion=4&arch=vax">lcspx</a>)
256: <li>VXT2000 color frame buffer
257: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lcspx&sektion=4&arch=vax">lcspx</a>)
258: </ul>
259:
260: <p>
1.74 ! miod 261: The VXT2000 monochrome frame buffer, the LEGSS 16 plane option and the
! 262: SPXg/SPXgt options for VAXstation 4000s are not supported yet.
1.64 miod 263:
264: <p>
1.65 miod 265: <h4>Input devices</h4>
1.64 miod 266:
267: <p>
268: <ul>
269: <li>LK201 and LK401 keyboards
270: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lkkbd&sektion=4&arch=vax">lkkbd</a>)
271: <li>VSxxx mouse
272: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lkms&sektion=4&arch=vax">lkms</a>)
273: </ul>
274:
1.3 fn 275: <hr>
1.40 miod 276: <a name="hwdocs"></a>
277: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><strong>Documentation wanted:</strong></font></h3>
278:
279: <p>
280: <ul>
1.64 miod 281: <li>Programming info for LCG, SPX, and SPXg/SPXgt framebuffers
1.40 miod 282: <li>Software references for SHAC DSSI
283: <li>Any edition VARM
284: </ul>
285:
286: <hr>
287: <a name="install"></a>
288: <h3><font color="#0000e0">
289: <strong>Getting and installing OpenBSD/vax:</strong>
290: </font></h3>
291:
292: <p>
293: The latest supported OpenBSD/vax release is
1.73 miod 294: <a href="45.html">OpenBSD 4.5</a>.
1.40 miod 295: Here are the
1.73 miod 296: <a href="ftp://ftp.OpenBSD.org/pub/OpenBSD/4.5/vax/INSTALL.vax">
297: OpenBSD/vax 4.5 installation instructions
1.40 miod 298: </a>.
299:
300: <p>
301: Snapshots are made available from time to time, in
302: <a href="ftp://ftp.OpenBSD.org/pub/OpenBSD/snapshots/vax">this location</a>
303: as well as in a few
304: <a href="ftp.html">mirrors</a>.
305: Here are the
306: <a href="ftp://ftp.OpenBSD.org/pub/OpenBSD/snapshots/vax/INSTALL.vax">
307: OpenBSD/vax snapshot installation instructions
308: </a> as well.
309:
310: <hr>
1.39 miod 311: <a href="plat.html">
312: <img height="24" width="24" src="back.gif" border="0" alt="Supported platforms">
313: </a>
314: <br>
315: <small><a href="mailto:www@openbsd.org">www@openbsd.org</a></small>
1.3 fn 316: <br>
1.74 ! miod 317: <small>$OpenBSD: vax.html,v 1.73 2009/04/30 18:37:37 miod Exp $</small>
1.3 fn 318:
319: </body>
320: </html>
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