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                      5: <title>OpenBSD/vax</title>
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                      9: <meta name="description" content="the OpenBSD/vax page">
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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:
1.68      nick       37: <a name="toc"></a>
1.39      miod       38: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><i>Table of contents</i></font></h3>
                     39: <p>
                     40: <ul>
1.41      jufi       41:   <li><a href="#history">History of the port</a>
1.39      miod       42:   <li><a href="#status">Current status</a>
                     43:   <li><a href="#projects">Project list</a>
1.55      nick       44:   <li><a href="#hardware">Supported hardware</a>
1.39      miod       45:   <li><a href="#hwdocs">Documentation wanted</a>
                     46:   <li><a href="#install">Getting and installing OpenBSD/vax</a>
                     47: </ul>
1.1       deraadt    48:
1.3       fn         49: <hr>
1.39      miod       50: <a name="history"></a>
                     51: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><strong>History:</strong></font></h3>
1.28      hugh       52:
1.12      ericj      53: <p>
1.32      hugh       54: VAX has been a supported OpenBSD architecture since early 2000, when code was
                     55: synchronized with NetBSD's port. Being the second architecture to run BSD Unix
                     56: (in 1979!), it seems appropriate that these venerable vaxen should still have
1.39      miod       57: a modern OS.
                     58:
                     59: <p>
                     60: The current codebase is mostly from Berkeley, with contributions of free
                     61: code from Digital, Mt Xinu, NetBSD, OpenBSD and others.
1.12      ericj      62:
                     63: <p>
1.53      jolan      64: After the port was synchronized with the NetBSD codebase, fixes and improvements
                     65: were made, such as support for 16 partitions per drive, support for more VAX
1.39      miod       66: models, improved emulation of unimplemented instructions, and so on.
1.28      hugh       67:
1.39      miod       68: <p>
                     69: Development is ongoing, and changes are shared among VAX hackers even to
                     70: this day. The result of this work is an operating system that is stable
                     71: and familiar to any OpenBSD user.
                     72:
                     73: <hr>
                     74: <a name="status"></a>
                     75: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><strong>Current status:</strong></font></h3>
                     76:
                     77: <p>
                     78: Currently, all the hardware listed in the
1.55      nick       79: <a href="#hardware">supported hardware</a> section below boots
1.39      miod       80: multi-user, and supports enough of the on-board devices to be generally
1.54      pedro      81: usable.
1.39      miod       82: Some models can only run diskless at the moment, though.
1.35      hugh       83:
                     84: <p>
1.65      miod       85: As of OpenBSD 4.0, most of the VAXstation frame buffers are
1.74      miod       86: supported.
1.64      miod       87:
                     88: <p>
                     89: Of course, regardless of frame buffer support, a complete set of X clients
                     90: and utilities is available, allowing OpenBSD/vax machines to behave as X11
                     91: font servers, or run X clients on remote display.
1.35      hugh       92:
1.39      miod       93: <p>
                     94: There a few problems still left in the OpenBSD/vax port, though:
1.35      hugh       95: <ul>
1.39      miod       96:   <li>The current compiler sometimes has optimizer issues (i.e. gcc -O2
                     97:       produces incorrect code, while -O1 or -O0 work). They are slowly being
                     98:       worked on as we are aware of them. Most code should work nowadays.
                     99:   <li>Addressing limits in the pmap module. This can cause the kernel to panic.
1.42      david     100:       Some of these situations have been taken care of and fail gracefully,
1.39      miod      101:       but there might be unfixed cases.
1.28      hugh      102: </ul>
1.39      miod      103:
                    104: <hr>
                    105: <a name="projects"></a>
                    106: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><strong>Projects (in no particular order):
                    107: </strong></font></h3>
1.28      hugh      108:
                    109: <p>
1.39      miod      110: <ul>
                    111:   <li>MSCP support may still be rough
1.64      miod      112:   <li>Write and improve more frame buffer drivers
1.85      miod      113:   <li>Shared libraries
1.39      miod      114:   <li>Support for any new systems we encounter
                    115: </ul>
1.28      hugh      116:
1.39      miod      117: <hr>
                    118: <a name="hardware"></a>
                    119: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><strong>Supported hardware:</strong></font></h3>
1.16      hugh      120:
                    121: <p>
1.39      miod      122: The list of supported hardware below is not meant to be exhaustive.
1.74      miod      123: Due to a limited inventory of systems available to developers,
                    124: not all hardware combinations have been tested.
1.39      miod      125:
                    126: <p>
                    127: As a result, OpenBSD/vax may actually run on your machine even if it's not
1.32      hugh      128: listed here, and we rely on your testing and feedback to keep this list up
1.39      miod      129: to date.
                    130: To help us improve the accuracy of this list, <b>PLEASE</b>
                    131: <a href="faq/faq4.html#SendDmesg">send your dmesg</a> after installation
                    132: to <a href="mailto:dmesg@openbsd.org">dmesg@openbsd.org</a>.
                    133:
                    134: <p>
                    135: <h4>Supported models</h4>
1.12      ericj     136:
1.13      ericj     137: <p>
1.39      miod      138: <ul>
1.64      miod      139:   <li>VAXstation 2000
1.39      miod      140:   <li>VAXstation 3100/{30,40} (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
                    141:   <li>VAXstation 3100/{38,48} (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
                    142:   <li>VAXstation 3100/76 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.74      miod      143:   <li>VAXstation 35x0 and 38x0 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.39      miod      144:   <li>VAXstation 4000/VLC (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
                    145:   <li>VAXstation 4000/60 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
                    146:   <li>VAXstation 4000/90 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.64      miod      147:   <li>VAXstation 4000/90A (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.39      miod      148:   <li>VAXstation 4000/96 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.64      miod      149:   <li>MicroVAX 2000
1.39      miod      150:   <li>MicroVAX 3100/{10,20}{,e} (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
                    151:   <li>MicroVAX 3100/{30,40} (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
                    152:   <li>MicroVAX 3100/80 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.51      miod      153:   <li>MicroVAX 3100/85 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.39      miod      154:   <li>MicroVAX 3100/90 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.64      miod      155:   <li>MicroVAX 3100/95 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
                    156:   <li>MicroVAX 3100/96 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.39      miod      157:   <li>MicroVAX 3300
                    158:   <li>VAX 4000 100 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
                    159:   <li>VAX 4000 105 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.61      mickey    160:   <li>VAX 4000 106 (<font color="#009900">SCSI</font>)
1.39      miod      161:   <li>VAX 4000 200
                    162:   <li>VAX 4000 300
                    163:   <li>VAX 4000 {400,500,600}
                    164:   <li>VAX 4000 {500A,700A}
1.65      miod      165:   <li>VXT2000 and VXT2000+
1.59      kettenis  166:   <li><a href="vax-simh.html">SIMH VAX</a>
1.39      miod      167: </ul>
                    168:
1.64      miod      169: <p>
                    170: <h4>QBUS devices</h4>
                    171:
                    172: <p>
                    173: <ul>
                    174: <li>KFQSA MSCP DSSI controller
                    175: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=uda&amp;sektion=4&amp;arch=vax">uda</a>)
                    176: <li>Emulex UC08 MSCP SCSI controller
                    177: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=uda&amp;sektion=4&amp;arch=vax">uda</a>)
                    178: <li>CXY08 DHV-11 emulating serial ports
                    179: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=dhu&amp;sektion=4&amp;arch=vax">dhu</a>)
                    180: <li>DELQA Ethernet
                    181: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=qe&amp;sektion=4&amp;arch=vax">qe</a>)
                    182: </ul>
                    183:
                    184: <p>
                    185: <h4>Ethernet controllers</h4>
                    186:
                    187: <p>
                    188: <ul>
                    189: <li>on-board MicroVAX or VAXstation LANCE Ethernet
                    190: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=le&amp;sektion=4&amp;arch=vax">le</a>)
                    191: <li>DEC SGEC
                    192: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=ze&amp;sektion=4&amp;arch=vax">ze</a>)
                    193: </ul>
                    194:
                    195: <p>
                    196: <h4>SCSI controllers</h4>
                    197:
                    198: <p>
                    199: <ul>
                    200: <li>NCR5380
                    201: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=asc&amp;sektion=4&amp;arch=vax">asc</a>)
                    202: on-board SCSI
                    203: <li>NCR53C9x
                    204: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=ncr&amp;sektion=4&amp;arch=vax">ncr</a>)
                    205: on-board SCSI
1.74      miod      206: <li>SII
                    207: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=sii&amp;sektion=4&amp;arch=vax">sii</a>)
                    208: on-board SCSI on VAXstation 35x0/38x0 I/O module
1.64      miod      209: </ul>
                    210: <p>
1.74      miod      211: Either one of the first two controllers are found onboard most 3100s and
                    212: VAXstation 4000s, as well as the VAX 4000 10x series.
1.64      miod      213:
                    214: <p>
                    215: <h4>Serial ports</h4>
                    216:
                    217: <p>
                    218: <ul>
                    219: <li>DZ*11 or compatible serial ports
                    220: (<a
                    221:  href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=dz&amp;sektion=4&amp;arch=vax">dz</a>)
                    222: <li>SC26C94 serial ports on VXT2000
                    223: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=qsc&amp;sektion=4&amp;arch=vax">qsc</a>)
                    224: </ul>
                    225:
                    226: <p>
1.65      miod      227: <h4>Frame buffers</h4>
1.64      miod      228:
                    229: <p>
                    230: <ul>
                    231: <li>VAXstation 3100 on-board monochrome frame buffer
                    232: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=smg&amp;sektion=4&amp;arch=vax">smg</a>)
                    233: <li>VAXstation 3100/{30,38,40,48} color frame buffer option
                    234: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=gpx&amp;sektion=4&amp;arch=vax">gpx</a>)
1.70      miod      235: <li>VAXstation 3100/76 SPX frame buffer, also available as an option for
                    236: VAXstation 3100/{30,38,40,48}
1.72      miod      237: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lcspx&amp;sektion=4&amp;arch=vax">lcspx</a>)
1.74      miod      238: <li>VAXstation 35x0/38x0 frame buffer
                    239: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=legss&amp;sektion=4&amp;arch=vax">legss</a>),
                    240: without the 16 planes option
1.64      miod      241: <li>VAXstation 4000/60 and 4000/VLC frame buffer
                    242: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lcg&amp;sektion=4&amp;arch=vax">lcg</a>)
                    243: <li>VAXstation 4000/90 color frame buffer
                    244: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lcspx&amp;sektion=4&amp;arch=vax">lcspx</a>)
                    245: <li>VXT2000 color frame buffer
                    246: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lcspx&amp;sektion=4&amp;arch=vax">lcspx</a>)
                    247: </ul>
                    248:
                    249: <p>
1.74      miod      250: The VXT2000 monochrome frame buffer, the LEGSS 16 plane option and the
                    251: SPXg/SPXgt options for VAXstation 4000s are not supported yet.
1.64      miod      252:
                    253: <p>
1.65      miod      254: <h4>Input devices</h4>
1.64      miod      255:
                    256: <p>
                    257: <ul>
                    258: <li>LK201 and LK401 keyboards
                    259: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lkkbd&amp;sektion=4&amp;arch=vax">lkkbd</a>)
                    260: <li>VSxxx mouse
                    261: (<a href="http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=lkms&amp;sektion=4&amp;arch=vax">lkms</a>)
                    262: </ul>
                    263:
1.3       fn        264: <hr>
1.40      miod      265: <a name="hwdocs"></a>
                    266: <h3><font color="#0000e0"><strong>Documentation wanted:</strong></font></h3>
                    267:
                    268: <p>
                    269: <ul>
1.64      miod      270:   <li>Programming info for LCG, SPX, and SPXg/SPXgt framebuffers
1.40      miod      271:   <li>Software references for SHAC DSSI
                    272:   <li>Any edition VARM
                    273: </ul>
                    274:
                    275: <hr>
                    276: <a name="install"></a>
                    277: <h3><font color="#0000e0">
                    278: <strong>Getting and installing OpenBSD/vax:</strong>
                    279: </font></h3>
                    280:
                    281: <p>
                    282: The latest supported OpenBSD/vax release is
1.86    ! sthen     283: <a href="54.html">OpenBSD 5.4</a>.
1.40      miod      284: Here are the
1.86    ! sthen     285: <a href="http://ftp.OpenBSD.org/pub/OpenBSD/5.4/vax/INSTALL.vax">
        !           286: OpenBSD/vax 5.4 installation instructions
1.40      miod      287: </a>.
                    288:
                    289: <p>
                    290: Snapshots are made available from time to time, in
1.84      sthen     291: <a href="http://ftp.OpenBSD.org/pub/OpenBSD/snapshots/vax">this location</a>
1.40      miod      292: as well as in a few
                    293: <a href="ftp.html">mirrors</a>.
                    294: Here are the
1.84      sthen     295: <a href="http://ftp.OpenBSD.org/pub/OpenBSD/snapshots/vax/INSTALL.vax">
1.40      miod      296: OpenBSD/vax snapshot installation instructions
                    297: </a> as well.
                    298:
                    299: <hr>
1.39      miod      300: <a href="plat.html">
                    301: <img height="24" width="24" src="back.gif" border="0" alt="Supported platforms">
                    302: </a>
                    303: <br>
                    304: <small><a href="mailto:www@openbsd.org">www@openbsd.org</a></small>
1.3       fn        305: <br>
1.86    ! sthen     306: <small>$OpenBSD: vax.html,v 1.85 2013/07/05 22:09:53 miod Exp $</small>
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