[Simh] Possibly a n00b configuration error

Sat Sep 20 15:27:45 EDT 2014

I added the extended memory code to the ka655.bin ROM image.  Extended memory, here is support for greater than the 64MB that the hardware and the original ka655.bin supported. The original ka655.bin image was slightly patched from the original to work better in the simulator (mostly disabling a few tests).

The ka655x.bin changes were intended to replace the original ka655.bin, but both were kept in the simh distribution for several versions just in case.  After several years someone found a bug in the ka655x.bin changes which I subsequently fixed.  I'm pretty sure that this change happened after 2008.

To best avoid the problem that Mark Wickens encountered, the latest ka655x.bin has been included in the simulator binary.

- Mark

On Sep 20, 2014 11:54 AM, "Robert G. Schaffrath" <robert at schaffrath.net> wrote:
Yes I run the KA655x.BIN version myself dated 3/31/2008.  I believe it is patched to allow 64MB (at least that is what I run it with).  It has been a long time since I dug into the finer details!

Robert

On 9/20/2014 2:48 PM, khandy21yo wrote:

If I remember correctly, simh started out with the ka655 version, which is the code from an actual machine. Then  thr rmulatoe was modifies to handle more memoet than a real machine rver had, and the ka655x version was cewares0d to deal with the extra eam.

If you reduce the nenory configured, the other eom might work.

Sent from Samsung tablet

-------- Original message --------
From Mark Pizzolato - Info Comm <Mark at infocomm.com><mailto:Mark at infocomm.com>
Date: 09/20/2014 6:25 AM (GMT-07:00)
To Mark Wickens <mark at wickensonline.co.uk><mailto:mark at wickensonline.co.uk>,simh at trailing-edge.com<mailto:simh at trailing-edge.com>
Subject Re: [Simh] Possibly a n00b configuration error

HI Mark,

On Saturday, September 20, 2014 at 4:00 AM, Mark Wickens wrote:
> A quick configuration question if I could be so bold. Ever since I can
> remember my startup script for the VAX 3900 has halted with an error:
>
> msw at hpm:/usr/local/vax/bin$ sudo ./vax
>
> VAX simulator V3.9-0
> NVR: buffering file in memory
> Eth: opened OS device eth3
> Listening on port 2023 (socket 9)
>
>
> KA655-B V5.3, VMB 2.7
> Performing normal system tests.
> 40..39..38..37..36..35..34..33..32..31..30..29..28..27..26..25..
> 24..23..22..21..20..19..18..17..16..15..14..13..12..11..10..09..
>
> ?80 2 17 FF 00 0000
>
> P1=00000100  P2=00000000  P3=FFFFFFFF  P4=00000088  P5=00000000
> P6=00000000  P7=00000000  P8=03FC0000  P9=303FFE00 P10=00001FFF
> r0=00000000  r1=20088000  r2=00000000  r3=30400000  r4=03FF4000
> r5=00000000  r6=04000000  r7=30000000  r8=80000000 ERF=80000000
>
> 08..07..06..05..04..03..
> Normal operation not possible.
>
>  >>>
>
>
> Is this expected behaviour, or a configuration issue? I'd like to have
> the SIMH instance to boot into VMS automatically on server start up if
> possible, as I'm always forgetting to go in there and continue the boot
> process.
>
> My configuration file is as below. Thanks for the help!

If this always happens, then it might be "expected behavior", given the pieces you are working with. :-)

> ;add CPU microcode
> load -r /usr/local/vax/data/ka655.bin
                                                          ^^^^^^^^
This is slightly suspicious.

The remaining configuration file is fine.

Please explain:
1) What host system you're running on.
2) Where you got the "suspicious" boot rom image you are loading.

Alternatively:
1) Pick up the latest code from: https://github.com/simh/simh/archive/master.zip
2) Unzip it
3) make vax

Use the resulting BIN/vax simulator AND in your configuration, don't bother loading the "suspicious" ka655.bin.  The current simulator will provide the right ROM image and automatically load when you do the "boot CPU" to start execution.  This is only done if you haven't already loaded 'some', possibly "suspicious", ROM image, so you could still have the same problem even with the latest code.

If this fixes your problem, please remove the "suspicious" ROM image from your host system and either let the automatically generated (and loaded) one be used or replace the "suspicious" ka655.bin on your system (and mentioned in the configuration) with the ka655x.bin provided in the current source.

Good Luck,

- Mark

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