[Simh] More VAX Simulators

[Mark Pizzolato]

On Friday, May 3, 2019 at 12:32 PM, Johnny Billquist wrote:
> Are you trying to just cut-and-paste the license?
> 
> The usual problem is that you just cannot just force-feed data on a terminal
> line. You will be loosing characters. There is no flow control that can help you...

Well, since the ability to 'cut and paste' into a terminal session never really 
existed on real hardware, AND it is a common user paradigm on today's 
systems with today's users, most of the DEC simulators console device 
simulations actually accept a blob of data delivered via cut and paste.  That 
data will be delivered into the simulator's console port without hardware 
overrun at the rate the OS driver extracts the received data from the UART's 
receive buffer.  On simpler OSes (RT11, PDP8 OS's, etc.) where user code 
directly touches the hardware, they get the data and everything is happy.  
With more complex operating systems which have drivers which buffer 
hardware input before (or while) user mode programs issue I/O requests 
to the driver to read the data, the data may arrive faster than the user mode 
transitions can happen to empty the driver's buffer.  Increasing the driver's 
type ahead buffer can sometimes help address the potential for the type 
ahead buffer to be overrun.  Alternatively the user could slow down the 
character delivery rate into the simulator with a: SET CONSOLE SPEED=300 
command.  This will extend the inter-character delays and that might be 
sufficiently slow to avoid the type ahead buffer overrun.

The newly provided VAXstation and MicroVAX simulators from Matt Burke
use a different hardware model for the console serial port device.  This 
device has not yet (and may never) been tweaked to support cut and paste
like the other simulators.

I would suggest that the user look through the license file and hand pick
the few licenses that he actually needs (VMS, TCPIP, DECnet) and hand 
enter, or cut and paste in chunks these licenses so that sufficient 
functionality can be realized to get the network up and the whole license 
file can be transferred over the network.  Alternatively, the user could
run a simulator which doesn't have this cut and paste problem to get 
the license file into the system and onto a simh structured disk. That disk
image can then be used on one of the newer simulators.

- Mark

> On 2019-05-03 02:36, Ray Jewhurst wrote:
> > I tried doing a VMS 7.3 CD install on the 4000/60 and it went
> > swimmingly until I tried to install the PAKs and I got this:
> >
> > $!
> > $!                            HPE HOBBY LICENSE AGREEMENT $!
> > %CREATE-E-READERR, error reading SYS$INPUT:.; -RMS-F-RER, file read
> > error -SYSTEM-W-DATAOVERUN, data overrun
> >
> > I am running 72 Megs and I do not get this error on 3900 or MicroVAX
> > II.  I know there is another way to copy the PAKs over using an iso
> > but the instructions in the Hobbyist letter seemed kind of fuzzy to
> > me.  Am I doing anything wrong or is the the way a 4000/60 should behave?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Ray
> >
> > On Wed, May 1, 2019 at 6:16 PM Matt Burke <matt at 9track.net
> > <mailto:matt at 9track.net>> wrote:
> >
> >     On 01/05/2019 13:36, mark at wickensonline.co.uk
> >     <mailto:mark at wickensonline.co.uk> wrote:
> >      > Matt
> >      >
> >      > I've built the VAXstation 4000/60 and 4000/VLC images. Is it
> >     possible to post an example simh.ini file for either or both of
> >     these please, it would save me some considerable guesswork!
> >      >
> >      > I have just reconfigured a FreeAXP emulator running on Windows
> >     which contains SLAVE, formerly an AlphaServer 1000A. It serves up a
> >     cluster member disk for a 4000/VLC so that will be a great test of
> >     your new systems.
> >      >
> >      > I previously had lots of trouble with FreeAXP and SIMH residing
> >     on the same windows box, turns out that FreeAXP really doesn't like
> >     WinPCap - it crashes on startup and it is very difficult to kill the
> >     image.
> >      >
> >      > Regards, Mark.
> >      >
> >     Hi Mark,
> >
> >     The first thing to note (if you haven't spotted it already) is that the
> >     simulators have been merged into the Simh master branch and a number
> of
> >     fixes have been applied. CD-ROM and tape drive support is now included
> >     along with fixes to the memory sizing for the M60 and VLC.
> >
> >
> >     The VAXstation 4000/60 and 4000/VLC are very similar so this simh.ini
> >     will work for both:
> >
> >     ; Set system memory size
> >     ;   M60 can be one of 8m, 16m, 24m, 32m, 40m, 48m, 56m, 72m, 80m,
> 104m
> >     ;   VLC can be one of 8m, 16m, 24m
> >     ;
> >     set cpu 24m
> >     ;
> >     ; Attach the NVRAM device
> >     ;
> >     attach nvr vaxstation4000.nvr
> >     ;
> >     ; Set the MAC address in the network address ROM
> >     ; This will need to match whatever your boot server is expecting
> >     ;
> >     set nar mac=08:00:2b:40:00:60
> >     ;
> >     ; Setup local SCSI disks if required (here are a few examples)
> >     ; Also try 'help rz'
> >     ;
> >     ; set rz0 rz26
> >     ; attach rz0 disk0.img
> >     ; set rz1 disable
> >     ; set rz2 disable
> >     ; set rz3 disable
> >     ; set rz4 rrd40
> >     ; attach rz4 vms73.iso
> >     ; set rz5 tz30
> >     ; attach rz5 backup.tap
> >     ; rz6 is always disabled because this is the initiator SCSI ID
> >     ; set rz7 disable
> >     ;
> >     ; Enable LANCE Ethernet (device ESA0 under VMS)
> >     ;
> >     set xs enable
> >     ;
> >     ; Attach Ethernet device to a host interface
> >     ;
> >     attach xs eth0
> >     ;
> >     ; Start the simulator
> >     ;
> >     boot cpu
> >
> >     The first time the ROM self-test runs after the memory size is changed
> >     or after attaching a new NVRAM file it will perform a thorough memory
> >     test. This can take quite a long time especially with 104MB. You will
> >     see multiple selftest failures but don't worry about it, they're
> >     expected for now. After the self-test completes I would recommend
> >     enabling the fast boot option:
> >
> >      >>> SET FBOOT 1
> >
> >     This will significantly speed up subsequent restarts of the simulator.
> >     Eventually I'll patch the ROM to skip the memory tests.
> >
> >     Assuming your boot server is all setup you can now boot from the
> >     Ethernet:
> >
> >      >>> BOOT ESA0
> >
> >     I haven't tested Ethernet booting on these simulators for quite some
> >     time so I hope it works!
> >
> >     Let me know how it goes.
> >
> >     Matt
> >
> >     _______________________________________________
> >     Simh mailing list
> >     Simh at trailing-edge.com <mailto:Simh at trailing-edge.com>
> >     http://mailman.trailing-edge.com/mailman/listinfo/simh
> >
> >
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> >
> 
> 
> --
> Johnny Billquist                  || "I'm on a bus
>                                    ||  on a psychedelic trip
> email: bqt at softjar.se             ||  Reading murder books
> pdp is alive!                     ||  tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol
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