Re: Running NetBSD on a VAXstation 3540

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We uncommented the 3540 code in the bootloader and kernel, copied the
updated files to the SCSI disk, and tried booting again. The only thing
that we see is:

CPU0B >>>boot dka0
VMB V1.0
-DKA0
..
...

Our next step is to modify the bootloader to load a unique flag into R1 and
halt the processor periodically. The next time we try to boot we expect to
see the processor halt. We can use the console EXAMINE command to see the
contents of R1 and see the progress in the bootloader. We can use the
console CONTINUE command to continue running the boot loader until the next
halt instruction. This should let us narrow down why we don't see any
messages on the 3540 console.

On Sun, May 3, 2026 at 8:25=E2=80=AFPM Michael Thompson <
[email protected]> wrote:

>
> The Rhode Island Computer Museum has a VAX 3540 currently running OpenVMS
> 7.3.
>
> We would like to run NetBSD on this system. We used a VAX 3900 Simh to
> install NetBSD 10.1 on a disk image, copied the image to a SCSI disk driv=
e,
> and tried to boot it on the 3540. This was displayed on the console:
>
>
> CPU08 >>>boot dka100
>
> VMB V1.0
>
> %VMB-F-ERR, PC =3D 000008EF
>
> %VMB-I-STS, R0 =3D 000001A4
>
> CPU08 ?06 HLT INST
>
> CPU08     PC =3D 000010DE
>
> CPU08 Failure.
>
> CPU08 >>>
>
>
> So it looks like there is something in the 3540 hardware that the generic
> kernel doesn't understand. The same disk works fine in a VAX 3100 M38. We
> also tried a NetBSD CDROM with the same results. We have not set up a MOP
> boot server yet to try that.
>
>
> We would like to add support for the 3540 to NetBSD. What would you
> recommend as a way of finding out where the kernel died?
>
> --
> Michael Thompson
>


--=20
Michael Thompson

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<div dir=3D"ltr">We uncommented the 3540 code in the bootloader and kernel,=
 copied the updated files to the SCSI disk, and tried booting again. The on=
ly thing that we see is:<div><br></div><div><font face=3D"monospace">CPU0B =
&gt;&gt;&gt;boot dka0<br>VMB V1.0<br>-DKA0<br>..<br>...</font></div><div><b=
r></div><div>Our next step is to modify the bootloader to load a unique fla=
g into R1 and halt the processor periodically. The next time we try to boot=
 we expect to see the processor halt. We can use the console EXAMINE comman=
d=C2=A0to see the contents of R1 and see the progress in the bootloader. We=
 can use the console CONTINUE command to continue running the boot loader u=
ntil the next halt instruction. This should let us narrow down why we don&#=
39;t see any messages on the 3540 console.</div></div><br><div class=3D"gma=
il_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Su=
n, May 3, 2026 at 8:25=E2=80=AFPM Michael Thompson &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:mi=
[email protected]">[email protected]</a>&gt; wrote:<b=
r></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex=
;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr">=
<div><br clear=3D"all"></div><div>The Rhode Island Computer Museum has a VA=
X 3540 currently running OpenVMS 7.3.</div><div><br></div><div>We would lik=
e to run NetBSD on this system. We used a VAX 3900 Simh to install NetBSD 1=
0.1 on a disk image, copied the image to a SCSI disk drive, and tried to bo=
ot it on the=C2=A03540. This was displayed on the=C2=A0console:</div><div><=
p dir=3D"ltr" style=3D"line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><s=
pan style=3D"font-size:11pt;font-family:&quot;Courier New&quot;,monospace;c=
olor:rgb(33,33,33);background-color:transparent;font-variant:normal;vertica=
l-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p dir=3D"ltr" style=
=3D"line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style=3D"font-s=
ize:11pt;font-family:&quot;Courier New&quot;,monospace;color:rgb(33,33,33);=
background-color:transparent;font-variant:normal;vertical-align:baseline;wh=
ite-space:pre-wrap">CPU08 &gt;&gt;&gt;boot dka100</span></p><p dir=3D"ltr" =
style=3D"line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style=3D"f=
ont-size:11pt;font-family:&quot;Courier New&quot;,monospace;color:rgb(33,33=
,33);background-color:transparent;font-variant:normal;vertical-align:baseli=
ne;white-space:pre-wrap">VMB V1.0</span></p><p dir=3D"ltr" style=3D"line-he=
ight:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style=3D"font-size:11pt;fo=
nt-family:&quot;Courier New&quot;,monospace;color:rgb(33,33,33);background-=
color:transparent;font-variant:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:p=
re-wrap">%VMB-F-ERR, PC =3D 000008EF</span></p><p dir=3D"ltr" style=3D"line=
-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style=3D"font-size:11pt=
;font-family:&quot;Courier New&quot;,monospace;color:rgb(33,33,33);backgrou=
nd-color:transparent;font-variant:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-spac=
e:pre-wrap">%VMB-I-STS, R0 =3D 000001A4</span></p><p dir=3D"ltr" style=3D"l=
ine-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style=3D"font-size:1=
1pt;font-family:&quot;Courier New&quot;,monospace;color:rgb(33,33,33);backg=
round-color:transparent;font-variant:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-s=
pace:pre-wrap">CPU08 ?06 HLT INST</span></p><p dir=3D"ltr" style=3D"line-he=
ight:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style=3D"font-size:11pt;fo=
nt-family:&quot;Courier New&quot;,monospace;color:rgb(33,33,33);background-=
color:transparent;font-variant:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:p=
re-wrap">CPU08 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 PC =3D 000010DE</span></p><p dir=3D"ltr" style=
=3D"line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style=3D"font-s=
ize:11pt;font-family:&quot;Courier New&quot;,monospace;color:rgb(33,33,33);=
background-color:transparent;font-variant:normal;vertical-align:baseline;wh=
ite-space:pre-wrap">CPU08 Failure.</span></p><p style=3D"line-height:1.2;ma=
rgin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style=3D"font-size:11pt;font-family:&=
quot;Courier New&quot;,monospace;color:rgb(33,33,33);background-color:trans=
parent;font-variant:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">CP=
U08 &gt;&gt;&gt;</span></p><p style=3D"line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margi=
n-bottom:0pt"><span style=3D"font-size:11pt;font-family:&quot;Courier New&q=
uot;,monospace;color:rgb(33,33,33);background-color:transparent;font-varian=
t:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p st=
yle=3D"line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">So it looks like t=
here is something in the 3540 hardware that the generic kernel doesn&#39;t =
understand. The same disk works fine in a VAX 3100 M38. We also tried a Net=
BSD CDROM with the same results. We have not set up a MOP boot server yet t=
o try that.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt=
"><br></p><p style=3D"line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">We =
would like to add support for the 3540 to NetBSD. What would you recommend =
as a way of finding out where the kernel died?</p></div><div><span class=3D=
"gmail_signature_prefix"><br></span></div><div><span class=3D"gmail_signatu=
re_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_signature">Michael=
 Thompson</div></div></div>
</blockquote></div><div><br clear=3D"all"></div><div><br></div><span class=
=3D"gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_s=
ignature">Michael Thompson</div>

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