First, you SHOULD be able to boot the 3400 from the net (ESA0).  However,
you'd REALLY be MUCH better off booting the 2000 from the 3400.  You should
have an RS-232 connector on the back of the 2000.  If you can't get a console
terminal (LA36 or VT terminal would do, unless you're talking about the
actual BULKHEAD adapter for the 3400).  You should be able to attach a MMJ
cable from the front of the console bulkhead MMJ console connector to a MMJ
to RS-232 adapter (an H8571-? something or another).  This should let you
talk to the console port on the system.

If you really want to LAVC the 3400 as a satellite, you'll need to cluster
configure the 2000 as both a boot node and disk server.  Given that the system
is slow, this is really not a very good choice.  The VS3100 would be a better
solution, but still not good either.  The 3400, given sufficient disk space,
would be a fair disk server for both the 3100 and the 2000.

About the 3100.  It's essentially a more robust version of the 2000 CONCEPT.
It has a faster processor, is capable of using 32MB of physical memory, can
use much more advanced graphics (but actually, some of the color graphics
options on the 2000 can be used in the 3100; I don't think that it works the
other way around, unfortunately).  It can have either a SCSI/ST506 (RD53/54)
controller, a single SCSI controller or a dual SCSI controller (where the A
SCSIis internal and B is external).  The VS3100M38 is something like a 3.8
VUP system and the 2000 is around a .9 VUPper.  The 2000 has no real SCSI
on it, even though the connector to the external TK50 looks close.  The 3100
uses DEC MS42-?? memory (or equivalent), and the memory modules stack in a
fashion similar to mother-daughter.  32MB is the max.  The 3100 will support 
up to a 1GB bootable disk (with up to 8GB on a single spindle for data disks).
The 2000 will only connect to RD5X disks, where the max capacity is something
like 150MB and SLOOOOOW to boot.

I don't mind helping, if you have further questions.

Bob Blunt


Define slow....  The 2000 isn't the world's fastest machine, but, at least
in my case the price was right! ;-)

The two things which I found to perk-up a 2000 Vaxstation were: add memory,
I have 14 meg.; and hang it off a server box, with the local disk being
a swap and pagefile thing.

>Finally I have a VAXServer 3400 with 16mb, I have connected it via thin-wire to
>the 2000, I have no console for the 3400 but I know it will attempt to
>boot off ESA0.. my problem - can I get the 3400 to be recognised by the 2000???
>the 3400 runs 5.5 as well. I *cannot* get hold of a console for the 3400, if I
>did I'd just do a DIA0 boot to start up VMS on the machine ...

Wait here.... you don't get a 3400 to boot from a 2000, you want the 3400 to be
the "server" and the 2000 to boot from it.  You need a console, anything will 
do...a terminal, a Rainbow , even a cable from TTA2: on the 2000 would
do the job. You then establish a bootable system on the 3400, so it fires up
on it's own.  Then you try and get the 2000 to boot over the ethernet from
the 3400.
 
>How can the 2000 recognise the 3400??? all i have is the 3400 trying to boot
>off ESA0 and connected via thin-wire to the 2000 which is running VMS 5.5.

Actually, I _think_ what you are trying to do, might just possibly work, but
it is such a "wrong-way-round" thing that I certainly ain't tried it, and
I doubt if anyone else has either.

>Before I get flamed - I AM NO VMS EXPERT AND I HAVE *NO* MANUALS but I like 
>the machines, it would be good to learn as much as I can :-)

Hey, relax, the whole world _isn't_ full of Carls, I can understand the 
situation, and, as far as is possible, I'm happy to help. Generally, this
group does have nice people.  :-)

Do you know anything about Licences and PAKs and things?

	regards,
		CrazyCam	Nostalgic and Obsolete Products SIG
				DECUS Australia



>I have just aquired a VAXStation 3100 Model 38. Can anybody tell me anymore
>information on this system, it has 16mb of RAM and I was told an internal
>50mb SCSI disk drive. Are these machines still used????
i use about 8 of them every day...
  (except the 50mb disk drive... did DEC ever ship one that small inside 
     a /38?)


>Finally I have a VAXServer 3400 with 16mb, I have connected it via thin-wire to
>the 2000, I have no console for the 3400 but I know it will attempt to
>boot off ESA0.. my problem - can I get the 3400 to be recognised by the 2000???
>the 3400 runs 5.5 as well. I *cannot* get hold of a console for the 3400, if I
>did I'd just do a DIA0 boot to start up VMS on the machine ...
i believe the 3100 is faster than the 3400.
if all the 3400 needs is a -serial- console, then why not cable its rs232 port
 to the 2000's, and tell the 2000:  SET HOST/DTE TTA0   ?
(i think the 2000's serial port is TTa0, it might be TTa1 or TTa2)
That turns the 2000 into a  "terminal" ... the keyboard stroke go out the
  rs232 port, and anything coming in the rs232 port appears on your screen.
You'll need a "null modem" (swap pins 2 and 3) cable between the 2000 and
 the 3400.

>How can the 2000 recognise the 3400??? all i have is the 3400 trying to boot
>off ESA0 and connected via thin-wire to the 2000 which is running VMS 5.5.
what do you mean by "recognize"?
if you mean "remotely boot the 3400", then do:
   SET DEF SYS$MANAGER
   @CLUSTER_CONFIG

you'll have to know the 3400's hardware ethernet address.

--dick