From Newsgroup: comp.sys.dec


Hi folks, I thought some here might be interested to hear that we at
the Large Scale Systems Museum have gotten our VAX-11/780 to the point
where it will boot VMS. We fixed a list of hardware issues as long as
my arm, but it runs, and it runs great.

Next on the list for that machine is the addition of a DEUNA Ethernet controller and a permanent system disk. (For our final testing we
borrowed the VMS v4.7 system disk, an RA90, from our VAX-11/750.)

These are all REAL systems, not emulated.

The Large Scale Systems Museum (LSSM, https://www.lssmuseum.org/) is
a public, brick-and-mortar, donor-funded nonprofit museum in Pittsburgh,
PA, USA that covers all kinds of computers, but with a particular
emphasis on minicomputers, mainframes, and supercomputers. We recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of our first public opening.

Thanks,
-Dave McGuire, LSSM
--
Dave McGuire, President/Curator
Large Scale Systems Museum
New Kensington, PA

--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.dec

On 29/11/2025 9:26 am, Dave McGuire wrote:

-a Hi folks, I thought some here might be interested to hear that we at
the Large Scale Systems Museum have gotten our VAX-11/780 to the point
where it will boot VMS.-a We fixed a list of hardware issues as long as
my arm, but it runs, and it runs great.

-a Next on the list for that machine is the addition of a DEUNA Ethernet controller and a permanent system disk.-a (For our final testing we
borrowed the VMS v4.7 system disk, an RA90, from our VAX-11/750.)

-a These are all REAL systems, not emulated.

-a The Large Scale Systems Museum (LSSM, https://www.lssmuseum.org/) is a public, brick-and-mortar, donor-funded nonprofit museum in Pittsburgh,
PA, USA that covers all kinds of computers, but with a particular
emphasis on minicomputers, mainframes, and supercomputers.-a We recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of our first public opening.

-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a Thanks,
-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a -Dave McGuire, LSSM

That is wonderful news! - Thank you, very much, for the notification to comp.os.vms.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.dec

In article <10gd7ig$6g5c$1@mail.neurotica.com>,
Dave McGuire <mcguire@lssmuseum.org> wrote:

Hi folks, I thought some here might be interested to hear that we at
the Large Scale Systems Museum have gotten our VAX-11/780 to the point
where it will boot VMS. We fixed a list of hardware issues as long as
my arm, but it runs, and it runs great.

Next on the list for that machine is the addition of a DEUNA Ethernet
controller and a permanent system disk. (For our final testing we
borrowed the VMS v4.7 system disk, an RA90, from our VAX-11/750.)

What's the last version of VMS that can run on that machine? I may have
a Multinet kit for it but I think I gave my DEUNAs both away.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.dec

On 11/29/2025 6:36 PM, Scott Dorsey wrote:

In article <10gd7ig$6g5c$1@mail.neurotica.com>,
Dave McGuire <mcguire@lssmuseum.org> wrote:

Hi folks, I thought some here might be interested to hear that we at
the Large Scale Systems Museum have gotten our VAX-11/780 to the point
where it will boot VMS. We fixed a list of hardware issues as long as
my arm, but it runs, and it runs great.

Next on the list for that machine is the addition of a DEUNA Ethernet
controller and a permanent system disk. (For our final testing we
borrowed the VMS v4.7 system disk, an RA90, from our VAX-11/750.)

What's the last version of VMS that can run on that machine? I may have
a Multinet kit for it but I think I gave my DEUNAs both away.

According to some sources on the internet then 6.2 was last.

Which is "sort of recent" in VAX world.

Arne

--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.dec

kludge@panix.com (Scott Dorsey) writes:

In article <10gd7ig$6g5c$1@mail.neurotica.com>,
Dave McGuire <mcguire@lssmuseum.org> wrote:

Hi folks, I thought some here might be interested to hear that we at
the Large Scale Systems Museum have gotten our VAX-11/780 to the point
where it will boot VMS. We fixed a list of hardware issues as long as
my arm, but it runs, and it runs great.

Next on the list for that machine is the addition of a DEUNA Ethernet
controller and a permanent system disk. (For our final testing we
borrowed the VMS v4.7 system disk, an RA90, from our VAX-11/750.)

What's the last version of VMS that can run on that machine? I may have
a Multinet kit for it but I think I gave my DEUNAs both away.
--scott

We ran 7.3 on our 11/780-5 (a field upgraded 780) at Living Computers.
--
Rich Alderson news@alderson.users.panix.com
Audendum est, et veritas investiganda; quam etiamsi non assequamur,
omnino tamen proprius, quam nunc sumus, ad eam perveniemus.
--Galen --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.dec

On 11/30/2025 7:33 PM, Rich Alderson wrote:

kludge@panix.com (Scott Dorsey) writes:

In article <10gd7ig$6g5c$1@mail.neurotica.com>,
Dave McGuire <mcguire@lssmuseum.org> wrote:

Hi folks, I thought some here might be interested to hear that we at >>> the Large Scale Systems Museum have gotten our VAX-11/780 to the point
where it will boot VMS. We fixed a list of hardware issues as long as
my arm, but it runs, and it runs great.

Next on the list for that machine is the addition of a DEUNA Ethernet >>> controller and a permanent system disk. (For our final testing we
borrowed the VMS v4.7 system disk, an RA90, from our VAX-11/750.)

What's the last version of VMS that can run on that machine? I may have
a Multinet kit for it but I think I gave my DEUNAs both away.

We ran 7.3 on our 11/780-5 (a field upgraded 780) at Living Computers.

I don't think DEC/CPQ/HPE would have supported it.

VMS 7.1 SPD state:

<quote>
VMS V5.1 was the final version to support the
VAX-11/725.

OpenVMS VAX Version 6.2 was the final version to sup-
port the following:
VAX-11/730
VAX-11/750
VAX-11/751
VAX-11/780
VAX-11/782
VAX-11/785
</quote>

But if it runs then it runs.

And both 6.2 and 7.3 are generally out of support and has been
so for many years anyway.

Arne


--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.dec

On 11/30/2025 8:21 PM, Arne Vajh|+j wrote:

On 11/30/2025 7:33 PM, Rich Alderson wrote:

We ran 7.3 on our 11/780-5 (a field upgraded 780) at Living Computers.

I don't think DEC/CPQ/HPE would have supported it.

VMS 7.1 SPD state:

<quote>
VMS V5.1 was the final version to support the
VAX-11/725.

OpenVMS VAX Version 6.2 was the final version to sup-
port the following:
VAX-11/730
VAX-11/750
VAX-11/751
VAX-11/780
VAX-11/782
VAX-11/785
</quote>

But if it runs then it runs.

And both 6.2 and 7.3 are generally out of support and has been
so for many years anyway.

Note that for the VAX, the V6-->V7 change was effectively a no-op.

There were no kernel changes to the VAX code that would have required
a major version bump.

Typically, at a major version change, the kernel is rototilled in such
a way as to require changes to LIB.REQ, LIB.MLB, and SYS$LIB_C.TLB. Things like
kernel data structure changes (reordering fields for better alignment, etc).

That didn't happen to any VAX kernel structures.
--

--- Rob
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.dec

On 11/29/25 18:42, Arne Vajh|+j wrote:

-a-a Hi folks, I thought some here might be interested to hear that we at >>> the Large Scale Systems Museum have gotten our VAX-11/780 to the point
where it will boot VMS.-a We fixed a list of hardware issues as long as
my arm, but it runs, and it runs great.

-a-a Next on the list for that machine is the addition of a DEUNA Ethernet >>> controller and a permanent system disk.-a (For our final testing we
borrowed the VMS v4.7 system disk, an RA90, from our VAX-11/750.)

What's the last version of VMS that can run on that machine?-a I may have
a Multinet kit for it but I think I gave my DEUNAs both away.

According to some sources on the internet then 6.2 was last.

Which is "sort of recent" in VAX world.

The last supported release on the 780 is 6.2, but I'd bet 7.3 would
run. I base that on the fact that we ran 7.3 on our VAX-11/750 a few
years ago, and the last supported release for that is also 6.2.

-Dave
--
Dave McGuire, President/Curator
Large Scale Systems Museum
New Kensington, PA
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.dec

On 12/1/25 08:10, Simon Clubley wrote:

Hi folks, I thought some here might be interested to hear that we at
the Large Scale Systems Museum have gotten our VAX-11/780 to the point
where it will boot VMS. We fixed a list of hardware issues as long as
my arm, but it runs, and it runs great.

Congratulations.

Thanks!

BTW, how many sales reps have the local power company
assigned to you ?

They used to send us christmas cards, now they send us fruit baskets.

I wish I was kidding.

Thank heaven for supportive donors. (we are a donor-funded 501(c)(3) nonprofit)

-Dave
--
Dave McGuire, President/Curator
Large Scale Systems Museum
New Kensington, PA
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.dec

On 2025-12-01 03:56, Dave McGuire wrote:

On 11/29/25 18:42, Arne Vajh|+j wrote:

-a-a Hi folks, I thought some here might be interested to hear that we at >>>> the Large Scale Systems Museum have gotten our VAX-11/780 to the point >>>> where it will boot VMS.-a We fixed a list of hardware issues as long as >>>> my arm, but it runs, and it runs great.

-a-a Next on the list for that machine is the addition of a DEUNA
Ethernet
controller and a permanent system disk.-a (For our final testing we
borrowed the VMS v4.7 system disk, an RA90, from our VAX-11/750.)

What's the last version of VMS that can run on that machine?-a I may have >>> a Multinet kit for it but I think I gave my DEUNAs both away.

According to some sources on the internet then 6.2 was last.

Which is "sort of recent" in VAX world.

-a The last supported release on the 780 is 6.2, but I'd bet 7.3 would run.-a I base that on the fact that we ran 7.3 on our VAX-11/750 a few
years ago, and the last supported release for that is also 6.2.

I think the reason for the "last supported version" was that after that
DEC didn't have any running machines still around to test on, so they
couldn't say for sure it was fine. The oldest hardware that was still officially supported by the last release of VMS on VAX (V7.3) was the
86x0, if I remember right.

Johnny

--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.dec

On 12/2/25 17:15, Dave McGuire wrote:

On 12/1/25 08:10, Simon Clubley wrote:

-a-a-a Hi folks, I thought some here might be interested to hear that we at >>> the Large Scale Systems Museum have gotten our VAX-11/780 to the point
where it will boot VMS.-a We fixed a list of hardware issues as long as
my arm, but it runs, and it runs great.

Congratulations.

-a Thanks!

BTW, how many sales reps have the local power company
assigned to you ?

-a They used to send us christmas cards, now they send us fruit baskets.

-a I wish I was kidding.

-a Thank heaven for supportive donors. (we are a donor-funded 501(c)(3) nonprofit)

-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a -Dave

From memory, around 6.9 Kilowatts, 3 phase, for just the cpu
and no peripherals or storage etc. Would make a great lab heater.

Chris

--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.dec

On 12/5/25 11:22, chrisq wrote:

-a-a-a Hi folks, I thought some here might be interested to hear that >>>> we at
the Large Scale Systems Museum have gotten our VAX-11/780 to the point >>>> where it will boot VMS.-a We fixed a list of hardware issues as long as >>>> my arm, but it runs, and it runs great.

Congratulations.

-a-a Thanks!

BTW, how many sales reps have the local power company
assigned to you ?

-a-a They used to send us christmas cards, now they send us fruit baskets. >>
-a-a I wish I was kidding.

-a-a Thank heaven for supportive donors. (we are a donor-funded 501(c)
(3) nonprofit)

From memory, around 6.9 Kilowatts, 3 phase, for just the cpu
and no peripherals or storage etc. Would make a great lab heater.

Nothing of note internally is 3-phase; ours is running on
single-phase. A LOT of it. We can definitely tell when it's powered
up. :-)

-Dave
--
Dave McGuire, President/Curator
Large Scale Systems Museum
New Kensington, PA
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.dec

Dave McGuire <mcguire@lssmuseum.org> writes:

Hi folks, I thought some here might be interested to hear that we at
the Large Scale Systems Museum have gotten our VAX-11/780 to the
point where it will boot VMS.

Congratulations! That's wonderful news!

Kragen
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.dec

That's great! Any plans to migrate it to BSD 4.2? :-)

- DDH

In comp.sys.dec Kragen Javier Sitaker <kragen@canonical.org> wrote:

Dave McGuire <mcguire@lssmuseum.org> writes:

Hi folks, I thought some here might be interested to hear that we at
the Large Scale Systems Museum have gotten our VAX-11/780 to the
point where it will boot VMS.

Congratulations! That's wonderful news!

Kragen

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.dec

David Donald Hooton <ddh@shell02.theworld.com> wrote:

That's great! Any plans to migrate it to BSD 4.2? :-)

Don't do it! Hold out for bug fixes in 4.3!
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.dec


Yes and no. :) We're going to set up a 4.2BSD system disk for it, in addition to the VMS system disk.

So many machines, so few people to wrangle them...if you want to come
out and take on a project, let me know!

-Dave

On 9/15/26 19:58, David Donald Hooton wrote:

That's great! Any plans to migrate it to BSD 4.2? :-)

- DDH

In comp.sys.dec Kragen Javier Sitaker <kragen@canonical.org> wrote:

Dave McGuire <mcguire@lssmuseum.org> writes:

Hi folks, I thought some here might be interested to hear that we at
the Large Scale Systems Museum have gotten our VAX-11/780 to the
point where it will boot VMS.

Congratulations! That's wonderful news!

Kragen

--
Dave McGuire, President/Curator
Large Scale Systems Museum
New Kensington, PA
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.dec

In comp.sys.dec Scott Dorsey <kludge@panix.com> wrote:

David Donald Hooton <ddh@shell02.theworld.com> wrote:

That's great! Any plans to migrate it to BSD 4.2? :-)

Don't do it! Hold out for bug fixes in 4.3!
--scott

That's probably a good idea. Back in grad school (RPI), I once crashed the department VAX by exiting a C program without closing a socket. My Master's Project advisor had a positive attitude about it, saying it showed that I
was learning something.

- DDH
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.dec

Thanks for the offer, Dave, but I'm not moving to greater Pittsburg any
time soon.

However, if I'm in the area, I'll try to stop by the museum. Sounds like a great place.

- DDH

In comp.sys.dec Dave McGuire <mcguire@lssmuseum.org> wrote:

Yes and no. :) We're going to set up a 4.2BSD system disk for it, in addition to the VMS system disk.

So many machines, so few people to wrangle them...if you want to come
out and take on a project, let me know!

-Dave

On 9/15/26 19:58, David Donald Hooton wrote:

That's great! Any plans to migrate it to BSD 4.2? :-)

- DDH

In comp.sys.dec Kragen Javier Sitaker <kragen@canonical.org> wrote:

Dave McGuire <mcguire@lssmuseum.org> writes:

Hi folks, I thought some here might be interested to hear that we at >>>> the Large Scale Systems Museum have gotten our VAX-11/780 to the
point where it will boot VMS.

Congratulations! That's wonderful news!

Kragen

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.dec

On Tue, 22 Sep 2026 21:50:18 -0400 (EDT), David Donald Hooton wrote:

Back in grad school (RPI), I once crashed the department VAX by
exiting a C program without closing a socket. My Master's Project
advisor had a positive attitude about it, saying it showed that I
was learning something.

Surely thatrCOs not your fault.
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.dec

In article <118veiu$1crpo$1@dont-email.me>,
Lawrence =?iso-8859-13?q?D=FFOliveiro?= <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

On Tue, 22 Sep 2026 21:50:18 -0400 (EDT), David Donald Hooton wrote:

Back in grad school (RPI), I once crashed the department VAX by
exiting a C program without closing a socket. My Master's Project
advisor had a positive attitude about it, saying it showed that I
was learning something.

Surely thatrCOs not your fault.

It's Sam Leffler's fault. It's never too late to send him an email.
cc: Bill Joy for completeness.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.dec

Back then Unix was lesss stable than now, on the order of a modern
Microsoft product. So, it took a few reboots before I (or was it the
sysadmin?) linked the crashes to my non-priviledged user program. Other
users were not happy.

- DDH

In comp.sys.dec Lawrence DrCOOliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

On Tue, 22 Sep 2026 21:50:18 -0400 (EDT), David Donald Hooton wrote:

Back in grad school (RPI), I once crashed the department VAX by
exiting a C program without closing a socket. My Master's Project
advisor had a positive attitude about it, saying it showed that I
was learning something.

Surely thatrCOs not your fault.

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.dec

A: Skid-marks in front of the hedgehog.
Q: WhatrCOs the difference between a dead top-poster on the road, and a
dead hedgehog on the road?
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.dec

On 9/22/26 9:22 PM, David Donald Hooton wrote:

Thanks for the offer, Dave, but I'm not moving to greater Pittsburg any
time soon.

I tried to talk my wife into moving to the New Kensington area when we retire in about 4 years, but she doesn't want the winters. I spent my first 18 years just south of Buffalo so I think I can still handle them. At least that's what I tell myself. We will be going someplace cooler than Fort Worth, TX where we are now though.
--
John H. Reinhardt

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.dec

John H. Reinhardt <johnhreinhardt@thereinhardts.org> wrote:

I tried to talk my wife into moving to the New Kensington area when we retire in about 4 years, but she doesn't want the winters. I spent my first 18 years just south of Buffalo so I think I can still handle them. At least that's what I tell myself. We will be going someplace cooler than Fort Worth, TX where we are now though.

Move to Timonium, MD and volunteer at the Systems Computer Museum. They
have all my microvaxen and someone should get them working. It's a bedrooom community of Baltimore and it has winter but not Buffalo-grade winter by any stretch.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.dec

"John H. Reinhardt" <johnhreinhardt@thereinhardts.org> writes:

On 9/22/26 9:22 PM, David Donald Hooton wrote:

Thanks for the offer, Dave, but I'm not moving to greater Pittsburg any
time soon.

I tried to talk my wife into moving to the New Kensington area when we retire
in about 4 years, but she doesn't want the winters. I spent my first 18 years
just south of Buffalo so I think I can still handle them. At least that's what
I tell myself. We will be going someplace cooler than Fort Worth, TX where we are now though.

Coastal California. Perfect weather (A/C not required), no rain for six months.

Every summer day is sunny and warm and winter days reach the 60s.
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.dec

On 9/23/26 20:36, John H. Reinhardt wrote:

Thanks for the offer, Dave, but I'm not moving to greater Pittsburg any
time soon.

I tried to talk my wife into moving to the New Kensington area when we retire in about 4 years, but she doesn't want the winters.

Yebbbut...how much time does she *really* spend outdoors? ;)

I spent my
first 18 years just south of Buffalo so I think I can still handle
them.-a At least that's what I tell myself.-a We will be going someplace cooler than Fort Worth, TX where we are now though.

Keep working on her. ;) We sure could use you at LSSM!

-Dave
--
Dave McGuire, President/Curator
Large Scale Systems Museum
New Kensington, PA
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2