VAXstation 35x0 Console

The console of the 35x0 is similar in operation to other MicroVAX and VAXstation systems, with some important exceptions (ie. the SHOW CPU command and interprocessor interupts.) Following a description of the console subsystem are descriptions of some of the console commands.

Console Subsystem and Initial Bootstrap Operation.

The following excerpts are taken from Section 30.2.1.6, pages 879-880 of:

VAX/VMS Internals and Data Structures Version 5.2
Ruth E. Goldenberg and Lawrence J. Kenah

Digital Press, ISBN 1-55558-059-9
Copyright © 1991 by Digital Equipment Corporation


"VAXstation 35x0 systems support multiple CPUs per system, currently two or four. One CPU acts as the primary and performs the main work of booting VMS. VMS directs the inititialization of the remaining secondary CPUs..."

"The console subsystem of VAXstation 35x0 processors consists of a console program and a console terminal port. The console program, implemented in BLISS-32 and VAX MACRO code, resides in ROM on the CPU module. Each CPU has a private EPROM."

"The console program runs on the VAX processor rather than on a seperate console processor..."

"The VAXstation 35x0 VMB is similar to that of the MicroVAX 3100."

CPU ID

Each CPU is assigned an ID number that depends on which slot the dual-CPU boards are inserted into. By convention the 3520 has the dual-CPU board in slot 7 (which is MID 2) and the 3540 has dual-CPU boards in slots 7 and 6 (MID 2 and 3) Note that the labels on the card cage number the slots 1-11 (with slot 12 unlabeled) from right to left, but the MID (the M-bus backplane ID) is addressed 0-7 from left to right.

The processors in the 3520 will have hexadecimal ID's of 08 and 0B and the 3540 will have 08, 0B, 0C and 0F. The CPU with the lowest ID that passes it's power on self test will be the primary CPU that runs the console program.

Power-on

During execution of the power-up self-tests there is an LED display on the front of the card cage that displays the test that is currently in progress (ie. F through 0) and the following information is displayed on the console (monitor) when the LED countdown decrements from C to B

KA60 V1.2
F..E..D..C..B..A..9..8..7..6..5..4..3..2..1..0

Tests completed.
08-E1,P1
0B-E1,P1
08

CPU08 >>>

In the above example CPU08 and CPU0B check out ok and CPU08 becomes the primary CPU which runs the console program.

Power-on when TOY clock battery is dead

KA60 V1.2
F..E..D..C..B..A..9..8..7..6..5..4..3..2..1..0

 0) Dansk                      8) Francais (Suisse Romande)
 1) Deutsch                    9) Italiano
 2) Deutsch (Schweiz)         10) Nederlands
 3) English                   11) Norsk
 4) English (British/Irish)   12) Portugues
 5) Espanol                   13) Suomi
 6) Francais                  14) Svenska
 7) Francais (Canadien)



(0..14): [defaults to 3 if no key is pressed for 30 seconds]

08-E1,P1
0B-E1,P1
08

CPU08 >>>

EPROM settings will need to be re-entered, and the clock will need to be reset.

You can use the command SET LANGUAGE # to choose a different default after the timeout and SHOW LANGUAGE will display the current value.

TEST Commands

The TEST command may be abreviated by typing T (the console command processor is not case sensitive) The argument to the command is a hexadecimal value.

Most other codes in the ranges listed below produce no output. This list is not complete. If you have comments, questions, additional information or corrections - please contact me.

Comments are included with the descriptions, and are set apart using square brackets with [bold] text. The detailed information displayed will depend on the system configuration and the status of the console. Some of the examples below might indicate an error condition.

Arguments from 0 through 9F

The tests numbered 0 - 7 run diagnostics for the board inserted into the MID that matches the test number.

T
CPU08 ?22 ILL CMD
T 0
1 TAM     00000001
T 1
1 MEMORY  00000501
T 4
1 MEMORY  00000501
T 5
1 SSC     00000001
2 DZ      00000001
3 NI      00000701
4 SCSI    00000901
5 SYS     00000001
T 7
[several screen displays, then screen is cleared]
1 GFX     00000001
          L2004 L2005 L2006
T 50
KA60 V1.2

MID  MODTYPE     ID    SLOT ERR
 0   01010001  L2008    9
 1   01020110  L2007BA  8
 2   01010108  L2001    7
 3   01010108  L2001    6
 4   01020110  L2007BA  5
 5   01010004  L2003    4
 7   01010002  L2004    3

Arguments from 100 through 1FF

T 100

[runs extensive self test and displays several screens of information]

T 101
CPU08 >>>B PRBO
[screen is cleared]
VMB V1.0
-PRBO
..
...

%FSTKER_SYS_INITZNG


 FSTKER V1.3 



CPU 1, SEC_CPU_STRTED


***FST_FTL_ERR***
--- T MODE VIO---
MODE#    -0101
NOT RUN

CPU0B ?06 HLT INST
CPU0B     PC = 80008682

CPU08 ?06 HLT INST
CPU08     PC = 800089DB

Arguments from 200 through 2FF

T 201
*************** NO ERROR *******************
T 201 [alternate]
Using stored data for CPU FBIC 0 on MID 2
***************** FBICs with valid error logging ************
*** LESS THAN 3 FBICS DETECTED, RESOLUTION MAY BE INVALID ***
                        MID (2)  FBIC(0):  CPU08
BUSCSR: (7FDF0000) frzn nos
BUSCTL: (58075E00) svdmcmd(READ) MASTER phase(P1 or IDLE) mbusy mdpar mspar
                   mstatus(01) mcmd(1111)
BUSADR: (80088000) I/O space: 20088000
BUSDAT: (80088000)

Dominant Error: NOS  (could not determine culprit)
T 203
%MOP-I-STRT
-MOP-S-FND, MID= 5,  ADDR= 08-00-2B-13-CA-EC
T 204

[same as SHOW SCSI]

Note: This occured after several other commands were typed and I had not cleared the console. To clear an error condition use INIT for the processor and UNJAM for the I/O bus.


Return to the Vintage Computer Collection

Return to the VAXstation 35x0 Information

last modified: 10-OCT-2002

Copyright © 1998, 1999 mikeu@osfn.org