Configuring devices on the Qbus of a VAX or CHARON-VAX

Owned by Bruno Miretti (Deactivated)
Last updated: Dec 27, 2016Version comment
3 min read

Related productsCHARON-VAX all versions
Operating systems

Windows, Linux

Table of contents

Description

(info) This document corresponds to the AN-032.pdf file, dated September 3rd, 2007


When implementing CHARON-VAX, it may not be possible to implement exactly the same configuration as was used on the original hardware VAX.

In case of difficulty, configure CHARON-VAX by specifying the exact addresses and vectors where necessary in the CHARON configuration file (for CHARON for Windows version 4.8 and later use "Edit Configuration" button of the "CHARON VM Manager" to get access to the configuration file).

For details on the configuration of peripheral device addresses and vectors refer to the VAX peripheral option manuals.

If you move a Qbus system disk from an existing system to an appropriate CHARON-VAX without modification, you must identify the device / controller addresses and vectors and set them to the same value as your VAX operating system used before. For instance, in VMS you can use the MCR SYSGEN (or MCR SYSMAN) and the show / configuration command to identify the values.

But if you are reconfiguring a VAX fortunately, CHARON-VAX can be used to calculate these addresses as follows:

Step-by-step guide

Decide what kinds of QBUS devices are needed and how many of them should be present.

For example, suppose four (4) RQDX3 controllers, two (2) DELQA Ethernet controllers, and three (3) DHV11 controllers are needed. Note that when using a CHARON-VAX TMSCP controller it is seen by the VAX as a TQK50.


For the next step configure CHARON-VAX with only a console terminal. Start CHARON, wait until the ">>>" prompt is displayed, enter the "configure" command and enter you configuration followed by "exit":


KA650-A V5.3, VMB 2.7
Performing normal system tests.
40..39..38..37..36..35..34..33..32..31..30..29..28..27..26..25..
24..23..22..21..20..19..18..17..16..15..14..13..12..11..10..09..
08..07..06..05..04..03..
Tests completed.
>>>_
>>>CONFIGURE
Enter device configuration, HELP, or EXIT
Device,Number? HELP
Devices:
 LPV11 KXJ11 DLV11J DZQ11 DZV11 DFA01
 RLV12 TSV05 RXV21 DRV11W DRV11B DPV11
 DMV11 DELQA DEQNA DESQA RQDX3 KDA50
 RRD50 RQC25 KFQSA-DISK TQK50 TQK70 TU81E
 RV20 KFQSA-TAPE KMV11 IEQ11 DHQ11 DHV11
 CXA16 CXB16 CXY08 VCB01 QVSS LNV11
 LNV21 QPSS DSV11 ADV11C AAV11C AXV11C
 KWV11C ADV11D AAV11D VCB02 QDSS DRV11J
 DRQ3B VSV21 IBQ01 IDV11A IDV11B IDV11C
 IDV11D IAV11A IAV11B MIRA ADQ32 DTC04
 DESNA IGQ11
Numbers:
 1 to 255, default is 1
Device,Number? RQDX3,4
Device,Number? DELQA,2
Device,Number? DHV11,3
Device,Number? exit
Address/Vector Assignments
-774440/120 DELQA
-774460/300 DELQA
-772150/154 RQDX3
-760334/304 RQDX3
-760340/310 RQDX3
-760344/314 RQDX3
-760500/320 DHV11
-760520/330 DHV11
-760540/340 DHV11
>>>_


It is possible to see addresses and vectors, which need to be put into the configuration file, for each of the required devices.


  1. Some QBUS devices are not able to set an interrupt vector. For such Devices, VMS sets the vector programmatically when initializing the device. For example, RQDX3 and DELQA/DEQNA
  2. The addresses above are 16-bit wide, but CHARON is able to understand 22-bit addresses. Therefore, it is necessary to sign-extend them before writing into CFG file.
  3. Numbers are octal, so attach "0" in the beginning.


For this example, the configuration file would be as follows:

load RQDX3/RQDX3 DUA address=017772150
load RQDX3/RQDX3 DUB address=017760334
load RQDX3/RQDX3 DUC address=017760340
load RQDX3/RQDX3 DUD address=017760344
load DELQA/DEQNA XQA address=017774440
load DELQA/DEQNA XQB address=017774460
load DHV11/DHV11 TXA address=017760500 vector=0320
load DHV11/DHV11 TXB address=017760520 vector=0330
load DHV11/DHV11 TXC address=017760540 vector=0340

Units must obviously be configured, but it is out of scope here.

Your copy of your VMS system may not automatically understand this configuration. It may be necessary to build a new VMS system from the original VMS media but if all the required elements are available in your VMS system, it may be possible to reconfigure by executing the following commands:


$ SET DEF SYS$UPDATE
$ AUTOGEN GETDATA REBOOT


This application note is provided for information only to assist customers in dealing with complex configurations. This functionality described is standard VAX and VAX/VMS functionality and is not covered by CHARON-VAX support contracts.


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