Hardware Documentation - Machines DEC - VAX hardware reference Bootrom details

Bootrom details

• Boot options
• MicroVAX 2000/VAXstation 2000 TEST commands
• MicroVAX 2000/VAXstation 2000 boot messages
• VAXstation 3100 Model 40 Power-Up and Self-Test Device Identifiers

Bootrom details

Boot options (top)

Most ports pass options as single character flags (such as '-a'). The VAX port uses bitflags directly. The full list as of NetBSD 1.4 is given below, taken from /sys/sys/reboot.h (not all flags make sense from the boot rom).

To use, boot with 'b/' followed by the flags you want (in hex). For example, to boot single user and prompt for the kernel filename use

	b/3

Symbolic name	Value	Action
RB_ASKNAME	0x001	ask for file name from which to reboot
RB_SINGLE	0x002	reboot to single user only
RB_NOSYNC	0x004	dont sync before reboot
RB_HALT	0x008	don't reboot, just halt
RB_INITNAME	0x010	name given for /etc/init (unused)
RB_DFLTROOT	0x020	use compiled-in rootdev
RB_KDB	0x040	give control to kernel debugger
RB_RDONLY	0x080	mount root fs read-only
RB_DUMP	0x100	dump kernel memory before reboot
RB_MINIROOT	0x200	mini-root present in memory at boot time
RB_STRING	0x400	use provided bootstr
RB_POWERDOWN	(RB_HALT|0x800)	turn power off (or at least halt)

MicroVAX 2000/VAXstation 2000 TEST commands (top)

Commands to be typed at the boot monitor. TEST can be abbreviated to T.

• TEST 0
  Invokes the customer runnable system excerciser. This test executes a serial string test of all devices in the system. After serial device testing has completed, a concurrent device test is executed. The test automatically configures the test based on the system's hardware configuration and will test all devices present. This test runs for two test passes and concludes with a summary table of test results.

• TEST 50
  Display the hardware configuration of the system. Lists all functionality present along with status of each device on the last diagnostic executed. Additionally, this display identifies the current revision of firmware in the system as well as the system I.D. number (used as the system's hardware address when networked).

  Returned information:

  Message	Meaning
  ID 08-00-2B-xx-yy-zz	Ethernet address
  ?? MONO 0001.F002	Base (mono) video option, only VAXstation.
  ? CLK 0000.0005	Clock battery is drained. Leave the box running, or change.
  CLK 0000.0001	Clock battery OK.
  NVR 0000.0001	Non-Volatile Read-only memory OK.
  ? DZ 0000.4001	00004001 00000001 00000001 00000001 00000000 00000000 The above six eight-digit numbers refer to the 4 serial lines, the keyboard, and the mouse or tablet. A MicroVAX 2000 should always show 00000000 00000000 as the last two numbers.
  MEM 00xx.0001	0xx00000 The .0001 means that the MEMory is healthy, the 00xx, and the 0xx00000 both tell you the box has xx MB of memory (in hex). If the first line, second half is not .0001, there will be a second eight digit number on the second line telling you the details of the memory fault.
  MM 0000.0001	Memory management
  FP 0000.0001	Floating Point
  IT 0000.0001	Interval Timer
  HDC 7770.0001	00000000 00000000 00000000 The Hard Disk Controller is healthy, but it can't see any disks. Where it does see disks, the second line shows their size (in Hex) in order DUA0,DUA1,DUA2 RD32's=40Mb or 146B8, RD53's=71Mb or 22000, RD54's=159Mb or 4C437. RX33's are either 1200KB or 960, or if using RX50's, 400KB or 320.
  TPC 0202.0001	FFFFFF03 01000001 FFFFFF05 FFFFFF05 FFFFFF05 FFFFFF05 FFFFFF05 FFFFFF05 the tape-drive port is healthy and it sees a good TK50-Z drive.
  SYS 0000.0001	Main system test OK
  8PLN 0000.0001	V1.4 Healthy 8-plane graphics card, and Vx.x shows its version number. Could alternatively be 4PLN for the 4-plane card.
  NI 0000.0001 V1.3	Healthy ethernet card found, with its version number. There must be a terminator, or a terminated ethernet for the card to test OK.

• TEST 51
  Set default Boot device in NVR. Displays current setting, then prompts for new value. Valid choices may be DUA0,DUA1,DUA2 (Disks, where available), MUA0 (Tape) or ESA0 (Ethernet). Enter a single . for no default.

• TEST 52
  Sets the default Boot flags in NVR.

• TEST 53
  Sets the NVR default recovery action flags, used by the system during power up and also used by the system if an error is detected with the operating environment.

• TEST 54
  Displays a language inquiry menu on the console device (VAXstation 2000 only) to allow the customer to select the appropriate keyboard type based on the country keyboard in use. On MicroVAX 2000, this function is accomplished through the language set-up utility that is part of the console terminal. Set in NVR.

• TEST 61
  Sends a full screen of E's to the console monitor display (VAXstation 2000 only) allowing a quick check of the monitor's linearity adjustments.

• TEST 62
  Sends a full white screen to the console monitor display (VAXstation 2000 only) allowing a quick check of the monitor's raster as well as a check of the video controller's display memory.

• TEST 70
  Allows the customer to format hard disk drives and RX33 floppy diskettes. RX50 diskettes need not use this utility as they come pre-formatted. If formatting a non-Digital Equipment Corporation hard disk drive, this utility goes into a query mode thus allowing the customer to enter drive parameter data prior to actually performing the format operation.
  Note: Formatting destroys all user data on the disk or diskette being formatted.
  The set of parameters for an RD32 (aka Seagate ST251) would be:

  xbnsiz :=54	number of transfer blocks
  dbnsiz :=48	number of diagnostic blocks
  lbnsiz :=83236	number of logical blocks
  rbnsiz :=200	number of replacement blocks
  surpun :=6	number of surfaces per unit
  cylpun :=820	number of cylinders per unit
  wrtprc :=820	write precompensation cylinder
  rctsiz :=4	size of the revectoring control table
  rctnbr :=8	number of copies of the RCT
  secitl :=1	sector interleave
  stsskw :=2	surface to surface skew
  ctcskw :=9	cylinder to cylinder skew
  mediai :=627327008	MSCP media ID

  The total disk size is the number of cylinders (cylpun) times the number of surfaces (surpun) times the number of sectors per track (17). Then, this is believed to be used as follows:

  • The number of transfer blocks (xbnsiz is always 54.
  • The number of diagnostic blocks (dbnsiz should be calculated so that xbnsiz + dbnsiz = one whole cylinder.
  • The number of logical blocks (lbnsiz includes the revectoring table. With 8 copies of a 4 block table, this means that the visible number of blocks for the OS is lbnsiz - 32, and lbnsiz is calculated as physical size - xbnsiz - dbnsiz - rbnsiz.
  • The transfer blocks, diagnostic blocks and revectoring table are allocated outside the logical block area, so lbnsiz = physical size of disk - xbnsiz - dbnsiz - (rctsiz * rctnbr.

  Some known MSCP media IDs

  ESE20	625685140	RA90	627314778	RD53	627327029	RFH73	577004617
  ESE25	625685145	RA92	627314780	RD54	627327030	RRD40	627384872
  RA60	581177404	RC25	543436825	RF30	577003550	RRD50	627384882
  RA70	627314758	RC25F	543437593	RF31	577003551	RX18	627408914
  RA71	627314759	RD31	627327007	RF71	577003591	RX33	627408929
  RA72	627314760	RD32	627327008	RF72	577003592	RX35	627408931
  RA80	627314768	RD33	627327009	RF73	577003593	RX50	627408946
  RA81	627314769	RD51	627327027	RFH31	577004575	SVS00	560425344
  RA82	627314770	RD52	627327028	RFH72	577004616

• TEST 71
  A disk verifier utility. This utility does a non-destructive test of hard disk formats to search for new bad blocks on the media since operating system installation and identifies any new bad blocks to the customer. This utility is for use with hard disks only.

• TEST 90
  A utility that is used with systems that are connected in a network configuration. This utility, when invoked, puts the system in a test mode to provide loopback and system I.D. support to network level diagnostics run from a host or boot node. Working in combination with network level excercisers, this utility assists in verifying the system's network hardware/firmware interface is correctly functioning.

• TEST 80000050
  A utility that displays all system firmware revision levels by function (i.e. self test, bootstrap code, console code, etc.).

Extended Diagnostics/Maintenance Utilities

This series of routines require the use of a special hardware key to invoke and execute.

• TEST 60
  A utility that displays a circle/crosshatch pattern on the console monitor (VAXstation 2000 only). It is used by service personnel to check/adjust monitor linearity and aspect ratio.

• TEST 72
  A utility that writes a special key on scratch floppy diskettes. After running a floppy diskette through this utility, the diskette can then be used with the Field Service system excerciser to do write testing of the floppy diskette subsystem. Floppy diskettes used with the system excerciser that do not have this special key written on the media will do a read test only.

• TEST 73
  A utility that writes a special key on a scratch TK50 COMPACTape. After running the COMPACTape through this utility, the cartridge can then be used with the Field Service system excerciser to do write testing of the TK50 subsystem. Cartridges used with the system excerciser that do not have this special key written on the media will do a read test only.

• TEST 101
  Executes the Field Service mode system excerciser. This test excercises each device once sequentially and then excercises all devices concurrently. This sequence is executed for two complete passes of all system devices present in the configuration. Loopback connectors and test media are required to optimize test coverage with this routine. This test automatically stops after two complete passes and displays a test summary.

• TEST 102
  Executes the Field Service mode system excerciser. It excercises all devices in the system configuration in the same sequence as described for Test 101. However, when Test 102 is invoked, the sequence is repeated continuously until the user types CONTROL/C at the system console. When CONTROL/C is typed, the test terminates at the conclusion of the current test pass and displays a test summary. Note that the user must allow this test to run for at least two complete passes before typing CONTROL/C.

• TEST 80000106
  Allows the Field Service Engineer to select individual device tests from the total test used in Test 102 described above. Whichever device tests are enabled and executed run in a continuous loop until CONTROL/C is typed at the system console. As with Test 102, the user must allow this test run for at least two complete passes before typing CONTROL/C.

MicroVAX 2000/VAXstation 2000 boot messages (top)

The initial message will be something of the form:

	KA410-A V1.2
	F_..E...D...C...B...A...9...8...7...6...5...4_..3_..2_..1_..

KA410-A will be displayed with the switch in multi-user MicroVAX 2000 mode, KA410-B if set to single user VAXstation 2000. V1.2 is the ROM rev level (or 4- or 8-plane colour graphics board, V2.1 is required). In the count-down a "_" means the item wasn't found.

Message	Error
? E 0040 0000.0005	clock battery needs charged
? C 0080 0000.4001	odd-ball terminal as console - should still work

See also MicroVAX 2000/VAXstation 2000 TEST commands.

VAXstation 3100 Model 40 Power-Up and Self-Test Device Identifiers (top)

Identifier	Device
F	Base video
E	System clock
D	Nonvolatile RAM
C	Serial line controller
B	Memory
A	Memory-management unit
9	Floating point unit
8	Interval timer
7	Disk controller option
6	Disk controller option
5	Interrupt controller and Ethernet ID ROM
4	Optional 8-plane graphics coprocessor
3	Reserved for later use
2	Reserved for later use
1	Ethernet network interconnect (NI)

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