Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!pyrdc!netsys!ames!amelia!jeffrey
From: jeffrey@amelia.nas.nasa.gov (Glenda L. Jeffrey)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec
Subject: Re: external rd53 in uVax 2000
Summary: Rip & Stuff
Message-ID: <1025@amelia.nas.nasa.gov>
Date: 21 Sep 88 00:33:15 GMT
References: <2123@stpstn.UUCP>
Reply-To: jeffrey@amelia.nas.nasa.gov (Glenda L. Jeffrey)
Organization: NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA
Lines: 33

In article <2123@stpstn.UUCP> aad@stpstn.UUCP (Anthony A. Datri) writes:
>
>I've got an external RD53 here (ie., a box with a power supply and
>an overprice disk in it), and I'd like to hang it off a hitherto
>diskless Microvax 2000.  Do I have to buy one of the "adapter boxes"
>from DEC to give me the connector, or can I sneak the cable off
>the internal controller out of the box, or should I just rip
>the drive out of the external box and jam it into the uv2000?

Based on our experience, you should rip it out & jam it in. 
We originally had VAXstation II/RC, which is a uVAX II with an
RD53 and thermoplastic glue in part of the backplane to fill
up slots (one of DEC's brilliant marketing schemes). In any case,
we expanded the RC by buying another backplane for it and a Fujitsu
SuperEagle, etc. We left the RD53 in as system disk (don't laugh).

Some time later, we got a diskless VAXstation 2000 and another
Eagle. We stuck the Eagle in the RC and pulled the RD53 out &
stuffed it into the VAXstation 2000. It has worked like a charm
ever since. As you may know, the 2000 already has its own ST506
controller on the motherboard, so all the necessary hardward/connectors
are there. I was really surprised not to run into any DEC gotcha's on
this one... It just slipped right in. Don't know what you should
do with the Leprechaun box... use it as a pencil holder?

As far as I know, the only time you need an adaptor box is if
you already have a disk in the 2000 and wish to add another one
(or a TK50).

Happy jamming...

- Glenda gdwtch
  jeffrey@amelia.nas.nasa.gov