Ultrix Distribution tapes - what do they all mean?

[Dave McGuire]

On Nov 22, 2006, at 8:19 PM, Robert Armstrong wrote:
>   I was lucky enough to be able to borrow a box of random Ultrix TK50
> distribution tapes.  Unfortunately I have to give it back, but  
> before I do
> I'd like to be able do a complete Ultrix installation on some  
> system that I
> have.  The printed labels on the tapes are somewhat cryptic, however -
> here's a sampling of what I have
>
>     DECNET-ULTRIX V2.0 BIN
>     ULTRIX-32W V1.0 BIN
>     ULTRIX WS 1.1 UNSUPP
>     VAX C/ULTRIX V1.0
>     ULTRIX-32 V2.0 SUPPORTED
>     ULTRIX-32 V2.0 STAND ALONE / ULTRIX TK50 #1
>     ULTRIX WS V2.0 (RISC)
>     FORTRAN FOR RISC V1.0
>     ULTRIX AND UWS (VAX) UNSUPPORTED SUBSETS
>     ULTRIX/UWS T4.0A-1 (RISC) / SUPPORTED VOL 1
>
>   Dumb question #1 - I assume that the ones that say (VAX) are VAX,  
> and the
> ones that say (RISC) are PMAX/MIPS, but are the ones that don't  
> specify
> (e.g. "DECNET-ULTRIX V2.0" or "ULTRIX-32W V1.0 BIN") also assumed  
> to be VAX?
>
>   What actually constitutes a complete Ultrix base system  
> distribution?  Is
> it three tapes - SUPPORTED, UNSUPPORTED, and (if necessary)  
> WORKSTATION ?
>
>   Are the SUPPORTED tapes supposed to be bootable?

   Oh my, this tickled some VERY old neurons.

   UWS is Ultrix Workstation Software, the GUI.    "RISC" in this  
case refers to the PMAX machines.  I'm pretty sure the "supported"  
tape is the one to boot from to initiate an installation, but I'm not  
sure...it's been far too long.  I recall installing Ultrix from TK50  
onto my MicroVAX-II many, many times onto a pair of Fuji M2284K  
drives (14" SMD, ~160MB unformatted) connected to an Emulex SC-03  
controller, if memory serves.  I had some problems with bad cables at  
one point, resulting in several half-finished installations before I  
got things nailed down.  Jeeze, this was 1988 or so.

   I *think* an Ultrix-32 tape not specifically labeled "RISC" can be  
assumed to be VAX but I'm not positive of that.

   Ultrix running on a MicroVAX-II with gcc-compiled X11R4 sure was a  
nice development and learning platform for me for a long time.  I  
guess technically it was a VAXstation-II/GPX, as I had a four-plain  
VCB02 in there running greyscale into a VR260.

                -Dave

-- 
Dave McGuire
Cape Coral, FL