[cctalk] Re: VAX and OpenVMS

On Nov 30, 2025, at 4:00 PM, Peter Ekstrom via cctalk &lt;cctalk(a)classiccmp.org&gt; wrote: Hi Jerry, The ones I am seeing now range from a little over $500 up well over $1000. But I will keep an eye on what pops up. And perhaps some other opportunity will present itself too. Who knows. I have a couple of MFM emulators for my PDPs so a SCSI emulator would be neat. Those old drives tend to get pricey and you never know how long they will last. - Peter > On Sun, Nov 30, 2025 at 6:25 PM Jerry Weiss &lt;jerry2weiss(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote: > > If you are patient, its likely a MicroVAX 3100 at a lower price will > eventually appear. > > For disks I would suggest a SCSI2SD (now ZuluSCSI ?) or BlueSCSI > devices. You can partition one SD card into several drives. Using > industrial endurance SD cards is preferable, and slightly more > expensive, but in the sizes you are likely to need (~32 GB or less), it > shouldn't be too bad. SD card speed is not a factor. > > Checking out the electrolytic capacitors at the onset is important. It > can be hard to diagnose and repair semiconductors in switching power > supplies damaged by a shorted capacitor. > > Jerry > > > ------ Original Message ------ > From "Peter Ekstrom via cctalk" &lt;cctalk(a)classiccmp.org&gt; > To "Wayne S" &lt;wayne.sudol(a)hotmail.com&gt; > Cc "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" > &lt;cctalk(a)classiccmp.org&gt;rg>; "Peter Ekstrom" &lt;epekstrom(a)gmail.com&gt; > Date 11/30/2025 3:27:23 PM > Subject [cctalk] Re: VAX and OpenVMS > >> Ok, good things to keep in mind. And glad to hear I was right in thinking >> it seemed a bit high. >> Thank you, >> - Peter >>> On Sun, Nov 30, 2025 at 4:19 PM Wayne S &lt;wayne.sudol(a)hotmail.com&gt; wrote: >>> It depends on what the machine still has inside. >>> If you have to add disk and memory that will be expensive. >>> Also, if memory is missing, I’d be suspicious that the machine was > faulty >>> from the beginning. >>> $550 seems like a lot for a machine, especially if it’s not running. >>> Just my opinion. >>> I got my 3100 about two years ago for $90. Just missing disc drives. >>> Sent from my iPhone >>>> On Nov 30, 2025, at 13:14, Peter Ekstrom via cctalk < >>> cctalk(a)classiccmp.org&gt; wrote: >>>> I have no problem replacing caps in PSUs so if that's the only > problem >>> I'm >>>> good. Although the battery damage you mention can be quite a bit > trickier >>>> (if at all possible) to fix. >>>> Unfortunately many of the sellers on eBay don't really know, so it is >>> part >>>> of the risk one takes. So I am trying to make sure I pay a low but > fair >>>> price. >>>> - Peter >>>>> On Sun, Nov 30, 2025 at 3:54 PM Peter Coghlan via cctalk < >>>>> cctalk(a)classiccmp.org&gt; wrote: >>>>>> Very interesting thread. I was kinda thinking too that someone > running >>>>> VMS >>>>>> on a machine for hobby use would be too small of a potato to go > after. >>>>>> Incidentally, what would y'all value a MicroVAX 3100 at? I am > looking >>> at >>>>>> one on eBay for $550 but am considering making a lower offer. >>>>>> I have no details about it so don't know the amount of memory and > such. >>>>> I have about five or six MicroVAX 3100s and a similar number of >>> Vaxstation >>>>> 3100s. >>>>> They were all given to me or rescued from being dumped so I didn't > pay a >>>>> penny >>>>> for any of them. Almost all of them have had problems with > electrolytic >>>>> capacitors in the power supplies leaking. The nicad battery packs > would >>>>> also >>>>> have leaked if I hadn't removed them years ago. >>>>> If you are thinking of paying money for a Microvax 3100, I suggest > you >>> make >>>>> sure it hasn't already been damaged by leakage from capacitors or >>> batteries >>>>> and if you do aquire it, take immediate steps to make sure it > doesn't >>> soon >>>>> get >>>>> damaged by same. >>>>> Regards, >>>>> Peter Coghlan.