See below for an annotated transcript of the installation procedure for 4.3BSD-Quasijarus0a on simh/Vax. If you have ever read “The Design and Implementation of the 4.3BSD UNIX Operating System”, now you can run the code inside the portable simh emulator.

I’d like to thank Warren Toomey, Michael Sokolov, and Joseph F. Young for their assistance and the work they put into the Unix Archive and the Quasijarus distribution. I’d also like to thank Bob Supnik for the SIMH emulator suite. To begin with, here is the simh configuration file used (simh.quasijarus0a):

    set cpu 32m
    set cpu conhalt
    set tto 7b
    set tti 7b
   
    load -r ka655.bin
   
    ;; enable this after the initial install and
    ;; issue the command
    ;; set boot dua0:
    ;; at the chevron prompt
    ;at nvr nvr.bin
   
    set rq0 ra82
    at rq0 ra82-quasijarus0a.dsk
   

    set rq1 ra82
    at rq1 /dev/null
   
    set rq2 ra82
    at rq2 /dev/null
   
    set rq3 ra82
    at rq3 /dev/null

   
    set tq tk50
    at tq0 quasijarus0a.tap
   
    set dz 7b
    set dz lines=8
    at -m dz0 2311
   
    set xq mac=08-00-2B-12-34-56
    at xq0 eth0
   

    set lpt dis
    set ts dis
    set rl dis

   
    ;; uncomment the next three lines after the NVRAM
    ;; has been attached and the default boot device set
    ;dep bdr 0
    ;boot cpu
    ;exit

Please note that lines set in red are not optional. In the following installation transcript, user input is set in red and the annotations in green.

Assume that all the necessary files, including the vax binary,
the boot rom and installation tape image are in the current directory.

#

./vax simh.quasijarus0a

VAX simulator V3.0-1
RQ: creating new file
Listening on port 2311 (socket 9)
Modem control activated
Eth: opened eth0
sim>

boot cpu

The first step is to boot the standalone tools off the tape and copy
the miniroot to the disk’s b partition. Please note that the disk
is unlabeled at this stage.

KA655-B 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.
>>>

boot mua0:

(BOOT/R5:0 MUA0

  2..
-MUA0
  1..0..

=

copy

cpu: uVAX 3000
From: tms(0,1)
To: ra(0,1)
ra0: unlabeled
Copy completed: 308 records copied
?06 HLT INST
PC = 00000006

The miniroot is in place; boot off the tape again to run it.

>>>

boot mua0:

(BOOT/R5:0 MUA0

2..
-MUA0
1..0..
=

boot

cpu: uVAX 3000
Boot
:

ra(0,1)vmunix

ra0: unlabeled
327204+103384+130352 start 0x23a8
4.3 BSD Quasijarus UNIX #0: Sat Oct 2 22:15:38 CDT 1999
msokolov@luthien:/usr/src/sys/GENERIC
real mem = 33521664
SYSPTSIZE limits number of buffers to 80
avail mem = 31697920
using 80 buffers containing 655360 bytes of memory
MicroVAX 3000, ucode rev 6
tmscp0 at uba0 csr 174500 vec 774, ipl 15
tms0 at tmscp0 slave 0
tms1 at tmscp0 slave 1
uda0 at uba0 csr 172150 vec 770, ipl 15
uda0: version 3 model 3
uda0: DMA burst size set to 4
ra0 at uda0 slave 0: no disk label: ra82, size = 1216665 sectors
ra1 at uda0 slave 1: no disk label: ra82, size = 1216665 sectors
ra2 at uda0 slave 2: no disk label: ra82, size = 1216665 sectors
ra3 at uda0 slave 3: no disk label: ra82, size = 1216665 sectors
dz0 at uba0 csr 160100 vec 300, ipl 15
dz1 at uba0 csr 160110 vec 310, ipl 15
qe0 at uba0 csr 174440 vec 764, ipl 15
qe0: delqa, hardware address 08:00:2b:12:34:56
root device?

ra0*

WARNING: clock lost 9 days—CHECK AND RESET THE DATE!
erase ^?, kill ^U, intr ^C

Before restoring the root dump, it is necessary to label
the disk and install the disk bootstrap code. Please note that the
primary boot loader is rdboot, not raboot (thanks to Joseph Young)

#

disklabel -rw ra0 ra82 “Quasijarus” /usr/mdec/rdboot /usr/mdec/bootra

#

disk=ra0 type=ra82 tape=tms xtr

Build root file system
Warning: 361 sector(s) in last cylinder unallocated
/dev/rra0a: 15884 sectors in 19 cylinders of 15 tracks, 57 sectors
8.1MB in 2 cyl groups (16 c/g, 7.00MB/g, 3200 i/g)
super-block backups (for fsck -b #) at:
32, 13776,
Check the file system
** /dev/rra0a
** Last Mounted on
** Phase 1 - Check Blocks and Sizes
** Phase 2 - Check Pathnames
** Phase 3 - Check Connectivity
** Phase 4 - Check Reference Counts
** Phase 5 - Check Cyl groups
1 files, 1 used, 7092 free (20 frags, 884 blocks, 0.3% fragmentation)
Rewind tape
Restore the dump image of the root
** /dev/rra0a
** Last Mounted on /a
** Phase 1 - Check Blocks and Sizes
** Phase 2 - Check Pathnames
** Phase 3 - Check Connectivity
** Phase 4 - Check Reference Counts
** Phase 5 - Check Cyl groups
425 files, 5198 used, 1895 free (15 frags, 235 blocks, 0.2% fragmentation)
Root filesystem extracted
If this is an 8650 or 8600, update the console rl02
If this is a 780 or 785, update the floppy
If this is a 730, update the cassette
#

sync

#

^E

(

Control-E to stop simh)

Simulation stopped, PC: 800029B7 (BNEQ 800029CE)

Now we can boot off the disk and into the root filesystem we just restored.

sim>

boot cpu

KA655-B 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.
>>>

boot dua0:

(BOOT/R5:0 DUA0

2..
-DUA0
1..0..
loading boot
Boot
: /vmunix
327204+103384+130352 start 0x23a8
4.3 BSD Quasijarus UNIX #0: Sat Oct 2 22:15:38 CDT 1999
msokolov@luthien:/usr/src/sys/GENERIC
real mem = 33521664
SYSPTSIZE limits number of buffers to 80
avail mem = 31697920
using 80 buffers containing 655360 bytes of memory
MicroVAX 3000, ucode rev 6
tmscp0 at uba0 csr 174500 vec 774, ipl 15
tms0 at tmscp0 slave 0
tms1 at tmscp0 slave 1
uda0 at uba0 csr 172150 vec 770, ipl 15
uda0: version 3 model 3
uda0: DMA burst size set to 4
ra0 at uda0 slave 0: ra82, size = 1216665 sectors
ra1 at uda0 slave 1: no disk label: ra82, size = 1216665 sectors
ra2 at uda0 slave 2: no disk label: ra82, size = 1216665 sectors
ra3 at uda0 slave 3: no disk label: ra82, size = 1216665 sectors
dz0 at uba0 csr 160100 vec 300, ipl 15
dz1 at uba0 csr 160110 vec 310, ipl 15
qe0 at uba0 csr 174440 vec 764, ipl 15
qe0: delqa, hardware address 08:00:2b:12:34:56
Changing root device to ra0a
Automatic reboot in progress…
Thu Sep 30 01:26:55 CDT 1999
Can’t open checklist file: /etc/fstab
Automatic reboot failed… help!
erase ^?, kill ^U, intr ^C

Create and mount filesystems:
ra0g for /usr
ra0h for /home

#

newfs ra0g ra82

/dev/rra0g: 841320 sectors in 984 cylinders of 15 tracks, 57 sectors
430.8MB in 62 cyl groups (16 c/g, 7.00MB/g, 3200 i/g)
super-block backups (for fsck -b #) at:
32, 13776, 27520, 41264, 55008, 68752, 82496, 96240, 109984,
123728, 137472, 151216, 164960, 178704, 192448, 206192, 218912, 232656,
246400, 260144, 273888, 287632, 301376, 315120, 328864, 342608, 356352,
370096, 383840, 397584, 411328, 425072, 437792, 451536, 465280, 479024,
492768, 506512, 520256, 534000, 547744, 561488, 575232, 588976, 602720,
616464, 630208, 643952, 656672, 670416, 684160, 697904, 711648, 725392,
739136, 752880, 766624, 780368, 794112, 807856, 821600, 835344,
#

newfs ra0h ra82

Warning: 209 sector(s) in last cylinder unallocated
/dev/rra0h: 291346 sectors in 341 cylinders of 15 tracks, 57 sectors
149.2MB in 22 cyl groups (16 c/g, 7.00MB/g, 3200 i/g)
super-block backups (for fsck -b #) at:
32, 13776, 27520, 41264, 55008, 68752, 82496, 96240, 109984,
123728, 137472, 151216, 164960, 178704, 192448, 206192, 218912, 232656,
246400, 260144, 273888, 287632,
#

mkdir /home

#

mount /dev/ra0g /usr

Create device files for the tape and terminals

#

cd /dev

#

MAKEDEV tmscp0

#

MAKEDEV dz0

Restore /usr

#

cd /usr

#

mt rew

#

mt fsf 3

#

tar xpbf 20 /dev/rmt12

Restore the system and application sources

#

mkdir src

#

cd src

#

mkdir sys

#

cd sys

#

tar xpbf 20 /dev/rmt12

tar: blocksize = 0
#

tar xpbf 20 /dev/rmt12

#

cd ..

#

tar xpbf 20 /dev/rmt12

tar: blocksize = 0
#

tar xpbf 20 /dev/rmt12

Create /etc/fstab

#

cd /etc

#

cat > fstab

/dev/ra0a:/:rw:1:1
/dev/ra0h:/home:rw:1:3
/dev/ra0g:/usr:rw:1:2
^D

(Control-D)

#

reboot

syncing disks… done
?06 HLT INST
PC = 8002F700
Loading system software.
No default boot device has been specified.
Available devices.
-DUA0 (RA 82)
-DUA1 (RA 82)
-DUA2 (RA 82)
-DUA3 (RA 82)
-MUA0 (TK 50)
-MUA1 (TK 50)
-MUA2 (TK 50)
-MUA3 (TK 50)
-XQA0 (08-00-2B-12-34-56)
Device? [XQA0]:

dua0:

(BOOT/R5:0 DUA0

2..
-DUA0
1..0..
loading boot
Boot
: /vmunix
327204+103384+130352 start 0x23a8
4.3 BSD Quasijarus UNIX #0: Sat Oct 2 22:15:38 CDT 1999
msokolov@luthien:/usr/src/sys/GENERIC
real mem = 33521664
SYSPTSIZE limits number of buffers to 80
avail mem = 31697920
using 80 buffers containing 655360 bytes of memory
MicroVAX 3000, ucode rev 6
tmscp0 at uba0 csr 174500 vec 774, ipl 15
tms0 at tmscp0 slave 0
tms1 at tmscp0 slave 1
uda0 at uba0 csr 172150 vec 770, ipl 15
uda0: version 3 model 3
uda0: DMA burst size set to 4
ra0 at uda0 slave 0: ra82, size = 1216665 sectors
ra1 at uda0 slave 1: no disk label: ra82, size = 1216665 sectors
ra2 at uda0 slave 2: no disk label: ra82, size = 1216665 sectors
ra3 at uda0 slave 3: no disk label: ra82, size = 1216665 sectors
dz0 at uba0 csr 160100 vec 300, ipl 15
dz1 at uba0 csr 160110 vec 310, ipl 15
qe0 at uba0 csr 174440 vec 764, ipl 15
qe0: delqa, hardware address 08:00:2b:12:34:56
Changing root device to ra0a
Automatic reboot in progress…
Thu Sep 30 01:36:30 CDT 1999
/dev/ra0a: 447 files, 5200 used, 1893 free (21 frags, 234 blocks, 0.3%
fragmentation)
/dev/rra0h: 1 files, 1 used, 136503 free (15 frags, 17061 blocks, 0.0%
fragmentation)
/dev/rra0g: 12264 files, 71378 used, 323473 free (401 frags, 40384 blocks,
0.1% fragmentation)
Thu Sep 30 01:37:01 CDT 1999
checking quotas: done.
starting system logger
preserving editor files
clearing /tmp
standard daemons: update cron accounting.
starting network daemons: routed named inetd printer.
starting local daemons:.
Thu Sep 30 01:37:04 CDT 1999
Sep 30 01:37:03 myname named[87]: /etc/named.boot: No such file or directory
4.3 BSD UNIX (myname.my.domain) (console)
login:

root

Sep 30 01:37:14 myname login: ROOT LOGIN console erase ^?, kill
^U, intr ^C
#

halt

Sep 30 01:37:16 myname halt: halted by root Sep 30 01:37:17 myname syslogd:
exiting on signal 15 CAUTION: some process(es) wouldn’t die
syncing disks… done
?06 HLT INST
PC = 8002F6CA
>>>
Simulation stopped, PC: 200436AD (JSB @64(R11))
sim> quit
Goodbye

After the initial install, the emulated NVRAM can be buffered to file. As soon as a default boot device is configured at the chevron prompt, simh can be set to automatically boot 4.3BSD with further user prompts.

The network configuration still needs to be completed, but it is easy to enough to verify that the qe0 interface is functional.

The configuration file, installation tape image, and turn-key disk image can be found in the Download section.

Here are the transcripts of an abortive attempt to install SunOS 2.0 on tme’s sun2 emulation. Since I don’t have the installation instructions available and tried to perform the install from memory, it’s entirely possible that there’s nothing wrong with tme.

installation tape contents

Tape 1

  1. tape boot
  1. standalone format
  1. standalone copy
  1. miniroot image
  1. copyright notice
  1. base system
  1. manual pages
  1. demo
  1. games
  1. copyright notice

Tape 2

  1. copyright notice
  1. more binaries
  1. copyright notice

Tape 3

  1. copyright notice
  1. standalone diags
  1. /lib/f1
  1. f77
  1. diags
  1. graphics
  1. USENET binaries
  1. Pascal
  1. more libraries
  1. sample sources
  1. SunView development
  1. uucp
  1. Versatec
  1. copyright notice

config file

transcript

User input in red, comments in green.

# tip tme
connected
Self Test completed successfully.

Sun Workstation, Model Sun-2/120 or Sun-2/170, Sun-2 keyboard
ROM Rev R, 4MB memory installed
Serial #33385, Ethernet address 8:0:20:2:1:20

Probing Multibus: sd
Using RS232 A input.
Auto-boot in progress…
Boot: sd(0,0,0)vmunix

Exception 10 at 24048A
      boot the tape bootstrap loader
>b st()

Boot: st(0,0,0)
      load the standalone format program
Boot: st(0,0,1)
Size: 36864+20480+1780 bytes

Version 1.49 85/01/03
Disk Initialization and Diagnosis

When asked if you are sure, respond with ‘y’ or ‘Y’

specify controller:
0 - Interphase SMD-2180
1 - Xylogics 440 (prom set 926)
2 - Xylogics 450
3 - Adaptec ACB 4000 - SCSI
which one? 3

Specify controller address on the mainbus (in hex): 80000

Device address: 80000

Which target? 0

Which unit? 0

Specify drive:
0 - Micropolis 1304
1 - Micropolis 1325
2 - Maxtor XT-1050
3 - Fujitsu M2243AS
4 - Vertex V185
5 - Other
which one? 5

      partition a fictitious 1GB disk

# of data cylinders? 14700

# of alternate cylinders? 2
buffered seek? (usually 2) 2

cyl # to start write precomp? 14700

# of heads? 7

ASCII identification? TME1G

# of sectors? 15

size of gap1? 1
size of gap2? 1

interleave factor? 1

ncyl 14700 acyl 2 nhead 7 nsect 15 gap1 1 gap2 1 interleave 1
status: 6 Word mode Dma ena
diag> partition
Select partition table:
0 - Micropolis 1304
1 - Micropolis 1325
2 - Maxtor XT-1050
3 - Fujitsu M2243AS
4 - Vertex V185
5 - Other
Which one? 5
Name this partition table: TME1GPART

Partition a: starting cyl=0, # of blocks=0
Change this partition? y

starting cylinder? 0

# of blocks? 154350
Partition b: starting cyl=0, # of blocks=0
Change this partition? y

starting cylinder? 1470

# of blocks? 154350

Partition c: starting cyl=0, # of blocks=0
Change this partition? y

starting cylinder? 0
# of blocks? 1543500

Partition d: starting cyl=0, # of blocks=0
Change this partition? n

Partition e: starting cyl=0, # of blocks=0
Change this partition? n

Partition f: starting cyl=0, # of blocks=0
Change this partition? n

Partition g: starting cyl=0, # of blocks=0
Change this partition? y

starting cylinder? 2940
# of blocks? 1234800

Partition h: starting cyl=0, # of blocks=0
Change this partition? n

Verify partition table ‘TME1GPART’:
Partition a: starting cyl=0, # blocks=154350
Partition b: starting cyl=1470, # blocks=154350
Partition c: starting cyl=0, # blocks=1543500
Partition g: starting cyl=2940, # blocks=1234800
OK to use this partition table? y

Use the label command to write out the partition table.
diag> label

label this disk…
OK to use logical partition map ‘TME1GPART’? y
Are you sure you want to write? [/color=red]y[/color]

verify label
id:

Partition a: starting cyl=0, # blocks=154350
Partition b: starting cyl=1470, # blocks=154350
Partition c: starting cyl=0, # blocks=1543500
Partition g: starting cyl=2940, # blocks=1234800
diag> q

      load the standalone copy program

Boot: st(0,0,2)
Size: 22528+4096+182860 bytes
Standalone Copy
      copy tape file 3 to sd0b
From: st(0,0,3)
To: sd(0,0,1)
Copy completed
Boot: sd(0,0,1)vmunix -sw
Size: 368640+57344+66652 bytes
Sun UNIX 4.2 Release 2.0 (GENERIC) #1: Mon May 20 15:32:06 PDT 1985

Copyright (c) 1985 by Sun Microsystems, Inc.

mem = 4096K (0x400000)

      and now things grind to a halt…
CAN’T HAVE PERIPHERALS IN RANGE 0 - 256KB

panic: dvma collision

dumping to dev 0, offset 0

dump device bad

Rebooting Unix…

Boot: sd(0,0,0)vmunix

Exception 10 at 24048A
>

—Main.RetroGeek - 12 Apr 2006

Links:

Home

Links:

Documentation

Work in progress - please watch your step.

Emulators:

• Virtual AGC and AGS
• Aranym
• Basilisk II
• bochs
• CooperativeLinux
• DesktopCyber
• Hercules
• KLH10
• KVM
• lguest
• GXemul
• OpenVZ
• PearPC
• QEMU
• SharpMZemulators
• sim990
• SIMH
• Ski
• STEem
• tme (TmeDownloads)
• UML
• VirtualBox
• VirtualIron
• VirtualPC
• VMware
• VServer
• XEN

And now for some eclectic links and pages:

• PocketCalculators
• BDS C: An 8080/Z80 C Compiler
• C68
• LUnix/LNG - Lunix for the Commodore C64
• One Man Unix
• uIP - TCP/IP stack for embedded 8-bit microcontrollers

Links:

Home

Links:

Home

Sizing Memory… 

To list options, type help then press

SIMH is a suite of emulators. Of the emulated systems, the most widely used are probably the Vax (3900 and 780), PDP-11, PDP-10.

While a number of operating systems past to contemporary can be installed on the Vax 3900 (KA655) emulator, including OpenVMS, NetBSD, OpenBSD, and 4.3BSD Quasijarus, not so much is available for the relatively new Vax 780 emulator. Of interest are early versions of VMS, 32V Unix, and 4.2BSD.

My personal interest in the PDP-11 emulator is limited to V7 Unix.

The PDP-10 emulator will run ITS, TOPS-10, and TOPS-20. Sadly, the latter doesn’t support the late-stage versions of TOPS-20 sporting TCP/IP - which means that for the time being, KLH10 is the only choice.

Documents:

Install4.3BSDQuasijarus
SIMHNetworking

Downloads:

4.3BSD Quasijuarus0c

  * simh.quas0c (simh config file)
  * quas0c.tap.bz2 (installation tape image)
  * ra82-quas0c.dsk.bz2 (root disk)

NetBSD 3.0 (Vax)

This image has an empty root password; the network is unconfigured. The unpacked !NetBSD 3.0 sources are on a disk image of their own; it can be mounted using “mount /dev/ra3a /usr/src”.

  * nvram.bin
  * simh.tun.cfg (simh config file)
  * ra0-ra92-netbsd30-root.disk.bz2 (root disk)
  * ra3-ra92-netbsd30-src.disk.bz2 (/usr/src)

OpenBSD 3.8 (Vax)

  * ra0-ra92-openbsd38-root.disk.bz2 (root disk)
  * ra3-ra92-openbsd38-src.disk.bz2 (/usr/src)
  * simh.tun.cfg (simh config file)

Ultrix 11 v2.16 (pdp11)

You can install Ultrix in a pdp11 emulator from simh. You can get the tape image from Bitsavers: BB-X302B-BC_ULTRIX-11_V2_16USR_BIN_1984.tap.gz.
This is the config file for simh:

SET CLK 50HZ
SET CPU 11/24
SET CPU 256K

SET CR DISABLED
SET DZ DISABLED
SET HK DISABLED
SET LPT DISABLED
SET PTP DISABLED
SET PTR DISABLED
SET RHA DISABLED
SET RK DISABLED
SET RP DISABLED
SET RQ DISABLED
SET RX DISABLED
SET TQ DISABLED
SET VH DISABLED
SET XQ DISABLED

SET RL ENABLED
SET RL0 RL02
ATT RL0 ULT20.RL2

SET RHB ENABLED
SET TU ENABLED
SET TU TM03
SET TU0 TU77
ATT TU0 BB-X302B-BC_ULTRIX-11_V2_16USR_BIN_1984.tap
;BOOT TU0

and here install_pdp11_ultrix you can get a detailed boot/configuration. Documents are located in Bitsavers too.

Links:

Home Page
software packages