I saw the announcement that OpenBSD 5.1 was just released today (May day release?) Anyways I thought I’d boot it up on SIMH to check that the VAX is still working. So here is a minimal ini file, that I used.

set cpu 64m
set rq0 ra92
att rq0 openbsd_vax
set rq1 cdrom
att rq1 cd51.iso
at xq0 bob
boot cpu

I fired up SIMH, and away it went!

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 dua1:
(BOOT/R5:0 DUA1

 

2..
-DUA1
1..0..
>> OpenBSD/vax boot [1.16] <<
>> Press enter to autoboot now, or any other key to abort: 0
> boot bsd
878604+1623756+375488=0x2be99c
Copyright (c) 1982, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1993
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Copyright (c) 1995-2012 OpenBSD. All rights reserved. http://www.OpenBSD.org

OpenBSD 5.1 (RAMDISK) #32: Tue Feb 14 14:09:56 MST 2012
[email protected]:/usr/src/sys/arch/vax/compile/RAMDISK
MicroVAX 3800/3900 [0A000006 01530302]
cpu: KA655, CVAX microcode rev 6 Firmware rev 83
real mem = 67043328 (63MB)
avail mem = 61091840 (58MB)
mainbus0 at root
ibus0 at mainbus0
uba0 at ibus0: Q22
dz0 at uba0 csr 160100 vec 196 ipl 15
mtc0 at uba0 csr 174500 vec 508 ipl 15
mscpbus0 at mtc0: version 5 model 3
mscpbus0: DMA burst size set to 4
mt0 at mscpbus0 drive 0: TK50
mt1 at mscpbus0 drive 1: TK50
mt2 at mscpbus0 drive 2: TK50
mt3 at mscpbus0 drive 3: TK50
uda0 at uba0 csr 172150 vec 504 ipl 15
mscpbus1 at uda0: version 3 model 3
mscpbus1: DMA burst size set to 4
ra0 at mscpbus1 drive 0: RA92
ra1 at mscpbus1 drive 1: RRD40
ra2 at mscpbus1 drive 2: RD54
rx0 at mscpbus1 drive 3: RX50
qe0 at uba0 csr 174440 vec 500 ipl 15: delqa, address 08:00:2b:aa:bb:cc
boot device: ra1
ra0: 1436MB, 512 bytes/sector, 2940951 sectors
ra1: 650MB, 512 bytes/sector, 1331200 sectors
ra2: attempt to bring on line failed: unit offline (not mounted) (code 3, subco
de 1)
ra2: not mounted/spun down
ra2: 0MB, 512 bytes/sector, 0 sectors
rx0: attempt to bring on line failed: unit offline (not mounted) (code 3, subco
de 1)
root on rd0a swap on rd0b dump on rd0b
clock has gained 76 days — CHECK AND RESET THE DATE!
erase ^?, werase ^W, kill ^U, intr ^C, status ^T

Welcome to the OpenBSD/vax 5.1 installation program.
(I)nstall, (U)pgrade or (S)hell?

You can find OpenBSD on OpenBSD.org, and of course the mirrors.