(1866) MicroVAX 3500 Q-bus and bootstrap questions? (ta

[User]

This is not really a VMS-only question
Just the need to boot the expected 5.3 there.
I have a mv3500 in a BA213 enclosure, and I can't get it to go over the Boot Prompt '>>>' after self-test 3..
All booting of devices results in DEVINACTIVE or DEVOFFLINE
The PROM Version is V1.2/123 - more details are on http://www.ext.zx.net.nz/computers/dec/microvax3500/
I hardly need documentation of that little console to get that disks online and booting.
Gimme that VMS back, I miss it for 5 years now %-)

[Wizard]

Information on the console bulkhead used on the MicroVAX II (KA630), the VAXstation 3200 (KA650), the MicroVAX and VAXstation 3500 (KA650), and the MicroVAX 3600 (KA655) series is present in the OpenVMS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

DEVINACTIVE and DEVOFFLINE would tend to indicate a hardware problem, either a controller or disk hardware problem or configuration error, or a Q-bus configuration error. (See previous discussions of setting up the Q-bus here in Ask The Wizard such as topic (1149), and see the Q-bus information in the OpenVMS FAQ. Make absolutely certain that you follow the exact instructions for correctly determining the required settings, and then for determining the current settings needed for the settings of the CSRs and interrupt vectors for each Q-bus device present.)