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DECstation 5000

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DECstation 5000
DECstation 5000/200 with the cover off: KN02 system module and memory on the left, power supply and fans on the right (Adamantios, CC BY-SA 3.0)
Specifications
ManufacturerDigital Equipment Corporation
TypeWorkstation
Released3 April 1990 (Model 200)[1]
CPUMIPS R3000 with R3010 FPU at 25 MHz (Model 200)[2]
Memory8 to 480 MB in 15 memory module slots (Model 200)[2]
StorageExternal SCSI drives only (Model 200 series)[3]
Display—
Sound—
ExpansionThree TURBOchannel option slots[3]
Power244 W supply (30-32506-01 or H7878A)[4][5]
Dimensions92 × 509.5 × 434.8 mm (Model 200 system unit)[6]
Weight12.7 kg (Model 200 system unit)[6]
OS / FirmwareULTRIX[1]
PredecessorDECstation 3100
Model no.Model 200 (KN02); Model 240 (KN03-GA CPU); Model 260 (KN05-NB CPU); Model 120, 125, 133, 150

The DECstation 5000 is Digital Equipment Corporation's family of MIPS-based Unix workstations with TURBOchannel expansion slots. The first, the DECstation 5000 Model 200, was announced on 3 April 1990.[1] The same machines without a graphics option were sold as the DECsystem 5000.[1] The Model 200 series (Models 200, 240 and 260) shares one enclosure and power supply. The Model 100 series is a smaller design with internal drive bays, its own power supply and its own maintenance guide.[5][7]

History and models

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The Model 200 series was code-named 3MAX (3MAX+ for the 240 and 260).[1] The Model 200 has its processor on the KN02 system module itself. The Model 240 and 260 use a separate CPU module: the KN03-GA, running at 40 MHz with 128 KB of cache, in the Model 240, and the R4000-based KN05-NB at 60 MHz in the Model 260.[8] The Model 100 series (120, 125, 133 and 150) takes 20, 25 or 33 MHz R3000 CPU modules or a 50 MHz R4000 module, and has internal drive bays and its own H7826-AA power supply.[7]

Model 200 hardware

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DEC's Model 200 maintenance guide lists the system unit as one system module and chassis, one 8 MB memory module, a power supply with three cooling fans, a removable cover and a front cover plate.[3] The system module and chassis are a single field-replaceable unit. DEC's warning is never to separate them, as the module then no longer meets FCC emission rules, and never to touch the module's heat sinks, which break easily.[4]

The KN02 functional specification gives these subsystems: an R3000 CPU, R3010 floating-point unit and R3220 memory buffer at 25 MHz; 64 KB instruction and 64 KB write-through data caches; 15 memory array connectors; a 256 KB self-test and bootstrap ROM; a DS1287 real-time clock with 50 bytes of battery-backed RAM; DZ serial lines for keyboard, mouse, communications and printer; a LANCE ThinWire Ethernet interface; a SCSI interface; and three TURBOchannel option connectors.[2] Each memory slot takes one 8 MB module (MS02-AA) on the Model 200.[4] The later Model 200 series guide also lists 32 MB modules (MS02-CA) and a 1 MB NVRAM module (54-20948-01) that must go in slot 14; 8 MB and 32 MB modules cannot be mixed.[8]

The rear panel carries the on/off switch, the mains inlet, an outlet for the monitor, a DB15 keyboard and mouse connector, two DB25 communications connectors, a reset button, eight red diagnostic LEDs, a ThinWire Ethernet BNC connector, a high-density SCSI-2 connector and the three option slots.[2] A green LED on the power supply shows that it is running correctly.[4]

KN02 supply requirements (DEC KN02 specification, Table 3-1)
Supply Maximum current Typical current
+5.1 V ±4% 20.0 A 16.3 A
+12.1 V ±4% 2.70 A 0.08 A
−12.1 V ±4% 0.22 A 0.04 A

[2]

DEC gives the KN02's theoretical maximum dissipation as 225 W for a 480 MB machine with three options. The power supply is rated at 244 W DC.[2][4] The system unit takes 100–120 V at 5 A or 220–240 V at 2.4 A, 50–60 Hz, and dissipates up to 359 W.[6]

Known faults

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  • Power supply failure. Both the Model 200's 30-32506-01 and the H7878A, which DEC calls functionally identical, are switch-mode units with electrolytic capacitors now 30 years old.[5] Rob Jarratt's H7878 shut down after running for a while, then failed outright; he found a failed input smoothing capacitor, leaking capacitors on the output riser board, and output capacitors with high ESR.[9] See DECstation 5000 Capacitor Replacement Guide.
  • Overheating. The power supply fans cool the whole system unit. The power-up test reports a hot system as misc/pstemp, and DEC's procedure is to check that all three fans turn.[4]
  • Clock and configuration loss. The console stores its settings in the battery-backed RAM of the real-time clock, and DEC's console status code 0439 means "TOD clock values indicate dead battery".[2][10]
  • Locked console. A forgotten console password is cleared with the clear-NVR jumper (DEC part 12-14314-00) on the system module.[11][12]

See DECstation 5000 Troubleshooting Guide for the diagnostic LED codes and test messages, and DECstation 5000 General Maintenance for routine service.

Documentation

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Contents and coverage of each are on DECstation 5000 Documentation.

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  • DECstation 5000/133 with a Storage Expansion box (Stephen Edmonds, CC BY-SA 2.5 AU)
    DECstation 5000/133 with a Storage Expansion box (Stephen Edmonds, CC BY-SA 2.5 AU)
  • H7878 power supply opened, fans at the top (Rob Jarratt)
    H7878 power supply opened, fans at the top (Rob Jarratt)
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References

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  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "DECstation", Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DECstation, citing Computerworld, 9 April 1990, p. 4. Announcement date of the Model 200, code names, DECsystem naming.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Digital Equipment Corporation, DS5000/200 KN02 System Module Functional Specification, 1990, sections 2 to 4 and 4.5.3 (File:DECstation 5000 Model 200 KN02 System Module Functional Specification.pdf). External interfaces, supply requirements Table 3-1, subsystem summary, DS1287 clock.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Digital Equipment Corporation, DECstation 5000/DECsystem 5000 Model 200 Maintenance Guide, EK-370AA-MG-002, October 1990, pp. 1-4 to 1-10 (File:DECstation 5000 Model 200 Maintenance Guide (EK-370AA-MG-002).pdf). System unit contents, controls, connectors, option slots, drives.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 DEC, EK-370AA-MG-002, pp. 5-2 to 5-9 and 5-20 to 5-26. System module and chassis warnings, memory modules, power supply rating, fans, LED, no-power and overheat procedures.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 DEC, EK-PM38C-MG-002, p. 5-20. Power supply rating and the two interchangeable part numbers, 30-32506-01 and H7878A.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 DEC, EK-370AA-MG-002, p. A-2, Tables A-1 and A-2. System unit dimensions, weight, input and heat dissipation.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Digital Equipment Corporation, DECstation 5000 Model 100 Series Maintenance Guide, EK-PM32G-MG-003, April 1993, contents and chapter 5 (File:DECstation 5000 Model 100 Series Maintenance Guide (EK-PM32G-MG-003).pdf). CPU module types and the H7826-AA power supply.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Digital Equipment Corporation, DECstation/DECsystem 5000 Model 200 Series Maintenance Guide, EK-PM38C-MG-002, April 1993, pp. 1-13 to 1-14 (File:DECstation 5000 Model 200 Series Maintenance Guide (EK-PM38C-MG-002).pdf). KN03-GA and KN05-NB CPU modules, memory module types.
  9. ↑ Rob Jarratt, "DECstation 5000 Model 240 H7878 Power Supply Failure" (27 August 2017), "H7878 Possible Fault Found" (28 August 2017), "PSU Failing Under Moderate Load" (17 September 2017) and "PSU Fixed" (1 October 2017), Rob's Old Computers, robs-old-computers.com. Repair log of an H7878.
  10. ↑ DEC, EK-370AA-MG-002, appendix G, Table G-2, p. G-5. Minor console status code 0439.
  11. ↑ DEC, EK-370AA-MG-002, pp. 2-20 to 2-22. Erasing a forgotten password with the clear-NVR jumper.
  12. ↑ DEC, EK-370AA-MG-002, pp. B-1 to B-3, Tables B-1 and B-2. Part numbers, including the clear-NVR jumper 12-14314-00 and power supply 30-32506-01.
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