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VAXstation 2000

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VAXstation 2000
System box with the drive door open (DEC, EK-VSTAA-MG-001, Figure 1-1)
Specifications
ManufacturerDigital Equipment Corporation
TypeSingle-user VAX workstation
ReleasedFebruary 1987[1]
CPUKA410 system module with the MicroVAX II processor chip, 5 MHz[1][2]
Memory2 MB on the system module; up to 14 MB with a 12 MB expansion module[3]
StorageRX33 diskette drive (1.2 MB); RD32 (40 MB), RD53 (71 MB) or RD54 (159 MB) hard disk; TK50 tape in an expansion box[4][2]
DisplayVR260 19-inch monochrome monitor, about 1024 × 864; colour or grey scale with the 4-plane or 8-plane graphics coprocessor[5][6]
Sound—
PowerH7848 supply, 104 W; system 160 W maximum at 115 or 230 V[7][8]
Dimensions33 × 29 × 14 cm (12.75 × 11.25 × 5.5 in)[9]
Weight12.7 kg (28 lb)[9]
OS / FirmwareMicroVMS (VMS) or ULTRIX-32w[2][10]

The VAXstation 2000 is a desktop VAX workstation made by Digital Equipment Corporation and introduced in February 1987.[1] DEC's owner's manual describes it as a single-user standalone workstation using the MicroVAX II processor chip, with 2 MB of memory on board and room for one or two storage devices in its desktop enclosure.[2] It is the workstation version of the MicroVAX 2000: the two machines share the box, drives, expansion boxes and diagnostics, and DEC covered both in one maintenance guide.[11]

History

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Wikipedia gives the code names "VAXstar" and "Kapri" and describes the machine as the KA410 CPU module with a 5 MHz MicroVAX II processor and no cache, "essentially a MicroVAX 2000 in a workstation configuration".[1] DEC's VAXstation 2000 print set lists the same 5416798 board under the title "MicroVAX 2000 system board".[12]

VAXstation 2000 and MicroVAX 2000

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The VAXstation 2000 is a single-user system with a video monitor; the MicroVAX 2000 is a multi-user system driven from video terminals.[11] DEC lists three ways to tell them apart: the medallion next to the power switch, the DEC423 converter fitted to the back of a MicroVAX 2000, and the position of a jumper on the system module.[13] On the VAXstation 2000 the console is the LK201 keyboard and VR260 monitor on the video port; on the MicroVAX 2000 it is a terminal on port 1 of the DEC423 converter, at 9600 baud.[10] The ThinWire Ethernet module is standard on the VAXstation 2000 and an option on the MicroVAX 2000.[14]

Hardware

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Rear of the system box: communication, video and printer ports, halt button, ThinWire Ethernet and power cord (DEC, EK-VSTAA-MG-001, Figure 1-2)

The system box holds the system module, an optional memory module mounted on it, the ThinWire Ethernet (network interconnect) module, the H7848 power supply and the drives.[14] The rear panel carries a 25-pin communication port for a modem or terminal, a 15-pin video port for the VR260, a 9-pin printer port, the halt button and the ThinWire Ethernet connector.[15]

The drive bay takes a half-height RX33 diskette drive, a half-height RD32 hard disk, or both; a full-height RD53 can replace the two half-height drives.[11] The owner's manual adds the full-height RD54 (159 MB).[4] With a full-height disk inside, there is no room for a diskette drive.[16] A system box with no hard disk carries a resistor load board in place of the drive so that the supply regulates; see VAXstation 2000 Power Supply Guide.[17]

More storage goes in expansion boxes of the same size as the system box: a hard disk box with an RD53 or RD54, and a tape box with a TK50 and its TZK50 controller board. Each has its own power supply and resistor load board.[18] They connect through an expansion adapter fitted under the system box, with port A for the tape box and port B for the disk box.[19]

Memory: DEC's 1987 maintenance guide lists 2 MB and 4 MB memory modules;[14] the June 1988 owner's manual lists the MS400-BA (4 MB) and MS400-CA (12 MB), for 14 MB in all.[3] The 4-plane (VS40X-MA) and 8-plane (VS40X-PA) graphics coprocessors add 16 or 256 grey levels or colours at 1024 × 864.[6]

Every KA410 board has an NCR 5380 SCSI controller, used by DEC for the tape port. Collectors run SCSI disks or emulators on it with patched boot ROMs and VMS patches written by Wolfgang Moeller; see VAXstation 2000 Maintenance Guide.[20]

Specifications

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VAXstation 2000 system unit (DEC owner's manual, appendix A)
Item Specification
Size 33 × 29 × 14 cm; 18 cm high with the expansion adapter
Weight 12.7 kg; 13.6 kg with the expansion adapter
Input 88–132 V at 60 Hz or 176–264 V at 50 Hz, single phase; 47–63 Hz tolerance
Power 160 W maximum; 155 W heat dissipation
Operating temperature 10–40 °C
Relative humidity 10–90% non-condensing with no diskette; 20–80% with a diskette in use

[9][8]

VR260 monochrome monitor
Item Specification
Picture tube 19 in (480 mm viewable), composite video, black negative
Resolution about 1024 × 864, 60 Hz vertical, 54 kHz horizontal
Power Switch-selectable 115 V or 230 V, about 65 W
Fuse 1 A slow-blow, 1/4 × 1-1/4 in (100–120 V); 0.5 A slow-blow, 5 × 20 mm (220–240 V)
Weight 18 kg

[5]

Common problems

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  • The RD32, RD53 and RD54 are MFM drives. Collectors report that used ones are scarce, expensive and often faulty, and fit MFM emulators or patched SCSI instead.[20][21]
  • A low clock battery shows as ? D 0050 0000.0005 at power-up, and a clock that has not been set as ? E 0040 0000.0005. Both are status messages, marked with a single question mark.[22]
  • ?? 1 00C0 0000.7004 means the Ethernet module found no cable on the ThinWire connector.[23]

The full list of codes is on VAXstation 2000 Troubleshooting Guide.

Documentation

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All are described on VAXstation 2000 Documentation.

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References

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  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "VAXstation", Wikipedia, section "VAXstation 2000", en.wikipedia.org, retrieved 2 October 2026. Introduction date, code names, KA410 and processor speed.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Digital Equipment Corporation, VAXstation 2000 Owner's Manual, EK-VAXAC-OM-003, June 1988, pp. ix to x (File:VAXstation 2000 Owner's Manual (EK-VAXAC-OM-003).pdf). Description of the system, options and software documentation.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 DEC, EK-VAXAC-OM-003, pp. 3-14 to 3-15, Table 3-2. Memory on the system module and expansion modules.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 DEC, EK-VAXAC-OM-003, pp. 1-19 to 1-20. RX33, RD32, RD53 and RD54 drives.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 DEC, EK-VAXAC-OM-003, pp. A-4 to A-5, Table A-5. VR260 monochrome monitor specifications.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 DEC, EK-VAXAC-OM-003, p. 3-15, Table 3-3. 4-plane and 8-plane graphics coprocessors.
  7. ↑ DEC, MP-02400-01, VS410 unit assembly parts list, sheet A1 (PDF p. 41). H7848-BA 120 V and H7848-BB 240 V supplies, 104 W.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 DEC, EK-VAXAC-OM-003, p. A-2, Tables A-2 and A-3. Electrical and environmental requirements.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 DEC, EK-VAXAC-OM-003, p. A-1, Table A-1. System dimensions.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 DEC, EK-VSTAA-MG-001, p. 2-2, Table 2-1 and section 2.2.1. Prompts for VMS and ULTRIX; console devices.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Digital Equipment Corporation, VAXstation 2000 and MicroVAX 2000 Maintenance Guide, EK-VSTAA-MG-001, January 1987, p. 1-1 (File:VAXstation 2000 and MicroVAX 2000 Maintenance Guide (EK-VSTAA-MG-001).pdf). Differences between the two systems; drive configurations.
  12. ↑ Digital Equipment Corporation, VAXstation 2000 field maintenance print set, MP-02400-01, revision A1, 1987, PDF p. 39 (File:VAXstation 2000 Field Maintenance Print Set (MP-02400-01).pdf). Drawing list naming the 5416798 system board.
  13. ↑ DEC, EK-VSTAA-MG-001, p. 1-2. Three ways to tell the systems apart.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 DEC, EK-VSTAA-MG-001, p. 1-8, sections 1.3 and 1.4 and Figure 1-7. Memory options, ThinWire Ethernet option, FRU locations.
  15. ↑ DEC, EK-VSTAA-MG-001, p. 1-3, Figure 1-2. Rear panel of the VAXstation 2000.
  16. ↑ DEC, EK-VSTAA-MG-001, p. 2-21, section 2.4.9. Drive numbering and the full-height drive.
  17. ↑ DEC, EK-VSTAA-MG-001, p. 3-31, section 3.9. Resistor load board.
  18. ↑ DEC, EK-VSTAA-MG-001, p. 1-5, section 1.2. Expansion boxes.
  19. ↑ DEC, EK-VSTAA-MG-001, p. 1-7. Expansion adapter ports A, B and C.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "VaxStation 2000", Vintage Computer Federation forum, July to August 2025, forum.vcfed.org, page 1. Posts by gslick (NCR 5380 on every system module, DESVA module), leegleason and MattisLind (Moeller SCSI patches, BlueSCSI), Bitly (MFM emulator).
  21. ↑ "VaxStation 2000", Vintage Computer Federation forum, August 2025 to March 2026, forum.vcfed.org, page 2. Used MFM drives "a roll of the dice".
  22. ↑ DEC, EK-VAXAC-OM-003, p. 2-12. Common power-up status messages.
  23. ↑ DEC, EK-VAXAC-OM-003, p. 2-13. Hard errors and the no-cable message.
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