[TUHS] Unix install & "standalone" package

[Paul Winalski]

On 9/4/23, Clem Cole <clemc at ccc.com> wrote:
>
> Even with the VAX, the front-end runs on an LSI-11 with floppies, so things
> like microcode were loaded into the VAX and stored in ROM.

I think you meant either "stored in RAM" or "not stored in ROM".  The
LSI-11 front end for the VAX-11/780 (and other early VAXen?) was
connected to the SBI (Synchronous Backplane Interconnect--the system
bus) and performed three main functions:  microcode load and system
bootstrap initiation, interface for the system console (originally a
LA-36 dot matrix terminal), and some system diagnostics.  CPU
microcode was stored on a 5" floppy disk connected to the LSI-11 and
was loaded into RAM at system power-up.

-Paul W.