DECsystem 3100 Installation Guide

This document is the DECsystem 3100 Installation Guide, published in May 1989 by Digital Equipment Corporation. It provides comprehensive instructions for setting up and installing the DECsystem 3100 computer system.

The guide is designed for both novice and experienced installers, with detailed step-by-step procedures (Chapters 1-6) and a condensed summary for experienced users (Chapter 7).

Key areas covered include:

• Initial Setup: Reviewing site requirements (temperature, humidity, cleanliness, power, and static electricity), unpacking equipment, and connecting basic system components like mouse loopback plugs, SCSI terminators, and Ethernet terminators.
• Console Terminal Installation: Steps for setting up, connecting, and powering on the console terminal.
• System Power-Up and Self-Test: Instructions for initial system startup and interpreting power-up self-test results, including troubleshooting for failed tests.
• Peripheral Device Installation: Detailed procedures for connecting external storage devices (single and dual drive expansion boxes for hard disks and tape drives), as well as printers and other communication devices.
• Ethernet Installation: Guidance on setting up both ThinWire and Standard Ethernet connections.
• Completing Hardware Installation: Initial steps for installing ULTRIX-32 and other application software.

The document emphasizes important safety and environmental considerations, including warnings about a common electrical ground for the system and expansion boxes, and cautions against turning on power prematurely or making incorrect connections. It also includes a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) notice, stating that the equipment is a Class A computing device that "may emit radio frequency energy" and could "cause interference" in residential areas, requiring the user to take corrective measures at their own expense. Appendices provide environmental specifications, part numbers, and detailed Ethernet configuration guidelines.