🚀 go-pugleaf

VenturCom threw out their inventory of PRO Venix about a year ago.
I have a copy of PRO Venix 1.0 which works on the PRO 350.  I'm trying
to locate a copy of Venix 2.1 which will work on either the 350 or
the 380.  Rumor has it that Dan Lanciani has a copy stashed away
somewhere in Gloucester, MA (Hi Dan!).  Venix 1.0 on the PRO 350
only supports the 5MB RD50 and 10MB RD51 hard drives.  I presume
Venix 2.x will support the 38MB RD52 and/or 71MB RD53 hard drives.

Venix requires an authorization code which has to be entered when
you install it.  The code is computed as a 5-digit hash function of
both the serial number of the copy of Venix and the CPU ID number
of your machine.  The folks at VenturCom were kind enough to run
their little program to give me the authorization codes for installing
my single copy of PRO Venix 1.0 on a half-dozen machines.  (Don't
call DEC's 800 number to get the authorization codes.  You won't
get anywhere with them.)

On a 350 you need a Video Generator Card in the card cage.  Optionally
you can also install an Extended BitMap Option Card which jumpers to
the Video Card with the Berg connector on the top of the cards.

Venix 1.0 comes on 10 RX50 diskettes.  It might be possible to upload
it using TeleDisk, as discussed in previous postings here.  However,
it might be better to wait for Venix 2.1 to materialize from some
kind soul (Hi Dan!).  Also, there is no point in proceeding until
you have your HD controller card in your PRO.

Barry Kort