That wasn't my problem. I really don't care about the date. The problem
is, when I typed the date, NOTHING happened, because the keyboard was
gummed up. I normally just type 11/11/11 at the date prompt, anyway.
--
-Jason
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#-1730318
----------
> From: Phil Clayton <handyman(a)sprintmail.com>
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
> Subject: Re: WTB: TRS-80 stuff.
> Date: Friday, September 04, 1998 10:01 PM
>
> Jason, I think the problem is that the original version of TRSDOS you are
using
> will not accept a date after 1989.
> As you say it boots fine to a date prompt..
> You will need to get LDOS to correct this funny flaw in the operating
system.
> Guess They never expected them to be around so long..
> But it sound like you have it working..
>
> Phil...
>
One of my finds this week was an Altos model 586-30E.
It is not obvious what it is. Has a 5 1/4" floppy and a hard drive, an 8086
cpu and about 6 or so Z80's. There are no obvious monitor or keyboard
connections, just connections marked port 1, port 2.... to port 6 and a
number marked as being hard drive expansions and one marked as "Altos net".
The copyright marks on the boards are marked 1982.
Anyone know what this is? A 1982 server perhaps?
Thanks
Hans Olminkhof
ATTN: Rescuers in England/UK! This fellow's looking for a home for a
MicroPDP-11/73, and it sounds like it's well-equipped. Please contact
him directly if interested.
-=-=- <snip> -=-=-
From:
helbig(a)man.ac.uk (Phillip Helbig)
Newsgroups:
comp.sys.dec
Subject:
free VAX 11/73 with tape drive in Cheshire
Date:
5 Sep 1998 12:40:26 GMT
Organization:
University of Manchester, NRAL
Message-ID:
<6srbfq$c0f$1(a)probity.mcc.ac.uk>
Reply-To:
p.helbig(a)jb.man.ac.uk
NNTP-Posting-Host:
multivac.jb.man.ac.uk
Lines:
48
Path:
blushng.jps.net!news.eli.net!news-out.internetmci.com!newsfeed.internetmci.com!194.72.7.126!btnet-peer!btnet!dispose.news.demon.net!demon!peer.news.zetnet.net!peer.news.bb.u-net.net!u-net!yama.mcc.ac.uk!man.ac.uk!HELBIG
As mentioned before, I'm planning on doing inventory on some old VAX
stuff I have and having a big give-away in a few weeks. By the way, I'm
still looking for stuff myself, especially tape drives (8mm) and bigger
SCSI disks---see http://multivac.jb.man.ac.uk:8000/helbig/vms/vax.txt .
I especially want VAXstation 4000 or VAXstation 3100 boxes.
When picking up my last lot, I decided to save an 11/73 from
destruction, hoping I could give it a good home. I don't know much
about it except that it has a good tape drive in it and two sizes of
floppies (no, neither is 3?"---5" and 8"). I need to get rid of this
quickly, as it is filling up my car and making it difficult to drive.
It's a rack-mount.
If you want it, then come and get it, but you better hurry 'cause it's
going fast. Previous experience shows that there is a big demand for
these old systems. It's first come, first served. I would prefer
people who will take it in any case, as there's not much point in
looking at it and I want to unload it directly from my car into your
vehicle.
I could arrange to obtain some manuals and perhaps even software
distribution media, but not before you pick up the VAX (since I don't
want to drive anywhere with it in my car); you could come back for them
or I could probably tell you where to pick them up, perhaps on the way
to picking up the VAX.
Email is the best way to contact me, though the other methods below are
OK as well.
I barely managed to get it in the back of a VW Polo estate (the previous
model; it wouldn't fit in a new Polo) with the back seat folded down.
So you need a car at least as big, where the dimensions of the opening
are as critical as the volume. If you're not too far away, I could
drive it out myself (which might save some effort) but only if you
promise me to take it in any case. As far as I know, it is in working
order and there is at least the OS and some compilers installed on it.
I don't know WHICH OS is on it.
--
Phillip Helbig Email .........
p.helbig(a)jb.man.ac.uk
Nuffield Radio Astronomy Laboratories Tel. .... +44 1477 571 321 (ext.
297)
Jodrell Bank Fax ................ +44 1477
571 618
Macclesfield Telex ................ 36149
JODREL G
UK-Cheshire SK11 9DL Web ...
http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/~pjh/
My opinions are not necessarily those of NRAL or the University of
Manchester.
----------
> From: Russ Blakeman <rhblake(a)bbtel.com>
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
> Subject: Re: Followup to Toshiba 3100e
> Date: Friday, September 04, 1998 10:54 PM
>
>
> Oh I know the type your talking about, square 286 clamped in with
pressure
> contacts on all four sides. The last one I saw like that was in a Delta
Gold I
> had over 10 years ago. It had the white thermal compound on it to the
heat sink
> cover but of course that unit had more than enough air flow being a
desktop
> case, unless you got sloppy and let the ribbon cables block the air. I've
only
> worked on 2 T3100's and that was external work so I can't attest to what
may be
> inside.
>
They were supposed to have the terminal compound between the chip and
processor. Toshiba didn't put the compound on, leading to another
premature failure and more excess heat.
>
> So the hard drives are a special type huh?
>
They were made by JVC and had a 26 pin (IIRC) connector, with no power
connector. My WANG WLTC has the 10MB version of the JVC drive, and my
Tandy 1400HD has an ALPS 20MB with the same connector. I think they were
fairly common in old laptops, but just fairly hard to find now. The drive
usually didn't go bad in the Toshiba. It was the controller. I know two
people who replaced the HD, only to find that it didn't work, either. They
sent the HD's back to the company and scrapped the computers.
--
-Jason
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#-1730318
I got e-mail from Adrienne Carter at Money Magazine (!) asking about
the value "either financially or sentimentally" of the Commodore 4032
Pet. I pointed her at e-bay, but she doesn't seem to be just looking
for a place to sell one. Unfortunately, I don't know much anything
about those machines. So, if any of you out there want to chat about
that machine, kindly write to her at this address after removing the
letter "x"s from it: Adrixenne_Carter(a)tixmexinc.com .
Thanks,
Bill.
normally one of the components is trying to do something with the power,
but it can't. sort of like when you short a wall transformer and it starts
to hum. Another example is how some of the old computer screens or TV's
sometimes put a high-pitched whistle.
--
-Jason
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#-1730318
----------
> From: Sam Ismail <dastar(a)ncal.verio.com>
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
> Subject: Re: Osborne 01 computer smoked..
> Date: Friday, September 04, 1998 9:18 PM
>
> On Fri, 4 Sep 1998, Tony Duell wrote:
>
> > semiconductors have failed. If the supply is 'tweeting' then the most
> > likely problem is either a short on the secondary side (e.g. a shorted
>
> Question: how can a power supply make noise when it fails in the manner
> described above?
>
> Sam Alternate e-mail:
dastar(a)siconic.com
>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
> Ever onward.
>
> September 26 & 27...Vintage Computer Festival 2.0
> See http://www.siconic.com/vcf for details!
> [Last web site update: 08/25/98]
>
I have three Apple II motherboards, several floppy drives, and cards
laying around. I would like to get one Apple II running. I don't have
any experience with Apple II computers. Is there any old timers on the
mailing list who can give me some help. I also will need the software
for running the computer (the boot disk, ect.).
--Alan
That is probably room for *an* RL02 or RA8x at the top of the cab...
Megan Gentry
Former RT-11 Developer
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| Megan Gentry, EMT/B, PP-ASEL | Internet (work): gentry!zk3.dec.com |
| Unix Support Engineering Group | (home): mbg!world.std.com |
| Compaq Computer Corporation | addresses need '@' in place of '!' |
| 110 Spitbrook Rd. ZK03-2/T43 | URL: http://world.std.com/~mbg/ |
| Nashua, NH 03062 | "pdp-11 programmer - some assembler |
| (603) 884 1055 | required." - mbg |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
Larry and Tony are discussing a blown capacitor...
>> I'd replace it. A 250V _AC_ capacitor, class X. You should be able to get
>> that from a good parts company (alas, being in another country I can't
>> help you there).
>>
>> Then try again. Put the PSU on dummy load if you like (I certainly would)
>> - a 6V 6W bulb on between the +5V output and the 0V pin. Let it run for a
>> few minutes - taking care not to touch the PSU board as there's mains and
>> rectified mains all over it. If it runs for (say) 5 minutes on dummy load
>> it's safe to try it in the computer again.
[...]
> You have referred before to this dummy load 6V 6W device. If my
> memory of Ohms law hasn't failed me completely this works out to
> a 1 amp limit. I also imagine this has to be on the power good line.
> Is there any reason you use this configuration ? I have some old 6V 6W
> bulbs . Would these work just as well ?
Eh? 6V 6W bulb is exactly what Tony suggested.
To be more specific, many power supplies have regulator circuits that
expect some current to be flowing in the load. These PSUs will push out
the wrong voltages, or shut down altogether, if you power them up with
nothing on the output.
Therefore, when testing power supplies, connect some sort of load device
- it doesn't matter what as long as it draws roughly the right amount of
current - to the output. Most computer PSUs regulate the voltage on the
5V rail and hope all the others will follow, so this is the best place
to connect the load.
Light bulbs make good dummy loads because (a) they light up when the
current is flowing and (b) they are relatively small, cheap and easy to
obtain compared with (say) resistors of similar value.
12V bulbs (e.g. car running lamp (0.3 A) or indicator lamp (1.75 A)) are
good for loading 12V lines should you need it.
6V bulbs are good for loading 5V lines. 6V 6W flashlight bulb is good
for small and medium PSUs; for larger power supplies I use a 6V 24W car
headlamp bulb (yes, my truck has 6V electrics). 12V bulbs also work at
5V, but remeber they have a much lower resistance at 5V than they do at
12.
DON'T use the "power good" line to connect the dummy load. This is a
digital output - usually TTL level - which can only drive a few mA.
DO connect the "voltage sense" line(s) to the load as well as +5V and
ground.
Philip.
On 4 Sep 98 at 1:24, Sam Ismail wrote:
> This guy was a mega turd. Although his FAQ was good, and his amazingly
> peurile action of obliterating the FAQ over his personal holy war against
> perceived or actual piracy of mostly obsolete software was indeed bizarre,
> there are plenty of replacement FAQs available to help out the novice.
The "new" FAQs can be downloaded from the Ground FTP server at
ground.ecn.uiowa.edu
> This debate is being perpetuated by people who have absolutely no life
> whatsoever. I engaged in that debate for a few weeks and then went on
> with my life. This was 2 years ago, AND THIS DEBATE IS STILL RAGING!
Things have improved on the csa2 newsgroup following NM's departure.
You forgot to mention his trademark "read the FAQ, stupid" response to
every naive question. As you said, definitely a group for the
sociologists to enjoy in years to come on Dejanews...
Phil
**************************************************************
Phil Beesley -- Computer Officer -- Distributed Systems Suppport
University of Leicester
Tel (0)116 252-2231
E-Mail pb14(a)le.ac.uk
