I've been going through some of my manuals, and in looking at the Macro-11
manuals it looks as if they're pretty much written with the intention of
being used with any of the DEC OS's. Is Macro-11 pretty much the same
across the various platforms or what?
If so, what makes a program written in Macro-11 a RT-11 program instead of
a RSX-11M program other, than the way that it is linked?
Zane
| Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator |
| healyzh(a)aracnet.com (primary) | Linux Enthusiast |
| healyzh(a)holonet.net (alternate) | Classic Computer Collector |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------+
| Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, |
| and Zane's Computer Museum. |
| http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/ |
"Kirk Davis" <kbd(a)ndx.net> wrote:
>Hi all - I'm new to the mailing list and have just started
>collecting various pieces of retro computer paraphernalia. Had
>some fun today at the local salvage yard prying open a VAX 8800
>looking for interesting bits.
Hi... and "ouch"... prying one open?
>Did manage to get the console. Various people have told me that
>this is most likely a PRO350 or PRO380 (PDP!!!!). Looking inside it's
>got a RD52 and a set of floppies along with the associated controller
>cards and the main board. It appears to be in good shape - when I
>turn on the power, it goes though it's self test and appears to boot
>from the hard disk.
Do you see the 'DIGITAL' logo during the boot process? (Did you get
the monitor and keyboard?)
>1. What are my options are far as os'? I'm told that it most likely
>has a subset of RT11 on the drive. Is this my only option or is it
>possible to install other PDP11 based os' on this system?
If it is off a Vax system, it will probably have a special board in
it for use in controlling that system. You won't need it. It will
also probably be running P/OS, not RT11, although you can get an
RT-11 to run on it.
There is also Venix, a unix-look-similar... You can also run a
version of TSX+ on it (TSX is layered on RT-11, so you would need
RT-11 first).
>2. The back panel has a serial port and a monitor port (along with
>what appears to be a printer and AUI network port). There is no
>direct keyboard input that I can see. I connected a serial terminal
>to the system and tried various baud rates and parity selections
>(300-19200, 8-n-1 & 7-e,1) and have been unable to get the system to
>respond. I'd assume some sort of signon banner at boot but since this
>was a dedicated console for a vax it's limited to the output only on
>the other monitor port? Maybe someone can enlighten me....
You'll need a monitor and keyboard, attached to the appropriate
connectors. The AUI port is only usable if you have a DECNA
ethernet adapter card in the machine. The communications port has
modem control. The printer port can be used as a debug console (if
the cable has pins 9 and 20 connected) and then runs at (I think)
4800 baud. This port is at the standard console address for a pdp-11,
but it doesn't have the same interrupt structure.
But the monitor and keyboard are required, since that is the boot
console. Without them, you won't be able to run anything.
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 |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
<I am just curious if anyone else is keeping semiconductor data sheets and
<data books from the early days? In checking though some stuff that was
<going to the recycler, I found a bunch of 70s and early 80s data sheets an
<put them into the car. Additionally, there were a bunch of the early 80s
<Intel data books that I will be looking at later.
Over the years I've kept a large number of databooks and sheets for parts I
used or related to. I still consider it a resource that I can pull out a
RCA transmitting tube manual or RCA transistor manual!
Allison
-----Original Message-----
From: Jay West <jlwest(a)tseinc.com>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Tuesday, May 18, 1999 3:12 PM
Subject: Re: Honeywell Bull
>Again, I don't have Honeywell knowledge, but didn't they create a division
>called Honeywell Bull Information Systems, and rebadged multiple systems
>under that name?
>
>My only knowledge of this comes from my General Automation days. When their
>Motorola based line was loosing market share to the Unix crowd, they
>introduced a server called a Honeywell Bull (blue/green nameplate I think)?
Navy blue background, white "Bull", and a green tree, sort of like the one
on the newer Zenith Data Systems logo?
>That system I know for sure was an RS6000. Perhaps HBIS rebadged more than
>just the RS6000. Sounds like it anywho...
>
The AP-M sort of looks like a souped-up NEC APC III (a bit bigger, but same
basic case design).
///--->>>
-Jason Willgruber
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#: 1730318
<http://members.tripod.com/general_1>
At 04:18 PM 1/18/99 -0500, you wrote:
>> Don't discard it or destroy it -- they are probably not all that easy to
>> get, and I can imagine that one or more folks on this list might be
>> interested in it.
>
>Yes!
>
Then make an offer for it or else it gets chopped for the 8" floppy
drive and the nice box. I'm interested in HP & S100 stuff so I'll swap for
anything along those lines.
Joe
My brother-in-law has found a Visual Technology Commuter
"portable" at a local thrift. It's operational and runs
PC-DOS 3.10, for which its previous owner thoughtfully
included a boot diskette.
This machine has an LCD display, and two 1/2 height
black face 5.25" floppy drives and 512K of RAM. Despite
a diligent internet search, this is all we know.
Does anyone here have any fond memories and/or pointers
to more information on this machine?
Thanks!
Michael Passer
mwp(a)acm.org
I mentioned that it was a 286-10 -- that's what QAPlus says. No where on
the board can I find a 286 processor. It has an ISA bus, and runs a OEM'd
version of DOS 3.3. It also has a software-driven Turbo setting.
///--->>>
-Jason Willgruber
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#: 1730318
<http://members.tripod.com/general_1>
-----Original Message-----
From: Jason (the General) <roblwill(a)usaor.net>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Tuesday, May 18, 1999 2:41 PM
Subject: Re: Honeywell Bull
>Maybe that's the mainframe that goes with a computer that I found! <g>
>Doubt it, though.
>
>I just got a Honeywell Bull AP/M from a flea market for $1.
>
>Anyone have any info on this thing? From what I can tell, it's a 286-10,
AT
>compatible, and has a 20MB HD ST-225 behind a translucent plate (sort of
>like an AT&T 6300, but gray) under the 1.2MB floppy. It also has a spot of
>a "full-height" 3.5" floppy (as high as a half-height 5" floppy).
>
>ThAnX,
>
>///--->>>
> -Jason Willgruber
> (roblwill(a)usaor.net)
> ICQ#: 1730318
><http://members.tripod.com/general_1>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Tom Owad <owad(a)caesarville.net>
>To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
><classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
>Date: Tuesday, May 18, 1999 1:04 PM
>Subject: Honeywell Bull
>
>
>>I have an opportunity to acquire a Honeywell Bull mainframe, free of
>>charge. I don't have many details on it, but I'm told the computer is
>>about 4x3x2 feet and supported 30 terminals. Any opinions on whether or
>>not this is a computer worth saving, and if it is worth the space it will
>>take up?
>>
>>Thanks.
>>
>>Tom Owad
>>
>
>
<< >> > But where can you find a drive that can read a sheep?
>>
>> You mean you've not come across baa-code readers :-) >>
you must be feeling sheepish after that one-liner!
Maybe that's the mainframe that goes with a computer that I found! <g>
Doubt it, though.
I just got a Honeywell Bull AP/M from a flea market for $1.
Anyone have any info on this thing? From what I can tell, it's a 286-10, AT
compatible, and has a 20MB HD ST-225 behind a translucent plate (sort of
like an AT&T 6300, but gray) under the 1.2MB floppy. It also has a spot of
a "full-height" 3.5" floppy (as high as a half-height 5" floppy).
ThAnX,
///--->>>
-Jason Willgruber
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#: 1730318
<http://members.tripod.com/general_1>
-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Owad <owad(a)caesarville.net>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Tuesday, May 18, 1999 1:04 PM
Subject: Honeywell Bull
>I have an opportunity to acquire a Honeywell Bull mainframe, free of
>charge. I don't have many details on it, but I'm told the computer is
>about 4x3x2 feet and supported 30 terminals. Any opinions on whether or
>not this is a computer worth saving, and if it is worth the space it will
>take up?
>
>Thanks.
>
>Tom Owad
>
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Adrien K. Verbrugghen" <adverb(a)halcyon.com>
Newsgroups: alt.sys.pdp11
Subject: vt220
Date: Mon, 18 Jan 1999 08:59:58 -0800
I have several vt220/kbd sets which I need to dispose of - anyone
want them?
Seattle area.
-A.
-- end of forwarded message --
Email Adrien directly please 8-)
BC
