test-drb October 1999

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

216 participants
748 discussions

MicroVAX 2000 questions.

by IVIE＠cc.usu.edu

>F_..E...D...C...B...A...9...8...7...6...5...4_..3_..2_..1?.. > > ? E 0040 0000.0005 > ? C 0080 0000.4001 > ? 6 00A0 0000.4001 >?? 1 00C0 0011.700E If you put a terminator on the network spigot, the "?? 1" should go away. Roger Ivie ivie(a)cc.usu.edu

25 years, 2 months

Floppy disks again

by jpero＠pop.cgocable.net

> From: jpero(a)pop.cgocable.net > To: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu > Date: Wed, 13 Oct 1999 14:46:24 +0000 > MIME-Version: 1.0 > Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII > Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT > Subject: Re: Floppy disks again > Priority: normal > In-reply-to: <Pine.SGI.3.95.991012100527.27475A-100000(a)world.std.com> > References: <199910120735.DAA20413(a)swordfin.cs.unc.edu> > X-mailer: Pegasus Mail for Win32 (v2.54) > > > Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1999 10:33:08 -0400 (EDT) > > Reply-to: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu > > From: allisonp(a)world.std.com > > To: "Discussion re-collecting of classic computers" <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> > > Subject: Re: Floppy disks again > > X-To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> > > > Yes, specifically head width. The media also limits things some > > as very narrow head will tend to dig into the media and the width of the > > track also defines signal level. Zip disks are high track density > > floppies using special cobalt media for high bit density and also high > > track density. They aslo have servo info on the media to aid in finding > > the rather narrow tracks. > > The tolerences is very loose especially in zip harderned steel > wire-rails resting in vee notches basically clamped between black > chassis and clear piece by 4 T6 (wood) screws, the magnet poles > simply held together by magnetic power. Whole magnet thingy is > simply loose in it's holder and only kept in place by pieces of tapes > to prevent rattling. I rescused one from certain death after > cleaning the heads with piece of tissue paper clamped between heads > dampened with model glue fluid to clean both. Alignment is basically > built in (mostly in that black chassis and heads). Remaining > alignment errors is taken up by servo tracking alone. > > Curious: What is ideal way for heads design? Make it larger to keep > it from digging into soft floppy cookies in those zip drives? Those > heads looks exactly like it came out of early 3.5" harddrives. > And ironically spun at 3600rpm. > > > > > This is why 135 tpi has been the limit for absolute mechanical positioners > > like floppies. At some point the track is so narrow you have to be able > > to hunt for it and stepper based positioners are inexpensive but lack > > resolution (and speed) for that task. The next generation will be some > > form of voicecoil and the media will have embedded servo (Zip, LS120, > > Jaz and friends). At some point you bridge the differences between floppy > > and hard disk. > > Small bone: Jaz is harddrive technology w/ platter(s) in a cartidge > no different from Syquests and like. > > > Allison > > Wizard >

25 years, 2 months

Running a 220v computer in a 110v environment

by rmeenaks＠olf.com

Hi, Probably some of you have already done this. I have an equipment, a parsytec xplorer, that runs a 220v. I got it from across the pond. Since I am in the states and the power output is 110v, is there any way for me to run this without getting a transformer to pump it up to 220v??? Unfortunately, the parsytec doesnt convert automatically like PC and laptops of today. In my apartment, there is a funny looking plug next to out AC. I remember somewhat vaugely that it is actually 220v. Is this true??? How did you guys solve this problem???? I want to get a good solid response before I blow up the machine :-) Ram -- ,,,, /'^'\ ( o o ) -oOOO--(_)--OOOo------------------------------------- | Ram Meenakshisundaram | Senior Software Engineer | OpenLink Financial Inc | .oooO Phone: (516) 227-6600 x267 | ( ) Oooo. Email: rmeenaks(a)olf.com ---\ (----( )-------------------------------------- \_) ) / (_/

25 years, 2 months

Tape drive help and/or part needed (Attention DEC-heads!)

by mbg＠world.std.com

>I either need to find someone who knows what they're doing with a TU77, >or someone who has and can get rid of a TM03 formatter for a TU77 with >the special 18-bit card. Earlier this year, a team of people rescued a couple (three) KS10 systems along with RP06s and TU77s... the TU77s were confirmed to have the mentioned board... >Chris Zach (cz(a)alembic.crystel.com) has the MIT-AI KS10, and wants to run >ITS on it, but his tape drive (A TU77) is screwed up. It generates a >FORMATTER ERROR in the Status register whenever it's on. >He has booted from drives on the same Massbus so that's OK. Before I offer the board we have (on loan only, of course), I would have to talk with the others at the Rhode Island Computer Museum, but I would also have to confirm with you (and him) that the board that was in his tape drives did not go bad due to something else. I'd hate to see a known good board used in place of a bad one, only to have it go bad because the underlying problem has not been corrected. So... why is his board bad? Age? Or did something else go bad and take it for a ride? If the latter, has the problem been fixed (for sure)? 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 | +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+

25 years, 2 months

Needed / Available

by edick＠idcomm.com

I'm inclined to agree with you about this matter, except that there's a company in SD or MT or somewhere thereabouts which has apparent'y persuaded him that if he sells one of their boards with his monitors it's worth many hundreds of dollars. That's no longer the case, since you can buy a VERY decent 20" monitor at the local computer house for <$400. . .not MUCH less, but less, just the same. Those guys in the northern prairie were once offering a board for about $400 and that might have been a bargain if you HAD to have the large format and the market would then bear a price of $1100 for a 16" NEC Multisync 4D or $2200 for a 19" Multisync 5D. Those days are behind us, though, and I don't miss 'em. Dick -----Original Message----- From: Mike Ford <mikeford(a)socal.rr.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Tuesday, October 12, 1999 12:12 PM Subject: Re: Needed / Available >>Well . . . what I meant was the monitors. That's what he's asking $75 for >>and without the Appollo stations they're of little use, being fixed >>frequency types. If he asked $25 for them they'd still be difficult to >>move. > >Depends on the locale. Here in SoCal we have a LOT of these workstation >monitors turning up and a few places have even brought in a tech to modify >a batch for use on a PC and sold them at a higher price. I don't see the >standard units as a bargain even at $25, unless you NEED one. They are OLD, >BIG, HEAVY, and generally support only a single (low in modern terms) >resolution. > >At $75 IMHO he is looking for suckers, people that don't know what the >monitor is, or what is required for its use, and are lured into purchase by >what they think is a low price for a BIG color monitor. So maybe he sells >one or two at that price, and each of those customers then tell ten friends >about getting ripped off at so and so's place. Great business plan. > >

25 years, 2 months

CDC 924 console in 'The Terminator'

by ethan_dicks＠yahoo.com

--- Grigoni <msg(a)computerpro.com> wrote: > > > On Tue, 12 Oct 1999, Dave McGuire wrote: > > > On Tue, 12 Oct 1999, Grigoni wrote: > > >A reasonbly good scan of the showcase photograph from a marketing brochure > > >for the CDC 924 can be found at: http://www.mtr.webconcept.de/image/ > > >computer/cdc/924.jpg > > > > Huh? You sure about that URL? I get a 404... > > I swear that last night the URL was good; today I get the same results. Your mail agent split the URL, so when people with HTML aware agents attempted to build a link, it doesn't include "computer/cdc/924.jpg". It happened to me, too. -ethan ===== Infinet has been sold. The domain is going away in February. Please send all replies to erd(a)iname.com __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com

25 years, 2 months

Running a 220v computer in a 110v environment

by danburrows＠mindspring.com

Be VERY carefull as some of the British equipment I deal with all the time only put a breaker in the Hot leg. They expect the neutral to be at / near ground. If this is wired to US 240 then it will only protect 1 hot lead. The other will be unprotected and ready to bite you. Not to mention the fact you are then depending on the house breaker to protect your equipment. Dan >Could be - I'm not the expert in US electrics (althrough I just did >some studies to buy the right stuff for my 110V paneel) - but 220/240V >sounds good when it comes to a 3~ plug. If you buy an aprobiate plug, >and whire two 'hots', your system should work well. If the outlet has >a distinct Protective Ground, you should also wire PG to allow your >GFCI to check for deffective loops. This is save with all newer European >stuff, since an in device PE/N connection is no longer valid - also all >devices ave to be constructed in a way that there is no need to >distinguish between Neutral and 'Hot' (Some exceptions apply to British >EQ, but even their manufacturers switched soon, since they don't want to >have two different PSUs for the same unit :).

25 years, 2 months

ZX81 Question also...

by Glenatacme＠aol.com

In a message dated 10/11/1999 2:18:01 PM Eastern Daylight Time, jester909(a)Phreaker.net writes: > How do I load a program into a ZX81? I get as far as LOAD and then cant seem > to figure out the rest. Any Ideas? Try LOAD "" which should cause the zx81 to load the first program it encounters on the tape. If the name of the saved program is known, use LOAD "PROGRAM NAME" Incidentally, it's _not_ a good idea to keep both of the audio cables plugged in at the same time. This cause LOADing problems with many cassette recorders. Glen Goodwin 0/0

25 years, 2 months

Sources for DEC Software

by mbg＠world.std.com

>Does anyone know of any sources for old DEC software. Specifically, RT11 >for the PDP-11 series? RT-11 is licensed software. In order to run a copy of it, you need a license. The company which owns and distributes RT-11 now is Mentec, Ltd. (mentec.com). The latest version of RT-11 is V5.7. It is possible to obtain earlier versions (earler than V5.3), but by license they may only be run using a specific pdp-11 emulator, and not on real hardware (I wish it was otherwise, but these are the terms of the license). Even old versions require a license... 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 | +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+

25 years, 2 months

Floppy disks again

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<> I consider Apple disks and disk systems to be generally unique to <> themselves. < <Actually the Twiggy was their only floppy drive that required any <special diskettes. But they have the modifed sa400s with a GCR controller. About the only that wasn't unique about that was the media. Generally and with limited exceptions the only thing that reads an Apple disk is another Apple (or it's clone). Ok maybe a commie. Allison

25 years, 2 months

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test-drb October 1999