test-drb December 1999

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

186 participants
742 discussions

Scrap value of machines (was Re: ebay feedback)

by dylanb＠sympatico.ca

-----Original Message----- From: Clint Wolff (VAX collector) <vaxman(a)uswest.net> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Sunday, December 05, 1999 10:38 PM Subject: Scrap value of machines (was Re: ebay feedback) > > > >On Sun, 5 Dec 1999, John B wrote: > >> >> David Winter (the guy in France) has bid on some of my items and always paid >> quickly. He seems to collect boards but does not buy entire systems. >> >> >I don't think any IBM 1130 is worth more than a couple of hundred in scrap >> by >> >the way. I suspect less than that. >> > >> >> Then I guess the scrappers will be outbidding you..... The larger 1960 mini >> computers had a lot more gold in them than the '70s models as the gold was >> plated thicker in the '60s. The 1130 (from what I can remember) has more >> than $100US in aluminum in it (just cpu + printer). I don't know what the >> gold content is.. (I'll find out.. I know a company that does).. BTW I just >> lost an IBM 360 to a gold scrapper [bid more than me]. Some of the metal >> scrappers I know never bothered to look at gold content.. what's scaring the >> hell out of me are these guys that know to the penny what they can extract >> out of it and generally bid a lot higher than most. >> > >Where can you find out what the gold/aluminum/steel value of a >computer at? The obvious solution is to know what a scrapper is >willing to pay, and add $10 to your bid. A scrapper will never >spend more to buy something than it is worth, a collector will. The problem is: *some* minis/mainframes his company is willing to pay more for than it is worth in it's unrestored condition. Ie: What can I resell a Fujitsu super computer for, restored??? Unfortunately, it looks like it's worth more in gold. I can justify paying higher dollars for 1950/60s minis but I won't pay $8000 for something that is 7 years old. Please remember this is "profit talking"... Maybe there might be someone who *really* wants a Fujitsu... but are they willing to compete with a scrapper at $8K? I am lucky in that I still have a lot of paper mills/factories he is not into yet so I can grab huge racks of minis for a couple thousand. Gotta hand it to the *sneaky* guy.. He even offered to go to the sites I purchase from to pick up and deliver what I want and pick up what I don't... and I am sure to add his name to the bidders list :-( john http://www.pdp8.com/ > >Clint > > >

25 years

Adopt a scrapper and paper tape punches.

by mbg＠world.std.com

>The best answer is to make friends with a scrapper. Anyone who will pay >twice the scrap value consistently will be a welcome customer. In the >long run you may get systems set aside for you to look at. Ask for >particular brands or items but don't become a pest. They need to know >what you are looking for. Check on a regular basis. Don't ask them to >call you unless you are willing to offer significant money. They are busy >and you are not a major part of their business. I like the idea... my only question is, Where does one find such a scrapper? Is it as simple as checking the Yellow Pages under Scrapper or metal recovery? How do you know they deal with computers without calling? I'd hate to get off to a bad start with one... 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

Adding 4116 to memory board was This guy needs a *LART*... :-/

by allisonp＠world.std.com

I strongly advise against sockets. The height and the added capacitance tends to affect array behavour. Also Some sockets are more trouble than bad memory. Allison

25 years

WORKSLATE System on eBay

by larsenl＠rhtc.net

I have placed a Convergent Technologies WorkSlate system on eBay under Computers: Vintage #214549606 I believe this is a complete system. Starts at $200

25 years

AOL members 2nd class citizens? (was Re: This guy needs a *LART*... :-/)

by Glenatacme＠aol.com

Bruce Lane wrote: In a message dated 12/05/1999 12:08:55 AM Eastern Standard Time, kyrrin(a)bluefeathertech.com writes: > The guy's an absolute moron, as is clearly evidenced > by his poor spelling. The fact that he's posting from an AOL address, and > that he has no feedback listed whatsoever, won't help either. Umm, just out of curiosity, why do you consider an AOL address "unhelpful?" Glen Goodwin 0/0

25 years

ebay feedback

by Innfogra＠aol.com

In a message dated 12/5/1999 10:22:16 AM Pacific Standard Time, rigdonj(a)intellistar.net writes: > > > >Can you list negative feedback for a person even if you had no dealings > >with them??? > No you can't anymore. If you detect or suspect fraud then anyone can report that to Safe Harbor, the customer service department. I have done that, and like keeping up with spares, if you have a good reason for suspicions you should report it. The old adage still holds, "If it is too good to be true then it generally isn't." Some frauds are easy to detect. The "IBM MF' guy is just stupid. I bet his item gets no bids. Stupid people don't deserve a response. The DEC card in France. I don't think I would send cash up front to him. However he could just be a low budget person, this may be just fine. Scrap value on that card is about $8.00 in todays market. I don't think any IBM 1130 is worth more than a couple of hundred in scrap by the way. I suspect less than that. Paxton

25 years

Minor VAX peripheral woes ...

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<* I'd really like to add a 3.5-inch diskette drive (RX26? RX33 ?) RX23 < I've not had any luck searching for used RX?? drives on the net < (plus I'd need the bezel, mounting bracket, etc). Suggestions < on where I should be looking instead ??? <Thanks !-> The reson for that is you need either the SCSIfied version or the earlier plain 3.5" with a SCSI bridge board. Both will be hard to find. <* I bought a 3rd party SCSI CD-ROM (Pioneer DR-506S 32x) and have < it in an external enclosure. I have the 2048/512-byte per block There are plenty of SCSI Cdroms that work fine. < Curiously, if I attach the same drive & cable to an Alpha 600au < workstation running OpenVMS 7.1-h2, the drive works fine. Hence < I suspect that the OpenVMS 7.2 SCSI driver on the VAX is somehow < to blame ... anyone know of any patches(?), or SCSI CD-ROM drivers I did SCSI Cdrom load of the 7.2kit on my 3100 using a sony unit I had laying around. Works just fine. May be a drive interface problem like termination or cabling. Allison

25 years

RA73s and the BA123

by oliv555＠arrl.net

Has anyone done a succesful install of the later RA drives into the BA123 enclosure? I recently picked up a pair of RA73s with the idea of installing them in my MVII, actually now upgraded to MVIII+. I've got the correct cabling for the controller side but have been unable to locate the cables (or part numbers) for the drive end. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Nick

25 years

Ugh, PC0 + PDP-8I problem.

by dylanb＠sympatico.ca

I have just started to look at this problem but I don't like it already. Here we go: If I load a RIM paper tape into my 8I using (single step) it loads in fine. If I load in a RIM paper tape into my 8I running (no manual steps).. the data loaded is garbage , and may not even be in the right place. If I toggle in a program to test the "all 1s" paper tape it passes (both single step and running) If I toggle in a program to test the "all 0s" paper tape it passes (both single step and running) If I toggle in a *larger* program to read a "1s and 0s paper tape" it passes (both single step and running). [this is ones and zeros alternating] I have checked the strobe line with my scope at it appears normal. I have checked and re-aligned the paper tape reader and data coming out of it (in step mode) is okay. My next move will be to try and load 32 bytes from the paper tape reader into core (not the RIM loader, my own quick program). and Write a quick program to write various numbers to core and make sure the are written correctly. There are no other devices connected. It could be the data is improperly strobed at high speed (adjacent holes on either side of the actual byte being read in are allowing enough light through to trigger the photo detector). I have the gain up quite a bit to strobe the feed hole.... but not enough to screw up the above three tests. Any suggestions???????????????? john

25 years

Minor VAX peripheral woes ...

by slwmbox2＠pacbell.net

Hi -- I'm the original owner of a VAXstation 4000 model 60 which is still going strong with OpenVMS 7.2 (thanks to the DECUS hobbyist program) ... but I'm having a little trouble keeping up with the trailing edge of technology on two fronts: * I'd really like to add a 3.5-inch diskette drive (RX26? RX33 ?) to this system. I recently discovered both the GNU "MTOOLS" and Madgoat "PCX" software pacakges for VMS (which read/write MS-DOS disk formats ... MTOOLS will also read/write DOS files from an external SCSI 100Mb ZIP-drive connected to a VAX), but usually it would be much more convenient to use 3.5-inch diskettes (which is a common demonator among almost all PCs) rather than ZIP-100s. I've not had any luck searching for used RX?? drives on the net (plus I'd need the bezel, mounting bracket, etc). Suggestions on where I should be looking instead ??? <Thanks !-> * I bought a 3rd party SCSI CD-ROM (Pioneer DR-506S 32x) and have it in an external enclosure. I have the 2048/512-byte per block jumper on the drive "off" for 512-bytes per block. The drive is visible and reported properly from the console firmware, before booting to VMS, there are no SCSI-id conflicts, and my SCSI cable lengths are short. But when I attempt to mount a disk under VMS 7.2, a "medium offline" error message is returned. Curiously, if I attach the same drive & cable to an Alpha 600au workstation running OpenVMS 7.1-h2, the drive works fine. Hence I suspect that the OpenVMS 7.2 SCSI driver on the VAX is somehow to blame ... anyone know of any patches(?), or SCSI CD-ROM drivers from earlier VMS/VAX versions which might work ? Or what about exchanging the Pioneer DR-506S CD-ROM for some other 3rd party (i.e., affordable) SCSI drive which folks have used successfully with OpenVMS/VAX 7.2 ? Any suggestions would be appreciated. A few months back I'd put this question to the folks at "Accorn Software" who'd written a software utility/driver "MODISK" to enable older versions of OpenVMS/VAX to operate 3rd party CD-ROM drives ... but their product isn't supported (doesn't run) under OpenVMS versions 7.0 and beyond ... they didn't think it needed, as this functionality "should" now be part of the baseline OS. Anyway, I'd appreciate hearing from anyone with ideas on these items. Thanks much, -- Jim McCarthy jkmccarthy(a)pacbell.net

25 years

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test-drb December 1999