This web site is worth a visit. It seems to imply that as time allows,
they're going to publish documents on the web, and perhaps even produce more
of their old product line. These old computers still do what they always
did, and, frankly, as we move in the dircection of a PC with no expansion
slots inside the box, it does look like a return to "fiddle-able" hardware
of some sort is needed in order to cover the needs of the person who needs
to monitor ten switches and drive a dozen relays. Cards with which to do
this are all too rare, and I've seen lots of cases where one S-100 box with
the old IMSAI PIO-4 board would easily have done what I routinely see four
PC's doing through their printer ports.
Will this one web site lead to a resurrection of the "old days?" Well,
probably not, but there's certainly cause for thought.
Dick
-----Original Message-----
From: Richard A. Cini, Jr. <rcini(a)email.msn.com>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Saturday, March 20, 1999 6:06 AM
Subject: Fw: Fw: Pre-history of Digital Research
>Hello, all:
>
> I've had some interesting correspondance with Tom Fischer, of
>Fischer-Frietas. See below...
>
>[ Rich Cini/WUGNET
>[ ClubWin!/CW7
>[ MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking
>[ Collector of "classic" computers
>[ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp/
>[ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/pdp11/
><---------------------------- reply separator
<snip>
In einer eMail vom 20.03.99 03:36:49 MEZ, schreiben Sie:
<< AM7992BCD >>
Maybe you mean AM 7992 BDC ???
Lots of these in stock at http://www.hrent.com
John G. Zabolitzky
<The serial ports are no longer recognized ANYWHERE - in the BIOS, in DOS, b
<MSD, Windows, anything. I have already re-installed Windows.
<
<A virus planted by a hacker can damage hardware by "eating" at the chips, o
<just scrambling the code in the chip. (I know someone (Ironically, it's th
<sister of the person that did this to my computer), who's keyboard
<controller chip got scrambled.
I don't believe people believe this.
Keyboards are cpu/rom based they are either good or dead.
While it's possible to scramble the CMOS and if the machine has it
Flashram you do need to work at it. the last time someone told be this I
was give a 1gb IDE drive that was "poisoned", turned out the MBR and noot
blocks had garbage (not even a virus) in them from a defective motherboard.
Reformat and tada it was good. Urban legend most of the time.
If W95 is still bootable then just hit the hardware install wizard and
have it look for the missing devices. make sure the CMOS setting do enable
the missing devices and also enables the PNP stuff ot the later w95 install
will never find it. FYI: a lot has to be there to boot w95.
What may have been done is the little dork went into the chipset features
or advanced features and turned off some stuff. The fix, turn them back on.
Oh, if the machine has flashram it likely came with a config disk to sort
things out. If it can boot it, it's recoverable.
Allison
Hello, all:
I've had some interesting correspondance with Tom Fischer, of
Fischer-Frietas. See below...
[ Rich Cini/WUGNET
[ ClubWin!/CW7
[ MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking
[ Collector of "classic" computers
[ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp/
[ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/pdp11/
<---------------------------- reply separator
----- Original Message -----
From: Richard A. Cini, Jr. <rcini(a)email.msn.com>
To: Thomas Fischer <amrock(a)cwo.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 20, 1999 7:47 AM
Subject: Re: Fw: Pre-history of Digital Research
> Tom:
>
> >I have some ambitious plans in
> > store to satisfy some of the demand for a return to the "feel" of early
> > microcomputing. Those plans will unravel over the next couple of months
> on
> > www.imsai.net.
>
> That is excellent! In the IMSAI's heyday, I wasn't aware of the
subtile
> elegance of the S100 machines (I'm 32 now, so I was about 14 in 1981).
Most
> of my computing focus at the time was the micros: Commodore, Tandy, and
> Apple, which is what I used in school.
>
> I didn't become interested in computers that pre-date the micros until
> about 3 years ago when I began collecting in earnest. I started with some
of
> the micros which I grew-up on, and then expanded to others, including my
> only S100 machine, a Northstar Horizon. My collection still includes many
> micros, but also some SBCs, workstations, and a PDP11. I also belong to an
> on-line group of collectors who share history, folklore, collecting and
> repairing tips for these machines.
>
> FWIW, what I'd like to see is a 25th Anniversary IMSAI 8080 Kit. Price
> point: about $500. This would give those of us who have not had the
> experience of building a true computer kit the opportunity to do so.
>
> I'll be anxiously watching your site. Good luck.
>
> [ Rich Cini/WUGNET
> [ ClubWin!/CW7
> [ MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking
> [ Collector of "classic" computers
> [ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp/
> [ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/pdp11/
> <---------------------------- reply separator
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Thomas Fischer <amrock(a)cwo.com>
> To: Richard A. Cini, Jr. <rcini(a)msn.com>
> Sent: Friday, March 19, 1999 10:48 PM
> Subject: Re: Fw: Pre-history of Digital Research
>
>
> > At 10:28 PM 3/19/99 -0500, you wrote:
> > >Tom:
> > >
> > > This is a second try...
> > (snip)
> >
> > >----- Original Message -----
> > >From: Richard A. Cini, Jr. <rcini(a)email.msn.com>
> > >To: Thomas Fischer <paralegl(a)cwo.com>
> > >Sent: Friday, March 19, 1999 6:41 PM
> > >Subject: Re: Pre-history of Digital Research
> > >
> > >
> > >> Tom:
> > >>
> > >> I say your post and was intrigued. What ever happened to IMSAI
> after
> > >F-F
> > >> owned it? In all that I have read, IMSAI's history ended at F-F.
> > >>
> > >> Thanks!
> > >>
> > >> [ Rich Cini/WUGNET
> > >> [ ClubWin!/CW7
> > >> [ MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking
> > >> [ Collector of "classic" computers
> > >> [ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp/
> > >> [ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/pdp11/
> > (snip)
> > Hello Richard,
> >
> > Nancy and I retreated to Orangevale California (near Sacramento) in
early
> > 1984 to preserve our shrinking assets and enjoy a more idyllic country
> > style life. We continued support and sales until 1986 when my
consulting
> > and design talents took me into other ventures. IMSAI remained dormant
> > until a few months ago when the collectability issues and perceived
demand
> > prompted me to renew our trademarks and once again consider serious
> > participation in the retro-computing area. I have some ambitious plans
> in
> > store to satisfy some of the demand for a return to the "feel" of early
> > microcomputing. Those plans will unravel over the next couple of months
> on
> > www.imsai.net.
> >
> > Thank you for your interst and support. Best regards,
> >
> > -Thomas "Todd" Fischer
> >
> >
>
>
You know, not to sound mean, but that sounds like a discouragement to me. I
am aware of the fact that it will not be the _fastest_ system around, but it
would be interesting to do. Also, considering that when you have 10 odd
computers, that may not be the fastest around, and can only be used one at a
time, why not have them work together? The last thing I thought I'd see on
the list was someone discouraging someone to try something.
Just my $.0002
--
-Jason Willgruber
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#: 1730318
<http://members.tripod.com/general_1>
-----Original Message-----
From: John Foust <jfoust(a)threedee.com>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Friday, March 19, 1999 7:06 AM
Subject: Re: Computers in Parallel
>
>This is highly off-topic for this list - along with discussions of
>(contemporary) computer security and/or retaliatory recommendations,
>etc. Hardly a minute goes by on the net without some youngster hearing
>about a new processor, or a pile of old processors, chanting the
>word "beowulf" and thinking that 1 + 1 + 1 + overhead suddenly equals 10.
>Also, it's a sure sign they aren't paying the electric bill, and
>can't afford a $200 PC that'll beat the pants off their dream cluster.
>Sure, there's the sheer hack value, but...
>
>- John
>
>
What's the highest version of MacOS that can run on a Mac SE? 7.3?
Sellam Alternate e-mail: dastar(a)siconic.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Don't rub the lamp if you don't want the genie to come out.
Coming in 1999: Vintage Computer Festival 3.0
See http://www.vintage.org/vcf for details!
[Last web site update: 02/15/99]
A virus could conceivably alter the volatile parameters in the
BIOS-controlled CMOS parameter table. This would possibly alter the port
configurations and addresses. The MSD is worse than worthless for
diagnosing problems in your PC. It is useful for guessing at what WIndows
might do with what's there. If someone maliciously wanted to fool your
computer into believing it has a configuration that's not valid, it could
change the CMOS parameter memory content and enable the plug-n-pray flag,
such that the system reconfigures its resource assignments differently than
Windows is set to anticipate, which will confuse it.
This sort of thing wouldn't happen if you didn't let vandals and criminals
into your computer facility. People who think it's clever to damage the
content of your computer are no better than those useless wastes of skin
that go around painting graffitti on other people's property.
Dick
-----Original Message-----
From: Jason Willgruber <roblwill(a)usaor.net>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Friday, March 19, 1999 8:40 PM
Subject: Re: Security question (sort of)
>The serial ports are no longer recognized ANYWHERE - in the BIOS, in DOS,
by
>MSD, Windows, anything. I have already re-installed Windows.
>
>A virus planted by a hacker can damage hardware by "eating" at the chips,
or
>just scrambling the code in the chip. (I know someone (Ironically, it's
the
>sister of the person that did this to my computer), who's keyboard
>controller chip got scrambled.
>
>If you noticed the red text on the top of the page, I have removed all of
>the images. I just didn't feel like deleting all the links.
>--
> -Jason Willgruber
> (roblwill(a)usaor.net)
> ICQ#: 1730318
><http://members.tripod.com/general_1>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Sellam Ismail <dastar(a)ncal.verio.com>
>To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
><classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
>Date: Friday, March 19, 1999 6:51 PM
>Subject: OT: Re: Security question (sort of)
>
>
>>On Fri, 19 Mar 1999, Max Eskin wrote:
>>
>>> On Fri, 19 Mar 1999, Jason Willgruber wrote:
>>> >Check out my website:
>>> >
>>> >http://members.tripod.com/general_1
>>> >
>>> In summary, it caused damage to the serial ports. Any computer whose
>>> hardware can be damaged by software in this way should be thrown off the
>>> Empire State Building.
>>
>>I think what Jason may not have initially realized (and maybe still not
>>yet even) is that his Windows system configuration files got screwed and
>>therefore his serial ports are no longer accessible under windows. As far
>>as I know, its impossible to physically damage a serial port through
>>software unless you make it possible by building a device whose soul
>>purpose is to electrically short pins on the serial port on command. And
>>of course, no sane persson would go through the trouble.
>>
>>So all he really needs to do is probably go into the Cntrol Panel, select
>>System, then go to ports, remove the old serial ports (if they are still
>>there) then add them again. Or maybe let windows find them for you with
>>the Add New Hardware icon.
>>
>>BTW, I checked out the web site but all the links are bad. They all end
>>up at a Tripod "page not found" page.
>>
>>Sellam Alternate e-mail:
>dastar(a)siconic.com
>>--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
>---
>>Don't rub the lamp if you don't want the genie to come out.
>>
>> Coming in 1999: Vintage Computer Festival 3.0
>> See http://www.vintage.org/vcf for details!
>> [Last web site update: 02/15/99]
>>
>>
>
I'd certainly like to know what kind of a virus and what kind of chip that
would be. There's little programmable logic on a modern PC, and none of it,
if the board is jumpered as it should be, can be changed by accident or
vandalism.
Please correct me, with details, please, if I'm wrong.
Dick
-----Original Message-----
From: Sellam Ismail <dastar(a)ncal.verio.com>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Friday, March 19, 1999 9:52 PM
Subject: OT: Re: Security question (sort of)
>On Fri, 19 Mar 1999, Jason Willgruber wrote:
>
>> The serial ports are no longer recognized ANYWHERE - in the BIOS, in DOS,
by
>> MSD, Windows, anything. I have already re-installed Windows.
>>
>> A virus planted by a hacker can damage hardware by "eating" at the chips,
or
>> just scrambling the code in the chip. (I know someone (Ironically, it's
the
>> sister of the person that did this to my computer), who's keyboard
>> controller chip got scrambled.
>
>Well, again, unless someone comes forth to edumacate me, there's typically
>no way to destroy hardware from software, unless you count that POKE from
>BASIC on the PET. Also, maybe monitors I guess since you can ruin one by
>running it at the wrong sync rate or what not. But you can't send a "bug"
>out to go munch on a "chip". C'mon, you've been watching that movie
>_Hackers_ too much.
>
>What you probably need to do is reset your BIOS. He probably put a BIOS
>scrambler trojan in your AUTOEXEC.BAT or something. It then executed when
>you reboot and fricked up the BIOS.
>
>> If you noticed the red text on the top of the page, I have removed all of
>> the images. I just didn't feel like deleting all the links.
>
>Well, you only had them up there for a day. From the time I got your
>message to the time I checked the page was only a few hours.
>
>Sellam Alternate e-mail:
dastar(a)siconic.com
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
>Don't rub the lamp if you don't want the genie to come out.
>
> Coming in 1999: Vintage Computer Festival 3.0
> See http://www.vintage.org/vcf for details!
> [Last web site update: 02/15/99]
>
These Motherboards have jumpers which must be set to enable the programming
voltage to the Flash memory. If you make sure the jumper is in the inactive
position, nothing and no one will be able to mess with your BIOS FROM.
Dick
-----Original Message-----
From: Chuck McManis <cmcmanis(a)mcmanis.com>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Friday, March 19, 1999 10:14 PM
Subject: Re: OT: Re: Security question (sort of)
>At 08:46 PM 3/19/99 -0800, Sellam wrote:
>>Well, again, unless someone comes forth to edumacate me, there's typically
>>no way to destroy hardware from software, unless you count that POKE from
>>BASIC on the PET.
>
>"modern" computers have writable BIOS "roms." Malevolent crackers are
>writing bombs these days that scribble bits in nasty places in your BIOS.
>One of the worst is called "last place AWARD" that destroys an AWARD BIOS
>and resets your computer. No bios, no boot, no way to flash a new bios
>without some fairly specialized equipment (to do in circuit Flash
programming.)
>
>--Chuck
>
>
