test-drb May 1999

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

174 participants
659 discussions

VAXStation/MicroVAX 2000 stuff

by donm＠cts.com

About a week ago I was exclaiming my good fortune in being able to have my VAXStation 2000 recognize a plain-vanilla Maxtor XT-2190 as an RD54 and proceed to format it. My concern being that if it did not recognize it, I did not know where to find the data required. I have since found it on www.vaxarchive.com. My intent in formating the 2190 was to install it in my MicroVAX 2000 and have a sort of 'matched set'. I am a bit sadder and wiser now that I have discovered that the MicroVAX is missing a rather large daughter board that resides beneath the motherboard in the VAXStation, and apparently carries the HDC and SCSI controller hardware. This seems to leave using the MicroVAX as a satellite unit to the VAXStation as the only alternative. Tried this, and MicroVAX tried to boot from ESA0 while cabled to the VAXStation, but no-joy. Is the problem that of not having things set up for cluster operation? If so, how do I do that? Keep it rather basic, please. I am pretty ignorant about all this. - don

25 years, 7 months

Tossing

by jlwest＠tseinc.com

>> >> Mike Ford <mikeford(a)netwiz.net> wrote: >> >> > People don't >> >> > value things they get for free. I beg to respectfully differ. I got my PDP-8E for free (PDP-8E cpu, box of spare cards, TU-56 tape drive, Paper tape reader, and a lowboy rack). Not only that, but the collector de-racked and loaded the system in his truck by himself, and offered to drive half way to meet me. I would suspect that this meets anyone's definition of free (ok, so I spent some gas money for me and him and bought him lunch). This system is one of the most treasured in my collection. I have spent many months painstakingly refurbishing the machine to factory new condition. So, I have to say that people *DO* value the things they get for free. Heck, the fact that I got it free makes me value the thing more than if I'd paid real cash for it, at the very least because if evokes fond memories of that day of pleasant historical computing conversation with the donor. And - that is not the only example. A truely kind soul on this list (to whom I am eternally gratefull) sent me an HP2108A cpu and PDP-8E 8K core board for simply shipping charges. There are many other examples. At the very least, since I have received this treatment from others there are times I have already sent out items for free, and there will likely be others in the future. That doesn't mean at ALL that I don't value them. Jay West

25 years, 7 months

UK: VaxStation 3800

by kevan＠heydon.org

I have just been told about a VaxStation 3800 that is being scrapped. It also comes with a couple of cabinets of disks (RA82's and the like), one 5' high and one about 3.5' high. If interested then contact me. It is located in central Cambridge, UK. Kevan

25 years, 7 months

Some finds

by lwalker＠mail.interlog.com

Not to let the moment rewt, I found an IBM AT volume with the diagnostic disk. Also a pristine Apple ImageWriter ll printer to go with my llc and a vol of Toshiba Portable T1600 which according to Rax' law means one is coming my way. ciao larry lwalker(a)interlog.com Let us know of your upcoming computer events for our Events Page. t3c(a)xoommail.com Collectors List and info http://members.xoom.com/T3C

25 years, 7 months

VAXStation/MicroVAX 2000 stuff

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<OK, the MicroVAX has the main board which is mounted solder side up. It <also has the extended memory card, a Network(?) card that connects via two Yes the LANCE chip (NI) is on a smaller paddle board. <40 conductor ribbon cables. What is missing is the large - almost main <board size - board that is situated component side up beneath the main <board, and connects to it via two 40 pin headers (that run parallel to <the 50-pin and 60-pin connectors for tape SCSI and hard and floppy drives <respectively) on the main board. Is that the Video Extension board? Yes. Without it you have mono video or you can run using a serial terminal via the printer port as console. The connector if pin 8 or 9 is grounded tells it to use serial port instead of the video console. I've hard jumpered mine so I can boot and run headless or use a more common cable if I want a serial terminal on the system. the 50 pin is the SCSI the 60 pins is HDC and floppy and the other larger board is the video extension. Without the video board they are the same beast. <Does the position of the Berg jumper about two inches from the rear of the <BNC connector affect the functioning of the storage devices? No. The storage devices are always available if the system probe finds them. It's possible to have a RX33 floppy(TEAC FD55GFV), MFM hard disk, A second RD5X MFM and TAPE(TK50) via a SCSI bridge. NOTE: the scsi is real SCSI hardware wise but the roms(and VMS drivers) do not implement compatable SCSI protocal so the only standard device is the oddball TK50. The SCSI oddity is from the mid 80s when SASI/SCSI was not a clear standard. For hard disks RD54 is the most desireable but v5.x can be trimmed to fit on a 71mb RD53 (DECwindows has to go,as I've got one here that way). Terminal support is via the DB9 printer port. If you can find one there is an adaptor P/N70-23766 that converts the video connector and the printer connector to three RS423 MMJ serial ports. I run all my VAXen to serial ports and a VT1200 DECterm, can't spare the space for the usual VR260/290/320 or larger tubes. Since DECnet does the equivelent telnet (and then some) one or two tubes are enough for support and talk to all of them. Hope this helps. I happen to have three of them, two running VMS and one with Ultrix4.2 on it. To that two MicrovaxIIs, 3 MV3100/M10Es, 1 MV3100/M76 sharing the eithernet with two MS PCs and a Linux PC box. Allison

25 years, 7 months

FS: Review copies of books about microprocessors and microcomputers.

by kstumpf＠unusual.on.ca

OK, the names are: >19. - David Heiserman >Programming in BASIC for the IBM Personal Computer, >1984, Prentice-Hall, hardcover >$4 > >20. - George Markowsky >A Comprehensive Guide to the IBM PC, 1984, Prentice-Hall, softcover >really comprehensive >$5 > >21. - Louis Nashelsky & Rober Boylestad >IBM PC/XT BASIC Programming, 1984, Prentice-Hall, softcover >cute book with nice photographs >$2 > >22. - David Bradley >Assembly Language Programming for the IBM PC, 1984, Prentice-Hall, hardcover >an exceptional intro to assembly language programming for beginners >$5 > >23. - Seamus Dunn & Valerie Morgan >The Apple PC for Beginners, 1982, Prentice-Hall, hardcover >a basic book with an outstanding cover - a must for Apple collectors >$4 > >24. - Vincent Kassab >Apple IIe BASIC programming with Technical Applications, >1985, Prentice-Hall, softcover >$2 > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------- Kevin Stumpf * Unusual systems * www.unusual.on.ca +1.519.744.2900 * EST/EDT GMT - 5 Collector - Commercial Mainframes & Minicomputers from the 50s, 60s, & 70s and control panels and consoles. Author & Publisher - A Guide to Collecting Computers & Computer Collectibles * ISBN 0-9684244-0-6 .

25 years, 7 months

Amiga A1020 5.25" floppy drive (was Re: Atari modem)

by JRichardson＠softwright.co.uk

>> You should be able to find instructions somewhere on the net for >> making the conversion cable necessary to convert a standard PC >> 5 1/4 drive for use on an Amiga. I remember articles to this >> effect ten years ago or so, as the Amiga Transformer PC emulator >> was popular. Well I seem to remember building an external 3.5" drive for my old A500 which was just a couple of buffer chips and nothing more - I'd assume that a 5.25" drive would be similar, no? cheers Jules

25 years, 7 months

Collecting PCs

by ethan_dicks＠yahoo.com

--- Tony Duell <ard(a)p850ug1.demon.co.uk> wrote: > {\gloating I have a set of extender boards, which means that I can > trivially probe points in the 8/e CPU...} I have a couple of extender boards; not enough to do more than one or two OMNIBUS modules at a time. At least I have a couple of dual-height boards for the FLIP-CHIP boxes, too. > Anyway, even without extenders it's not too bad. Remember that you can > start without the EAE cards. But I _always_ start without the EAE. Never had one to play with. :-( > That means the CPU is one single card (M8330 timing) and a pair of cards >(M8300 and M8310) strapped together. They can go _anywhere_ in the omnibus, I hadn't really thought of that. My box is not so crowded that I can't make the extra room. It's a CPU, two 4K stacks, a SLU and a TD8E (and sometimes an RX8E). This is with two backplanes! I can only imagine that somewhere, someone got some goodies. > RIght. The RL8A won't go in an 8/e box, although electrically it should > work. It should (never tried), but for short-term use, a quad extender should do the trick. > The RK8E does, of course.... Never had one of those either. I have a 16-sector F pack that I got in 1984 and have not had the equipment to read. I'd love to know what's on it. -ethan _____________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Free instant messaging and more at http://messenger.yahoo.com

25 years, 7 months

VAXStation/MicroVAX 2000 stuff

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<After powerup testing, the uVAX displays: < <83 SYSTEM BOOT < <-ESA0 < <54 SYSTEM ERROR (The number is right, but text may be wrong.) < <It then repeats -- endlessly. That means it tries to boot via the net, and no one is home. <Yes, VMS v5.5. Tried that and nothing on VAXstation screen. < <At this point, I guess I need to double check on what VMS options are <installed and go accordingly, ala Tim and Zane. For remote boot the client must be know to the host so that the right files are delivered. There will be configuration files on the host for that. Try HELP if memory serves there is mention. Vax docs are a must for this. Allison

25 years, 7 months

New Finds

by jrkeys＠concentric.net

Today I found the manuals for the PX-8 I got over the weekend at another thrift, talk about strange luck.

25 years, 7 months

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test-drb May 1999