test-drb October 2000

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

184 participants
568 discussions

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

>Hello all, my name is Gene Buckle and I run the Commercial CP/M Software >Archive at http://deltasoft.fife.wa.us/cpm. > >This list was pointed out to me by a nice gent on comp.os.cpm. I've got a >MicroVAX II that I need drives for. Both of my RD54 drives have pretty >much given up the ghost. I'd like to obtain a SCSI board for it since my >chances of getting a pair of RD54 drives are fairly slim. :) If anyone >knows where I can get one, please let me know. RD54s are Maxtor2190s 159mb 1224 cyl, 15 heads. You can substitute other MFM dives if you can find the formatter (or a MV2000 to use as formatter). VMS is fairly tolerent of different drives, NetBSD does too. >rx55[?] two 8 port serial boards (DHV-11's I think) and a DEQUNA ethernet RX55? do you mean RX50 (dual 5.25 SSDD 96tpi) or RX33 (5.25 teac fd55GFV that does both RC50 and 1.2mb RX33)? Allison

25 years

Need help or service manual for RS COCO mini disk 26-3022...

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

>I am sure there was a service manual for these, RS had a service manual for >almost everything they sold back then including stuff like calculators!...I >actually bought a lot of about 300 at one point and threw them all out after >a few years not using them.... > >Thanks for the reply >Claude Contact RS, they may still have manuals. The TEC201 is unfamiliar to me but the mechanism sounds like the Shugart by a different name. The alternate solution is a newer 48tpi drive jumperd as needed. Allison

25 years

Greetings!

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

>At 22:55 14-10-2000 -0700, you wrote: > >>Hello all, my name is Gene Buckle and I run the Commercial CP/M Software >>Archive at http://deltasoft.fife.wa.us/cpm. Gene, welcome to classiccmp. Say Hi to Tim O. too. Allison

25 years

Microvax II

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

Ok, lets try this way. You want to use a disgustingly large drive (Larger than 8GB) on a Qbus controller. First problem, do you have a SCSI-(anything) that knows and can handle drives larger 4 or 8GB regardless of the connector? Assuming you have that covered, can you back it up in an average lifetime? Allison From: Jerome Fine <jhfine(a)idirect.com> > >> >Anyone out there who wants to try? I would be very pleased to >> >swap some of my time for a couple of SCSI 32 GByte hard drives >> >to test out the software. The only problem is that the only SCSI >> >host adapters I have are the 50 pin type (CQD 220/M), so there >> I've run my PDP11 with SCSI CQD already as it's MSCP, Same >> for VAX/VMS (it's in my MVII). > >Jerome Fine replies: > >It seem like we agree. The question I was asking was whether or not >SCSI-2 drives with the 50 pin interface are made that have a capacity >of more than 9.2 Gbytes such as the ST410800N - preferably at >least 16 GBytes are maybe even 32 Gbytes. Since I already know >about this Seagate drive and I agree that is is reasonable in cost, it >is the larger drives that I am asking about - sorry if I was not clear >as to the question. > >> It's limited to 4 or 8gb and SCSI-II so forget the reall monster drives. > >Are you sure? Is anyone aware of larger drives that still use the 50 pin >SCSI-2 interface? > >> The idea of such huge drive with RT11 and friends is that is wasted. >> I use D540s (31mb) and swap them like carts as I have a bunch of em >> and they are plenty big enough. Drives in the 120-400MB range are >> plentyful for me, one 200mb drive would take all the binaries and >> sources I have with room to spare that aren't already on Tims CD. >> Whats the point? > >The point is that maybe you are not the only person who runs with >drives that are so small. And while I agree with you that probably >most RT-11 or TSX-PLUS users do not use drives even as large >as 2 GBytes (I use a 600 MByte drive myself and find that is normally >more than enough capacity), there may be a few who could benefit >from even larger drives. The problem with the standard MSCP >DU(X).SYS device driver in RT-11 is that the software limits the user >to easily using drives that are smaller than 8 GBytes. While I know >that you are aware of the limitation, the actual question I asked is >if MSCP allows the hardware use of drives up to a 32 bit block >number? Again, I obviously did not make my question clear >enough since you did not answer it. Namely, if the DU(X).SYS >device driver in RT-11 could handle sending more than a 24 bit >block number to the hard disk drive via the use of SET commands >(which would allow a partition number with more than 8 bits), could >the hardware handle that? > >I did not say that everyone would want to make use of that feature >if it were possible - I know that you will not and I will not. I was >just asking if it were possible and maybe someone might want >to do so? > >I guess that the point I am trying to make is that I enjoy a software >challenge whereas you enjoy a hardware challenge. I look a >some hardware and see what is. You look at the same hardware >and see what could be. I guess that I do the same with software. >Then I also go ahead and try make it work. Many times, I actually >can enhance or fix software just as you make changes to the hardware. >Can we agree on that? > >Sincerely yours, > >Jerome Fine >

25 years

Need help or service manual for RS COCO mini disk 26-3022...

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

>At least around here, the very FIRST drives that RS made available for the >Coco were Shugart SA400s. That is a 35 track drive with the spiral groove >disk. Allison pointed out that there was a later model (SA400L) that >could handle 40 track. BTW, if you have decent machine shop capabilities, >the SA400 could easily be modified for more tracks, but it is NOT a >handheld Dremel task. Actually if you have SA400s better to replace them with most anything else unless it's strict preservation. I still have a few for that reason. Those things were horrid. >Later drives around here included Tandon (TM100-1)? and TEC. Tandon uses The TM100 was far better. >Was the "TEC" label on the drive itself, or on the case (possibly a drive >had been changed?) Likely TEC on the outer case, thats why I said open it and see if they are SA400s. Allison

25 years

Need help or service manual for RS COCO mini disk 26-3022...

by claudew＠sprint.ca

>>These are the 1st floppy disks for the COCO made by RS. The units are >>TEC FB-201. >> >>Large full size mounted on their side in silver case with power supply. > >> >>When dskinit (format) command issued, they go about 35 tracks then an >>error is reported on the COCO screen. > > >You sure it isn't the first drives for the TRS-80? The symptom would be >the older SA400 drives designed for 35 track operation used within. >The later drives were SA400Ls that were designed for 40 track operation. >Both used the spiral groove cam but one was a bit different. > >Open up the box and see which you have. > >The other possibility is old (really old) media ment for the 35 track >drives and this media has a smaller "window" in the jacket that will >limit head travel. > >>They can't read a disk formatted on a good drive. > > >That suggests teh head follower is out of the groove or >the stepper has been rotated or other wear probems. > >>These drives use a plastic disc with a "spiral" grove stuck to the >>stepper motor shaft to step the head along. I have seen this in Apple II >>drives, it seemed reliable...but I have been told these RS drives were >>not really realiable... > > >SA400 drives were very poor over time for reliability. You would >need an alignment disk to set it up or lot of trial and error assuming >the head moves freely on it guide rails. > >Allison Cant see SA400 anywhere...TEC FB-201 only thing I see... They have "TRS80 Color Computer MIni Disk" in front of case. They are listed by catalog no. on COCO web sites as being the 1st drives put out for the COCO. Problematic but no hints given to fix them... They don't "look" like they have been used a lot. Looks like everything is working as far as the "groove cam" is concerned.... If it was wear and "slack" in the groove or other parts , I think I should be able to have it "track" and do small reads when playing around with the step motor alignement...no? It look almost like nothing is being written or read at all...perhaps a failure in the electronics... Test points are "identified" on the board with abbreviations...I will probe these out "blindly" trying to figure out what's happening if I get no other hints... I am sure there was a service manual for these, RS had a service manual for almost everything they sold back then including stuff like calculators!...I actually bought a lot of about 300 at one point and threw them all out after a few years not using them.... Thanks for the reply Claude

25 years

Need help or service manual for RS COCO mini disk 26-3022...

by claudew＠sprint.ca

Hi These are the 1st floppy disks for the COCO made by RS. The units are TEC FB-201. Large full size mounted on their side in silver case with power supply. When dskinit (format) command issued, they go about 35 tracks then an error is reported on the COCO screen. They can't read a disk formatted on a good drive. I checked speed and tried to ajust alignement by moving head stepper motor, could not read to good disk...no improvement These drives use a plastic disc with a "spiral" grove stuck to the stepper motor shaft to step the head along. I have seen this in Apple II drives, it seemed reliable...but I have been told these RS drives were not really realiable... I have two. I would really like to get them going again...I hate keeping stuff in my vintage computer collection that does not work... Thanks for reading Claude

25 years

RL02 Sanity Check

by jeff.kaneko＠juno.com

Hmm, okay. That means mine's broke then. I powered it up, pack in place, heads retracted. The fan comes on, the "READY" lite comes on, but it doesn't sound like it's spinning up. No "FAULT" lite. I pull the pack (heads still retracted), and turn it on whilst fooling the pack inserted/door closed switch. The spindle turns *very* slowly, and then stops. With the rear cover off, it looks like it does the same thing with the pack inserted, and cover closed. I haven't plugged this thing into a live host interface yet; I'm just trying to see if everything's okay first. I read somewhere that it gets it's spindle motor clock >from the RLV12/11). Jeff On Fri, 13 Oct 2000 10:04:26 -0400 Jerome Fine <jhfine(a)idirect.com> writes: > >Jeffrey l Kaneko wrote: > > > I realize this falls into the category of stupid > > questions, but: > > The RL02 has to be plugged into a *live* RLV12 > > before it will spin-up, right? > > Jerome Fine replies: > > NO! But the RED FAULT light will be ON if the RL02 is > not plugged into the RLV12 (or RLV11) and the CPU is > not powered on. > > Sincerely yours, > > Jerome Fine > ________________________________________________________________ YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.

25 years

A LART is needed (was: VCF 4.0)

by fauradon＠mn.mediaone.net

I gues that was not you I had in mind, after all I bought your portfolio which in my opinion was rightly priced for the content. (did you ever find that parallel port?) The seller I was refering to had the biggest booth of all and the most inflated prices I have ever seen. For reference the name started with "Computer" and ended in "Jones", That's the guy who didn't want to sell at the VCF. I don't know where he comes from but I have never ever ever seen a dealer in used "crap" refusing to bargain. And that really pissed me off (here you go Sellam another example of where cussing IS appropriate). That's the dude I hope had to take his load back home. He's a buisness and should know better. If he wants "ebay prices" (TM) for his stuff, he should sell on ebay or out of his store or whaterver hole in the wall he normally operates from. A hobby meeting is for hobbyists where you unload stuff you don't want anymore and sell at a reasonable price so you're not out of pocket. If a business wants to participate, they should undrstand the spirit of the event and be willing to play by the rules. I could go on but I have a meeting to attend My rant Francois >> >Let's see, how would you name a meeting where several buyers went >> >home with new toys at acceptable prices (a TRS 80 M1 with expansion >> >box, printer and all dust covers (!) at USD 30 isn't realy overpriced) >> >and some pricepushing dealer went home with their entire stock ? >> > >> I just Wish I could have seen his face when he was packing his stuff back. >> I hope he swore to never make it back. > >I don't think that my prices were THAT bad! We made a lot of people >happy, got rid of a few boxes of old class handout reprints from Dr. >Dobbs, and found homes for a few items (PCJrs, Portfolio, etc.). At the >end of the day, I sold my entire remaining stock that I had brought down >to a colleague who is starting a collection (OSI, N*'s, Compupro, etc) for >a preset price. He still owes me one more pizza. > > >Sellam puts on a fantastic event (calling it a "great fucking show" could >be miscontrued). I shall return. > >-- >Grumpy Ol' Fred cisin(a)xenosoft.com >

25 years

Intel MDS 225 (1st post)

by b.layer＠vikingelectronics.com

Greetings, I subbed this list because I was given a rather large & heavy old machine which the owner refers to as an "Intel MDS225" and I am totally devoid of any official information about it. It consists of a large, white, main unit, which houses a CRT display, power supply and a bank of slots, several of which are occupied by plug-in cards. The unit also includes a separate keyboard, and a dual 8" floppy drive housed in a cabinet (which is blue in color), and fits underneath the main unit. Also supplied is a set of hardware that I believe is for in-circuit emulation of an i8048 microprocessor. As I understand it, this machine was used to develop firmware for several products which were controlled by 8048 / 8749 micros. The owner also said that it runs (or ran, I have not put power to it) the ISIS operating system. So what have I got here, and to what potentially interesting use might I put it? Was it worth the agony of dragging it home and up the steps? :) Thanks, Bill Layer Sales Technician <b.layer(a)vikingelectronics.com> +----------------------------------+ Viking Electronics, Inc. 1531 Industrial St. Hudson, WI. 54016 - U.S.A 715.386.8861 ext. 210 <http://www.vikingelectronics.com> +----------------------------------+ "Telecom Solutions for the 21st Century"

25 years

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test-drb October 2000