test-drb October 2001

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

259 participants
770 discussions

electronics/computer surplus in Virginia?

by mranalog＠home.com

"Brian Knittel" <brian(a)quarterbyte.com> wrote: > Does anyone know of any electronics / computer surplus > and/or computer / electronics recycling companies > in the greater Portsmouth - Norfolk - Virginia Beach - > Suffolk - Chesapeake, Virginia area? Try the US Navy. http://www.drms.com/ DRMO Norfolk http://www.drms.dla.mil/drmo/site/national/norfolk.pdf --Doug ========================================= Doug Coward @ home in Poulsbo, WA Analog Computer Online Museum and History Center http://www.best.com/~dcoward/analog =========================================

23 years, 8 months

That awful Spectrum keyboard

by acme_ent＠bellsouth.net

Iggy wrote: > So now I've got a working Speccy, with a luxurious on/off switch and all. > The keyboard is... interesting. > So far I've worked out how to generate all characters on the keytops (letters, > keywords and symbols) using CAPS SHIFT or SYMBOL SHIFT. I've also discovered > how to print the keywords listed above each key, by pressing both SHIFT keys > in order to enter the "E" input mode. But I'm lost as to how to print the > keywords and characters listed below the keys. No combinations of SHIFT keys > seem to work out. Hold down the Caps Shift key. Tap the Symbl Shift key. Release the Caps Shift key. (Now you're in "E" mode) Hold down the Symbl Shift key. Press the key with the character or keyword you want to obtain. It's a lot easier than it sounds ;>) Glen 0/0

23 years, 8 months

weekend additions

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

After a long dry spell of not finding anything, finally found some stuff. Got an RS digital computer kit off ebay for only $3 and at the local thrift store got a PS/2 model 30 286 with the original keys still in the lock. got a laser 128 complete in box that looks hardly used and a laser 128ex with a broken key, but thankfully didnt get lost. -- DB Young Team OS/2 old computers, hot rod pinto and more at: www.nothingtodo.org

23 years, 8 months

what RAM for this printer memory board?

by ysgdhio＠yahoo.com

I just got a memory board for my HP IIIp. The board only has 2MB on it, but there are 2 rows of empty 20-pin sockets that lead me to believe I can add another 2MB for a total of 4MB. I'd like to do that in the most cost-efficient way possible. The board is marked "(C) 1991 Pacific Data Products" and "P/N 012186". The soldered-in RAM is mostly marked "HY534256S-70", although three chips are "HY534256S-80"(?) Thanks in advance.

23 years, 8 months

List Maintenance

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Oct 21, 12:10, Mike Ford wrote: > This fear of spam always amazes me. [...] > Just hit delete, or > in the case of "real" spam drop the email into one of the antispam sites > and let the software go after the sender. It's not "fear" of spam, just simple irritation. I'm perfectly capable of hitting a delete key and using antispam sites, but I don't see why I should have to. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

23 years, 8 months

That awful Spectrum keyboard

by optimus＠canit.se

I found a keyboard-less Spectrum at the salvation army, and I got it at only 15 SEK. Great price, that's about one GBP. So I proceeded to mix and match a working Spectrum out of one and the one I already own. The keyboard ribbons on my old one were really beat up, so I took the matrix (and ribbons) off the one without a keyboard and transplanted it into the old one, which turned out to work this time. It was probably just a disagreement with an AC-DC adaptor or the tuner in the TV. So now I've got a working Speccy, with a luxurious on/off switch and all. The keyboard is... interesting. So far I've worked out how to generate all characters on the keytops (letters, keywords and symbols) using CAPS SHIFT or SYMBOL SHIFT. I've also discovered how to print the keywords listed above each key, by pressing both SHIFT keys in order to enter the "E" input mode. But I'm lost as to how to print the keywords and characters listed below the keys. No combinations of SHIFT keys seem to work out. -- En ligne avec Thor 2.6a. Iggy tipsar: Vill du l?sa en PDF-fil, men saknar l?sare, skicka den till pdf2txt(a)adobe.com, du f?r den tillbaka som ren ASCII till din epostadress.

23 years, 8 months

DEC Lab 11/40

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Oct 21, 9:41, Bob Shannon wrote: > Ah, you have a VT-11! > > Very collectable! Not to say "spacewar-capable" :-) Providing I can find some PDP-11 code -- I don't fancy recoding it, given only the PDP-1 assembly listing. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

23 years, 8 months

PCjr Stuff

by technos＠nerdland.org

Yep. The only restriction on Linus's final blessed tarball is a MMU. ELKS (and several other embedded/handheld ports) don't. ELKS will run on MMU less 'Intel' systems. I had it going on an overclocked V20 for a while. Jim On Monday, October 22, 2001 3:13 PM, Tony Duell [SMTP:ard@p850ug1.demon.co.uk] wrote: > > > Given enough RAM (640K?), is there any good reason why ELKS couldn't be > > > ported to the PCjr? > > > > > > No, I am not volunteering to try it.... > > > > > > -tony > > > > > > I believe that all versions of Linux require a 32+ bit processor to run. > > I thought the whole point of ELKS was that it didn't need the MMU of the > 386+ (it's that, rather than the 32 bit operations, that is the real > reason that full linux won't run on a 286 or below, I think). > > One problem with running ELKS (or Minix) on the PCjr is the keyboard. > It's very software-intensive -- the IR datastream goes to the NMI pin on > the CPU (and maybe to an input port, I would have to check the techref). > It's up to the CPU to work out the timing of the pulses and decode it. > This could be 'interesting' if running a multitasking OS :-)... > > -tony

23 years, 8 months

List Maintenance

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

Mike, I had to abandon the former world.std.com account as I was getting between 55-60 UCE/SPAM a day. After a while even wholesale deletes take too long. Whats this address your babbleling about as this address is getting on average 3-5 UCE/SPAM a day. This bugs me as I've taken pains to keep it out of circulation. Allison -----Original Message----- From: Mike Ford <mikeford(a)socal.rr.com> To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org <classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org> Date: Sunday, October 21, 2001 4:20 PM Subject: Re: List Maintenance >>Some time ago, there was a discussion about address munging. I've noticed >>recently (ie the last few months) a large increase in spam arriving here, >>possibly correlated to my postings to the list. It not a really big deal, >>but I wondered if it's possible to anti-spamify my email address in list >>postings? > >This fear of spam always amazes me. I sign up at every idiot contest site I >find on the web (I won $3 of gas from Havoline), and I never get more than >half a dozen spam emails a day out of a hundred or so real emails on >important topics like replaceing the cord vs connector. Just hit delete, or >in the case of "real" spam drop the email into one of the antispam sites >and let the software go after the sender. > >

23 years, 8 months

GenRad Futuredata

by clandrum＠monumental.com

I have two Genrad Futuredata 2300 systems and accompanying software and am hunting for other owners. Specifically, I am looking for a 2716 or 2732 EPROM burner that these units supported. This was a small box with a ZIF socket that conected to a Microkit board on the Futuredata S100 bus. I have software for these machines and can exchange for leads on an EPROM box. - Craig Landrum CTO Mindwrap, Inc. home: clandrum(a)monumental.com work: craigl(a)mindwrap.com 540-675-3015 x 229

23 years, 8 months

OT: power & ground for wirewrap boards

by zaft＠azstarnet.com

Gang, Sorry for the offtopic post, but I need y'alls expertise... I've got a wirewrap SBC that I'm working on (6502-based system). I've got my wirewrapping skills down pretty well and that part is not a problem. For the power and ground connections for each chip, a friend suggested I should solder 16-gauge wire from a tie point or the power connector straight to each chip and/or its bypass cap. The only 16-gauge wire I have is stranded, and it's a mess to work with -- too large to work with easily and the strands mean it won't really bend and stay on the tie point or pin. Can someone who's done this successfully tell me how I should do this? Thanks! Gordon

23 years, 8 months

Archiving floppies?

by zaft＠azstarnet.com

Does anyone have any recommendations on software (preferably free) for archiving old DOS floppies? What I'd like to do is to be able to make disk images of all (okay, maybe just 'many') of the old DOS floppies I have so that if they disks get trashed or the bits fall off I can remake 'em. I'm assuming I'd probably be making these archives from a Windoze box although DOS or even FreeBSD or Linux is a possibility. Thanks in advance. GZ

23 years, 8 months

Are office people really that, umm shall we say...slow?

by mythtech＠Mac.com

> I just went to a local computer show today. I was happy to find that a > few vendors had components available from disassembled computers or > whatever. I picked up a 3com 3C905-TX PCI ethernet card, an ATI Mach64 > video card, and a very nice Sound Blaster 16, all used of course. The > Mach64 had "Monitor" written in marker on the slot cover. Do office > people really need to remind themselves where to plug the monitor in? I > have also seen a 3.5" floppy drives marked "hard drive a:" and the 5.25" > floppy, marked, "floppy drive b:". What's the deal? Yes... they really are that dumb... at least the ones that I have to support here are. I regularly have to mark cables and drives, or they screw things up. It seems to most staff here, if it doesn't fit, force it... so the fact that most cables only fit in one place doesn't stop them (I have found VGA monitors plugged into MALE 9 pin serial ports... yes, it can be done... lots and lots of force, but it can be done!). Of course, sometimes labeling everything can backfire... thanks to my efforts to make my offices idiot proof (make something idiot proof, and they'll build a bigger idiot)... my boss now thinks EVERYTHING can be made that way... he routinely complains that he needs written directions on how to fix problems with the WIndows NT network... so in case something unexpected goes wrong while I am out of the office, they can fix it. He doesn't grasp the difference between looking for a port marked "Mouse" and diagnosing Win NT problems. So yes, office people CAN be that dumb. -chris <http://www.mythtech.net>

23 years, 8 months

email problems

by dittman＠directlink.net

Those of you I've been communicating with, my email is having problems due to my new ISP (GTE/Verizon) having messed up my DNS entries and not having any weekend DNS support (that sure surprised me!). If you need to contact me and mail to my usual email fails, try dittman(a)directlink.net. Thanks. -- Eric Dittman dittman(a)dittman.net Check out the DEC Enthusiasts Club at http://www.dittman.net/

23 years, 8 months

Looking for Videobrain system

by ebay＠gowebway.com

Picked one of these up today, didn't know what it was so figured it had to be good. Looks like that was a good bet. If anyone has carts, power supply, or joysticks for this that they'd like to sell, please contact me. If anyone want to place an offer for it, please send them to ebay(a)gowebway.com. I will be placing this item on ebay once I am certain it works. I will let you know when I list it if you send me an email. Thanks for any info.

23 years, 8 months

DEC Lab 11/40

by spedraja＠ono.com

The day I could get one complete from the UK I'll can't believe it. Good luck and Greetings Sergio Pedraja Santander Spain -----Mensaje original----- De: Kevin Murrell <kevin(a)xpuppy.freeserve.co.uk> Para: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org <classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org> Fecha: domingo, 21 de octubre de 2001 17:05 Asunto: RE: DEC Lab 11/40 >Good news about another 11 rescued in the UK! > >Quick point about the cables to the RK05s - they look the same as the unibus >cables, but DO NOT plug into the bus! > >If we can help with some more RK05 packs and a copy of RT-11 let me know. > >Kevin Murrell > >> -----Original Message----- >> From: owner-classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org >> [mailto:owner-classiccmp@classiccmp.org]On Behalf Of Pete Turnbull >> Sent: 21 October 2001 12:29 >> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers >> Subject: DEC Lab 11/40 >> >> >> On Thursday I took possession of a DEC Lab 11/40 system. I've >> not had time >> to clean it up and check it out yet, but it was reputedly working >> when last >> used (well, I suppose it would have been, wouldn't it?). >> >> Actually, that's not quite true, as I'm told someone plugged a terminal in >> the wrong way, apparently blew something up, and got no output -- I hope >> they mean something simple like the RS232 line drivers have gone. >> >> The system consists of two racks about 4' high. One contains the 11/40 in >> a 12U box, with a power controller below and an LPS11 above. The other >> contains a pair of RK05 drives and power controller. There's a GT11 >> display on the top of the 11/40 rack, and a TS03 magtape unit on >> the other. >> The system came with stacks of documentation but only one RK05 >> pack. I've >> not had time to make a thorough inventory of the docs yet, but >> they seem to >> include most of the processor/memory/interface engineering drawings and >> maintenance manuals, and something like four complete or almost complete >> sets of RT-11 manuals, for various vintages from 2.0 to 4.0. Also a pile >> of printed MAINDEC listings (no microfiche, sadly. Anybody got any >> microfiche they want to pass on?) >> >> I've not had time to do anything yet, apart from check the boards in the >> 11/40 (pretty standard, with EIS but not FIS, no stack limit register or >> MMU, no KM11, but it does have the KW11-L programmable LTC). It has a >> DL11-A (20mA interface for console) and a DL11-something (RS232), 2 x 16KW >> core sets in one backplane, a DUP11-A synchronous interface (what >> can I use >> this for?), a TMB11 tape controller, and an RK11-D controller for the >> drives. The last backplane in the box contains cards not listed in the >> Field Guide (neither are the memory cards in this machine, so I'll send >> Megan an update) but I think they're for the GT11: M7014-YA, A320, and >> M7013, all hex-height. >> >> I've had a very cursory look over the machine, and the only >> things I notice >> that want some attention before I think about powering it up are a section >> of frayed insulation on the power loom to the BA-11 box, a lot of dust >> everywhere (how surprising!), and some kinks in the unibus cable that >> connects to the RK05s. I plan to vacuum out the dust, ix the insulation, >> and check the PSUs before I do anything else. I'm no Unibus or RK05 >> expert; most of my -11s are Q-bus. What else should I look for >> before I go >> too far? >> >> I mentioned I only got one disk pack -- it's an original RT-11 >> distribution >> and I don't want to risk that in an unknown drive. Anyway, I know for a >> fact it's been dropped (the owner told me). I have since acquired 4 more >> packs, three of which came from the same machine originally. Anything I >> should look out for before trying them? I thought it might be wise to >> check the RK05 heads and perhaps clena them with IPA before I do anything >> else. >> >> -- >> Pete Peter Turnbull >> Network Manager >> University of York >> > >

23 years, 8 months

PowerWare 6000 UPS

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

Probably off-topic due to (lack of) age, but... I have inherited a PowerWare Prestige 6000 UPS. Anyone have any experience of these? It doesn't seem to like my mains supply. It trips the 16A (240V supply) breaker as soon as I turn it on, whether I have two, one, or no battery packs connected, and with or without any load. I've followed the procedures in the manual. It's rated for 19A at 240V, so I'm going to try a larger breaker; I'm told it always did have a large switch-on surge. Any other clues? -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

23 years, 8 months

Are office people really that, umm shall we say...slow?

by acme_ent＠bellsouth.net

Iggy wrote: > I'm doing a Tony here, but... > Is replacing the connector/cable on a modern monitor so difficult that it > can't be accomplished without sending it away? In many cases, including the situation Russ is referring to, it's a matter of a manufacturers warranty. If I do *anything* to the monitor, and two weeks later the tube dies, the customer has no warranty rights. It's in the customer's best interest for us to send the monitor back to the maker for repair. Glen 0/0

23 years, 8 months

email problems

by dittman＠dittman.net

23 years, 8 months

Are office people really that, umm shall we say...slow?

by rdd＠smart.net

"Wayne M. Smith" <wmsmith(a)earthlink.net> wrote: > Also, if neither CRT has been on for a week, how much charge > likely remains? Quite possibly a substantial charge... to verify this, perform a case study: convince a clueless office PeeCee "expert", or some random Micro$oft-brained IT manager, to wet their fingers and touch the right places. Figuring out a suitable explanation to make this agreeable to them shouldn't be too difficult - after all, the unit is safely unplugged from the mains socket, right? ;-) This will also demonstrate the correlation between failures of evolution and modern hiring practices. RDD -- Copyright (C) 2001 R. D. Davis The difference between humans & other animals: All Rights Reserved an unnatural belief that we're above Nature & rdd(a)rddavis.net 410-744-4900 her other creatures, using dogma to justify such http://www.rddavis.net beliefs and to justify much human cruelty.

23 years, 8 months

anyone in the greater KC area interested in classic computers

by ghldbrd＠ccp.com

Just wondering you any of you guys know other in the KC Missouri/Kansas area interested in starting an informal classic computer group/club? Within a convenient radius is Omaha, NE, Des Moines, IA, and Topeka KS as well. As the usual sources of older equipment seems to be drying up, maybe those of us with an educated eye can network a bit more efficiently around here. Spread the word and have those parties e-mail me. Gary Hildebrand WA7KKP St. Joseph, MO

23 years, 8 months

Are office people really that, umm shall we say...slow?

by Lee.Davison＠merlincommunications.com

Speaking of which, I'm planning to replace a CRT this weekend and naturally don't want to get a big shock. I've read that one way to discharge a CRT is to use a well insultated screw driver with an alligator clip/wire on the shaft of the driver comnnected to ground, and then insert the end of the driver under the suction cup where the anode meets the tube. Any thoughts on this approach? Don't connect to ground, connect directly to the wires that rest on the coating on the back of the tube. This will ensure that you discharge the tube. Also, if neither CRT has been on for a week, how much charge likely remains? Up to all of it. Also be aware that a tube that has been disconnected for any length of time may self charge due to electrolyte stresses. Not enough to harm you but enough to make you drop the tube in surprise. Lee. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- This email is intended only for the above named addressee(s). The information contained in this email may contain information which is confidential. The views expressed in this email are personal to the sender and do not in any way reflect the views of the company. If you have received this email and you are not a named addressee please delete it from your system and contact Merlin Communications International IT Department on +44 20 7344 5888. _____________________________________________________________________ This message has been checked for all known viruses by Star Internet delivered through the MessageLabs Virus Scanning Service. For further information visit http://www.star.net.uk/stats.asp or alternatively call Star Internet for details on the Virus Scanning Service.

23 years, 8 months

NCR X-Station?

by donm＠cts.com

At swap today I picked up a neat little package made by AT&T/NCR in the early '90s. The package is 9.75W x 9D x 1.25H and looks rather like a book. The front carries only a push switch and an LED, while the rear has DB25F Parallel, RJ? and DB25F EIA, RJ? AUX, HDE15 VIDEO, and RJ? and OS/2 KEYBOARD connectors plus a concentric power input connector. There is an Intel 80C32 microcontroller, various static RAM chips, and a specialized NCR/ADDS SMD chip that pointed to X-Station information via Google. Anyone ever run across one of these critters and have any information on it? Also picked up a dual port SGX full length network card using DA15M connectors. I was intrigued by it carrying an NEC V50 PLCC chip. First I had seen. - don

23 years, 8 months

Computer collectors meeting in The Netherlands 27 oct.

by kees.stravers＠iae.nl

Hi, I don't know if it has been mentioned here already, sorry for the dupe if it has been. The members of the Dutch computer collectors mailing list CVML are having a computer swap meeting for the third time this year. The focus will be on trading, where the members will bring machines they don't want anymore (and of course a few to show off with :) ). The list members mostly collect 8 bit micros from the 80's. Last time the meeting was a great success for me, I arrived there with a van filled with computers, and I left with only one :) The meeting will be held on october the 27th in the TwinType building at the Valkenierslaan 47 in Breda from 10.00 to 20.00 hours. There is a (Dutch language) web site at http://www.xs4all.nl/~rimmer/cvml/ For more information you can mail ton.brands(a)xs4all.nl Grtz, Kees. -- kees.stravers(a)iae.nl http://home.iae.nl/users/pb0aia/ http://www.vaxarchive.org Net-Tamer V 1.08.1 - Registered

23 years, 8 months

Are office people really that, umm shall we say...slow?

by mythtech＠Mac.com

>> expect a regular office person (and in some cases, even a regular IT >> person) to be able to do it. > >Office person, sure. But an IT person who couldn't solder a connector >gets no respect from me at all.... I don't disagree, but unfortuantly, Windows Crap OS and sleep thru "certifications" have bread countless morons that are now employed as IT managers. My company did a survey a number of years ago... college students, Computer majors and professors only... The LACK of knowledge, or simply WRONG knowledge coming out of these people was frightening, frightening to the core that these people were going to graduate and get jobs running the IT infrastructure of the US corportations. The only good thing that came of it, it finally convinced my boss that a college education didn't mean jack... which got me a raise (being a college drop out myself) -chris <http://www.mythtech.net>

23 years, 8 months

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test-drb October 2001