test-drb December 2001

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

243 participants
1096 discussions

by mythtech＠Mac.com

Ugh... this takes the cake. I was pulling apart a 486 logic board, and I pulled the heat sink off the chip... to be greated with an AMD 486 chip with "Made for Microsoft Windows" and the Windows logo stamped on it. What... no other OS is supposed to use an intel compatible processor?!? I am sure anyone that bought this chip to use with any other OS probably paid an MS tax because of that stamp! Just for that, I think I might see if I can get my Intel build of Rhapsody to install on it. Ok, so it isn't 10 years or older, but at least you people can understand the pain. -c

22 years, 9 months

Hardest to Find Classic Computers (Was: RE: Way OT: Just

by mcguire＠neurotica.com

On December 16, Huw Davies wrote: > The problem with the Alphabook was that it's not exactly fast and > the battery life is short. They are also hard to find and expensive > should you find one. I suspect that a 1GHz laptop will run a VAX > emulation faster than the Alphabook with better battery life too. Yes but then you'd have the embarrassment of being seen carrying a PeeCee around. That's a hangin' offense around here! ;) -Dave -- Dave McGuire St. Petersburg, FL "Less talk. More synthohol." --Lt. Worf

22 years, 9 months

[PDP8-Lovers] how to clean a PDP8/A, dishwasher?

by mcguire＠neurotica.com

On December 15, Pete Turnbull wrote: > No normal detergent will attack ordinary plastics or epoxies. Some > industrial detergent powders include caustic ingedients, and (mainly for > that reason, and because they can harm skin) are banned from domestic sale > in the UK, and also, I beieve, in the USA. In general, any home-use > detergent safe to use on your skin, clothes, etc, is safe on PCBs and > electronics. Alconox Inc. makes a few different cleaning compounds specifically for PCBs and electronic components. -Dave -- Dave McGuire St. Petersburg, FL "Less talk. More synthohol." --Lt. Worf

22 years, 9 months

Flashing Light Indicators un Simple Front Panels

by mcguire＠neurotica.com

On December 15, Pete Turnbull wrote: > Actually, I think that's a good suggestion, if you can find someone with > the same ROMs. In my experience, most programmers actually do use the same > algorithm -- one of the common CRCs. At least, all three programmers I > regularly use do, and the checksums match the ones printed on SGI ROMs and > a few other ROMs I have that have printed checksums. Hmm..lucky. ;) My Data-I/O 2900, Heath 4801, and printed checksums on my SGI I2's ROMs don't match. -Dave -- Dave McGuire St. Petersburg, FL "Less talk. More synthohol." --Lt. Worf

22 years, 9 months

Flashing Light Indicators un Simple Front Panels

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Dec 15, 14:29, Dave McGuire wrote: > What kind of ROMs does it use? Another possibility might be to find > someone with the same model of PR1ME (how rare are they?) and checksum > the ROMs & compare them...most PROM burners will generate checksums, > but now that I think of it, PROM burner manufacturers have yet to > standardize on a checksumming algorithm so it'd probably be useless > unless they're summed with the same make/model of burner. :-( Actually, I think that's a good suggestion, if you can find someone with the same ROMs. In my experience, most programmers actually do use the same algorithm -- one of the common CRCs. At least, all three programmers I regularly use do, and the checksums match the ones printed on SGI ROMs and a few other ROMs I have that have printed checksums. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

22 years, 9 months

Flashing Light Indicators un Simple Front Panels

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Dec 15, 14:09, Douglas Quebbeman wrote: > > On Dec 14, 16:16, Douglas Quebbeman wrote: > > > > > In particular, do any of you have familiarity with > > > systems that flash the on or power light as an > > > indicattor, sopecifiecally, of a power supply > > > problem? > > > > The only thing I can think of that's *designed* to do something like that > > is an SGI Indy; if you power one up and it can't even run the the code in > > the PROM, it flashes the power light (which is a two-colour LED). The > > usual cause id that there's no (recognisable) RAM at all in it. Probably > > not relevant to a PR1ME. > > No, I'm afraid you may have hit it on the head, and it's been the > direction I've been leaning, that the microcode ROMs may have > fried, but that just blows my mind. Possible, of course, but in the case of an Indy, the processor and PSU are working, and it gets only as far as the "I think, therefore I am a processor; I wonder if I have any memory" test in the PROM, and then executes a loop which controls the LED in the PSU if there's no RAM. At least, that's what I believe; I've not seen a detailed description of the PROM startup. I suppose your problem may be something similar, in that the CPU is running but can't do anyting useful because either it's crippled or some other part of the system is disfuntional. Does the CPU control the power supply LED(s), like it does in an Indy? -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

22 years, 9 months

[PDP8-Lovers] how to clean a PDP8/A, dishwasher?

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

From: Jeffrey S. Sharp <jss(a)subatomix.com> >I asked and was told not to clean the core, that whatever junk gets stuck >in there wou't hurt the core's operation. Maybe it's time for round 2 of >the discussion. > >What if something in that dust is conductive? I'd rise in clean water maybe Isopropanol(91% or better) by dipping in a pan with a large quanitiy. Agitate minimally, no brushing or high pressure air near the mat. dry with warm (NOT HOT) hairdryer. >What if something in that dust has wierd magnetic properties? >What if that dust interferes with the core's cooling? See above. >What if I slowly dipped the core board into a pan of IPA or distilled >water, then slowly lifted it out, and repeated until the core board was >clean? IPA may not be the best bet for the muck. Use a lage quanity so that you don't saturate the solution with the muck. Rinse again with fresh solution to further remove the muck. You might try water with a small (1%) amount of detergent too. Risnse water out with IPA and blow dry with hair dryer on warm, not hot. Remember IPA is flammable and to do a PDP-8 core I'd use about 2 quarts (2L for those on the otherside) for first rine and about the same for the second. So use care and DO IT OUTSIDE. Allison

22 years, 9 months

[PDP8-Lovers] how to clean a PDP8/A, dishwasher?

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Dec 15, 10:34, Chad Fernandez wrote: > I've never seen core in real life...... how small are the wires? Depends on the core, but thinner than hair, usually. There's a picture of an H214 core board on EBay at the moment; you'll see 12 large and 8 small dark rectangles on it. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1309747460 The larger rectangles measure approximately 5/8" x 2 1/4". Those rectangles are the core mat; it's an 8K x 16 bit core mat. Each of those 131072 ferrite cores has three wires going through it. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

22 years, 9 months

[PDP8-Lovers] how to clean a PDP8/A, dishwasher?

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

From: Chad Fernandez <fernande(a)internet1.net> >I use the dishwasher to clean computers too, but what about core >memory? I've never handled it myself, but I understand it is quite >delicate.... any special handling needed? I did a pdp-8/f, washed everything save for the PS and the Core plane. The acutal core plane was fairly clean but everything else was a mess and needed a bath serious. Allison

22 years, 9 months

[PDP8-Lovers] how to clean a PDP8/A, dishwasher?

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Dec 15, 12:20, Matthew Sell wrote: > I don't know enough about the effects of using certain chemicals on the > various plastics and expoxies used in the manufacture of the boards, so I > steer clear of using a detergent unless I know that it would be perfectly fine. No normal detergent will attack ordinary plastics or epoxies. Some industrial detergent powders include caustic ingedients, and (mainly for that reason, and because they can harm skin) are banned from domestic sale in the UK, and also, I beieve, in the USA. In general, any home-use detergent safe to use on your skin, clothes, etc, is safe on PCBs and electronics. I'd be wary of some organic solvents, including alcohols, however. Some attack plastics such as Perspex (Lucite), polystyrene, ABS, etc; some will attack some types of enamel insulation on wire; some affect PVC insulation, making it swell or become brittle. > My experience has been that with certain devices that spend entire lives > inside, that usually a rinse with hot water makes them look new. I've been > satisfied with just using hot water, and everything looks nearly new when > complete. Unfortunately that doesn't apply to computers that have been in places where they may accumulate sticky substances from the air (tobacco film, brewing residue, oily film + dust, etc). In that case, warm water and a moderate amount of detergent is the kindest thing you could use. Ever tried to clean an old TV set with plain water? -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

22 years, 9 months

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test-drb December 2001