test-drb March 2007

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

239 participants
488 discussions

by aek＠bitsavers.org

> I'm not quite sure how to get the message out there that this stuff's of > potential interest - particularly without being drowned in copies of mundane > PC software. Guess we need to just keep putting the word out that there are places around the world capable of reading old media. I'm saddened by the number of people that I contact that don't want to bother sending old tapes because they are 'impossible' to read. > I've largely come to the conclusion that it's impossible to > actively seek out - but that it does exist out there and will sometimes turn > up completely at random. Frustrating, but true. The collections I know of that are still 'latent' will probably stay that way forever, because the people who have them want to restore their machines to read the media (a REALLY bad idea..)

17 years, 9 months

VMS for MicroVAX II/III (was Re: Value of a PDP/8?)

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: VMS for MicroVAX II/III (was Re: Value of a PDP/8?) > From: "Zane H. Healy" <healyzh at aracnet.com> > Date: Fri, 09 Mar 2007 15:19:27 -0800 (PST) > To: cctalk at classiccmp.org > >> > If you want to run VMS it's fairly available. >> >> What would be the most appropriate version to run on a MicroVAX II or >> III? Are there installation tape media images available somewhere? > >Realistically? Any version you can get on a pair of good TK50's (as I >recall even V5.5 is 2 TK50 tapes). I've run V5.5 on my MicroVAX II before >turning it into a PDP-11/73. I've got V7.2 on my MicroVAX III. However, I >was able to copy the 7.2 install CD over DECnet and write it out to an RA72 >and install from that, in order to setup my MVIII. V5.5 runs well on MV-II with full load of ram. If your less than full ram consider 4.7 though 5.2 also runs ok that way. >>It's not the suggestion you want, but you should think about getting a >VAXstation 3100 or 4000 series machine. With those and a SCSI CD-ROM that >is capable of doing 512-byte blocks you can easily install OpenVMS, and then >remotely boot the MicroVAX II/III as a cluster node. > >At least I assume you aren't lucky enough to have a Q-Bus SCSI adapter. Another option is after netbooting BACKUP you can do an image copy the disk to the MVII, either net is slow but still faster than TK50!!! I've done this. The 3100 I use has a small (100mb RZ2x) and it's a bootable system though cramped and I can use backup and image copy it to RD54 sized drives via 'net. That way I clone the OS to machines then tweek it (system name and all that stuff). Saves a bunch of time and messing with TK50s that tend to do annoying things. IF you have a SCSI adaptor (even if you can't leave it in the system) you can create a disk on a 3100 or whatever and then transport the adaptor and media to the MVII and copy to the MSCP drive. Allison

17 years, 9 months

tools / test gear / components in the US?

by julesrichardsonuk＠yahoo.co.uk

Out of interest, whereabout in the US is good (mail order) for getting hold of tools / test gear and components? There's only a Rat Shack in town here, which as everyone knows is utterly useless for absolutely anything :(

17 years, 9 months

Why DEC Equipment?, was Re: Value of a PDP/8?

by marvin＠rain.org

> I feel the need to ask - what is it that makes DEC stuff so popular > and collectible, versus other machines of the same time period? > Generally they're equally as interesting, and often more so (IMHO) > due to all the quirks and design differences versus the more > mainstream DEC stuff. For me, DEC was the first "real" computer that I could actually work on. Attending the Maynard training facility was a blast. The instructors used to have us practice troubleshooting the 11/45 by putting tape on a finger "somewhere", and then we had to find the fault. I still remember a friend and I going in one night to practice, putting a piece of tape on a random finger, and taking some two or three hours to find the "problem" :). Normally, the instructor faults would take us maybe 30 minutes max. Later, I programmed an 11/05 as necessary when looking for faults in the control system for a large bakery. T'was just plain fun!!!!!

17 years, 9 months

Shameless Plug - 74xxxx series ICs

by doc＠mdrconsult.com

y'all, This really is a plug for a for-profit business. Flame on. A few weeks ago there was a thread concerning sources for 7400 TTLs. I thought my friends here stock them, but kept my mouth shut till I had a chance to check. I was up there yesterday and they have literally 50-60 feet of 6' shelves, nothing but 74xxxx ICs. They also have an amazing array of arcane memory modules sitting around. I have a vested interest in this. MCH introduced me to the art of hacking when they saved me several hundred bucks by swapping the DRAMs on a memory module for me. They're one of the few shops I know that still keep soldering irons and use them. I want them to stay profitable. :^) They're MC Howard Electronics in Austin, Tx. http://www.mchoward.com 1-800-490-6896 eBay seller mchowardelectronics Warning: pay no attention to the prices on the website. Call 'em up and chat. They ship internationally. Doc

17 years, 9 months

Value of a PDP/8?

by wacarder＠earthlink.net

> Jules wrote: >I feel the need to ask - what is it that makes DEC stuff so popular and >collectible, versus other machines of the same time period? Generally they're >equally as interesting, and often more so (IMHO) due to all the quirks and >design differences versus the more mainstream DEC stuff. > >So... why? More of a community? Better documentation? Better hardware or >software availability? What do collectors *do* with their running DEC systems >anyway? > >I'm not knocking the DEC crowd in any way - just trying to work out what it is >that makes the systems so much more popular than anything else of the time. I >feel like I'm missing some vital piece of info :-) With me (and maybe with other folks too), the PDP-11 was the first computer I ever "knew", and it is what I learned on. I think in the 1970s the PDP-11 and PDP-8 were commonly used in academic computer centers. Once I met the PDP-11, I was hooked. My life / career has revolved around computers ever since. As for what I do with my running DEC systems, I boot them up from time to time and maybe play a game of Adventure, punch a program on paper tape on the ASR33, print a pinup poster on the LA36 on greenbar paper, copy RK05 packs to disk image files on my PC, etc. Periodically I will get a new peripheral (drive, terminal, etc) and test it out and rack it with my system. Lately I have done nothing at all because I have been too busy with other things. Ashley

17 years, 9 months

Hewlett Packard A quick reference to HP Time-Shared BASIC

by billdeg＠degnanco.com

I have posted scans on my web site for the Hewlett Packard "A quick reference to HP Time-Shared BASIC" The guide was printed in 1969 for users of the HP 2000A. http://www.vintagecomputer.net/hp/2000A/

17 years, 9 months

Someone in the UK who can make an 8" disk from my NEC APC images?

by dave06a＠dunfield.com

I received an email from a gentleman in Burnley, England who has recently received a NEC APC, and managed to format A: instead of B: while attempting to backup the only system disk ... (and he didn't have it write protected). He's found my APC images, but he's not setup to make a 8" disk on a PC. He's asked for my help, however I wanted to check and see if there's someone closer to him (I'm in Canada, so it's a fair ways to post disks). He needs someone who can either write my DOS 2.11 disk image to an 8" floppy for him (it's in ImageDisk format), or someone who has a working APC and can simply copy the DOS 2.11 boot disk. He has blank disks - he just needs someone who can put the system on one for him. Can anyone help? Please contact me and I'll connect the two of you. Regards, Dave -- dave06a (at) Dave Dunfield dunfield (dot) Firmware development services & tools: www.dunfield.com com Collector of vintage computing equipment: http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/index.html

17 years, 9 months

Value of a PDP/8?

by aek＠bitsavers.org

> OK, so this is a pretty dumb question, but what is the 'value' of a > typical PDP/8? PDP8/A's appear to be the least valuable. The original PDP-8 and 8/S much more so. Price ranges are $300 or so for an 8/A. A well configured Original 8 with a discs and DECtape sold for well over 10K within the past few years. If you want something with lights and paddle switches, an 8/E with a usable mass-storage device and full compliment of memory will be on the order of 2K

17 years, 9 months

Ashley Carder: VT52

by legalize＠xmission.com

"Ashley Carder" sent me an email about the VT52 and I accidentally deleted it, so if you could resend I would appreciate it. Thanks! -- "The Direct3D Graphics Pipeline" -- DirectX 9 draft available for download <http://www.xmission.com/~legalize/book/download/index.html> Legalize Adulthood! <http://blogs.xmission.com/legalize/>

17 years, 9 months

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test-drb March 2007