Am I right in thinking that code 010 on the LED display is "hung at disk
boot"? If so, is there any way of getting a bit more detail as to the actual
error at this stage?
This machine has a 5.25" ST-506/412 drive in it. I don't think it's the one
with the dreaded sticking rubber problem; at any rate I've had it spinning up
on the bench - there seems to be a healthy clunk as heads unpark, and it
doesn't spin down, suggesting that side of things is healthy.
Other question: at the point when it's doing whatever checks yield the 010
code, should the display have initialised and be displaying anything? I'm
getting nothing out of this system - but it's entirely possible that the
display init is further down the boot process, and so it's never getting that
far... (Anyone know which manual contains the pinouts for the video output and
landscape display?)
ta
Jules
William Donzelli wrote:
A double-header hamfest weekend yielded a couple of vintage digital
logic trainer items. The first is one of those little wood boxes DEC
Logic labs, but who cares about that. The more interesting thing is a
book for the CDC logic trainer. From the pictures and writeups in the
manual, this box has no logic of its own, but is made to accept a
small number (20) of logic cards from a 1604. It mentions that it can
be lightly modified to take 3000 series cards as well.
Can Billy or Chuck add any comments? I have never seen or even heard
of this box before.
--
Will
---------------------------------
The logic trainer was developed by Control Data Institute. They also did a
workbook with a series of simple experiments. It was a part of their
program to take high school graduates to computer technicians in 12 months.
Lots of government funding for the 12 month program, so the classes were
usually full. I believe there a couple of list members who took that class.
The 1604 and 3000 cards both use +/- 20 volts, though on different pins.
1604 has power on pins 13,14 15; 3000 has power on pins 6, 7 and 8. So the
mod was moving power pins. The signal levels could be mixed without level
converters, though you stressed the 3000 inputs doing it. I only know of
piece of equipment that actually mixed the logic families on the same
chassis: The Digigraphics system. The power wires are always solid red,
blue with black for ground.
I may still have some of the documentation for it, but very uncertain. It's
been a few years. However, Al has posted some of the CDI training manuals
used with it. One is at CDC/modules/60238500_3000pcbs_Dec68.pdf.
Billy
Hi, Teri.
I've taken the liberty of cc'ing a list of computer collectors on your
offer. I'm sure somebody will be interesting in the machine.
Cheers,
Doug
On Mon, 20 Aug 2007, Teri wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I have a Vector CP/M-86, complete with all manuals...the User's Manuals, Vector 4, Programmer's Guide, Programmer's Manuals, Memorite Manual, Basic and ExecuPlan 2, I also have the compatable dot matrix printer, an Anadex, and the manual, as well as floppy disks. The User's Manual is copywrited 1983. Please email me either way as I will take it to computer recycling if no one wants it. Thank you.
>
> Teri Roberts
> 707-292-8180
All:
I just received an Ampro LittleBoard/186. The manual I received with it
makes note of the importance of the LittleBoard/186 PC-DOS Support Software
Diskette (#A74012), which I do not have. It seems that there are some
important programs on that disk which enhance compatibility with PC software
and DOS 2.1x and 3.x.
Does anyone have a copy of this disk that they can image for me? I will
create a resources page for the LB, too.
Thanks!
Rich
--
Rich Cini
Collector of Classic Computers
Build Master and lead engineer, Altair32 Emulator
http://www.altair32.comhttp://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp
>
>
>
Don and Steven,
sorry I missed the original on this.
At 22:29 -0500 8/19/07, Steven wrote (in reply to Don):
>Don,
>
>The manual doesn't lend itself as being easy to copy and shipping would be
>high. There is a kit WITH the manual on Ebay right now;
>
>http://cgi.ebay.com/RADIO-SHACK-130-IN-ONE-ELETRONIC-PROJECT-LAB-w-BOX-N-R_…
>
>...
>
>
> > ... was wondering if you found a manual
>for the 130 in one kit yet? I just took mine out of the closet to show my
>son and the manual is missing.
>>
>> Any help would be appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
> > Don
>
I note also that new kits that look *very* similar are available from:
http://www.ramseyelectronics.com/cgi-bin/commerce.exe?preadd=action&key=PL1…
It's possible you could order a manual from them (with a new
kit if no other way).
No connection, and no experience with the company(ies) involved.
--
- Mark, 210-379-4635
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Large Asteroids headed toward planets
inhabited by beings that don't have
technology adequate to stop them:
Think of it as Evolution in Fast-Forward.
A double-header hamfest weekend yielded a couple of vintage digital
logic trainer items. The first is one of those little wood boxes DEC
Logic labs, but who cares about that. The more interesting thing is a
book for the CDC logic trainer. From the pictures and writeups in the
manual, this box has no logic of its own, but is made to accept a
small number (20) of logic cards from a 1604. It mentions that it can
be lightly modified to take 3000 series cards as well.
Can Billy or Chuck add any comments? I have never seen or even heard
of this box before.
--
Will
Article about the DigiBarn,
"BOULDER CREEK, Calif.--Can you imagine a computer history museum that has
to be packed up and put away each winter and then unpacked each summer, and
which has three potbellied pigs as its mascot?
I can, because I've just visited the DigiBarn, a wonderful trip down
silicon memory lane that's nestled in a 90-year-old barn, close to a
19th-century farmhouse deep in the Santa Cruz mountains, about 90 minutes
south of San Francisco.
The DigiBarn, which is the pride and joy of NASA contractor Bruce Damer and
his partner in curation, Alan Lundell, ..."
http://news.com.com/A+trip+down+computer+memory+lane/2100-1042_3-6203311.ht…
It goes on to describe some of the old mechanical calculators (the Curta!)
and Apple stuff in the collection, the Altair, the PET, etc. One photo
looks like an RK05 pack, although the schmuck is holding it backwards.
Click the photo to see the photo gallery. The photos are very arty but not
identified worth a darn.
-T
-----
861. When I get a little money, I buy books. When I get a little more, I buy
food. --Erasmus
--... ...-- -.. . -. ----. --.- --.- -...
tpeters at nospam.mixcom.com (remove "nospam") N9QQB (amateur radio)
"HEY YOU" (loud shouting) WEB: http://www.mixweb.com/tpeters
43? 7' 17.2" N by 88? 6' 28.9" W, Elevation 815', Grid Square EN53wc
WAN/LAN/Telcom Analyst, Tech Writer, MCP, CCNA, Registered Linux User 385531
Ian Primus wrote:
>> The Indy looks fine but the O2 only comes
>> up now and then.
>
> Ah hah - I found the "proper" instructions for
> cleaning those connectors.
O2 != Octane, O2 doesn't use the compression connectors (or XIO), but
the more common pin and card-edge types.
RE: IRIX:
Indigo R3000 will use anything from IRIX 4 up through IRIX 5.3, but SGI
dropped the 32-bit R3k and R2k at that time. The O2 will require IRIX
6.3 or 6.5 (6.5 is much easier to find software for, but there are
rumors that 6.3 handles some video stuff better). The Indy will run
IRIX 6.2 or 6.5 (it will also run 5.3, but there's a chance you can get
into the Hardware Specific Version Hell there, with specific versions
of IRIX that will run on only one or two machine/processor/graphics
combinations. 4.0.5 also has HWSH bits).
NB- NB - NB READ THIS:::
The Indigo (1), the purple cube, Hollywood, whatever you want to call
it) DOES NOT USE PS/2 KEYBOARDS like the other machines you list. It
has a mini-DIN 6, but uses the same keyboard as the Onyx and PI 4D/3x
series (electrically similar to the keyboard used in the PI 4D/2x,
Professional IRIS, POWER series, and Crimson but with a different
connector.) A PS/2 keyboard will damage the Indigo, keyboard or both.
The mouse daisy-chains onto the keyboard. There are instructions for a
PS/2 KBM to Old SGI machine converter, look up megarat and technolust
on Google to find a linking page.
I'm hoping that this is on-topic for the list...
Enigma Simulator - 1.1
simulator of the Enigma cipher machine with Steckerbrett
Enigma Simulator is a program that simulates the use of Enigma ciphering
machines that were commonly used by Nazi Germany during World War II. It
enciphers text exactly the same as would a real Enigma machine. Now
Enigma Simulator also includes the much anticipated Steckerbrett
(plugboard).
What's new in this version:
-Steckerbrett (plugboard)
-Universal Binary
-Minor Visual Enhancements
-'Reset' option added under 'Edit' menu (or use Command-R)
-File Size Decrease (0.25MB off download and 1.2MB off Application file)
-Minor spelling corrections
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/32862
This software is for the Mac only. I suppose there must be a PC version
out there as well...
Enjoy!
Al
Phila, PA
Well, Sridhar and I spent yesterday doing some
tinkering - I brought over my MicroVax II and we
attempted to load VMS onto it. Easier said than done.
By shuffleing parts around (and some considerable work
getting ribbon cables through the bulkhead of a BA23),
I was able to get a Microvax II configured with:
Ethernet, ESDI w/ 70mb hard disk, and a TK50.
I brought this Vax to Sridhar's house. The general
consensus both here and on the netbsd list seems to be
that the only way to boot/install a Vax is through
MOP, over Ethernet. Well, now that I found Ethernet,
it should have been simple. Sridhar has a Dec
InfoServer 1000. This is a really cool little device
the size of a CDROM player that can connect to a SCSI
CD drive, and Ethernet, and be bootable by networked
Vaxen.
So, we cabled everything up, and immediately hit a
snag. The InfoServer won't see the CDROM. In fact, it
won't even boot right if there's a CD drive connected.
We tried other CD drives, other cables, played with
termination, everything. I discovered that the machine
wouldn't boot if you just had a terminated cable
plugged into it. The connectors are clearly labeled
and keyed - no chance of mixing that up. A last ditch
effort was to take a non-keyed cable, and purposely
insert it backwards on one end. And it worked. So, if
anyone is trying to connect a drive to an InfoServer
1000 using the 50 pin SCSI header on the InfoServer's
board - that connector is BACKWARD! You must use a
non-keyed cable and plug it in BACKWARD in order to
make it work.
After getting that going, and getting all the commands
correct to boot the Vax off the InfoServer - all
seemed well. Do the base restore set from the
InfoServer, boot from the hard disk, follow the
prompts and install the rest of the distribution. This
is a 70mb ESDI disk, so after the base load, I had
about 65000 blocks free. According to the installer,
the Library, Help and DecNet phase IV will fit, just
barely, with 300 blocks to spare. It won't. The
installer runs out of space and crashes horribly.
Reboot, reinstall base, back into installer, select
only Library and DecNet IV. This leaves nearly 11000
free blocks according to the installer. This does not
fit either, running out of disk during installation.
At this point, it was 3:30 AM. We decided to call it a
day (night?). Maybe I'll try NetBSD again. There has
to be a way to get an OS onto a Vax in 70 megabytes.
-Ian
