test-drb February 2009

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

196 participants
309 discussions

by aek＠bitsavers.org

> I'd like to try and get as much of that as possible on Bitsavers; > what is the usual process for doing that? I don't have a scanner handy > and I really don't have the time to manually scan 1000+ pages of docs. Either loans in chunks to be scanned at CHM, or I have loaner scanner systems that can be sent there.

15 years, 5 months

archiving (was Re: Nicolet 660)

by aek＠bitsavers.org

> I get the impression > that there is NO effort by any official archive to collect manuals and > such Stanford Library special collections have the Ampex and Apple archives, which contain manuals. The Charles Babbage Institute at the University of Minnesota as well as the institution I work for (The Computer History Museum) have extensive manual collections. Test equipment is out of the scope of CBI or CHM's collecting scope, though. > test equipment seems to be a poorly covered area in the museum > and archive world. But seems to be getting coverage from private collectors and some companies (like Agilent). If there were significant numbers of people from universities at this conference, you should have noticed that they have problems enough trying to fund the archiving of the contents that their own institutions, without actively collecting on the outside. This reminds me of a friend from years ago that was a fan of steam traction engines. No "official" institution collected documentation on them, but there were preservation organizations that kept their own archives. The problem, of course, is if the society is disbanded without a long-term recipient for the material collected.

15 years, 5 months

reversing case yellowing

by dgriffi＠cs.csubak.edu

Over at Atariage.com is a discussion about reversing the yellowing of plastic. The procedure was designed by chemical and plastics engineers. It works and doesn't weaken the plastic. See http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=138244&hl= and http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=37808 for the original source. -- David Griffith dgriffi at cs.csubak.edu

15 years, 5 months

Ideas for disposing of entire collection

by robert.stek＠gmail.com

I am happy to report that my large S-100 collection is going to a single person, both to expand his own collection and for eventual sale to other collectors. [sigh!] If only I had another 400 sq ft and another 40 hours/week. Thanks to everyone who responded with some good ideas (and requests!). The important thing to me is that it is all going to someone who will not be cutting off connectors to melt down for gold! I'm sure that he will let list members know what he has available in the next few months. Bob Stek Former Saver of Lost Sols

15 years, 5 months

Nicolet 660

by charlesmorris800＠centurytel.net

> Hmm. Yeah, I've never heard of Nicolet either. Interesting find! In the early 80's the company I worked for had a very neat little portable audio-range FFT spectrum analyzer called the "Mini-Ubiquitous". Always wanted one. In '92 the USAF transferred me to Dayton OH (home of Mendelson's Surplus) and they had one sitting in the pile of instruments for quite some time... but they wanted $400 for it. So they are hardly "ubiquitous" since I've only spotted two :) -Charles ps anyway I acquired an HP 3580A for $100 at the Hamvention which was an easy fix... anyone know where I can get some decent knobs for it?

15 years, 5 months

My reply - Boot Disk Needed for Kaypro 2X

by FJGJR1＠aol.com

Larry, >From the info you gave and the info I have, I offer the following. You need a "CP / M boot disk", not an MS-DOS boot disk for the Kaypro 2X - either 2.2H or 2.2G. CP / M. Your mainboard shoud be an 81-294 [underneath board usually under serial port] and the ROM version should be 81-292-A - white label on the about 1" size chip at U47. But since you have a Turbo upgrade, the chip may have just a Turbo designation. Any manufacturer designation and revision / year, etc. could also be important. Also check what the U43 chip label is - usually again a white label on a 1" size chip. There is also a Kaypro 2X / MTC version. How do you really know it is a 2X - cover designation, back plate designation, etc.? These are all common questions many ask and many of us answer as best we can >from the info you give and the info we have All the best and keep us informed of your progress. We like to keep "vintage" computers running and in "good homes!" ========================================================================== In a message dated 2/11/2009 9:42:16 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, laptoplarry at gmail.com writes: Frank, Thank you for the information! My original plan is/was to retrieve my Compaq Portable (my wife buried it in a closet) to create a boot disk...only to find that I could not locate the MS-DOS boot disk for the Compaq?!?! While in the closet, I also retrieved a MacPlus that booted A-OK from a removable hard drive...except I could not find the mouse! Mac no mouse = no go... So, I have no 5.25 360K drive available to create a boot disk for either the Compaq or the Kaypro :-( I'm now wondering if I can find a SCSI 5.25 low density drive to attach to the portable hard drive of the MAC to create a boot disk for the Compaq. >From the Compaq's DOS I'd be able to create the boot disk for the Kaypro using the usual tools. Of course, I'd have to locate a mouse appropriate for the MAC... I guess the ideal thing would be to find a drive and controller for my "modern" machine. I'll check out the leads you gave me. Hopefully some kind soul will send me a bootable Kaypro disk and/or a MS-DOS disk on 5.25 360K media. Hey! Ain't this fun! -Larry ... -- This is not an automated signature. I type this in to the bottom of every message. Larry, Go to _www.vintage-computer.com_ (http://www.vintage-computer.com) and do a search on that topic. Also, contact "Sharkonwheels" there - again do a search - he posts a lot. He is into the Kaypros "after" 1983 versions - i.e. the "2X's", I am into the 1983 versions. Looks like it may have been upgraded with the Turbo. I believe such upgrades are still available for the post 1983 versions - Advent might be a search word to use. Shark will know. He even sells modified Kaypros of that era. Getting the right boot disk for the specific Kaypro you have is critical - many do not understand this - today you need Windows - there are not very many main options. Kaypro had about 15 - 20 different versions before they went bankrupt. Also, in those hectic times, many "unofficial' modifications were made that may not have been documented, by Kaypro and previous owners of such computers. Modifications and upgrades were very common in order to try to keep them running efficiently, until the inevitable change to windows, after we all invested so much in those systems, especially our time! Sometimes you just have to take the top off and look around, especially at chips at U43 and U47. Please post your results on that site so others can benefit. You can check my site out - _www.kayprosts.org_ (http://www.kayprosts.org) - under the folder "special" for a draft of my book on computers of that era and a 2008 Kaypro calendar I did - lots of pictures of my 6 1983 Kaypros modified to Kaypro " 8 ' 's. All the best. Frank **************The year's hottest artists on the red carpet at the Grammy Awards. AOL Music takes you there. (http://music.aol.com/grammys?ncid=emlcntusmusi00000002)

15 years, 5 months

Reply - Re: Boot Disk Needed for Kaypro 2X

by laptoplarry＠gmail.com

Frank, Thank you for the information! My original plan is/was to retrieve my Compaq Portable (my wife buried it in a closet) to create a boot disk...only to find that I could not locate the MS-DOS boot disk for the Compaq?!?! While in the closet, I also retrieved a MacPlus that booted A-OK from a removable hard drive...except I could not find the mouse! Mac no mouse = no go... So, I have no 5.25 360K drive available to create a boot disk for either the Compaq or the Kaypro :-( I'm now wondering if I can find a SCSI 5.25 low density drive to attach to the portable hard drive of the MAC to create a boot disk for the Compaq. >From the Compaq's DOS I'd be able to create the boot disk for the Kaypro using the usual tools. Of course, I'd have to locate a mouse appropriate for the MAC... I guess the ideal thing would be to find a drive and controller for my "modern" machine. I'll check out the leads you gave me. Hopefully some kind soul will send me a bootable Kaypro disk and/or a MS-DOS disk on 5.25 360K media. Hey! Ain't this fun! -Larry ... -- This is not an automated signature. I type this in to the bottom of every message. Larry, Go to _www.vintage-computer.com_ (http://www.vintage-computer.com) and do a search on that topic. Also, contact "Sharkonwheels" there - again do a search - he posts a lot. He is into the Kaypros "after" 1983 versions - i.e. the "2X's", I am into the 1983 versions. Looks like it may have been upgraded with the Turbo. I believe such upgrades are still available for the post 1983 versions - Advent might be a search word to use. Shark will know. He even sells modified Kaypros of that era. Getting the right boot disk for the specific Kaypro you have is critical - many do not understand this - today you need Windows - there are not very many main options. Kaypro had about 15 - 20 different versions before they went bankrupt. Also, in those hectic times, many "unofficial' modifications were made that may not have been documented, by Kaypro and previous owners of such computers. Modifications and upgrades were very common in order to try to keep them running efficiently, until the inevitable change to windows, after we all invested so much in those systems, especially our time! Sometimes you just have to take the top off and look around, especially at chips at U43 and U47. Please post your results on that site so others can benefit. You can check my site out - _www.kayprosts.org_ (http://www.kayprosts.org) - under the folder "special" for a draft of my book on computers of that era and a 2008 Kaypro calendar I did - lots of pictures of my 6 1983 Kaypros modified to Kaypro " 8 ' 's. All the best. Frank

15 years, 5 months

House cleaning!

by derschjo＠mail.msu.edu

So I've amassed way too much stuff lately and I have a lot of cool stuff that I never touch anymore, so I'm thinning out my collection a bit to free up some space. Smallish stuff I'll ship, but the large stuff is local pick-up only. (Seattle, WA area). Happy to drive out a ways to meet you if it helps. Make an offer -- no reasonable offer refused. Stuff that doesn't get claimed 'll probably end up on eBay eventually. Thanks! Josh Monitors: --------- - Amdek Color II - Works. - Gateway 2000, 15" Vivitron (does 1280x1024, actually a nice SVGA...) - Ball 9" CRT Terminals: ---------- - Intertec InterTube II - Does not work. Makes horrible hissing/screeching on power-up. Dirty, but will clean up. - Beehive SuperBee - No keyboard. Needs work. Ugly looking on the outside, but very clean inside, given how old it is. - Wang terminal - Cannot find model on case, believe it to be part of an old Wang word-processing system. Built like a tank. Computers: ---------- - Compaq Portable III - Worked the last time I powered it up. Hard drive, 5.25" floppy drive. - Compaq Portable 386 - Also works. 2MB ram, hard drive. Carrying case (travel in style!) - Dell Optiplex, Dual PPro/w P2-Overdrive. No HD, I have RAM somewhere. - HP 9000/236 - W/Monitor. Works, but floppy controller reports errors on startup. - HP 9826 - Was working, but monitor no longer powers up. - Mac Plus - Not working. - Pet 2001 (32k) - Works - CBM 8032 - Works, PCB is a bit hacked up, but works. - ComputerVision CADDStation 32 - Neat old Sun3-based machine I inherited awhile back. Really heavy, no I will not ship. Just the machine, none of the various CAD-related input devices. Mostly working -- CPU board needs repair (but it's just a rebadged Sun3 VME processor board so it's not impossible to find parts...) SGI Personal Iris 4D/35 + Iris File. No RAM, alas. Chassis has a bit of rust, but is otherwise solid. TRS-80 Model II + external 8" drive box (w/2 drives installed). Works, a bit worn. (Have not tested all the drives.) Laptops: -------- A goodish stack of older laptops. 386, 486, and Pentium. Ask for details. Take one, take all... take as many as you want! Misc: ----- CBM 2031 5.25" floppy drive - works CBM 4040 dual 5.25" drive - does not work. DECServer 200/MC. Appears to work. Never took the time to set up a machine with LAT, etc... to try it out. HP 1200B Oscilloscope. Rack mountable, Dual trace. Needs some repair (trace does not scan across the screen correctly.)

15 years, 5 months

Simulation vs breadboarding (was Replacing failed powersupplies on qbus PDP-11s)

by aek＠bitsavers.org

> I wonder what happed to apple's cray? Traded in for a smaller model in the early 90's. It had little practical use after the Aquarius project was killed. Last use for the Cray-ette was as a backup system with the large tape robot that was attached. In its prime, they had people begging to buy time on the thing, which sat idle most of the time.

15 years, 5 months

KEEP annoucement

by aek＠bitsavers.org

From another mailing list: > I am glad to announce, that a major European research project, which is related to the preservation of complex digital artefacts, has just started. KEEP (Keeping Emulation Environments Portable) is funded by the European Community with 3,15 Mio. Euro will go on from now for three years. Aim of the project is to utilize the preservation tools, which are mainly created in the gamer community, for a broader range of users and purposes. The impact of the project lies also in the structure of the consortium itself: for the first time traditional memory institutions like the national libraries of France, Germany and Netherlands and researchers with a background in humanitities (University of Portsmouth) come together with organisations specialized in games resp. their preservation (Computer Game Museum, European Games Developer Federation ) within a common research effort in such a scale. I am pretty sure, that we will be able to boost the awareness of the need to preserve the gaming culture on that basis and of course provide concrete preservation tools and interfaces to do the job. > > More details about the project can be found here: > http://www.computerspielemuseum.de/index.php?lg=en&main=News&site=02:00:00&…

15 years, 5 months

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test-drb February 2009