Hi all--
Had a random desire to get my 3B2/600G running again over the weekend
(this machine was the first computer I ever used UNIX on, for better or
for worse...) after finding a working 300MB CDC Wren SCSI drive for it.
(The UNIX install media for this machine only supports a very limited
selection of drives -- it's possible to get the machine booting from an
unsupported drive, but it requires having a running UNIX on a supported
drive first, as far as I know.)
Unfortunately, disaster struck halfway through the installation -- the
tape drive's roller turned to mush. I checked it out before running the
install and it seemed fine -- it was a solid rubber wheel -- but I guess
something about actually running it caused it to break down. I managed
to fix the roller, but the tape got goo all over it and despite my best
efforts at cleaning it, that section of tape is unreadable so I can't
reinstall.
Fortunately, I have backups of the UNIX install tape files on my PC
(several versions thereof, in fact)-- so you'd think it'd be a simple
matter of attaching the tape drive to the PC and dd'ing over the
files... but I'm not having any luck on any of the machines I've tried.
I can only manage to copy over one file; attempting to write subsequent
files fails. I have a failing drive w/a partial UNIX install for the
3b2 that boots about half the time, so I tried to do the same from the
3B2 w/this drive installed and it has the same problem writing >1 file,
so it looks to be an issue with the drive and not the controller/OS.
The drive is a Wangtek 5125ES, a 125MB (or 120MB, if you believe AT&Ts
docs) drive. The error I get on from my Linux PC:
dd: writing /dev/nst0: Input/output error
st0: Current: sense key: Medium error
Additional sense: Filemark detected
Info fld=0x1
st0: Error on write filemark
(I've of course tried different tapes, with the same result.)
This is of course the only drive I have that's capable of writing tapes
in this format, and of course the 3B2 isn't happy with any other tape
drive I have... Anyone have any jumper settings for this drive? Anyone
experienced this problem?
Thanks,
Josh
I'm going to be making a trip with a friend out to San Francisco,
leaving this weekend for a few days, and am still looking for things to
do. I've already figured out the obvious (visit CHM, some surplus
places, some hiking), and was wondering if anyone had any ideas, or had
a collection of big iron to show off while I'm there. :)
Pat
--
Purdue University Research Computing --- http://www.rcac.purdue.edu/
The Computer Refuge --- http://computer-refuge.org
Please reply directly to me, I'm quite behind on my ClassicCmp
reading... :)
A friend of mine has about 8 or 9 Compact FLash cards, sizes from 256
MB - 1GB. Anybody have a good use for them?
--
--- Dave Woyciesjes
--- ICQ# 905818
--- AIM - woyciesjes
--- CompTIA A+ Certified IT Tech - http://certification.comptia.org/
--- HDI Certified Support Center Analyst - http://www.ThinkHDI.com/
"From there to here,
From here to there,
Funny things
are everywhere."
--- Dr. Seuss
Hello again,
Here are a few more things that need a new caretaker or are going to be recycled. Look at the pictures and make me an offer. Shipping from Madison, WI 53714 USA.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jja572
Fujitsu drives:
M2351A/AF Mini - Disk Drive CE Mannual
M2372K - Engineering Spec.
(2 copies) M2331K/M2333K - Eng. Spec
M2344K - (shown in picture, but not available)
Precision Standard Time Inc:
Brochures for models 1020 & 1030
Control Data:
Brochure and product spec for 9715-500 & 9771 fixed disk drives
Twin Cities Disk Division:
Spec. for 8" Module Family
Intel:
iAPX 432 Interconnect Architecture Reference Manual
IBIS Systems Inc:
IBIS 1400 Unit Spec.
Jon
I have free for the cost of shipping a Kineticsystems Camac q-bus interface
pulled from a Mirco Vax II a long time ago.
It's including a short flatcable I'll put a picture on flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hp-fix/3341557688/
Please contact me off-list.
-Rik
---------------Original Message:
Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2009 10:56:44 -0500 (EST)
From: der Mouse <mouse at Rodents-Montreal.ORG>
Subject: Re: is it possible to rebuild old c64 hardware enhancements?
>>> Why are you so intent on STEALING from anybody that you can't
>>> easily find?
>> Copyright violation - even if that's what this is, a poin ton which
>> I am deliberately not chipping in - is not theft. [...]
> Ooh, another fun battle. :)
Heh.
Actually, in an attempt to forestall a reaction I've had when making
that point in other places: I didn't say there was nothing wrong with
it; I said it is not theft, and that using language based on equating
the two merely further confuses an already confused area.
(The reaction I'm trying to forestall is the "oh, so you think there's
nothing wrong with [...sketch of copyright violation, usually further
conflating it with theft...], hmm?" one.)
Mouse
--------------Reply:
It's not just theft; apparently copying a piece of software is equivalent
to hijacking a tanker off the coast of Somalia, holding it and the crew
for millions in ransom, perhaps killing a few along the way, etc., or
the older images of slashing cutlasses, raping and pillaging, etc.
No doubt the same punishment will soon apply...
m
****
--- On Sun, 3/8/09, blstuart at bellsouth.net <blstuart at bellsouth.net> wrote:After all, it did immeasurable damage to western civilization
to have unfettered access to the intellectual property of
Shakespeare, Newton, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and Babbage.
We ceratinly wouldn't want to make the same mistake with
Mickey Mouse and Excel.
(Said dripping with bitter sarcasm...)
BLS
?But all that *code* is? immeasurably old. Which is ok in my book (in many instances 20+ year old code is also ok in my book). But you're not suggesting recently developed code should fall into the same category? Thou shalt not muzzle the oxe when it's treading out the alfalfa sprouts. Or something close.
--------------Original Message:
Date: Wed, 4 Mar 2009 14:39:41 -0800 (PST)
From: Fred Cisin <cisin at xenosoft.com>
Subject: Punched cards (Was: 1" paper tape buy ?
Does anybody object to changing the subject line?
My father used to claim that the only reason for existence of the
round-hole, 90, 96 column cards was that IBM patented the particular
rectangular shape of their holes.
He also claimed that IBM patented the whole idea of using a brass roller
for card reading, and that that ALMOST worked to cripple the rest of the
industry, until somebody finally got photocell card reading working.
--------------Reply:
IBM did indeed patent the rectangular holes used in their 80 column
cards. Whether the brass roller was a major factor is questionable;
after all, their competitors also used punched cards.
But there's no question that the general acceptance of IBM's card
format and their locked-in customers were instrumental in IBM
becoming the giant that they did; while their competitiors struggled
during and after the depression, punch card sales helped IBM survive
and grow. As late as the mid-fifties punch card sales represented
30% of IBM's bottom line; see:
http://www.cbi.umn.edu/hostedpublications/pdf/IBMRochesterHistory.pdf
mike
Pontus <pontus at update.uu.se> wrote:
> Tobias Russell wrote:
>> > Yep, but I would make the space. Alas though the logistics of getting it
>> > across the Atlantic are too great so I'll have to keep dreaming of such
>> > things.
>> >
>> > Out of interest any fellow DEC collectors got an RP series disk on any
>> > of their machines? The last ones I saw was about 20 years ago on an
>> > 11/40.
>> >
>> > Toby
>> >
>
> The local computer club has RP06 and RP07 that was connected to a
> DECsystem-20, but they have not been running for many years.
Actually, two RP06 and one RP07 ran on Magica (one of our 11/70) a
little more than 10 years ago.
AIDA (2060) ran with one RP07 and three RP06 until 19 years ago.
CARMEN (2060) ran with one RP07 and one RP06 until 15 years ago.
All the hardware is still around, but only the 11/70 sees some action
these days, and then with RA90 disks (as you know ;-) ).
I would think that the disk drives and packs are still fine, but we
should probably be a bit careful when/if starting them up.
Johnny
--
Johnny Billquist || "I'm on a bus
|| on a psychedelic trip
email: bqt at softjar.se || Reading murder books
pdp is alive! || tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol
