test-drb January 2014

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

224 participants
263 discussions

"The search for the lost Cray supercomputer OS"

by cruff＠ruffspot.net

On Jan 18, 2014, Jos Dreesen wrote: > The ETH also had a Cray, here it is sitting lonely in the groundfloor : http://www.flickr.com/photos/orrc/2434182074/ > Don't know the exact type though. It looks to be a Cray-1, though I can't tell if it is an A, S or M variant. It is displayed in a similar fashion to how the Cray-1A, serial 3 is displayed in the first basement at NCAR near the rear entrances to the Mesa Lab computer room. We even have a display adjacent to it comparing it to an iPhone 3 from a computing capacity point of view. I'm really kicking myself now that I didn't think to stash away the COS software and documentation years ago when our last COS Cray was decommissioned, but I wasn't in the group that was responsible for administering the Crays. I did spelunk through some storage areas and offices when people retired, but did not find anything that isn't already on bitsavers.

10 years, 11 months

Need help with Advantech PCL-740 serial card

by charlesmorris800＠centurytel.net

On Sat, 18 Jan 2014 12:00:01 -0600, you wrote: >From: Jonathan Katz <jon at jonworld.com> > >On Sat, Jan 18, 2014 at 10:22 AM, Charles ><charlesmorris800 at centurytel.net> wrote: >> I have an ancient (AMD K6, 300 MHz, Win XP) desktop PC that I am >> trying to use to download RL02 diagnostics to my PDP-8/A via the TTY >> console port (20 ma current loop). > >Not familiar with this at all, but two things. > >1) I remember being able to set IRQs on PCI slots in this era of >systems. Maybe you need to play with that? > >2) Have you tried a protocol other than current loop on this ISA card >(like RS-232) to another system to see if it works? I suspect you are right - that the card is somehow not signaling the PC that it is ready to accept data. But there are no IRQ conflicts (card is jumpered to 12 and Windows is unaware of anything else using 12, or address 0210-7). The existing serial ports are on 03F8, IRQ5 and so forth. Although the PCI slots do have a "plug & play/Auto" setting, I removed every card except this one and the problem is still there! Yes, I have tried RS-232. The problem is not the line drivers/receivers... no data is appearing at the UART's TxD pin regardless of which set of buffers it then goes to. And as I noted, I did hard-wire the RTS, CTS, DTR lines and they are being sensed, and do not appear to be telling the port to hold off. This card has a controller chip by Lattice and the UART (and a small amount of glue logic). No schematic information of course. Will keep trying. Thanks for the help.

10 years, 11 months

Need help with Advantech PCL-740 serial card

by charlesmorris800＠centurytel.net

I have an ancient (AMD K6, 300 MHz, Win XP) desktop PC that I am trying to use to download RL02 diagnostics to my PDP-8/A via the TTY console port (20 ma current loop). I bought an Advantech PCL-740 card (ISA slot) which has one port that can be configured for RS-232, 422, 485 or current loop. But I cannot get it to transmit any data no matter what, and I'm pulling my hair out! I downloaded the drivers on Advantech's website and they do show I can change the status of the RTS, CTS, etc. control lines. On transmit test, the status box keeps displaying "Tx Pending" once a second, but nothing comes out on the line. I scoped directly on the 16550 UART chip and I can see the various interrupt and chip select lines moving, and the baud rate clock, but the transmit data pin never changes state.The seller shipped me another card, and it behaves identically. The software requires the user to install the COM3: port under Win XP, then separately configure the board to that port with the Advantech program. At the command prompt or in Device Manager, MODE COM3: shows that the port is getting set up with the appropriate parameters. While in the DOS box, attempting to copy a file directly to COM3: results in a "The handle is invalid. No files were copied" message. Don't know the significance of that? Is there some BIOS-level problem wiith the motherboard I should be looking for? I have used this PC with vtserver to send data via the onboard COM1: port and it does work. There are no IRQ or port address conflicts. thanks Charles

10 years, 11 months

PDP-8/E MM8EJ G233 Troubles

by bobvines00＠gmail.com

> Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2014 00:38:44 -0600 > From: Kyle Owen <kylevowen at gmail.com> > Subject: PDP-8/E MM8EJ G233 Troubles > > Hi all, > > Recently, my PDP-8/E has been acting funny. I finally had some time tonight > to run a memory test and found that all addresses matching the pattern > XX5XX read back all zeros. Everything else tests fine. I swapped the XY > driver board (G233) and found that the problem went away. > > I can't seem to locate a schematic online. My PDP-8/E preliminary > maintenance manual only describes the G227, for the 4k core board. Can > anyone help with a schematic, or judging from the symptom, point me to a > particular area on the board? I've got a 'scope and should be able to > diagnose it if I know where to start looking. > > Thanks, > > Kyle http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/dec/pdp8/pdp8e/ has the -8/E maintenance manual set (that is not the preliminary version). Schematics for your MM8EJ are also there, look at http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/dec/pdp8/pdp8e/MM8-EJ_Engineering_Dr… - it gives schematics along with some waveforms and some acceptance tests in the Engineering Specs. Bob

10 years, 11 months

Old Books

by bpettitx＠comcast.net

Relative to the offer for old computer books, a source to look is the local library. I do volunteer work for the Friends of the Pleasanton Library. We get book donations every day, sometimes huge ones. We gather these up and have a sale every six months. Berkeley has a full time store to sell donations. Sunnyvale has a sale every month. And often there are computer books and the occassional computer magazines. But because it is impossible to sell anything older than a couple of years old, the rest are sent elsewhere. If the book is interesting, I save it for Al. But he gets so many from others like me, that he can't accept more than a tiny fraction of what is available. Sometimes the quantity is overwhelming. We had a pickup load about 3 months ago. A Programmer cleaned out his house. This week, I got a couple of 6502 assembly language books, some CP/M books, a nice RS-232 book that did go to Al. Point is work with your local library, and you might have access to hundreds of donated old computer books. And software and games. That they have no home for. Billy

10 years, 11 months

Semi-OT: Anyone have an extra logic pulser they can let go?

by drlegendre＠gmail.com

Title says it. Anybody have a spare logic pulser I can buy or barter? Something like an RSR LP620 or any of the numerous re-badged versions such as B&K DP31A, etc. would be fine. Just need a basic unit to do some anticipated t-shooting as I reassemble the Altair. Contact me on or off-list if you like. Thanks!

10 years, 11 months

LA120 PSU: 555 timer?

by b4＠gewt.net

Evening... This is stumping me. What exactly is the 555 being used for? If I can figure out what it's doing, I can debug it further and solve my problems. -- Cory Smelosky http://gewt.net Personal stuff http://gimme-sympathy.org Projects

10 years, 11 months

DEC RD53 hard drive

by djg＠pdp8online.com

I pulled out my DEC RD53 for testing the archiver and surprise the heads were stuck. I opened it and freed them but wasn't able to find the bumper that is the cause of the problem. I put pictures here. http://www.pdp8online.com/rd53/rd53.shtml Does anyone on the list know where the bumper is and can say in relation to my pictures? The first drive hasn't restuck so far but I have another to do. Also does anyone know the data format for the stuff the RQDX3 puts on the first few tracks? I think its the sparing information and other disk organization information. If it wasn't too hard I was going to see if I can convert my extracted data to an image usable under SIMH. The low level format is strange. The first 3 sectors on track 0 are in one format then 3 track worth of sectors with a different CRC code which is where I suspect the controller is storing its stuff. Also some funny stuff at the end of the disk.

10 years, 11 months

Modifying LA120-AA for H7150

by b4＠gewt.net

Afternoon, Until I can get a 'scope to fix up the H7110 I want to get the rest of the LA120 up so I can look for any other faults. However...I didn't realise the input to it was slightly different. ;) How can I adapt the input to the H7150 from the input designed for the H7110? (The power switch had broken anyway, I could use that replaced...I think there are cutouts for the voltage selector, too.) -- Cory Smelosky http://gewt.net Personal stuff http://gimme-sympathy.org Projects

10 years, 11 months

manuals, booklets, instructions, leaflets, etc

by sales＠elecplus.com

My recycle buddy in Denver is currently shredding abt 140 pounds of this stuff per week. He is willing to give it to someone to archive, if they will pay the postage/freight. Owner's manuals, books, 3-ring binders, posters, memorabilia, leaflet of jumpers, they all come in. The only problem is, there is usually some paperwork left in it from the original owners, which will need to be removed and shredded. Age of the paperwork ranges from the 80s to current products. Anybody want to accept this task? Cindy Croxton Electronics Plus 1613 Water Street Kerrville, TX 78028 (830)792-3400 phone (830)792-3404 fax AOL IM elcpls _____ No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4259 / Virus Database: 3681/7010 - Release Date: 01/17/14

10 years, 11 months

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test-drb January 2014