Back on June 9th, I wrote that my KA630 emulator was to the point of
passing POST.
I've been working on the DEQNA emulation, and it's now to the point
where it MOP-loads and runs the NetBSD bootloader. Now I need to
juggle things around to get it running on the same cable as my house
netboot server; once that's done I'll see how much of NetBSD it runs!
[DP-Frank] 35> run -deqna 0tap/dev/tap0 -ram 15
XQA0: MAC 02:00:58:51:41:30, connected to tap0
(0 041f0000) 20040000: 11 4e brb 20040050
vax> g
[c
[c
[c
[c
\[4i
KA630-A.V1.3
Performing normal system tests.
7..6..5..4..3..
Tests completed.
>>> b xqa0
2..1..0..
>> NetBSD/vax boot [Jul 3 2014 18:00:10] <<
>> Press any key to abort autoboot 0
> boot netbsd
Trying BOOTP
(Admittedly, the comamnd-line syntax could use improving. :-)
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Hello All,
I recently acquired a Northstar Horizon machine that didn't have any memory boards. I also received a Dynabyte 800589-G 64k dynamic RAM board. Unfortunately, there is no documentation on this board (other than a single set of jumper settings for use in a Dynabyte 5505 computer - http://bitsavers.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/pdf/dynabyte/404512A_5505_Comp… )
So far, I have the Northstar rebuilt (power supply tested, capacitors reconditioned, IC legs cleaned, etc). I added the components to install a boot PROM on the Z80 CPU card, and I can successfully boot up to a monitor ROM. From here, I can examine and deposit memory and ports. From this, I can determine that I appear to have a problem with the Dynabyte card, assuming I've reverse engineered the jumpers.
The jumpers allow me to enable/disable 4 banks of 16k at 0000,4000,8000,C000. I can either have the bands be there on reset, or switch them on/off by setting/resetting bits in a bank select port that can be defined.
I can successfully switch on/off banks from the monitor (visible with the LEDs on the board, as well as seeing 00 or a random value instead of FF in the memory location).
However, when I try to write any value, I always write FF. Refresh appears to be working, because any FF I deposit will stay there for hours.
This is really tough because I don't have a schematic for the memory board. Are there any S100 experts that could point me in a direction to start looking? Port I/O is working (to the serial port as well as to the bank select port). Memory read appears to work, because I get values that are consistent (the RAM will sometimes boot up with random values, and the random value will stay that way in that memory location until I attempt to write anything to it, then it goes FF). It appears to be a write issue.
I've enabled a wait state on the CPU in case it was a timing issue, but no difference.
I'd appreciate any suggestions on where I should put my logic probe :)
Image of the memory board here if interested: http://www.broadbandpig.com/?attachment_id=51
Ian
Who was it that wanted the Sun Type 4 keyboard?
I have one here, complete with cable, but no way to test it.
Looks to be in good condition.
First $25 including shipping slowboat to lower 48 states takes it home..
Cindy Croxton
Electronics Plus
1613 Water Street
Kerrville, TX 78028
830-792-3400 phone
830-792-3404 fax
sales at elecplus.com
AOL IM elcpls
On Jul 6, 2014, at 11:00 AM, John Ames wrote:
>> I figured out the problem with test /util command. The problem with the SHOW
>> KBD still exists.
> I could be wrong, but I thought that command only deals with
> directly-attached DEC keyboards when using the keyboard/mouse/video as
> the terminal? I don't think it does anything with a serial-port
> console. I'll try and remember to check on mine this week.
I tested today, and with the serial console, SHOW KBD does display the error message. When configured to use the graphic console and DEC keyboard, the ROM prompts for the keyboard language (3 for English) and displays that in response to SHOW KBD.
I hate to open this discussion again, but Jack Rubin and I are both
repairing DEC Omnibus boards and need some DEC 8881 driver chips.
Since my PDP-8/e only has a 20 slot backplane and only has a few
boards installed I will try a lower drive SN7401 in place of the DEC
8881.
--
Michael Thompson
Hello All,
I recently acquired a Northstar Horizon machine that didn't have any memory boards. I also received a Dynabyte 800589-G 64k dynamic RAM board. Unfortunately, there is no documentation on this board (other than a single set of jumper settings for use in a Dynabyte 5505 computer - http://bitsavers.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/pdf/dynabyte/404512A_5505_Comp… )
So far, I have the Northstar rebuilt (power supply tested, capacitors reconditioned, IC legs cleaned, etc). I added the components to install a boot PROM on the Z80 CPU card, and I can successfully boot up to a monitor ROM. From here, I can examine and deposit memory and ports. From this, I can determine that I appear to have a problem with the Dynabyte card, assuming I've reverse engineered the jumpers.
The jumpers allow me to enable/disable 4 banks of 16k at 0000,4000,8000,C000. I can either have the bands be there on reset, or switch them on/off by setting/resetting bits in a bank select port that can be defined.
I can successfully switch on/off banks from the monitor (visible with the LEDs on the board, as well as seeing 00 or a random value instead of FF in the memory location).
However, when I try to write any value, I always write FF. Refresh appears to be working, because any FF I deposit will stay there for hours.
This is really tough because I don't have a schematic for the memory board. Are there any S100 experts that could point me in a direction to start looking? Port I/O is working (to the serial port as well as to the bank select port). Memory read appears to work, because I get values that are consistent (the RAM will sometimes boot up with random values, and the random value will stay that way in that memory location until I attempt to write anything to it, then it goes FF). It appears to be a write issue.
I've enabled a wait state on the CPU in case it was a timing issue, but no difference.
I'd appreciate any suggestions on where I should put my logic probe :)
Image of the memory board here if interested: http://www.broadbandpig.com/?attachment_id=51
Ian
Howdy,
A couple of DS2D 5.25 floppies landed on my desk from an AT&T Unix
PC/3B1. As I understand it, these are essentially UFS beasts. (I have
both 8 and 10 sector ones; neither appear to be bootable).
Are there any utilities out there available to digest these things?
If not, I suppose I can write one.
TIA,
Chuck
> I figured out the problem with test /util command. The problem with the SHOW
> KBD still exists.
I could be wrong, but I thought that command only deals with
directly-attached DEC keyboards when using the keyboard/mouse/video as
the terminal? I don't think it does anything with a serial-port
console. I'll try and remember to check on mine this week.
>
>i have here a VAXstation 4000/60 with a VT100 Terminal attatched the
>serial console.
>In >>> console mode are some commands not availible and i can not figure
>out why.
>
>I want top set kbd to 1 . >>>set kbd answer is ?23 ILL CMD. Also by
>typing set kbd 1.
>The test / util commands do not work also...
>
>I tried to set a password. Type set pse 1. Login. But there is even the
>same isue.
>
>Any Ideas what is happen?
>
Make sure the VT100 is set to 9600 baud, no parity.
I tried with my VAX 4000/100A (KA52-A) and I get similar errors if I connect
to it using a terminal emulator set to odd parity.
Regards,
Peter Coghlan.
The title says it all. I'm looking to repair/configure a OIS 527 24k RAM
board for my Challenger 4P. Anyone have or know of the existence of a
manual for this board?
Thanks
Terry (Tez)
