test-drb January 2017

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

198 participants
283 discussions

How do you clean your vintage computers?

by COURYHOUSE＠aol.com

hi speed airflow from leaf blower could set static charge and could knock out cmos? Just a wild though... Ed# In a message dated 1/19/2017 10:29:33 A.M. US Mountain Standard Time, billdegnan at gmail.com writes: On Thu, Jan 19, 2017 at 12:18 PM, Andy Cloud <r3trohub at gmail.com> wrote: > Hey all, > > So one of my recent acquisitions is looking quite grubby, outside it just > looks like surface dirt on the plastic, inside seems dusty/basement dirty. > > My question comes in two parts: > > 1. What do you use to clean the exterior plastic and/or metal if > applicable? I'm always worried about staining the plastic using strong > solvent... could you also include what type of cloth/sponge/anything you > use :) > > 2. You guessed it! What about internally? I've heard isopropyl is really > good, but how do you apply it? What do you use to apply it in order to make > the board shine as if it was just bought!? :D or if you use anything other > than isopropyl... > > I also have a bonus question, how do you ground yourself to ensure you > don't blow a component? Is an ESD wrist strap good enough? > > I absolutely love this group, really enjoyed your previous answers > regarding rarest/unusual machines!! > > -Andy > You really need a decision tree but there is my process 1. vacuum or blow out debris, outside. I have used a leaf blower before for really nasty machines, or very delicate vacuuming, all depends. Goal - remove all loose dust, particles, anything that would gunk up a cleaning process 2. Soap and water, inside and out. There is nothing wrong with using soap and water on a computer board, hand dish soap. Just dry well. Use a blow dryer or fan, depends on how delicate 3. Windex or glass cleaner for glass surfaces only. 4. Magic Eraser works great for plastic covers after you've washed with soap. Or use that whitening compound everyone uses for yellowed cases. Forget the name. 5. De-oxit for connectors and pins and such 6. Isopropyl alcohol for finishing touches, with a q-tip cotton swab. Use common sense. Teletypes for example would not be the same cleaning process as a surface mount laptop board. b Bill

7 years, 11 months

Amazon Smile + VCF

by cctalk＠snarc.net

Vintage Computer Federation registered for Amazon Smile, which is a non-profit fundraising program. That means you can shop at https://smile.amazon.com/ch/47-4133714, get all the same things at all the same prices, and a tiny portion of it gets donated to VCF. Please consider helping VCF by using Amazon Smile whenever you can. Thanks, Evan

7 years, 11 months

What's the rarest or most unusual computer-related item do you own? [Tek 4132]

by rickb＠bensene.com

> From: "Rick Bensene" <rickb at bensene.com> >> - A Tektronix 4132 Unix workstation using a National 32016 CPU and a >> 4.2bsd port called UTek >> Jon wrote: >Gee, how does it perform? I built a clone of a Logical Microcomputer Co. 32016 Multibus system and got it working. >But, it was glacially slow! I did have some memory that was likely a little slower than the stock memory, but it wasn't insanely slow. But, firing up certain things >like editors was just maddening. And, I'm not talking about Emacs, just vi. I eventually got a MicroVAX-II to replace it, and, yes, that DID have a cache to speed >up the memory, but it was quite a difference. Well...considering the era, it wasn't too bad. By today's standards, yeah, it's pretty darned slow. Vi starts up pretty quick, even with a couple of terminals running on it. It runs rogue pretty nicely, quick enough for multiple people to play it at once. The machine has 7MB of RAM, which really helps. Without additional RAM, there's only 1MB on the main board, and running it with just 1MB makes it incredibly slow. There isn't any external cache. It's fun to fire it up and just relive the days when I was on cloud nine to have my own personal Unix workstation that I built myself from parts. -Rick

7 years, 11 months

What's the rarest or most unusual computer-related item do you own?

by seefriek＠gmail.com

From: "Rick Bensene" <rickb at bensene.com> > > - A Tektronix 4132 Unix workstation using a National 32016 CPU and a > 4.2bsd port called UTek Those seem quite rare now, especially if it works. You should preserve an image of UTek if possible. Any chance you have the install media? KJ

7 years, 11 months

First ITS on Arpanet

by lars＠nocrew.org

And the award goes too.... DM! RFC 164 from 19 May 1971 says DM was to have NCP by end of week. RFC 211 certainly lists DMCG among other hosts. RFC 148 seems to imply NFP was working to some extent even earlier. RFC 342 from 15 May 1972 adds AI as a Network User. In RFC 344 is had become a server. RFC 366 from 28 June 1972 says "During this period the MIT Math Lab PDP-10 (Network address 198) became a server."

7 years, 11 months

WTB - SPARCserver 1000

by other＠oryx.us

Looking for a SPARCserver 1000 or 1000e. Working or not. Top pic here: <https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/SS1000-ssa.jpg> I'm located north of Dallas - 75077 Local preferred if possible. TIA, Jerry

7 years, 11 months

Tested Wyse and IBM terminals and keyboards available

by sales＠elecplus.com

If you are looking for tested working legacy IBM terminals with tested complete M122 keyboards, please contact <mailto:bfloyd at southtexasproducts.com> bfloyd at southtexasproducts.com. He will sell the tested monitors with kbds for $85 plus shipping. Monitors might have slight screen burn, but nothing really bad. He will also do international shipping. He has 3151, 3196, 3197, and similar ones. Email for complete list and pricing. Some older terminals available, but maybe not the matching keyboards. No beam spring terminals or keyboards, no SSK, no unsavers, etc. Just M122 with terminals. Edit: Some Wyse terminals with kbds also available. Cindy Croxton

7 years, 11 months

What's the rarest or most unusual computer-related item do you own?

by Flash688＠flying-disk.com

I just joined this list, so I'm not sure which of the items I own would be considered by this group to be rare or unusual, but here goes... Imlac PDS-1D graphics terminal, with the large screen and detached keyboard. Also a second one with the small screen and attached keyboard, but the chassis and cards are suitable only for parts. DEC TU56 dual-DECtape drive (goes with my PDP-11/34) DEC VS60/GT48 graphics display (goes with my PDP-11/34) DEC RKV11D Q-Bus controller for RK05 disks (on my LSI-11/73 system) Originally, it only supported 16-bit addressing, but I added the chip and wires to make it support 18-bit addressing. I have never even heard of another of these controllers, so I assume it is rare. Things that I assume are non-rare include an IBM 82 card sorter, Cardamation keypunch, assorted paper tape gear, and a True Data card reader (on my LSI-11/73 system). All of this was operating here at one time or another, but the clutter has become so bad that it is difficult to get them connected (or even get at them) these days. I recently retired, so my #1 job now is getting rid of all the stuff I accumulated over my almost 50 years in the computer industry. I have three rental storage units full of stuff and the cost is killing me! Is it OK to post ads on this list? Alan Frisbie

7 years, 11 months

Looking for a Archive Model 2150S (150 MB SCSI tape).

by pete＠petelancashire.com

I'm being help by a fellow member getting a Motorola VME setup put together. I've just started and I'll need a QIC tape drive. The make and model that has been recommended is a Archive Model 2150S Anyone have one they don't need ? Also might be looking for some VME boards, and eventually a smaller cage/chassis. Regards, -pete

7 years, 11 months

Netronics VID-64 terminal board

by vintagecomputer＠bettercomputing.net

I was wondering if anyone out there had documentation for this. ?I got one with a homebrew computer I'm trying to revive. ?Netronics documentation seems to be extremely scarce, which is odd given how popular it is. Brad

7 years, 11 months

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test-drb January 2017