test-drb March 2021

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

138 participants
84 discussions

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Guy Sotomayor > the LOADALL instructions including all of it's warts (and its inability > to switch back from protected mode) Good to have that confirmed (for the 286; apparently it works in the 386). > the other way to get back to real mode from protected mode is via a > triple-fault. Any insight into why IBM didn't use that, but went with the (allegedly slow) keyboard hack? Noel

3 years, 10 months

Wagner WAC40

by Rice43＠btinternet.com

Hi, I recently bought a core rope memory unit from a Wagner WAC40, mainly because it?s very aesthetically pleasing and looks good on display: https://i.redd.it/h9sb550uhnm61.jpg However, i can fine very little about Wagner Computer, the WAC40 (and WAC12), or the man behind the company, G?nter Wagner. Does anyone have any info on any of these subjects? This links seems to be all i can find: https://blog.hnf.de/gauner-gelder-und-computer/ Thanks, Josh Rice

3 years, 10 months

Diversified Technology CAT904 80286 single board PC

by new_castle_j＠yahoo.com

I've got a Diversified Tech 286 SBC as well and was able to switch to 3.5 floppies by modifying the BIOS settings. Mine has the Dallas Real Time Clock chip and the battery was dead so the BIOS settings weren't preserved after a reboot. Fortunately I obtained a replacement chip available on ebay to fix that issue. I haven't got a manual to share, but it's a neat little board. Jonathan On Tuesday, March 16, 2021, 12:00:02 PM CDT, <cctalk-request at classiccmp.org> wrote: Send cctalk mailing list submissions to ??? cctalk at classiccmp.org To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit ??? http://www.classiccmp.org/mailman/listinfo/cctalk or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to ??? cctalk-request at classiccmp.org You can reach the person managing the list at ??? cctalk-owner at classiccmp.org When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of cctalk digest..." Today's Topics: ? 1. VAX rom patches - VAXstation 2000 SCSI boot, KA420 > 1GB boot ? ? ? (David Brownlee) ? 2. Re: Diversified Technology CAT904 80286 single board PC ? ? ? (david raingeard) ? 3. Re: PDP-10 I/O notes (Lars Brinkhoff) ? 4. who collects modems? (Tom Uban) ? 5. Re: Any info on a Western Peripherals DC-230 disk controller? ? ? ? (Jay Jaeger) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2021 18:36:23 +0000 From: David Brownlee <abs at absd.org> To: rob at jarratt.me.uk,? "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic ??? Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org>, port-vax List <port-vax at netbsd.org> Cc: Malte Dehling <mdehling at gmail.com> Subject: VAX rom patches - VAXstation 2000 SCSI boot, KA420 > 1GB boot Message-ID: ??? <CAGN_6pbBzUQDJP-YiCQRZsaNOsGye1oWQ_ULyvavEd52ZrYp2Q at mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" I had some extra A4 pages with a VAXstation 2000 manual which covered a preview PK2K kit for VMS, bootloader and ROM to allow use of the VAXstation 2000 SCSI controller for more than just tapes. Rough scan at http://sync.absd.org/vax/VAX-PK2K-preview-kit.pdf (the originals will be sent to someone who can do a better job) The pages led me to http://ftp.gwdg.de/pub/vms/ which includes some goodies: - http://ftp.gwdg.de/pub/vms/pk2k - uVAX-2k SCSI patches with source for boot roms, VMB & VMS - http://ftp.gwdg.de/pub/vms/ka420 - ROM patches for KA420/KA430 boot >from >1GB disks - http://ftp.gwdg.de/pub/vms/dk-552/ - VMS 5.2 patch to allow to accept more SCSI disk devices (Starting a new thread in case there is (slightly) more general interest for anyone interested in using the onboard uVAX-2K SCSI controller more more than tapes (OK, OK, for anyone not running NetBSD on their uVAX-2K interested in etc etc) - have cross posted to cctalk & port-vax - hopefully not violating any conventions there) David ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2021 16:41:54 +0100 From: david raingeard <david.raingeard at gmail.com> To: Tom Uban <tom at figureeightbrewing.com>,? "General Discussion: ??? On-Topic Posts" <cctech at classiccmp.org> Subject: Re: Diversified Technology CAT904 80286 single board PC Message-ID: ??? <CAFvDS1SvQZFE_dzGQaheyLRpFqh-ZqFZyyWpBaMg_D22gZ+8kA at mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" i rather do? what doe with ibm dos Le lun. 15 mars 2021 ? 16:23, Tom Uban via cctech <cctech at classiccmp.org> a ?crit : > It dawned on me that I probably just need to change a BIOS setting. I > haven't dealt with PCs in so > long I've forgotten what to do... > I would still like to find a manual if someone has one. > > > I have a Diversified Technology CAT904 80286 single board PC in a system > with a 5.25" floppy drive > running DOS. > > I would like to switch the system to use a 3.5" drive and am wondering > if anyone has a manual for > the dip switch settings for this board or if I can simply add a 3.5" drive > as a 2nd device on the > floppy cable (guessing not without switch changes)? > > > > --tnx > > --tom > > ------------------------------ Message: 3 Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2021 06:04:44 +0000 From: Lars Brinkhoff <lars at nocrew.org> To: Don Stalkowski via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> Subject: Re: PDP-10 I/O notes Message-ID: <7wzgz3zlab.fsf at junk.nocrew.org> Content-Type: text/plain Don Stalkowski wrote: > For what it's worth I've posted some notes on PDP-10 I/O from a course > taught by Mike Bennett at UWO in the early 1970s. Thank you! Interesting to see the DECtape file structure format. ------------------------------ Message: 4 Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2021 09:48:33 -0500 From: Tom Uban <tom at figureeightbrewing.com> To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" ??? <cctalk at classiccmp.org> Subject: who collects modems? Message-ID: ??? <d22a7559-5c13-28e5-eec0-b1587b5c5a79 at figureeightbrewing.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Clearing out stuff at my space, I have the following modems: NEC UltraLite-Series Image Modem Plus w/box CTS Datacomm 2424 ADA modem w/box Scout Plus External Data/Fax modem w/box Digital DF03 modem Any offers? --tom ------------------------------ Message: 5 Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2021 11:23:28 -0500 From: Jay Jaeger <cube1 at charter.net> To: Josh Dersch via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> Subject: Re: Any info on a Western Peripherals DC-230 disk controller? Message-ID: <0877749a-9d01-466e-9e59-854977e13808 at charter.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed I may have a little info - but the info is in storage, and it is just a "Western Peripherals Instruction Reference Card", apparently referring to the DC-230, PDP-11 and TC-130 (the latter being a tape controller, for which I do have some doc.) Once the weather warms up again - say, maybe this weekend, I'll trot off to storage, bring it back and scan it. Back in the 1970's the UW Madison CS Department's 11/20 had a 3rd party disk controller of some sort - one pack removable, one fixed, but I don't remember who made it (might have been Wangco). JRJ On 3/12/2021 5:02 PM, Josh Dersch via cctalk wrote: > Any ideas what this disc controller is? > > https://www.ebay.com/itm/PDP-11-Backplane-Western-Peripherals-DC-230-Disk-C… > > Can't find much about this on the 'net, other than that it was a controller > for Diablo/Pertec style drives -- no idea if it's an RK11 clone or > something else entirely. Looks to be suitable for a PDP-11/20 given the > little notch missing from the side there, and the lack of a separate power > harness for the backplane. > > - Josh > End of cctalk Digest, Vol 78, Issue 16 **************************************

3 years, 10 months

Diversified Technology CAT904 80286 single board PC

by david.raingeard＠gmail.com

i rather do what doe with ibm dos Le lun. 15 mars 2021 ? 16:23, Tom Uban via cctech <cctech at classiccmp.org> a ?crit : > It dawned on me that I probably just need to change a BIOS setting. I > haven't dealt with PCs in so > long I've forgotten what to do... > I would still like to find a manual if someone has one. > > > I have a Diversified Technology CAT904 80286 single board PC in a system > with a 5.25" floppy drive > running DOS. > > I would like to switch the system to use a 3.5" drive and am wondering > if anyone has a manual for > the dip switch settings for this board or if I can simply add a 3.5" drive > as a 2nd device on the > floppy cable (guessing not without switch changes)? > > > > --tnx > > --tom > >

3 years, 10 months

DEC Professional: software and docs for CP/M and PC-Bridge boards

by bdweb＠mindspring.com

I have two oddball CTI boards for my DEC Professional: a DEC-made CP/M board (P/N 54-15641) and a board labelled "VIRTUAL MICROSYSTEMS PRO BD. REV 1" which appears to be an x86 MS-DOS board (it contains an 8086, a video controller and a bunch of RAM). I've managed to get them both functional, I believe, but I don't have software or documentation for either. I did find the RCS/RI diskettes at https://web.archive.org/web/20040113090630/http://starfish.rcsri.org/rcs/pd…, but although the image files are uncorrupted it appears the diskettes were not read reliably in the first place. And I also know that at some point the PC-Bridge software and doc set was available on eBay (https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/virtual-microsystems-pc-bridge-2-200…). Does anyone know where I can get a copy of the diskettes and/or documentation? Thanks. --Bjoren Davis

3 years, 10 months

80286 Protected Mode Test

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Jim Stephens > The 286 can exit protected mode with the LOADALL instruction. Really? So why all the hullabaloo about Triple Faults: http://www.rcollins.org/Productivity/TripleFault.html back in the day; and why did IBM set up the keyboard controller so it could send a RESET signal (so people could get out of protected mode)? Or is it that LOADALL (which was also undocumented early on, so maybe that's why the IBM thing) could be used to cause a triple fault? Noel

3 years, 10 months

VAXstation 2000 network & hardware guides (English & German)

by mdehling＠gmail.com

I'd be interested in the guides if you're located in Germany, and I do have access to a book scanner. Best, MalteOn Mar 14, 2021 19:08, David Brownlee via cctalk wrote: > > I have acquired a tiny slice of Orange Wall, and wondered if anyone would > be interested - preference for anyone who is setup to scan and upload the > missing bits to bitsavers or similar :) > > These seem to already be generally available online > EK-NETAB-UG-002 Workstations and MicroVAX 2000 Network Guide > EK-VAXAB-OM-002 VAXstation 2000 Owner's Manual (Covers how to replace your > mouse balls, and details exciting options such as LN03, LN03 PLUS, LPS40, > LA210, LA100, LA75, LA50. LGC01, LVP16, DF224, DF124, DF112, VSXXX-AB :-p) > > These I cannot immediately find > EK-NETAA-UG-001 VAXstation 2000, MicroVAX 2000 and VAXmate Network Guide > EK-VAXAB-IN-002 VAXstation 2000 Hardware Installation Guide > > Likewise these German versions > EK-NETGA-UG-001 VAXstation 2000, MicroVAX 2000 und VAXmate > Netzwerk-Anleitung > EK-A0305-IN 001 VR160 Installations-und Bedienungsanleitung > EK-A0355-OG-001 Grafikkoprozessor (8 Bildebenen) fur die VAXstation 2000 > Installations- und Bedienungsanleitung > > Thanks > > David

3 years, 10 months

Classic browsing and duckduckgo

by rtomek＠ceti.pl

Howdy, I more often than not use one of the old style browsers (lynx, dillo etc). Using search engines with them was rather uncool (unusable links in search results, wanting to load some bs or js, etc). For this reason I type my searches using mozilla and very rarely trying this with duckduckgo and almost never with goog. Today I noticed that duckduckgo redirects my classic browsers to lite.duckduckgo.com and I can use the results. Cool! Tried with dillo and w3m. -- Regards, Tomasz Rola -- ** A C programmer asked whether computer had Buddha's nature. ** ** As the answer, master did "rm -rif" on the programmer's home ** ** directory. And then the C programmer became enlightened... ** ** ** ** Tomasz Rola mailto:tomasz_rola at bigfoot.com **

3 years, 10 months

80286 Protected Mode Test

by robert.jarratt＠ntlworld.com

I have a DECstation 220 (Olivetti M250E) which is failing POST on a "simple test of the 80286 protected mode". It says in a service manual I have that for this test the CPU is set in the protected mode, the machine status word is checked to see whether it indicates the protected mode and then exits protected mode. This test seems to be failing. Is there any possible explanation for this other than a failed 80286 CPU? Could there be any external reason? This board suffered some battery leak damage. Clearly the 80286 is working well enough to execute this diagnostic and send some text to the screen, so it basically works. Thanks Rob

3 years, 10 months

Help with PCB ID

by coryheisterkamp＠gmail.com

I?m wondering if anyone recognizes this PCB. Double-sided, 74xx vintage, measuring 14?x15?. There?s a ?B.I.? logo in one corner, but no google match. IC date codes are ?77/?78 vintage. There?s a pair of DB-25?s, a BCD encoder, and for some reason, two pots. DC rectification appears to take place onboard. I thought perhaps the 112-7753 marking might be a part or catalog number, however the flip side is marked 112-1754, so perhaps not. Anyone recognize it? -Cory https://photos.app.goo.gl/dogAPxn7vLV87YRw9

3 years, 10 months

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test-drb March 2021