test-drb

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

101090 discussions

Tool to convert between Motorola FFP and IEEE754 float formats?

by classiccmp＠philpem.me.uk

Hi, Does anyone know of a tool which can convert between Motorola's FFP (Fast Floating Point) float format and IEEE754? I'm trying to reverse-engineer some ancient 68k code which uses the FFP library, but a load of the floating point constants have been hard-coded as hex constants, which is making things hard to interpret... I've tried to convert the 68k assembler in FFPIEEE.SA to C, but I must have missed something because it just isn't working... Thanks, -- Phil. classiccmp at philpem.me.uk http://www.philpem.me.uk/

10 years, 5 months

Stuck bits on 11/73 Clearpoint 4MB memory - how to repair?

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Jacob Ritorto > I struggled for hours with inadequate eyesight, tools and materials, > but I think I got this mod done! That was quick! I had an 11/23 on my workbench that had had that backplane mod, so I took it apart to take a picture, to help you, but I guess that's OBE... :-) > the machine's stuck in self-test at error 47, Memory CSR error. It's not clear that that's really a hardware problem. DEC makes assumptions about how many memory CSRs there will be, etc, and some third-party board 'fail' when they don't meet those expectations. I have a Clearpoint QED1 (I think that's the one, didn't check) that does that. > What I assume is the parity light on the third party "Clearpoint QRAM-2 > SPB-1 88B" lights during self test. I've found no documentation for this > sucker as yet.. I have a PDF of the "User Information Manual" for the Clearpoint Q-RAM 88B. (Oh, I see, later message says you found it.) No prints, alas. Anyone have any we can scan and put online? > I'll have to find my rl02 controller and build the system up some more > so I can run xxdp and find out what exactly died. I would tend to use diagnostics as 'help', not my main tool in diagnosing faults. This is particular true as really bad issues can prevent the diagnostics from loading/running, so if you get skilled at fault analysis without depending on them, you're better situated to deal with the failures that prevent using them. > Can anyone offer hints as to how to identify which component is broken > and how to go about repairing this? As other have said, lacking the prints, pulling chips (if they are socketed) ought to enable you to work out which chips goes where. (I'v worked out the chip layout for a number of un-documented memory cards this way.) I don't know about your 88B, but the one I have photos of, and my other Clearpoint cards, the chips are in sockets. With luck yours will be too... If not, ask if someone has one with sockets (alas, I don't have an 88B), who can do the mapping for you. Important: once you have worked it out, pass it along! I'm trying to upload all the data I've collected about cards for which no documentation is available to the Computer History wiki. > It's the only memory board in this machine, so I guess the problem > might actually be a bus or processor board, right? Could be. I have an KDJ11-B which has stuck bits, and that's the CPU board, so yours could be to. > I have no other q-bus memory to test with, so can't do swapping / > process of elimination to be sure. It's definitely worth having another small QBUS memory card to use in fault isolation when debugging. M8044's are readily available on eBay for about $20. They are only Q18, so not usable in the same machine as Q22 memory, but they are useful for debugging. I would definitely invest in one. (If you luck out and get a bad one, send it to me, and I'll swap it for a known good, tested, one. I've fixed a whole bunch of them, got to the point where the last one I did for someone I didn't even have to pull out my 'scope! I could tell from the symptoms exactly which chip to replace! :-) > From: Jay Jaeger > Well clearly it is only affecting certain address bits - or the > diagnostic would not run at all Well, like I said, I do have a KDJ11-B which will run the on-board startup diagnostic, but which has a bit stuck hard on the QBUS interface! So those machines seem to be pretty resilient. Although as you point out, if he can load and run the diagnostic, it's probably not the CPU. > note that it is starting at 010000000, so that points to the memory Yup. If some locations work, and others don't, it's almost certainly the memory. And since he's only dealing with a single memory card, it's probably not the bus drivers/receivers on that card, either. One can use ODT on the KDJ11-B to poke around, and find the envelope of the problem. (See comments above about not relying on diagnostics! They are better for saying something's busted, than for accurately telling what _is_ broken.) With that, and a chip->memory map, it should be fairly easy to replace the offending chips. Noel

10 years, 5 months

QSIC update

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Al Kossow > Have you guys thought about a panel that would connect to the KM11 > connector slots of real rk11/tc11 controllers? Umm, Guy sells KM11 clones? (I just bought a pair, they look really nice.) Or did you mean something else? Speaking of things Guy has, Dave is talking about adding a switch that would turn a QSIC+indicator panel into a QAV-11... :-) Noel

10 years, 5 months

QSIC update

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

So here's a quick update on where Dave Bridgham and I are with the QSIC, since I think we have reached a significant milestone. We have the first of two wire-wrap prototype QBUS motherboards more or less (see below) done, and working to do slave cycles on the QBUS. (I.e. we implemented a simple register, and can write it, and read the contents back.) A test program to write all 2^16 possible values, and read them back and check them, ran several thousand complete passes with no errors. To get there, we (Dave, really - he bore the brunt of the work on this problem, and finally conquered it) had to tackle and fix some major noise issues: the way the prototype is done (a wirewrap QBUS mother-board with bus transceivers, level converters, etc, connected to an FPGA prototyping card with flat cables), we think we had cross-talk problems in the cables (since the connector pinout on the FPGA card, which we can't change, didn't alternate ground and signal lines). Anyway, it's working now; that means the hardware is 'mostly' working; most of the work from here on out will be FPGA, etc, programming. There _are_ a few additional QBUS lines used for bus master (DMA) and interrupts which we haven't used yet, and one of the first things done now is to get those two kind of bus cycles working; a) we have to get them done anyway, and b) that will verify that the QBUS interface hardware is full working. With that in hand, we can do the first controller (RK11), using memory in the FPGA to simulate a small disk. We'll then try and get to the larger RAM on the FPGA, to do full-size RAM disks. Next up after that is probably to hook up some SD cards (we already have produced the small PCB daughter-cards, which will mount on sockets on the wire-wrap mother-board, to hold the SD cards - we still need to add those sockets and wire them up, hence the comment that the wire-wrap mother-boards are "almost done"), at which point we'll have a fully-functional prototype. Dave has also produced prototype PCB's for the indicator panel, and one has been stuffed, and Dave's about to try and hook that up, and get it running; that will require yet a bit more work on the mother-board (install 3 sockets to hold the driver chips for the signal lines in the interface to the indicator panel). Blinkenlitz are a priority because, i) just because ;-), and ii) being able to display data from inside the FPGA will be a big debugging help. Anyway, we think getting slave cycles working was a major milestone (for a couple of software guys :-), And we think (_hope_ :-) that progress will now be pretty rapid, so hopefully more soon. Noel

10 years, 5 months

Real tape drive densities [was RE: Oregon Pascal tape found]

by RichA＠LivingComputerMuseum.org

From: Christian Corti Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2016 2:28 AM > On Tue, 9 Feb 2016, Pete Lancashire wrote: >> There are a few odd balls in 9-track as well, but the 556 was a typo. > Really? > I actually *do* have a 9 track tape drive (HP 7970) that has 200/556/800 > bpi densities: > http://computermuseum.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/pics/hp1000/hp7970_2.jpg > And it is a *9* track tape, I know for sure. Actually, what you have is a *dual-density* tape drive, an HP7970E. It will write 9-track tapes at 800bpi, or 7-track tapes at 200, 556, or 800. See the manual for the 7970 drive family at http://bitsavers.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/pdf/hp/tape/7970/07970-90885_7… Rich Rich Alderson Vintage Computing Sr. Systems Engineer Living Computer Museum 2245 1st Avenue S Seattle, WA 98134 mailto:RichA at LivingComputerMuseum.org http://www.LivingComputerMuseum.org/

10 years, 5 months

Front Panels Update

by rodsmallwood52＠btinternet.com

Hi I had an email in from the screeners this morning. She is getting there. I suppose I should not expect automation speeds from a skilled hand process. Twenty boards not all the same with five passes per board, flush out time and drying time with the need for spot on registration aint gonna be that quick. More news as I get it Rod

10 years, 5 months

Babes at Bell Labs

by jgessling＠yahoo.com

In honor of Valentine's day and all the great ladies that I've worked with over the years, ?I for one had a small part in a romance by setting up a VMS account for the geologist in our department after listening to his complaints about how useless computers were for years. ?Come to find out he wanted to email with one of my best programmers. ?Love ensued with marriage in a little while. ?Please enjoy. Big computers, big hair: the women of Bell Labs in the 1960s ? in pictures | ? | | ? | | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | | Big computers, big hair: the women of Bell Labs in the 1...In 1967, Lawrence ?Larry? Luckham was an operations manager at Bell Labs in Oakland, California. He brought a camera into work to capture a day in the life? | | | | View on www.theguardian.com | Preview by Yahoo | | | | ? | Jim

10 years, 5 months

IBM System z9 available near Ann Arbor, MI

by scaron＠umich.edu

Hi all, I was stopping by a local recycler to pick up a few Cisco switches I bought to add to my lab, and while I was there, I happened to spot a complete IBM System z9 machine out of the U-M Health System. http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-Type-2096-S07-System-z9-Enterprise-Server-TESTE… The fellow that I was speaking with indicated that they might accept a little bit less than the tagged price. Perhaps this is a bit on the new side for the list but I figured these don't come around too often and this might be a good place to find it a home... I know there are lots of IBM enthusiasts here. Best, Sean

10 years, 5 months

pdp11/04 : the pics....

by jdr_use＠bluewin.ch

On ftp.dreesen.ch/PDP11 you can find some pics on how the rescued PDP11/04 fits right in next to its cousin, a PDP8/a This 8a, BTW, has more memory (128K x 12) and more oomph ( a FPP8A ) than the PDP11/04.... Jos

10 years, 5 months

Stuck bits on 11/73 Clearpoint 4MB memory - how to repair?

by jacob.ritorto＠gmail.com

Hi, Seems I have bits 4 and 3 sticking on my Clearpoint QRAM-2-SAB-1 88b 4MB memory in my pdp11/73. Can anyone offer hints as to how to identify which component is broken and how to go about repairing this? It's the only memory board in this machine, so I guess the problem might actually be a bus or processor board, right? I have no other q-bus memory to test with, so can't do swapping / process of elimination to be sure. Here's the manual: http://www.arclightindustries.com/docs/Clearpoint-88B.pdf (which I probably should add to manx or archive.org or something). Here's a snippet of the VMJA diags run illustrating bits 4 and 3 sticking. During the next VMJA run, all addresses were showing up as errored instead of just the ones ending in xxx000xx, so I guess it's getting worse! @173000g Starting system BOOTING UP XXDP-XM EXTENDED MONITOR XXDP-XM EXTENDED MONITOR - XXDP V2.5 REVISION: F0 BOOTED FROM DL0 124KW OF MEMORY NON-UNIBUS SYSTEM RESTART ADDRESS: 152000 TYPE "H" FOR HELP ! .R VMJA?? VMJAB0.BIC CVMJAB0 ECC/PARITY MEMORY DIAGNOSTIC 11/83 CACHE AVAILABLE SWR = 000000 NEW = 000040 CSR MAP CSR 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F MEMTYPE P CSR NUMBER 0 CONTROLS TOO MANY BANKS 2044K OF Q-BUS PARITY MEMORY 2044K WORDS OF MEMORY TOTAL MEMORY CONFIGURATION MAP 16K WORD BANKS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 012345670123456701234567012345670123456701234567012345670123 ERRORS MEMTYPE PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP CSR 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 PROTECT PP 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 456701234567012345670123456701234567012345670123456701234567 ERRORS MEMTYPE PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP CSR 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 PROTECT 1 7 01234567 ERRORS MEMTYPE PPPPPPPP CSR 00000000 PROTECT MEMORY DATA ERROR PC BANK VADD PADD GOOD BAD XOR CSR MTYP INT PAT 027606 10 060000 01000000 000010 000030 000020 0 P 27 027606 10 060002 01000002 000010 000030 000020 0 P 27 027606 10 060004 01000004 000010 000030 000020 0 P 27 027606 10 060006 01000006 000010 000030 000020 0 P 27 027606 10 060010 01000010 000010 000030 000020 0 P 27 027606 11 060000 01100000 000011 000031 000020 0 P 27 027606 11 060002 01100002 000011 000031 000020 0 P 27 027606 11 060004 01100004 000011 000031 000020 0 P 27 027606 11 060006 01100006 000011 000031 000020 0 P 27 027606 11 060010 01100010 000011 000031 000020 0 P 27 027606 12 060000 01200000 000012 000032 000020 0 P 27 027606 12 060002 01200002 000012 000032 000020 0 P 27 027606 12 060004 01200004 000012 000032 000020 0 P 27 027606 12 060006 01200006 000012 000032 000020 0 P 27 027606 12 060010 01200010 000012 000032 000020 0 P 27 027606 13 060000 01300000 000013 000033 000020 0 P 27 027606 13 060002 01300002 000013 000033 000020 0 P 27 027606 13 060004 01300004 000013 000033 000020 0 P 27 027606 13 060006 01300006 000013 000033 000020 0 P 27 027606 13 060010 01300010 000013 000033 000020 0 P 27 027606 14 060000 01400000 000014 000034 000020 0 P 27 027606 14 060002 01400002 000014 000034 000020 0 P 27 027606 14 060004 01400004 000014 000034 000020 0 P 27 027606 14 060006 01400006 000014 000034 000020 0 P 27 027606 14 060010 01400010 000014 000034 000020 0 P 27 027606 15 060000 01500000 000015 000035 000020 0 P 27 027606 15 060002 01500002 000015 000035 000020 0 P 27 027606 15 060004 01500004 000015 000035 000020 0 P 27 027606 15 060006 01500006 000015 000035 000020 0 P 27 027606 15 060010 01500010 000015 000035 000020 0 P 27 027606 16 060000 01600000 000016 000036 000020 0 P 27 027606 16 060002 01600002 000016 000036 000020 0 P 27 027606 16 060004 01600004 000016 000036 000020 0 P 27 027606 16 060006 01600006 000016 000036 000020 0 P 27 027606 16 060010 01600010 000016 000036 000020 0 P 27 027606 17 060000 01700000 000017 000037 000020 0 P 27 027606 17 060002 01700002 000017 000037 000020 0 P 27 027606 17 060004 01700004 000017 000037 000020 0 P 27 027606 17 060006 01700006 000017 000037 000020 0 P 27 027606 17 060010 01700010 000017 000037 000020 0 P 27 027606 20 060000 02000000 000020 000030 000010 0 P 27 027606 20 060002 02000002 000020 000030 000010 0 P 27 027606 20 060004 02000004 000020 000030 000010 0 P 27 027606 20 060006 02000006 000020 000030 000010 0 P 27 027606 20 060010 02000010 000020 000030 000010 0 P 27 027606 21 060000 02100000 000021 000031 000010 0 P 27 027606 21 060002 02100002 000021 000031 000010 0 P 27 027606 21 060004 02100004 000021 000031 000010 0 P 27 027606 21 060006 02100006 000021 000031 000010 0 P 27 027606 21 060010 02100010 000021 000031 000010 0 P 27 027606 22 060000 02200000 000022 000032 000010 0 P 27 027606 22 060002 02200002 000022 000032 000010 0 P 27 027606 22 060004 02200004 000022 000032 000010 0 P 27 027606 22 060006 02200006 000022 000032 000010 0 P 27 027606 22 060010 02200010 000022 000032 000010 0 P 27 027606 23 060000 02300000 000023 000033 000010 0 P 27 027606 23 060002 02300002 000023 000033 000010 0 P 27 027606 23 060004 02300004 000023 000033 000010 0 P 27 027606 23 060006 02300006 000023 000033 000010 0 P 27 027606 23 060010 02300010 000023 000033 000010 0 P 27 027606 24 060000 02400000 000024 000034 000010 0 P 27 027606 24 060002 02400002 000024 000034 000010 0 P 27 027606 24 060004 02400004 000024 000034 000010 0 P 27 027606 24 060006 02400006 000024 000034 000010 0 P 27 027606 24 060010 02400010 000024 000034 000010 0 P 27 027606 25 060000 02500000 000025 000035 000010 0 P 27 027606 25 060002 02500002 000025 000035 000010 0 P 27 027606 25 060004 02500004 000025 000035 000010 0 P 27 027606 25 060006 02500006 000025 000035 000010 0 P 27 027606 25 060010 02500010 000025 000035 000010 0 P 27 027606 26 060000 02600000 000026 000036 000010 0 P 27 027606 26 060002 02600002 000026 000036 000010 0 P 27 027606 26 060004 02600004 000026 000036 000010 0 P 27 027606 26 060006 02600006 000026 000036 000010 0 P 27 027606 26 060010 02600010 000026 000036 000010 0 P 27 027606 27 060000 02700000 000027 000037 000010 0 P 27 027606 27 060002 02700002 000027 000037 000010 0 P 27 027606 27 060004 02700004 000027 000037 000010 0 P 27 027606 27 060006 02700006 000027 000037 000010 0 P 27 027606 27 060010 02700010 000027 000037 000010 0 P 27 027606 30 060000 03000000 177747 177767 000020 0 P 27 027606 30 060002 03000002 177747 177767 000020 0 P 27 027606 30 060004 03000004 177747 177767 000020 0 P 27 027606 30 060006 03000006 177747 177767 000020 0 P 27 027606 30 060010 03000010 177747 177767 000020 0 P 27 027606 31 060000 03100000 177746 177766 000020 0 P 27 027606 31 060002 03100002 177746 177766 000020 0 P 27 027606 31 060004 03100004 177746 177766 000020 0 P 27 027606 31 060006 03100006 177746 177766 000020 0 P 27 027606 31 060010 03100010 177746 177766 000020 0 P 27 027606 32 06000

10 years, 5 months

Jump to page:

2026

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

1998

1997

test-drb