test-drb

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

101090 discussions

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< <BA-F021I-MC <CZZMCI0 DYDP+3 LSI-11 #1 Marvin, For the clue impaired , the machine is LSI-11 Aka PDP-11. Those are what are known as xxdp diagnostics for rx02. they are quit hand to hae if you have a pdp11. Allison

28 years, 4 months

Need to make bootable TK50 tape

by kyrrin＠wizards.net

Hi, folks, I've been loaned the full-service diagnostics tape for the MicroVAX II. I've attempted to copy said tape using a pair of SCSI TK50 drives and a binary (bit-by-bit) image copy utility. It didn't work. For some bizarre reason, I cannot boot from the copy. Question: Short of installing a second TK50 in the MicroVAX long enough to make a mirror-image copy under VMS (which is something else I don't know how to do yet), what can I do here? This is a limited-time deal; I do need to have the tape back to its original owners next week. Another question: Can I initialize the target tape with VMS in some way to make it bootable, and then copy the diags from the source tape? Please help! If I can solve this, I'll be able to archive the thing on CD-ROM and make the image available to other MicroVAXen owners. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Bruce Lane, Sysop, The Dragon's Cave BBS (Fidonet 1:343/272) (Hamateur: WD6EOS) (E-mail: kyrrin(a)wizards.net) http://www.wizards.net/technoid "Our science can only describe an object, event, or living thing in our own human terms. It cannot, in any way, define any of them..."

28 years, 4 months

DEC Floppy Disks for ???

by allisonp＠world.std.com

Marvin, <I figured they were probably for the LSI-11 but beyond that, I didn't <have a clue. I have several PDP computers including the 8i, 05, and <23. Are these similar to the paper tape diagnostics for the PDP 8? They are not like the PDP-8 tapes, though some similarity may exist. They would be usable for the 23 if it has rx02. <Also, is the disk format such that they have to be read on a DEC <computer or can they be read on other machines? Thanks! The dydp are RX02 so the answer is directly, no. if it was a dxdp set the answer is yes as that would be RX01 (standard single density 8"). They can be transfered to rx01(or tu58, rl01/2, rk05, magtape) and made bootable. so if you have a working PDP-11 (most any) with RX02 you can make them rx01 and then readable by other systems, executeable is another matter as they are written in PDP-11 code. Allison

28 years, 4 months

1040STf

by idavis＠comland.com

At 08:20 AM 8/7/97 -0500, Bill Girnius wrote: >I recently aquired a 1040 STf, what's the deal with the f designator, >anyone know? Im still workin on finding a monitor. > >---------- Bill, STF means ST+internal _F_loppy drive. There is a good web page with a bunch of ST stats and info at: http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/aseabrook/a_models.htm Isaac Davis | Don't throw out that old computer, idavis(a)comland.com | check out the Classic Computer Rescue List - indavis(a)juno.com | http://www.comland.com/~idavis/classic/classic.html

28 years, 4 months

CCC : Atari machines

by adam＠merlin.net.au

Hi again. :) I can't add much, as I only recently started looking into Atari history, but the 800xe was released in 1985, and the portfolio, if you choose to include it, in 1988. Hope it helps a bit, Adam.

28 years, 4 months

new addition: grid laptop

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

i traded my brother a ncr mca box for something called a grid compass ][ 1129. it's a quite large laptop with what seems to be in a metal <!> case and a 3.5x5 inch screen. it also has an access door with 4 roms installed; gridrom 3.1.5 write/term/format, gridrom 3.1.0 grid-os system, gridmail 103.2.2 and gridos utility rom, 3.1.0 the machine works, but only from ac power. it also has a screen saver with bouncing balls! =D my brother says he got it from a guy who worked in the aerospace industry who said this machine was supposedly used to compute some kind of vectors or something or other for the space shuttle program back in the 80's although i have no way of quantifying that. on the back of the machine there is a proprietary serial connector and phone jacks and something called a GPIB port; can anyone say what that is? i'm still trying to figure out the preloaded apps, but i've stumbled upon a passwoid option which i may have to hack through. i welcome any info or opinions on this beast. it's esoteric enough to keep in my collection. david

28 years, 4 months

PDP-11/10 console (was: DEC keys and consoles)

by ard＠siva.bris.ac.uk

>There is what appears to be an RC clock composed of a 4.7 nF capacitor and >a multi-turn trimmer potentiometer in the upper left corner of the M7260 >data path board in my 11/10. It looks like this clock feeds a 74197 >counter, which has a 5-position rotary switch connected (presumably for >selecting what the incoming clock is divided by). I'll put a scope on pin >40 of the UART after I power the machine up to see what effect the rotary >switch has on the UART clock. It seems likely that the rotary switch is >used for making large changes in the baud rate and the trimmer is used for >tweaking. If that's the board I think it is, it's an 11/10S. The preset was adjusted at the factory, and you could set most standard baud rates using the switch. It can't hurt to measure the frequency, of course. I can check the printset next weekend for you if you can't figure it out. > >-- >Scott Ware s-ware(a)nwu.edu -tony

28 years, 4 months

Classic Computer Rescue - A Story

by jeffh＠unix.aardvarkol.com

On 05-Aug-97, Allison J Parent wrote: >odd sounding box. The BA23 is a 6"x19"x29" chassis out of the plastic dress >case. The BA123 is about double the width but the layout is very different. >The backplane is fixed in a main chassin and has a door over it and dress >covers. Sounds like a either a bs23 or BA213 skunk box. Most ba23s only >have one hard drive and either RX50 or TK50/70 tape. This one is in a plastic case mounted on a pedestal..the cases outside dimensions are: 6"W x 28-1/4" L x 24" H. The dimensions of the internal chasis alone are approximately: 5"W x 24" L x 17-1/2" H. It certainly doesn't sound wide enough to be a BA123, which threw me off at first when Tim suggested that's what it was. It doesn't seem to match the dimensions of the BA23 though either, especially since it has two slide-mounted hard disks in it, though it lacks a tape drive or any other type of removable media. >FYI the BA23 (Ihave one) slides into a plastic pedestal case from the back. >or the metal box can have rack mount ears. This one also alows the whole chasis to slide in and out of the pedestal case...and it looks like it'd allow it to do it just as easily from the front as it would the rear. >The 6x6 card? got me. A KA630a is quad width double height (8.5x11). Well my guaging of dimensions by eye leaves much to be desired..which is why I took a seamstress tape to the case for the above dimensions! >If the OS is ultrix yes, VMS no. If the case is BA23 drve ready switches >should be off before turning on and off before turning off. I'd say don't >power it till you have a terminal anyhow as VAXen look for a console >terminal or they don't finish power diags or boot! It also queries the >terminal for what It is, the altos unless a vt100 clone will nto give the >right response (no biggie but there is some console editing that will not >happen then). I'll keep an eye out for a VT-100 or such then....it doesnt look likely I'll find a keyboard for the Altos anyhow. I think I've seen VT-100's for about $50 on the newsgroups. Jeff -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Amiga enthusiast and collector of early, classic microcomputers http://www.geocities.com/siliconvalley/lakes/6757

28 years, 4 months

Machine dates

by hans1＠filan00.grenoble.hp.com

Marvin <marvin(a)rain.org> wrote: >> There are over 800 machines with unknown dates, would the list members >> be upset if I do a weekly posting of, say 10 names in an attempt to >> get >> more info? If you do object send me Email and I will stop. > This sounds like a good idea as well as one that is appropriate for this > group! Are you looking for the date that the computers first shipped or > perhaps rather advertised that they would ship :)? Thanks for the encouragement! Yes, the date of a machine is a problem, ideally, for mainframes I would like the date of running the first significant program. I have taken to using the date of publication of an announcemnt in for example IEEE Computer. Any reasonable and hopefully verifiable date would be welcomed. I have been browsing the back issues of PCW magazine of which I have a complete set of the first 8 years or so, and it is amusing to see the adverts for the Sinclair MK14, they start out as rough drawings, then more detailed ones and finally after 8 or so months we finally see a photograph. It would be interesting to see a the sequence of these ads juxtaposed, hmmm, yet another project ;-) Regards, Hans

28 years, 4 months

Comprehensive Computer Catalogue updated

by hans1＠filan00.grenoble.hp.com

I have updated my opus magnus : the Comprehensive Computer Catalogue (CCC), it now records 3574 computers. Please take a look and send any comments or updates my way. It can be found at <http://www.digiweb.com/~hansp/ccc> Use the FIND button to gain access to the search engine, from there you can look for your favorite machine by name or get a list of machines by manufacturer or date or country. There are over 800 machines with unknown dates, would the list members be upset if I do a weekly posting of, say 10 names in an attempt to get more info? If you do object send me Email and I will stop. Best regards, Hans B Pufal

28 years, 4 months

Jump to page:

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