- test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org - classiccmp.org

Changing the clock frequency slightly (PDP-11)?

by charlesmorris＠direcway.com

After pulling out my hair for a while trying to get my PDP-11 to talk to me, I finally discovered that the master clock (26.667 MHz crystal oscillator) is dead. (KDF-11BA CPU board). Those metal-package oscillators are very common and inexpensive (around $2), but I can't find one in that exact frequency. 25, 25.175 and 27 MHz units are available. Semi-custom ones aren't terribly much more expensive (~ $15) but have longer lead times. Is there anything in the circuitry that can't be run a little slower (or 1.2% faster, 27 MHz)? I'm not worried about squeezing every last MIPS out of it. thanks Charles

20 years, 8 months

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SOL-20 keyboard question

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "Chuck Guzis" <cclist at sydex.com> > >The following site seems to think that you can use junker Sun 4 keyboards >for parts: > >http://www.thebattles.net/sol20/keyboard.html > >--Chuck > Hi Some types of foam don't last long. I wonder if one could make some with closed cell foam instead. It last much longer but is a little stiffer than the foam that they seem to be using. If it is a capacitive you should be able to make new capacitors with some aluminum foil and clear tape. Just my thoughts Dwight

20 years, 8 months

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Housing collections (was: other Utah collectors?)

by henk.gooijen＠oce.com

A bit long reply ... My collection outgrew the room in which all was more or less "in storage", because I got so many that there was no more room to play with them. That's the point when I decided that I needed more space. Renting some storage is not expensive in the beginning, but that are recurring cotst every month. An other drawback is that such a storage is not near your house, so (what I do almost every evening) going to have a look at the collection (I love the sight of those machines) would not be possible. I could build something in the backyard, but there were restrictions from the local authorities, otherwise it would sure be at least twice as big! The outside measures 30 sq. m. It is built like a house: a good floor to carry +/- 5000 kilo (at this moment) and under the tiles is a 500W. electrical heating. I wanted to keep all machines in a "good" environment so, the temperature is never below 10" Celcius, even now, when it is outside freezing 7" Celcius. To keep the temperature inside there is 10 cm spacing between the outside and inside walls. That 10 cm consists of air and glass-fiber insulation, the normal stuff used in Holland when a house is built. The inside stone wall is made of bricks that have small air pockets (for better temp. insulation). I would have built a bit cheaper (especially the windows and the door), but my wife insisted: you build it *good*, or you don't build at all! Regarding the power installation, I had to get that from the closet where the power company cable enters the house. As I could not wire *under* the house, I had to dig a 60 cm trench around the house (deep, I know, but I do not want any hassle >from local authorities). I have put in 5-wire 4 sq. mm. which is good for 3-phase power, at least 32 Amps per phase. If I "upgrade" the power company fuses (behind seals, so I can not do that myself), I actually can draw 16 Amps per group at 230 VAC. and I have 6 groups! That should be enough to run the PDP-11/70 and the two RM03s at the same time. BTW, the "making of ..." does not show everything. There are a lot of small construction details that I did not know of. But my neighbour (it is not my brother, but hey, the Dutch "IRS" might read my site) works in the "construction business", and I would have done a few things not so well. While building they are simple, but when it's done and you have trouble with damp walls, things are not so easy anymore! Oh, and the outside roof was done by a chap retired in that business. So, the place was built "after hours". It saves a lot of money, but the drawback is that the construction took approx 6 months. Actually, I have the power just since two months! And now I am sort-of-playing with the first machine, the 11/34C. After three years not-powered, I have had a lot of problems getting the machine to run, and I am still not out of the weeds! But I do learn a lot in the mean time. Tip: run your machines at least once a month to keep them "healthy"! Talk nice to them :-) I will shoot new pictures of the "computer room", of which you can see one on the "Update Status" page. The wall at the end is not so empty anymore ... The latest addition is *NOT* a DIGITAL machine. Allthough I do restrict myself to DEC, I could not resist the offer of a DATA GENERAL NOVA 3D with the machine matching printer and terminal. Further, it has 192 Mb memory (so MMU must be installed) and it has two disk drives, and comes with several 10 Mb cartridges. Plus 3 boxs of documentation still shrick-wrapped. I did a quick check on bitsavers, and saw noting of the 3D. I guess the new year will bring a lot of scanning work ... If you ask "why get that non-DEC machine?", the answer is simple. For two reasons: 1) DG was founded (?) or the Nova was built (?) [not sure what applies] by people that left DEC! just like Amdahl was founded by poeple who left IBM, and 2) it's a complete, and original setup. BTW, the I will keep the Nova in the house, next to the HAM radio stuff. But it is a tight fit, getting full again! If I ever win the lottery big time, I will move. My wife can decide on the (new) house, I am just looking for s p a c e , (not the final frontier). About 3 times what I have now would be nice, for starters :-). Everybody, a healthy 2006! (the most important thing in life, whatever you collect!) - Henk, PA8PDP. ________________________________ Van: cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org namens Richard Verzonden: do 29-12-2005 07:02 Aan: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts Onderwerp: Re: Housing collections (was: other Utah collectors?) For those of you that have larger machines, do you set them up in "machine room" configurations like the Netherlands PDP-11 room? Do any of you have your collection housed somewhere with a raised machine-room tile floor for routing cables underneath? ;-) -- "The Direct3D Graphics Pipeline"-- code samples, sample chapter, FAQ: <http://www.xmission.com/~legalize/book/ <http://www.xmission.com/~legalize/book/> > Pilgrimage: Utah's annual demoparty <http://pilgrimage.scene.org <http://pilgrimage.scene.org> > This message and attachment(s) are intended solely for the use of the addressee and may contain information that is privileged, confidential or otherwise exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the intended recipient or agent thereof responsible for delivering this message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the sender immediately by telephone and with a "reply" message. Thank you for your cooperation.

20 years, 8 months

1
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Available: Multibus form-factor Augat boards

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "William Maddox" <wmaddox at pacbell.net> > >I have four of these to get rid of. They are used and >wired, and most have bypass capacitors soldered in on the >component side, but the wiring side is wire-wrap only. >These aren't the greatest boards, and I doubt that unwrapping >them is any fun, which is why I culled them from the lot that >I bought. They are available for the cost of postage, however, >or free for local pickup in Santa Clara, if anyone is interested >in them before they go to the scrapper. > >--Bill Hi Bill I got to go. If you want to contact me tonight, email me at dkelvey at hotmail.com. I'll check that email later. I also have a cell phone. It is 408 242 9798. Later Dwight

20 years, 8 months

2
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IBM 3084 thermal module, s50 card, Pro 350 memory, NI GPIB, Tandy 100 and more

by innfoclassics＠gmail.com

I have a bunch of interesting stuff on eBay. The IBM 3084 Chip and thermal module in its last few hours. The reserve is half of what I mentioned earlier. Also a S50 card with 8 Intel 1702 Eproms. New memory card for a DEC Pro 350, National Insturments GPIB card, Tandy Model 100 laptop outfit, Data I/O 6802 plug Texas Instrument 320C25GBL Digital Signal Processors HP 41 minicasette and a Quantum SCSI DLT IV tape drive model 7000 My sellers name is Innfosale http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZinnfosale -- Paxton Hoag Astoria, OR USA

20 years, 8 months

1
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GRiD 386 free to good home (must be claimed by tomorrow)

by spectre＠floodgap.com

I am in urgent need to reclaim some space and as part of this, I'm getting rid of my 386 GRiD laptop. It was flaky, but working last time I tested it. Includes battery, external floppy, and whatever else I can throw in. Free to a good home. Pickup in Inland Empire, So Cal preferred. I will ship, but this is heavy as hell and you can expect to pay about $30 to get it there by UPS. Let me know. This needs to be claimed by tomorrow! -- --------------------------------- personal: http://www.armory.com/~spectre/ --- Cameron Kaiser * Floodgap Systems * www.floodgap.com * ckaiser at floodgap.com -- Arguments with furniture are rarely productive. -- Kehlog Albran -----------

20 years, 8 months

2
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Cap reformation question

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "Dave Dunfield" <dave04a at dunfield.com> ---snip--- > >You should perform the procedure with the power-supply under no load. >(ie: remove all the cards). If it is truly under no load, then you won't need >to move "up" in lamp sizes, because as the caps charge, the current drawn >by the supply will fall off toward zero, and the voltage dropped across the >lamp will drop toward zero. As the current drops, the lamp filiment will cool >causing it's resistance to drop as well. If there is no load at all, then the line >voltage to the system would reach "normal" even with a low wattage lamp in >series. Hi The lamp may still glow noticable because of the inductive current of the transformer. It is better to look at the voltage on the capacitor as an indicator. It is still better to disconnect the larger caps and reform from a DC supply and resistor. IMHO Dwight

20 years, 8 months

1
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Fluke 9010A or 9100 equipment

by lundin_bjorn＠bredband.net

Hello Kev, are you still looking for a 9010A? Mine comes with an 80186 pod and I belive it was working last time it was powered up. Yours Bjorn Lundin Mariehallsvagen 49 S-18438 Akersberga Sweden

20 years, 8 months

1
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TI DS990

by drb＠msu.edu

Had a message today from a local forge disposing of a TI DS990. I've not talked directly to him yet, or seen the hardware. I've never been exposed to these machines, so know little about them. I've been googling and searching archives to see if I could figure out values, etc. This is not something I'd take for my collection, but would be happy to store temporarily for someone else. Info that might be useful for a first contact or survey appreciated. De

20 years, 8 months

3
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IBM RS6000 on ePay

by cclist＠sydex.com

Did anyone notice this one? Might be a good deal for someone living nearby with some friends to help out with heavy lifting. Item: 5845564149 Looks like a lot of stuff. Cheers, Chuck

20 years, 8 months

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Cap reformation question

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: Re: Cap reformation question > From: "J.C. Wren" <jcwren at jcwren.com> > Date: Tue, 06 Dec 2005 23:34:42 -0500 > To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > >Sounds good. Last question (I think). Watt (!) constitutes >low-wattage? 4W and 7W nightlights are easy to find. 40 watt oven bulb? > > --jc > >Allison wrote: > >> J.C. Wren wrote: >> >>> These are big mambo-jumbo caps in a linear supply, specifically a >>> nameless S-100 system. I'm not sure if it's feasible to remove >>> them. They're screwed into the motherboard, and while I could >>> disassemble the motherboard from the chassis, it might still be a >>> pain to get them out. >>> >>> Controlling the voltage into them is pretty easy, via the Variac. >>> Limiting the current is a whole 'nother problem. Maybe a light bulb >>> in series with the Variac? >>> >>> --jc >> >> >> For that case yes. Variac to come up slow and low wattage lamp to limit >> current. >> >> S100 linear supplies are unregulated (usually) before they get on the bus >> so a load is NOT needed. Do insure the caps are discharged before >> inserting >> any board. >> >> Allison Anything under a 20W appliance bulb initially. The lower the wattage the higher will be the initial resistance and lower peak current. Allison

20 years, 8 months

5
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other Utah collectors?

by legalize＠xmission.com

Hey, any other Utah collectors on this list? And speaking of geography, has the idea of creating a frappr map of cctalk subscribers come up before? <http://www.frappr.com/> -- "The Direct3D Graphics Pipeline"-- code samples, sample chapter, FAQ: <http://www.xmission.com/~legalize/book/> Pilgrimage: Utah's annual demoparty <http://pilgrimage.scene.org>

20 years, 8 months

3
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Apple 1 on eBay

by swtpc6800＠comcast.net

The Apple 1 went on eBay for $2550. Bryan, this should impress your wife. Michael Holley > Date: Sat, 17 Dec 2005 19:40:20 -0700 > From: "Bryan K. Blackburn" > Subject: Apple 1 on eBay - shameless self promotion > > I interrupt this list with a short commercial message... > > I just listed a working Apple 1 Computer on eBay, item #8739750233 at: > http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8739750233 > > This is a faithful recreation, nearly an exact replica, not an original. > Really cool, just the same. > > -Bryan

20 years, 8 months

2
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looking for Plessey board Doc's

by pete＠dunnington.plus.com

On Dec 28 2005, 10:21, Christian Corti wrote: > On Tue, 27 Dec 2005, Pete Turnbull wrote: > > I think you mean Kevin Murrell's web page at PS8 Computing, > > http://www.ps8computing.co.uk/PDP11/plessey.htm. Sadly, it's gone. > > And I didn't keep a copy :-( > http://web.archive.org/.......... Of course. I should have thought of that. Thank you! -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

20 years, 8 months

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looking for Plessey board Doc's

by pete＠dunnington.plus.com

On Dec 26 2005, 10:12, Jerry Wright wrote: > I Have a 2 Plessey Boards for a PDP11 and I can > not find much on them. > > - 701840 may be a tape controller > - 703360 This is a Memory board > > There was a site with plessy info. but it seems to > be gone. I beleive it was in the UK. I think you mean Kevin Murrell's web page at PS8 Computing, http://www.ps8computing.co.uk/PDP11/plessey.htm. Sadly, it's gone. And I didn't keep a copy :-( I might have an email address for Kevin, so I'll see if I can find anything. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

20 years, 8 months

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Sun Open Firmware - insiders?

by Arno_1983＠gmx.de

[Firstly, excuse me for not taking part in the recent flame-pissing match. I've been seeing valid points on both sides initially but can't accept any of them any more due to the inconsiderate, impolite and unfair means they were brought forward with. I can only second the following: Chris M <chrism3667 at yahoo.com> wrote: > I think it would be very unfortunate if the thing > just died here and now. Back to publicly frustrating myself with Sun vs. PC boot problems ;-)] Dan Williams <williams.dan at gmail.com> wrote: > I can't really help you directly, but I have had no problems booting > sun machines from windows using vmware and virtual pc. I also have > netbsd installed on simh vax, which I used to boot an octane a while > back. I guess that cygwin would probably do the job as well. > Unless you really want to spend time playing with open firmwire, it > might be easier. It's already been suggested, but I strongly dislike the idea of pileing a virtual machine and another OS on top of it all on the PC side (a humble P90, btw) when the functionality that I need could be actually realized by *simplifying* what the Sun is doing. I'll rather spend that time with open firmware, as you said. der Mouse <mouse at Rodents.Montreal.QC.CA> wrote: > > (...) Why does it have to obtain the machine's IP, that of the > > tftp server and what else via rarp? > > It can't obtain anything but its own address via rarp. It normally > gets its TFTP server's address via bootparams, I think, at least for > older machines (newer ones may use something else for all I know). > It's possible that it initially queries whoever answered its RARP, but > if it gets no answer it broadcasts the query - and I think it > broadcasts the TFTP request too if necessary. Funny...I don't remember setting up a bootp(aram)d, I started getting tftp requests as soon as the rarp table was setup. I also don't think the requests were broadcast: I was running another machine ready to serve tftp at the same time and that one didn't get any requests. I was even able to shut down Linux after the rarp resolution (if tftp was disabled), bring the same system up with Windows (under the same IP) and have the Sun slurp its bootloader image from there. > > I'm by no means a Sun expert yet, but as I've understood it, you can > > define your own FCode commands and store them in NVRAM, so one could > > modify the boot code to use parameters stored in environment > > variables, either if a flag "use-stored-IP?" is set or as a fallback > > if there's no rarp server around. > > Yes, except that the space available in the NVRAM is fairly limited as > I understand it. That might indeed be a problem, although not necessarily. > > I've already got myself a Forth book and the FCode manuals from Sun, > > and I had a look at some commands with "see". "see" however often > > spits out hexadecimal codes in parenthesis amidst of Forth words and > > I've yet to understand what they mean; > > They appear to be some kind of headerless something. There's one of > the words internal to see that can deal with them - (see or some such - > and you can use it as in > > ok see foo > ... (f28470c0) ... > ok f284709c0 (see > ... that word ... > > (or whatever the internal word is - it's visible in "see see"). Yep, it's (see) - thank you. I may have tried that earlier but failed due to not realizing this used postfix notation (contrary to see). It works and I'm in course of building an indented listing of everything that happens after I enter "boot". It looks like I can initiating the execution of unnamed subroutine (f00...) by entering f00... execute; any gotchas there? Stan Barr <stanb at dial.pipex.com> wrote: > I can't really help directly. Even though I've used Forth for 25 yrs and > have both Power Mac and Sun machines here I've not done much with Open > Firmware. You might try looking at http://www.openfirmware.org/ or > http://playground.sun.com/1275/ and see if there are any useful links. Thank you, those are quite promising resources; I think I've got something to read over the holidays now... hopefully a few comments about how this stuff is supposed to work. So long, -- Arno Kletzander Stud. Hilfskraft Informatik Sammlung Erlangen www.iser.uni-erlangen.de Telefonieren Sie schon oder sparen Sie noch? NEU: GMX Phone_Flat http://www.gmx.net/de/go/telefonie

20 years, 8 months

2
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cctalk Digest, Vol 28, Issue 56

by swtpc6800＠comcast.net

The Apple 1 went on eBay for $2550. Bryan, this should impress your wife. Michael Holley > Date: Sat, 17 Dec 2005 19:40:20 -0700 > From: "Bryan K. Blackburn" > Subject: Apple 1 on eBay - shameless self promotion > > I interrupt this list with a short commercial message... > > I just listed a working Apple 1 Computer on eBay, item #8739750233 at: > http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8739750233 > > This is a faithful recreation, nearly an exact replica, not an original. > Really cool, just the same. > > -Bryan >

20 years, 8 months

1
0
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More than 2 FDDs on a PC

by Watzman＠neo.rr.com

Re: More than 2 FDDs on a PC I have a few (not sure how many, but several) PC 8-bit 4-drive Floppy disk controllers. They have onboard FDC bios and support both 5.25 and 3.5 inch drives. Some of them have I/O on them (serial/parallel). They are all new, some in boxes, various models, some have diskettes (drivers), documentation, cables, etc. If anyone wants one, I'll sell them for $12 each plus $6 shipping. As-is, I have no way to test them and they are old, but if one doesn't work I'll refund or exchange (but you will be out the shipping cost). I can send you more detailed specs (including photo) if you are seriously interested (they are downstairs in the basement in a "bone pile" and I'd have to go through them). Barry Watzman, Watzman at neo.rr.com

20 years, 8 months

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PX-8 power supply. Was: Epson PF10 problems

by fjkraan＠xs4all.nl

>Do remember there are no regulators in the PX8 PSU. The power supply must >be close to 5V (4.8V is OK), not a random unregulated one. You may well >do a lot of damage with the latter. > > The standard adapter for the HX-20, PX-8 and PX-4 delivers 6 V DC at 600ma. If you use a regulated 6 V or lower power supply, the machine may work, but batteries will not be charged. At http://www.xs4all.nl/~fjkraan/comp/hx20/adapter.html you can find some more info on proper power supply. >-tony > > Fred Jan

20 years, 8 months

2
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Epson PF10 problems

by ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk

I am currently working on an Epson PX8 system. I bought this on E-bay, so the history is essentially unknown, but I was told it was 'untested' which I took to mean non-working. The PX8 had suffered a minor burn-up in the PSU area, which I have cured (one new transsitor, resistor and zener diode. The computer now seems to work find (and it's a very nice toy). With it, I got a PF10 floppy drive. This is a single 3.5" unit, with a 38400 baud serial interdace back to the PX8. I had to make up my own cable, but I have checked and double-checked it, and anyway it works fine to link a PX8 to a PX4 via the RS232 interfaces (essentially the same pinout as the 'high speed' serial interface to the disk drive). In fact what I did was make up a cable from the 8 pin nini-DIN plug to fit the PX8 to a DB25 plug,, wired as a DTE and a second cable with a DB25 socket to a 8 pin mini-DIN, wired to do the right swaps and jumpers. OK, a bit of background on the PF10 internals. There's a 6303X microcontroller (in an 80 pin package...) linked to a 27C64 EPROM (socketed) and a 6116 SRAM (SMD again). Address decoding is mainly done by a '138, with a few other TTL chips. Linked to that is a 765 disk controller, drivers for the head stepper motor, a data seperator chip, read/write chain, etc (note, there is no seperate logi board on the drive mechanism, the heads, stepper, etc plug straight into the controller board). There are several power supply lines, most of them under the control of the microcontroller. In particular, there's an always-on 5V line, a switcehd 5V Line (the disk controller, etc, is powered down when the unit is idle), +/- supplies for the RS232 drivers, a +12V line for the analogue circuitry. OK, at power-on, the 'power' LED comes on (I have connected 5V from my bench supply in place of the NiCd battery pack). The always-on 5V line is at 4.95V. None of the othher supples are present (this could be right at this point) I connected it to the PX8, DIR D: gives 'BDOS ERROR ON D: SELECT'. A breakout box connected between the computer and the drive (RS232 levels, rememeber) shows that when I run that command, the computer's serial port is turned on, something comes on on the TxD line, but the disk drive never turns on its port or sends anything back. More worrying, reducing the voltage from by bench supply never turns on the low battery LED on the drive unit. This is controlled by the microcontroller, BTW. I pulled it apart, of course. The serial data from the PX8 does get to the appropriate pin on the microcontroller. The microcontroller is clocking (1.23MHz on the Eclk pin), it's accessing the ROM, but it also appears to be wandering around the memory map (outputs on the '138 decoder that are not used for anything are being asserted at times). The address lines look odd to me, with pulses narrower than the Eclk on some of them. Since the ROM is socketed, I pulled it and read it out. It looks sane. Certainly no data bit is stuck high or stuck low, and all the address lines do something. Assuming it's like a 68xx processor, with reset and interrupt vectors at the top of memory, that looks sane too. I suspect the microocontroller or the RAM. Alas both are SMD (and therefore a pain to remove), I have spares for neither and no way to get them. Any comments, suggestions, or things to check? (Yes, I know about PC-based emulators for these drives, but I'd like to get the real unit working too). -tony

20 years, 8 months

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Anyone tried NetBSD 3.0 on VAX yet?

by compoobah＠valleyimplants.com

I have NetBSD 2.1 running on my minibox (sort of- curses isn't working and I haven't gotten around to troubleshooting it yet). I was asking because DSL isn't available here, which makes getting the software a bit difficult, otherwise I'd try it out.

20 years, 8 months

1
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HP logic analysers - IAs and utils?

by philpem＠dsl.pipex.com

Hi, I know a few folks here own HP 1600-series logic analysers, so I hope this isn't stretching the boundaries of on-topicness too much.. I've just hacked together a little symbol loader for the 1651B. All it does is read a text file full of "LABEL = $F00D" format lines, then loads them all into the 1651B's symbol table. Very handy when debugging microprocessor systems with one of these analysers (especially when you've got an inverse assembler for the target CPU). In addition to that, I've also thrown together a 6502 inverse assembler for the 1651B (though it *should* work on the other 1650 and 16500 series machines too). It understands all the Western Design Center 65C02S "extra" instructions, and should (in theory at least) work with raw 6502 and Rockwell 65C02 code as well. Oh, and it calculates the actual target of relative addresses, too. And cross-references addresses against the analyser's symbol table (see above) :) Now for the icing on the cake - I've also written an inverse assembler downloader. The old IALDOWN util that HP released with the Inverse Assembler Toolkit won't work on anything faster than a PC/AT (IIRC), so I grabbed a copy of the 1650B Programmer's Manual and threw together a Windows-based (although it could be ported to Linux console-mode easily enough) tool to replace IALDOWN. OK, so the million dollar question is, should I clean up the code for these apps and release them? Does anyone else use one of these analysers, or am I the only person on the planet who considers a 1651B to be "good enough"? Has anyone else written any little tools or analyser addons like these? What about inverse assemblers? I've seen the 8008 disassembler Jim Kearney wrote, but that seems to be about it... Licence will probably be a BSD derivative - along the lines of "Use it as much as you like and for whatever you want as long as you credit me in whatever you derive from it, and change the name of your app." IALDown32 was written with Delphi 3, the symbol table uploader was written in ANSI C using mingw32 (read: GCC with a Win32 twist). Thanks. -- Phil. | Acorn RiscPC600 SA220 64MB+6GB 100baseT philpem at philpem.me.uk | Athlon64 3200+ A8VDeluxe R2 512MB+100GB http://www.philpem.me.uk/ | Panasonic CF-25 Mk.2 Toughbook ... James Dean taught Marc Bolan to drive.

20 years, 8 months

2
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OT: "Best" Linux Distro?

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: Re: OT: "Best" Linux Distro? > From: "Chuck Guzis" <cclist at sydex.com> > Date: Thu, 01 Dec 2005 09:46:04 -0800 > To: cctalk at classiccmp.org > >Others have observed the bloat in Linux and I agree. I started running it >on an 8MB 386 and it was pretty snappy. I don't think that feat could be >reproduced with any of the current distros. > >Cheers, >Chuck Same here. There are a few that barely run on anything less than p-III class hardware. Since I have an abundance of older 486class stuff I use Freebsd 2.2.6 and a 7 year old copy of Slackware or Caldera OpenlinuxV2.3 when I want a linux box. Allison

20 years, 8 months

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Epson PF10 problems

by josefcub＠gmail.com

> You can turn it off with the little switch inside the main batter > compartment. The machine should run from the main battery > (or a 5V PSU connected in place of the main battey) if there > are no otehr problems. Both of my PX-8s (an earlier and a later model) will run with the 6V wall wart connected into the proper socket when the main and wedge batteries are removed. I wouldn't exactly recommend bypassing the little bit of protection the charger input provides. Josef -- "I laugh because I dare not cry. This is a crazy world and the only way to enjoy it is to treat it as a joke." -- Hilda "Sharpie" Burroughs, "The Number of the Beast" by Robert A. Heinlein

20 years, 8 months

2
1
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It's a most wonderful time...

by dm561＠torfree.net

Just want to send everyone here my best wishes for a love-filled holiday with friends and family, and a fruitful new year collection-wise. mike

20 years, 8 months

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Anybody know what these are for?

by wmaddox＠pacbell.net

I have a pair of Pertec-branded circuit boards, 14" x 16"x, marked as follows: PE WRITE PC86V1 101387-01K 101388J PE READ 101389-01J1 101383H1 I was told that they came from a tape drive. They are primarily populated with 7400-series TTL, with date codes around early 1976. Each has a small daughterboard, 2.5" x 3", with discrete components -- I would imagine these would be the analog circuits for read/write. Does anyone recognize what drive these boards come from? I don't have any particular need for them, so if anyone has a drive that could use them, I'd be willing to part with them easily. --Bill

20 years, 8 months

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Available: Multibus form-factor Augat boards

by wmaddox＠pacbell.net

I have four of these to get rid of. They are used and wired, and most have bypass capacitors soldered in on the component side, but the wiring side is wire-wrap only. These aren't the greatest boards, and I doubt that unwrapping them is any fun, which is why I culled them from the lot that I bought. They are available for the cost of postage, however, or free for local pickup in Santa Clara, if anyone is interested in them before they go to the scrapper. --Bill

20 years, 8 months

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EPROM labels

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "Richard A. Cini" <rcini at optonline.net> >All: > > Just a quickie.what would be a suitable replacement for the opaque >labels that one would stick over EPROM windows? I was going to use >electrical tape but it's so sticky and white mailing lables leave glue >residue. > >Rich > Hi Rich Unlike disk write protects that need to block infrared, ultra violet is blocked by most anything. I like to use the white self sticking labels found at most stationary stores. These are easy to write on to indicate rev and other information. I've also taken scissors to the main labels for floppies and cut them into small enough strips to cover the windows. One can also get laser printer labels as well. It is true that over time the glue will dry and be hard to remove but googon (or similar) works well. Dwight

20 years, 8 months

1
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OT: "Best" Linux Distro?

by Richard.Cini＠wachovia.com

All: I'm thinking of ditching Windows totally on my desktop at home as I build my next upgraded x86-bsed PC. So, I wanted to take a poll of the group for a recommendation on which Linux distro to use. I downloaded Fedora Core, Slackware, FreeBSD, Unbuntu and Linspire. Any thoughts from the group? Rich

20 years, 8 months

29
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Archiving Software

by dm561＠torfree.net

Well, I didn't get any replies to my question about how best to archive Cromemco software, so let me ask again in broader terms: Aside from bootable system disks, for which Dave Dunfield's imaging program seems to be a much better solution than Teledisk, what's the best way to archive software in a way that makes it as universally useable as possible and downloadable/emailable? For example, I have original distribution diskettes for CP/M Wordstar, Supercalc, etc. on 8" disks. Obviously images wouldn't be very useful for someone with only 5" drives or no 8" drive on the PC; on the other hand, a DOS ZIP file of the files on that disk would have to be copied/converted back to a CP/M format disk somehow. So, how are the rest of you dealing with this? TIA, m

20 years, 8 months

15
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Z80 Software Tools/VOS?

by madcrow.maxwell＠gmail.com

Does this still exists, and if so is it available in a format that would work on the SIMH Altair/S-100 emulator? I read about this non-Unix demonstraion of the basic Unix concepts and the fact that it had been ported to the Z80 once and thought that it would be cool to play around with.

20 years, 8 months

1
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Filink source. was: Epson PF10 problems

by fjkraan＠xs4all.nl

>Talking of that, is the protocol used by FLINK documented anywhere? >(FLINK is a program in the utilities ROM of both the PX4 and PX8 that >seems to do file transfer over the RS232 port). I've heard rumours for a >version in C for unix machines, but can't seem to find it anywhere. > > http://www.xs4all.nl/~fjkraan/comp/px8/filink.html. Fred Jan

20 years, 8 months

3
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Seagate to Purchase Maxtor

by Billy.Pettit＠wdc.com

Teo Zenios wrote: > With Seagate to purchase Maxtor (which purchased Quantum not so long ago) I > started thinking of all the HD makers that bit the dust ( Micropilis and IBM > comes to mind since I have a few of each on the spare parts shelf shelf). > What do you guys think of the ever shrinking HD manufacturers, and what were > some of the older good ones that are no more? I first entered the disk drive business with the Bryant disks used on the CDC 6600. Then worked on all the disk drives that CDC made over the years, but specialized on the floppies and cartridge drives. During this time, I kept a chart above my desk of all the companies that made or tried to make disk drives as a reminder of how fragile the market was. Some that came and went include Apple, TI, HP, Siemens, Nixdorf (before it merged with Siemens), DEC, Century, NCR, Burroughs, ISS, Unisys, Priam and so on. The last time I updated the list, it broke 100 names. Now there are only Hitachi, Seagate, WD, Toshiba and Fujitsu. There are a few more, but they don't register on the statistics - for example, Cornice and Magicstor. A goodly portion of my career has been spent on disk drives. I've worked for many of the companies that are frequently slammed or praised on this list. So I try to stay out of the religious arguments of who made crap, who made good drives. I have old drives that lasted 20 years and decorative bricks that didn't go for 2 days. And today, I still am still surrounded with drives: right now I'm working on 1" drives for MP3 players. And buying cell phones to move to the next generation of interfaces and form factors. My first disk drive had 1 mega-characters (6 bits instead of bytes). Now 1 terabyte drives are coming near term. So it's very hard to pick any favorites or villains. The one constant in all this technology change is: there is a very good living to be made repairing computers and electronics. Billy

20 years, 8 months

3
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cctalk Digest, Vol 28, Issue 82

by dm561＠torfree.net

-------------Original Message----------- >From: Jay Jaeger <cube1 at charter.net> >Subject: Cromemco Z2 and Electrical Safety >I am restoring a Cromemco Z2D and have spotted a couple of electrical >safety issues. >The machine was set up and the instructions were set up to fuse the >*Neutral* rather than Hot. <snip> >And it wasn't just this unit. The instructions and diagrams in the manual >have it wrong. (The schematic is non-committal -- it doesn't identify hot >and neutral, just colors on the output side of the line filter). >What a bunch a maroons..... >--- >Jay R. Jaeger The Computer Collection >cube1 at charter.net ------------Reply----------- Well, I wouldn't call "them" a bunch a maroons... The Z2 power supply I'm looking at and my copy of the manual have it right; I suppose it's possible that an older version of the manual had the incoming lines reversed and someone (not necessarily Cromemco) wired it accordingly. I assume you checked that the white wire _is_ actually the neutral at the plug end (and that your outlet is wired correctly)? AFAIK, once inside the cabinet wiring can be any arbitrary color, so, since hot and neutral are not identified, black could just as well be the neutral and you'd create this very problem by "fixing" it. mike

20 years, 8 months

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looking for Plessey board Doc's

by g-wright＠worldnet.att.net

Hi, I Have a 2 Plessey Boards for a PDP11 and I can not find much on them. - 701840 may be a tape controller - 703360 This is a Memory board There was a site with plessy info. but it seems to be gone. I beleive it was in the UK. Thanks, Jerry Jerry Wright JLC inc g-wright at att.net

20 years, 8 months

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looking for Tektronics Basic for a PDP11/05

by g-wright＠worldnet.att.net

Hi I have a Tektronix 7704A Scope with a P7001 Storage Processor (DSO) which hooks to a DEC PDP11-05 for storage. I have most of it working except for the Tek 4010 Terminal (missing) I don't have the Boot Disks for the Tek CP1152 (DEC PDP11/05) Computer. The manual says it is "TEK SPS Basic V02-01". Was on 8" floppy. There was also a Diagnostic disk for the Scope system Any help would be much appreciated, or send me in the right Direction. Thanks, Jerry Jerry Wright JLC inc 800.292.6370 PST g-wright at att.net <mailto:g-wright at att.net>

20 years, 8 months

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need Info on Cirrus card set in a PDP8/A

by g-wright＠worldnet.att.net

Hi, I have a PDP8/A with a Cirrus processor card set. Either I have looked in the wrong places or at least I have not come up with any info. on these. It has all the other DEC cards M3320, M8416, M8317, M8417, Cirrus, Cirrus, Cirrus and a M8330. I'm trying figure out the console port (serial). It has the standard DEC port and 2 connections on the cirrus boards. The cirrus boards have there own ROM's. It seems to start up and do a auto boot of some type. It does not respond to the front panel like a standard DEC board set does And there is nothing at the DEC console (serial) port. It does display what its doing. (addressing and the the run light ) On the front programmers console. Thanks, Jerry Jerry Wright g-wright at att.net <mailto:g-wright at att.net>

20 years, 8 months

1
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8" Floppies and such for sale

by mokuba＠gmail.com

Christmas was fun and all, and now I've got a few useless items to me that I'd like to off :) All EIGHT inch unless otherwise noted TRSDOS - Model II Disk Operating System and Basic Interpreter Version 2.0 - disk looks slightly beat up MicroPro - MailMerge Version 3.3 - for CP/M 80 - Both 8" and 5.25"(these look perfect!) - micropro sleeve for the 8" one MicroPro - WORDSTAR PROFESSIONAL - Printer data disks 1 & 2 - 5.25" Digital Research (IN DR SLEEVE) - End User Diskette Program SID/ZSID, Version 1.4 - stamped 1980, in perfect looking condition with one ding MICROSOFT - Macro Assembler - FOR CP/M-80, Catalog No. 3215 - Part No. 23H16 . Marked version 341, disk is perfect, plastic label is falling off. Green old microsoft sleeve with the weird O

20 years, 8 months

1
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Any experience with a DTC-1181?

by trixter＠oldskool.org

Anyone had experience with a Data Technologies DTC-1181? It appears to be an 8-bit ISA board that somehow enhances the on-board BIOS to handle drives larger than 528MB through LBA. Does it work? If so, does it then go up to the typical 8192MB barrier or does it go farther than that? -- Jim Leonard (trixter at oldskool.org) http://www.oldskool.org/ Want to help an ambitious games project? http://www.mobygames.com/ Or check out some trippy MindCandy at http://www.mindcandydvd.com/

20 years, 8 months

6
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HP7245A plotter mechanical notes

by ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk

I spent Newtonsday in a non-traditional manner assembling the Y-drive mechanism of my HP7245A thermal printer/plotter. The machine now sort-of works, but the motor driver needs setting up (X drive in particular is uneven) and there may well be other electronic faults. I wish I could say it worked first time, but I made 2 silly mistakes. One was to get the connector missaligned when I plugged the Y motor harness into the backplane (this caused the PSU to shut down when it tried to run the Y motor). The other was that after fitting the printhead and trying to plot something, nothing appeared on the paper. Yes, I'd got the paper in back-to-front (being thermal, the paper is only sensitive on one side). Anyway, I'll post my notes on the mechanism below. This is not a replacement for the HP7245B service manual on hpmusuem.net, it should be read along with that manual. You need a couple of special tools to asemble the Y drive, assuming you don't have the offical HP ones (I wish), I've included insturctions for making them. And I think my way of setting the motor coupling (needing 3 homemade spacers) is easier than the HP method. Feel free to archive this somewhere, make it available, etc. All I ask is that I am given credit for it. -tony PSU Fan Dismantling ------------------- Dismantle PSU. Disconnect mains input harness from 'line' switch (push-on terminals). Remove fan and harness from PSU chassis. Remove cable clip on fan housing. Undo 2 slot-head screws (under label). Feed cable through housing and remove motor/blade assembly. Recover thrust pad (inside housing. Rmmove circlip from end of spindle. Lift off waskers. Remove blade/rotor >from stator. Lubricate bearings with light machine oil when reassembling X Drive Fan Dismantling ----------------------- Remove fan from X drive chassis (3 screws). Remove adapter from fan (one further screw). Remove 4 crosshead screws on fan motor plate. Lift motor assembly out of housing. Remove 2 slothead screws (under label) and take off plate. Remove circlip from spindle end WITH CARE, it is spring loaded. Take off washer, ball race, 'tophat' spacer, spring, second 'tophat' spacer. Lift out stator and remove second ball race and spacer from spindle. X Drive Chassis --------------- Anticlockwise rotation of motor -> Carriage moves to right To lock motor, apply 5V to one motor winding (e.g. between red and yellow wires at motor connnector) Fit to LH side plate : Microswitch harness (2 microswitches) Paper roll clip Y drive clip Y drive stop (shorter 'tail') Tensioner assembly Fit to RH side plate : Paper roll clip Y drive clip Y drive stop (longer 'tail') Bail spring (loop towards rear of machine) 2 idlers Motor mounting bracket Assemble chassis. Fit motor (wires on left side, nuts on front side) Fit pulley, hole at top. Lock motor (see above). Fit cable : LH cable (long end). 3 turns anticlockwise from hole, towards back. RH cable (short end) : 1+3/4 turns clockwise from hole, towards front. Y drive special tools --------------------- 1) 3 spacers, Each 30mm long, made from 1/2" brass rod, 3.5mm hole drilled centrally (along axis). Length is reasonably critical. These are used in place of the plastic motor mount when using the platten-movement tool and checking the motor coupling 2) Platten-movement tool. Brass block, 5/8" square by 3" long. Drill centrally 5mm, and tap M6 (1). Drill 3.5mm holes 1+5/16" either side of this (approximately 316" from ends of bar). All holes to be aligned along center of bar, and drilled perpendicualr to the face : Top View: Centre Line | +----------------------------+ ---- | o * o | 5/8" +----------------------------+ ---- | | | | | | | <1+5/16> | <1+5/16> | | | | | | | <----------3-------------> | Mill away ends of bar to reduce thickness to aproximately 1/8" (thickness of motor flange) for about 1/2" SIde view: +------------------------+ ---------- | | 1/2 | | +-----+ + ----+ ---------- | | 1/8 + -----------------------------------+ ---------- | | | | | | | | |<1/2>| <-------2------------> |<1/2>| The central hole is fitted with an M6 (1) bolt. Either a stnadard commercial one, or make a both from 1/4" or 5/16" brass rod, turned down to 6 mm and threaded with a die for a length of 50 mm. Knurl the 'head' end to give a suitable grip and part off. In use, this tool is fitted in place of the stepper motor, using 2 of the spacers mentioned above. The M6 screw presses on the end of the platten spindle. With the platten fixing screws hand-tight, the M6 screw is used to postion the platten to align the LH sprockets. (1) THis thrad is not critical, although obviously the hole and bolt must be the same thread. M6 is 1mm pitch. 0BA, or 1/4-28 UNF would be fine too. 3) A courved straightedge. This is fitted round the platten, in contact with the teeth on the LH sprockt. It is then used to line up those teeth with the ones on the LH drum sproket. Turn a brass cylinder 1.27" (32,3mm) diameter by 5/8" thick (approximately). Drill a 3.5mm hole along the axis, tap M4. Drill a 2.5mm hole radially, 1/4" from one face, tap M3. Drill a 4mm hole in a 6" (approx) flat metal square (e.g. 1/8" thick aluminium), aporximately 1.5" from the edges. Screw the cylinder there with an M4 screww, radial hole closer to the plate. The actaul straightedge is made from brass strip, 1/2" wide. Drill a 4mm hole on the centre line close to one end, fix to the cylinder with an M3 screw and washer. Ensure the strip contacts the plate along its full length. Bend the strip round the cylinder by hand for about 1/2 turn, keeping it in contact with the plate. Remove from the cylinder, continue forming by hand so as to fit closely round it. Y Drive Assembly ---------------- Assemble the following 6 subassemblies first. 1) Belt cover : Fit the belt spring leaf (2 screws/nuts/washers) 2) Paper clamp : Assemble the tension arms to the side rails, fit the springs. Assemble the front roller (presses against drum when machine is asembled), screw side rails to this. Fit the white plastic guide roller to the tension arms 3) Paper sensor top cover. Assmeble the magnet, metal return plate, 2 spacers to this plate with 2 screws, washers, and nuts. 4) Paper sensors : Fit the U-shaped brackets to the cross rail. The easiest way to do this is to fit the spring to the cross rail, using a thin rod (e.g. a small crosspoint or Torx srewdriver inserted through the hole on the bottom of this rail to giude it in place. Then fit the bracket to the rail alongside the sping ( top upringht (tapped hole) inside the rail), pull out the rodn amd use a small screwdriver to compress the spring a little and slide the bracket in place. Use the rod to align the spring and the holes in the rail and U-bracket. Fit the special adjusting screw from the bottom, screw into the tapped hole in the U-bracket. Fit the reflective optoswitches to the sensor PCBs, fit these to the U-brackets (PCB away from the bracket), fit the allen-head screws and tighten (Sensor pin side against the 'bumps' on the U bracket). Fit the cross rail to the left side plate (cable form under the rail), fit the fixing screw finger-tight. 5) Platten : Fit an E-circlip into the grouve on the platten spindle (this is the one with one end turned down). Fit a plain (not flanged) ball race inside the platten at each end. WIth the platten mounting face away from you and the flat (prinhead surface) towards the top, slide in the spindle >from the RHS, fit a samll sprocket on the LH end, fit a clamp and tighten. Slide the other small sproket onto the RH end of the spindle, fit the coupling/belt sprocket (pin to go through hole in paper sprocket), fit clamp. Place assembly on a flat surface and alighn the pins on the 2 paper sprockets. Tighten the clamp at the RH side. Fit the mouting rail to the platten with 3 allen screws, finger tight. 6) Drum : Fit an E circlip into the grouve nearest the end of the drum spindle. Slide a large paper sprocket onto thi from the long end of the spinddle (clamp end to be towarfs the long end, fit a clamp. Slide the sprocket hard against the E-clrclip, tighten the clamp. Fit the drum tube, the metal drum onto the spindle, fit a clamp inside the latter so that the screw can be accessed via the hole in the metal drum. Fit the other large sprocket, engaging the pin on the metal drum with its hole. Alight the teeth on the paper sprokects on a flat surface as before and tighten the clamp. Fit an E-circlip into the remaing groove on the drum spindle. Slide a flanged ball race onto each end of the drum spridle, flanges towards the drum. Assembling the Y drive : Fit the platten to the left side plate, motor coupling/sprocket to the right. Fit and tighten 2 screws. Fit the drum into the left side plate, short end of the spindle to the left. Fit the right side plate, motor harness loop under the paper sensor cross rail. Screw in the the 3 screws that hold the the RH side plate in place. Leave the one in the paper sensor rail finger-tight, note that the top screw on the platten mouting on this slde is the long one and fitted with a spacer under the head (to keep the motor harness away from moving parts. Fit the hase plate under the paper sesnor, the paper senosr harness and notor harness fit into the slot on the cross rail. Screw to the cross rail with 1 screws and to the lugs on the side plates with 4 scress and hexagonal spacers. Tighten the 2 screws holding the sensor cross rail to the side plates. Fit the platten movement tool to the stepper motor mouting holes with 2 motor mouting screws and 2 of the spacers made earlier. Slide the platten all the way to the right and screw in the the bolt on the tool until it just touches the end of the shaft. Fit the curved straightedge tool round the platnen, againsts the teeth of the LH paper sprocket. Screw in the bolt of the movement tool until the straightedge contacts the teeth of the LH drum sprocket. Tighten the 3 allen screws holding the platten to the mouting rail (a ball-ended tool is useful here), remvoe the special tools. Fit the toothed belt to the platten motor coupling sproket. Fit the sproket to the drum spindle. Fit the tensioner sleeve to the tensioner, fit this to the side plate with 1 screw. Turn it to tension the belt, tighten the screw. Fit the clamp to the drum sprocket, leave untightened. Run a length of plotter paper over the sprockets on the drum and platten. Routate the latter so that all teeth enter holes on the paper and tighten the clamp on the drum sprocket. Fit the motor coupling to the motor and fit the clamp. Fit the cross piece to the platten coupling, fit the motor to the side plate with the 3 screws and the spacers made earlier. Tighten the clamp on the motor coupling. Check everything turns freely. Remove the motor and the spacers. Fit the motor to the motor mount (1 screw and nut). The motor wires are routed down the side of the motor, through a slot in the mount. Fit this assembly to the mechanism, checking that the cross piece is correctly engaged and that the cable is routed above the long screw on the platten mouning. Fit the 3 motor screws and tighten. Plug the motor cable into the motor harness and fit the connectors and cables into the grouve on the side plate. Fit the paper clamp assembly, 1 screw and large washer on one side, 1 screw and bush on the other. FIt the belt cover (2 screws), check this latches the paper clamp Fit the top cover on the paper sensor (5 screws)

20 years, 8 months

1
0
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HP 163x LIF format

by maurice.smulders＠gmail.com

Hello, I have been able to figure out the LIF Directory format for HP 163x floppy files. I will write up a doc for that. It is possible to mount a floppy under Linux, set some parameters for the floppy drive, and dd it out to an image file. This way one can read the floppy with the LIFUTILs out there... In the XMas break I'll work on a doc to make that info available. However, I'm also looking how a dir entry looks for for example an Inverse assembler and executable code. There is a way to load a program on these LA's and execute them. Any idea's? Anyone on the list with an Inverse assembler for these units (any will do) who can look at the directory with some simple instructions for Linux? Thanks, Maurice

20 years, 8 months

2
2
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EPROM labels

by chrism3667＠yahoo.com

any gluey residues can be removed quite easily with a product called Afta, available at hardware storer, etc. It shouldnt harm most plastics, but its always a good idea to test on an inconspicuous area. Please dont be alarmed in the event of a spelling mistake. --- cctech-bounces at classiccmp.org <ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk> wrote: > > > > All: > > > > Just a quickie.what would be a suitable replacement for the opaque > > labels that one would stick over EPROM windows? I was going to use > > electrical tape but it's so sticky and white mailing lables leave glue > > residue. > > I normally use the silver write-protect tabs you get with 8" floppies. > > -tony __________________________________________ Yahoo! DSL ? Something to write home about. Just $16.99/mo. or less. dsl.yahoo.com

20 years, 8 months

1
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URL for the PX4 manual

by ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk

The URL below contains several Epson PX4 manuals. Somebody (Dave?) was asking for technical info on that machine. There's no service manual, but there is the Operating System Technical Reference (it's the files starting with 'osrm'). It's really a programmer's manual, so it doesn't contain a full schematic, but it does contain I/O port details and pinouts of the connectors (including the cartridge port), and examples of how to design cartridges. http://oldcomputers.dyndns.org/public/pub/rechner/epson/~fjkraan/comp/px4/d… May be of interest, anyway... -tony

20 years, 8 months

1
0
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Good haul of old pc stuph

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: re: Good haul of old pc stuph > From: Chris M <chrism3667 at yahoo.com> > Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2005 17:50:26 -0800 (PST) > To: talk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > >There were a few XT IDE controllers back in the day. >The one I still have is made by Acculogic, called the >sIDE/16 or something. People who have used them claim >they work well. Either this one was blown to begin >with or the drive was at fault. It's mostly discrete >logic, the exception being a GAL or PAL as I recall. >There wasn't any firmware on it from what I remember. >What did I do with the thing? XT IDE adaptors are not uncommon and fairly simple devices. I have one or two of them and could make one. They do work well enough. The that drives usually connected to them have usually died by age. Allison

20 years, 8 months

40
132
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A most wonderful time

by cmurray＠eagle.ca

Yes, indeed it is...and to have wonderful something old under the tree...hint, hint Santa! Many blessings to all for this special time of the year. Cheers! Murray :)

20 years, 8 months

1
0
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Oldest Machine Redux

by Billy.Pettit＠wdc.com

Jules Richardson wrote: That made we wonder... what's the oldest *operational* digital machine owned by anyone on this list? Although I suppose it's hard to define 'machine' - something with RAM, I/O in some form, and at least one CPU (what the heck do you call a CPU when it's no longer central?) I remember the discussions a while back about age of list members, but I don't recall ever seeing a similar one about age of collections! Not having all the peripherals that would have perhaps originally gone with the machine is acceptable I think (I can see some people having room for a mainframe and control desk, but probably not for a bazillion tape / drum units to go with it!). But other than that, make it complete (i.e. things like the single rack of EDSAC that we have - whilst perhaps "operational" - doesn't count :) (I'd quite like to hear responses from people with analogue machines too, but someone else will be able to define qualifying rules much better than I can) Just out of curiosity! cheers Jules I don't have the oldest, I'm certain, but to throw my hat in the ring: A Control Data 160-A manufactured in 1962. Has an Argonne Labs property sticker on it. Still has original manufacturing log showing all ECOs installed in factory and field. And of course it is still operational - several list members have seen it run. Internal paper tape reader and punch are operational. Has two external peripherals, 161-A I/O typewriter ( not working but in restoration ) and 167-2 Card Reader (Operational). There are a few vacuum tube machines out there, so surely there is one working someplace - an LPG-30, RPC-4000 or G-15? Those are all late '50's, so would qualify for oldest. By the way to answer someone's question, all of my equipment is transistor & diode logic. It predates ICs by several years. Core memory started with vacuum tubes (or valves, if you prefer), moved to transistors and finally ICs at the end of the era. I saw only a few commercial core memories with ICs. ICs meant RAM was feasible, so there was a very narrow window of Core and ICs. Many of those moved over to RAM in the middle of the production runs. I think I still have an ECS board that is a hybrid - can be built with either Core or RAM. I was told that the origin of Core was from looking like Apple slices after it had been cored. Apple corers were still available in the '50s and many homes had one. If you cored an apple, then sliced it, you get a disk with a hole cut out. I know my grandmother baked pies with both slices and wedges. The wedges in years of plenty, the slices in lean times. And dried apple slices were sold in the stores as a snack. Billy

20 years, 8 months

5
4
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It's a most wonderful time...

by dm561＠torfree.net

Date: Sat, 24 Dec 2005 00:14:58 -0600 From: Jim Leonard <trixter at oldskool.org> Subject: Re: It's a most wonderful time... Around the office today we kicked around "Merry Hannukwanzmas!" -- Jim Leonard (trixter at oldskool.org) http://www.oldskool.org/ Want to help an ambitious games project? http://www.mobygames.com/ Or check out some trippy MindCandy at http://www.mindcandydvd.com/ -------------------------------------------------- Or check out the Virgin Mobile Christmahannukwanzaka Help Line: 1-888-353-7667 (In Canada; don't know if it works in the US) m

20 years, 8 months

1
0
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PDP10

by aek＠bitsavers.org

I know they dumped a *lot*, but I thought there had been some "official" dumping of what was left on CHM. -- There are several hundred tapes at CHM from DEC LCG. Most of the distribution tapes from the mid70's onward as well as backups of all of the development machines are there. I have suggested that they DO NOT just try reading these on the tape drives that they have, and that they wait until a special drive is available. I have been waiting for one of these drives for several years now. I would ask that people DO NOT encourage them to attempt to read these until a way to read them without risking their damage is available.

20 years, 8 months

1
0
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Core Memory

by Watzman＠neo.rr.com

The machine that I had that I used most with core memory was a Seeburg Jukebox. They used 1 core memory bit for each side of each record. If it was a "1", that record had been selected for playing. The mechanism scanned >from side to side, stopping at each record with the bit set for either side. Records were not played in the order that they were selected or paid for, but in the physical left-to-right or right-to-left order.

20 years, 8 months

1
0
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Oldest machine (was: Re: Good haul of old pc stuph)

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: Oldest machine (was: Re: Good haul of old pc stuph) > From: Jules Richardson <julesrichardsonuk at yahoo.co.uk> > Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2005 11:26:08 +0000 > To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > PDP-8F manufacture date 1973. Running! However will the owner of that nice looking PB250 step up.. he's back around 1961. Allison

20 years, 8 months

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Computer Automation Syfa System

by jwstephens＠msm.umr.edu

Does anyone have the capability or inclination to read 80mb and 300mb system packs >from such a system? I have a friend who has probably got system development packs available from systems he used to service. Jim

20 years, 8 months

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6809 stuff - good progress made on FDC 2793 for the Core (Blinkenlight) processor board

by henk.gooijen＠oce.com

Hi all, just wanted to share a "good feeling" for the season holidays. I got the 2793 floppy disk controller working on the 6809 Core Board. Read about it on my website in the folder "my projects -> Floppy disk" or use this direct link if you don't want JavaScript active: www.pdp-11.nl/homebrew/floppy/diskstartpage.html I know that one picture is missing, I need to make that this weekend! enjoy the holidays, - Henk, PA8PDP. This message and attachment(s) are intended solely for the use of the addressee and may contain information that is privileged, confidential or otherwise exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the intended recipient or agent thereof responsible for delivering this message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the sender immediately by telephone and with a "reply" message. Thank you for your cooperation.

20 years, 8 months

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Old Disk Drives

by Billy.Pettit＠wdc.com

> Somewhere in my storage unit I have service data for one of those, is anybody > interested in that enough to make it worth my while to dig it out? No > promises as to when, but... Of course! Start diggin'... If it is for an IBM 2311 or 3330, dig fast. William Donzelli Do you have a unit to repair or just want an old manual as a collectible? I know that I still my IBM 1311 manuals because they had all my training notes in it. CDC used 1311's until they reverse engineered it and built their 852. (The 852 could plug in as a 1311 replacement. The 853 used CDC's own interface. The 854 was a double density version, an incredible 10 MB stack of disks - sarcasm intended. (The removeable disk stack was numbered 851.) Not certain if the 2311 manual survive the last move. If it did, it goes to Al when I find it. Billy

20 years, 8 months

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Seagate to Purchase Maxtor

by cheri-post＠web.de

> As far as drive failures go, I've had one Maxtor 40GB fail and a Seagate 2GB > develop sticktion. Interestingly enough, the Quantum-designed drives (D740X > especially) don't seem to be as failure-prone as the newer "pureblood" Maxtor > drives. DiamondMax 8 slimlines are truly crap as far as reliability goes. > That said, you buy cheap, you get cheap - DM8s are (or at least were) the > absolute cheapest drives Maxtor made. I usually pick drives from somewhere in > the middle of the capacity range, and aim to pay around ?65-?80 per drive. > Maxtor Diamond 9 Plus is the same crap. Not expensive, becomes VERY hot for a desktop drive and is sooo slow.... Died after a year.... > Notice how most of the people whining "XYZ drives are crap" are the > cheapskates that went and bought the ?30 "white box" OEM drives... Cheap > is generally synonymous with "crap" in the world of hard drives, IME. > > On a lighter note, anyone ever had a Conner drive? I've got a CFS425 that I > pulled out of a 1996-model Acorn RiscPC600. It's nearly ten years old and > it's still fully functional. Now *that's* engineering. > Conner engineered good drives but unfortunately, the CFS850A and the CFS1275A series were horrible. LOTS of drives from these series died.... if I'd get one, I'd perform a backup as fast as I could. Regards, Pierre ______________________________________________________________________ XXL-Speicher, PC-Virenschutz, Spartarife & mehr: Nur im WEB.DE Club! Jetzt gratis testen! http://freemail.web.de/home/landingpad/?mc=021130

20 years, 8 months

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PDP-10s

by Useddec＠aol.com

When is the last time the abs filter was changed? I have an extra set of heads and some other parts. Paul

20 years, 8 months

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Core and ICs

by Billy.Pettit＠wdc.com

Scott Stevens wrote: >I have more machines with core + ICs that core + discretes only.... <snip> >Core is also more 'radiation hardened' for certain applications. >For space or military use, for instance. Not as important now >but it was for a long while. No argument about there being ICs and core. I only pointed out the time frame wasn't long. The first core machine I remember seeing was the 1103 and it used vacuum tubes. (1K by 36 bits). Using it as a reference up to the last Cray designs with core and transistors, there is a long time frame, at least 2 decades . Core and ICs made the transition. But with ICs came the 1101, then the 1103. After that, RAM exploded and it was a rare machine that stayed with core for very long. Core died quickly, relative to it's life span. Core is still used in a few applications, mainly space. But another technology made most of the early trips to the planets, a variation of core called plated wire. Some of those are 30+ years old and still haven't dropped a bit! And then there are the EMP hardened technologies that still can't be discussed, even today. Billy

20 years, 8 months

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GRI

by aek＠bitsavers.org

> Singer? ISTR that Singer had a model 40 drive (14 in disk pack) in their > system 10. Possibly using rotary transformer servo like Diablo Systems... No, these were single-platter setups, typically one fixed and one removable. I had one repair to look at that was basically a "Wang Word Processing System" or somesuch, and there was a mini that I tried (not very successfully) to deal with called a "GRI" -- the company was out of business when I came into the picture in 1985, and they had a guy who would come in >from out of state from time to time to tweak things. ----------- The follow-on to the Diablo 31 was the 40. It was 5mb, 5440 style packs. I'm pretty sure the 11x17 docs are on bitsavers (I know that I've scanned it..) Any addtional information on the GRI 909 that isn't up on bitsavers already would be of interest to Bob Supnik, too..

20 years, 8 months

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The year in review...

by news＠computercollector.com

Hi all, ...Just published the year's final issue of Computer Collector Newsletter. Not a subscriber? Then read our "Year in review" article at http://www.snarc.net/c-sum2005.php ... over and out. - Evan ----------------------------------------- Evan Koblentz's personal homepage: http://www.snarc.net Computer Collector Newsletter: >> http://news.computercollector.com Mid-Atlantic Retro Computing Hobbyists & Museum: >> http://www.marchclub.org >> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/midatlanticretro/

20 years, 8 months

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Atari Mega ST - what exactly have I got?

by gordonjcp＠gjcp.net

Hi all, Through the wonder of Freecycle, I've just picked up an Atari Mega ST. There are some interesting mods inside it, and I'm not sure what some of them are... Everything seems to be liberally hot-melt glued together. I don't want to start picking it all apart. The 4M upgrade I sussed easily - even more than 12 years after I last did one, I recognise the board with the video IC and it doesn't take much to suss the 4 1Mx8 simms. There is a board with two PALs, some small caps and a small electrolytic cap. It seems to be unmarked. The PALs may be something like 16AS255 - there is paint on them. One has one stripe of silver paint, the other has two. A white 10-pin connector goes off to some leads. The ones I've figured out are: Green wire goes to pin 4 of the video socket - mono detect/clock according to the manual Blue wire to /RTS on U15, one of the UARTs Brown to the cathode of D18 (no idea) One red and one black are clearly +5 and ground the other black, along with white, orange and yellow vanish off to below the PSU the remaining red splits into two thin white wires, one going to a pin near OSC1 (may not be connected) and one ending up near the memory. There is also a board marked "Compu Software 1992". There appear to be ROMs soldered to it, it is soldered to the CPU via another socket, and stuck in the top is a board marked C103261, with a 74LS74, a small capacitor, and a row of pins marked 12 - 18 that plug into pins 12-18 if the CPU socket. A red wire runs off to a jumper pad near U39. Don't know if anyone recognises any of this, but any insight would be great. I haven't fired it up yet because I don't have a keyboard cable - trip to Maplin tomorrow... Gordon.

20 years, 8 months

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HP IPC / Thinkjet printhead repair / substitute ?

by jos.mar＠bluewin.ch

I would like to repair the last remaining problem with my HP IPC. : the printer. Yes, the previous owner did not remove the inkcartridge and the foil/flatcable connecting printhead to PCB has been etched clean... Any repair possible ? Any remaining source of the Thinkjet ones ? I have no trouble extending a Thinkjet foil to fit the IPC, but all Thinkjets I locate have exactly the same problem... Jos Dreesen

20 years, 8 months

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floppy imaging

by aek＠bitsavers.org

tony wrote: To get back to disk imaging, I may be stupid, but I do wonder if it's actually possible to write such a program to run under linux or any other multi-tasking system. It is relatively easy to write a program to dump an image back to a physical disk. I've done similar things several times for specific disk formats (in particular TRS-80 M2/M4 and HP LIF). To do the reverse -- to imagge a disk _once the format is known_ is also easy. The problem comes with discovering the format. I've read and re-read the 8272 and 765 data sheets. From what I can see the only way to see what sectors are on the current track is to use the ReadID command. This returns the ID bytes from the next sector header to pass under the head. There is no way to automatically dump all the IDs from all the sectors >from index pulse to the next index pulse (if there is, can somebody please enlighten me). -- Look at the readfloppy code in Eric's DMK library http://dmklib.brouhaha.com/ It is capable of detecting sector length automagicly under Linux.

20 years, 8 months

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Sun Open Firmware - insiders?

by Arno_1983＠gmx.de

Just a quick progress indication: My attempt of looking at the source of "boot" came to a halt at a point a few word levels down in the code there's a [compile] directive followed by just fragments of text (the exact line is "[compile] ot image fai"). The debugger, which I'm learning to use according to the instructions in the Quick Reference, gets turned off right there and the usual messages ("Boot device: <foo>" etc.) start to appear. I've also read into the "FCode 3.x Reference Manual" (available for free download from Sun) and found the following (quote): > OpenBoot performs the following steps during the boot process: > > (...) > > The bootpath and bootargs properties in the /chosen node of the > device tree are set with the selected values. At that point I decided to take a look at that node and its properties, amongst which I found to be "gateway-ip", "server-ip" and "client-ip", all initialized to "00 00 00 00". Those are most probably set according to the results of the rarp request. I can modify them with ok " "(<4 bytes adr>)" encode-bytes " <whatever>-ip" property The "Writing FCode 3.x Programs" manual also has a lot of info about the netboot procedure (quote): > TFTP Booting Support Package > The /obp-tftp package implements the Internet Trivial File > Transfer Protocol (TFTP) for use in network booting. It is > typically used by a network device driver for its first stage > network boot protocol. Again, load is the most important method > defined by this package. > > This package uses the read and write methods of its parent, and > defines the following methods: > > Table 4-5 TFTP Package Methods > > ---------------------------------------------------------------- > Name Stack diagram Description > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > > open (-- flag) Prepares the package for subsequent use, > returning -1 if the operation succeeds and > 0 otherwise. > > close (--) Frees all resources that were allocated by > open. > > load (adr -- size) Reads the default stand-alone program from > the default TFTP server, putting the program > at memory address adr and returning its > length size. > For the standard Sun TFTP booting protocol, > RARP (Reverse Address Resolution Protocol) > is used to acquire the IP address > corresponding to the system's MAC address > (equivalent to its Ethernet address). From > the IP address, the default file name is > constructed, of the form <Hex-IP-Address>. > <architecture> (for example, C0092E49.SUN4C). > Then obp-tftp tries to TFTP read that file, > first trying the server that responded to the > RARP request, and if that fails, then > broadcasting the TFTP read request. > > ------------------------------------------------------------------- Obviously this method is called after I enter "boot net" (manually invoking it yields the same messages that usually come after "Boot device: <foo>"), but I'm yet failing to see how control is transferred between the two (also need to read more about how an instance of this package is created as a child to le) and in order not to miss steps which set up critical variables or properties, I need to know what (if anything) happens after the [compile] directive and before "/packages/obp-tftp/load" is executed. The code inside that "load" seems pretty modular after all, with calls like "do-rarp" and "tftpread", which I'm also going to take a closer look at over the next few days. At least I hope I'll get to... Season's greetings to everybody, -- Arno Kletzander Stud. Hilfskraft Informatik Sammlung Erlangen www.iser.uni-erlangen.de 10 GB Mailbox, 100 FreeSMS/Monat http://www.gmx.net/de/go/topmail +++ GMX - die erste Adresse f?r Mail, Message, More +++

20 years, 8 months

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Old MS-DOS & WIN Software

by cctech＠retro.co.za

Hi all >Mind you if somebody came up with a better OS when the 386's came out, >would we have windows today? It's called "Linux". And yea, we still have Windoze... :-) W >

20 years, 8 months

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Old MS-DOS & WIN Software

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

> >Subject: Re: Old MS-DOS & WIN Software > From: Roger Merchberger <zmerch at 30below.com> > Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2005 13:21:35 -0500 > To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > >That would be me. I just can't seem to live without some form of networking >now - and to me, even my 8-bitters seem a little bit "unlivable" because I >just can't plug 'em into the network. Write a stack and go. Seems it's being done even for Trs-80! >>I was happy for years running DOS with Norton Commander (midnight commander >>for the linux user). > >Never cared for either one of 'em myself... but that's just me. I still >install it on my linux boxen "just in case" tho. Beat the tar out of DOSSHELL. >> What I didn't get with windows (V3.1, W9x) was a real >>multitasking OS. > >What you didn't get with Winders was a real OS. ;-) I think I did say that. ;) >And yet, for certain things it was very useful. I bought Winders 3.1 (drove >200 miles roundtrip for it) for two reasons: True Type Fonts and a better >driver for my Canon BJ-10ex portable inkjet. The documents I could produce >were much better than anything I could produce with DOS apps of the time. 3.1 was a nice desktop and the problem was DOS not the desktop (and it was 16bit). As to better docs... WordperfectV5/dos was better than any of the MS apps for that back then. >If people chose Winders solely because they believed it was the best thing >available, I'd have no problem with it's current status. It's when it's >jammed down peoples' throats thru M$ pressuring computer companies to >bundle it with machines (and sometimes even tied to the hardware warranty >like on my Fujitsu laptop!) that's most assuredly wrong. I got into it because tools I wanted to used required it, though they were no better for it. As to the MS pushing it down the throat, yes it's was bad, and they still only got a slap on the wrist. Is winders useful, yep when it's the only way to get what you need. But the jury for the last 15 years says, it sucketh greatly for all thine efforts. Life in a factory town, is windows. Allison

20 years, 8 months

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PDP-10s

by tradde＠excite.com

--- On Thu 12/22, William Donzelli < aw288 at osfn.org > wrote: From: William Donzelli [mailto: aw288 at osfn.org] To: cctalk at classiccmp.org Date: Thu, 22 Dec 2005 18:16:15 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: PDP-10s > cold storage? any chance any of them will "thaw"? :-)While at one point I had three KS10s, I only have one now, and no, it willnot "thaw". Unless one stokes the fire with some big IBM or Univac. I have always thought I would like to come across a 10 someday. The one I used at Penn State was a fascinating machine. It was an early KA-10, and took up most of the room. Maybe someday something will come my way. _______________________________________________ Join Excite! - http://www.excite.com The most personalized portal on the Web!

20 years, 8 months

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PDP-10s

by tradde＠excite.com

--- On Thu 12/22, William Donzelli < aw288 at osfn.org > wrote: From: William Donzelli [mailto: aw288 at osfn.org] To: cctalk at classiccmp.org Cc: cctech at classiccmp.org Date: Thu, 22 Dec 2005 18:17:53 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: PDP-10s > Is anyone else interested in something like this?Interested, yes. As much as I like BIG drives, I know they are fragilebeasts, and they just do not make 'em anymore. I have a single RP06 drive here that came with an OEM pdp-11. I have never gotten the 11 to work. I did get the RP06 to spin up, keeping the heads from loading. It needs a good cleaning. And it is very very heavy. :) I have an extra pack still in the box for it too. Don't know if it's any good, but if any one is interested? _______________________________________________ Join Excite! - http://www.excite.com The most personalized portal on the Web!

20 years, 8 months

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WTD Tandon 603s Hard Drive for Commodore CBM D9090 external HDD

by billdeg＠degnanco.com

I am trying to restore a CBM D9090 external hard drive. The controller cards seem OK, but I get a "? bad disk" error when attempting to initialize (using a B128). If no Tandon 603s is available, does anyone have experience and success replacing the original stock Tandon 603s drive with another drive? I have read differing opinions about what drives are compatible with the D9090. I tried a working ST 412, but I think that this is too new. Did not work. The drive I believe has to be 7.5 to 10 MB with even heads. Bill D

20 years, 8 months

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flea markets & hamfests

by mamcfadden＠cmh.edu

Actually I have found some of the best stuff when I volunteer at the local computer recycling events in Kansas City. I actually live 25 miles from Kansas City but I go to town occasionally to see the "big city". I acquired an HP86B that was dumped at the drop off 3 years ago and a Victor 1400 calculator with dust cover that was dropped off this year. We received and loaded 60000 pounds of computers, CRT's, printers and TV's between 8 AM and 2 PM one Saturday. Recently I found an Olivetti Programma 101 at the local computer recycling charity. There is a not-for-profit in Kansas City called the Surplus Exchange that collects computers from all of the local businesses and recycles them. $20 and it was mine. That's where I found the Cromemco Z-2 and dual 8" floppies I have. The really old stuff normally is sent directly to the recycler since they can only reuse some of the recent PC stuff. I am kind of the non PC guy that sorts some stuff. It's like looking for diamonds "lots of crud to sort through to find a few jewels." Mike McFadden

20 years, 8 months

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Is this a DEC cabinet?

by legalize＠xmission.com

<http://www.govliquidation.com/aucimg/photos/1760/1759983.jpg> This place is notoriously weak in providing accurate item descriptions (and the pictures are often blurry or near useless), but the styling of this cabinet makes me think it is a DEC item. Can anyone confirm? -- "The Direct3D Graphics Pipeline"-- code samples, sample chapter, FAQ: <http://www.xmission.com/~legalize/book/> Pilgrimage: Utah's annual demoparty <http://pilgrimage.scene.org>

20 years, 8 months

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FOR cctech

by fzveprxe＠mgm.com

Explosive St=ck Alert Doll Technology Group Inc. Global Manufacturer and Marketer of "Clean & Green" Products and Technology Solutions(Source: News 12/6/05) OTC: DTGP Price: .14 Huge PR Campaign Underway For Thursday's Trading **DTGP** Can You Make Some Fast Money On This One? RECENT NEWS: Go Read The Full Stories Right Nowii 1)Doll Technology Group Begins U.S. Trials of AquaBoost(TM) 2)Doll Technology Group Announces Strategic Partnership With Land and Sea Development to Market BlazeTamer(TM) Fire Retardant Product- Initial Purchase Order Valued at Over $1.1 Million RedBrooks Laboratory, a DTGP subsidiary, is a full service independent facility that tests, qualifies and certifies all Doll Technology Group's products and services. The laboratory is one of the few government certified facilities for the testing of fire suppression systems for the aerospace, maritime, and general industries. (Source: News 12/2/05) Watch This One Trade on Thursday Radar it Right Now.. information within this email contains 4rward l00king statements within the m eaning of Sect ion twenty seven A of the Securities Act of nin eteen thirty three and Section twenty oneB of the Secu rities Exch ange Act of nineteen thirty four. Any statements that expr ess or involve discuss ions with respect to predi ctions, exp ectations, belie fs, pl ans, proj ections, objectives, g oals, assumpt ions or future events or perf ormance are not stat ements of his torical fact and may be 4 rward 1o0king statem ents. 4 rward looking stat ements are based on e xpectations, estimates and proj ections at the time the stat ements are made that in volve a nu mber of ri sks and uncer tainties wh ich could cause actual res ults or eve nts to dif fer mate rially from those p resently anticipa ted.Today's fea tured Compa ny is not a repr ting compan y und er the SEC Act of ninteen thirty four and theref ore there is limi ted inform tion availab le on the com pany. As with many micr ocap st=cks, today's company has dis closable material items you need to consider in order to make an informed and intelligent in_vestment decision. These items include: A nominal cash position. it is an operating Company. The company is going to need financing. if that financing does not occur, the company may not be able to continue as a going concern in which case you could lose your entire in-vestment. The publisher of this newsletter does not represent that the informa tion contained in this message states all ma terial facts or does not omit a mat erial fact neces sary to make the state ments therein not misle ading. All in formation provided within this e_ mail perta ining to in- vesting, st=cks, securities must be understood as informat ion provi ded and not in vest ment advice. Remember a tho rough due dilige nce effort, inc luding a review of a comp any's filings when available, should be compl eted prior to in_ vesting. The pu blisher of this newsletter advises all read ers and subs cribers to seek adv ice from a reg istered profe ssional secu rities re presentative before deciding to trade in st=cks featured within this e_ mail. None of the mat erial within this repo rt shall be co nstrued as any kind of in_vestment advice or solicitation. Many of these companies are on the verge of bankruptcy. You can lose all your mony by inv esting in this st=ck. The publisher of this newsletter is not a regis tered in- vestment advis0r. Subscribers should not view information herein as legal, t x, account ing or in vestment advice. in comp liance with the Secur ities Act of nineteen thirty three, Section seventeen(b),The pu blisher of this newslet ter is cont racted to receive twel ve th0us and d0l lars from a third party, not an officer, director or affiliate shareh 0lder for the circul ation of this re port. Be aware of an inher ent conf lict of int erest resu lting from su ch compen sation due to the fact that this is a paid a vertisement and is not with out b ias.The pa rty that pa ys us has a pos ition in the st=ck they will sell at any time wi hout notice. This could have a nega tive im pact on the price of the st0ck, causing you to lose mony.Their intent ion is to sell now. All fa ctual inf ormation in this report was gathered from public sources,including but not limited to Company Press Releases. Use of the info rmation in this email cons titutes your accep tance of these terms.

20 years, 8 months

1
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PDP-10s

by Useddec＠aol.com

I have 15 - 20 KL ( I think) boards and maybe a few cables left. Thanks, Paul

20 years, 8 months

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Is this a DEC cabinet?

by Useddec＠aol.com

Looks like it could be a pair of H9642's. Paul

20 years, 8 months

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Interesting memory device

by wmaddox＠pacbell.net

Does anyone recognize this device or know what machine it was used in? SINGER MDL L107MA-17-2100, P/ N P56-050-110 MAGNETIC DISC MEMORY http://cgi.govliquidation.com/auction/view?id=745204&convertTo=USD --Bill

20 years, 8 months

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PDP-11/70 boards available

by Useddec＠aol.com

Hi Cort, I believe the M8136 is a 11/70 UBC Unibus console control. Thanks, Paul

20 years, 8 months

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Loral 1553 analyzer

by cctech＠retro.co.za

Hi all I have a Loral 1553 analyzer, and I have a keyboard that, as far as I know, goes with it. What I don't have is the cable. Both the Loral and the keyboard have DB25 female connectors. So... what's the pinout, so I can make a cable? Thanks W

20 years, 8 months

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Philips LDB4401 cassette

by leemj＠myung.co.kr

Dear Sir/Madam, I am M.J.Lee president of Myung Information Tech in South Korea. I am looking for about 100 pcs of Philips LDB4401 mini-cassette. Can you help us ? M.J.Lee - President Myung Information Technology Co., LTD 644-5 Gak-Ri, O-Chang, ChungBuk , South Korea TEL : 82-43-212-2277 Fax : 82-43-218-8409 e-mail : leemj at myung.co.kr

20 years, 8 months

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Blank list messages?

by news＠computercollector.com

The past couple of days, I received a few cctalk messages which were blank... Anyone else having this problem? (XP, Outlook, etc.) If your response is just sarcastic crap about XP/Outlook, then do us all a favor and don't reply. :) ----------------------------------------- Evan Koblentz's personal homepage: http://www.snarc.net Computer Collector Newsletter: >> http://news.computercollector.com Mid-Atlantic Retro Computing Hobbyists & Museum: >> http://www.marchclub.org >> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/midatlanticretro/

20 years, 8 months

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Q-18 to Q-22 backplane conversion

by pete＠dunnington.plus.com

On Dec 21 2005, 13:57, joseph c lang wrote: > Before I put all the screws back in this thing...... > > I'm converting a H9273 Q-18 backplane to use a 11/23 Q-22 CPU and > MSV11-LK memory. (and RQDX3 and DELQA ) > > >From the prints I can find ,It looks like all I have to do is bus the BDAL18 > through BDAL21 lines, and add an ECO to the BDV11 that terminates > the additional BDAL lines. > > Am I missing something? That's all, as far as I can remember (done this a few times). If it came from an expansion box rather than a CPU box, or from an early 11/03, look for W1...W3 on the backplane and check that W1 is inserted and W2,W3 are not. Remember this is a "straight" backplane, so don't try to bus the CD side. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

20 years, 8 months

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Fwd: Aussie PDP-11s

by legalize＠xmission.com

Holy shit, I wish I was nearby... or could afford a shipping container and a boat! From: Christine Ricketts/Andrew Stewart <nospam at collingwood.net> Newsgroups: alt.sys.pdp11 Subject: Melbourne Australia: Possible Oversupply of PDP-11/83s, PDP-11/84s and PDP-11/70s Date: Thu, 22 Dec 2005 18:43:35 +1100 Message-ID: <dodl07$cfq$1 at news-01.bur.connect.com.au> Calling all PDP-11 Enthusiasts in Melbourne / Australia. Currently the following information is _pure_ speculation. ====== I have no idea whether I will get the systems, how much they will cost (I'm pitching myself as cheaper and less work than hiring a dumpster or calling the computer scrap merchant) or when they will become available. End of January 2006, there _should_ be approx 15 (fifteen) PDP-11/83s to collect from Portland Victoria. I haven't seen these. Later in 2006 there _should_ be approx 20 (twenty) PDP-11/70s, approx 10 (ten) PDP-11/84s, assorted PDP-11/44s and a PDP-11/34 "..in a pear treeeee.." to be collected >from the Melbourne CBD. Dozens of DZ11s, RL11 controllers and RL01 and RL02 drives. PLUS both 5.25 inch high 8 inch wide MSCP and RP06 emulating disk drives and controllers. I took a tour through the site last Tuesday. Drool, Drool! I've got a few collector mates in Melbourne but there is liable to be excess machines. Shipping systems or parts interstate or overseas takes a long time and is not cheap. If you are interested, post a reply. If you are shy, try substituting "bitbender" as the username in the above address. Regards, Andy. -- "The Direct3D Graphics Pipeline"-- code samples, sample chapter, FAQ: <http://www.xmission.com/~legalize/book/> Pilgrimage: Utah's annual demoparty <http://pilgrimage.scene.org>

20 years, 8 months

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Compaq Portable 386 Question

by Useddec＠aol.com

The Decmate II and lll both used the VR201 and LK201, as did the Rainbow. I have some parts available for these units. Thanks, Paul

20 years, 8 months

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When did double-shot keytops disappear?

by cclist＠sydex.com

I was looking at a not-very-old HP keyboard today and noticed that the lettering on the keys is wearing away after only a few years of use. Another corner quietly cut, I suppose. Used to be that keytops were double-shot molded, with the lettering all but indestructible. Is this a practice that's gone forever, or is there still a vendor who makes keyboards the old way? Cheers, Chuck

20 years, 8 months

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=== Miniscribe disk drive infos ===

by tpeters＠mixcom.com

Oh my heavens, I don't think I am any sort of expert, but will try to help. Do you have a document for the controller card? If not, I will try to find my copy. Yes, most RLL drives can be formatted to lower capacity and used on a MFM controller, but some aren't reliable when used that way. I don't know which are. What happens when you start the formatter in debug? Does it attempt the format and light up the drive or fail immediately? Do you have any other old PC or XT machines you can try this in? 1701 is a generic hard disk failure code, but it could imply that the bios is set incorrectly and just doesn't recognize the drive. Shouldn't stop you from formatting it, but then again, perhaps you don't need to, maybe you need to fix something else that is wrong. A cabling issue perhaps. The reason I ask about another PC is that I seem to recall the PS2 needing a diskette to configure it, whereas an XT or clone wouldn't. -T At 01:45 PM 12/21/2005 +0100, you wrote: >Good morning Tom, > >I've just read a topic on the cctalk mailing list in which you seem to be >en expert in old MFM/RLL disk drives. > >I get many troubles in trying to place a WD disk controller with a >miniscribe 8438 disc. As many people do, I always get the famous 20 or >1701 errors whan trying to low level format with the debug command, under >MS dos (G=C800:5) > > >I think i've been trying all that could be possible : removing jumpers, >changing the WD driver card ... it never works. I've put another >combination of MFM disk drive plus WD controller, and I obtained good >results, so, it's not a problem with the computer, but certainly a problem >of disk and/or controller. > > >My controller is a WD1002A-WX1. I know it's for MFM disk, and I also know >that the 8438 disc is a RLL, but it's said that it can also be formatted >to 20Mbytes on a single WD MFM controller. > >The machine is IBM PS2 model 30. The 8438 is used to replace the old >WDL-320 disk drive that doesn't work (it also sends the 1701 error code, >butI don't know how to low-level format it.. > > > >Many thanks if you can give me your help. > >I apologize for disturbing you. > > >--... ...-- -.. . ..-. ..... .. -. .-.. > >Frederic BOSSU, F5INL > [Pop Culture] Well, what would you do with a brain if you had one? -- Dorothy, The Wizard of Oz --... ...-- -.. . -. ----. --.- --.- -... tpeters at nospam.mixcom.com (remove "nospam") N9QQB (amateur radio) "HEY YOU" (loud shouting) WEB ADDRESS http//www.mixweb.com/tpeters 43? 7' 17.2" N by 88? 6' 28.9" W, Elevation 815', Grid Square EN53wc WAN/LAN/Telcom Analyst, Tech Writer, MCP, CCNA, Registered Linux User 385531

20 years, 8 months

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GPL or BSD: What license do you prefer for the MSCP SCSI project?

by korpela＠ssl.berkeley.edu

>List members, > I reach the point that I need to decide what license I will use when >I release my project. I myself do not have a preference. I am planning >to replace the unknown-license 53C90 sample code with linux or NetBSD >53C90 driver code. If I use the linux code, I have to release it with >GPL. If I use the NetBSD code, I am not able to release it in GPL. I >will let you guys decide, since you are the end users. To avoid >flooding the mailing list, you can send me private email if you do not >have a public message. > When I release the project, only 512 B/B CDROM and HD will be >supported. There might be a need to add support for other format >CDROMs (easy) or SCSI tapes (difficult) or other devices down the >road. Bear this in mind when you vote. I would say use whatever license suits you the best. If you aren't concerned about someone building a closed source product out of it, BSD is fine. If you do have some concerns, LGPL is a good comprimise. It allows people to link it with non-GPL code without allowing them to close the source. If you want it, and any product linked with it to be made open source, the GPL is the way to go. There are plenty of shades in between. Were I the developer in question, I would probably go with LGPL for a driver or library and full GPL for a program. I've seen too much open source work go into closed source products to use BSD license on my code anymore. But YMMV. Choose what's best for you. Eric

20 years, 8 months

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Need BIOS setup utility

by doc＠mdrconsult.com

I'm foozling with a portable 386 system that keeps coming up with an "Incorrect Setting In BIOS" error. I've replaced the battery and tried the several DOS-based CMOS utilities from Simtel, but the error persists. Part of the problem is that this is a Taiwanese clone and the motherboard bears *no* manufacturer or model info. The only badging at all is on the front, which says "LCD 386". It looks like a fairly standard motherboard, has a Seagate ST-251 and a NewTronics DSDD 5.25" floppy drive, 8-bit EGA (I think) graphics card with an internal connector to a 640x240 mono LCD. The keyboard seems to be a regular AT type, clips on the front of the case over the LCD. Dimensions are about 12" tall, 17-18" wide, and 9" front-to-back. I've also never seen a system come up with BIOS messages from two companies: Phoenix 80386 ROM BIOS Version 3.06 Copyright (c) 1985,86 Phoenix Technologies Ltd All Rights Reserved CHIPS AND TECHNOLOGIES AT/386 SYSTEM SOFT SETUP VERSION 1.12 BANK 0 - 1024K NON INTERLEAVED 256k DRAM'S, 0 WAIT STATE MEMORY BANK 1 - 1024K NON INTERLEAVED 256k DRAM'S, 0 WAIT STATE MEMORY BANK 2 - DISABLED BANK 3 - DISABLED AT BUS CLOCK SOURCE - CLK2/2 I can't find any useful info on Google about the C&T "System Soft Setup". My questions are, should I be trying to find a Phoenix setup utility or a C&T util? Am I correct in thinking that's a disk-based utility, rather than NVRAM? In other words, should I be hitting Ctrl+Alt+Ins or something at boot? (Already tried that and all the usual suspects, no love.) Any help or information would be appreciated. Doc

20 years, 8 months

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PDP-11/70 boards available

by Manofquest＠aol.com

norm, I saw a listing that you have PDP boards What is the M8136? Cort

20 years, 8 months

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Contextual reference for mainframes/supercomputers?

by legalize＠xmission.com

OK, there are lots of sites that put things like mini and microcomputers into their historical context with photos, hardware and software descriptions, etc. What is considered the best reference for mainframe like machines? For instance, anyone want to bid on a Gould Concept/32? <http://www.dovebid.com/assets/display.asp?ItemID=tbd155271> Opening bid is $1.00, sale ends 12/30/06 from Boeing in St. Louis, MO. Well, sounds *dirt* cheap to me, but I know f*ck all about Gould computers other than the University of Utah bought one at one point in the 90s. (I don't even know if they still have it.) Suggestions anyone? Comments on "DoveBid" are also welcome; I only found out about them today. -- "The Direct3D Graphics Pipeline"-- code samples, sample chapter, FAQ: <http://www.xmission.com/~legalize/book/> Pilgrimage: Utah's annual demoparty <http://pilgrimage.scene.org>

20 years, 8 months

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IBM Thermal Conduction Module and 3084 chip offered

by innfoclassics＠gmail.com

I thought I would mention it to the list before posting it on ebay. I need to go to the dentist in January. I am going to part with my last IBM Mainframe 3084 chip. It is still encased in its original Thermal Conduction Module.Chip looks similar to this. http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/vintage/vintage_4506VV3121.html The IBM 3084 mainframe is this: http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/mainframe/mainframe_PP3084.html As a collectable I think the Thermal Conduction Module is much rarer than the 4" chip. IBM classifies it as one of their most important developments. The chips were saved or scrapped for their very high gold content. The thermal modules were copper based with aluminum plungers and quickly sent to scrap. http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/vintage/vintage_4506VV2137.html Here is some information on the development of the Thermal Conduction Module. http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/mainframe/mainframe_intro3.html This is a thermal Conduction Module that has never been opened. From reading it is filled with helium so I have decided not to crack it unless I absolutely have to for pictures. It came from a IBM 3084 we scrapped in 1993 or 94. The chip inside is similar to one I sold on ebay last month, pictures in the ebay listing would be similar to the chip inside this module. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8727630848 Asking $1200 domestic shipping included. Always open to offers. Paxton -- Paxton Hoag Astoria, OR USA

20 years, 8 months

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Early 3.5" Floppy Drives (3.x on DEC Rainbow)

by mtapley＠swri.edu

>--- Chris M wrote: > > 3.2 or .3 was available for the NEC APC III and the >Rainbow (I think). I'm not absolutely sure the NEC >version was APC III specific, though probably. The APC >III had a compatibility board called the SLE (Software >Library Expander). The thing I saw on ebay could have >been vanilla ms-dos but I kind of doubt it. MS-DOS 3.10b from Suitable Solutions is the last Rainbow MS-DOS Version I know about (assuming you mean the DEC Rainbow). (There were also CP/M, CCP/M, p-system (see ftp.update.se) and rumored Venix.) -- - Mark 210-522-6025, temporary cell 240-375-2995

20 years, 8 months

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FYI: VAXen on govliquidation.com

by legalize＠xmission.com

Hi, just in case anyone's interested, there are a number of VAXen on <http://www.govliquidation.com> right now... VAX Server 3500 Redstone Arsenal, AL VAX 6000-420 Mechanicsburg, PA VAX Server 5000-200 Fort Lewis, WA -- "The Direct3D Graphics Pipeline"-- code samples, sample chapter, FAQ: <http://www.xmission.com/~legalize/book/> Pilgrimage: Utah's annual demoparty <http://pilgrimage.scene.org>

20 years, 8 months

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Oldest serial number (Apple II Serial Number 2)

by swtpc6800＠comcast.net

Back in June of 1977 I had Apple II Serial Number 2 for a few weeks. The power supply failed and it when back to Apple. I never saw that unit again. In January 2005 Bruce Damer visited Jef Raskin and saw this unit. Here is a web page with about this unit. http://www.swtpc.com/mholley/Apple/allied_computer.htm The early Apple II power supplies had RFI problems. They were a radio transmitter that also put out 5 volts. Michael Holley

20 years, 8 months

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Q-18 to Q-22 backplane conversion

by jclang＠notms.net

Before I put all the screws back in this thing...... I'm converting a H9273 Q-18 backplane to use a 11/23 Q-22 CPU and MSV11-LK memory. (and RQDX3 and DELQA ) >From the prints I can find ,It looks like all I have to do is bus the BDAL18 through BDAL21 lines, and add an ECO to the BDV11 that terminates the additional BDAL lines. Am I missing something? joe lang

20 years, 8 months

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ImageDisk project is canceled

by dm561＠torfree.net

Date: Tue, 20 Dec 2005 19:24:09 -0500 From: "Teo Zenios" <teoz at neo.rr.com> Subject: Re: ImageDisk project is canceled >Well lets be honest here, people do not do anything for "free".... I actually feel a little sorry for someone who sees the world like that... So, donating anonymously to charity or just picking a piece of garbage off the street and putting it into the nearest receptacle is not merely doing the right thing or just being who you are, but "buying" a good feeling? How cynical... >...friends who keep taking up your personal time fixing their computers as long >as you do it for free but once a token amount is asked for the time involved >(even just a free lunch) these same people get pissy and refuse... Well, since you're apparently one of those people who doesn't do anything for free and expects some form of payment from your "friends," perhaps you could either make that clear in the beginning or just refuse. Or perhaps find new "friends;" I usually say that, half-seriously, "this is gonna cost you a lunch," and I've never had any of my friends refuse - quite to the contrary. >I always thought that if there really is demand for a utility then at least a >token amount of money should be charged for that utility. So now another of the many things that Dave did wrong was to offer it for free... This gets more and more bizarre; a fascinating insight into the mentalities and perspectives of the writers though... mike

20 years, 8 months

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ImageDisk project is canceled

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "Christer O. Andersson" <christer at a-son.net> > >On Tue, Dec 20, 2005 at 11:42:13AM +0000, Jules Richardson wrote: > >> care about having source. The only people it would seem to affect are those >> who wanted to take Dave's code, modify it, and release it as though it were >> all their own work - and I doubt anyone on this list would be happy with >> someone who did that. > >You don't get it - that's exactly what GPL protects against. Hi Again Maybe that isn't important to him. He might have other reasons to not use GPL. I've never used it and don't ever expect to. I see no reason that any of the code that I've published can't be used by anyone for whatever reason they like. I know that some bits and pieces have made it into commercial software. That is OK with me. They can copy the entire thing if they like. Dave has his reasons for how he is doing this. The fact that he doesn't have the software source available does little to diminish the work that he has done. He is in the process of developing his code and has stated that he would not like to release it right now. I'd feel the same myself, even if I later planned release it to public domain. As for project help during developement, I've tried it twice myself. In both cases, the help that was promised never completed. I'm not mad about it but I realize that I could have completed it faster on my own. I may try it again in the future but like a lot of things. Offers of help are just that, offers. I have not completed some help projects for others myself. I know why but that doesn't change the facts. IMHO Dwight

20 years, 8 months

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GPL or BSD: What license do you prefer for the MSCP SCSI project?

by vax9000＠gmail.com

List members, I reach the point that I need to decide what license I will use when I release my project. I myself do not have a preference. I am planning to replace the unknown-license 53C90 sample code with linux or NetBSD 53C90 driver code. If I use the linux code, I have to release it with GPL. If I use the NetBSD code, I am not able to release it in GPL. I will let you guys decide, since you are the end users. To avoid flooding the mailing list, you can send me private email if you do not have a public message. When I release the project, only 512 B/B CDROM and HD will be supported. There might be a need to add support for other format CDROMs (easy) or SCSI tapes (difficult) or other devices down the road. Bear this in mind when you vote. cheers, vax, 9000

20 years, 8 months

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Archiving Software

by dm561＠torfree.net

--------------Original Message---------------- Date: Sat, 17 Dec 2005 21:11:58 -0600 From: Jim Battle <frustum at pacbell.net> Subject: Re: Archiving Software (Dave wrote) >>I used to release source code to nearly all of my stuff, but not any more. >>I just don't need the hassles. (Tony Duell wrote) > You have just lost any respect I may have had for you. > > -tony The logic of this, coming from an adult, is astounding. Dave can and is defending himself, but as a happy "customer" of his free tools, I can't let this slide by. I often use an analogy with my six year olds: imagine we are going to the ice cream store (which in our case is not often), and you really want strawberry ice cream. We get there only to find out they are all out of strawberry, but how about chocolate instead? Are you going to cry and whine that you want strawberry, or are you going to be happy that you are still getting a nifty chocolate one? That makes a lot more sense to them than the adage, "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth." Dave has worked selflessly to produce a professionally done, well documented program for the benefit of us all. It is peerless; there have been similar programs in the past, e.g. teledisk, but they are not actively developed and the resulting disk image format is not documented. Imagedisk works, it is free and is unencumbered by questions of the right to use. OK, we are not in utopia. Dave isn't comfortable releasing the source code ... yet. And yet you complain about it. You say judgementally that if *you* had written the program, the you'd certainly release the source code. That is great except you *haven't* spent the time to write the program. So until you go and do it, you are just posturing. ----------------Reply-------------- Amen/ditto that! Although I (still :) have a great deal of respect for Tony, I think an off-list note to Dave asking if he could look at the source code would have been more appropriate than his complaint. Then again, that seems to be a requirement for posting on this list, making sure there is always more complaining/kvetching etc. than kudos and appreciation... (except for model M IBM keyboards :) And that is Tony's oft-stated opinion after all, that if he doesn't have (or can't get/create) the inner details of whatever, he won't use it no matter how useful it might be, and this _is_ mostly a place for airing opinions... C'mon Tony, not even a tiny bit of respect for the great job Dave's done and continues to do, mostly for the benefit of the rest of us (some of whom just want to _use_ his excellent tools)? m

20 years, 8 months

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VCF server crash

by vcf＠vintagetech.com

Sorry for the lame intrusion :) Last week my server hard drive crashed mysteriously and I've been recovering ever since. Although my websites don't yet reflect it, I've recovered most of my important files and data; I just need to put everything back into its proper place. This would have been a much easier process had my last full backup been more recent than August 8 :( At any rate, I apologize if you tried to contact me and couldn't (my e-mail was down for almost 3 days). Also, if you were waiting for me to get back to you on something, please know that I've basically lost the last four months of my e-mail (it's on my hard disk, somewhere, but finding it will be a manual block-by-block process), and I'd appreciate it if you could send me a reminder message of what you were expecting from me. I had about 800 messages in my inbox going back to 2000 that I was determined to eventually address (obviously not all of them were people waiting for replies...I use my inbox as sort of a to-do list ;) so until I recover my mbox file I pretty much don't remember what was in there. Going forward, I'm now situated on a fault-tolerant server with RAID, and am implementing a more regular backup process. Whoopee for me. With my new server come some minor changes (initially), specifically with my e-mail addresses. I've retired siconic.com as my primary domain and have now adopted vintagetech.com as my primary domain. My primary e-mail address is now <vcf at vintagetech.com> or <sellam at vintagetech.com>, with the latter likely to become my defacto e-mail address for all things VCF and VintageTech (currently, my outbound mail comes from <vcf at vintagetech.com>). Anyway, while <vcf at siconic.com> will not be going away anytime soon (if ever) you should update your address book with <sellam at vintagetech.com> as my primary e-mail address. Finally, with the new year will come a renewed and intensive effort to catch up on long-promised projects. I have re-organized and re-focused my life so that I can get back to the things I've been wanting to get done, including FutureKeep as well as some so far unannounced projects (ooh, the suspense!) I started a blog on the VCF website (currently unavilable due to crash but coming back very soon) where I keep people posted on VCF happenings behind the scenes plus my usual obnoxious commentary, so you can follow that to keep abreast of what's going on in my realm (I should be so flattered). I also have plans to start hosting more content from my server, once I've upgraded my internet pipe to handle way more bandwidth than I currently have. And of course the VCF will continue, with VCF Europa 7.0 being the next stop closely followed by VCF East 3.0 (hosted by Evan Koblentz and the rest of MARCH). I remain unsubscribed from the CC list but occasionally follow it in the archives just to see what's going on. That doesn't mean I'm cut off from the community. As ever, if anyone needs anything from me or if I can be of assistance with something, please do drop me a line. Now back to your regularly scheduled meditations on vintage computing... -- Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ International Man of Intrigue and Danger http://www.vintage.org [ Old computing resources for business || Buy/Sell/Trade Vintage Computers ] [ and academia at www.VintageTech.com || at http://marketplace.vintage.org ]

20 years, 8 months

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ImageDisk project is canceled

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "Christer O. Andersson" <christer at a-son.net> > >On Tue, Dec 20, 2005 at 07:10:36AM -0600, Doc Shipley wrote: > ---snip--- >And that is a problem. If you rely on his tools, and find it >malfunctions in some way, you cannot fix the problem without the >source. If Dave is not supporting his tool anymore for some reason, >your stuck. Your saved disk might be lost. If the source is available >you can either fix it yourself or arrange with somebody to fix it >for you. Hi That is just plan silly. He has stated that he is openly providing all the information about the format. If you have the image and the information about the format, all that is lost is the means of transfer. There are many on this group that could, if needed, provide that for you ( or you could learn enough to do it for yourself ). As Dave has stated, the actual transfer program itself is nothing revolutionary. What is a lot of work is providing all the options and variations that are out there. Even with the source code, if you didn't understand how to talk to disk and DMA controllers, it is doubtful that you could fix a bug in the program. Of course, if you did understood these things, you could, knowing the image format, write your own transfer program. Lets get real. He has provided a useful format for image storage. The methods of transferring the information could be varied. Dwight

20 years, 8 months

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Partially-bad chips; was: repairing early HP calcs

by dwight.elvey＠amd.com

>From: "Fred Cisin" <cisin at xenosoft.com> > >On Tue, 20 Dec 2005, Dwight Elvey wrote: >> Hi >> I don't want to bust anyones bubble but many low end computers >> sold as desk tops have partially bad chips. The term used >> is "down graded". It is still standard practice in the industry. >> Many of you may have a down graded part in your machine and >> not even know it. > >How about the 32K RAMs in the RS Coco > > Yes Fred, that includes your Coco ;0 I'd really meant current machines but as Fred notes, it has been going on for a number of years and it is going on today. Dwight

20 years, 8 months

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Really want to critique? Do it here!

by news＠computercollector.com

Since all the critics, naysayers, and pundits are out in force today, I thought I'd make some constructive use from it. (Imagine that!) The year 2006 is winding down, and early January is the second birthday of Computer Collector Newsletter. Sometime in later January will be our 100th issue, a fact which realy blows my mind. I, Mike Nadeau, Sellam Ismail, Erik Klein, Christine Finn, and Bill Logidice take great pride in this volunteer endeavor. We started in early January 2004 with about 345(-ish) members. Now there are 870. So getting back to the point: what can we do to make it better? What do you love, what are you ambivalent about, what sucks in our newsletter? What would you add or do less of or otherwise change if you were in charge? By all means, bring it on. Bring it on very bluntly if you want. We'd prefer that you are polite, but if you sincerely think we all stink, then we'd rather hear the truth than some buttered-up politically correct version. No matter what people say, we promise not to "take our ball and go home," although we strongly support Dave's work and his right to do whatever he chooses with it. :) Got something to say? Say it to us. We wanna hear it, really. But jeesh, give the ImageDisk thing a rest. The guy tried to be nice and do something good for our community and instead a few self-important imbeciles had to go and ruin it. - Evan ----------------------------------------- Evan Koblentz's personal homepage: http://www.snarc.net Computer Collector Newsletter: >> http://news.computercollector.com Mid-Atlantic Retro Computing Hobbyists & Museum: >> http://www.marchclub.org >> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/midatlanticretro/

20 years, 8 months

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Fw: Deck of IBM PLAYING CARDS GOES FOR $325

by jrkeys＠concentric.net

Second try at sending this. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Keys" <jrkeys at concentric.net> To: "cctalk at classiccmp" <cctalk at classiccmp.org> Sent: Saturday, December 17, 2005 3:53 PM Subject: Deck of IBM PLAYING CARDS GOES FOR $325 > Check out item number 8735082362

20 years, 8 months

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