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

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

there was some previous discussion about nec multisync monitors. believe it or not, i actually found one tossed in the partking lot of an auto parts store. <!> unfortunately, it wont power on. made in 1990 and has XGA plug. anybody want it for free or need parts from it? it has a lot of controls behind a flip down door. no burn-in on the tube amazingly. david

27 years, 5 months

2
1
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ebay: Antique UNICAC computer memory planes

by cswiger＠wilma.widomaker.com

On Fri, 20 Nov 1998, Bill Yakowenko wrote: > ] The amazing lace and tiny rings are long gone now. But the > ] legacy still lives on in the word "stack" and "core memory". Of course the coolest thing about 'core' is it's the original non-volitile memory; you could carry one around with a diag utility already loaded, just plug it in and run. One of the myth's they always told us was they all had to be made by hand - there wasn't a machine that could thread the row/column and sense wires for mass production. Is there any rumor to this truth? Chuck cswiger(a)widomaker.com

27 years, 5 months

4
8
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Tek Computer

by jpl15＠netcom.com

I have been offered a Tektronix 3003 box with a 15" Mitsubishi monitor.. it came from a scrap yard via a guy who does movie prop rental, with whom I have a standing order for DEC stuff... wait, what I mean is... oh never mind! :} Is this Tek box of interest to anyone on the List? I have no knowledge of/interest in Tek computers. Cheers John

27 years, 5 months

1
0
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Anyone need this? Apollo 8" disks

by rigdonj＠intellistar.net

I picked up two notebooks full of Apollo (not HP) disks and manuals. One is for C language and the other is Ether Controller, Ether Bridge and TCP/IP, etc. Does anyone need this? If so, I'll consider swaps, if not I'll toss the manuals and reformat the disks for use with my Intel. Joe

27 years, 5 months

2
1
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What is a ZVX4?

by rigdonj＠intellistar.net

I picked up a couple of old CPM disks that are marked "CPM Startup for ZVX4" and "SCS-D07-1". These were made by Sorrento Vally Associates, Sorrento Vally Rd, San Diego and have 1980 and 1982 dates. Does anyone know what kind of system they're for? Joe

27 years, 5 months

4
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Core planes was: [ebay: Antique]

by hhacker＠gte.net

Fact is, I have seen facilities (by photograph though) in Japan where IBM manufactured core planes, by hand. The pictures probably came from the early '60s but, they clearly show ladies sitting at circuit board mounting tables, large magnifying glasses with integral florescent lamps, and core plane frames mounted in circuit board holders for easy working. I am sure that machines were constructed but, I am also sure that some of the earlier work was done by hand. William R. Buckley -----Original Message----- From: Kip Crosby <kip(a)nanospace.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Friday, November 20, 1998 8:24 AM Subject: Core planes was: [ebay: Antique] >At 09:35 11/20/98 -0500, Chuck wrote: >>One of the myth's they always told us was they all had to be >>made by hand - there wasn't a machine that could thread the >>row/column and sense wires for mass production. Is there any >>rumor to this truth? > >yeahright. In _IBM's Early Computers_ by Bashe et al., you will find >elaborate description of machinery developed to automate the production of >core planes, complete [IIRC] with pictures. >__________________________________________ >Kip Crosby engine(a)chac.org > http://www.chac.org/index.html >Computer History Association of California > >

27 years, 5 months

1
0
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Core planes

by cswiger＠wilma.widomaker.com

>>made by hand - there wasn't a machine that could thread the >>row/column and sense wires for mass production. Is there any >>rumor to this truth? > >yeahright. In _IBM's Early Computers_ by Bashe et al., you will find >elaborate description of machinery developed to automate the production >of core planes, complete [IIRC] with pictures. Ok - always thought it was a fishy story. Chuck cswiger(a)widomaker.com

27 years, 5 months

1
0
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IBM 3848 and/or "VTL"

by dwollmann＠ibmhelp.com

I'm looking for info on what looks to be either a very old or obscure IBM type number. All I have is 3848 and "VTL" (card) to work with. None of the search engines, including Deja News, come up with anything other than a "help wanted" listing looking for someone with experience on the 3848. Any idea what this might be? -- David Wollmann DST / DST Data Conversion ICQ: 10742063 http://www.ibmhelp.com/

27 years, 5 months

3
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ebay: Antique UNICAC computer memory planes

by yakowenk＠cs.unc.edu

I have never ordered from the guy, because I smelled a skunk. The only info I have came from his own ads and web pages; I have not actually been "done wrong" by him. The pictures do look great, and if everything looked consistent with that, I'd have probably ordered one or two myself. But here I'll quote from his web page, which lives at http://www.netw.com/~drfcline/univac.htm : ] UNIVAC of the 1950s was an awesome high tech machine of then amazing ] ... ] Each stack had eight memory planes. Each memory plane had a fine mesh ] ... ] In the midst of glistening fine copper wires, the little doughnut could ] ... ] ] The amazing lace and tiny rings are long gone now. But the legacy still ] lives on in the word "stack" and "core memory". The ellipses were just some happy talk about how cool cores and Univacs were. I agree with him there, wholeheartedly. But those last two sentences sounded to me as if there were no cores to be had. If he had them for sale, how could be be calling them "long gone"? Well, okay, we have at least one confirmed order in which cores are really present, and nobody griping about getting ripped off. The only sane conclusion is: you are right, I mis-read it in a big way. Guess I'm so used to scams that I'm seeing them even when they are not there. Thanks for the correction! On top of setting me straight on something that I felt bad about, this means maybe I can talk myself into (out of?) ordering one! :-) Apologies to Dr. Cline, and to the list, for my outburst. Bill. On Thu, 19 Nov 1998, Doug Yowza <yowza(a)yowza.com> wrote: ] On Thu, 19 Nov 1998, Bill Yakowenko wrote: ] ] > Beware; in the past this guy has offerred "core memory planes" for ] > sale several times, even on this list. But if you had read the ] > fine print you would have found that there were no cores - just ] > the rectangular PC-board "frame" in which the cores used to reside. ] > I suppose you could call that a plane, but it isn't what most ] > compu-geeks would think when hearing the word in that context. ] ] Are you sure, Bill? The pics on his website look like real core planes ] to me: ] http://www.netw.com/~drfcline/screen8.jpg ] Also on Thu, 19 Nov 1998, "David C. Jenner" <djenner(a)halcyon.com> wrote: ] Bill, ] ] You are 100% mistaken. You have seriously misread the information. ] ] His commentary and web page are written in the past tense to ] indicate that "core memory" is not used in today's computers, ] not that the boards do not have the cores in them now. ] ] He is selling, in addition to the core memory boards, the controller ] cards that ran a stack of the core memory cards. He is not saying ] that the cards are really controller cards and not core memory cards. ] ] I got a card a while back and the core memory card is exactly as ] stated and shown. There are cores. ] ] My only stupidity was having to pay the $20 or so when I should have ] had a free sample from years ago. ] ] Dave

27 years, 5 months

4
3
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ebay: Antique UNICAC computer memory planes

by yakowenk＠cs.unc.edu

Marvin <marvin(a)rain.org> wrote: ] More interesting stuff from ebay. ] http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=43065424 Beware; in the past this guy has offerred "core memory planes" for sale several times, even on this list. But if you had read the fine print you would have found that there were no cores - just the rectangular PC-board "frame" in which the cores used to reside. I suppose you could call that a plane, but it isn't what most compu-geeks would think when hearing the word in that context. In this case, he includes some text from an "actual" customer ranting about how cool his core memory board is, describing at length the 1024 core bits and yada yada yada, but if you read the all the way to the end you'll find that what he's actually offerring are the controller cards - not the 1K bit planes that he describes in such detail. Classic bait-and-switch. In fact, even when he was earlier selling the core memory boards, they didn't have the cores, so this rant is obviously marketing delirium. Nothing that is an outright lie, but misleading as Hell, unless somebody actually things a PC board frame with no components is awesomely cool and "looks great under a microscope". Tell me that isn't engineered to fool people into thinking they're getting real core memory. Sheesh! And "whatever was last written (back in the 50s) on the planes I bought is still there" - nope, not "there" as in "on the planes I bought", but "there" as in "wherever those cores happen to be now". As far as I'm concerned, this guy is a rip-off artist. If he was simply selling Univac memory controller boards, I'd be more than half interested. And oddly enough, as near as I can tell, these controller boards actually *do* have some core bits left on them. (Are "windings" the same as cores, or is this another aspect of his marketing ingenuity?) So in that sense they may be more interesting than his former offerings. Anyway, seeing how far he'll go to be misleading, I don't trust him. I get the feeling that if I read enough fine print, I'd find that he's actually just selling pictures of those things, or pictures of something else that had once been in the same room with those things, or... It's really a shame that something like a Univac memory unit would end up in the hands of somebody like this, who would hack it to bits and then try to sell the broken fragments by being so misleading. Sadly, Bill. PS. I suppose it is possible that he once sold an actual core plane with cores in it, and that's what this testimonial is describing. But the first time I saw that ad of his, I rushed over to his web page and found him offerring "coreless" memory planes. And even then he was ranting and raving about how cool cores were, in the same way he does here, only mentioning at the end that these boards don't actually have any core. So again, there might not be any outright lies in any of this, but be sure to read *ALL* of the fine print before you consider dealing with this guy.

27 years, 5 months

4
3
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[OT] AT&T (fwd)

by daniel＠ubani.umtec.com

I got this from one of my friends who works at my upstream ISP. This was hilarious, I just had to share it! ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Received: from morphy.ssi.net (root(a)morphy.ssi.net [209.251.96.2]) by ubani.umtec.com (8.9.1/8.9.1) with ESMTP id RAA19177 for <daniel(a)ubani.umtec.com>; Tue, 17 Nov 1998 17:36:01 -0600 (CST) Received: from localhost (outsider@localhost [127.0.0.1]) by morphy.ssi.net (8.8.8/8.8.8/Debian/GNU) with SMTP id RAA27456; Tue, 17 Nov 1998 17:38:51 -0600 Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1998 17:38:51 -0600 (CST) From: "Patrick J. Cofield" <outsider(a)ssi.net> To: Jim Efaw <jimefaw(a)ssi.net>, daniel(a)ubani.umtec.com Subject: AT&T (fwd) Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.96.981117173345.26798A-100000(a)morphy.ssi.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII This is a work of genius. -- outsider(a)ssi.net (Patrick Cofield) Take it to the bridge. srass(a)bigfoot.com ---------- Forwarded message ---------- [from Zeno, to a whole bunch of people] I know my friend Pat, lover of tele-marketers, will get a kick out of this one: Me: Hello AT&T: Hello, this is AT&T... Me: Is this AT&T? AT&T: Yes, this is AT&T... Me: This is AT&T? AT&T: Yes This is AT&T... Me: Is this AT&T? AT&T: YES! This is AT&T, may I speak to Mr. Robinson please? Me: May I ask who is calling? AT&T: This is AT&T. Me: OK, hold on. At this point I put the phone down for a solid 5 minutes thinking that, surely, this person would have hung up the phone. I ate my salad. Much to my surprise, when I picked up the receiver, they were still waiting. Me: Hello? AT&T: Is this Mr. Robinson? Me: May I ask who is calling please? AT&T: Yes this is AT&T... Me: Is this AT&T? AT&T: Yes this is AT&T... Me: This is AT&T? AT&T: Yes, is this Mr. Robinson? Me: Yes, is this AT&T? AT&T: Yes sir. Me: The phone company? AT&T: Yes sir. Me: I thought you said this was AT&T. AT&T: Yes sir, we are a phone company. Me: I already have a phone. AT&T: We aren't selling phones today Mr. Robinson. Me: Well whatever it is, I'm really not interested but thanks for calling. When you are not interested in something, I don't think you can express yourself any plainer than by saying "I'm really not interested", but this lady was persistent. AT&T: Mr. Robinson we would like to offer you 10 cents a minute, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Now, I am sure she meant she was offering a "rate" of 10 cents a minute but she at no time used the word rate. I could clearly see that it was time to whip out the trusty old calculator and do a little ciphering. Me: Now, that's 10 cents a minute 24 hours a day? AT&T: (getting a little excited at this point by my interest) Yes sir that's right! 24 hours a day! Me: 7 days a week? AT&T: That's right. Me: 365 days a year? AT&T: Yes sir. Me: I am definitely interested in that! Wow!!! That's amazing! AT&T: We think so! Me: That's quite a sum of money! AT&T: Yes sir, it's amazing how it adds up. Me: OK, so will you send me checks weekly, monthly or just one big one at the end of the year for the full $52,560, and if you send an annual check, can I get a cash advance? AT&T: Excuse me? Me: You know, the 10 cents a minute. AT&T: What are you talking about? Me: You said you'd give me 10 cents a minute, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. That comes to $144 per day, $1,008 per week and $52,560 per year. I'm just interested in knowing how you will be making payment. AT&T: Oh no sir I didn't mean we'd be paying you. You pay us 10 cents a minute. Me: Wait a minute here!!! Didn't you say you'd give me 10 cents a minute. Are you sure this is AT&T? AT&T: Well, yes this is AT&T sir but...... Me: But nothing, how do you figure that by saying that you'll give me 10 cents a minute that I'll give you 10 cents a minute? Is this some kind of subliminal telemarketing scheme? I've read about things like this in the Enquirer you know. Don't use your alien brainwashing techniques on me. AT&T: No sir we are offering 10 cents a minute for..... Me: THERE YOU GO AGAIN! Can I speak to a supervisor please! AT&T: Sir I don't think that is necessary. Me: Sure! You say that now! What happens later? AT&T: What? Me: I insist on speaking to a supervisor! AT&T: Yes Mr. Robinson. Please hold. So now AT&T has me on hold and my supper is getting cold. I begin to eat while I'm waiting for a supervisor. After a wait of a few minutes and while I have a mouth full of food: Supervisor: Mr. Robinson? Me: Yeth? Supervisor: I understand you are not quite understanding our 10 cents a minute program. Me: Id thish Ath Teeth & Teeth? Supervisor: Yes sir, it sure is. I had to swallow before I choked on my food. It was all I could do to suppress my laughter and I had to be careful not to produce a snort. Me: No, actually I was just waiting for someone to get back to me so that I could sign up for the plan. Supervisor: OK, no problem, I'll transfer you back to the person who was helping you. Me: Thank you. I was on hold once again and managed a few more mouthfuls. I needed to end this conversation. Suddenly, there was an aggravated but polite voice at the other end of the phone. AT&T: Hello Mr. Robinson, I understand that you are interested in signing up for our plan? Me: Do you have that friends and family thing because you can never have enough friends and I'm an only child and I'd really like to have a little brother... AT&T: (click) I am, -Zeno. ----------------------------------------------- Zeno K. Gamble Personal Security to the Secretary of Defense The Pentagon, 3E877, (703)692-7140 -----------------------------------------------

27 years, 5 months

4
3
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MAC/ Apple //c compatibility questions

by PB14＠leicester.ac.uk

On 16 Nov 98 at 5:56, Eric Smith wrote: > The Apple ][ card for the Macintosh LC might be able to connect to a > real Disk ][; I've never had an LC (with or without the Apple ][ card), > so I couldn't tell you. I've never seen one of these in the UK but I understand that the LC family card will take one of the 19 pin Apple 5.25" drives. > And as non-Apple floppy drives for the Mac go, there was the DaynFile, which > was a nice two-drive box with a SCSI interface. It could be configured with > a mix of 360K, 1.2M, and 1.44M PC-format disks. Ugh. These were incredibly expensive and each mechanism would only read one particular disk format. I recall transferring data >from 360K floppy to 1.2M floppy on a PC before putting it on the Mac -- annoying for one disk but extremely tedious after a while. Like all Dayna products, they never properly supported it and nowadays deny all knowledge. Phil ************************************************************** Phil Beesley -- Computer Officer -- Distributed Systems Suppport University of Leicester Tel (0)116 252-2231 E-Mail pb14(a)le.ac.uk

27 years, 5 months

5
5
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what is a 'stringy floppy'?

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< >i was talking to my manager who is just about ready to give me a comple < >working trs80 model 1 with ALL accessories. he also said he used someth < >called a stringy floppy with it which used a loop of string/wire to sa < The "Exatron Stringy Floppy" was a tape loop cartridge that had a basic < 'structured' file system on it so (with the proper software) it could b < treated similar to a disk device, altho serial in nature. Don't remembe < the capacity right off, but it was not a lot. Around 100k. It was faster than audio cassette but clower than floppy. It's search speed was terrible. I did a design before it came out using a 8track cart for a platform. It's problems were using the short loops I made it would take 180 seconds to search for the previous block and the reliability of the tape was poor with oxide flaking (even using the best mylar tapes). While I was able to make it work I abandoned it within weeks of building it for a DC300 cartridge and my own drive. Based on my experiences with looped tapes and carts when I saw the Exxatron I regarded it as unlikely contender. It didn't last long. It is very collectable as likely few survived. Allison

27 years, 5 months

1
0
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WTB: Manual copies/printset copies (DEC)

by dburrows＠netpath.net

>Oh, of course Eric! I just didn't want anyone going to the fuss of copying >a whole handbook. What is it, about 150-200 pages in rather small format? >I'm not really that picky, just considering the work a person would go >through to make a xerographic copy. > >An extra original could turn up somewhere. Never give up! :) > One spare just did. Dan Burrows dburrows(a)netpath.net

27 years, 5 months

1
0
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WTB: Manual copies/printset copies (DEC)

by cfandt＠netsync.net

It's me again, To help fill-in my technical library for the equipment I have, I would like to buy good copies or originals of DEC documents for the the following hardware: ** PDP-11/34A System User's Manual. I have an earlier 11/34 System User's Manual (# EK-11034-UG-001) which has some 11/34A stuff in it but evidently not up-to-date with the 34A processor I've got. There should be an updated one later than the EK-number above which is closer to my system. ** KD11-EA Processor Manual (for 11/34A). Document number: EK-KD1EA-MM or later. ** RA60 drive printset. I have to fix one that won't spinup. ** RA60 technical manual. For same reason.... ** VAX 11/730 - Technical or operating manuals, printsets, ANYTHING AT ALL!! I have nothing. Tony Duell needs those documents too for his machine. ** MicroVAX II (model KA630QY-A2) user's manual and a technical manual or anything else for that matter. ** Emulex TC02 manual and any tech manuals. ** PDP-11/04/34/etc. Processor Handbook. Part number EB-09340 or later (for 11/34A processors). Should be an original and not a copy of course ;) That's all for now. I still need others but these are more important. Thanks for the help! Regards, Chris -- -- Christian Fandt, Electronic/Electrical Historian Jamestown, NY USA cfandt(a)netsync.net Member of Antique Wireless Association URL: http://www.ggw.org/freenet/a/awa/

27 years, 5 months

3
4
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what is a 'stringy floppy'?

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

i was talking to my manager who is just about ready to give me a complete and working trs80 model 1 with ALL accessories. he also said he used something called a stringy floppy with it which used a loop of string/wire to save data with not quite the speed of floppies but certainly faster than cassette. has anyone seen these or can explain how they work? he said there were carts that were put into the drive so it seems to be a removeable media device? can anyone explain further? david

27 years, 5 months

5
4
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Need data on this Syquest drive

by cfandt＠netsync.net

Hi folks, Recently I posted that my MicroPDP-11 is up and running. A question I had still is not answered and I was hoping somebody here could help. The machine has a Syquest cartridge drive. It is a model SQ 312RD. I tried searching the web for info on this model but could only find a reference to it having 2 heads and 615 cylinders. This figures to 10,705,920 bytes capacity assuming 17 sectors per cyl and 512 bytes per sector? 10 mb cartridge size then, correct? I have no other info on Syquest except they are now dead (their websites still turn up in search engines but there's no response.) Anybody fill me in on the specs, etc? Cartridges available for the SQ 312RD???? Any other tape/cartridge drive available you recommend I should replace this with? I have an Emulex TC02 controller in this box. Don't even know if the Emulex board works as there's no cartridge to try the Syquest with. Is there a Pertec-formatted tape drive which can hang off the Emulex which is half-height, 5.25" form (to replace the Syquest)? This is ideal since I can keep the 5.25" floppy drive. What if I find an external-mounted TK50 drive and TQK50-AA (M7546) controller and fit it into this system? Is this workable? Will RSX-11M+ ver. 3.0 handle a TK50?? Software drivers?? I have no other way to back the system up at this time (floppies are probably out of the question because of quantity needed and huge PITA-factor) Thanks for the help! Regards, Chris -- -- Christian Fandt, Electronic/Electrical Historian Jamestown, NY USA cfandt(a)netsync.net Member of Antique Wireless Association URL: http://www.ggw.org/freenet/a/awa/

27 years, 5 months

2
1
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Wanted -- Apple IIGS keys

by manney＠lrbcg.com

Thanks. I need the right arrow, please. Thanks Manney -----Original Message----- From: Jim Strickland <jim(a)calico.litterbox.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Wednesday, November 11, 1998 9:55 PM Subject: Re: Wanted -- Apple IIGS keys >Yeah, it would. I have my old GS keyboard that's suspiciously dead (I think it >was christened by the cat) if all you need is keycaps. >-- >Jim Strickland >jim(a)DIESPAMMERSCUMcalico.litterbox.com >----------------------------------------------------------------------- >Vote Meadocrat! Bill and Opus in 2000 - Who ELSE is there? >----------------------------------------------------------------------- >

27 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

your site

by pb0aia＠iaehv.nl

At Mon, 09 Nov 1998 17:49:20 -0800, you said to CLASSICCMP(a)u.washington.edu ky>I'm back, finally! I have the new domain up. If you can spare a ky>minute to have a look at my new web site and drop me a note wit ky>'The Traveling Technoid' still exists... it's been relocated to a ky>link off the main page for Blue Feather Technologies Hi, Nice site, lots of great links too. One problem though. I tried to access your RQDX3 documentation but got a 404 not found error. The links to this doc still point to the old site, which seems to be empty. Will you reload the RQDX info? Many thanks in advance. Kees -- Kees Stravers - Geldrop, The Netherlands - pb0aia(a)iae.nl Sysadmin and DEC PDP/VAX preservationist - Visit VAXarchive! http://vaxarchive.ml.org (primary) - http://www.sevensages.org/vax/ (mirror) Net-Tamer V 1.08.1 - Registered

27 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

[OT] Alphaserver Oops!

by jeff.kaneko＠juno.com

On Tue, 10 Nov 1998 13:30:09 -0800 (PST) Sam Ismail <dastar(a)ncal.verio.com> writes: >On Tue, 10 Nov 1998, Daniel A. Seagraves wrote: > >> Then I spot a little tab toward the top of the case. "Top Cover >Latch" >> Aha! Here's what we're after! So, I unlatch it, and pull the lid >off. >> *CLICK!* Whirrrrrrrrr.... *silence* >> >> Seems there's a power interlock in the top cover! >> >> Oops. > >Live and learn my young friend. Live and learn. I always jumper or otherwise disable those %&$@# things-- they always cause more problems than they solve. Jeff ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]

27 years, 5 months

13
25
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Motorola CRT service manual

by kurtkilgor＠geocities.com

I found a service manual for Motorola M1000 and M2000 series CRTs. It's photocopied, so I'm not sure if it's complete. It's 18 pages long, copyrighted 1979. Anyone want it?

27 years, 5 months

1
0
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Need TK50 part

by CLASSICCMP＠trailing-edge.com

>Anybody have a junker TK50 with the plastic tape leader still intact? Or, >does anyone have a NOS part? I would like to buy that part to repair my drive. Part number 74-28268-01, $1.00 each from DECDirect (1-800-Digital). A valuable resource is Digital's Assisted Services catalog search; see http://www.digital.com/info/DAS-Catalog/ -- Tim Shoppa Email: shoppa(a)trailing-edge.com Trailing Edge Technology WWW: http://www.trailing-edge.com/ 7328 Bradley Blvd Voice: 301-767-5917 Bethesda, MD, USA 20817 Fax: 301-767-5927

27 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

MICRO magazine (6502 related), who knows?

by franke＠sbs.de

> In particular I was reviewing my MICRO magazines (that > deal with the KIM, PET, and various 6502 systems). Coincidence - I just did the same - I took the years 1978 to 1981 with me on a busines trip to have something to read ... I hate this evenings in dump hotels ind small cities (like Paderborn) where they close everything at sundown. > I noticed that the latest copy I have is issue #18. I was > wondering if anyone knew if there were issues beyond > this or if the name of the magazine changed into something > else and I'm just not making the connection? No, they continued, but the quality improved (at least they took more expensive paper). > By the way, in the range of issues #1-18, I am missing > issues #15 & #16. I do however have duplicates of some > of the other issues. If anyone has duplicates of those two > issues, in good shape, and you're interested in trading, > one-for-one, let me know which issues you need and I'll > see if that's one of the ones that I have duplicates of. I will have a look, but this might take some times, since the duplicates are stored at another place. Servus hans -- Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut HRK

27 years, 5 months

5
6
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Need TK50 part

by cfandt＠netsync.net

Anybody have a junker TK50 with the plastic tape leader still intact? Or, does anyone have a NOS part? I would like to buy that part to repair my drive. Mine has broken on one side of the position aperature through which the photodiode detects its position. Looks like it has been broken awhile as the tips of the break are a bit rounded with wear from the previous owner continuing to use it (probably never knew it was broken). I don't want to take a chance with it breaking on me while most of a tape is wound up on the takeup spool! Thanks, Chris -- -- Christian Fandt, Electronic/Electrical Historian Jamestown, NY USA cfandt(a)netsync.net Member of Antique Wireless Association URL: http://www.ggw.org/freenet/a/awa/

27 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

MICRO magazine (6502 related), who knows?

by franke＠sbs.de

>> Coincidence - I just did the same - I took the years 1978 >> to 1981 with me on a busines trip to have something to >> read ... I hate this evenings in dump hotels ind small >> cities (like Paderborn) where they close everything at >> sundown. > So how was the Heinz Nixdorf Museum? Haven't been there this time, but it's nice, althrough my kind of computer museum would be a bit more on the variety of the 70s and 80s focused. Also the HNF Computer Museum is a _bit_ company specific (ok, not as much as the Tupperware Museum). Son't get me wrong, it is still VERY impressive and the most comprehensive of all existing Computer/Information Technology museums in the world (at least compared to everything I have seen until now). And compared to the computer department of the Deutsches Museum, all displays are finished in an usefull way (As you might have noticed, I'm still mad about the displays at the Deutsches Museum). Servus Hans -- Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut HRK

27 years, 5 months

2
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HV Testing (was:Re: Newbie's got a dead 386)

by Philip.Belben＠pgen.com

> Another one - How do you test supplies and various heater controls that have > to float at 8Kv? I.E.: their common point is at 8Kv. Especially when they > are intermittent and you can't tell without the HT on exactly when it is > acting up. VERY carefully float your meter at kV and be very sure you don't > touch the meter and don't do like I did and get to near the leads while > operating the instrument while waiting for the intermittent to act up. An > 8Kv @ 5ma with 1ppm stability supply burns holes on the way in and out. In > the arm and out the finger. I'd recommend: 1. Get one of those rubber holsters for the meter and allow only the holster to touch the equipment. 2. Make some test leads out of EHT wire. The sort of stuff that's used for the anodes of CRTs and things. Maplin used to sell it (haven't checked recently), rated at 25 kV, and I'm sure other suppliers do too. 3. Failing no. 2, car engine HT leads may be useable, but most of them are quite rsistive, so check the calibration! Philip.

27 years, 5 months

2
1
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11/34A/RK07 not booting. Help wanted

by CLASSICCMP＠trailing-edge.com

>This time it's the PDP-11/34A system. I was able to get it checked out and >lit up okay. It has the Programmers Console (KY11-LB) and an M9312 >Bootstrap/Terminator module plus RK611 and UDA50 drive interfaces. >Switch 2 is OFF on the 9312 therefore, registers printout onscreen and the >system prompt (@ in this case) appears after CNTL/BOOT keys are >simultaneously pressed. Seems okay so far. However, the 11/34-11/34A user's >manual says the prompt should be a '$' (?). Hmm - "$" is what I've always seen with the 11/34A ROM's. Is it possible that you aren't running the standard 11/34A ROM's? What are the DEC ROM numbers on your 9312? The part numbers will be of the frm 23-nnnA9, where "nnn"=752 for the RK06/07 bootstrap. Sometimes the "23-" is left off. But the register printout is correct... >Upon trying to boot the thing I am instructed to simply type DM onto the >terminal and the 11/34A will boot off the RK07 #0. Well, nothing happens. Does the DM echo? What if you type some nonsense characters - like YY? Tim. (shoppa(a)trailing-edge.com)

27 years, 5 months

1
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Newbie's got a dead 386

by geoffrob＠stmarks.pp.catholic.edu.au

-----Original Message----- From: Tony Duell <ard(a)p850ug1.demon.co.uk> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Thursday, 19 November 1998 9:14 Subject: Re: Newbie's got a dead 386 >> footnote: My then boss had "borrowed" the isolation transformer it was >> plugged in to while I was working on it, without telling me. (!) > >Had anyone done that to me, they would have been on the wrong end of a >suitable LART as soon as I had picked myself up... On topic, I've tinkered with a number of monitors, and some really old ICL Terminals that we maintained for a small company in town that had some strange system. They had some interesting fault modes. (Circuit diagrams were non-existant of course) Ok, I'll bite, what in heck is a LART. I've seen this in NANAE but have no idea what it means in this context. I should also mention that when I got home that afternoon, after I realized just how close I came, I made a quiet phone call to the Dept of Labour and Industry, suggesting that this person was running what was effectively : 1) a sweat shop (we were on piece rates) 2) had people working on mains/high voltage equipment without proper safeguards. What annoyed me the most was that there was 1 ELCB in the whole place. Guess who's bench had it. Yep. The boss. He got a surprise visit the following week from a surly little inspector who went through the place like a dose of salts. Not sure how much it cost him in the end, but I know it hurt. I got 4 months back pay and some public holiday money paid. We got ELCB's for all the work benches and 2 isolated outlets per bench for hot chassis stuff. (We'd been asking for this for MONTHS, and were always told, nah, just be careful, you'll be right.) Cheers Geoff Roberts Computer Systems Manager Saint Marks College Port Pirie South Australia. My ICQ# is 1970476 Ph. 61-411-623-978 (Mobile) 61-8-8633-0619 (Home) 61-8-8633-8834 (Work-Direct) 61-8-8633-0104 (Fax)

27 years, 5 months

6
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Newbie's got a dead 386

by dburrows＠netpath.net

> >_Every_ shock I've had has been my own fault for being an idiot. And in >most cases an ELCB wouldn't have helped at all... > It sure would not have helped with one of the worst ones I had. 1900Vdc Electron mult. supply that appeared to have failed (instrument symptoms). Hooked up meter (rated for 2Kvdc) turned on supply, walked behind instrument to read meter, it read approx 40V - the way it usually fails. Figured the supply was dead so why go all the way around the instrument again (40+ foot obstacle course) to shut off the supply. I went to disconnect probes and found out the supply was not dead but the meter was dead. Took about 2 days for the cramps to quit. Another one - How do you test supplies and various heater controls that have to float at 8Kv? I.E.: their common point is at 8Kv. Especially when they are intermittent and you can't tell without the HT on exactly when it is acting up. VERY carefully float your meter at kV and be very sure you don't touch the meter and don't do like I did and get to near the leads while operating the instrument while waiting for the intermittent to act up. An 8Kv @ 5ma with 1ppm stability supply burns holes on the way in and out. In the arm and out the finger. Dan

27 years, 5 months

2
1
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Nixdorf was Re: MICRO magazine (6502 related), who know

by franke＠sbs.de

>> Hey, speaking of Nixdorf. I have a Nixdorf LK-3000 "computer". It looks >> more like a calculator. Does anyone know anything about these? It has an >> "Information Module" in it about the Summer Olympics. > Cool! Another one! I have an LK-3000, with the Appointment Book > module and a Word-translation Module (German-English, > Spanish-English) and the instructions, etc... still works nicely. I > tried Nixdorf's site, but of course, the little LK is paleolithic > now.... > Anyone have any amplifying data on these? Herr Franke perhaps? They have been somewhat popular over here as translators in the early 80's - somewhat because the price was at least 50% more than any other device in this class. It was a try of Nixdorf to get some hold with consumer products. No, I found no actual data in our archives, but since this product was canceled long before SIEMENS bought NIXDORF, no information may ever have been added. But I startet some search aktivities. This might take some time. Gruss Hans -- Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut HRK

27 years, 5 months

1
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SuperKIM

by franke＠sbs.de

> ::does anyone of the members own a SuperKIM or know > ::a surviving unit ? I would like to get more informations > ::(and maybe the computer :) > A SuperKIM? What's the difference? The SUPERKIM is a neat little board, based on the KIM design, but with a real lot of enhancements. It uses the same 6530-002 and -003 chips to get the KIM software the same keyboard And connectors. But unlike the KIM all ICs are on sockets, free sockets are already provided for 6 more 2114 to get 4 K of RAM (like on the SYM) four sockets for (E(P))ROM (up to 16 K), four sockets for 6522 VIAs (one already in place), a interrupt priotity logic, buffered busses, wire warp connectors for almost anything, complete memory decode, and last but not least a huge prototype area and a 5V and 12V regulator, so you only have to add a transformer, instead of designing your own PS. And the LEDs are already atop a seperate PCB (like the keyboard, but here is no difference to the KIM), so a 'distant' mount of keyboard and display is easy. On the backside, the _list_ price of 395 USD was almost twice the street price of a KIM and in the same region of the AIM street price (~400 USD in 1978/9). Shure, for a pure controller system, you don't need the ASCII keyboard, ASCII display and printer, but instead more I/O and interrupts, but the price was still impressive - I don't know if they sold a lot, but I guess, since the company had payed advertisements over more then one and a half year. Gruss Hans -- Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut HRK

27 years, 5 months

2
1
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GRiD Model 1900 question

by thomas＠0000000.com

Hi, I picked up a GRiD Model 1900 pen-based DOS machine today. HSC Electronics is selling them for $20 each here in Californie. I haven't found much in the way of websites, pictures, etc. of this machine. Does anyone know of any out there? What I know so far is that they seem to be V20 powered 2 mb RAM based machines with little expandability but a nice LCD display. It has a semi-standard [compatible but weird pinout] port for a keyboard. There is a port on the side that I hope is a serial port and not a CGA or some such thing. How do you get data in and out of these machines? I was wondering what the little door on the bottom of the machine is. Someone in past e-mails on the net mentioned that it was for an IDE hard drive connection. Might this be true? I haven't powered it up yet as I have yet to order a power supply for it [Monday] but am intrigued enough to pour a few bucks into it to see if it works properly. With piqued curiousity, Thomas 0(a)0000000.com

27 years, 5 months

7
20
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8008s and PDP11s

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< > 4004 trivia: I was told by the Fujitsu Elevator tech where I work < > that the five machines in our building are all controlled by a < > 4004-based system.. that apparently Fuji is still supplying in one < > form or another. < < Shure ? Or is it just the usual mix up of facts ? < Fujitsu (like NEC and a lot other companies) is < still producing several lines of 4 Bit controllers. < They also design _new_ 4 Bit singlechipers. But < AFAIR these are not compatible to the 4004 in any < way. This is very true. In the window of around 75 through now NEC, Hitachi, Fujitsu, Yamaha and others have produce their own 4bit data path single chip cpus. NEC had in the early days the uCOM-4 series and later the uCOM75 series. While each had some similarities to 4004 they were not compatable. They were also most widely used in games like Einstein, Simon, VCRs (timer), Microwave ovens to name a few. Allison

27 years, 5 months

1
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Question about VAXen?

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< Can't help you with that, but we do have a very nice Z80 and CP/M emulat < that runs on both VAX and Alpha. You get rather nice performance on our < DEC7740, somewhat faster than my Osborne I if not just a little more < expensive :-) That would run nicely on my M76. ;) The only reason that wasn't on my list is I have some nice z80 systems. I wouldn't mind having that as it would be one more reason to use the vax more. Allison

27 years, 5 months

1
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Free stuff: modems, serial boards, more

by ss＠allegro.com

The following items are free to any home. Yes...they're old. Please don't waste bandwidth telling me that :) They're located in Cupertino, CA. We're willing to ship if we're reimbursed for the shipping cost. 1. HP24540B (serial/parallel interface cards (qty: 9) for HP Vectra, PC AT/XT compatible. RS232-centronics 6-8 MHz. 2. Micom 400/NP local datasets (qty: 4), with 2 manuals, with power supplies 3. Racal/Vadic 1200 PC modems (qty: 2), w/power supplies 4. Novation (qty: 2) things (modems?) 212 Auto-cat modems (one labelled "synch", one possibly defective) w/1 power supply 5. Datatronics / Magitronic AT-1200CK modem, w/power supply 6. Inmac Clear Signal 2400 SD External Modem, (new in box) w/power supply, manual (Dec 1988) 7. Polaroid CP-70 Contrast Enhancement Filters (qty: 3) 10.5" high, 12.5" wide Small heart sticker, removable, on one. :) 8. Paper trays (qty: 3 or 4) possibly for an HP LaserJet 2000. (We're cleaning the office :) sieler(a)allegro.com

27 years, 5 months

2
1
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HV Testing (was:Re: Newbie's got a dead 386)

by Philip.Belben＠pgen.com

>>I'd recommend: >> >>1. Get one of those rubber holsters for the meter and allow only the >>holster to touch the equipment. >> >>2. Make some test leads out of EHT wire. The sort of stuff that's used >>for the anodes of CRTs and things. Maplin used to sell it (haven't checked >>recently), rated at 25 kV, and I'm sure other suppliers do too. [...] > I agree but that adds weight and bulk to an already overstuffed and heavy > tool / parts case that I will not check through airline baggage. It is > something that I have to do only a couple times a year so I realize I am > taking chances and after the bite of 8Kv I tend to be even more careful. I > have some 40KV rated test lead which would work but it is bulky for use on > the road. > Keep in mind that I used to be in 2 to 4 cities a week. 99% of the time > with airline flights between each city. Weight and bulk is a BIG > consideration then. OK, point taken. EHT wire is lighter and no more bulky than test lead wire, though, unless you want to measure currents bigger than about an amp. FWIW my Fluke only comes out of its rubber holster when I need to change the batteries (seldom) or the ammeter fuse (far too often!) Besides, if I can fly all the way from Birmingham UK to San Jose CA with a Tektronix 4052 (80 lb) in my baggage... > The most important thing I was trying to point out with the first item in > that post is NEVER assume the meter is correct. It will bite you. Agreed 100% (as Tony would say). In the electricity industry, safety procedures require you to test an EHT meter on a known good source before _and after_ the measurement. While that's impractical if you're flying around with no more test equipment than you can fit in a briefcase, a useful principle to follow. Philip.

27 years, 5 months

1
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HV Testing (was:Re: Newbie's got a dead 386)

by dburrows＠netpath.net

>> Another one - How do you test supplies and various heater controls that >have >> to float at 8Kv? I.E.: their common point is at 8Kv. Especially when >they >> are intermittent and you can't tell without the HT on exactly when it is >> acting up. VERY carefully float your meter at kV and be very sure you >don't >> touch the meter and don't do like I did and get to near the leads while >> operating the instrument while waiting for the intermittent to act up. >An >> 8Kv @ 5ma with 1ppm stability supply burns holes on the way in and out. >In >> the arm and out the finger. > >I'd recommend: > >1. Get one of those rubber holsters for the meter and allow only the >holster to touch the equipment. > >2. Make some test leads out of EHT wire. The sort of stuff that's used >for the anodes of CRTs and things. Maplin used to sell it (haven't checked >recently), rated at 25 kV, and I'm sure other suppliers do too. > >3. Failing no. 2, car engine HT leads may be useable, but most of them are >quite rsistive, so check the calibration! I agree but that adds weight and bulk to an already overstuffed and heavy tool / parts case that I will not check through airline baggage. It is something that I have to do only a couple times a year so I realize I am taking chances and after the bite of 8Kv I tend to be even more careful. I have some 40KV rated test lead which would work but it is bulky for use on the road. Keep in mind that I used to be in 2 to 4 cities a week. 99% of the time with airline flights between each city. Weight and bulk is a BIG consideration then. The most important thing I was trying to point out with the first item in that post is NEVER assume the meter is correct. It will bite you. Dan

27 years, 5 months

1
0
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SuperKIM

by franke＠sbs.de

Servus, does anyone of the members own a SuperKIM or know a surviving unit ? I would like to get more informations (and maybe the computer :) Gruss Hans -- Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut HRK

27 years, 5 months

2
1
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Aquarius Data Recorders At Last

by franke＠sbs.de

>> They have agreed to my original offer and backed down on forcing >> me to pick up a second pallet worth. Thought they might. :-) >> I'll get back to the list with details for those who want one, two or >> 50 (hint, hint), after I take possession. > Since you are obviously hot to move some of these, I'm curious enough to > ask... might these have any application beyond the Aquarius? Are there > any specs on the web? Connector pinouts? Signal levels? Especialy, are they able to do fast foreward, backward under computer control ? Or maybe reverse read ? Could be a great thing, Iand I would like to get a few. Did you already fix a price range ? Gruss hans -- Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut HRK

27 years, 5 months

1
0
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8008s and PDP11s

by franke＠sbs.de

> 4004 trivia: I was told by the Fujitsu Elevator tech where I work > that the five machines in our building are all controlled by a > 4004-based system.. that apparently Fuji is still supplying in one > form or another. Shure ? Or is it just the usual mix up of facts ? Fujitsu (like NEC and a lot other companies) is still producing several lines of 4 Bit controllers. They also design _new_ 4 Bit singlechipers. But AFAIR these are not compatible to the 4004 in any way. Gruss Hasn -- Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut HRK

27 years, 5 months

1
0
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Altair Speculation

by franke＠sbs.de

> Oh my. This is the best marketing job I've seen yet. Somebody (a > Microsoft employee, thank dog) paid $541 for a few Popular Electronics > magazines, and they didn't even get *the* Altair issue! > http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=39459401 Gregorious. I guess the seller is happe - have you seen the second and third highest bidder ? The difference is quite amazing. 76 USD is a high but still reasonable bid, but 531 and 541 ? Could there reale have been two dumb ones out there at the same time ? > There ought to be a law (or at least a good book). A book can't change this. And a Law ? I guess the only law aplicable here is one my mother told me when I was thinking about any kind of sale: Every day a dumb person get up, you just have to find it. (She had a second one, regarding money/sales, that I like even more: "Mai auf oda Ge'idbeidl" (its's Bavarian) or in a more simple English version: You have to open your mouth (and ask) or your wallet(and pay) (to get something).) Gruss Hans -- Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut HRK

27 years, 5 months

1
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Question about VAXen?

by geoffrob＠stmarks.pp.catholic.edu.au

-----Original Message----- From: Huw Davies <H.Davies(a)latrobe.edu.au> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Thursday, 19 November 1998 14:18 Subject: Re: Question about VAXen? >Store room has MicroVAXes, 11/83, too many HSC70s :-), Is that a hint you want to part with a couple? :^) >Star Coupler and the >pride of the collection a 6240 with Unibus (yes, Unibus as well as BI). Now that's VERY interesting, I had no idea such a beast ever existed. I thought all 6xxx boxes were XMI/BI. Was it a one off special or something?? I am now seriously contemplating a museum here, mainly the larger stuff, that home hobbyist users can't readily set up or even store, in most cases. (It would be difficult to persuade most wives to accept a 6000 and it's rack of full of RA7x's as a wall ornament) The smaller Microvax/Vaxstation stuff is more likely to suit hobbyists, and is less likely to wind up as scrap metal, although we would doubtless have a suitable selection on display. Ideally, I would like to make it a working museum, with functional machines, that would actually be run from time to time. I hope to get some of the larger PDP & Vaxen and perhaps a Prime and/or IBM dinosaur or two. A PDP 11/whatever is on the cards, and I'd like to track down an 8350 or similar. If anyone in the list knows of such items coming up for disposal in Australia, preferably South Australia or Victoria, I would be pleased to hear from you. I have a site in mind, used to be a bakery, and has solid concrete floors and 3 phase. I am going to approach the owner (friend of mine - I rent a shop from im - small towns have their advantages) to see if he is interested in a long term joint venture. He's had it on the market for a while and has no show of selling it, so you never know. Cheers Geoff Roberts Computer Systems Manager Saint Marks College Port Pirie South Australia. My ICQ# is 1970476 Ph. 61-411-623-978 (Mobile) 61-8-8633-0619 (Home) 61-8-8633-8834 (Work-Direct) 61-8-8633-0104 (Fax)

27 years, 5 months

1
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Question about VAXen?

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< >There are a few of us. ;) I happen to have 3 VS3100/m10E, 3100/M76, < >two MivroVAXIIs and three VS2000s... I like vaxen and VMS. < < Well I've being doing VMS since 1980 and been managing them since 1982. < Sitting in a room not too far from my ofice is about $3million worth of < gear so I guess I'm still a VMS person.... (Of course, in the store room < there are more VAX systems that are far more interesting than the ones i < the computer room, in that I own them :-) You have a few really neat ones. Some of the big iron vaxen are more interesting than the smaller. I find the OS, VMS to be most interesting. I've been acive with VMS since 83 but I was never in the business as sysmanger... I was supposed to be just a user. I found the machine so facinating that I took up learning them on my own. The 7 machines are here in my home, networked and operational. I rarely run all 7 but it's a matter of hitting the power on any one to bring it up. Terminals include several VT320s, VT340 and a VT1200. My wish list... PC emulator that runs on VAX so I can port my DOS/PC apps to run from the VAXen. Allison

27 years, 5 months

3
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Question about VAXen?

by H.Davies＠latrobe.edu.au

At 07:09 PM 17-11-98 +1030, Geoff Roberts wrote: I wrote: >>... (Of course, in the store room, there are more VAX systems that are far >>more interesting than the ones in the computer room, in that I own them :-) > >Perhaps a working museum is in order? Well, up until recently, that would have been my Computer Room. Over the last six years or so, we had (all operational) a couple of 11/785s, an 11/780, an 8600, four 8800s and an 8820. Not to mention various MicroVAXes (II and III), VLCs and 3100s. Now, the computer room has two 6620s, a 6530, a 6440, 3100/90, a few VLCs and that's about it (on the VAX side of things, naturally there are plenty of VMS alpha systems but they're hardly old :-) Store room has MicroVAXes, 11/83, too many HSC70s :-), Star Coupler and the pride of the collection a 6240 with Unibus (yes, Unibus as well as BI). Huw Davies | e-mail: Huw.Davies(a)latrobe.edu.au Information Technology Services | Phone: +61 3 9479 1550 Fax: +61 3 9479 1999 La Trobe University | "If God had wanted soccer played in the Melbourne Australia 3083 | air, the sky would be painted green"

27 years, 5 months

1
0
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archives..

by DaveyGF＠aol.com

The list owner described the commands to issue to fetch archives... Could you repeat that information? Thanks, DF

27 years, 5 months

1
0
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Newbie's got a dead 386

by geoffrob＠stmarks.pp.catholic.edu.au

-----Original Message----- From: Ward Donald Griffiths III <gram(a)cnct.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Thursday, 19 November 1998 13:46 Subject: Re: Newbie's got a dead 386 >Luser Attitude Readjustment Tool. It ain't email. It is in fact >very simple technology -- Australopithecus was fond of using the >thighbone of an antelope. Homo Sapiens Australis is more likely to use even simpler technology in my experience. A right hook and a head butt usually. But blunt objects do get used if they happen to be close and handy. He got the verbal equivalent I guess. Cheers Geoff Roberts Computer Systems Manager Saint Marks College Port Pirie South Australia. My ICQ# is 1970476 Ph. 61-411-623-978 (Mobile) 61-8-8633-0619 (Home) 61-8-8633-8834 (Work-Direct) 61-8-8633-0104 (Fax)

27 years, 5 months

1
0
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Posted Tonight

by rcini＠email.msn.com

Posted tonight: - Computer Notes May, 1977 parts 1 and 2 (although the URL for part 2 isn't activated, the file is there) [ Rich Cini/WUGNET [ ClubWin!/CW7 [ MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking [ Collector of "classic" computers [ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp/ [ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/pdp11/ <================ reply separator =================>

27 years, 5 months

1
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CLASSICCMP digest 597

by pechter＠shell.monmouth.com

> Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1998 21:15:23 -0600 > From: Jay Jaeger <cube(a)msn.fullfeed.com> > To: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu > Subject: Re: PDP 11/55 / 11/45 Prints (Was PDP 11/70 console wiring > diagram) > Message-ID: <199811180322.VAA14831(a)fullfeed.msn.fullfeed.com> > Mime-Version: 1.0 > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > "Things are seldom what they seem; skim milk masquerades as cream!" > > Well, it turns out that my 11/45 is something of a mixed bag, and probably > isn't simply an 11/45 at all. The aluminum plate on the console > indicates KB11A S/N > 01-05231 . The sticker (mostly overlaid by another) > on top of the backplane indicates system S/N 1525. > > But the overlay sticker is probably what counts. It indicates KB11D Rev. > D, Backplane Rev R,. System S/N 293. If I am reading things right, I > have an 11/55 in an 11/45 case. > > I had never bothered to check before. Sigh. Kind of a pity that it isn't > itself anymore. The real pity is that UW Chem E. used to have a real > 11/55 (white front panel), that I didn't pursue because I was out of > room, several years ago. Sounds to me like you may have an late model 11/45. My memory may be hazy... and my limited docs are in the crawl space until I find one of these bad boys for my house. Most of the KB11A's became KB11D's via an ECO. I believe this ECO was needed for Unix and some RSX versions. I believe the 11/70 KB11B's all became KB11C's as well. There's no difference between the late 11/45's and the rest of the KB11 line. The KB11A and KB11D were 11/45, 11/50 and 11/55's and the KB11B and KB11C (and KB11CM) were 11/70's and 11/74 stuff reconfigured for DEC use as 11/70's internally when they sold AT&T all their remaining 11/70's for Telco use about 1983 or so. I thought the difference between the 11/45, 11/50 and 11/55 was the memory configuration. The 11/55 was semiconductor fastbus memory and the 11/45 was usually an all-core configuration. (Realistically they're interchangeable... I'd love to see someone make a 128kb bipolar memory retrofit with a standard 512k cache SIMM for the 11s...) Imagine ECC and high speed unibus memory... All of RSX or RSTS living in one memory board. The 11/50 was MOS memory IIRC. I believe the MOS and core were about 250ms cycle times...and the bipolar was half that. (this may be totally wrong... the memory's real hazy here...) The fast 32k of bipolar memory in the 11/55 was usually configured to exist at either the OS memory area (so the OS would be kind of running out of fast "cache-like" memory or where the main application lived for number crunching apps. The 11/55, I think, correctly configured held the DEC speed record on Fortran crunching (faster than the 11/70 which had a real cache). The rest of the 11/55 memory was either standard core or mos. Bill

27 years, 5 months

2
1
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PDP 11/70 console wiring diagram

by wanderer＠bos.nl

Hello All, Is there someone who can help me with a copy of the wiring diagram of the PDP 11/70 console panel? Thanks, Ed -- The Wanderer | Geloof nooit een politicus! wanderer(a)bos.nl | Europarlementariers: http://www.bos.nl/homes/wanderer | zakkenvullers en dumpplaats voor Unix Lives! windows95 is rommel! | mislukte politici. '96 GSXR 1100R | See http://www.bos.nl/homes/wanderer/gates.html for a funny pic. of Gates!

27 years, 5 months

6
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uPDP-11 is working now!

by dburrows＠netpath.net

Another trick if startup.cmd logs you off the console is when it asks for the Date and Time do an ^Z That will exit you out of the startup.cmd (like autoexec.bat) and leave you at the >(mcr) prompt in SY0:[200,200] then you can continue with Tim's suggestions. Dan -----Original Message----- From: CLASSICCMP(a)trailing-edge.com <CLASSICCMP(a)trailing-edge.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Wednesday, November 18, 1998 4:12 PM Subject: RE: uPDP-11 is working now! >Anyway, next task is how to get past the user name and password problem. >There recently was a discussion here regarding breaking into an MVII >running VMS. (Watch for a future msg regarding my unsuccessful attempt at >running up my MVII this morning) > >Can anybody describe a way to do this under RSX-11M+ v3.0? Of course, there >*may* be something about this in my RSX-11M manuals but please suggest >about which volume! >I'm using this PeeCee as a terminal. The simple communications program I >use can capture all text sent from/to the uPDP. After I type-in the time >and date the remains of a rather long script is run and the '>' prompt is >all I get after the dust settles. No users are logged-in and I believe MCR >is the CLI running. If you're at the MCR prompt at this point, very likely you've got a [200,200] UIC. Switch to a priv'd UIC (i.e. SET /UIC=[1,1]), do a RUN $ACNT, and use the menu options to set the password for the SYSTEM account to whatever you want. See chapter 2 of the _System Management Guide_ for more details. -- Tim Shoppa Email: shoppa(a)trailing-edge.com Trailing Edge Technology WWW: http://www.trailing-edge.com/ 7328 Bradley Blvd Voice: 301-767-5917 Bethesda, MD, USA 20817 Fax: 301-767-5927

27 years, 5 months

1
0
0 0

Aquarius Data Recorders Again

by jfoust＠threedee.com

At 10:31 PM 11/16/98 -0800, Sellam wrote: > >If you want, I can play dupe and start negotiating with them independent >from your negotiations. I'll throw a low-ball offer at them to make your >offer seem reasonable. If they're smart enough to toy with David, then they'll believe they've got something valuable because now *two* people are asking about it, and they'll play you against each other, or arbitrarily raise the price, or both. :-) Better yet, convince them that they should sell them on eBay. - John

27 years, 5 months

7
10
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uPDP-11 is working now!

by CLASSICCMP＠trailing-edge.com

>Anyway, next task is how to get past the user name and password problem. >There recently was a discussion here regarding breaking into an MVII >running VMS. (Watch for a future msg regarding my unsuccessful attempt at >running up my MVII this morning) > >Can anybody describe a way to do this under RSX-11M+ v3.0? Of course, there >*may* be something about this in my RSX-11M manuals but please suggest >about which volume! >I'm using this PeeCee as a terminal. The simple communications program I >use can capture all text sent from/to the uPDP. After I type-in the time >and date the remains of a rather long script is run and the '>' prompt is >all I get after the dust settles. No users are logged-in and I believe MCR >is the CLI running. If you're at the MCR prompt at this point, very likely you've got a [200,200] UIC. Switch to a priv'd UIC (i.e. SET /UIC=[1,1]), do a RUN $ACNT, and use the menu options to set the password for the SYSTEM account to whatever you want. See chapter 2 of the _System Management Guide_ for more details. -- Tim Shoppa Email: shoppa(a)trailing-edge.com Trailing Edge Technology WWW: http://www.trailing-edge.com/ 7328 Bradley Blvd Voice: 301-767-5917 Bethesda, MD, USA 20817 Fax: 301-767-5927

27 years, 5 months

1
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My MVII is not working

by emu＠ecubics.com

Hi Christian, ---------- > From: Christian Fandt <cfandt(a)netsync.net> > To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> > Subject: Re: My MVII is not working > Date: Wednesday, November 18, 1998 10:28 AM > > Exactly how does MicroVMS v4.7 compare to VMS v5.4 of which I have most > manuals for? I have some 5.4 tapes here, if you really need them. (TK50) cheers, emanuel

27 years, 5 months

1
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Newbie's got a dead 386

by geoffrob＠stmarks.pp.catholic.edu.au

-----Original Message----- From: Tony Duell <ard(a)p850ug1.demon.co.uk> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Tuesday, 17 November 1998 14:45 Subject: Re: Newbie's got a dead 386 >Or, of course, 'Failed UniBus Address Register' :-) LOL. I'd forgotten about that, I read about it somewhere, and was amazed it got past the marketdroids at digital. I'm not sure if I own a Unibus system. Were 8530's Unibus and BI? >There's also SNAFU (Situation Normal, All Fouled Up). I've usually heard it expressed with a less polite f-word. Cheers Geoff Roberts Computer Systems Manager Saint Marks College Port Pirie South Australia. My ICQ# is 1970476 Ph. 61-411-623-978 (Mobile) 61-8-8633-0619 (Home) 61-8-8633-8834 (Work-Direct) 61-8-8633-0104 (Fax)

27 years, 5 months

3
3
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Newbie's got a dead 386

by geoffrob＠stmarks.pp.catholic.edu.au

-----Original Message----- From: Tony Duell <ard(a)p850ug1.demon.co.uk> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Wednesday, 18 November 1998 14:02 Subject: Re: Newbie's got a dead 386 >> >Or, of course, 'Failed UniBus Address Register' :-) >Rumour has that the designers were getting back at the marketroids for >preventing the sign-extend mnemonic on the PDP11 being SEX.... I wouldn't be surprised.... >Yep, sure, but I tend to keep such words for when they're needed - like >when I've dropped a PDP11 on my foot, or an EHT supply has decided that >my fingertip makes a handy ground point ;-) For PDP11 read RA81, same story. I had steelcapped boots on which saved my toes from being crushed, nice bruise on the instep though. Have been bitten by eht in tv's a few times as well. Got caught between an antenna cable with a grounded shield and a "hot" chassis tv set once too. Effect is about half mains voltage. Bearing in mind that our mains is 240vac, it lights you up pretty well. footnote: My then boss had "borrowed" the isolation transformer it was plugged in to while I was working on it, without telling me. (!) I was very unimpressed and made some fairly strong remarks about his parenthood, sexual habits, intellectual capacity and the likely consequences of any similar occurrence in the future. Only sweetener was when I fell over (yes it was that big a hit) I pulled the set off the bench and busted the tube, so he had to buy the customer another one. Cheers Geoff Roberts Computer Systems Manager Saint Marks College Port Pirie South Australia. My ICQ# is 1970476 Ph. 61-411-623-978 (Mobile) 61-8-8633-0619 (Home) 61-8-8633-8834 (Work-Direct) 61-8-8633-0104 (Fax)

27 years, 5 months

2
1
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uPDP-11 is working now!

by cfandt＠netsync.net

Has any of the DEC folks here had time to think about the questions I had regarding my posting per the subject line above? There were a couple of important ones regarding RSX-11M+ and the Syquest drive plus others. Should I post it again? I'd like to keep moving on this project. Thanks, Chris -- -- Christian Fandt, Electronic/Electrical Historian Jamestown, NY USA cfandt(a)netsync.net Member of Antique Wireless Association URL: http://www.ggw.org/freenet/a/awa/

27 years, 5 months

1
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Fwd: Blank Tapes and Disks

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

If y'all need 5.25" disks or Syquest Carts... >From: tmedia(a)ix.netcom.com > >--------------------------------------------------------------- > LIQUIDATION MAILING LIST NOTICE >--------------------------------------------------------------- > >WE ARE LOOKING TO CLOSEOUT THE FOLLOWING ITEMS FROM OUR INVENTORY! > >Total Media Specials & Closeouts As of 11/17/98 > >Item Asking Price Qty Available >Computer >Maxell MF2-D 2S/DD Not Formatted 3.5" $0.05 50000 >Maxell MD2-HD 2S/HD Not Formatted 5.25" $0.05 65000 >Maxell MD2-HD 2S/HD Formatted 5.25" $0.05 32000 >Maxell DC2120XL 1/4" Data Cartridge $7.50 450 >Maxell RC-88 Syquest $10.00 100 > >Terms & Conditions of Sale > >Volume Purchasers Only!!! >All products are new and in stock! >All subject to current availability. When sold >out of above, current pricing prevails. >All manufacturers' warranties apply. >Total Media will refund/replace if not completely >satisfied within 30 days of purchase. >All reasonable offers considered. > >*Call Jerry at 1-800-848-4118 Fax 201 489-7322 >*Email Tmedia(a)ix.netcom.com www.TM-Tape.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- O- Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad roger(a)sinasohn.com that none but madmen know." Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates San Francisco, California http://www.sinasohn.com/

27 years, 5 months

1
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My MVII is not working

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< Well, the negative things folks have said about RD53's are definitely tr < It would not spinup properly. Seemed to have a speed control problem as Classic RD53 spin down disease. the problem is the head positioner is stuck (literally!) to a rubber bumper. The fix, open the HDA, put power to it and when the platters spin up and the head lock unlocks give the head a push to the outer edge of the platter. If it makes noises and does a seek th the outer track your up and you can put the cover back on. The problem will occur avain when powered down. Seems there is a rubber bumper in the voice coil positioner that gets gooey and the head sticks. I have two I've had to remove that bumper from (not for the timid). < 2.. <more than a minute wait here> < ?54 RETRY Of course the boot device is not up so the boot fails. < The inside of the TK50 is rather dusty and dirty. I plan to take it out < get as much dust and junk out of it as possible before I put in a tape ( < got the DEC MVII Diagnostic tape, MicroVMS 4.2 and a DECUS tape with a < bunch of utilities :) ). How critical is it to have a very clean drive? < Seems the opening on the front of the drive with no tape inserted allow < too much junk to wander into it. vacuum it out! FYI: check the fans, that box should have all of them going(ba23 two on the side, ba123 three on the bottom.). < Anybody have an RD54 or equivalent they're willing to sell me? RD54 is a MAXTOR 2190 series that should help as they were used in other stuff. Allison

27 years, 5 months

2
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rd54s

by dburrows＠netpath.net

Depending on the SCSI board. Most of them you can boot from. Dan >Here's a question. I know there used to be SCSI boards for microvax IIs, >can you boot from those? If so, wouldn't it be better in the long run to >go SCSI, so you can just go out and buy a new disk instead of dealing with >10-20 year old failure prone disks? I guess that brings up a question that's >been slowly growing to me. > >Is it more important to keep a classic running, or to keep it original? If for >example I get my hands on a VAX 8350, is it preferable to keep the big old >disks that go with it, even though I KNOW they are way over MTBF already >(not to mention the space and power requirements) or to get ahold of the scsi >card for it and put a pair of half-gig SCSI disks from a surplus house in a >SCSI box and run the machine from those? > >I know there's no "right" answer, but I'm curious what folk think. >-- >Jim Strickland >jim(a)DIESPAMMERSCUMcalico.litterbox.com >----------------------------------------------------------------------- >Vote Meadocrat! Bill and Opus in 2000 - Who ELSE is there? >----------------------------------------------------------------------- >

27 years, 5 months

1
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rd54s

by dburrows＠netpath.net

I agree on the prices but I find that over 50% of the RD53's I get in are bad and about 20% of the RD54's are bad. I get calls several times a week from dealers looking for RD5X drives. Just as soon as ther are formatted, RSX bad and a full disk copy/ verify is run on them I have them sold. The rediculous thing is none of the dealers try to upgrade their customers to SCSI. I have upgraded virtually all of my end users. I offer them the choice ofSCSI and ESDI (I have a lot of ESDI's avail.) and they always go SCSI even though it is over 5 times the cost. ( End user - commercial) Dan >>< Well, I found a place that supposedly is still selling RD54s, plus a ton >>< other stuff for old DEC machines. (they want $200 for an RD54). >> >>they are out of their minds! that price would have been considered >>too high 5 years ago. >> >>RD54 is a MFM drive, MAXTOR 2190 series. No majik. >> >>Allison > >I dunno, $150-200 seems to be the norm with the dealers. What gets me is I >just checked the page out, and they want $250 for a RD53!!! Personally I'm >happier now that I'm running on ESDI drives, as I've been able to find >several spares cheap. > >I'm still depressed that I missed saving a case of brand new RD54's from >being recycled by my local recycler, I missed them by about two days :^( > > Zane >| Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator | >| healyzh(a)ix.netcom.com (primary) | Linux Enthusiast | >| healyzh(a)holonet.net (alternate) | Classic Computer Collector | >+----------------------------------+----------------------------+ >| Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, | >| and Zane's Computer Museum. | >| http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/ | >

27 years, 5 months

1
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Radio Shack TV Scoreboard

by dogas＠leading.net

-----Original Message----- >I've got Model No. 60-3056. It takes six C cells to run. So that means >that this baby should run off of a 9 volt power supply. > >What should the tip polarity be? I better not get my trusty VOM out and >check that would be too simple. I know what I'll do. I let all the guys >on CLASSICCMP argue about it! Heh...Heh... Why should I do all the work? Ok... hitting the book again: 60-3056. This model is similar to 60-3051 and 60-3054. Refer to section covering 60-3051 to understand the operation of the circutry. Power Supply This model uses the same type used in the 60-3054 except that the zener diode CR1 has been changed from 10% to 5% 60-3054: Power Supply A zener diode is used without the help of a series-pass transistor 60-3051 cannot find tip side polarity though...( or even part # ) for adaptor interesting note from board schematic: The AC Adaptor supplied with the TV game is special type. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO USE ANY OTHER ADAPTOR WITH THIS GAME. It provides 9 volts DC at 225mA... Mike: dogas(a)leading.net

27 years, 5 months

2
1
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Microfiche Reader/Copier

by jpl15＠netcom.com

Peripherally on-topic... The Company for whom I solve the Equation: (1) Time[mine] = Money[theirs] is consolidating and cleaning up our mess of a warehouse. I have already rescued a bunch of HP 3000-series and a uVax II.. I have got some mid-80s IBM mini stuff coming, and a neat Voice Mailbox system.. more info when I get it home. Existing (and slated for the Evil Dumpster) is one, maybe two, Canon microfiche reader-printer thingys.... any interest among us on the List? They are kinda big (tabletop size), condition unk, been sitting in the warehouse for ten years probably, but the price will be 'You ship it, it's yours'. I know some of you have extensive fiche docs... Speak up rather soon (this or next week) and I'll get more info and poke into them further.. can also take/e-mail pics.... Let me know. Cheers John

27 years, 5 months

2
1
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rd54s

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< Here's a question. I know there used to be SCSI boards for microvax IIs < can you boot from those? If so, wouldn't it be better in the long run t Most of them, yes. I'm using a CMD board and it boots just fine. There is a disk size limit for the boot disk on some machines if its over 1gig. The problem is SCSI cards are not cheap even used. < I know there's no "right" answer, but I'm curious what folk think. To me a Microvax with a SCSI card is not an abomination. This would be especially true if you used a RZ55 or 56! Now if you put a SCSI on a 780, that would be a hack. However, it would allow the use of the CPU with a less power hungry disk. Allison

27 years, 5 months

1
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rd54s

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< Well, I found a place that supposedly is still selling RD54s, plus a ton < other stuff for old DEC machines. (they want $200 for an RD54). they are out of their minds! that price would have been considered too high 5 years ago. RD54 is a MFM drive, MAXTOR 2190 series. No majik. Allison

27 years, 5 months

4
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Teac fd problem, uPD77C25 data sheet/book & 30-pin SIMMs

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< The NEC uPD77C25 is some kind of DSP chip. I'm trying to find a data she < data book for this. No luck on searching the NEC web site. Does anyone k < where I can get this? < Likely you can't. It is a single chip 16 bit fixed point DSP DSP with ROM code and the code is specified by the engineer that designed the product it's in. The part is available as mask rom, OTP eprom and UVeprom. A data sheet will help ypu understand the part but will tell you little of it's programming in for whatever product it was in. Allison

27 years, 5 months

1
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Outlandish mainframe rescues wanted

by CLASSICCMP＠trailing-edge.com

>I don't remember the exact order of events any more as to which came first, >but I think the first thing that happened was that UW Protection and >Security, as they were then named, did manage to notice us, and a woman >officer questioned us. We explained the arrangement, and she took down our >identities, but, somewhat understandably, wanted further proof of the >arrangement. Heh. When I was at Caltech, the director of my lab gave the security folk strict orders that I was not allowed to bring any of my junk *into* the lab on weekends :-). Tim.

27 years, 5 months

1
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Radio Shack TV Scoreboard

by dogas＠leading.net

From: Sam Ismail <dastar(a)ncal.verio.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Subject: Re: Radio Shack TV Scoreboard >I just picked one up recently and you're in luck: it has an internal power >supply, so all you do is connect a two-prong electrical cord to it. Hi Sam, you must have the 3055 or 3056 model... I've now got service guides on these and other models. - Mike: dogas(a)leading.net

27 years, 5 months

2
1
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My MVII is not working

by cfandt＠netsync.net

Hey MVII gurus! Along with working on my uPDP this morning I tried to get the MVII running. Well, the negative things folks have said about RD53's are definitely true. It would not spinup properly. Seemed to have a speed control problem as I could hear the drive electronics alternately whine and be quiet in rather frequent, constant intervals even after some lengthy period of time. It's shot I guess. Let's go through what transpires after either power turn-on or hitting 'Restart' as I wrote it down from the screen: KA630-A.V1.3 Performing normal system tests 7..6..etc. <this section passes okay> Tests completed Loading system software. 2.. <more than a minute wait here> ?54 RETRY 2.. <another wait> ?54 RETRY ad infinitum or at least untils the cows come home . . . <I turn off power here and give up> So, what we learned here is that the KA630 ROM is version 1.3 and the failure error is 54. What exactly does '54' mean (I have no tech manuals or anything for this machine to help here)? The inside of the TK50 is rather dusty and dirty. I plan to take it out and get as much dust and junk out of it as possible before I put in a tape (I got the DEC MVII Diagnostic tape, MicroVMS 4.2 and a DECUS tape with a bunch of utilities :) ). How critical is it to have a very clean drive? Seems the opening on the front of the drive with no tape inserted allows too much junk to wander into it. Anybody have an RD54 or equivalent they're willing to sell me? Thanks for your help again, Chris -- -- Christian Fandt, Electronic/Electrical Historian Jamestown, NY USA cfandt(a)netsync.net Member of Antique Wireless Association URL: http://www.ggw.org/freenet/a/awa/

27 years, 5 months

4
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Teac fd problem, uPD77C25 data sheet/book & 30-pin SIMMs

by mark_k＠iname.com

Hi, Several things in this message. A 3.5" HD floppy drive in my old PC, Teac model FD-235HF, is showing a fault which I hope is easily fixable. Here are the details: - Normally when you insert a floppy disk, the drive motor spins until the spindle engages with the rectangular hole in the metal hub of the disk. - This does not happen with the faulty drive. Well very occasionally it does, so I guess the problem may be intermittent. Since the spindle is not engaged, trying to read a file or get a dir listing fails -- the motor does not turn at all when I try to do this. - If I manually turn the drive flywheel(?) slightly after inserting a disk, the motor does kick in and spins to engage the hub of the floppy disk. It's then possible to access the disk as normal. - The fault is definitely with the drive and not the computer's floppy controller (verified by swapping with a different FD-235HF drive). Any ideas? The NEC uPD77C25 is some kind of DSP chip. I'm trying to find a data sheet or data book for this. No luck on searching the NEC web site. Does anyone know where I can get this? If anyone (preferably in the UK) has some old 30-pin 1MB or 4MB SIMMs that they no longer need, please contact me since I could do with at least 2MB worth. I'm also looking for a 16MHz 387SX chip. Bye, -- Mark

27 years, 5 months

2
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Posted tonight

by DaveyGF＠aol.com

Could you detail how the issues of the Altair notes are sequenced? How many volumes? what years? how many issues per volume? When did they start? When did they stop? Thanks, David p.s. even if you don't have them all, if you know the answers to the above questions that would be good enough.

27 years, 5 months

1
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Posted tonight

by rcini＠email.msn.com

Posted tonight to my Web site: - 3/77 issue of Altair Computer Notes (parts 1 and 2) [ Rich Cini/WUGNET [ ClubWin!/CW7 [ MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking [ Collector of "classic" computers [ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp/ [ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/pdp11/ <================ reply separator =================>

27 years, 5 months

1
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Source for anti-stat pink foam?

by rcini＠email.msn.com

On Mon, 16 Nov 1998 22:52:31 -0800 (PST), Sam Ismail <dastar(a)ncal.verio.com> wrote: > What is a recommend source for inexpensive pink antistatic foam rolls or > bags? I've looked in several industrial supply catalogs, like Consolidated > Packaging, but want to see if there is a better price out there. >>How about Dumpster Behind An Electronics Manufacturing Plant, Inc.? Look >>around your area for computer stores, electronics firms, etc. Usually >>they have a lot of anti-static bags and stuff that they've thrown away. You know, with all of the collecting that I have done, I have never gone dumpster diving. I guess that I'm afraid of my embarassment if I get cought. You know, if someone thought that I was an industrial spy or something. Who's going to believe that I was just looking for pink foam! [ Rich Cini/WUGNET [ ClubWin!/CW7 [ MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking [ Collector of "classic" computers [ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp/ [ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/pdp11/ <================ reply separator =================>

27 years, 5 months

4
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Outlandish mainframe rescues wanted

by kip＠nanospace.com

Er.... I'm freelancing for a US magazine that wants a story (provisionally called "Rusty Iron") about mainframe collecting and mainframe rescues. Naturally the deadline's Friday 11/20. I know there have to be some outlandish stories here and would greatly appreciate seeing them, either here or in mail, with an eye to arrangement for publication. tia, __________________________________________ Kip Crosby engine(a)chac.org http://www.chac.org/index.html Computer History Association of California

27 years, 5 months

2
1
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rd54s

by jim＠calico.litterbox.com

Well, I found a place that supposedly is still selling RD54s, plus a ton of other stuff for old DEC machines. (they want $200 for an RD54). see http://www.agoraco.com/cgi-bin/dbshow.cgi -- Jim Strickland jim(a)DIESPAMMERSCUMcalico.litterbox.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Vote Meadocrat! Bill and Opus in 2000 - Who ELSE is there? -----------------------------------------------------------------------

27 years, 5 months

1
0
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MAC/ Apple //c compatibility questions

by bpvh＠primenet.com

"Jason Willgruber" <roblwill(a)usaor.net> wrote: >I'm also looking for either the 3.5" floppy for the //c, or a >5.25" floppy for the Mac (the 3.5 for the //c would be better). >The drives don't necessarily have to Apple brand, as long as >they'll work.

27 years, 5 months

1
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A new (???) info source available

by dogas＠leading.net

From: Cameron Kaiser <ckaiser(a)oa.ptloma.edu> >Does it have any mention of the Commodore TV Game series? No, Cameron, it dosen't. Sorry... - Mike: dogas(a)leading.net

27 years, 5 months

1
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Aquarius Data Recorders Again

by cswiger＠wilma.widomaker.com

Sam Ismail[SMTP:dastar@ncal.verio.com] writes: >On Tue, 17 Nov 1998, John Foust wrote: >> Better yet, convince them that they should sell them on eBay. >Hey, yeah. Then we can all get 5 for a buck a piece. Rare! 480 data recorders, dutch auction. It just occured to me (duh) why epay is a sellers market, it's because it's a sellers market. I mean, people get into bidding wars. OBVIOUS but I just noticed *TWO* Dec. 1977 Byte mag's (Star Trek Cover) for sale - now if I can just get those two sellers into a price *cutting* war.... ;) Chuck cswiger(a)widomaker.com

27 years, 5 months

1
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uPDP-11 is working now!

by cfandt＠netsync.net

Hey gang, I just got my MicroPDP-11/73 running this morning! It works quite well it seems. 'RSX-11M-PLUS v3.0 BL24D 512.KW SYSTEM:"GOOFY "' is the introductory line. Regarding documentation: I have a full set of RSX-11M (non-Plus) manuals for version 4.2 plus a small Pocket Reference for RSX-11M (non-Plus) ver. 3.1. How close is the RSX-11M-non-Plus 4.2 manuals to RSX-11M+ ver 3.0? I have absolutely no hardware docs though :(, so I have to depend upon Sunsite, etc. and you folks. Anyway, next task is how to get past the user name and password problem. There recently was a discussion here regarding breaking into an MVII running VMS. (Watch for a future msg regarding my unsuccessful attempt at running up my MVII this morning) Can anybody describe a way to do this under RSX-11M+ v3.0? Of course, there *may* be something about this in my RSX-11M manuals but please suggest about which volume! It will take some time for me to get used to where stuff is in that 'Orange Wall'. VMS and RT-11 are also OSes I will likely get into and I have most of a 'Grey Wall' for VMS 5.4 and all of RT-11 4.2. And I need to get back into the IBM 9370 'Wall' sometime too. Sheesh, wish I had a photographic verbal memory or even something close! I'm using this PeeCee as a terminal. The simple communications program I use can capture all text sent from/to the uPDP. After I type-in the time and date the remains of a rather long script is run and the '>' prompt is all I get after the dust settles. No users are logged-in and I believe MCR is the CLI running. If anybody wants I can email an attached text file of the text lines displayed while the machine is starting up and running the script. This should show all the script contents as they're run. I shouldn't post it here unless a big bunch of folks want to see it. Perhaps I could be enlightened as to what all is going on while those 80-90 or so lines are scrolling up the screen. It has an earlier model processor module: KDJ11-AB (M8192-YB). So I don't have the fancy bootROM the newer models have as mentioned in the Micronotes Tim Shoppa pointed us to a day or two ago. Therefore, it is stone quiet until RSX is started from the disk. Had me wondering if this machine was dead until I found the correct one of the eight terminal ports and the right baudrate :) It has a Syquest cartridge drive. I know absolutely nothing about Syquest except what I've recently seen here (they're now a dead company somebody said.) The drive is a model SQ 312RD. Anybody fill me in on the specs, etc? Carts available??? Any other tape/cartridge drive available I should replace this with? I have an Emulex TC02 controller in this box, no tape drive at all though. Don't even know if the Emulex board works as there's no cartridge to try the Syquest with. Is there a Pertec-formatted tape drive which can hang off the Emulex which is half-height, 5.25" form (to replace the Syquest)? Software drivers?? I have no other way to back the system up at this time (floppies are probably out of the question because of quantity needed and huge PITA-factor) Yes, as I mentioned some months ago, I would be asking 'newbie' questions about some of this load of DEC gear I got. So here I go . . . more questions to come on this and other stuff as I get time. . . Thanks much, Chris -- -- Christian Fandt, Electronic/Electrical Historian Jamestown, NY USA cfandt(a)netsync.net Member of Antique Wireless Association URL: http://www.ggw.org/freenet/a/awa/

27 years, 5 months

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modern removable media drives

by mark_k＠iname.com

On Sun, 15 Nov 1998 Chuck McManis wrote: >My understanding of MO drives was the the servo tracks were optical (and >thus very dense and accurate) but the data tracks were still magnetic with >a conventional read/write/erase head. No. The old "floptical" drives (made by Insite?) were I believe like that. Of course this method doesn't have any greater data integrity than a floppy disk. (What follows is really an oversimplification.) Magneto-optical drives use, as the name suggests, both magnetic and optical effects to read and write data. A layer within the media contains magnetically sensitive elements. When this layer is heated to its "Curie point", about 200 degrees C, the polarity of the magnetic elements can be changed by an external magnetic field from the drive head. To write data, the laser heats up the target areas of the disk, and the magnetic field is applied to record all 0s. On the next revolution of the disk, the magnetic field is changed, and the laser heats up only those areas which are to have 1s recorded. This magnetic field does not have to be localised, so there is no magnetic head in contact with the disk surface. Because the written polarity is "frozen into" the disk, MO disks are not susceptible to magnetic fields as magnetic media are. To read data from the disk, the laser is used at a low power. Depending on the magnetic polarity, the polarity of the laser light reflected from the disk is rotated a few degrees either way. This rotation is called the Kerr effect. The drive detects this, and thus determines whether a 0 or 1 was read. "LIMDOW" media uses a slightly different method, which enables writes to occur with no erase pass. On Sun, 15 Nov 1998 Stephen Dauphin wrote: >I'm not sure if the magnetic head in an MO bears any relation to the >heads of other magnetic media drives. The reason for this thought is the I don't think it does; the magnet is not used for reading, and its purpose is to generate a magnetic field whose polarity only changes at a per-disk- revolution scale, not a per-bit-written scale. >each tiny heated spot is extremely small. It also doesn't have to be >particualrly well targeted so I would think the head can be large, coarse >and not particularly close to the platter. That's right. >I also gather it is not a fluctuating magnetism but simply a single >direction attraction or repulsion. You need the two states, one to zero >the section of disk and the other to write the bits that will be ones. True. Even for LIMDOW media (which allows for improved write speed since no erase pass is needed) the magnetic field polarity is constant over the whole revolution. >partition and initialize just like hard disks using hard disk formatting >software. Or maybe they really don't do the format part. I notice, after >pulling the shutter back, that the platter has small radial marks, >seemingly corresponding to sectors. The disks also come with a fixed >number of bytes per sector. Anybody know? You can format them, both high level and low level providing you use the appropriate software. If you have a Fujitsu drive, check their web site as driver s/w and OEM manuals are available there. There is also free Mac MO driver s/w at the Pinnacle Micro web site. A low-level format allows you to tell the drive to rescan the disk surface and map out any bad blocks using a sector slipping algorithm. This is normally done at the factory. However, a very old disk may have more blocks mapped out over time due to dust. After cleaning the disk, you could reformat it to be able to access these blocks again. (Not that this really matters, e.g. a 640MB disk has over 2000 spare blocks, so bad blocks don't actually reduce the amount of data you can store -- but blocks found bad during use cannot be remapped by sector slipping, so access to these is slower.) MO disks have a fixed sector size; that's what the radial marks are for. For 3.5" disks this is either 512 bytes (for 128MB, 230MB and 540MB disks) or 2048 bytes (for 640MB disks). Unlike some hard disks, it is not possible to change the sector size by doing a low-level format. The data "density" of 540MB and 640MB disks is the same, the difference in capacity being due to the different sector sizes. The same goes for 2.3GB vs 2.6GB 5.25" disks etc. Another good thing about MO is that it is backwards-compatible, e.g. on my 640MB drive I can read and write 128MB, 230MB and 540MB disks. >I guess they are cleanable. The disk seems to be made of a polcarbonate >plastic. A manual cleaning doesn't look too easy as you would have to Fujitsu and other manufacturers make cleaning kits for both drive and disks. The disk cleaning kit holds the shutter back, and you turn a knob to revolve the disc inside while wiping with a cloth. I recently bought a dual-purpose MD/MO disk cleaning kit; cost was about the equivalent of US$5. For the drive itself, you just put a special disk in the drive and after about 10 seconds the drive spits it out. >They are a little slow but faster than a diskette. Best read throughput I >get is about 500Kb per second and when writing, the pace is about half 640MB drives are significantly faster than that, and modern units have a 2MB cache which can speed up reads and writes significantly. Some 5.25" drives have 4MB cache. Data transfer rate for the current generation of 640MB 3.5" drives with 540/640MB disks is 2.8-4.7MB/s, random seek time 28ms. You'll achieve near that for reading. Writing may be 1/3 of this unless you use LIMDOW media and/or disable the automatic write-verify feature. >that. One thing I do like is the lack of noise. Except for the fan, mine >are dead silent and I have been contemplating whether I can eliminate >that. Anybody know how hot would be too hot for the drive and disk? Proper cooling is a good idea for MO drives, though you could always try disabling the fan. The drive should shut itself down if the temperature gets too high -- indeed you can interrogate the drive to determine what the problem is; see the OEM manuals. Operating drive temp should be between 5 - 45 degrees C. -- Mark

27 years, 5 months

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860 (fwd)

by bskiver＠cac.washington.edu

This was sent to the list owners rather than the list itself. Original sender was Xerox860(a)aol.com . -- Rebekah Skiver Client Services bskiver(a)cac.washington.edu Computing & Communications 206-543-8121 Box 355670, University of Washington ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Xerox860(a)aol.com Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1998 21:59:40 EST To: CLASSICCMP-owner(a)u.washington.edu Mime-Version: 1.0 Subject: 860 Hi. I am patent atty, and have 7 working 860's. There were two types, one with a thick cable to the printer, and the printer was a HY-TYPE II, not a 630. A newer version used a small cable, DB 25 collector on the rear of the printer, and the cable could be disconnected easily. This is a Diablo 630 Pl. If you have the earlier version with the HY-TYPE II printer, I suggest that you do your computing with the printer disconnected, as it seems as if a design problem causes the l2 volt board to go. We have ordered a number of replacement boards for our machines, and if the printer is not connected, the supply stays put properly, and you can create, backup, initialize, and do what ever else you wish. XEROX does not help on this unit. Most of the employees don't even know what an 860 is. I do not have a good fix for this supply problem, aside from pulling the plug on the printer, which is, of course, a terrible idea. The problem does not exist with the later versions using the thin cable to the 630 Diablo printer. Indicentally, a good reference on printers is available from The Printer Works, out in California. E mail me if you wish, because the address is at my office. I have a few spare operator manuals which I can send, if you are interested. The machine is a fantastic piece of technology. Kind regards. Ken Lehmann. 5 Kent Rd., Easton, CT tel. 203.372.7695.

27 years, 5 months

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Newbie's got a dead 386

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< or just plain STUFFED. (not an acronym, AFAIK):^) Situation Terminal Under F***'n Field Exhibit and Display I used to work for DEC and anyone that was there may remember the book of DEC standard acronyms... it was more than a few pages! Allison

27 years, 5 months

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Question about VAXen?

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< So there might be some small chance, depending on WHAT VGA monitor you w < use, and whether you're willing to risk its life and health. < -- Like I said, unlikely...not impossible. Also like someone else pointed out that model may not even have a video console. ;) Allison

27 years, 5 months

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A new (???) info source available

by dogas＠leading.net

I found a cool book last weekend: How to Repair Video Games by Robert Goodman 1978. So, technical answers can possibly be divined on: Radio Shack TV Scoreboard Games Magnavoc Odyssey Studio II General Instruments game chips Texas Instruments game chips National Semiconductor Video Game System Atari PONG Midway Home Pinball Games - Mike: dogas(a)leading.net

27 years, 5 months

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Question about VAXen?

by geoffrob＠stmarks.pp.catholic.edu.au

-----Original Message----- From: Huw Davies <H.Davies(a)latrobe.edu.au> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Tuesday, 17 November 1998 17:36 Subject: Re: Question about VAXen? >Sitting in a room not too far from my ofice is about $3million worth of VMS >gear so I guess I'm still a VMS person. Sounds like it......:^) >... (Of course, in the store room, there are more VAX systems that are far >more interesting than the ones in the computer room, in that I own them :-) Perhaps a working museum is in order? Thought has crossed my mind here, if the interest my 6220 gets from my Intenet Cafe customers are anything to go by. Cheers Geoff Geoff Roberts Computer Systems Manager Saint Marks College Port Pirie South Australia. My ICQ# is 1970476 Ph. 61-411-623-978 (Mobile) 61-8-8633-0619 (Home) 61-8-8633-8834 (Work-Direct) 61-8-8633-0104 (Fax)

27 years, 5 months

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Radio Shack TV Scoreboard

by dogas＠leading.net

From: oajones <oajones(a)bright.net> >Does anyone have any information on the Radio Shack TV Scoreboard? I >need to know what kind of power supply it uses. Thanks... > model 60-3051 & 60-3052: 9v 110mA model 60-3054: not quite sure... model 60-3055 & 60-3056: 120v ac, 9v and 15v outputs model 60-3057: 9v dc 140mA Regards - Mike: dogas(a)leading.net

27 years, 5 months

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Posted last night

by rcini＠email.msn.com

Hello, all: Here's what was posted last night (all CSG data sheets): - 23128, 6500/1, 6508, 6509, 6510, 6526, 6532, 6551, 6582, 650x Family (CSG) [ Rich Cini/WUGNET [ ClubWin!/CW7 [ MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking [ Collector of "classic" computers [ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp/ [ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/pdp11/ <================ reply separator =================>

27 years, 5 months

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Aquarius Data Recorders Again

by dlw＠trailingedge.com

I finally received a response to my offer on the Aquarius Data Recorders. For those who don't remember, they have 3 pallets worth with 240 on each pallet. At first they accepted my offer on one pallet's worth but now they say they can't do it unless I buy two pallets of them. Somehow I feel it would be hard enough for me to move 240 of them much less 480. I'll keep you up to date on the deal. ----- David Williams - Computer Packrat dlw(a)trailingedge.com http://www.trailingedge.com

27 years, 5 months

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Question about VAXen?

by tech99＠mindspring.com

I found a VAX 3100 Model 40 for $40... It comes with 16MB memory and 2 100 MB Hard drives (the owner isn't sure about this) No monitor or mouse... I think I could figure alot out, since I am used to Unix from my use of Linux and I program a mainframe by profession...I know VMS is different, but I plan to get a hobbyist license. Ok...my question is...is this a good deal? What about the monitor,...all I have is SVGA monitors...can I just hook up a terminal or a serial cable to the PC and run via a terminal? Can the OS be installed this way? Is there an adapter so I can use a VGA monitor? What about CD player...got a Sanyo SCSI, and alot of IDE...can I install via this? Sorry for all the questions, but I was hoping someone would be familiar with VAXen... Thanks, Bill

27 years, 5 months

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Question about VAXen?

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< It comes with 16MB memory and 2 100 MB Hard drives (the owner isn't sur < about this) < No monitor or mouse... Not bad. < I think I could figure alot out, since I am used to Unix from my use of < Linux and I program a mainframe by profession...I know VMS is different < but I plan to get a hobbyist license. VMS at the command level is like dos, more sophisticated though. < monitor,...all I have is SVGA monitors...can I just hook up a terminal < or a serial cable to the PC and run via a terminal? Yes, many do. < Can the OS be installed this way? Is there an adapter so I can use a < VGA monitor? VGA is unlikely. Also if a console crt is used you need a LK201 or 401 (DEC) keyboard and ther eis a cable to go with it. Yes, VMS installs via terminal. < What about CD player...got a Sanyo SCSI, and alot of IDE...can I instal < via this? IDE is useless but the SANYO SCSI may work. Try it and see. < Sorry for all the questions, but I was hoping someone would be familiar < with VAXen... There are a few of us. ;) I happen to have 3 VS3100/m10E, 3100/M76, two MivroVAXIIs and three VS2000s... I like vaxen and VMS. Allison

27 years, 5 months

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Document archive

by rcini＠email.msn.com

Hello, all: I made this offer to Hans Pufal, but I may as well open it up to all. If people on this list have any classic-related technical documents, like the MCS-4 manual, but are unable to post them because they don't have a web site, let me know off-list. Depending on the quantity/size of the docs, I may be able to accomodate them on my site. Also, I'm going to start posting the Altair Computer Notes this week. [ Rich Cini/WUGNET [ ClubWin!/CW7 [ MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking [ Collector of "classic" computers [ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp/ [ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/pdp11/ <================ reply separator =================>

27 years, 5 months

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Please ID

by maxeskin＠hotmail.com

I have two things that I hope someone can identify. One is an item in a 10-year-old office furniture catalog. It's the desk being advertised, but the computer is of interest. Could be a prop, but I doubt it. THe rest of the computers in the catalog are mostly XTs. The pictures are: www.geocities.com/researchtriangle/facility/2840/bell1.tiff www.geocities.com/researchtriangle/facility/2840/bell2.tiff If people can't read TIFF, I'll convert them to JPEG. The other thing is an Apple II card. It has a big red switch on the back, and has 8 sockets. It's labelled Apple ROM card, and has ROMs with numbers: 341-0016-00 3410001-00 3410002-00 3410003-00 C48037 They're all in a row, several sockets are empty. Anyone know what this card does? ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

27 years, 5 months

2
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iMac AddOn (was: Future Collectibles)

by maxeskin＠hotmail.com

Even if we ignore that the plain G3 systems would likely have been enough? I heard that Apple sold out of their new G3s even before the iMac came out. All of the detail to which you refer will be forgotten in 15 years. By historic, I mean of the magnitude of the original macintosh, or the PC XT, or Apple II, or Altair, or C64, and others. These truly changed the face of computing, unlike the iMac. > >> Of course, since the iMac has little historical significance, I doubt it > >Say what?! Jobs leaves Apple, Apple dies, Jobs rides his white horse back >to Apple, saves Apple with the iMac. What do you want, a big red sign >that says "COLLECT ME, I'M HISTORIC"? > >-- Doug > > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

27 years, 5 months

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test message

by Xerox860＠aol.com

Hi. Test to see if mail goes thru. Lehmann.

27 years, 5 months

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Newbie's got a dead 386

by dburrows＠netpath.net

>Minor locational variations, in Oz it tends to be NFG (No F***ing Good) or >NBG (No Bloody Good) or just FUBAR (F***ed Up....... >a) Beyond Any Repair >b) Beyond All Recognition >c) By A Recruit >d) By A Repairman >e) By ARmy (of RAAF comms gear that was returned u/s after > being reluctantly "loaned" to the Army) > >and numerous other variations......:^) >or just plain STUFFED. (not an acronym, AFAIK):^) At 1 federal lab I used to work at we had an HP terminal that had 1 bad key switch so I stole the coma from the keypad and moved it to where it was needed. I then made a nice label for the bad coma key with NFG on it. The person in charge of the section said he would send anyone that asked what that meant to me. I was there for another 2 years and nobody asked either of us. Dan

27 years, 5 months

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Source for anti-stat pink foam?

by dburrows＠netpath.net

Your local scrap electronics dealer. They pull everything out and throw away the bags and foam. They are very happy to give it to you - It saves on what goes into the dumpster that goes to the landfill. They have to pay for everything that goes to the landfill. I have scrapper trained to save all of it for me. Sometimes he even gets in boxes of brand new bags and foam. :) For DEC Unibus and Qbus boards I use the BA11 expansion boxes and fill them up. I fit 5 BA11's in a rack and can still see quickly what I have and don't have to use my limited supply of bags until I have to final test and ship the board. For other items I have thought about using RL02/RA8X slide rails and making boxes lined with foam to hold them in the rack. Anything to help keeping things easy to find and protected. Dan Burrows > What is a recommend source for inexpensive pink antistatic foam rolls or >bags? I've looked in several industrial supply catalogs, like Consolidated >Packaging, but want to see if there is a better price out there. > > I've got so many boards...and so little time! > >[ Rich Cini/WUGNET >[ ClubWin!/CW7 >[ MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking >[ Collector of "classic" computers >[ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp/ >[ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/pdp11/ ><================ reply separator =================> > > > >

27 years, 5 months

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Posted tonight

by rcini＠email.msn.com

Hello, all: Posted tonight to the CCL site: - ComputerNotes issue 1/77, parts 1 and 2 [ Rich Cini/WUGNET [ ClubWin!/CW7 [ MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking [ Collector of "classic" computers [ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp/ [ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/pdp11/ <================ reply separator =================>

27 years, 5 months

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3270 emulation cards

by rhblake＠bigfoot.com

Anyone out there still use 3270 systems? I have a ton of microchannel 3270 A and B cards that I really need to unload on someone, maybe for a minor trade of some of their excess bits and pieces. They're really getting in my way. I have a bunch of varied token ring cards too but they seem to be doing fair on eBay at $2 each. Amazing to see an expensive Thomas Conrad card go for a lousy $2 or less, still just as usable as they were years ago but they don't do diddly when the former workstation PC becomes someone's home machine.

27 years, 5 months

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Source for anti-stat pink foam?

by rcini＠email.msn.com

What is a recommend source for inexpensive pink antistatic foam rolls or bags? I've looked in several industrial supply catalogs, like Consolidated Packaging, but want to see if there is a better price out there. I've got so many boards...and so little time! [ Rich Cini/WUGNET [ ClubWin!/CW7 [ MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking [ Collector of "classic" computers [ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp/ [ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/pdp11/ <================ reply separator =================>

27 years, 5 months

5
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Newbie's got a dead 386

by netcafe＠pirie.mtx.net.au

-----Original Message----- From: Russ Blakeman <rhblake(a)bigfoot.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Tuesday, 17 November 1998 9:05 Subject: Re: Newbie's got a dead 386 >I used it all the time in the AF, when we had a bad unit we'd mark it FNG, >otherwise known as F***ing No Good. Minor locational variations, in Oz it tends to be NFG (No F***ing Good) or NBG (No Bloody Good) or just FUBAR (F***ed Up....... a) Beyond Any Repair b) Beyond All Recognition c) By A Recruit d) By A Repairman e) By ARmy (of RAAF comms gear that was returned u/s after being reluctantly "loaned" to the Army) and numerous other variations......:^) or just plain STUFFED. (not an acronym, AFAIK):^) >> CNTL-ALT-ESC and CNTL-ALT-F10 are two popular non-DEL bits. You can't >> do those at power-up. Boot from a floppy and start whacking keys at the >> DOS prompt. Have noted CTRL-ALT-S on some machines. Cheers Geoff Computer Room Internet Cafe Port Pirie South Australia. netcafe(a)pirie.mtx.net.au

27 years, 5 months

4
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Favorite Head Crash (was Re: modern removable media drives)

by franke＠sbs.de

> About the middle of the row of racks a red fault light flickered, then came > on brightly. The drawer of the middle disk moved out by itself and when the > top opened a greyish black cloud came out, paused for a moment over the > drive, and then was whisked away by the air conditioning. Wooha - it opend automaticly ? Dangerous. The first thing I learned on head crash was: Stop the unit Unplug power Unplug Interface Roll the unit out of the computer room At best out of the house Now have fun with the damaged parts :) At all this steps (but the last), especialy when a delay ocures, guard the top with your life. We once had a 144 MB unit crashing on saturday morning and running (the check logic was damaged) until monday morning (no operators). The heads have been scraped completly, and the crashed disk was just pure alu - no magnetic surface left ... The fun thing was that parts of the disk stack had been readable until sunday night ... We couldn't belive the transaction protocolls :) > "I believe that pack has crossed over to the other side." said the SP in a > complete dead pan protestant minister delivery. :))))) Gruss hans -- Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut HRK

27 years, 5 months

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