> From: Warner Losh
> If we can't use MINIUNIX to rebuild MINIUNIX kernel, should we try to
> bodge together rebuilding via apout?
Good basic idea (using a different system to build on), but there's a
better/easier approach (in the same basic vein): bring up V6, and mount the RK
pack with Mini-Unix on it (it's a V6 file system, so is mountable); V6 is rock
solid running under simulators.
The V6 tools can I'm pretty sure be used directly to build new Mini-Unix
kernels; user program can I think use the V6 C compiler, but I'm pretty sure
not the standard V6 linker (the Mini-Unix linker loads tham at the
non-standard address used by Mini-Unix).
Noel
Question for the group: I have a document set here from DEC that is the
"XT Hardware Handbook". It's basically the entire pre-release
documentation set for the "XT-100" terminal/computer which became the
Professional 325/350.
Is there a copy of this on the internet, and what are the thoughts on
scanning this? Is there already a better copy of this information out
there, this seems to cover the whole internal bus, how the cards work,
and so forth...
Chris
At 01:51 PM 9/30/2020, Noel Chiappa wrote:
>I guess all this PDP-11 hardware detail isn't really on-topic for this list; I
>should move it to Classic Computers, or something.
I've got Riordan's udis[01..10].DSK disk images that I presume
are similar to http://www.bitsavers.org/bits/Terak/mini-unix/
IMD images.
Which filesystem would I find in these images, and which tool
can burst the image into its files?
- John
Hi all --
This is a long shot, but I was curious if anyone might have information on
the Motorola MDP-1000 minicomputer. I picked one up recently and I'm
working on restoring it. Of particular interest is the power supply, which
is external to the processor and which I am missing. I think I have the
voltages worked out (+/-5V and +/-15V), but there are a number of other
signals on the power supply connector that I'm unsure of at the moment.
I've put a few pictures up here:
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Aqb36sqnCIfMpIVYmzKjFnsT3nHh8w?e=b2iqqv
I'll note that this isn't technically an MDP-1000 -- it's labeled as an
MDP-6650 on the rear. I suspect that this is a ruggedized version of the
1000 intended for harsher environments. The front panel of mine appears to
be identical to the drawings of the MDP-1000 in the manuals I have.
It also came with a binder of documentation (but alas no schematics) that
I'll be scanning soon and getting off to Al. It's an odd little system --
5 12-bit registers, a 12-bit ALU, and a 12-bit Instruction Register, but
the memory is 8 bits wide. Instructions are packed into two bytes
normally, but there's a special 64-byte region of memory that can be used
to store "shared bytes," which allow encoding certain instructions into a
single byte, taking the other byte from the shared region. I've never seen
anything quite like this. I wonder why they didn't just use 12-bit wide
memory...
Also the process for using the front panel to examine and deposit memory is
insane. Here's the instructions for reading a memory location; it's 10
steps. Depositing is 17.
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Aqb36sqnCIfMpIVWThgwlxgCMQo59A
If anyone has anything on this, let me know. Not expecting much, but it's
worth a shot.
- Josh
I have a vintage computer sitting in the LA USPS since 9/17, with no
further updates. I have read in the local papers there that the entire
post office has ground to a halt. What's going on there? I have never
heard of anything like this. I assume my package will survive but think of
the zoo there if they've been stacking packages for TWO WEEKS. I'd
strongly suggest not attempting to ship anything out of LA for the time
being. WOW.
I know people complain about the post office, I am not complaining, just
stating the facts. Normally the USPS is reliable. They must really have
overall problems in southern CA due to the fire and related management
issues.
BIll
Sorry I accidentally deleted this message from Dag Spicer, so here it is
for cctalk. Reply to him or the list, not me!
Lawrence
-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: Digitizing video frame for printing
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2020 06:00:21 +0000
From: Dag Spicer via cctech <cctech at classiccmp.org>
Reply-To: Dag Spicer <dspicer at computerhistory.org>, General Discussion:
On-Topic Posts <cctech at classiccmp.org>
To: cctalk at classiccmp.org <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Hi there,
Trying to help a former operator of a digital portrait scanning booth
?back in the day?? He writes:
++++
IN 1976, I worked at "get your portrait by computer" store.
The heart of the system was a 16 bit, Data General, Nova II computer.
A black and white, analog, standard definition CCTV camera was tethered
to a "digitizer" box that was connected to the computer.
The photographer hit the ?Capture? button on the "Digitizer" box to
instantaneously freeze the image and "digitize" it.
The image was then sent to a Centronics, 102AL, 7 pin, dot matrix
printer to print. A perceived grey scale of 26 shades was created by
numbers and letters.
What I am trying to find out is what the "Digitizer" box was and how it
worked. Ram? Tape loop? I DO know that it said 'Digital Image Systems'
on the outside but have not been able to learn more.
++++
Can anyone help with more information about DIS or generically about
these systems? They were popular in shopping malls for a few years in
the mid-70s?
Thanks for any tips!
Dag
??
Dag Spicer
Senior Curator
Computer History Museum
1401 N. Shoreline Blvd.
Mountain View, CA 94043
dspicer at computerhistory.org<mailto:dspicer at computerhistory.org>
I have two poorly aligned 5.25" floppy drives. They read/write disks
formatted by themselves but are marginal on disks formatted by other
drives. Rather than using a crude "good enough" alignment I would like to
do this properly. Is there still a supplier for 5.25" analog alignment
floppy disks?
Thanks
Tom Hunter
All ?
I?ve done a quite a bit of work with my Seattle Gazelle, and I just did some work on 86DOS.SYS (not released in source form, as far as I know) and its comparison to PC DOS 1.0 (at the code level, a very high correlation as you can imagine). Partially related to that is a program called ?20HAL? which was a code uploader Microsoft used in the late stages to get code from Microsoft in Bellevue to IBM in Boca Raton, FL. I did a little write-up on it here (http://www.classiccmp.org/cini/hal.htm)
There are some holes in the analysis ? I think it?s pretty close, though -- but I?d really like to get some more details on it. Unfortunately, it?s 40-year-old code at this point, and how many people remember how they used a file transfer utility that long ago?
Anyway, enjoy the read. If anyone sees any corrections that need to be made, let me know. Thanks!
Rich
--
Rich Cini
http://www.classiccmp.org/cinihttp://www.classiccmp.org/altair32
Hi,
still working on backing up the Tektronix 440x disks. My current problem
is that the ACB4000 SCSI-to-MFM adapter doesn?t support SCSI parity.
I finally managed to find a PCI SCSI controller (Adaptec 2940) and a
Pentium 4 PC with PCI slots and installed OpenBSD 6.7. I disabled parity
checking in the Adaptec BIOS config and it detects a disk at ID 0 with
no name. So far, so good.
However, OpenBSD always seems to enable SCSI parity and complains about
disk parity errors. I tried to disable all lines in the aic7xxx and
ahc_pci driver source files that seem to enable parity, but nothing
seems to make a difference. The drive/ACB4000 is not detected by
OpenBSD, I get a "device not configured" error when accessing the disk
device files (/dev/sdxc and /dev/rsdxc).
Do you know if is there another OS which would make it easier to change
crucial SCSI parameters in the driver (config) or maybe a specialized
tool that could help me to image the disk?
-- Michael
Hi all,
Since I don't have a machine with qbus and I need to backup some vms and
ultrix tk50 tapes, I purchased a tk50z-ga from ebay.
Upon power up, the red led flashing rapidly(which means drive fault) then
goes to solid red.
I've never used TK50 drives in the past so if you have any hint how to
troubleshoot this it would be appreciated. Or should I start looking for a
replacement?
Regards,
Plamen
On 09/24/20 18:00, cctech-request at classiccmp.org wrote:
> Disabling SCSI parity checking to dump disk on ACB4000
> MFM-SCSI adapter?
I have a sun 3 system with acb4000 and suspect the protocol
was not fully sorted in that time frame. They can be fussy
about what they will talk to, ime.
Would lend a hand if you are in the uk, but otherwise, if
you have an early Sparc system, I would try that, as it
would probably still support the older controllers.
Sparcstation 1 or 2 + Sunos probably has the required
entries in the format utility, format.dat file.
An early pci or isa Adaptec card might be worth trying
as well, under Suse 11.4 or similar, as that has a good
disk utility...
Chris
I've seen plenty of complaints (here and elsewhere) about TK50
cartridges being very difficult to read these days.
I'm trying to read TK85-K (DLT III) cartridges and I'm experiencing
problems. I've had tapes ripped (although I've found that data
elsewhere). So now I'm being particularly careful. If the drive asks for
a cleaning tape, I run through a cleaning cycle until it is happy and
then I try to load the tape again. However, by the time I've mounted the
tape, the drive "Cleaning Required" light is on again. This happens
repeatedly, I run a cleaning pass or two and then I get a green light. I
might even get as far as loading the tape without and issue, but by the
time the tape is mounted, the "Cleaning Required" light is on.
So is this likely to be sticky shed? Is the DLT III formulation known to
have the same issues? Does baking help? (Not that I'm set up to do that,
but I'm in no rush ...)
I suppose that it is possible that my cleaning tape is worn out and now
past its sell by date. Has anyone cleaned a TZ87 or TZ88 head
successfully? It doesn't seem to be terribly accessible, and I'm not
sure what I can dismantle without wrecking the alignment.
Anyone got any useful suggestions?
Antonio
--
Antonio Carlini
antonio at acarlini.com
Something in another recent thread about LISP machines got me wondering:
how many early graphical systems are well emulated (or emulated at all)? I
know that there are more or less functional emulations of Alto, Star, and
Lisa out there, but what about the various LISP machines or the early
workstations (Sun 68K, Apollo, etc) Also, assuming that there are emulators
for some of these systems out there, has any software to run on them and
been archived?
Mike
I am trying to figure out if it is possible to repair a Osborne 1 keyboard.
The keyboard is made by "Oak Switch Systems" and the type is FTM or "Full
Travel Membrane".
The problem I am seeing is that 3 keys ("h", "j" and "y") are permanently
pressed.
I did some experiments with the "h" key.
I measured about 20 ohm across the matrix pins for the "h" key.
I pulled off the "h" key keycap and the white plastic plunger with the both
large and small spring - no change in resistance.
I cleaned the now exposed membrane using Isopropyl alcohol - no change in
resistance.
I applied moderate heat using an electric hair dryer to both sides of the
area around the "h" key - no change in resistance.
I then used a lab power supply set to current limit hoping to zap whatever
is causing the partial short (20 ohm). I slowly increased the voltage and
current limit in short bursts until I hit 100 mA before I gave up the
experiment not wanting to destroy the two flex PCBs feeding into the
membrane. They did get warm but not hot.
I have run out of ideas of what else to try. I still measure 20 ohm across
the two keyboard matrix pins associated with the "h" key.
Has anyone got experience repairing or restoring this type of membrane
keyboard mechanism used in the Osborne 1 and probably in other keyboards
too?
Here are some good and detailed photos of keyboard mechanism:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/123564336 at N03/sets/72157644113347562/
Thanks
Tom Hunter
> From: Lars Brinkhoff
> it was AI rather than MC. As I'm sure you know, AI had the Rubin 10-11
> interface
Really? (I expect you're correct, mind.) I just remember one day MC wasn't
running as normal, and I was told it was because CHEOPS was in some
tournament, and MC had been taken offline so that it could focus on the game.
So I assumed CHEOPS was connected to MC (and had indeed wondered why/how, when
I wrote that message, with the Rubin interface being on AI).
> communicating over Chaosnet. At least, that's how I interpret the code
> in MacHack.
Again, probably right. It was pretty early, but I guess the CHAOSNET was
already running then. My guess is that AI didn't do much but act as a
communication node between CHEOPS and MC, for that.
> There is some debate over whether the CONS had a display of its own, and
> if so whether it could draw to a bitmap. Do you remember?
Not explicily, but I would tend to guess 'no'; I would tend to guess that they
were still in the mindset where it was a specialized co-processor, like
CHEOPS. I certainly don't recall a 'CONS display' in the room where the first
CADR display was; but that doesn't mean much. (Actually, I'm not positive
there was a CADR display in there the night I recall Moon trying to get it
running; for sure a Knight TV console, and he may have been using it to run
something on it to poke at the CADR.)
> they have a hard time pinpointing a birthdate for the CADR. Do you have
> a recollection when, even what year, the first boot attempt was?
Sorry, no; it only stuck in my memory because I was later taken at having
beeen there for the early CADR work; I think that night I only barely knew
what a CADR was. (I was kind of amused that Moon's audience that night was
someone from LCS... :-) I mean, it was pretty early, but I have no idea of
even what year it was.
Noel
I?m looking for a piece of software called Omni-Ware for VMS or UNIX , by a Nashua company called Logicraft.
I?ve just received the pieces to build a Logicraft PC (286 motherboard with custom BIOS and a special network card that emulates the keyboard, mouse, CGA video card and hard disk). I also received the documentation for the VAX/VMS version of the software, but I?m now looking for the accompanying software for VMS or UNIX. The idea is to install this software on a workstation, and connect it to the Omni-Ware PC. The PC then boots off a disk image stored on the workstation, with input and output in an X-Windows window. Logicraft apparently supplied disk images with DOS, Xenix, OS/2 or MS Windows installed.
I?m really hoping someone has a copy of this software still lying around somewhere.
Cheers,
Camiel
> From: Lars Brinkhoff
> There are emulators for the CADR Lisp machine ... There's no emulators
> for the CONS, but I claim it would be interesting to attempt one.
I'm not sure CONS ever ran as a stand-alone system; I suspect (but don't
recall for sure; RG, TK or Moon or someone could confirm one way or the
other) that it ran as a loosely-coupled co-processor to MC, the way the Chess
Machine did.
The CONS and the Chess Machine were both in the same room; 906-907 or
so:
https://gunkies.org/wiki/File:9th_floor_techsquare.png
When the first CADR was built, its console was in the room next door (in the
higher-numbered room direction); I remember watching over Moon's shouulder
the night they first tried to boot it.
Noel
I managed to take some pictures of our Tektronix Smalltalk machines today:
https://multicores.org/pictures/Tektronix_440x/
Both 4404s are identical, including the firmware versions in the EPROMs.
The 4406 is a bit harder to disassemble, this will take some more time.
All of the photos inside this directory are released into the public domain
(and I should get a tripod and better lighting...).
Trying to get our ancient EPROM programmer to work now...
-- Michael
Is there anyone on-list with experience setting-up a Searchlight (or similar) BBS? I have mine up and running with multiple dial-up nodes (for a hopeful future VCF demonstration) but I?m having problems with setting up the file areas properly. If someone could drop me a note off-list, I?d appreciate it. Thanks!
Rich
http://www.classiccmp.org/cini
Long Island S100 User?s Group
Get Outlook<https://aka.ms/qtex0l> for iOS
I re mn ember? GEm5 as a guide ran under dos .? .
Ed#
On Friday, September 18, 2020 Paul Koning via cctalk <paulkoning at comcast.net; cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
> On Sep 17, 2020, at 10:18 PM, Michael Kerpan via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
>
> Something in another recent thread about LISP machines got me wondering:
> how many early graphical systems are well emulated (or emulated at all)? I
> know that there are more or less functional emulations of Alto, Star, and
> Lisa out there, but what about the various LISP machines or the early
> workstations (Sun 68K, Apollo, etc) Also, assuming that there are emulators
> for some of these systems out there, has any software to run on them and
> been archived?
>
> Mike
One system that could be considered a GUI, or at least the beginnings of one, is the PLATO system.? Emulations of that are alive and well, in particular the system described at cyber1.org.
??? paul