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

by icardona＠gmail.com

Hi, some weeks ago I've purchased a System 37 in ebay. This unit was ebay in the year 2020 and the owner was made this video too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1CZKQtaoSo When I power up the displays shows a 1. Sometimes if I stop and start fast the display shows a 2, but in all the cases all the leds stills lighted. The voltages on the power supply are OK, and in general I the unit have a good look, I don't see corrosion or leakages from capacitors. Looking the SPU training PDF of Bitsavers/HPMuseum , looks that maybe is related with a ROM or the WCS. Somebody have more info about this error, or know if is possible get some schematics / service manual? Thanks a lot Iban

4 years, 7 months

3
3
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Archiving otrona attache disks

by billdegnan＠gmail.com

Is there a simh for the otrona attache? I have some.disk images created with Dunfield's utility..if not I will try to read them by using the Zorba portable, which is pretty good with varied formats. Bill

4 years, 7 months

3
6
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unknown rack PSU ("PPI 1247-000-91 ADDS")

by jules.richardson99＠gmail.com

I found a vintage rackable linear PSU at a sale over the weekend, appears to be late '70s vintage going by date codes on some of the high-power components inside. Front panel is plain black with just a power switch and telltale lamp. Back has a ratings sticker which says "PPI 1247-000-91 ADDS". Outputs are +24V at 3A, +12V at 2A, +5V at 30A, -12V at 4A. Ring a bell with anyone? I'm familiar with ADDS in a terminal context, of course, but this lump is obviously for something larger - perhaps a "washing machine size" fixed/removable drive unit or similar, but I'm surprised there's not obvious branding on it if so. cheers Jules

4 years, 7 months

2
1
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HP-UX on 9000/200 series

by plamenspam＠afterpeople.com

Hello, Does anyone have HP 9000/200 series running HP-UX instead of HP Basic ? The 5.1 image from hpmuseum.net can be booted only on 300 series with 68010. Best regards, Plamen

4 years, 7 months

4
4
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IBM 1620 Simulation

by raywjewhurst＠gmail.com

Hello all, Long time lurker, extremely rare poster, I was reading the Wikipedia article on the IBM 1620 and became quite intrigued. I know that there is a simulator for it on SimH but I have never ran or simulated any card-driven machines before. I have all the documentation and the ibm1620.zip file >from bitsavers but I am not sure what to do next. I know I would like to try Monitor, Fortran-II and possibly GOTRAN but I have so many questions. I read the SimH documentation which gave me some understanding but I don't know exactly how the card decks work, how to install Monitor or how to boot Monitor once it is installed since I know you have to boot off a deck. My final question is, is there an easy to use card-driven machine to cut my teeth on? Also, any anecdotes on any of the old IBM computers would be both welcome and greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance Ray

4 years, 7 months

14
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Ultrix-11 Networking

by dj.taylor4＠comcast.net

Its been fun? working with Ultrix-11 and have had success with the help of the list.? Thanks.? The tape file from Bill Gunshannon will create a working system.? Yay! I'm at the point of trying to network the SIMH pdp11 Ultrix-11 system. I have a few observations: 1. The youtube video 'Ultrix-11' shows connecting to sunOS systems. OK, he did this by simply issuing a single ifconfig command.? That didn't work for me. 2. Instead, I used the netsetup script supplied with the system, and had to reboot to get networking up.? I did seem to come up OK. 3. The SIMH FAQ suggests using a 2nd ethernet port, I was able to do this.? The linux computer I am running SIMH on has 2 ports. 4. The Ultrix-11 telnet ftp are old, unsecure versions, how do you connect to a modern Linux machine?? The Linux machines refuse the connections. 5. I also looked at the tuhs archive.? The Fred build script that generates a tk50 bootable tape image didn't work for me.? I substituted a file for the tape device and it caused SIMH to Halt. Doug

4 years, 7 months

3
7
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Speaking of emulators... I have a userland Venix/86 executive...

by imp＠bsdimp.com

I've written a Venix/86 userland emulator. It uses FreeBSD's vm86 to run binaries natively and intercepts traps for things like system calls. I finally have it to the point where it can run the compiler via cc (which forks and execs c0, copt, cpp, as, ld, etc). My plans to try to recreate the sources for the binaries for Venix/86 from V7 and other extant sources have taken a step forward. Don't know if I'll ever get there, but at least I don't need a working Rainbow and can run the compiler at ~4GHz rather than ~4MHz.... http://bsdimp.blogspot.com/2021/08/a-new-path-vm86-based-venix-emulator.html has my latest blog entry on it. The code lives in tools/vm86venix in my https://github.com/bsdimp/venix repo for those that want to take a look. It uses vm86 mode of 32-bit intel processors and traps all INT xx and other privileged instructions and provides appropriate emulation... And the compiled binary is smaller than the venix kernel (but it does less). Warner

4 years, 7 months

3
2
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CWVG

by mloewen＠cpumagic.scol.pa.us

Back in the 2007 time frame, Andrew Lynch had written a utility to read Vector Graphic hard-sectored diskettes on a Catweasel board. Called "CWVG", does anyone have a copy of the program? Mike Loewen mloewen at cpumagic.scol.pa.us Old Technology http://q7.neurotica.com/Oldtech/

4 years, 7 months

6
18
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RQDX3 firmware sources

by chd＠chdickman.com

Has anyone tried to compile the sources? succeeded? I'm not even going to try, but I think the actual low-level formatter code is missing. Was curious if anyone else noticed that too. -chuck

4 years, 7 months

3
4
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Call for manuals and maybe floppies: IBM 8100

by cube1＠charter.net

My next project once I finish my IBM 1410 FPGA implementation (so, a couple of years out, probably) would be to write an emulator for the boat anchor known as the IBM 8100. I had exposure to these things back in the 1980s. The project was not really a success: the DPPX operating system was way overkill for the underpowered machine, and wasn't reliable enough or capable enough to run them at remote locations with central administration. The machine had some fairly sophisticated features: Two groups of 64 sets of registers with 8 32 bit registers each Auto increment and auto decrement indexed addressing Address translation - but not paging A primitive form of I/O channel I have a set of install floppies for the DPPX operating system and some of the associated software (but, sadly, not COBOL or Assembler), imaged, and verified to contain what the labels say (via dd conv=ascii), but am short on information. (Of course, if someone else has floppies, all the better. I can image them - they are 8" DSDD, with the first track single density, kinda like an RX02). I do have the Principles of Operation GA23-0031 and the DASD devices (including floppy) Description GA23-0053 But in order to manage an emulator and actually install DPPX I would need just a bit more hardware info - or I would be flying blind to some degree as far as the operator panel I/O interaction.) Hardware Manuals: 8130 Processor Description GA27-3196 and/or 8140 Processor Description GA27-2880 (There was also an 8150, but I doubt the releases I have would run on it.) 8140 Processor Operators Guide GA27-3197 and GA27-2879 (Expanded front panel) 8101/8102 Storage / I/O Unit GA27-2882 Communications: Loop, Display, Printer: GA27-2883 (The "Loop" was a LAN like thing - kind of akin to the Apollo Domain ring, off of which one hung local terminals, such as the IBM 8775). Distributed Processing Programming Executive (DPPX) Manuals Installation Primer: G320-6048 Installation Guide: SC27-0401 IPO Planning Guide: GC20-1883 Assembler: SC27-0412 Assembler Messages: SC27-0416 (The machine also supported APL, PL/I, COBOL (which we used), FORTRAN... But I don't have floppies for those - heck, if the assembler wasn't standard (I doubt it was), I don't even have that, even though we had it at our installation, along with COBOL) DTMS (database, transaction mgmt.) Messages: SC26-3918 Customization Guide (SC26-3937) Application Development Guide (SC26-3938) Administration Guide (SC26-3939) Operation Guide (SC26-3940) Reference (SC26-3941) True story: The early releases of DPPX were just awful buggy. We ended up dedicating 3 conference rooms (with the dividers open) for a "warm room" for something like 3 months, housing our personnel and IBM personnel up from Texas. At one point one of the IBM'ers was overheard on a public phone in the hallway of our public building telling someone he was there "to help the hicks from Wisconsin". That got reported to our management and to IBM's management, and he was on the next flight back to Texas. ;) On the flip side, I was testing database recovery (it was my thing, back in the day - though we did not end up using the database / transaction manager). I found some bugs in the database log journal recovery process. I mentioned it to one of the IBM'ers in passing, also pointing out it wasn't urgent since we were not going to use DTMS anyway, at least not soon. He pretty much begged me to report it - and anything else I found wrong. Completely polar opposite attitude of the guy in the previous paragraph. JRJ

4 years, 7 months

3
4
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Tandon Track 0 adjustment

by mloewen＠cpumagic.scol.pa.us

What's the recommended method for adjusting the track 0 switch and track 0 stop on a Tandon TM100-2, if you don't have an alignment disk? I do have a scope. Mike Loewen mloewen at cpumagic.scol.pa.us Old Technology http://q7.neurotica.com/Oldtech/

4 years, 7 months

2
2
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CWVG

by deramp5113＠yahoo.com

I can archive your disk content if you end up needing some assistance. I have a few Vector Graphic machines with 100tpi Micropolis and Tandon 100-4M drives as well as Mod-I drives at 48tpi. I also have utilities to archive and recreate disks on these drives by exchanging the disk image with a PC via XMODEM (FLOP2PC and PC2FLOP). Note that these disk images can also be mounted and run under SIMH. Mike

4 years, 7 months

1
0
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OMNIBUS board handle spacers

by chd＠chdickman.com

I just printed some board handles for a 32k OMNIBUS board (thanks Vince Slyngstad, et al.) I now notice that all the OMNIBUS boards have an extra 0.1in spacer between the board and the handle. UNIBUS and QBus boards and logic flip chips don't have the spacer. Anyone else notice this and understand why? The only thing I can see is that it might adjust for the over the top connectors used on a lot of OMNIBUS boards. -chuck

4 years, 7 months

1
0
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Call for manuals and maybe floppies: IBM 8100

by sieler＠allegro.com

Re: "My next project once I finish my IBM 1410 FPGA implementation (so, a couple of years out, probably) would be to write an emulator for the boat anchor known as the IBM 8100. I had exposure to these things back in the 1980s." I encountered one, once. Probably 1979, in a small conference room in building 47U of Hewlett-Packard's Cupertino site. Sitting all alone in the room. I was looking at it, and an HP engineer came in and explained that they were waiting for IBM service to fix the memory board ... the board HP had removed to look at closely :)

4 years, 7 months

1
0
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Punched card file wanted

by Flash688＠flying-disk.com

Now that I am finally getting my vintage computer accumulation in order, I need a punched card file cabinet. Does anyone know of one that might be available for purchase or trade? I am willing to pick up anywhere in the western US. In an ideal world, I would love to find one of the ones with a slanted front on each drawer that holds a single card for a label. I have an old wooden library catalog file cabinet (60 drawers) that I would be willing to trade, as well as some DEC Q-bus chassis. Any leads would be appreciated. Alan Frisbie

4 years, 7 months

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Anyone remember Kel-Am connectors?

by spacewar＠gmail.com

When I worked at Apparat around 1981, we used a lot of *male* IDC edge card connectors. I've almost never seen any since, and I couldn't remember the name of the vendor. I just found out that it was Kel-Am, but the internet knows almost nothing about them. Here's an example: https://www.elliottelectronicsupply.com/connectors/card-edge/male-card-edge… That photo doesn't show the Kel-Am logo, which is just a stylized "KEL-AM". There are some eBay auctions of the corresponding female connector (which other vendors did make), some of which show the logo. I wonder what happened to Kel-Am. Maybe they were acquired, maybe they went under. It would be nice to find a copy of their catalog. Speaking of which, it would also be nice to see some Robinson Nugent connector catalogs from the late 1970s and early 1980s. I am especially interested in seeing specs for their bottom-entry square-pin receptacles, which I think _might_ be the ones used on Apple /// memory boards.

4 years, 7 months

5
5
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DEC DHU11 (M3105) wanted

by spacewar＠gmail.com

A friend and I are trying to get a PDP-11/70 running, and we'd like to get a DHU11 async mux board. Anyone have an extra? There's an Ebay listing claimed to be a DHU11, but that one is actually a Qbus M3104.

4 years, 7 months

1
0
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Wilson Laboratories SX-530 disk exerciser

by Flash688＠flying-disk.com

Al Kossow <aek at bitsavers.org> wrote: > On 8/25/21 4:51 PM, Alan Frisbie via cctalk wrote: > > I recently acquired a Wilson Laboratories SX-530 disk exerciser > > for SMD interface disk drives.? Unfortunately, it did not come > > with a manual.? Does anyone out there have a copy they could > > make available?? Yes, Bitsavers was the first place I checked.? > it's up now under test equipment Thank you very much! I've already downloaded it. I really appreciate all the work you do to keep this information available. > do you happen to have any service manuals for century data > winchesters? i have a bunch of manuals for the removable drives No, I do not. The only Century Data manuals I have are for the T-302, which I believe you already have. Alan Frisbie

4 years, 7 months

1
0
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Ultrix-11

by dennis.grevenstein＠gmail.com

Bill Gunshannon wrote: > > With 3.1 available why would you want to run 2.0? Someone mentioned > a 4.0. I don't remember there ever being anything after 3.1 (promised, > but never saw it delivered) Would be fun to look at. But I suspect > anything beginning with 4 is actually Ultrix-32 which I think went as > far as 4.5. That seems likely, because AFAIR Ultrix-11 never got past 3.X. In any way I would like to point out that Ultrix-11 and Ultrix-32 are completely different: Ultrix-11 based on V7 (+addons) and Ultrix-32 based on 4.2BSD (+addons). I actually still have Ultrix-32 3.1 running on a DECstation. It really is nothing like running Ultrix-11 3.1, which I did many years ago. Dennis

4 years, 7 months

10
18
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Extremely CISC instructions

by stepleton＠gmail.com

Hello, For the sake of illustration to folks who are not necessarily used to thinking about what computers do at the machine code level, I'm interested in collecting examples of single instructions for any CPU architecture that are unusually prolific in one way or another. This request is highly underconstrained, so I have to rely on peoples' good taste to determine what counts as "interesting" here. Perhaps a whole lot of different kinds of work or lots of different resources accessed is what I'm after. I expect these kinds of "busy" instructions were more common in architectures that are now less common, so perhaps this list is a good place to ask. For example, if we're thinking "number of times an item is retrieved from RAM", then any application of the x86 string instructions that could walk over memory for a while perhaps aren't so interesting. By contrast, by my count, the NS32000 series instruction "addw ext(4), ext(7)" requires at least five separate noncontiguous retrievals just to fetch the arguments into the ALU. (Note that I'm not differentiating between different sizes of data here: loading a 16-bit item and loading a 32-bit address both count as a "retrieval" in this example.) Instructions that are simply lengthy might be interesting, but not always: long literals or lots of redundant prefixes on x86 aren't that impressive, for example. Number of registers read or modified might be good too, but just saving or loading for the sake of subroutine calls (e.g. "movem.l r0-r7/a0-a6,-(sp)" on the 68k) seems pretty pedestrian. Other criteria may seem worthwhile; I trust peoples' judgement on this. Although I don't know it well, I suspect VAX will place well in one way or another. But to give an example of a candidate instruction that's prolific in a way I find more noteworthy, I'll go back to the NS32k and offer addw ext(4)+6[r1:w], ext(7)+12[r2:w] which in order to get its arguments (I think) requires the five retrievals already mentioned and adds two shifts and four additions to the bill. I think this statement reads: "Add the r1'th word counting from 6 bytes past the fourth address in the current module's link table to the r2'th word counting from 12 bytes past the seventh address in the current module's link table". That's a mouthful --- it takes a lot of work to describe what that one line does! Maybe that's what I'm hoping to share with people. I hope this is interesting to discuss, --Tom

4 years, 7 months

23
52
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C.mmp OS

by mark.kahrs＠gmail.com

The answer to the question is Hydra I believe.

4 years, 7 months

5
6
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PDP-10 CLU language now available

by lars＠nocrew.org

Hello, I found files for Barnara Liskov's programming language CLU on PDP-10 backup tapes. MIT has made them available here: https://github.com/MITDDC/clu-1976-1989 See also: http://pmg.csail.mit.edu/CLU.html

4 years, 7 months

1
1
0 0

FTGH: Atari Portfolio HPC-004

by jbglaw＠lug-owl.de

Hi! I'm offering an Atari Portfolio HPC-004 along with a 64 KB Memory Card for the cost of shipping (located in Germany.) It boots / works (using batteries), but I'm missing its original wall wart. Is anybody interested? Thanks, Jan-Benedict --

4 years, 7 months

4
3
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Prototype new Apple /// memory board

by spacewar＠gmail.com

I've been working on a new memory board for the Apple ///, using (somewhat) modern and still-in-production components, especially CMOS static RAM rather than DRAM. Last night I soldered the connectors, sockets, and passives of my first prototype: https://flickr.com/photos/_brouhaha_/albums/72157719738576267 I need to do some testing for shorts, etc. before I attempt to actually use it in an Apple ///. I expect that some debugging of the design will be required. The Apple /// design is _much_ more complex that the Apple II and IIe. I intended this board to provide 512KiB of RAM, but I've already determined that some design changes will be required for that, so this prototype will only support 256KiB. The early Apple /// design, as documented in US patents, would have supported up to 512KiB of RAM, but the actual shipped design reduced that to 256KiB. There was a third-party 512Kib emory board from "On Three", which required pulling various chips from the motherboard and running cables from those to the memory board. The SOS operating system, as shipped, only supported 256KiB. On Three modified the SOS bootloader to detect and use 512KiB. Some Apple /// application software also had trouble with 512KiB, and On Three patched some of those.

4 years, 7 months

3
2
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Replica computers PDP 8/11/10

by bfranchuk＠jetnet.ab.ca

As reminder "Obsolescence Guaranteed" is building replica computers using simh with a pi all in a thin front panel. https://obsolescence.wixsite.com/obsolescence https://obsolescenceguaranteed.blogspot.com/2020/02/inevitaby-pidp-10.html PDP 8's and 11's are selling like hot cakes. Ben.

4 years, 7 months

1
0
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Extremely CISC instructions

by guykd＠optusnet.com.au

>Hello, > >For the sake of illustration to folks who are not necessarily used to >thinking about what computers do at the machine code level, I'm interested >in collecting examples of single instructions for any CPU architecture that >are unusually prolific in one way or another. This request is highly >underconstrained, so I have to rely on peoples' good taste to determine >what counts as "interesting" here. This is perhaps outside even the vague bounds you were thinking of, but it probably wins the 'unusually prolific' prize by a gigabyte-mile. Behold, the hidden, secret and heinous X86 2-byte 'launch instruction' 0x0F, 0x3F. See this talk about the discovery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmTwlEh8L7g DEF CON 26 - Christopher Domas - GOD MODE UNLOCKED Hardware Backdoors in redacted x86 46:03 DEFCON Conference Oct 23, 2018 Complexity is increasing. Trust eroding. In the wake of Spectre and Meltdown, when it seems that things cannot get any darker for processor security, the last light goes out. This talk will demonstrate what everyone has long feared but never proven: there are hardware backdoors in some x86 processors, and they're buried deeper than we ever imagined possible. While this research specifically examines a third-party processor, we use this as a stepping stone to explore the feasibility of more widespread hardware backdoors. After which you will never trust your Intel-based PC, ever again. Guy

4 years, 7 months

2
1
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Extremely CISC instructions

by seefriek＠gmail.com

The Hitachi SH4 has a set of pipelineable vector instructions that work on 4x4 and 4x1 length vectors (implemented as 2 sets of 16 FP registers). Nothing compared to MMX/SSE/AVX, but relatively complex.

4 years, 7 months

1
0
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Multiprocessor Qbus PDP-11

by chd＠chdickman.com

There are indications in the KDJ11-B processor spec on bitsavers that the M8190 could be used in a multiprocessor configuration. For example, bit 10 of the Maintenance Register (17 777 750) is labeled "Multiprocessor Slave" and indicates that the bus arbitrator is disabled. There is also section 6.6, "Cache Multi-Processor Hooks", that describes cache features that allow multiprocessor operation. Would it be as simple as connecting to 11/83 qbus together? And adding the proper software. Anybody ever heard of such a thing? Chuck

4 years, 7 months

4
6
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3d modelling software

by robert.jarratt＠ntlworld.com

I think I may need to get a small part 3d printed (some plastic board mounting guide rails from a PDP 11/24 H7140 PSU). What software is best for a novice? Preferably free! Thanks Rob

4 years, 7 months

10
12
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3d modelling software

by shadoooo＠gmail.com

Hello Rob, FreeCAD is nice for modeling 3D shapes. For 3D printing, depending on the technology of 3D printer, you need to process original model to convert compact sections into hollow honeycomb structure, and add small plastic bars into empty volumes to support the model while it's printed. I'm not expert of this latter procedure and tools. Andrea Aug 23, 2021 19:07:55 cctech-request at classiccmp.org: > Send cctech mailing list submissions to > ? cctech at classiccmp.org > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > ? http://www.classiccmp.org/mailman/listinfo/cctech > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > ? cctech-request at classiccmp.org > > You can reach the person managing the list at > ? cctech-owner at classiccmp.org > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of cctech digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > ?? 1. Tektronix XpressWare 8.1 (Cameron Kaiser) > ?? 2. Re: Tektronix XpressWare 8.1 (Doc Shipley) > ?? 3. Re: Ultrix-11 (Peter Allan) > ?? 4. Need Spectravideo SVI-328 parts.... (geneb) > ?? 5. 3d modelling software (Rob Jarratt) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2021 17:16:49 -0700 (PDT) > From: Cameron Kaiser <spectre at floodgap.com> > To: cctalk at classiccmp.org > Cc: Cameron Kaiser <spectre at floodgap.com> > Subject: Tektronix XpressWare 8.1 > Message-ID: <202108230016.17N0Gn3c16973864 at floodgap.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII > > Bitsavers has 6.3 (thank you Al) but I'm trying to push my luck and find > 8.1 for this XP421CH Xterm. Anyone know of where it can be found? > > -- > ------------------------------------ personal: http://www.cameronkaiser.com/ -- > ? Cameron Kaiser * Floodgap Systems * www.floodgap.com * ckaiser at floodgap.com > -- FOOLS! I WILL DESTROY YOU ALL! ASK ME HOW! -- "Girl Genius" 8/29/07 -------- > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2021 21:08:21 -0500 > From: Doc Shipley <doc at vaxen.net> > To: Cameron Kaiser via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > Subject: Re: Tektronix XpressWare 8.1 > Message-ID: <8c287f5c-4ad8-1002-570c-1c671c689494 at vaxen.net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed > > On 8/22/21 19:16, Cameron Kaiser via cctalk wrote: >> Bitsavers has 6.3 (thank you Al) but I'm trying to push my luck and find >> 8.1 for this XP421CH Xterm. Anyone know of where it can be found? >> > > Well.... > > There's this: > > http://bio.gsi.de/DOCS/NCD/www.technogoths.demon.co.uk/tekxp400/node3.html > > and there's this: > > http://www.docsbox.net/V81106.tgz > > Please don't kill my server. > > ? It's been a long long time since I had the XP400D, and I don't think I > ever tried connecting from Windows, so you're kind of on your own.? Good > luck! > > > ? Doc > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2021 10:11:26 +0100 > From: Peter Allan <petermallan at gmail.com> > To: Warner Losh <imp at bsdimp.com> > Cc: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" > ? <cctalk at classiccmp.org>, Ethan Dicks <ethan.dicks at gmail.com> > Subject: Re: Ultrix-11 > Message-ID: > ? <CAJCrz55x935vV+O2=eoRyb2ythgQmRVGXx6HGZZFi8rjdv0TEA at mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" > > Thanks Warner and Ethan. That is very helpful. > > I had not realised that the partition sizes were REALLY hard wired - as in > set in the code. That explains why there is no option to set the size at > installation time. > > I will redo the installation with that in mind. > > Cheers > > Peter > > On Fri, 20 Aug 2021 at 22:03, Warner Losh <imp at bsdimp.com> wrote: > >> >> >> On Fri, Aug 20, 2021, 2:26 PM Peter Allan via cctalk < >> cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote: >> >>> The idea of using an RA81 drive as it is bigger sounds like a simple >>> solution, but does it actually give a larger /usr partition? Even though >>> an >>> RD54 drive is not huge, most of it is not taken up by the root partition >>> plus the /usr partition, but is available for use as (on the video at >>> least) /user1. >>> >>> I will give it a try after the weekend and see what happens. >>> >> >> I was going to try tonight. The dksizes.c table suggests that it is 10MB >> instead of 8.5MB on the RD54. Yet someone else said it was smaller, so I >> wanted to check.... >> >> Warner >> >> >> Cheers >>> >>> Peter Allan >>> >>> On Fri, 20 Aug 2021 at 17:38, Ethan Dicks <ethan.dicks at gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>>> On Fri, Aug 20, 2021 at 11:50 AM Peter Allan via cctalk >>>> <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote: >>>>> I just installed Ultrix-11 3.1 using the ultrix31.tap file from >>>>> https://pdp-11.org.ru/files.pl?lang=en >>>>> which is the location from the comments in Stephen's Machine Room >>> video >>>> on >>>>> YouTube that I think started this thread. >>>>> >>>>> It installed just fine, but just like the video, I ran out of space on >>>> /usr. >>>> >>>> /usr was usually tight back in the day. >>>> >>>>> How can I make a larger /usr partition? Is it possible to do this at >>>>> installation time? There did not seem to be an option for this. Can >>> it be >>>>> done by using an additional disk? That would seem likely, but not >>> what a >>>>> system manager back in the 70's or 80's would expect to need to do, >>>>> especially as there is a relatively large amount of space left to >>> create >>>>> /user1. >>>> >>>> In the 70s and early 80s, it was not at all uncommon to have multiple >>>> disk drives mounted to add up to enough space, especially to put user >>>> files on their own device to keep them from competing with free space >>>> in the system areas.? Also, older, smaller disks were often cheaper >>>> than the newest/largest disk drives, or systems would be put together >>>> from repurposed hardware rather than purchasing new.? For a single >>>> data point, my employer bought a new RA81 in 1984.? For 424MB it was >>>> $24,000.? Most machines had a _lot_ less disk in those days.? Our main >>>> UNIX machine was an old 11/750 (2MB RAM) with 2x RK07 (28MB each).? It >>>> was quite a jump when I put Ultrix 1.1 on an 11/730 w/RB80.? The CPU >>>> was 30% slower, but it had 5MB of RAM and a 121MB disk, so as a >>>> machine that spent most of its time with a single user (me), it was >>>> fine. >>>> >>>> When disks were routinely 1-30MB (RK05... RK07 or RP03), it was >>>> totally common to have 2-3 disks on a machine. >>>> >>>> All that said, I looked over this install write-up and it seems to >>>> assume you have one disk and it slices and dices with default sizes... >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> http://ftp.fibranet.cat/UnixArchive/Distributions/DEC/Fred-Ultrix3/setup-3.… >>>> >>>> I've installed older versions of UNIX where you had to explicitly set >>>> up disks and partitions (where you _could_ resize partitions).? Prior >>>> to restoring the contents from tape.? That didn't appear to be as easy >>>> with this installer script. >>>> >>>>> I noted the options for installing software using soft links to other >>>>> locations. Was that the preferred method when installing additional >>>>> software? >>>> >>>> That was done, as was mounting an entire second disk for /usr.? One of >>>> the challenges is making sure you have enough tools accessible on the >>>> boot device to bring the machine up far enough to mount the additional >>>> devices.? This is part of why there are system tools in /bin, >>>> /usr/bin, etc.? You could depend on the contents of /bin being there >>>> before /usr was mounted.? Also, traditionally, programs in /bin were >>>> statically linked so that you didn't have to have specific libraries >>>> available at the time. >>>> >>>> The simplest solution, of course, is just get a bigger disk, but where >>>> that wasn't possible (which was most of the time), people did use soft >>>> links or multiple spindles to aggregate enough space to get by. >>>> >>>> Back in the day, I struggled to get enough disk space to install >>>> 2.9BSD on an 11/24.? Two RK07s would have been a luxury.? I had an >>>> RL02 (10MB) and I think maybe an RL01.? I could get the initial >>>> restore to work but I didn't have enough space to rebuild my kernel. >>>> >>>> -ethan >>>> >>> >> > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 4 > Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2021 07:57:44 -0700 (PDT) > From: geneb <geneb at deltasoft.com> > To: cctalk at classiccmp.org > Subject: Need Spectravideo SVI-328 parts.... > Message-ID: > ? <alpine.LRH.2.21.2108230756300.23222 at sidewinder.deltasoft.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=US-ASCII > > > I've got a very nice SV-328 that's had the sad misfortune of having the > "K" key rather violently removed. (https://i.imgur.com/IxBIQTj.jpg) > > Can someone point me to where I could obtain a replacement key top and > post? > > Thanks! > > g. > > > -- > Proud owner of F-15C 80-0007 > http://www.f15sim.com - The only one of its kind. > http://www.diy-cockpits.org/coll - Go Collimated or Go Home. > Some people collect things for a hobby.? Geeks collect hobbies. > > ScarletDME - The red hot Data Management Environment > A Multi-Value database for the masses, not the classes. > http://scarlet.deltasoft.com - Get it _today_! > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 5 > Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2021 17:29:08 +0100 > From: "Rob Jarratt" <robert.jarratt at ntlworld.com> > To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" > ? <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > Subject: 3d modelling software > Message-ID: <00b401d7983b$ff929d50$feb7d7f0$(a)ntlworld.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > I think I may need to get a small part 3d printed (some plastic board > mounting guide rails from a PDP 11/24 H7140 PSU). What software is best for > a novice? Preferably free! > > > > Thanks > > > > Rob > > > > End of cctech Digest, Vol 83, Issue 23 > **************************************

4 years, 7 months

4
3
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3d modelling software

by commodorejohn＠gmail.com

The quick-'n-easy solution I found when I needed to model some parts for a keyboard was https://www.tinkercad.com/ - needs a modern-ish web browser and a modestly beefy system tho.

4 years, 7 months

1
0
0 0

Need Spectravideo SVI-328 parts....

by geneb＠deltasoft.com

I've got a very nice SV-328 that's had the sad misfortune of having the "K" key rather violently removed. (https://i.imgur.com/IxBIQTj.jpg) Can someone point me to where I could obtain a replacement key top and post? Thanks! g. -- Proud owner of F-15C 80-0007 http://www.f15sim.com - The only one of its kind. http://www.diy-cockpits.org/coll - Go Collimated or Go Home. Some people collect things for a hobby. Geeks collect hobbies. ScarletDME - The red hot Data Management Environment A Multi-Value database for the masses, not the classes. http://scarlet.deltasoft.com - Get it _today_!

4 years, 7 months

1
0
0 0

Ultrix-11

by petermallan＠gmail.com

I just installed Ultrix-11 3.1 using the ultrix31.tap file from https://pdp-11.org.ru/files.pl?lang=en which is the location from the comments in Stephen's Machine Room video on YouTube that I think started this thread. It installed just fine, but just like the video, I ran out of space on /usr. How can I make a larger /usr partition? Is it possible to do this at installation time? There did not seem to be an option for this. Can it be done by using an additional disk? That would seem likely, but not what a system manager back in the 70's or 80's would expect to need to do, especially as there is a relatively large amount of space left to create /user1. I noted the options for installing software using soft links to other locations. Was that the preferred method when installing additional software? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Cheers Peter Allan

4 years, 7 months

6
14
0 0

Tektronix XpressWare 8.1

by spectre＠floodgap.com

Bitsavers has 6.3 (thank you Al) but I'm trying to push my luck and find 8.1 for this XP421CH Xterm. Anyone know of where it can be found? -- ------------------------------------ personal: http://www.cameronkaiser.com/ -- Cameron Kaiser * Floodgap Systems * www.floodgap.com * ckaiser at floodgap.com -- FOOLS! I WILL DESTROY YOU ALL! ASK ME HOW! -- "Girl Genius" 8/29/07 --------

4 years, 7 months

2
1
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Replicating IBM SLT/MST card interconnect

by stepleton＠gmail.com

Hi cctalk, I'm looking to replicate the 24-contact connector system that IBM used on SLT and MST cards for many years. Has anyone done this before? The best photos of this connector that I can find online are on this page: http://techandtrouble.blogspot.com/2014/04/happy-50th-system360-pt5-anatomy… I haven't searched Bitsavers documentation extensively for IBM specifications, but I've seen some details around page 54 of this document: http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/ibm/logic/SY22-2798-2_LogicBlocks_AutomatedLog… I'm interested in reproducing both polarities of this connector: plug and socket. Also, even though the most familiar use of this connector is for board-to-board interconnect, I'm most interested in wire-to-board interconnect. IBM used this method for DC power connectors in its 5100, 5110, and 5120 computers. Here are images of this specific connector: http://stepleton.com/connector/ taken as still images from a YouTube video on the IBM 5120 by Jerry Walker ( https://www.youtube.com/c/JerryWalker-JMPrecision/videos). I've designed and built a device that monitors DC power supply voltages for overvoltage and undervoltage excursions and cuts off all power rails if any voltage goes out of spec. I hope to use it to protect my own IBM 5100 from major power supply faults like the one CuriousMarc encountered with his 9825T: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-eN93L6yX8 In order to put my device between my 5100's power supply and the logic card backplane, I need to recreate a plug and a socket so that I can fashion a cable that goes out to my device. If anyone has created dependable modern versions of these connectors, would you mind sharing any pointers? Thanks for any help, --Tom

4 years, 7 months

1
1
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DEC UNIBUS and use of cassette

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Bill Degnan > Was there a UNIBUS storage system that used a cassette player as the > storage device .., rigged to send receive signals via a serial card > connection. Yes and no. There is the TA11 Magnetic Tape Cassette System, which used the TU60 Dual DECasette Transport (I need to create a page for that in the CHWiki), but it uses a special controller card, the TA11 Magnetic Tape Cassette controller: https://gunkies.org/wiki/TA11_Magnetic_Tape_Cassette_controller There is a small cheap tape system which used a stock serial interface to talk to the computer, the TU58, but those used DECtpe-II cartridges, not standard casettes. Noel

4 years, 7 months

5
4
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DEC ME11 Memory Expansion on eBay

by steven＠malikoff.com

I just saw there is an ME11 Memory Expansion unit on eBay (not mine), stamped 'M11'. https://www.ebay.com/itm/114941479208 Until seeing this one I had not heard of any other units out there apart from the one I recovered (ex-BHP steelworks) a few years ago. Mine was connected by a flexprint cable to a rebadged PDP-11/15. If anyone here ends up with it, I have an OpenSCAD model of the Mazak bracket p/n 1211221 that holds the regular 5-1/4" DEC fascia panel onto the front of the H-909 cabinet this unit uses. This is the same cabinet as the slimline PDP-11/05 and to be honest when I found the ME11 that's what I thought it was, and that the console and CPU boards were missing. I then found the fascia panel with the original brackets close by, and it fitted exactly. I've printed a few from PET and they work as well as the originals (including the threaded hole), so I could do a few more for whoever gets the eBay one should they want them. I am slowly scanning the ME11 print set too as I've not found any online copy out there so far. Steve.

4 years, 7 months

3
3
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VENIX DISKS

by billdegnan＠gmail.com

Warner https://www.vintagecomputer.net/temp/venix/ ...contains photos of the disks I have relating to VENIX for the Rainbow. Bill

4 years, 7 months

1
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John Nash

by count.arthur.strong.666＠gmail.com

Hi all! The book about John Nash ("Beautiful Mind'")[1] mentioned that he wrote computer programs: "Edward G. Nilges, a programmer who worked in Princeton University?s computer center from 1987 to 1992, recalled that Nash ?acted frightened and silent? at first. In Nilges?s last year or two in Princeton, however, Nash was asking him questions about the Internet and about programs he was working on. Nilges was impressed: ?Nash?s computer programs were startlingly elegant.?" Has anybody seen them? Are they available somewhere for downloading? Wondering... [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Beautiful_Mind_(book)

4 years, 7 months

1
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Ian Hirschsohn - DISSPLA, Superset Inc. and sad news

by jfoust＠threedee.com

At 12:56 AM 7/31/2021, Randy Dawson via cctalk wrote: >As some here know, I collect some dusty deck fortran graphics. We have MOVIE.BYU up and running! (Thanks Douglas Taylor and Emanuel Steibler). Once I was in the business of making 3D file format translators, and I still have code that runs under Windows that can read and write Movie.BYU format. - John

4 years, 7 months

2
1
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DEC UNIBUS and use of cassette

by billdegnan＠gmail.com

Was there a UNIBUS storage system that used a cassette player as the storage device (like an old Panasonic or RadioShack cassette player), rigged to send receive signals via a serial card connection. I.e. the system would have one serial card for the terminal and another serial card on a different port for the cassette player? It might have to load as if it was a high-speed papertape but it in theory would work. Bill

4 years, 7 months

1
0
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ISO: DEC H317-B (DH11) bulkhead panel

by derschjo＠gmail.com

Hi all -- Recently picked up a DH11-AD and now I just need to track down an appropriate bulkhead panel to go with it. Originally this would have been the H317-B, I'm not sure if there were others that are directly compatible, but if anyone has one lying around drop me a line! Thanks! - Josh

4 years, 7 months

1
0
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Multiprocessor Qbus PDP-11

by Flash688＠flying-disk.com

Charles Dickman <chd at chdickman.com> wrote: > There are indications in the KDJ11-B processor spec on bitsavers that > the M8190 could be used in a multiprocessor configuration. For > example, bit 10 of the Maintenance Register (17 777 750) is labeled > "Multiprocessor Slave" and indicates that the bus arbitrator is > disabled. There is also section 6.6, "Cache Multi-Processor Hooks", > that describes cache features that allow multiprocessor operation. > >Would it be as simple as connecting to 11/83 qbus together? And adding > the proper software. > > Anybody ever heard of such a thing? Such a system was put together and tested at DEC with the RSX group (who did the PDP-11/74 multiprocessor work). I'm told that while it worked, it wasn't terrible successful, and the project was abandoned. I was given a gift of one of the CPU modules that was used in the test and I might still have it around here. I can't recall for certain, but I think the module required some ECOs to make it work in a multi-processor configuration. The person to ask about this, Brian McCarthy, is unfortunately no longer with us. :-( Alan Frisbie

4 years, 7 months

3
2
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Ultrix-11

by dj.taylor4＠comcast.net

I ran into a YouTube video, that it is 5 years old, titled "Ultrix-11 3.1 on an emulated PDP-11/73" and I found it very interesting. It shows installation of Ultrix-11 under SIMH.? The fellow steps through the installation process and appears to be quite knowable. I wanted to replicate it but couldn't locate the *.tap file used in the video that was an image of the bootable TK50 distribution. Bitsavers and tuhs.org have Ultrix-11 files, but not the bootable tape image. Anyone know where the tape image is located? Doug

4 years, 7 months

13
29
0 0

CDC drive needs a home! (FTGH!)

by geneb＠deltasoft.com

I have a CDC 9427H drive ( https://i.imgur.com/Wn87MRb.jpg ) that is absolutely desparate for a new home. It's quite likely over 80lbs, so shipping would be problematic. I'm in Graham, WA. It's free, it's lonely, and it's desparate for your gentle touch. Please won't you think of the disk drives? g. -- Proud owner of F-15C 80-0007 http://www.f15sim.com - The only one of its kind. http://www.diy-cockpits.org/coll - Go Collimated or Go Home. Some people collect things for a hobby. Geeks collect hobbies. ScarletDME - The red hot Data Management Environment A Multi-Value database for the masses, not the classes. http://scarlet.deltasoft.com - Get it _today_!

4 years, 7 months

4
6
0 0

Linearizing PDF scans

by jdbryan＠acm.org

Is it still useful to linearize PDFs? I've been scanning and PDFing manuals for 16 years, and I've been linearizing them regularly. My understanding is that this made them accessible on a page-by-page basis in Web browsers without requiring a complete file download first. But given the increase in typical bandwidth in 16 years, I wonder if this is still useful. It is an extra step, and it does make the files somewhat larger. Recommendations? Does linearizing confer any advantage locally once the entire file is downloaded? Thanks. -- Dave

4 years, 7 months

9
13
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Lecture: The Whirlwind I, 2021-08-14, 19:00

by stueberahoo＠yahoo.de

Hi all, you're invited to the Update computer club[0] public lecture series "Updateringar"[1]! When: 2021-08-14, 19:00 CEST Where: https://bbb.cryptoparty.se/b/upd-0mo-m2u-aq8 The Whirlwind I The Whirlwind was a computer of the first generation built at the servomechanisms lab at MIT. It was the first computer designed to be a highly reliable part of a system, and to be controlled in real time, rather than be a programmable calculator for scientific research. Its interactive nature directly started a tradition of computer engineering at MIT which includes the TX-0, TX-2 and DEC's PDP line of minicomputers. Its role in a simulated air defense system led to the development of the AN/FSQ-7 computer, the center piece of the SAGE system. In my talk I will give the historical context in which Whirlwind was designed and built, explain its architecture and block diagrams, go into how it was built and how it evolved over its lifetime, and of course show some simple demos in my emulator. Those who want to stick around for a bit longer are encouraged to join me in a little hands-on hacking session where we look at some original code, but also write our own to get a feeling for what programming the Whirlwind is like. Angelo Papenhoff (Humboldt University of Berlin) The lecture is free and open to everyone. Upcoming: 2021-09-11, 19:00: The evolution of TECO and EMACS ? hands-on demo. Lars Brinkhoff (ICtech) Hope to see you there, Anke [0] http://www.update.uu.se/index_eng.html [1] https://www.update.uu.se/wiki/doku.php/projekt:updateringar

4 years, 7 months

2
1
0 0

Linearizing PDF scans

by jdbryan＠acm.org

On Monday, August 16, 2021 at 14:20, Wayne Sudol wrote: > Out of curiosity, is there a reason you do not use Acrobat for > creating pdfs? Primarily because I have not purchased a license for Acrobat. Also, when I started scanning manuals ten years ago, Al Kossow recommended tumble, which worked well. And with source available, I've been able to extend it to give me finer control over some aspects of PDF production. -- Dave

4 years, 7 months

3
2
0 0

Linearizing PDF scans

by lproven＠gmail.com

On Mon, 16 Aug 2021 at 23:21, Wayne Sudol via cctech <cctech at classiccmp.org> wrote: > > Out of curiosity, is there a reason you do not use Acrobat for creating > pdfs? I have been making PDFs for at least 20 years now, probably more. AFAIK I have _never_ used Acrobat to create them. I print from LibreOffice to its PDF generator, or I use any random Mac OS X app as under that OS all apps can output PDF -- PDF is the native rendering format of Mac OS X. I do not normally use Windows but I believe that most modern Win10 apps can save as PDF. I mostly use Linux and there is no Acrobat for Linux. The reader app was discontinued years ago and no longer works on most modern distros. With considerable effort I have managed to start it inside a Docker container but it's complex and difficult; normally I just use Xviewer or Okular. You ask as if Acrobat were the normal or default way to make PDF files. I don't think that's been true for decades now. P.S. Please bottom-post on mailing lists. Thunderbird, for instance, runs on all major OSes and talks to Hotmail/Outlook.com just fine. -- Liam Proven ? Profile: https://about.me/liamproven Email: lproven at cix.co.uk ? gMail/gTalk/gHangouts: lproven at gmail.com Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn/Flickr: lproven ? Skype: liamproven UK: +44 7939-087884 ? ?R (+ WhatsApp/Telegram/Signal): +420 702 829 053

4 years, 7 months

1
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Kennett Classic Computing Event Sept 25th

by billdegnan＠gmail.com

Tickets and News Here: https://www.kennettclassic.com/2nd-annual-kennett-classic-announced/ Located across the street from Kennett Classic's museum at the Garage Community Center in downtown Kennett Square, PA (btwn Philadelphia and Baltimore). Classic Computing Workshop Hack-a-thon If a day of vintage computer hacking sounds like fun, register to claim a workspace for your vintage computing project. The Kennett Square area has a lot of new hobbyists that would really benefit from the tutelage of experienced CCTalk members interested in sharing their knowledge. Exhibitors Show Their Stuff Exhibitors wanted! This is your chance to show off your favorite restoration project or your prized retro computer to the public. We have had many visitors to Kennett Classic this year who expressed interest in attending this event and are eager to experience how antique computers once operated. An Evening of Chiptunes and Computer Music This year for Kennett Classic?s evening entertainment we have three talented chiptune / waveform synthesizer music performers/bands. Thanks for your support of this event. Bill Degnan vintagecomputer.net kennettclassic.com

4 years, 7 months

1
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