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

by rigdonj＠intellistar.net

Bill Gates dies and is at the pearly gates talking with Saint Peter. Saint Peter says, "Bill, you've done some wonderful things in your life and have earned the right to choose where you'll spend the rest of eternity. You can choose between Heaven or Hell, but choose wisely." Bill looks over Saint Peter's shoulder between the pearly gates and sees nothing but a lush green meadow. Deciding to heed Saint Peter's words, Bill asks if he could take a look at Hell. Saint Peter agrees and sends Bill to Hell. The Devil greets Bill at the gates of Hell and he is immediately taken aback. Much to his surprise, there's one heck of a party going on. People are dancing, the alcohol is flowing, music is non-stop and everyone is having a blast. Bill returns to Heaven to again discuss his decision with Saint Peter. He again looks over Saint Peter's shoulder and sees only a lush green meadow. Bill says to Saint Peter, "I've put a lot of thought into this decision and it may sound foolish, but I'd like to spend the rest of eternity in Hell." Saint Peter fulfills Bill's request and returns him to Hell. When Bill gets back to Hell there's been a big change. People are writhing in agony, flames are burning, moans of pain and despair are everywhere. Bill, being quite shocked at the sight asks the Devil, "What happened?? I was just down here a little while ago and everyone was having a great time!" The Devil says, "Oh that... That was just the demo!"

26 years, 7 months

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20mA cabling questions

by truthanl＠oclc.org

Ethan, The 20 ma current loop is not always 12 Volt loops - its 20 ma Loops. I have the IBM tech ref for the IBM PC Asynch Port which shows one Cuurent Loop interface implemented on 25 pin D-shell pins 9,11, 18 & 25. (Only when an option jumper block selects current loop.) For Xmit they have 8250 (ttl) S-OUT buffered through an LS125. The LS125 output "fans out" feeding both the RS-232 driver as well as three 7406 inverters in parallel for "ample" 20ma drive. In series beyond the three || 7406 inverters is a 100 ohm resistor routed to pin 11 labelled " - xmit CL out". Pin 9 labelled "+ xmit CL ret" is pulled high to 5V through a 49.9 Ohm resistor. For RX they show an opto coupler, a 20 ma diode anode tied to pin 18 labelled "+ RCV CL data. Its cathode is tied to pin 25, labelled "-RCV CL ret". The switching transistor of the opto coupler drives the input (Low)on an LS04 inverter which is routed through jumper selection to "serial in" (SIN)on the 8250. So you need to determine if your third CL pair drives, or reads, the "reader" relays. Each pair is either a source or a sink for current. Another good source for reference on computer controls interfacing is a Burr- Brown publication called "The Handbook of Personal Computer Instrumentation" I have a spare Fourth edition Published in 1989. Stop by OCLC and pick it up. Sincerely Larry Truthan -----Original Message----- From: Ethan Dicks [mailto:ethan_dicks@yahoo.com] Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 1999 2:03 AM To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers Subject: 20mA cabling questions The PDP-8/L restoration continues. I have two devices to attach to my -8/L for testing - a VT220 (all have 20mA current-loop connectors) and an ASR-33. One problem: the connector on the VT220 is female and the cable coming from the ASR-33 is male. While this might not seem like a problem, it becomes one when I have to use either device from the same W076 card. Many years ago, I rigged up a working *male* cable from a W076 card for use with this VT220. It still works. I have a quick-n-dirty Switch Register->TTY test program and can emit all sorts of ASCII characters for testing. When I stick a different W076 card in the -8/L, one with a female connector, within the limitations of this particular ASR-33, all is well (the type cylinder doesn't always retract all the way, nor does the hammer always return to the proper position, but I currently suspect that the replacement rubber pad I have attached to the lever arm/hammer does not have the correct resiliency). So... my first goal is to come up with some cables that will solve my W076 problem. Is there a good 20mA primer out there? I have a basic understanding that it's all based on 12VDC loops, send and receive take four wires, but there are six coming out of the W076 card... the extra two are reader-run relay signals, obviously not needed for a VT220, but very important for the ASR-33. A) Is there a color standard for the 20mA connector cabling? I have three W076 cards with three different arrangements. B) When I make a pin-one-to-pin-one male-to-male 20mA cable, it does *not* work with the female-equipped W076 and the VT220. A few moments with a DVM show that the arrangement of a W076 and my straight-through cable do not match the pinout of my long-ago-homemade W076-to-male connector that does work with the VT220. Is there a special wiring trick for male-to-male 20mA cables? C) Somewhere, I have a small box of 20mA cables that have, IIRC, four conductors. Presumably, these are for VT52s. I have no reason to expect that they won't work with the VT220, once I find them. I take it, then, that in the "old days", one never used an ASR-33 as a tape input device except on the console interface? I'm thinking of some of the ancient distribution panels for other DEC serial cards that had EIA (RS-232) _or_ current-loop connectors. Am I missing something? Right now, because my TTY print mechanism is acting up (must press down on the type cylinder between chars, and the line-feed mechanism sticks 20% of the time) I have been testing by inserting one W076 in the backplane for paper tape reads and the other W076 in the backplane for interactive testing. Obviously, this can't go on forever. I suppose I could rig up a *really* bizarre cable that sends the output to the VT220 and takes input from the TTY. Maybe I'll just work that angle. It would save on paper. I don't have much cause to punch stuff right now, and until I get the primary box working I won't even attempt to attach my outboard 8Kw to this CPU (the eventual goal of all of this is to set up for 8K-papertape-BASIC and play Star Trek. I have all the tapes to do this, but I do have to replace the floating-point tape that tore the last time I loaded it (a long, sliver of a tear, not a perpendicular, parting tear). I still know next to nothing about the pr/s01 except that it is *not* 110 baud. Another one of my ancient projects is to replace the M452 variable clock module with a home-made digital baudrate generator. I suppose I'd have to wire a switch on the backplane as well to select the M706/M707 from two stop bits to one when the baud rate was 150 or higher, but I have a prototype module and I have the COM 8116 clock chip and I have the proper crystal to drive it. What remains (besides sitting down and finally *making* it) is to decide if I want to build in the ability to drive transmit and receive at different rates as was common with VT52s. I could receive at 150 or 300 baud and transmit as fast as possible, perhaps 9600 (I'd have to look into the M706/M707 designs to even hazard a guess, but even 150/2400 is an improvement). The goal would be to be able to use the pr/s01 with a TTL -8. -ethan ===== Infinet has been sold. The domain is going away in February. Please send all replies to erd(a)iname.com __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. All in one place. Yahoo! Shopping: http://shopping.yahoo.com

26 years, 7 months

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serial console on VAXstation II/GPX? And backup question.

by eric＠brouhaha.com

I'm probably overlooking something terribly obvious, but is there some way to make a VAXstation II/GPX use the console SLU rather than the VCB02 graphics system, short of pulling the VCB02 cards? And if I do that, will VMS also use the SLU for the console? I'd like to make an image backup of the RD54 in the machine, since I need to wipe it to install NetBSD. Does anyone have any suggestions about the best way to go about that? AFAIK the TK50 drive in the machine probably works, and I do have some tapes. I could probably fumble my way through making some sort of backup, but then I wouldn't know how to restore it later. Or, if anyone has a spare RD54, then I wouldn't *need* to wipe the disk. :-) Thanks! Eric

26 years, 7 months

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Qbus slot ordering?

by CLASSICCMP＠trailing-edge.com

>Does anyone know if the CONFIGURE command in the VAX prom suggests slot >ordering in its output? No, it doesn't. The order of CSR's doesn't have any bearing with what cards go where in the backplane. The order of cards in the backplane will depend on interrupt and DMA priority. Generally, peripherals that *will* lose data if they can't get serviced in time get put closest to the CPU. Examples here are serial lines, etc. Next come peripherals that will have to do a retry if they don't get serviced in time, but they will be able to do a retry. Tape drives, for example, might come here. Finally come devices where there's no real penalty for a retry, and maybe the peripheral doesn't care at all if the CPU takes its own sweet time in dealing with it. Something like a real-time clock would come in this category. >I ask because I'm trying to configure my uVAX with an additional 4 serial >lines using either a DHV11 (get an extra 4) or a DZV11. In the former case >no matter how I type in the devices, it organizes the DHV11 as the last >thing on the bus. When I type use the DZV11 it puts it at the head of the >list (even ahead of the DELQA which seems unusual) What you're seeing there are the CSR autoconfigure rules in action. They're largely historical; the DZV11 is based on the DZ11, which is an "old-time" async multiplexer, and comes early in the autoconfigure rules. The DHV11 came many years later, and comes much later in the autoconfigure rules. If you're interested in knowing where the autoconfigure rules come from and how they're applied, take a look at Alan Frisbie's DECUS presentation at http://metalab.unc.edu/pub/academic/computer-science/history/pdp-11/hardwar… -- 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

26 years, 7 months

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argh, VAX DB-9 pinout?

by classiccmp＠mrynet.com

> >What is the pinout of the MicroVAX 9 pin console port and what is the > >"correct" jumpering to wire it into a 9 pin serial port on a PC? > > > >--Chuck > > > It's in the VMS FAQ. http://eisner.decus.org/vms/faq.htm > > The MicroVAX DB9 console connector pinout predates the PC-style DB9 pinout, > and uses a then-common (older) standard pinout, and uses the following > EIA-232-standard signals: > > 1.Protective Ground > 2.Transmited Data > 3.Received Data > 4.Request To Send (RTS) > 5.Data Terminal Ready (DTR) > 6.Data Set Ready (DSR) > 7.Signal Ground > 8.Shorted to pin 9 on MicroVAX and VAXstation 2000... > 9....series systems, otherwise left floating. > | Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator | FYI Chuck, my MV IIs are quite happy using only the transmit, receive and ground when connected directly to my PCs. This is simply: MV II PC 2 ----------- 2 3 ----------- 3 7 ----------- 7 Cheers, --skots --- Scott G. Akmentins-Taylor InterNet: staylor(a)mrynet.com MRY Systems staylor(a)mrynet.lv (Skots Gregorijs Akmentins-Teilors -- just call me "Skots") ----- Labak miris neka sarkans -----

26 years, 7 months

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argh, VAX DB-9 pinout?

by cmcmanis＠mcmanis.com

I know that someone (Tony?) has already sent this to the list but for the life of me I cannot find it anywhere. What is the pinout of the MicroVAX 9 pin console port and what is the "correct" jumpering to wire it into a 9 pin serial port on a PC? --Chuck

26 years, 7 months

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DTC 520A - SASI or SCSI?

by edick＠idcomm.com

I'm currently the victim of severe abuse from the significant other . . . she's insisted I put my toys away . . . In the process, I just an hour or so ago had the manual for this controller series in my hands. Having looked at both the manuals, 510 and 520, I find mention of neither SASI nor SCSI. The signal definition seems to track SCSI except for pin 42 which they call TDN, which is a new one on me. The manual doesn't seem to define this signal. Maybe its TBD??? The board supports parity, which, IIRC, SASI didn't. It supports both floppy and hard disks of the 5-1/4" flavor, with MFM on the HD and either FM or MFM on the floppy. It's late and I'm too pooped to sit down and scan the approximately 25 pages of manual for you, particularly since the PC with the scanner is in pieces for transit to the basement. I'll see about getting it scanned in the next few days, but keep in mind it's a really poor Xerox copy, some lines of text in several places being completely illegible. The fact that I have these manuals suggests that DTC was a major competitor in the bridge-controller market, else I'd have probably ignored them. For the last couple of weeks I've been kicking the SCSI vs. SASI thing around with Don Maslin and Allison Parent in the Ampro Little Board context, and, as Allison clearly pointed out to me, the SCSI drivers Ampro provided seems to operate a few of the garden-variety SASI controllers just fine. I'd conclude from my observations in going through AMPRO's code and from Allison's comments, that the hardware differences are probably irrelevant in the early-'80's context. Some controllers have a software reset, but not all, and since you have to option of doing a hardware reset, I guess that won't be missed. They didn't have a standard "common command set" back then, so you'll have to commune with your muse to devise a driver. I have had absolutely no luck with the various ADAPTEC, OMTI, and XEBEC bridges I have in conjunction with a PC-based controller. Other things I've found in the current spelunking expedition: Tarbell S-100 FDC (1771) manual XCOMP manual for ST-R bridge controller to HDD CompuPro Econoram SRAM Board manual (model??? ... 16K of 2147's) CDC 6000-series Assembler (COMPASS) manuals for SCOPE OS. Visual 200 Manual Visual 50 manual more Intel ISIS-II and IRMX manuals Pascal-Z v4.0 manual Dick -----Original Message----- From: Ethan Dicks <ethan_dicks(a)yahoo.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Wednesday, December 15, 1999 12:32 AM Subject: DTC 520A - SASI or SCSI? > >Going through a box of disk interface cards, I ran across a couple of these >DTC 520As. Cursory examination shows a 50-pin connector (J4) with two >termination resistors (220/330), two 20-pin connectors (J2, J3) which are >presumably analog data for two ST506 drives and two 34-pin connectors (J1 >and J9). I would expect that J1 is the control cable that goes with J2 and >J3. I suspect that J9 is for floppies. The major chips are two 8255s, one >8085, one DTC-037, one NEC D765, one FDC-043, one DTC MSA 2827G, an AMD P8353, >and an AMD AM9517. There are several chips with the numbers covered by type- >written numbers, PALs and ROMs, no doubt. > >There are 8 LEDs in a row by the power connector and an 8-position DIP switch. > >>From the date codes, it appears to have been made near the end of 1983. > >Can anyone shed any additional light on this device? Knowing what this was >expecting to hook up to and how to set the DIP switches would be a great help. > >Many thanks, > >-ethan > > > >===== >Infinet has been sold. The domain is going away in February. >Please send all replies to > > erd(a)iname.com >__________________________________________________ >Do You Yahoo!? >Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. All in one place. >Yahoo! Shopping: http://shopping.yahoo.com

26 years, 7 months

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serial console on VAXstation II/GPX? And backup question.

by ethan_dicks＠yahoo.com

--- healyzh(a)aracnet.com wrote: > As for spare RD54's, don't most of us wish! Those I have. > It's easier to find ESDI controllers and largish ESDI drives. Speak for yourself. I'd gladly trade an RD54 for a Qbus ESDI controller. I have plenty of drives in the 300-700Mb range (scavenged from ancient Sun systems), but nothing to talk to them for either Qbus _or_ Unibus. -ethan ===== Infinet has been sold. The domain is going away in February. Please send all replies to erd(a)iname.com __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. All in one place. Yahoo! Shopping: http://shopping.yahoo.com

26 years, 7 months

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Hewlett Packard 3265 question

by SeaMasterZ＠aol.com

Hi I realize this is for older computers but I have a question concerning a newer computer ... I have a HP Pavilion with win 95 and a "suspend" feature ... the computer is very sensitive to mouse movement, which "wakes the computer up" ... is there a way to have the Suspend feature be interrupted only by a keyboard entry, basically turning the mouse movement feature off? I don't want to abuse the list, but this is really a pain, sometimes I find myself away for a while inadvertently, and the computer is grinding away ... also, should an idle computer have massive amounts of drive activity? I have powertools for AOL and AOL on, and the drive can suddenly spend 5 minutes grinding away, no apparent reason ... system resources drop into the 30's and 20's which make me wonder about a virus but Dr Solomon came up clean. Thanks for any info Ray Cook SeaMasterZ(a)AOL.COM PS - Right now I have Microsoft Word, Netscape AOL and Powertools open, and the system resources are at 26% ... with 64 MB of SDRAM, is this normal?

26 years, 7 months

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IBM 4216-020 printers?

by mrbill＠mrbill.net

Anybody know anything about these? I just picked up six of them for $25 , with two fuser units and no toner carts, and a "4216 Personal Pageprinter Technical Reference". Five of the printers have a strange 15-pin D-sub connector that resembles an AUI or PC joystick port, with a set of DIP switches beside it. The sixth has normal serial/parallel interface connectors. None of these printers have ever been used; some are still in the original plastic "bag" wrappings. They date from around 1988. My question is - whats the strange 15-pin interface, and do I have any chance of hooking it to a PC or similar machine ? I got these so cheap because the guy who had them was going to toss them, and I hate to see stuff get tossed. Hopefully they'll turn into something useful. Thanks. Bill -- Bill Bradford * mrbill(a)mrbill.net / http://www.mrbill.net mrbill(a)sunhelp.org / http://www.sunhelp.org --------------------------------------------------------------------- "Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to using Windows NT for mission-critical applications." -- What Yoda *meant* to say

26 years, 7 months

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Nova Rescue/Prime 2550

by steverob＠hotoffice.com

On Saturday, December 11, 1999 8:51 PM, Chris Kennedy [SMTP:chris@mainecoon.com] wrote: > I'm pleased to report that thanks to the efforts of Marvin, > three DG Nova fours, two expansion chassis, three disks > (including two DG SMD drives) and three tape drives were > saved from heading to scrapsville. Details (and a few photos) > can be found at http://www.mainecoon.com/rescue.html. > > There's also a bit about the Pr1me 2550 I purchased from > John as well... :-) > > best, > Chris > > -- > Chris Kennedy > chris(a)mainecoon.com > http://www.mainecoon.com > PGP fingerprint: 4E99 10B6 7253 B048 6685 6CBC 55E1 20A3 108D AB97 Chris, I have a complete set of DOCS for the 2550 (most still in the shrink wrap). If you need them, we might be able to strike a deal... Steve Robertson - <steverob(a)hotoffice.com>

26 years, 7 months

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wtb - ptc software for xmas...

by Mike-Noel＠GCI.net

My wife and daughter would like to get me "a software" for my "retrocomputer" this Christmas. I've a SOL-20 and would be interested in any of these PTC offerings: - Software Package #1 - Software Package #2 (aka Basic 5) - ALS-8 - Trek 80 - Gamepack #1 Obviously best on original cassette with original doc, but copies OK. If you have any of the above and would sell please contact my wife at Maria_Moya(a)legis.state.ak.us. Thanks...

26 years, 7 months

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Hewlett Packard 3265 question

by SeaMasterZ＠aol.com

Thanks for your reply, I am incredibly computer illiterate but am taking steps to remedy that, once finals are over I can focus on the puter more fully; try to get an understanding components involved. Ill look into the BIOS settings, I assume that they are user friendly on this machine. If not, I could always use another doorstop ... Ray

26 years, 7 months

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Hewlett Packard 3265 question

by SeaMasterZ＠aol.com

thanks for your reply, the puter is basically a good one, I feel that it must have some sort of a virus in it, there 2 AVI files called Mm2048 and Mm256 that are in my history and cookies and cache files, a few other files too, and cannot be deleted ... now, call me paranoid, but an 8k AVI file that cant be played is suspicious to me ... especially when Mm is 2000 in Roman-speak ... so this thing may transform itself into a very pricey doorstop soon, I guess Ill turn the date back to 1995 and hope that there aren't any incoming time stamps that set the date ... the atomic clock timesetters adjust the date too, so they are out. Anyway, thanks again, one of these days Ill know what I am doing with these things. RC

26 years, 7 months

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Warehouse cleaning - location of DEC and other stuff

by Innfogra＠aol.com

The warehouse is located in Portland, Oregon, USA. We have experience in shipping anything anywhere, computer related that is. I have shipped drives, peripherals and even mainframes all over the US. We have shipped containers overseas. The US Postal Service Global Priority Mail works well for small stuff under 2 Kg and costs about $10 US. I have also shipped equipment overseas by USPS Air Mail but it is more expensive. Sorry for not including my location. Paxton Hoag

26 years, 7 months

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Switch settings on a DZV11? (M3106)

by cmcmanis＠mcmanis.com

Does anyone have the switch settings for the DZV11? I need to set up the CSR and interrupt vector on one. --Chuck

26 years, 7 months

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Warehouse cleaning - DEC and other stuff available

by Innfogra＠aol.com

I am helping a friend clean his warehouse. Following is stuff of interest that is available for sale. I am giving the list first chance before it gets offered on epay or parted out. Since mail gets lost in the many postings on the list please reply to me at whoagiii(a)aol.com. Sun 411 SCSI-2 tape drive. Three Hitachi CDR-1750s SCSI CD-ROM in external cases. There is a pair of Micro Vax IIs. 1) BA23 rack mount DH 630 Q2 -D2 wi M7606 AF(CPU), 2X M7609 AH(8 meg ram), M3104(DHV11), M7516 and a M7546 (TK50), no hard drive. Rough condition as-is 2) BA 123 - 630 QB-A2 wi M7606 H2(CPU), M7608 B2(RAM), M9047, M7504A(DEQNA), M3104 CL(DHV11), M7555 D1(RQDX3), M7546 F1(TK50), M7651(DRV11) anda Sigma ESDI controller (RQD11 DC). I think there is a clearpoint memory card too.There are 2 RD53s and one Maxtor 4380 380 meg ESDI drive. As-is There are a pair of BA-350s with TZ 87 DLT III tape drives. One sports an "n" behind the TX 87. There are a pair of R400Xs each with a TF 85 DLT tape drive. One has 4 RF31 disk drives and the other had 3 RF31 drives. They each have a M7493 I/O card. Two KY11C console switch panels. A VXT 2000+ (VX20A-EA) Vaxstation wi 18 meg Ram and 4 meg 8 plane low res graphics. TK 50Z GA in an external case, SCSI? Infoserver 150 DEC Cards - more will show up later A005 Relays A007 M6850 Flip flop out M8265 CPU M8266 CPU M8090 ICS Controller M7228 KW11P Real time clock W7430 16 bit solid state contact If anyone is interested please contact me at whoagiii(a)aol.com

26 years, 7 months

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Mini-history of '@'

by jfoust＠threedee.com

================================================================ BOB METCALFE: "From the Ether" InfoWorld.com December 14, 1999 ================================================================ OPEN-SOURCE SENDMAIL WELCOMES ITS COMMERCIAL COUSIN, SENDMAIL INC. LET'S START this week with some "open source" operating systems history. This will bring us from last week's letter of the week, lambda, to this week's, atsign (@). Then let's check on how open-source sendmail software, which uses atsign, is being leveraged by modern capitalists at Sendmail Inc. Now look, we had open-source computer operating systems in the 1970s. They included MIT's Multics, MIT's Incompatible Timesharing System (ITS), Bolt Beranek and Newman's Tenex, and AT&T's Unix. For example, we ran Tenex at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center on our two clones of Digital Equipment Corporation PDP-10 minicomputers. But when minicomputers took off in the 1980s, it wasn't Multics, ITS, Tenex, or Unix that won out by freely proliferating their sources. Modern capitalists at Digital won in minicomputers by selling binaries of their proprietary VMS operating system, developed by the same David Cutler soon to deliver binaries of Windows 2000 from Microsoft. If you're an old programmer, you probably used atsign (@) back then to indicate indirect addressing in assembly languages. You wrote @1234 to tell your computer not to use 1234 as an operand address, but rather to use the address found in location 1234. I wrote a lot of PDP-10 atsigns in my day, and so did one Ray Tomlinson, who was working with Tenex in 1970 on early versions of Internet host software. Tomlinson wrote the Tenex software that composed, delivered, and read the first Internet e-mail. He doesn't remember what the first e-mail said, but we all remember what ASCII character Tomlinson chose to separate his e-mail address from the name of the server where his mailbox was kept. He chose atsign (@). Ray@BBN meant Ray at BBN. Over the next decade, name and mail protocols changed, but atsign persisted. And one Eric Allman led the development of sendmail, to this day the Internet's primary (75 percent) mail server software. [...] MORE METCALFE For a complete archive of his InfoWorld columns visit http://www.infoworld.com/opinions/morefromtheether.html

26 years, 7 months

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Qbus slot ordering?

by cmcmanis＠mcmanis.com

Does anyone know if the CONFIGURE command in the VAX prom suggests slot ordering in its output? I ask because I'm trying to configure my uVAX with an additional 4 serial lines using either a DHV11 (get an extra 4) or a DZV11. In the former case no matter how I type in the devices, it organizes the DHV11 as the last thing on the bus. When I type use the DZV11 it puts it at the head of the list (even ahead of the DELQA which seems unusual) --Chuck

26 years, 7 months

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8" drives and Compaticard / Uniform

by edick＠idcomm.com

If the situation with the TANDON slimlines is any hint at this I'd say it will only confuse one to look at the '801 spec to decide how to jumper an ;860. I'm milling around in the basement today, and will probably find the SHUGART spec's I have, including the jumpeing info for the ;860. It's just a matter of time. I have to find a place to put the stuff I've brought upstairs . . . <sigh> . . . so my significant other can put up holiday decorations. I was raised by the Grinch himself and will probably never learn to enjoy Christmas except (MAYBE) for the period between Dec 24 and Jan12 (Epiphany) which was, in my one-time homeland, Germany, the traditional extent of that particular celebration. I'd vote for anihilation of any person place or thing making even an oblique reference to that celebration outside the time windown in which it belongs. I'm usually holiday'ed out by the tenth of November . . . Dick -----Original Message----- From: John Foust <jfoust(a)threedee.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Tuesday, December 14, 1999 9:47 AM Subject: Re: 8" drives and Compaticard / Uniform >At 09:36 PM 12/13/99 -0800, Don Maslin wrote: >>On Mon, 13 Dec 1999, Bob Stek wrote: >>> Dick (or anyone else) - >>> >>> Would you have the jumper settings (default positions, definitions, etc.) >>> for a Shugart 860? DS0-3 I can figure out. But the rest... > ><http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~itda/frames.html> has an online PDF >version of the Shugart 801 manual, if that might help... > >- John >

26 years, 7 months

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8" drives and Compaticard / Uniform

by edick＠idcomm.com

Aside from removing one of the 8" drives from the daisy-chain, the only thing I can recommend is to look very carefully at the way in which each signal is used on the cable. My own recollection of the cabling details as applicable to 8" drives is that the Compaticard really doesn't want you to have more than one of them. That, in fact, is the reason why I owned one for ten years and didn't use it. If you look at the combination of signals used on the CompatiCard and then look at how the various drive types will interpret them, that should help you to understand how the card is selecting the "wrong" drive. As far as jumpering your drives, I'd suggest you use the most restrictive set of qualifiers that you can come up with, in order to avoid ambiguous selects. The PC software is geared to using the signals on the cable in a "strange" way due to the cute fix they (IBM) thought up for their internaly twisted cable. IIRC, the cable was twisted such that each drive will see the "motor on" signal as DS1 (based on numbering from 0) . The '860's have a "motor-on" signal as well, though it shouldn't be used as it is in the PC-style environment. The drives need to be set up such that their activity LED only comes on when the drive is selected AND ready. That way, you will have an external indicator that the READY signal is valid on the cable. The PC doesn't use this as a ready, since some mini-drives don't generate it correctly, but it may help you to see what's actually going on. I don't suggest that you change the jumpering on the 5-1/4 or 3-1/2" drives because they tend to vary too much. If they work, that's enough to contend with for now. Dick -----Original Message----- From: Bob Stek <bobstek(a)ix.netcom.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Tuesday, December 14, 1999 4:28 AM Subject: RE: 8" drives and Compaticard / Uniform >-----Original Message----- >From: CLASSICCMP-owner(a)u.washington.edu >[mailto:CLASSICCMP-owner@u.washington.edu]On Behalf Of Don Maslin >Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 1999 12:37 AM >To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers >Subject: Re: 8" drives and Compaticard / Uniform > >Bob, UniForm will only permit you to identify/select a single copy of >each type drive - that is 350k, 1.2mb, 3.5" (either 720k or 1.44mb) and >8". I assume that you used Uinstall to make that identification. About >the only way that I can think of that you could slip in a second 8" >drive would be to identify it as a 1.2mb drive - assuming that you do >not have one. > >I might note that 22Disk will permit you to use both 8" drives. > > - don > >The problem isn't that I want two CP/M drives. It is that I can't access >even one! The Compaticard seems to have no problem attaching the two 8"-ers >as MS-DOS drives; I can access them as drives D: and E: just fine. When I >run Uniform and choose an 8" CP/M format, it tells me that drive F: is now >my CP/M drive. If I then do a DIR of F:, my drive B: activity light comes >on and gives me an error message. Even though I have the Compaticard >jumpered as the quartiary controller (I/O ports 3e0-3e7) Uniform accesses >drive #2 on the primary controller as drive F: > >I suppose that I can disable the second 8" drive and see what happens. I >will try 22disk as well (although that's only to be pragmatic - I want to >know why the @#%$@#^& thing is acting the way it does!) > > >Bob Stek >bobstek(a)ix.netcom.com >Saver of Lost SOLs >

26 years, 7 months

1
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Osborne Vixen Hard Drive (fwd)

by donm＠cts.com

Anyone interested reply direct to originator, please. - don ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Mon, 13 Dec 1999 19:39:14 -0600 From: kathy sbell <robkathy1(a)juno.com> To: donm(a)cts.com Subject: Osborne Vixen Hard Drive Anyone interested in a Trantor Westwind Hard Disk made exclusively for the Osborne Vixen CP/M computer??? Plus lots of CP/M software available! Will take best offer! e-mail today to robkathy1(a)juno.com. -Robert ___________________________________________________________________ Why pay more to get Web access? Try Juno for FREE -- then it's just $9.95/month if you act NOW! Get your free software today: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

26 years, 7 months

1
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Info on Canadian S-100 Computer

by donm＠cts.com

I have an inquiry from a chap who purchased an Exceltronics S-100 kit, a Canadian make, in about 1982. He still has the machine and would like to resurrect it, but has lost the system disk over the years. Does anyone have any information on this critter or, better yet, a system disk for it? Thanks. - don

26 years, 7 months

2
2
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Comparison of system specs. - how far have we developed?

by jhfine＠idirect.com

>Drew Amery wrote: > I had to reboot my 11/73 RT-11 system yesterday due to a brown out. > While it was booting I starting enter some appointments in my PalmV > and realized that I what I had in my hand had more memory, 2Meg > for the Palm compared to 256K for the DEC, and probably more > processing power. Just for fun, has or would someone compare > the processing powers of the Palm vs the DEC 11/23 thru 93 series. > > Challenge/Joke: > If you really want to impress your fellow pdp users and have absolutely > nothing > to do this holiday season, I challenge someone to port RT-11 to the Palm > handhelds. Jerome Fine replies: Which OS runs on the Palm handhelds? Possibly W95/W98 or even the old DOS/Win 3.1? I will take the challenge in that case. Care to bet how long it will take? Sincerely yours, Jerome Fine

26 years, 7 months

7
11
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FT: Portmaster IRX

by mrbill＠mrbill.net

I've got a Livingston Portmaster IRX terminal server / router for trade for something interesting of equal or lesser value ($150 or so) if anybody's interested... mail me for more details. -- Bill Bradford * mrbill(a)mrbill.net / http://www.mrbill.net mrbill(a)sunhelp.org / http://www.sunhelp.org --------------------------------------------------------------------- "Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to using Windows NT for mission-critical applications." -- What Yoda *meant* to say

26 years, 7 months

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8" drives and Compaticard / Uniform

by edick＠idcomm.com

Oh, I forgot one thing . . . I DO have the manual for the 860 series drives, but it's kind-of hard to get at for the holidays, since I'm being induced to put away my toys. Dick -----Original Message----- From: Bob Stek <bobstek(a)ix.netcom.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Monday, December 13, 1999 5:43 PM Subject: 8" drives and Compaticard / Uniform >Dick (or anyone else) - > >Would you have the jumper settings (default positions, definitions, etc.) >for a Shugart 860? DS0-3 I can figure out. But the rest... > >I have just added 2 8"ers to my AT via a Compaticard. I have them working >as MS-DOS drives D: and E: just fine, but when I use Uniform it always >accesses the 360K B: drive instead of the 8". I've got the Compaticard >manual, set up the board as the secondary, tertiary, and quartiary(?) >controller, tried EVERY combination of drive #'s (0-15), twisted and >straight cables, different cable combo's, different DS's on the drives, and >it STILL won't do anything but try to access the B: drive (when it accesses >anything at all) when I use Uniform to access the F:(CP/M) drive. I even >tried ASSIGNing the B: drive. > >So close but yet so far.... > >Bob Stek >bobstek(a)ix.netcom.com >Saver of Lost SOLs > >

26 years, 7 months

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8" drives and Compaticard / Uniform

by edick＠idcomm.com

I'm not as "into" the CompatiCard, which, by the way, I just recently sold for a pretty good price, as I might be, but I do recall that there was jumpering information in the manual. What you nave to do is figure out what the equivalent jumpering for an SA850 would have been. I don't think there was 850-specific information, but as I recall, the manual didn't suggest one could use more than one 8" drive, either. There's information on the MicroSolutions web site, as I'm told. Perhaps they can help you. regards, Dick -----Original Message----- From: Bob Stek <bobstek(a)ix.netcom.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Monday, December 13, 1999 5:43 PM Subject: 8" drives and Compaticard / Uniform >Dick (or anyone else) - > >Would you have the jumper settings (default positions, definitions, etc.) >for a Shugart 860? DS0-3 I can figure out. But the rest... > >I have just added 2 8"ers to my AT via a Compaticard. I have them working >as MS-DOS drives D: and E: just fine, but when I use Uniform it always >accesses the 360K B: drive instead of the 8". I've got the Compaticard >manual, set up the board as the secondary, tertiary, and quartiary(?) >controller, tried EVERY combination of drive #'s (0-15), twisted and >straight cables, different cable combo's, different DS's on the drives, and >it STILL won't do anything but try to access the B: drive (when it accesses >anything at all) when I use Uniform to access the F:(CP/M) drive. I even >tried ASSIGNing the B: drive. > >So close but yet so far.... > >Bob Stek >bobstek(a)ix.netcom.com >Saver of Lost SOLs > >

26 years, 7 months

1
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Hewlett Packard A2094 Monitor (Standard RGB ?)

by edick＠idcomm.com

Worse yet, they were rewarded! What was really crazy was that I could do all the stuff I needed done on my desktop PC, but the department madated that the HP system be used, which meant that although my design was complete and the boards sent out for wirewrap and returned, tested, etc, while the first-level simulations are still (well the project was cut short ...) in day-for-day slip (for over 10 years now) because HP's simulation model libraries used the same filenames, yet their content was mixed, i.e. different simulation timing resolutions, etc. They had no models for currrent generation (then) parts, so each component had to be ordered separately at HUGE cost. In the time it took the thing to simuate a single flip-flop, I could walk the considerable distance to my office, start up my PC-XT, ( I had to bring my own because the company preferred MAC's, for which no useful software existed) load the software and the files and run and subsequently print my simulation, and still had time to walk back to my diligently running $50K workstation and drink a cup of coffee waiting for it to finish the simulation. A typical simulation that took 20 seocnds on my PC-XT took 15-30 minutes on the HP, and that was only in the rare instance when everything worked. During the year that these guys made their trade study, they didn't consider machines from Mentor, Daisy, or Cadnetix, which were the three leaders in the industry at the time. In fact, neither of them had even heard of those three. Now, I think they should have been fired, not paid multiple tens of K-bucks in "performance awards" for this boondoggle. Dick -----Original Message----- From: Jeffrey l Kaneko <jeff.kaneko(a)juno.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Monday, December 13, 1999 1:37 PM Subject: Re: Hewlett Packard A2094 Monitor (Standard RGB ?) > > >On Mon, 13 Dec 1999 08:44:04 -0700 "Richard Erlacher" <edick(a)idcomm.com> >writes: >> "real" work. HP got into CAE in '88 when they bought Apollo, and >announced >> it was getting out in '91, leaving everyone who'd bought their >> hardware/software in the lurch. Meanwhile, Martin promoted and/or paid >> bonuses to the fools who had bought in to the previously unheard-of and >> inexperienced CAE/CAD vendor HP turned out to be. >> >> Dick > >So it *really* is true then: 'Nobody ever got fired for buying HP'. > > >Jeff > > >___________________________________________________________________ >Why pay more to get Web access? >Try Juno for FREE -- then it's just $9.95/month if you act NOW! >Get your free software today: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

26 years, 7 months

1
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PDP 11/23 Help

by mbg＠world.std.com

>START? DL0 worked great! Many thanks for the lended hand. Great... glad to help... Megan Gentry Former RT-11 Developer +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+ | Megan Gentry, EMT/B, PP-ASEL | Internet (work): gentry!zk3.dec.com | | Unix Support Engineering Group | (home): mbg!world.std.com | | Compaq Computer Corporation | addresses need '@' in place of '!' | | 110 Spitbrook Rd. ZK03-2/T43 | URL: http://world.std.com/~mbg/ | | Nashua, NH 03062 | "pdp-11 programmer - some assembler | | (603) 884 1055 | required." - mbg | +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+

26 years, 7 months

1
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Needed: VT100 card for IBM 3151

by mrbill＠mrbill.net

I've got a mint-condition (looks brand new) IBM 3151 amber terminal that I'm in need of the VT100/ANSI emulation card for, or I need to find someone who will swap me an equivalent dumb terminal that does VT100/ANSI for it... Thanks. Bill -- Bill Bradford * mrbill(a)mrbill.net / http://www.mrbill.net mrbill(a)sunhelp.org / http://www.sunhelp.org --------------------------------------------------------------------- "Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to using Windows NT for mission-critical applications." -- What Yoda *meant* to say

26 years, 7 months

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PDP 11/23 Help

by mfhoneycutt＠earthlink.net

START? DL0 worked great! Many thanks for the lended hand. -----Original Message----- From: Megan <mbg(a)world.std.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Monday, December 13, 1999 2:10 PM Subject: Re: PDP 11/23 Help > >>I just picked up a PDP 11/23 in excellent condition from an accountant >>that was going to dispose of it. It has two RL02 drives and 10 disk >>packs. My background in DEC stuff is only VMS, so I checked around and >>found some info on booting the machine, which I did successfully.. once. >>I was able to get a directory listing and type a few files. The system >>has RT-11 v4.00 with a runtime package in Dibol for general ledger, etc. >>I halted the machine and tried to restart it again, only this time it >>complains. > >Congrats on the acquisition... > >>The display I'm getting is.. >> >>TESTING MEMORY >>0124.KW >>START? Y >>000010 >>@ > >Sounds like either the boot board (if the CPU is an 11/23, it is >probably a BDV11, if an 11/23+, it has the BDV-style boot roms), or >the device interface. > >Since it is supposed to have RLs, try typing 'DL0' at the 'Start?' >prompt. If this doesn't work, then I would suspect the RLV >interface... > > Megan Gentry > Former RT-11 Developer > >+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+ >| Megan Gentry, EMT/B, PP-ASEL | Internet (work): gentry!zk3.dec.com | >| Unix Support Engineering Group | (home): mbg!world.std.com | >| Compaq Computer Corporation | addresses need '@' in place of '!' | >| 110 Spitbrook Rd. ZK03-2/T43 | URL: http://world.std.com/~mbg/ | >| Nashua, NH 03062 | "pdp-11 programmer - some assembler | >| (603) 884 1055 | required." - mbg | >+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+

26 years, 7 months

1
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Assembly docs for Zenith/Heathkit Z-150 PC compatible ??

by cfandt＠netsync.net

Upon the date 01:17 PM 12/13/99 -0600, Kevin L. Anderson said something like: >I have my original Zenith (ZDS) Z-150 computer, which was their >answer to the IBM 8088/86 PC. This was also offered as a kit >from Heathkit (as the H-150?) in the mid-1980s. > >My Z-150 currently won't start up, with lights stopping in the BIOS PROM >startup sequence. Does anyone have the equivalent Heathkit assembly >manual(s) and drawings for this system? Or are there similar systems >around that board swapping might be possible? Hi Kevin, I don't have technical manuals for the 150's like I do for my earlier 8-bit Heath machines (H-8 & H-89). Perhaps another listmember has one to refer to (Tony?). Chips were socketed on these machines so try carefully pressing them into their sockets in case there is an intermittent connection causing the problem. Place the board onto an antistatic bag upon a firm padded surface which will help you do this. What's the status of those lights (the LEDs on the CPU board)? Have an Operating Manual? I think I recall something about interpreting the LEDs in that book. I've got one somewhere up in the library. I've got a big heap of 150's down in the back garage which I am planning to: (A) Hammer together working systems and maybe sell for cheeeeep, (B) provide parts for folks like you, or (C) scrap that which is not desired/useable. Methinks (C) is the ultimate fate of most of the pile nowadays, (A) is somewhat folly, butcha never know ;-) Seems item (B) is just for you. Email me. I think there's at least 15 Z-150 boxen I've got -all from work when we moved up to 386/486 and later machines. Regards, Chris -- -- Christian Fandt, Electronic/Electrical Historian Jamestown, NY USA cfandt(a)netsync.net Member of Antique Wireless Association URL: http://www.antiquewireless.org/

26 years, 7 months

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Hewlett Packard A2094 Monitor (Standard RGB ?)

by jeff.kaneko＠juno.com

On Mon, 13 Dec 1999 08:44:04 -0700 "Richard Erlacher" <edick(a)idcomm.com> writes: > "real" work. HP got into CAE in '88 when they bought Apollo, and announced > it was getting out in '91, leaving everyone who'd bought their > hardware/software in the lurch. Meanwhile, Martin promoted and/or paid > bonuses to the fools who had bought in to the previously unheard-of and > inexperienced CAE/CAD vendor HP turned out to be. > > Dick So it *really* is true then: 'Nobody ever got fired for buying HP'. Jeff ___________________________________________________________________ Why pay more to get Web access? Try Juno for FREE -- then it's just $9.95/month if you act NOW! Get your free software today: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

26 years, 7 months

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(no subject)

by CLASSICCMP＠trailing-edge.com

>There was a lot of local interest in these machines back in about '78. = >California Digital, a sometime surplus vendor Still a reliable surplus vendor, incidentally: http://www.cadigital.com/ Perhaps the best-known NOS selection of 8" floppy drives anywhere in the world, as well as 8" media and cleaning kits. -- 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

26 years, 7 months

6
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PDP 11/23 Help

by mbg＠world.std.com

>The "halt" switch is set. This causes the system to pop into ODT rather >than to run programs. On the 11/23 there are _two_ halt switches, one on >the front of the box and one on the BDV11 boot/terminator board. I'm >guessing that you switched on, or the other, or both somehow. I would not suspect this since the system actually ran the ROM code far enough to prompt 'Start?'... If it were in the halt position, you wouldn't even get this much... Megan Gentry Former RT-11 Developer +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+ | Megan Gentry, EMT/B, PP-ASEL | Internet (work): gentry!zk3.dec.com | | Unix Support Engineering Group | (home): mbg!world.std.com | | Compaq Computer Corporation | addresses need '@' in place of '!' | | 110 Spitbrook Rd. ZK03-2/T43 | URL: http://world.std.com/~mbg/ | | Nashua, NH 03062 | "pdp-11 programmer - some assembler | | (603) 884 1055 | required." - mbg | --------------------------------+-------------------------------------+

26 years, 7 months

1
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PDP 11/23 Help

by mbg＠world.std.com

>I just picked up a PDP 11/23 in excellent condition from an accountant >that was going to dispose of it. It has two RL02 drives and 10 disk >packs. My background in DEC stuff is only VMS, so I checked around and >found some info on booting the machine, which I did successfully.. once. >I was able to get a directory listing and type a few files. The system >has RT-11 v4.00 with a runtime package in Dibol for general ledger, etc. >I halted the machine and tried to restart it again, only this time it >complains. Congrats on the acquisition... >The display I'm getting is.. > >TESTING MEMORY >0124.KW >START? Y >000010 >@ Sounds like either the boot board (if the CPU is an 11/23, it is probably a BDV11, if an 11/23+, it has the BDV-style boot roms), or the device interface. Since it is supposed to have RLs, try typing 'DL0' at the 'Start?' prompt. If this doesn't work, then I would suspect the RLV interface... Megan Gentry Former RT-11 Developer +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+ | Megan Gentry, EMT/B, PP-ASEL | Internet (work): gentry!zk3.dec.com | | Unix Support Engineering Group | (home): mbg!world.std.com | | Compaq Computer Corporation | addresses need '@' in place of '!' | | 110 Spitbrook Rd. ZK03-2/T43 | URL: http://world.std.com/~mbg/ | | Nashua, NH 03062 | "pdp-11 programmer - some assembler | | (603) 884 1055 | required." - mbg | +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+

26 years, 7 months

1
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PDP 11/23 Help

by mfhoneycutt＠earthlink.net

Greetings, I just picked up a PDP 11/23 in excellent condition from an accountant that was going to dispose of it. It has two RL02 drives and 10 disk packs. My background in DEC stuff is only VMS, so I checked around and found some info on booting the machine, which I did successfully.. once. I was able to get a directory listing and type a few files. The system has RT-11 v4.00 with a runtime package in Dibol for general ledger, etc. I halted the machine and tried to restart it again, only this time it complains. The display I'm getting is.. TESTING MEMORY 0124.KW START? Y 000010 @ I also tried 173000G at the @ prompt, and still get 000010. Is there something I'm doing wrong here? I've also been searching for a FAQ of some type on RT-11 and the 11/23. Found some stuff, but would be very interested if someone has a jewel URL they'd be willing to share. Like I said, the machine is in beautiful shape, been well cared for, one owner. I had to drive 5 hours one way to get it (Houston to Shreveport, LA), but was worth every mile. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Best regards, Mark Honeycutt Baytown, TX

26 years, 7 months

2
1
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11/44 - RSTS Fun

by jpl15＠netcom.com

Today when I got up I knew it was going to be 'play with big computers' day... I got 24 of the 36 ports up and running on my 11/44 machine... it only took four or five hours of messing around with things. I made good use of the RSTS "Broadcast" untility, and by repeatedly sending long messages to all ports, I was able to work out the loose/upside down cables, DCE/DTE confusions, etc. Thank Heaven for the little RS-232 breakout box and status indicator. I had the console on my PC, a C.Itoh C101 on another port running the DISPLY system status monitor, and an LA120 on yet another port. Even the Kennedy 9100 woke up happy and functioned well. I just shut the system down (after listening to the wonderful roar for about eight hours) and now it's time to run SHUTUP on myself. Nothing like having the OS Docs, either. I certainly learned another big chunk of RSTS/E tonite. More than half the battle was understanding how to manage and configure the system. It took a great deal of study and cross-referencing to find the little secrets and gotchas. I am in the market for a Unibus Ethernet card: will beg/trade/buy. Anyone have such a beast? Now it's time for the 11/44 to talk to the uVax II. Next task is getting one of the old DC03 Modems hooked up and running... then to load a comm program and access this List from a completely vintage PDP system. At 300 Baud. [Woo,Hoo] Cheers John

26 years, 7 months

2
1
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Hewlett Packard A2094 Monitor (Standard RGB ?)

by edick＠idcomm.com

It might be well to consider that the place that had these HP units and still has the monitors, is a retailer of surplus electronics. What's more, he's located in the Denver metro area. Almost all this stuff came from Martin Marietta from the period when they were disposing of lots of hardware prior to being bought up by Lockheed. The fact that they were prone to BUY this kind of stuff is one of many examples available of the type of behavior which put them in the position to be taken over by Lockheed. This HP stuff never worked properly during the time I was there. It was mostly software trouble, but it never did work well enough that I was able to use it without having to use my PC to do the "real" work. HP got into CAE in '88 when they bought Apollo, and announced it was getting out in '91, leaving everyone who'd bought their hardware/software in the lurch. Meanwhile, Martin promoted and/or paid bonuses to the fools who had bought in to the previously unheard-of and inexperienced CAE/CAD vendor HP turned out to be. Dick -----Original Message----- From: Jeffrey l Kaneko <jeff.kaneko(a)juno.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Monday, December 13, 1999 8:25 AM Subject: Re: Hewlett Packard A2094 Monitor (Standard RGB ?) > > >On Sun, 12 Dec 1999 21:15:10 -0500 "Phil Clayton" ><musicman38(a)mindspring.com> writes: >> >> >One fellow who bought a half dozen of these workstations put them >> >in his pickup, opened the boxes up, took out the memory (apparently >and odd >> >flavor), then drove over to the dumpster and tossed the >workstations/servers >> >in the dumpster and left. >> >> >> I ended up with 5 of these HP Apollo 400's.. In each of them I found a >230 >> MB SCSI Hard Drive, a 68040 Processor, and an 8 or 16 MB 72pin Simm in >each. >> After I remove the 3 components I will discard the remaining cases.. > >I hate living in this part of the world. You almost never see >opportunities >like this here on the plains. . . . > >> But first I am going to hook up the 19 inch HP monitor to one of >Apollo's >> just to see what happens, enjoy the event and them toss that nice Very >> Expensive (Original Cost) monitor out with the rest of the stuff.. >> >> Phil.. > >Actually, depending on the model, these things can run NetBSD or OpenBSD. >If they're set up for DomainOS, OTOH, they're probably more trouble than >they're worth . . . . > > >Jeff > >___________________________________________________________________ >Why pay more to get Web access? >Try Juno for FREE -- then it's just $9.95/month if you act NOW! >Get your free software today: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

26 years, 7 months

1
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NCR 400 UPDATE

by steverob＠hotoffice.com

Well, I went and picked up the NCR Tower 400 this weekend. The 400 is about the size of a LARGE tower PC. I haven't measured but, it's about 28" inches tall, 24 inches deep, and 7 inches wide. I'd guess it weighs about 75 pounds. As with all new aquisitions, the first thing I did was open it up, remove all the cards, blow out the dust, check for missing or damaged parts, and then reinstall everything. The 400 is a 20MHZ 68020 machine built on a 4-slot multibus backplane. This particular system has 20MB of main memory, 60MB tape drive, 120MB hard drive, 10 serial ports, 2 SCSI interfaces, and 2 serail printer ports (each port will support 4 printers). Based on the date codes on the chips, this machine was probably built in late 1985. I reassembled the system and spent HOURS trying to get it to talk to a terminal. The system has a funky 15 pin connectior for the console and no documentation. I had to trace the connections back to the CPU and was able to determine which were inputs and which were outputs based on whether they went to a 1488 or 1489. After much tinkering, I was finally able to get the system to send data to the terminal during boot. NOTE: It uses a 9600 baud, 7-bit, and no parity. Spent another 3 or 4 hours and was finally able to get the terminal to talk to the system. Whoopee!!! Finally got data going both ways. Unfortunately, the system still won't boot the OS. The sequence goes something like this: ? ? MMU MEM HIO1 HIO2 DK5 The system hangs at the DK5 message. Since I'm not seeing any disk activity, I'm sorta assuming the "DK5" refers to a disk activity. If anyone can confirm this, I'd appreciate it? It isn't a big deal because I'll be getting the 450 in a few weeks and if the 400 doesn't work, I'll have a few spares for the 450. I got a look at the 450 while I was there and it looks more interesting. Physically, it about twice as "thick" as the 400 and probably weighs twice as much. Didn't look inside but would assume it has a 6 or 8 slot multibus backplane. I believe it will support 16 terminals. The good news is that the 450 is still in daily use so, I know it'll work when I get it home. The system will be available in a couple of months and I'll send an update once I get it. Neither machine is really all THAT interesting but, I don't have any other multibus systems and kinda wanted one. Later, Steve Robertson - <steverob(a)hotoffice.com>

26 years, 7 months

1
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Hewlett Packard A2094 Monitor (Standard RGB ?)

by jeff.kaneko＠juno.com

On Sun, 12 Dec 1999 21:15:10 -0500 "Phil Clayton" <musicman38(a)mindspring.com> writes: > > >One fellow who bought a half dozen of these workstations put them > >in his pickup, opened the boxes up, took out the memory (apparently and odd > >flavor), then drove over to the dumpster and tossed the workstations/servers > >in the dumpster and left. > > > I ended up with 5 of these HP Apollo 400's.. In each of them I found a 230 > MB SCSI Hard Drive, a 68040 Processor, and an 8 or 16 MB 72pin Simm in each. > After I remove the 3 components I will discard the remaining cases.. I hate living in this part of the world. You almost never see opportunities like this here on the plains. . . . > But first I am going to hook up the 19 inch HP monitor to one of Apollo's > just to see what happens, enjoy the event and them toss that nice Very > Expensive (Original Cost) monitor out with the rest of the stuff.. > > Phil.. Actually, depending on the model, these things can run NetBSD or OpenBSD. If they're set up for DomainOS, OTOH, they're probably more trouble than they're worth . . . . Jeff ___________________________________________________________________ Why pay more to get Web access? Try Juno for FREE -- then it's just $9.95/month if you act NOW! Get your free software today: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

26 years, 7 months

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Assembly docs for Zenith/Heathkit Z-150 PC compatible ??

by kla＠helios.augustana.edu

I have my original Zenith (ZDS) Z-150 computer, which was their answer to the IBM 8088/86 PC. This was also offered as a kit >from Heathkit (as the H-150?) in the mid-1980s. My Z-150 currently won't start up, with lights stopping in the BIOS PROM startup sequence. Does anyone have the equivalent Heathkit assembly manual(s) and drawings for this system? Or are there similar systems around that board swapping might be possible? What is somewhat unique about the Z-150 is that there is no motherboard as such (unlike all the PCs and Wintel systems), just an ISA bus and the CPU on its own board. A idea similar to mini- and bigger computers, but alas, except for the a few exceptions such as S-100 systems and the Apple-II, an approach that never caught on in the so-called "PC" series that have dominated since the mid-1980s.... Just curious. Thanks. Regards, Kevin Anderson * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Kevin L. Anderson Ph.D., Geography Department, Augustana College Rock Island, Illinois 61201-2296, USA phone: (309) 794-7325 e-mail: kla(a)helios.augustana.edu -or- gganderson(a)augustana.edu * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Opinions expressed here are my own and do not represent the administration of Augustana College.

26 years, 7 months

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Tripos on the PDP-11

by healyzh＠aracnet.com

I was just looking up some info in the PDP-11 FAQ, and glancing through the list of OS's, I noticed Tripos. Does anyone have any information on what models it ran on? Based on the Tripos webpage, such as it is, it looks like the OS is freely distributable for private and academic purposes. http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/users/mr/Tripos.html Zane | Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator | | healyzh(a)aracnet.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.aracnet.com/~healyzh/ |

26 years, 7 months

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Qbus and Q/CD jumpers

by cmcmanis＠mcmanis.com

I've read the micronotes but I'm still confused. I've got a DHV11 in a BA213 which is 12 Q/CD slots. Since the slots aren't Q/Q it doesn't need the jumpers installed for the grants but will having them installed screw anything up? --Chuck

26 years, 7 months

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PDP-10

by van＠wired.com

Hello. Does anyone have access to a working PDP-10 and a copy of ADVENT? I need to get an image of the program running on the system. Please email privately... xoxo van van burnham +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ van(a)wired.com +++ senior production manager +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ wired magazine ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 520 third street third floor san francisco california 94107 415.276.4979 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

26 years, 7 months

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KDA50 cableset

by ndiablo＠diablonet.net

Hi! Just out of curiousity, does anybody have a spare cable set for a KDA50 they might be interested in getting rid of? :) Willing to pay reasonable unit cost plus all shipping and handling charges. Thanks! -Sean Caron (root(a)diablonet.net)

26 years, 7 months

2
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Weekend Classic Trip Report

by ethan_dicks＠yahoo.com

--- Anthony Clifton - KC0CUE <wirehead(a)retrocomputing.com> wrote: > (1) Cisco IGS Multiprotocol Router/Bridge > and a couple miscellaneous bits and pieces. Not bad for $10. Ooh! I'm looking for an ethernet board for my AGS+ router - it'll be multibus. I have a quad V.35 ("fast serial") board in there now that does me no good. It has those compact Cisco connectors, not the standard, huge-pin V.35 connectors. Any leads on old Cisco parts? Anyone? -ethan ===== Infinet has been sold. The domain is going away in February. Please send all replies to erd(a)iname.com __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. All in one place. Yahoo! Shopping: http://shopping.yahoo.com

26 years, 7 months

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Hewlett Packard A2094 Monitor (Standard RGB ?)

by musicman38＠mindspring.com

>One fellow who bought a half dozen of these workstations put them in his >pickup, opened the boxes up, took out the memory (apparently and odd >flavor), then drove over to the dumpster and tossed the workstations/servers >in the dumpster and left. I ended up with 5 of these HP Apollo 400's.. In each of them I found a 230 MB SCSI Hard Drive, a 68040 Processor, and an 8 or 16 MB 72pin Simm in each. After I remove the 3 components I will discard the remaining cases.. But first I am going to hook up the 19 inch HP monitor to one of Apollo's just to see what happens, enjoy the event and them toss that nice Very Expensive (Original Cost) monitor out with the rest of the stuff.. Phil..

26 years, 7 months

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Northstar CPU Card in Regular S100 Bus?

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<I have a weird question. Could a Northstar MPU-A be used in a normal S100 <chassis with other cards to provide console, disk, i/o, memory functions? Very common question bad when. It will work. I've used them in: Altair, Imsai, CCS Compupro, Intergrand Vector MX TEI box <If yes, what issues can arise from doing this? Watch for pins 53, 61, 20, 70, and also if exteneded address lines (above A15) are used the MPU-A is only 16 bit. <The reason I ask is that I have a nice clean empty TEI chassis, a Northstar <cards, some memory boards, an SMB multifunction i/o card and a Disk Jockey <2D. I'm sure the thing would end up being fairly weird, but I don't care <about that. Not weird at all. Your building what could be considered a typical S100 crate for the time. Many of them were not pure by any means. Go for it. Allison

26 years, 7 months

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Northstar CPU Card in Regular S100 Bus?

by edick＠idcomm.com

That should certainly be the case with the N* CPU I recently gave to one of the list participants. It had no hardware on board which would prevent it >from working with pretty much any other S-100 hardware, aside from the usual risk, since there were no real standards, even after the adoption of the IEEE P696 standard. With more signals than were needed, it was always possible another maker's card might expect different combinations of signals to do the same job. Dick -----Original Message----- From: Anthony Clifton - KC0CUE <wirehead(a)retrocomputing.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Sunday, December 12, 1999 3:00 PM Subject: Northstar CPU Card in Regular S100 Bus? > >I have a weird question. Could a Northstar MPU-A be used in a normal S100 bus >chassis with other cards to provide console, disk, i/o, memory functions? > >If no, why not? > >If yes, what issues can arise from doing this? > >The reason I ask is that I have a nice clean empty TEI chassis, a Northstar CPU >cards, some memory boards, an SMB multifunction i/o card and a Disk Jockey >2D. I'm sure the thing would end up being fairly weird, but I don't care >about >that. > >Just exploring ideas for misc hardware sitting around my basement. > >Anthony Clifton > >

26 years, 7 months

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