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

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

In a message dated 97-11-14 23:20:56 EST, you write: > > I was using a WD Caviar 2.0 GB, and it was > > LOUD!!! > > If you think that was loud, you've never heard a RP05 spinning up :-). > > The most amazing thing is being in a real computer room (i.e. dozens > of 14" drives) when the power suddenly goes *off*. The silence is > astonishing. > > Tim. (shoppa(a)triumf.ca) > off-topic again: speaking of loud, i worked in a small computer room back in 1992 and when i came in one afternoon, it was quieter than normal. turns out the ac units werent running so those units themselves make plenty of noise. even louder was the IBM 3380/3880 (cant remember which) DASD units of which there were 4 rows of them. quite impressive for their size and noisy, probably due to the belt drive mechanism. later they were replaced with one small row of hitachi drives which were mcuh quieter and had almost 2x the capacity, I was told. david

28 years, 5 months

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Classic Computer Accumulation Squad

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 10:29 AM 11/15/97 -0800, you wrote: >I mean, we have a house rule of "No computers in the living room or >dining room, unless they're laptops or they're leaving," Hmmm... What a silly rule! 8^) (As for me, there is currently (at least before I left for a weekend holiday) a Data General One & a Mac Plus in the dining room, At least an Apple IIe, M100, Dash 030, and probably a couple of others in the living room, Atari Falcon in the laundry room... Nothing (yet) in the kitchen or bathroom... --------------------------------------------------------------------- O- Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad sinasohn(a)ricochet.net that none but madmen know." Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates San Francisco, California http://www.crl.com/~sinasohn/

28 years, 5 months

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New Definiton REQUIRED

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<years old machines now. Rainbow machine is very quirky demanding <weird hardware and quirky disks in both format and hardsectored. :( Huh? Rainbot uses the somewhat unique format for the hard disk but sos did many other of the time. The floppy is a soft sector single sided 96tpi at 10 sectors per track that can be formatted on a PC with a good 1.2m drive in 360k speed and with the correct formatter. OR a system with an RX50 drive and a 1793 floppy controller (CP/M-80 boxen). <> acceptable OS. Although CP/M running native on a Pentium 133 is pretty <> cool, and fast! By collecting Non-PC's there a tons of OS's to play with CP/M-80 running on a 16mhz z180 is far more interesting. ;-) Allison

28 years, 5 months

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One from the 'believe it or not' file...

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<And so, the dilemma... do I open the disks and crank this critter up? Or <just pack it all away as another classic 'artifact'? (or leave it until I <have a fair amount of time to spend with it) Open it and crak it up. make full copies and backups. Save all packaging by sliting the edges or whatever so that any making is preserved. Exploit and document the machine to the world as I have no clue what a 3b1 is or the cpu it used. Though I do remember the ads. Allison

28 years, 5 months

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New Definiton REQUIRED

by kroma＠worldnet.att.net

>But the 10 year rule is simple and not without precedent (it's roughly >the way other things are judged "antique" -- if I remember correctly >the "magic number" is 100 years for furniture and housewares and 20 >years for automobiles). That's why we have it, we know it's not >perfect but it does provide a clear cutoff. > Actually after 20 years an automobile is considered a Classic, I think it's 40 - 50 years to be considered an Antique. With the frequency that new computers are introduced 10 - 15 years is probably a good definition for classic and 20 - 25 for antique. -- Kirk

28 years, 5 months

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I've asked it once, I'll ask it a million times....

by photze＠batelco.com.bh

Hello. Does anyone have any systems that are not "high" on the price list of classics that they could give me? (I could have my relatives in the states get them via UPS, then they could mail 'em to me as a Christmas present..... it would make me very happy!) Thanks, Tim D. Hotze

28 years, 5 months

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New Definiton REQUIRED

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<there is no doubt that the early mass-produced CD-ROM drives (not the <origionals of 1984, but the ones that were made to be put into PCs, not <servers) are classic componets, even though many are of this decade. <In my opinion, the first 486 PCs (not servers) are classics... ones that <are still used, but classics... even though most of 'em were made in Classic, like the 14 year old washing machine I have. Most post 286 PCs are appliances just like a washer dryer only built worse. <said that it was hard to state the definiton of a classic... but 10 <years or older would do. I do not wish to offend the owner, but they <are one person, and they can make mistakes... and together, as a group, <the chances of making an accurate definiton are smaller with us. <Possibly (out for MUCH revision...) is the definition "Any computer <which has aged sufficently to be considered "outdated" by the computer <market and has historic signifiance, OR is 10 years old or older." The <one evedeint place that requires revsion is the "historical signifiacne" To me most VAXen are still used and sold for commercial use, though many are still over 10. Try and buy some of the PDP-8s that are in commercial service. Age does not make a computer significant alone though, it's a distinct factor. Another factor is unique design in a technical sense or esthetic (or the lack of) style. Rarity is an impact too. I can name several machines of the altair imsai time frame that are far more scarce. For example, I still have not found or seen an IMSAI IMP48 other than my own. <but I'm not sure how to include that while still acknowledging the <presence of many of the best machines and componets that did indeed fail <in the process... but at least Wang's did eventually fall.... I can't <even rememeber all of the problems that they had... Wang played to to narrow a market (word processing and document management) that was invaded by all the micros at far lower price and in some cases a product that was more stylish or appealed to the user more. With shrinking market space and a but if empire building by Ahn Wang the business costs exceeded revenue... then rest is not news or unexpected. The layoffs were amoung the most brutal in the industry. Allison

28 years, 5 months

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DECwindows, and the MicroVAX 3100

by carl.friend＠stoneweb.com

On Sat, 15 Nov 1997, Mr. Seagraves inquired of the assembled masses thusly: > I've noticed all this time that DECwindows is on this MV3100. > What is it? It it like Macro$oft's windows, or Xwindows? > And when it says "display device", what is it expecting, a Tek > terminal, or VT of some sort, or some special adapter? DECwindows is an X-window system workalike that runs on both VAXen and DEC's RISC platforms. It's merely a way for a client program running on one machine to display its graphics on a server running on another machine (Warning: in X terminology, "server" and "client" seem reversed - you sit in front of the server while the client shoves graphics data at you; the "client" does the applications processing). The two are somewhat compatible. I have a pal in Providence who has a VAX-11/750 and DECwindows, I have a Linux box at home running an X server. We were able to get an X session set up with a client running on his VAX to display on my machine; the network transport was CMU/IP for the VAX, standard TCP/IP at the Linux end. Yes, it was slow as a dog, especially as I have a 14.4 kbps modem, but it _did_ work. Fun stuff. Cheers. ______________________________________________________________________ | | | | Carl Richard Friend (UNIX Sysadmin) | West Boylston | | Minicomputer Collector / Enthusiast | Massachusetts, USA | | mailto:carl.friend@stoneweb.com | | | http://www.ultranet.com/~engelbrt/carl/museum | ICBM: N42:22 W71:47 | |________________________________________________|_____________________|

28 years, 5 months

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What's an apple //GS worth?

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

Ive found a guy locally who has a GS for sale, but hasnt set a price. ( i hate that) what does everything think it's worth? details are sketchy, but here's what he said its a woz version coupla megs of memory. (exp card?) external cms hard drive (scsi?) has a sound card. he says it's not the ensoniq sound chip, but an adaptor card. 3.5 drive. also has some books and sw. what would be a decent price for this? he may be interested in a basic 486 i have to barter with. david

28 years, 5 months

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Info? HP1000 F series

by fmc＠reanimators.org

James Willing <jimw(a)agora.rdrop.com> wrote: > While wandering around one of my favourite surplus gear haunts today, I cam > across a couple of HP 1000 F series minicomputers. While they look neat, I > know just about nothing about them. Anyone out there familiar enough with > them to give me the 'infamous 25 words or less' speech on their significance? They're real-time control systems, based around the 21MX processor family (which succeeded the 2100 (ca. 1972) and 211[456] (ca. 1967)) and running one of several flavors of HP's RTE operating system. I've never actually used them. > It might take a few $$ to break one or more of them loose, so I'd like to > have a bit of info before I make a concerted effort to procure them... If you have HP Measurement/Computation catalogs from 1980 or 1981 or so, you could look in there. Else pester me and I'll try to FAX a few relevant pages to you. -Frank McConnell

28 years, 5 months

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DECwindows, and the MicroVAX 3100.

by dseagrav＠bsdserver.tek-star.net

I've noticed all this time that DECwindows is on this MV3100. What is it? It it like Macro$oft's windows, or Xwindows? And when it says "display device", what is it expecting, a Tek terminal, or VT of some sort, or some special adapter?

28 years, 5 months

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What's an apple //GS worth?

by engine＠chac.org

At 23:03 11/15/97 -0500, you wrote: >Ive found a guy locally who has a GS for sale, but hasnt set a price.... If the 486 has decent RAM and disk I would trade him level, but only if you really want the IIGS. >its a woz version This is not the Good Thing it may sound like, apart from cool appearance. The Woz sig on the front of the case implies Rev 00 ( = earliest) ROMs and very limited expandability. AFAIK the released ROM versions were 00, 01, and 03; 00 could be upgraded to 01 with a chipset, but 03 was a logic board swap. There never was an 02; 04 existed, but the GS was killed before 04 went into production. Some of the 04 ROM code was written into GS/OS instead, but beyond this I yield gracefully (I hope) since others here surely know more than I do. >coupla megs of memory. (exp card?) >external cms hard drive (scsi?) >has a sound card. he says it's not the ensoniq sound chip, but an adaptor >card. >3.5 drive. >also has some books and sw. oh....like I said, how bad do you want it? __________________________________________ Kip Crosby engine(a)chac.org http://www.chac.org/index.html Computer History Association of California

28 years, 5 months

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What's an apple //GS worth?

by jrkeys＠concentric.net

I have seen them go from free to $30 with less extra's them the one you are looking at. At 11:03 PM 11/15/97 -0500, you wrote: >Ive found a guy locally who has a GS for sale, but hasnt set a price. ( i >hate that) what does everything think it's worth? >details are sketchy, but here's what he said > >its a woz version >coupla megs of memory. (exp card?) >external cms hard drive (scsi?) >has a sound card. he says it's not the ensoniq sound chip, but an adaptor >card. >3.5 drive. >also has some books and sw. > >what would be a decent price for this? he may be interested in a basic 486 i >have to barter with. > >david > >

28 years, 5 months

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Software needed

by jrkeys＠concentric.net

Can anyone tell me if Linux will run on the IBM Powerstation 7012/300 and 7011/200, these are both rs6000 machines. I got them at auction and the aix/unix operating systems and everything else was removed from the harddrives. I'm looking for some low cost operating system software to run these machines with. Thanks in advance. John Keep on computing !!!

28 years, 5 months

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Tape backup unit: Any clues?

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

I dont have the exact same thing, but an old IBMer gave me something called a videotrax, which is an 8bit isa board that connects to a vcr for backup purposes. I got the complete thing, with box and sw. of course, this one only holds 80meg per vcr tape. david In a message dated 97-11-15 12:53:59 EST, Bruce Lane put forth: > Came across an interesting find recently. Manufactured by Digi-Data > Corporation, out of Maryland (yes, they are still around), it's a > Pertec-interface TBU that uses, of all things, a VHS cassette mechanism to > back up as much as 2 gigabytes to a normal T120 VHS tape. > > Darndest thing I've seen this year! I've spoken to Digi-Data already, and > it is still possible to get a manual for the thing (you better believe I'll > be doing so!), so I intend to put it to good use. > > I'm just curious if anyone else has crossed paths with this unit. It's > called a 'Gigastore.'

28 years, 5 months

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Classic Computer Rescue Squad

by carl.friend＠stoneweb.com

On Fri, 14 Nov 1997, Mr. Donzelli mentioned: > Quite a few years ago, I scrapped out a big drive that had an arm > with very fine brushes that would sweep the platters just after the > thing came to speed. DEC RP04s (Sperry drives, IIRC) had that as a feature. It was later found that the brushes did more damage than good, and the brushes were subsequently all tied back with wire-ties as per an ECO. ______________________________________________________________________ | | | | Carl Richard Friend (UNIX Sysadmin) | West Boylston | | Minicomputer Collector / Enthusiast | Massachusetts, USA | | mailto:carl.friend@stoneweb.com | | | http://www.ultranet.com/~engelbrt/carl/museum | ICBM: N42:22 W71:47 | |________________________________________________|_____________________|

28 years, 5 months

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Classic Computer Rescue Squad

by carl.friend＠stoneweb.com

On Fri, 14 Nov 1997, Mr. Shoppa made this observation: > The most amazing thing is being in a real computer room (i.e. dozens > of 14" drives) when the power suddenly goes *off*. The silence is > astonishing. In an installation that size, the environmental A/C makes a sub- stantial amount of noise as well. The eeriest moments I've even encountered were at my first employer who had a _monster_ UPS supplying a pair of 5000 sq. ft. computer rooms and the power failed. The UPS held the computers up, but the A/C spun down and the lights all went off (save the battery-operated ones). It was, shall we say, strange. The backup generator (a big old V-16 diesel in the parking lot) came on about 20 seconds later and the A/C and lights came back on. Oddly enough, the A/C made more noise than the computer gear. ______________________________________________________________________ | | | | Carl Richard Friend (UNIX Sysadmin) | West Boylston | | Minicomputer Collector / Enthusiast | Massachusetts, USA | | mailto:carl.friend@stoneweb.com | | | http://www.ultranet.com/~engelbrt/carl/museum | ICBM: N42:22 W71:47 | |________________________________________________|_____________________|

28 years, 5 months

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Info? HP1000 F series

by jimw＠agora.rdrop.com

While wandering around one of my favourite surplus gear haunts today, I cam across a couple of HP 1000 F series minicomputers. While they look neat, I know just about nothing about them. Anyone out there familiar enough with them to give me the 'infamous 25 words or less' speech on their significance? It might take a few $$ to break one or more of them loose, so I'd like to have a bit of info before I make a concerted effort to procure them... -jim --- jimw(a)agora.rdrop.com The Computer Garage - http://www.rdrop.com/~jimw Computer Garage Fax - (503) 646-0174

28 years, 5 months

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subscribe

by chesster＠pcl.net

subscribe

28 years, 5 months

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Software needed

by jrkeys＠concentric.net

Thanks for the input John At 02:05 PM 11/15/97 -0500, you wrote: >John R. Keys Jr. wrote: >> >> Can anyone tell me if Linux will run on the IBM Powerstation 7012/300 and >> 7011/200, these are both rs6000 machines. I got them at auction and the >> aix/unix operating systems and everything else was removed from the >> harddrives. I'm looking for some low cost operating system software to run >> these machines with. Thanks in advance. John Keep on computing !!! > >To the best of my knowledge, probably not now and likely not soon. As I >recall, those machines are old Power (or maybe Power2) architecture (Bill >Donzelli knows which models are which better than I do) and the closest >Linux porting project is for the PowerPC, which is less closely related >than the similar names might imply. >-- >Ward Griffiths >"Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails >of the last priest." [Denis Diderot, "Dithyrambe sur la fete de rois"] > >

28 years, 5 months

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Who Was Looking for the RSX-11/M Manual??? Please Respond!

by mcquiggi＠sfu.ca

Hi: I was in contact with someone through the group who was looking for an intro manual to RSX-11. I lost your street address (and email message)!!! Please repeat, and reply to me directly! Kevin --- Kevin McQuiggin VE7ZD mcquiggi(a)sfu.ca

28 years, 5 months

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[RANT] I hate life, I wish this was simple, like the PDP...

by dseagrav＠bsdserver.tek-star.net

I have been sitting here for the past 3 hours trying to make **** BSDi see a Digiboard that MS-DOG swears is there and BSD swears is not. If this were my PDP I could just drop in another DZ11, but no, Intel has to make the machines, and they have to use some bass-ackwards IBM BIOS which limits the normal amount of serials to 4... And, since this is work, I can't leave at 5 because the CUSTOMERS are down, and they get to call me with their whiny little voices and say "The Internet is down, and it's your fault I didn't read the mail saying this was scheduled...", and worst of all I'll be here till 6 because this doesn't work, and I could be getting an RL02, controller, and terminator for $20 at 5:00, but no, the CUSTOMERS are down, so I have to put myself last *AGAIN*... Oh, that feels better. Now, off to rebuild BSD again...

28 years, 5 months

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Caution!

by yakowenk＠cs.unc.edu

I just noticed in poking around this goverment auction stuff, a lot of the computer stuff is marked with codes F# or H#, which can mean it is radioactive. Yikes! Read the fine print before bidding! But that Encore system is listed as A1 - in good working order, etc. And another list showed it's original list price as something like 2.4 megabucks. Pretty picture, too. Bill.

28 years, 5 months

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Tape backup unit: Any clues?

by engine＠chac.org

At 09:52 11/15/97 -0800, you wrote: >Came across an interesting find recently....a >Pertec-interface TBU that uses, of all things, a VHS cassette mechanism to >back up as much as 2 gigabytes to a normal T120 VHS tape. > > I'm just curious if anyone else has crossed paths with this unit. It's >called a 'Gigastore.' Such a device, maybe not this particular make, was the standard OEM backup for Alpha Micro minicomputers. Mid-eighties. Not madly reliable. __________________________________________ Kip Crosby engine(a)chac.org http://www.chac.org/index.html Computer History Association of California

28 years, 5 months

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Software preservation

by kyrrin2＠wizards.net

OK... now that I've -finally- gotten hold of a CD burner, I can start thinking about preserving all the old software I have. What I'd like from the group is some pointers on ways that I can preserve things like RX50 floppies on CD. EPROMs and PROMs I can already deal with. What kind (if any) of binary or bit-copy utilities are available to help me in this regard? FTP sites, anyone? My primary workstation is Windoof NT, though I will be setting up an ESIX (Unix) system in the near future, or possibly Linux (haven't decided yet). I know about CoComp's SCSI Toolkit, but I'm not quite ready to spend another $500 just yet! ;-) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Bruce Lane, Sysop, The Dragon's Cave BBS (Fidonet 1:343/272) (Hamateur: WD6EOS) (E-mail: kyrrin2(a)wizards.net) http://www.wizards.net/technoid "Our science can only describe an object, event, or living thing in our own human terms. It cannot, in any way, define any of them..."

28 years, 5 months

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Classic Computer Accumulation Squad

by engine＠chac.org

At 09:27 11/15/97 -0500, you wrote: >> Your problerm is that your starting with a passion for collecting >> rather than a passion for a particular machine, platform, or >> architechture . > >Unlike those of us who never _planned_ to accumulate a bunch of >"obsolete" hardware (Hell, some of it _wasn't_ when we got it), but >just have a serious problem throwing anything away. And then after >a few years decided to start filling gaps in the product line. Disclaimer -- I do have a serious problem throwing anything away. Nonetheless, with computers and me, it's not that. In June 1986 I bought two 10MHz 286 clones (1MB RAM, 20MB disk, green mono) from a nice guy in Scotts Valley for $2500 each. One of those belonged to an intensely practical person, i. e., my wife, and is now gone. The other one, however, was mine, and every time I went to chuck it, I said "Hey, I paid real money for this thing." So, in eleven-plus years, it's been a 286/10, a 386/40, a 486DX/33, a 486DX4/100....and is now, saddled with the cynical nickname of Millennium Falcon, my kid's second-string machine. Since it had a new PS sometime in the early nineties, the only original part left is the case, but bygawd I haven't wasted that $2500 yet.... It's like farmers who park their old cars in a row in a field. I mean, we have a house rule of "No computers in the living room or dining room, unless they're laptops or they're leaving," and even so, we have enough computers here that they take some time to count. __________________________________________ Kip Crosby engine(a)chac.org http://www.chac.org/index.html Computer History Association of California

28 years, 5 months

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HD Floppies in DD Drives

by manney＠nwohio.com

>William Donzelli wrote: > >> says that they will last at least ten years. The best solution (other than >> mylar punched tape) is probably the older WORM drives (not MOs!), as they > >Purely out of morbid curiosity, has anybody ever considered making Tyvek >tape? The stuff is damned near impossible to tear and difficult even to >stretch enough to lose data. I don't think that indestructibility of the tape is the issue...the coating is the problem -- sliding across the head. What are you gonna bond to Tyvek? (still, DuPont managed to bond Teflon).

28 years, 5 months

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Tape backup unit: Any clues?

by Anthony.Eros＠digital.com

I've heard of these before, a large chemical company headquartered where I live used these to back up engineering data. There was some senior management concern raised though over the format -- "We've got to keep these under tight control. If they fall into the wrong hands, our competition might put them into a VCR and look at our data." I kid you not... -- Tony ---------- From: Bruce Lane[SMTP:kyrrin2@wizards.net] Sent: Saturday, November 15, 1997 12:52 PM To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers Subject: Tape backup unit: Any clues? Hi, folks, Came across an interesting find recently. Manufactured by Digi-Data Corporation, out of Maryland (yes, they are still around), it's a Pertec-interface TBU that uses, of all things, a VHS cassette mechanism to back up as much as 2 gigabytes to a normal T120 VHS tape. Darndest thing I've seen this year! I've spoken to Digi-Data already, and it is still possible to get a manual for the thing (you better believe I'll be doing so!), so I intend to put it to good use. I'm just curious if anyone else has crossed paths with this unit. It's called a 'Gigastore.' -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Bruce Lane, Sysop, The Dragon's Cave BBS (Fidonet 1:343/272) (Hamateur: WD6EOS) (E-mail: kyrrin2(a)wizards.net) http://www.wizards.net/technoid "Our science can only describe an object, event, or living thing in our own human terms. It cannot, in any way, define any of them..."

28 years, 5 months

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HD Floppies in DD Drives

by manney＠nwohio.com

>Since some of the software for my "old" (first generation PC) computers >is on 5 1/4" disks of dubious condition, I would like to make copies >onto new disks. Since HD disks are still readily available and cheap, I >thought this would be an ideal way to do so. Try asking for used DSDD disks...I have boxes of 'em that I get free. 'Course, you might get a dirty one... > >I also seem to have fried the 5 1/4" HD drive in my PC while sorting >through some old software. It seems a couple of disks had some dirt on >them which caused horrible screeching sounds when the disk was spinning, >and also deposited a very hard black coating on the heads. The only way >I could remove the deposits was to scratch it off with my fingernails >(alcohol would not touch it). However, I must have bumped the heads out >of alignment, because the drive won't read disks any longer. > >My question is: can I plug a Double Density drive into the same >connector in my modern PC and use it for my old disks? I know I will >have to change my BIOS setting, but is there anything else I need to >consider? No. Just specify it as a 5 1/4", 360K. You might want to test the drive you install (Norton, for example), to make sure it does a good job. For greatest archive longevity, I'm told that tape (pick something common, such as QIC-80) *if recorded on a new tape and then not read often* will outlast anything -- even CD-ROM's. manney(a)nwohio.com

28 years, 5 months

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Tape backup unit: Any clues?

by kyrrin2＠wizards.net

Hi, folks, Came across an interesting find recently. Manufactured by Digi-Data Corporation, out of Maryland (yes, they are still around), it's a Pertec-interface TBU that uses, of all things, a VHS cassette mechanism to back up as much as 2 gigabytes to a normal T120 VHS tape. Darndest thing I've seen this year! I've spoken to Digi-Data already, and it is still possible to get a manual for the thing (you better believe I'll be doing so!), so I intend to put it to good use. I'm just curious if anyone else has crossed paths with this unit. It's called a 'Gigastore.' -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Bruce Lane, Sysop, The Dragon's Cave BBS (Fidonet 1:343/272) (Hamateur: WD6EOS) (E-mail: kyrrin2(a)wizards.net) http://www.wizards.net/technoid "Our science can only describe an object, event, or living thing in our own human terms. It cannot, in any way, define any of them..."

28 years, 5 months

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Tape backup unit: Any clues?

by IVIE＠cc.usu.edu

Kip Crosby wrote: >At 09:52 11/15/97 -0800, you wrote: >>Came across an interesting find recently....a >>Pertec-interface TBU that uses, of all things, a VHS cassette mechanism to >>back up as much as 2 gigabytes to a normal T120 VHS tape. >> >> I'm just curious if anyone else has crossed paths with this unit. It's >>called a 'Gigastore.' > >Such a device, maybe not this particular make, was the standard OEM backup >for Alpha Micro minicomputers. Mid-eighties. Not madly reliable. The backup unit an Alpha Micro sysadmin _i_ knew converted the data to video to get it onto the tape; i.e., it wasn't a Pertec interface, but used standard everyday VCRs. Roger Ivie ivie(a)cc.usu.edu

28 years, 5 months

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Hard drive rescue: Update

by kyrrin2＠wizards.net

It seems that my initial post about a couple of hard drives and enclosures looking for a home was partly in error. The fellow's just offering the drives, and intends to keep the enclosures. Sorry for the inconvenience. -=-=- <snip> -=-=- >X-Sender: cyber(a)prismnet.com >X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Pro Version 3.0 (32) >Date: Wed, 12 Nov 1997 02:14:17 -0600 >To: Bruce Lane <kyrrin2(a)wizards.net> >From: Tom Ray <cyber(a)prismnet.com> >Subject: Re: OLD hard drives and enclosure need RESCUE! > >actually, Bruce, what I was offering specifically was just the drives >themselves, not the external SCSI cases. I plan on using those. I'll send >the cables with the drives but there was nothing fancy about the enclosure. >They don't even have a fan to keep them cool, just a powersource and the >external SCSI connector. I'm still fairly new to SCSI so I am not sure what >I do or don't need out of the case. Let me describe as best I can. <remainder snipped> -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Bruce Lane, Sysop, The Dragon's Cave BBS (Fidonet 1:343/272) (Hamateur: WD6EOS) (E-mail: kyrrin2(a)wizards.net) http://www.wizards.net/technoid "Our science can only describe an object, event, or living thing in our own human terms. It cannot, in any way, define any of them..."

28 years, 5 months

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DOS 3.31

by manney＠nwohio.com

>In a message dated 97-11-14 13:04:53 EST, you write: > ><< I can supply original DOS disks for 3.31 >> > >I would most certainly appreciate it. The computer these would be used on is >actually a Visual Technologies Commuter--a colleague noted that although this >unit runs intel 8086, 8088, 80286, it can boot into DOS 6.22. I have yet to >find out if this is true or not; however, what can we work out so that I may >get those disks? Even a PC (8088) will run DOS 6. E-mail me privately with your address, and we'll work out details. manney(a)nwohio.com

28 years, 5 months

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Classic Computer Rescue Squad

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

off topic, but speaking of JTS, egghead is/was selling JTS 1gig drives for $99. i bought one, and works great! quiet, and has a 3 year warranty. all i got was the drive in a box, but then again, that's all i wanted. david In a message dated 97-11-14 05:22:36 EST, mr hotze put forth: > Well, it won't help you now, but a company called JTS Corporation has the best > HDDs I've seen in a LONG time. I was using a WD Caviar 2.0 GB, and it was > LOUD!!! It also had a fairly good HDD Test Score: 2.6 by the Norton > Utilities > benchmarks. I ran the test with my NEW 2.0 GB JTS, which got a 4.0!!! Also, > > it's about $20-$40 cheaper than the equivelent Caviar. The best part: It > has a > cover with rubber on the outside. I had it IN THE OPEN for about 3 weeks, > and > it still worked just fine. The cover protects it from static electrictity > form > jerks like me, and from shock, stuff like that.

28 years, 5 months

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Classic "Laptops"

by manney＠nwohio.com

>I've recently heard of someone who told me about an 8080 laptop from >someone who has been into computers longer than I have. He said that >there was a laptop... in the 1970's, that was smaller than the origional >Compaq. It was soupossed to only have a little RAM, and it was used by >journalists, who would connect with a modem an upload the files. Is >this true? If so, what on earth ever happened to these? (Does this >sound like something else... H/PC come to mind? Journalists around here used the Radio Schlock thingie (Tandy 100?) Don't know the processor, tho'.

28 years, 5 months

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Caution!

by lfb107＠psu.edu

>On Wed, 12 Nov 1997, Tim Shoppa wrote: > >> Tim Shoppa | Internet: shoppa(a)triumf.ca >> TRIUMF, Canada's National Meson Facility | Voice: 604-222-1047 loc 6446 > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > >Hey Tim, what is a Meson Facility anyway? > Mesons are simply either pions, muons, or kasons! That's all! LeS

28 years, 5 months

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Classic Computer Rescue Squad

by mcquiggi＠sfu.ca

At 11:16 AM 97/11/15 -0500, you wrote: >> > The most amazing thing is being in a real computer room (i.e. dozens >> > of 14" drives) when the power suddenly goes *off*. The silence is >> > astonishing. >> >> What would be even MORE amazing is when the power comes back ON a second >> later, with all the power switches still on, and everything tries to spin >> up at once... >> Or is there some safeguard against that? A lot of mainframe/mini drives have a configuration option called "spindle delay" that allows for a settable delay between power on and spin up. One sets the drives to spin up individually rather than all at once. Kevin --- Kevin McQuiggin VE7ZD mcquiggi(a)sfu.ca

28 years, 5 months

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Older computers FS

by manney＠nwohio.com

>On Fri, 14 Nov 1997, PG Manney wrote: > >> Our local NASA is selling off older PC and other stuff. I'm local, if anyone >> wants anything. >> >> Stuff is at >> >> http://www.lerc.nasa.gov/WWW/Logistics/sales.htm > >Lots of stuff I'd like to see preserved, however if I read the details on >the site correctly the bidding closed yesterday (13-Nov.) > >DRAT! ...but look at the other one, under Plum Brook. It has some Zeniths, closing on the 23rd, I think.

28 years, 5 months

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Who Was Looking for the RSX-11/M Manual??? Please Respond!

by mcquiggi＠sfu.ca

Hi Daniel: I've copied the manual and will mail it today or Monday! Sorry for the delay, Kevin At 07:29 AM 97/11/15 -0600, you wrote: >I was the guilty party. > >Daniel Seagraves >106 West Forest Ave >East Peoria, IL 61611 > >I've lost addresses before, this is nothing new... > > > > --- Kevin McQuiggin VE7ZD mcquiggi(a)sfu.ca

28 years, 5 months

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Classic Computer Rescue Squad

by manney＠nwohio.com

I dunno...I dropped one off my desk (2 1/2 ft), and it survived fine. I dropped a 1.2 GB HDD (WD, I think) BRAND NEW off my desk onto a carpet, and it died (couldn't have been a ST-157, no-o-o-o.) Depends on how it bounces, I guess. Anyone wanna try this with a 9 gig, in the interests of science? >Now.... just for fun, try to get a modern PC, drop it on your toe (A >sacrifice for science) and then watch it break into DOZENS of piece. Chip >out of socket, RAM out of socket, motherboard out of case, power supply out >of case, HDD crashed, disk drive not in a working condition, CD-ROM drive's >laser swears that there's no disk in. They don't make 'em like they used >to!!! > >---------- >From: Jeff Beoletto <jbeolett(a)ssi.net> >To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers ><classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> >Subject: Re: Classic Computer Rescue Squad >Date: Saturday, November 08, 1997 6:28 PM > > > >On Sat, 8 Nov 1997, Daniel A. Seagraves wrote: > >> On Sat, 8 Nov 1997, Hotze wrote: >> >> > At 23:18 11/7/97 +0000, you wrote: >> > >I am conviced that a lot of people (probably not on this list) >wouldn't >> > >know a well-designed or well-built computer if it was dropped on >them... >> > >> > Naturally not, they'd be too busy limping around howling. >> > >> >> I DID THAT! I DID THAT! I successfully managed to crush Jeff Beoletto's >> (One of my friends) toes with >> a PDP-11/44. We were trying to move it sideways. BTW, his foot healed >up >> quite well. And he wasn't limping around, he was curled up in a little >> ball on the floor, cussing a blue streak :) A week ago we were moving >the >> RA81, and I almost did it again... >> >> >> > Seeing how it was me that Dan managed to drop it I can agree to >the limping, and ironically enough it's the same foot that I had broken 3 >times in the month before he crushed it. And just yesterday hauling a pc >down to our storagge office on the 5th floor I tripped and fell down the >steps and have just re-broken that very same ankle. Computers are >hazerdous to your health. =+) > > > >

28 years, 5 months

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Classic Computer Rescue Squad

by photze＠batelco.com.bh

You're right, also, they can make great places to keep things... convert a black case into a storage area for you're CDS, empty out a power supply to make an industrial-style case. Also, what are "popular" micros; I need to start getting collecting, but I'm not sure what to start with. By the way, that warehouse that was full of classics... what ever happened? When I say "popular"; I mean what are good, not something that's worth money. (No 5,000 pound Nova's, please) Bye, Tim D. Hotze ---------- From: Daniel A. Seagraves <dseagrav(a)bsdserver.tek-star.net> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Subject: Re: Classic Computer Rescue Squad Date: Saturday, November 08, 1997 7:01 PM On Sat, 8 Nov 1997, Hotze wrote: > Now.... just for fun, try to get a modern PC, drop it on your toe (A > sacrifice for science) and then watch it break into DOZENS of piece. Chip > out of socket, RAM out of socket, motherboard out of case, power supply out > of case, HDD crashed, disk drive not in a working condition, CD-ROM drive's > laser swears that there's no disk in. They don't make 'em like they used > to!!! > Why break a new PC? They can be used as terminals for the *REAL* computers!

28 years, 5 months

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Help with Mac Plus

by bwit＠pobox.com

Another thing to consider is that the Mac allocates a max amount of memory for each program. If this "partition" is too small the program will not run regardless of the amount of memory in the machine. To view and/or change the memory setting for a program select it's icon and pick the File->Get Info menu item. A dialog will be displayed showing current memory requirements. These values may be changed to increase the partition available for the program. Bob ---------- From: SUPRDAVE@aol.com[SMTP:SUPRDAVE@aol.com] Sent: Friday, November 14, 1997 2:37 PM To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers Subject: Re: Help with Mac Plus as specified before, if the "about this mac" doesnt show it, you may have to remove the case and look at the simms. plus models came with 1 meg standard in 4 256k simms. other mem configurations are 2 1meg simms and 2 256k ones for 2.5 meg and 4 1meg simms for a total of 4 which is what my platinum mac plus has. i've noticed two mac plus designs; one in the apple //e beige colour and the other in corporate gray. i presume they are identical though. In a message dated 97-11-14 10:49:08 EST, PG Manney put forth: > Can anyone with Macintosh experience help me, please? > > 1) How do I check the amount of memory installed without ripping open the > beast? > > 2) The machine was running some programs (Chess, for example) and suddenly > refuses to do so, claiming, "xxx K needed to run this program. You have 512 > K). Customer doesn't know how much was installed. Might this be a > configuration problem, or has it lost contact with half its RAM? (and it > hasn't even hit 40 years yet!) > > Thanks, > manney(a)nwohio.com >

28 years, 5 months

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HX20 - again!

by NOSPAM＠ptolzserv.com

Dear Tony, Sorry - forgot to mention, I also have about 15 blank rom cartridges (you need a 2764 or 27128 eprom - I have a bit of software that formats the files correctly that I can give you). Julian

28 years, 5 months

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HX20

by NOSPAM＠ptolzserv.com

Dear Tony, Yes - I've got all the bits and pieces for the HX20, including a system dsisk. I also did some software for it, such as an assembler/dissasemlber/debugger. I've got: HX20 TF20 Micorcassette Manuals (system, and user, repair, programming) The TF20 is a complete CP/M compatible computer (I know of one guy who turned it into a CP/M machine!). It uses the serial i/f to talk to the HX20 using a packet system a bit like xmodem. The same i/f also talked to the old video display interface (the one bit I never bought!). Best wishes, Julian

28 years, 5 months

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Classic Computer Rescue Squad

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

In a message dated 97-11-15 09:30:25 EST, HOTZE put forth: > Yeah, I know... real quiet, fast, and the waranty is unbeatable (500,000 MTBF > at > 5,400 (5,200?) RPM ain't bad.... kind of like warranties with REAL computer > parts > back in the 80's. Real computer warranties? hmmm, the warranty on my apple //+ was only 90 days if i'm not mistaken... david

28 years, 5 months

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Model 100, again

by transit＠primenet.com

Ok, I still haven't been able to find out what's wrong with the LCD in my Tandy Model 100 (the rest of the machine works fine, as I was able to tell by blind-writing BASIC progs that beep the speaker). I opened it up, and the cable between the LCD module and the rest of the computer *looks* fine, as does the LCD module itself. I hope I don't have to replace the entire LCD module; I read on the tandy newsgroup that a new one, ordered via Radio Shack, costs upwards of $200!!! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Charles P. Hobbs __ __ ____ ___ ___ ____ transit(a)primenet.com /__)/__) / / / / /_ /\ / /_ / / / \ / / / / /__ / \/ /___ / -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

28 years, 5 months

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Anyone have a used copy of this book?

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 07:34 PM 11/11/97 -0800, you wrote: >Try http://www.powells.com next to Amazon they're about the biggest >bookstore in the world. Plus they've the advantage of actually being open >to the public. They have a really awsome Technical bookstore. Powells is >a must see if you're ever in the Portland Oregon area, it's almost a >tourist attraction! However, I've no idea if they've got the book you Actually, Powell's *is* a tourist attraction. At least, we make a point of stopping there whenever we're in town. The main store is a full city block. If you're in the area, you definitely have to check it out. I don't know if they've got their full selection on-line; if not you can always call them and ask someone to check, I suppose. They do carry various Land Rover manuals and books too. --------------------------------------------------------------------- O- Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad sinasohn(a)ricochet.net that none but madmen know." Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates San Francisco, California http://www.crl.com/~sinasohn/

28 years, 5 months

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Probably not counting... DECserver 200/MC

by dseagrav＠bsdserver.tek-star.net

I just got a DECserver 200/MC to act as a termserver for my 11/34 when it comes back up... ANyone know how to get setup on here? This may not count as a computer, but I do need help...

28 years, 5 months

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Classic Computer Rescue Squad

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< <> > HDDs I've seen in a LONG time. I was using a WD Caviar 2.0 GB, and it <> > was LOUD!!! < <Hey! What is wrong with loud disk drives! The more noise the create, the <more fun they are... I've seen several of them and they werent loud save for one that had a bad bearing! Allison

28 years, 5 months

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What's this?

by dseagrav＠bsdserver.tek-star.net

I bought a nice piece of luggage today, it has a few DEC disks and the CR04 diag cards (Card reader for PDP). But what are the disks? It's about 12-18" across, says decpack, 2200 BPI-12 on it. There's 3, 2 for XXDP+, one scratch. Are these RL02 packs? It's a single platter affair.

28 years, 5 months

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