The simplest distinction between HP2000 F and Access is that, F and everything prior (As I
recall) used KILL-name (or KIL-name) to delete a program so that one could save a new
version of it. Access changed that to PURGE-name (or PUR-name) for better "Political
Correctness". I even remember that the system at Laurel HS in Laurel MD
"Patti", made this change in the summer of 1976.
Does ether "kill" or "purge" ring a bell to you, Richard?
I see many people telling wonderful stories about HP2000 systems. If some of the others
could also share with us where the systems were located, someone else in the group may
also remember some of them.
Three of the original HP2000 operating systems are running under SIMH, version E, F, and
Access. If anyone is interested in booting up a real HP2000 TSB OS on simulated hardware
(E should run on Unix, all three should run on Windoz), you may want to checkout:
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/hp2000family/
The links to the E and F Zips are in the links section of the group. The group is a good
place to ask support questions about the OS or the simulation. New members are moderated
to prevent spam bots from spamming us. If I can tell that you're a real person
I'll take that off as soon as I see it, or you can call it to my attention by email.
The Access Zip STILL has a real backup of a real system on it (sorry about that). So it is
available by request.
On the subject of Z999, I seem to recall that at least some of the systems before Access
even had the HELLO program residing in Z999. As far as I have seen in the Access source
Z999 no longer had any special privelages.
Someone asked about backing up TSB E without a tape drive. The 7900 disk drive had one
fixed platter and one removable platter. The system and A000 library was on the fixed
platter, and user catalogs were on the removable platter. To backup, you first shutdown
the Timeshare System. Then remove the top disk platter cartridge (containing the user
libraries). Put a scratch cartridge in and copy the fixed disk to it. Then put the user
data cartridge back in and copy it to the fixed disk platter (trashing your system disk).
Then put in another scratch disk and copy the user data from the fixed disk to the
removable disk. Then, put your backup of the system data back in, restore the fixed disk,
then put your user pack back in and start up the timeshare again. Presto, you now have a
backup removable platter containing a copy of the system platter and another with a copy
of the user data.
If course, when running on simulated hardware, tape drives are free, so we usually backup
even TSB E to tape image files. The TSB E OS was distributed on two paper tapes, with a
third tape for the loader. The ZIP files for the simulator contain images of the original
paper tapes. Remember, the simulator is only simulating the hardware. Even on Access we
are using an image of the original paper tape bootstrap to get the system running. The
original operating systems don't know that they are not running on real hardware.
Even for someone interested in building a real system, having access to all of the
binaries and documentation in one nice neat package that is freely available and will even
boot and run on a laptop, should be a helpful tool. It can help you get used to the system
operator, system administrator and system analyst roles before you get your real hardware
running. And besides, it's fun to "telnet 127.0.0.1" and do a CR LF CR LF
and see "PLEASE LOG IN".
If anyone knows or may be able to track down anyone who may still have an old HP2000
system back up tape, we would love to hear about it. We have had great success reading and
reloading old tapes under simulation.
Hope this helps,
Mike Gemeny