Building a PDP-11 for the first time

Jerome Fine replies: First, the M8190-AB is a PDP-11/73 CPU board and usually runs in an ALL Qbus system. Don't forget that the M8190-AB runs BEST with a cabinet kit that has ONE DB25 connector and two cables between it and the CPU - one 10 pin and one 20 pin. Extra M8067 memory boards of 1/2 MByte should not be too difficult to find. All of the above hardware is compatible. The M8190-AB is DEFINITELY a Qbus board, NOT a UNIBUS board. In fact, it is not even a PDP-11/83 CPU, but normally regarded as a PDP-11/73 CPU, in RT-11 noted as a B processor since it has boot ROMs and all that sort of stuff. Under RT-11 when used with normal memory or PMI memory below the CPU, it is a PDP-11/73. When used with PMI memory above the CPU, RT-11 shows a PDP-11/83 to be present. In addition, as has been noted, there is no such animal as a PDP-11/84 CPU since the same CPU board is used for BOTH the PDP-11/83 and the PDP-11/84. However, in the ALL Qbus or PDP-11/83 system, the same PMI memory will also work with most M8190-AB boards either as normal memory or a PMI memory - depending on the position whether the memory is above or below the CPU. When used in a PDP-11/84 system, the PMI memory is different and the rest of the system is Unibus with a converter connected to the CPU / memory on the Qbus side. I have no idea of how to transfer BSD to the hard drive! Even RT-11 would be difficult since there are no easy ways without RT-11 to do a download. Having an RQDX3 and an RX50 in the BA23 box might be useful. Sorry - I am an RT-11 addict! Sincerely yours, Jerome Fine -- If you attempted to send a reply and the original e-mail address has been discontinued due a high volume of junk e-mail, then the semi-permanent e-mail address can be obtained by replacing the four characters preceding the 'at' with the four digits of the current year.