PDP-11/44 boot prompt

The best guide to troubleshooting in general (it's actually written for air cooled VWs, but it gives you the right philosophy) is John Muir's "How to Keep your Volkswagon Alive, a manual of step by step instructions for the compleat idiot" It has a section called "VW stops, won't start." It gives a VERY scientific way of going through step by step what's required for the car to run. Things like: "Step 1. Check fuel. Sounds silly, but how about gasoline. Go to the front of the type I, III, and IV (types of VWs) or to the side of the bus and take off the gas cap and rock the car. If you hear the sound of silence, go get some gasoline to pour in the tank. If you hear a swishing noise, and have no fuel gauge, check the reserve valve to make sure its open and if it is, go on to the next step." The important thing for computer trouble shooters to get from this book is not how to fix a VW (although when I bought it I had one). It's to start with the condition "okay, what doesn't work?" and think about what (in broad terms) is required for it to work, and systematically make sure those things are there. It's also a hoot to read. -- Jim Strickland jim(a)DIESPAMMERSCUMcalico.litterbox.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Vote Meadocrat! Bill and Opus in 2000 - Who ELSE is there? -----------------------------------------------------------------------