29 May
2007
29 May
'07
11:01 a.m.
On Sun, 2007-05-27 at 00:37 +0100, Tony Duell wrote:
You scare me. You're literally at the far end of the next country
along, and you still scare me.
I know the key for the front panel on my MicroVAX 3300 resembles a bike
lock key but without any of the "plungers". In fact, although I have
the plastic key that came with it, my bike lock key and my sister's
Krooklok key fit it!
The standard
DEC key is stamped XX2247 (I have on on my regular
keyring). You can either try to get one from a DEC enthusiast, or for
So do I :-)
a bit of money ($15?) you can get a full-service
locksmith to code-cut
you one based on that number.
Or real madmen with a lathe/mill and a dividing head can machine it
themselves from metal tubing ;-)
I have only ever encountered one machine in 25 years that didn't have
the default key.
Well, later DEC machines (11/44, etc) take the smae-sized key, but there
are no pins in the lock. Any thing that will fit into the lock and engage
with the grouve in the central it will work. The official DEC key is just
a plastic moulding with a ridge inside. Obviosuly an XX2247 will work too. The 11/05 , 11/10 and GT40 had a Yale-type cylinder
lock with a flat key.
3 wafer tumbers IIRC, very easy to pick if you're so inclinded (or of
course you can dismantle it from the panel casting quite easily.
I picked the panel lock on my OEM PDP-11/73. It seemed to have three
wavers.
Gordon