Which Operating System for my DCC-116 E / Entrex 480 / Nixdorf 620 / Data General Nova 1200 clone ?
15 Jan
2018
15 Jan
'18
5:16 p.m.
On 10/4/2017 3:33 PM, Dominique Carlier via cctech wrote:
Hi all
I start here another topic concerning my research about a new Operating
System for my freshly restored DCC-116 E.
http://www.zeltrax.com/classiccmp_forum/second_boot/04.jpg
http://www.zeltrax.com/classiccmp_forum/second_boot/02.jpg
I originally intended to install RDOS on my machine but it seems very
difficult to find the files needed to make a system installation tape.
FIRST: If you have drawings for the DCC, please let me know. I have
two of them (long in storage in the house, but they ran when I pulled
them from their Unitote/Regitel rack a couple of *decades* ago.
There is an RDOS - disk images, available at:
http://simh.trailing-edge.com/software.html
(Top entry in the list) It is about a 2.5MB disk image.
I suggest that you might download SimH and that image, configure SimH as
a straight Nova (rather than a /3 or /4) and see if it runs that image
OK. If so, there you go!
Beyond that, I *might* be able to help, but it will depend on what the
status of copyright is on what I have, and whether your system can even
run what I do have. I am looking into the copyright part of it - that
may take a week or two. (This is something I needed to to anyway).
In the meantime:
Do you have a way to *write* a tape image? I have an AWS format image
of an RDOS starter system. Note, however, that the label on the RDOS
starter image I have suggests it may only be appropriate for a NOVA 3
or NOVA 4, so it might not run on your system. So, I'd have to take
some time to boot it and try and set up a system for a straight Nova.
As this would take several hours, I'm not keen on doing that unless you
know that one from SimH will not work for you.
I also have some OS and compiler DG floppy images, if you have a
DG-compatible floppy setup. Several different operating systems there.
Same issue: one would have to see how many are compatible with a
straight Nova. I have images of the floppies.
Diagnostics for DG systems are notoriously difficult to find. I have a
few, in listing format.
JRJ
15 Jan
15 Jan
5:58 p.m.
On 1/15/2018 5:16 PM, Jay Jaeger via cctech wrote:
On 10/4/2017 3:33 PM, Dominique Carlier via cctech
wrote:
Jay,
I have two Nova 4 systems with floppies and one Nova 3 with serial and a
controller for Diablo, so would be interested in your images as is if
you can share them.
They are all as acquired, so am trying to get as much as possible for a
project to restore one of them at least down the line.? If you know of
anything that runs or ran on the Nova 4 from floppies that would be
appreciated.? The systems are 6" high basic controls and same for the
floppy boxes for the Nova 4.
the Nova 3 I have a full switch panel for, but just the diablo
controller, no peripherals.? The 4's are the most likely to be gotten to
run.
For me, all I'd need is the images and of course help getting them
going, you would hopefully not have to do as much as you would for the
nixdorf.? Of course I hope he can get his going with your help, but if
it isn't something he needs, putting in my word that I would appreciate it.
thanks
Jim
Hi all
I start here another topic concerning my research about a new Operating
System for my freshly restored DCC-116 E.
http://www.zeltrax.com/classiccmp_forum/second_boot/04.jpg
http://www.zeltrax.com/classiccmp_forum/second_boot/02.jpg
I originally intended to install RDOS on my machine but it seems very
difficult to find the files needed to make a system installation tape.
FIRST: If you have drawings for the DCC, please let me know. I have
two of them (long in storage in the house, but they ran when I pulled
them from their Unitote/Regitel rack a couple of *decades* ago.
There is an RDOS - disk images, available at:
http://simh.trailing-edge.com/software.html
(Top entry in the list) It is about a 2.5MB disk image.
I suggest that you might download SimH and that image, configure SimH as
a straight Nova (rather than a /3 or /4) and see if it runs that image
OK. If so, there you go!
Beyond that, I *might* be able to help, but it will depend on what the
status of copyright is on what I have, and whether your system can even
run what I do have. I am looking into the copyright part of it - that
may take a week or two. (This is something I needed to to anyway).
In the meantime:
Do you have a way to *write* a tape image? I have an AWS format image
of an RDOS starter system. Note, however, that the label on the RDOS
starter image I have suggests it may only be appropriate for a NOVA 3
or NOVA 4, so it might not run on your system. So, I'd have to take
some time to boot it and try and set up a system for a straight Nova.
As this would take several hours, I'm not keen on doing that unless you
know that one from SimH will not work for you.
I also have some OS and compiler DG floppy images, if you have a
DG-compatible floppy setup. Several different operating systems there.
Same issue: one would have to see how many are compatible with a
straight Nova. I have images of the floppies.
Diagnostics for DG systems are notoriously difficult to find. I have a
few, in listing format.
JRJ 
16 Jan
16 Jan
6:19 a.m.
The 'other Jay' wrote...
----------------------------------
Diagnostics for DG systems are notoriously difficult to find. I have a few, in listing
format.
----------------------------------
I have a full official DG-issued/labeled original diagnostic OS tape. I do believe it is
at 800bpi though. If I had an 800 bpi drive (everything I have is 1600-6250) I'd image
it for everyone.
I have a nice S/130 rack that I was almost finished restoring till Bruce Ray stopped
responding. It's been sitting in my workshop for years now and I may have to just get
rid of it. Next to it is a pile of about 8 nova 800/1200 cpus (all stuffed with boards)
that I was going to start on next, but was waiting till the S/130 was done. I'd like
to get done with them so I can move on to other machines that need to be restored... but
may have to just move them out altogether.
I'm wary of just sending the tape through the mail for imaging.... maybe I can find
someone local with an 800 bpi tape drive and eric smith's tapeutils.
J
9:51 a.m.
I understand very well your concerns about sending by mail rare data on
magnetic media. It's a pity that I live so far away (in Belgium), even
if I have not finished to configure my machines, at the end I should be
able to write anything on any media, and concerning magnetic tapes it
will be from 500 to 6250 bpi.
If one day you find in your stock a communication board for Nova 1200
that you do not use please note that I am a potential buyer.
In the meantime, I have to find solutions to reopen all my old monsters
to the outside world ;-)
Dominique
On 16/01/2018 15:19, Jay West via cctalk wrote:
The 'other Jay' wrote...
----------------------------------
Diagnostics for DG systems are notoriously difficult to find. I have a few, in listing
format.
----------------------------------
I have a full official DG-issued/labeled original diagnostic OS tape. I do believe it is
at 800bpi though. If I had an 800 bpi drive (everything I have is 1600-6250) I'd image
it for everyone.
I have a nice S/130 rack that I was almost finished restoring till Bruce Ray stopped
responding. It's been sitting in my workshop for years now and I may have to just get
rid of it. Next to it is a pile of about 8 nova 800/1200 cpus (all stuffed with boards)
that I was going to start on next, but was waiting till the S/130 was done. I'd like
to get done with them so I can move on to other machines that need to be restored... but
may have to just move them out altogether.
I'm wary of just sending the tape through the mail for imaging.... maybe I can find
someone local with an 800 bpi tape drive and eric smith's tapeutils.
J
24 Sep
24 Sep
11:01 p.m.
Dominique,
Might you have any updates on your Nixdorf 620 / Entrex 480 system? I am
quite interested, and it's been a while since I've seen any email with
these keywords here, from you or anyone.
Someday, it is my hope that I might take a tour of your system in Belgium,
on my next trip to the region, if you would be open to this. I am quite
fascinated by this rare dinosaur of a system.
I have begun to archive your work, and everything else I've ever found
about the Entrex 480 systems here:
http://Entrex480.com
Like your system restoration, it is a work in progress...
Best always,
AJ
On Tue, Jan 16, 2018 at 9:52 AM Dominique Carlier via cctalk <
cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
I understand very well your concerns about sending by
mail rare data on
magnetic media. It's a pity that I live so far away (in Belgium), even
if I have not finished to configure my machines, at the end I should be
able to write anything on any media, and concerning magnetic tapes it
will be from 500 to 6250 bpi.
If one day you find in your stock a communication board for Nova 1200
that you do not use please note that I am a potential buyer.
In the meantime, I have to find solutions to reopen all my old monsters
to the outside world ;-)
Dominique
On 16/01/2018 15:19, Jay West via cctalk wrote:
--
Thanks,
AJ Palmgren
http://fb.me/SelmaTrainWreck
http://SelmaTrainWreck.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010931314283
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aj-palmgren-4a085516/
The 'other Jay' wrote...
----------------------------------
Diagnostics for DG systems are notoriously difficult to find. I have a
few, in
listing format.
----------------------------------
I have a full official DG-issued/labeled original diagnostic OS tape. I
do believe
it is at 800bpi though. If I had an 800 bpi drive (everything I
have is 1600-6250) I'd image it for everyone.
I have a nice S/130 rack that I was almost finished restoring till Bruce
Ray
stopped responding. It's been sitting in my workshop for years now and
I may have to just get rid of it. Next to it is a pile of about 8 nova
800/1200 cpus (all stuffed with boards) that I was going to start on next,
but was waiting till the S/130 was done. I'd like to get done with them so
I can move on to other machines that need to be restored... but may have to
just move them out altogether.
I'm wary of just sending the tape through the mail for imaging.... maybe
I can
find someone local with an 800 bpi tape drive and eric smith's
tapeutils.
J
26 Sep
26 Sep
4:50 a.m.
Hello AJ
Thank you for your interest in my project ;-)
Unfortunately I was stopped by some technical problems.
As I was studying ways to create bootable tapes for my DCC-166 when it
started to present troubles.
It started with illegible characters (like a bad charset) on the only
operational terminal I have. Despite this he continued to boot from the
Diablo 44.
Then I tried to reinstall from a bootable tape with DIDOS, the operating
system of Nixdorf, and there it does not work anymore.
Is it because the terminal is not properly working? Is it because there
is a problem with the nine track tape? Is the disc of my Diablo 44
altered? Is it all problems are from a PSU problem? I do not know.
I cleaned the tape drive, the disk platter, the heads, I clean all
connectors (boards), checked what I could at the level of power supply.
I still have not found the cause of the breakdown(s).
I have not had the time yet but I am going to create a new topic on
cctalk about this, unfortunately, I already feel that this
troubleshooting will require knowledge beyond my skills.
Well, we'll see ;-)
Dominique
On 25/09/2018 08:01, AJ Palmgren wrote:
Dominique,
Might you have any updates on your Nixdorf 620 / Entrex 480 system?? I
am quite interested, and it's been a while since I've seen any email
with these keywords here, from you or anyone.
Someday, it is my hope that I might take a tour of your system in
Belgium, on my next trip to the region, if you would be open to this.?
I am quite fascinated by this rare dinosaur of a system.
I have begun to archive your work, and everything else I've ever found
about the Entrex 480 systems here:
http://Entrex480.com
Like your system restoration, it is a work in progress...
Best always,
AJ
On Tue, Jan 16, 2018 at 9:52 AM Dominique Carlier via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org <mailto:cctalk at classiccmp.org>> wrote:
I understand very well your concerns about sending by mail rare
data on
magnetic media. It's a pity that I live so far away (in Belgium),
even
if I have not finished to configure my machines, at the end I
should be
able to write anything on any media, and concerning magnetic tapes it
will be from 500 to 6250 bpi.
If one day you find in your stock a communication board for Nova 1200
that you do not use please note that I am a potential buyer.
In the meantime, I have to find solutions to reopen all my old
monsters
to the outside world ;-)
Dominique
On 16/01/2018 15:19, Jay West via cctalk wrote:
The 'other Jay' wrote...
----------------------------------
Diagnostics for DG systems are notoriously difficult to find.? I
have a few,
in listing format.
----------------------------------
I have a full official DG-issued/labeled original diagnostic OS
tape. I do
believe it is at 800bpi though. If I had an 800 bpi
drive (everything I have is 1600-6250) I'd image it for everyone.
I have a nice S/130 rack that I was almost finished restoring
till Bruce Ray
stopped responding. It's been sitting in my
workshop for years now and I may have to just get rid of it. Next
to it is a pile of about 8 nova 800/1200 cpus (all stuffed with
boards) that I was going to start on next, but was waiting till
the S/130 was done. I'd like to get done with them so I can move
on to other machines that need to be restored... but may have to
just move them out altogether.
I'm wary of just sending the tape through the mail for
imaging.... maybe I
can find someone local with an 800 bpi tape
drive and eric smith's tapeutils.
J
--
Thanks,
AJ Palmgren
http://fb.me/SelmaTrainWreck
http://SelmaTrainWreck.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010931314283
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aj-palmgren-4a085516/
30 Sep
30 Sep
2:16 a.m.
Well, Dominique, I would encourage you to not give up. You have the only
functional version of this system that anyone has ever reported over the
Internet in recent times (as far as I've found), and I would love to help
in any way that I can.
I also am quite busy, as are you, but this system has come to hold a
important place in my desire to preserve vintage equipment.
The complexity of the situation may be beyond my current skill set as well,
however, I'd be very happy to contribute to the diagnosis in any way I
can. I've come up with some pretty "unorthodox" methods, over the past few
years, of reverse-engineering the way older vintage computer components
talk to each other,and one of those tricks just might be the key to
unlocking this mystery.
Please keep us posted here. There are many here far more knowledgeable and
experienced than I, with this vintage of equipment. It's so fascinating!
Best always,
AJ
On Wed, Sep 26, 2018 at 4:50 AM Dominique Carlier <dce at skynet.be> wrote:
Hello AJ
Thank you for your interest in my project ;-)
Unfortunately I was stopped by some technical problems.
As I was studying ways to create bootable tapes for my DCC-166 when it
started to present troubles.
It started with illegible characters (like a bad charset) on the only
operational terminal I have. Despite this he continued to boot from the
Diablo 44.
Then I tried to reinstall from a bootable tape with DIDOS, the operating
system of Nixdorf, and there it does not work anymore.
Is it because the terminal is not properly working? Is it because there is
a problem with the nine track tape? Is the disc of my Diablo 44 altered? Is
it all problems are from a PSU problem? I do not know.
I cleaned the tape drive, the disk platter, the heads, I clean all
connectors (boards), checked what I could at the level of power supply. I
still have not found the cause of the breakdown(s).
I have not had the time yet but I am going to create a new topic on cctalk
about this, unfortunately, I already feel that this troubleshooting will
require knowledge beyond my skills.
Well, we'll see ;-)
Dominique
On 25/09/2018 08:01, AJ Palmgren wrote:
Dominique,
Might you have any updates on your Nixdorf 620 / Entrex 480 system? I am
quite interested, and it's been a while since I've seen any email with
these keywords here, from you or anyone.
Someday, it is my hope that I might take a tour of your system in Belgium,
on my next trip to the region, if you would be open to this. I am quite
fascinated by this rare dinosaur of a system.
I have begun to archive your work, and everything else I've ever found
about the Entrex 480 systems here:
http://Entrex480.com
Like your system restoration, it is a work in progress...
Best always,
AJ
On Tue, Jan 16, 2018 at 9:52 AM Dominique Carlier via cctalk <
cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
--
Thanks,
AJ Palmgren
http://fb.me/SelmaTrainWreck
http://SelmaTrainWreck.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010931314283
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aj-palmgren-4a085516/
I understand very well your concerns about
sending by mail rare data on
magnetic media. It's a pity that I live so far away (in Belgium), even
if I have not finished to configure my machines, at the end I should be
able to write anything on any media, and concerning magnetic tapes it
will be from 500 to 6250 bpi.
If one day you find in your stock a communication board for Nova 1200
that you do not use please note that I am a potential buyer.
In the meantime, I have to find solutions to reopen all my old monsters
to the outside world ;-)
Dominique
On 16/01/2018 15:19, Jay West via cctalk wrote:
--
Thanks,
AJ Palmgren
http://fb.me/SelmaTrainWreck
http://SelmaTrainWreck.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010931314283
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aj-palmgren-4a085516/
The 'other Jay' wrote...
----------------------------------
Diagnostics for DG systems are notoriously difficult to find. I have a
few, in
listing format.
----------------------------------
I have a full official DG-issued/labeled original diagnostic OS tape. I
do believe
it is at 800bpi though. If I had an 800 bpi drive (everything I
have is 1600-6250) I'd image it for everyone.
I have a nice S/130 rack that I was almost finished restoring till
Bruce Ray
stopped responding. It's been sitting in my workshop for years
now and I may have to just get rid of it. Next to it is a pile of about 8
nova 800/1200 cpus (all stuffed with boards) that I was going to start on
next, but was waiting till the S/130 was done. I'd like to get done with
them so I can move on to other machines that need to be restored... but may
have to just move them out altogether.
I'm wary of just sending the tape through the mail for imaging....
maybe I can
find someone local with an 800 bpi tape drive and eric smith's
tapeutils.
J
1 Oct
1 Oct
12:11 a.m.
Dominique, I just had an idea. May I ask what type/style/pin-configuration
of plug is on the back connector of your 1 working terminal?
Not that the plug matters as much, but I'm thinking about an easy way to
build a quick interface to reverse engineer the protocol (and
pinouts/cabling) that these terminals use.
Besides, that would be a FASCINATING thing for me to learn about this
system, anyway.
And I have some diagnostic hardware that I'd like to contribute to this
portion, as well.
On Sun, Sep 30, 2018 at 2:16 AM AJ Palmgren <microtechdart at gmail.com> wrote:
Well, Dominique, I would encourage you to not give up.
You have the only
functional version of this system that anyone has ever reported over the
Internet in recent times (as far as I've found), and I would love to help
in any way that I can.
I also am quite busy, as are you, but this system has come to hold a
important place in my desire to preserve vintage equipment.
The complexity of the situation may be beyond my current skill set as
well, however, I'd be very happy to contribute to the diagnosis in any way
I can. I've come up with some pretty "unorthodox" methods, over the past
few years, of reverse-engineering the way older vintage computer components
talk to each other,and one of those tricks just might be the key to
unlocking this mystery.
Please keep us posted here. There are many here far more knowledgeable
and experienced than I, with this vintage of equipment. It's so
fascinating!
Best always,
AJ
On Wed, Sep 26, 2018 at 4:50 AM Dominique Carlier <dce at skynet.be> wrote:
--
Thanks,
AJ Palmgren
http://fb.me/SelmaTrainWreck
http://SelmaTrainWreck.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010931314283
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aj-palmgren-4a085516/
Hello AJ
Thank you for your interest in my project ;-)
Unfortunately I was stopped by some technical problems.
As I was studying ways to create bootable tapes for my DCC-166 when it
started to present troubles.
It started with illegible characters (like a bad charset) on the only
operational terminal I have. Despite this he continued to boot from the
Diablo 44.
Then I tried to reinstall from a bootable tape with DIDOS, the operating
system of Nixdorf, and there it does not work anymore.
Is it because the terminal is not properly working? Is it because there
is a problem with the nine track tape? Is the disc of my Diablo 44 altered?
Is it all problems are from a PSU problem? I do not know.
I cleaned the tape drive, the disk platter, the heads, I clean all
connectors (boards), checked what I could at the level of power supply. I
still have not found the cause of the breakdown(s).
I have not had the time yet but I am going to create a new topic on
cctalk about this, unfortunately, I already feel that this troubleshooting
will require knowledge beyond my skills.
Well, we'll see ;-)
Dominique
On 25/09/2018 08:01, AJ Palmgren wrote:
Dominique,
Might you have any updates on your Nixdorf 620 / Entrex 480 system? I am
quite interested, and it's been a while since I've seen any email with
these keywords here, from you or anyone.
Someday, it is my hope that I might take a tour of your system in
Belgium, on my next trip to the region, if you would be open to this. I am
quite fascinated by this rare dinosaur of a system.
I have begun to archive your work, and everything else I've ever found
about the Entrex 480 systems here:
http://Entrex480.com
Like your system restoration, it is a work in progress...
Best always,
AJ
On Tue, Jan 16, 2018 at 9:52 AM Dominique Carlier via cctalk <
cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
--
Thanks,
AJ Palmgren
http://fb.me/SelmaTrainWreck
http://SelmaTrainWreck.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010931314283
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aj-palmgren-4a085516/
I understand very well your concerns about
sending by mail rare data on
magnetic media. It's a pity that I live so far away (in Belgium), even
if I have not finished to configure my machines, at the end I should be
able to write anything on any media, and concerning magnetic tapes it
will be from 500 to 6250 bpi.
If one day you find in your stock a communication board for Nova 1200
that you do not use please note that I am a potential buyer.
In the meantime, I have to find solutions to reopen all my old monsters
to the outside world ;-)
Dominique
On 16/01/2018 15:19, Jay West via cctalk wrote:
--
Thanks,
AJ Palmgren
http://fb.me/SelmaTrainWreck
http://SelmaTrainWreck.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010931314283
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aj-palmgren-4a085516/
The 'other Jay' wrote...
----------------------------------
Diagnostics for DG systems are notoriously difficult to find. I have
a few, in
listing format.
----------------------------------
I have a full official DG-issued/labeled original diagnostic OS tape.
I do believe
it is at 800bpi though. If I had an 800 bpi drive (everything
I have is 1600-6250) I'd image it for everyone.
I have a nice S/130 rack that I was almost finished restoring till
Bruce Ray
stopped responding. It's been sitting in my workshop for years
now and I may have to just get rid of it. Next to it is a pile of about 8
nova 800/1200 cpus (all stuffed with boards) that I was going to start on
next, but was waiting till the S/130 was done. I'd like to get done with
them so I can move on to other machines that need to be restored... but may
have to just move them out altogether.
I'm wary of just sending the tape through the mail for imaging....
maybe I can
find someone local with an 800 bpi tape drive and eric smith's
tapeutils.
J
1:21 a.m.
Hi !
In fact these terminals (named "Data/Scope Keystations")
http://www.zeltrax.com/classiccmp_forum/palmgren/terminal_identification.jpg
are dedicated and apparently non-configurable, connected through exotic
connectors (for which I do not have, of course, the pinout), and using,
I think, a synchronous serial type link for data transmission. It is
possible to connect 12 terminals on my machine through two boards
(multiplexer type).
Here is what the connectors looks like
http://www.zeltrax.com/classiccmp_forum/palmgren/connector.jpg
These terminals have nothing autonomous, I mean that if I do not proceed
to a warm start, or a fresh installation with tape drive via the cold
start procedure, the terminals do not display anything at all.
There are two empty slots, one is named TTY (slot 3)? and the other
COMMO (slot 9). Again I may be wrong but for an asynchronous
communication I think the TTY board is required. The board "COMMO" maybe
not because - I think - it was only used to communicate with other
systems including the IBM 3270.
Apparently, the board with witch it should be possible to connect a
console terminal (eventually a PC via a standard RS232 serial port) is
missing : DG serial port board (DG Model 4007/4010) or equivalent
But all new ideas are welcome ;-)
Dominique
On 1/10/2018 09:11, AJ Palmgren wrote:
Dominique, I just had an idea.? May I ask what
type/style/pin-configuration of plug is on the back connector of your
1 working terminal?
Not that the plug matters as much, but I'm thinking about an easy way
to build a quick interface to reverse engineer the protocol (and
pinouts/cabling) that these terminals use.
Besides, that would be a FASCINATING thing for me to learn about this
system, anyway.
And I have some diagnostic hardware that I'd like to contribute to
this portion, as well.
On Sun, Sep 30, 2018 at 2:16 AM AJ Palmgren <microtechdart at gmail.com
<mailto:microtechdart at gmail.com>> wrote:
Well, Dominique, I would encourage you to not give up.? You have
the only functional version of this system that anyone has ever
reported over the Internet in recent times (as far as I've found),
and I would love to help in any way that I can.
I also am quite busy, as are you, but this system has come to hold
a important place in my desire to preserve vintage equipment.
The complexity of the situation may be beyond my current skill set
as well, however, I'd be very happy to contribute to the diagnosis
in any way I can.? I've come up with some pretty "unorthodox"
methods, over the past few years, of reverse-engineering the way
older vintage computer components talk to each other,and one of
those tricks just might be the key to unlocking this mystery.
Please keep us posted here.? There are many here far more
knowledgeable and experienced than I, with this vintage of
equipment.? It's so fascinating!
Best always,
AJ
On Wed, Sep 26, 2018 at 4:50 AM Dominique Carlier <dce at skynet.be
<mailto:dce at skynet.be>> wrote:
Hello AJ
Thank you for your interest in my project ;-)
Unfortunately I was stopped by some technical problems.
As I was studying ways to create bootable tapes for my DCC-166
when it started to present troubles.
It started with illegible characters (like a bad charset) on
the only operational terminal I have. Despite this he
continued to boot from the Diablo 44.
Then I tried to reinstall from a bootable tape with DIDOS, the
operating system of Nixdorf, and there it does not work anymore.
Is it because the terminal is not properly working? Is it
because there is a problem with the nine track tape? Is the
disc of my Diablo 44 altered? Is it all problems are from a
PSU problem? I do not know.
I cleaned the tape drive, the disk platter, the heads, I clean
all connectors (boards), checked what I could at the level of
power supply. I still have not found the cause of the
breakdown(s).
I have not had the time yet but I am going to create a new
topic on cctalk about this, unfortunately, I already feel that
this troubleshooting will require knowledge beyond my skills.
Well, we'll see ;-)
Dominique
On 25/09/2018 08:01, AJ Palmgren wrote:
Dominique,
Might you have any updates on your Nixdorf 620 / Entrex 480
system?? I am quite interested, and it's been a while since
I've seen any email with these keywords here, from you or anyone.
Someday, it is my hope that I might take a tour of your
system in Belgium, on my next trip to the region, if you
would be open to this.? I am quite fascinated by this rare
dinosaur of a system.
I have begun to archive your work, and everything else I've
ever found about the Entrex 480 systems here:
http://Entrex480.com
Like your system restoration, it is a work in progress...
Best always,
AJ
On Tue, Jan 16, 2018 at 9:52 AM Dominique Carlier via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org <mailto:cctalk at classiccmp.org>> wrote:
I understand very well your concerns about sending by
mail rare data on
magnetic media. It's a pity that I live so far away (in
Belgium), even
if I have not finished to configure my machines, at the
end I should be
able to write anything on any media, and concerning
magnetic tapes it
will be from 500 to 6250 bpi.
If one day you find in your stock a communication board
for Nova 1200
that you do not use please note that I am a potential buyer.
In the meantime, I have to find solutions to reopen all
my old monsters
to the outside world ;-)
Dominique
On 16/01/2018 15:19, Jay West via cctalk wrote:
--
Thanks,
AJ Palmgren
http://fb.me/SelmaTrainWreck
http://SelmaTrainWreck.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010931314283
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aj-palmgren-4a085516/
--
Thanks,
AJ Palmgren
http://fb.me/SelmaTrainWreck
http://SelmaTrainWreck.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010931314283
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aj-palmgren-4a085516/
The 'other Jay' wrote...
----------------------------------
Diagnostics for DG systems are notoriously difficult to
find.? I have
a few, in listing format.
----------------------------------
I have a full official DG-issued/labeled original
diagnostic OS tape.
I do believe it is at 800bpi though.
If I had an 800 bpi drive (everything I have is
1600-6250) I'd image it for everyone.
I have a nice S/130 rack that I was almost finished
restoring till
Bruce Ray stopped responding. It's been
sitting in my workshop for years now and I may have to
just get rid of it. Next to it is a pile of about 8 nova
800/1200 cpus (all stuffed with boards) that I was going
to start on next, but was waiting till the S/130 was
done. I'd like to get done with them so I can move on to
other machines that need to be restored... but may have
to just move them out altogether.
I'm wary of just sending the tape through the mail for
imaging....
maybe I can find someone local with an 800
bpi tape drive and eric smith's tapeutils.
J
--
Thanks,
AJ Palmgren
http://fb.me/SelmaTrainWreck
http://SelmaTrainWreck.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010931314283
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aj-palmgren-4a085516/
16 Jan
16 Jan
9:03 a.m.
Hello Jay (JRJ),
I'm not sure if I understand well, what do you mean by "drawings", do
you need additional images of the beast, maybe to better identify it ?
If yes :
http://www.zeltrax.com/classiccmp_forum/tapetransfert/d116_panel_01.jpg
http://www.zeltrax.com/classiccmp_forum/tapetransfert/d116_panel_02.jpg
http://www.zeltrax.com/classiccmp_forum/tapetransfert/d116_panel_side.jpg
Regarding SimH it was one of my questions in previous posts: Is there
way to make bootable tapes with the data provided with SimH, apparently
the answer is yes and it is excellent news ! I have never used this
emulator but I will follow your suggestions and try to install the
equivalent of a Nova 1200.
After I do not know how to convert a disk image into a bootable tape.
Regarding RDOS I see that I downloaded with SimH a file "rdos_d31.dsk",
how to proceed to put this .dsk on a tape?
Regarding my hardware, I have two possibilities, I'm currently working
on a set of machines that I'm going to dedicate to the production of
bootable media for a whole assortment of machines, I want to be able to
generate floppies 8 inches, 5 1/4, 3 1/2 (DD or HD), and also 9 track tapes.
For that I have two machines:
- One is a TU81 Plus attached to a VAX 4000-505A running OpenVMS 6.2
http://www.zeltrax.com/classiccmp_forum/tapetransfert/tu81plus.jpg
- The other is a Shugart (KENNEDY) 9612 which can write in 800, 1600,
3200 or 6250 bpi, this tape drive is equipped with a SCSI interface but
I do not know yet if I can connect this drive to a conventional Adaptec
scsi interface and I do not know which program I can use. I read
somewhere that Linux seems a good choice concerning the support of old
tape drive, that'is right ?
http://www.zeltrax.com/classiccmp_forum/tapetransfert/kennedy_9612.jpg
Anyway, all is to make a 800 bpi bootable tape to mount on the Mag-tape
Pertec 8840A of my DCC D-116(E).
Regarding the floppy drive I have a project but just started, and as
usual no information, I recovered this triple 8 inches diskette drive ,
it is a Shugart Model 3800 (or SA3800)
http://www.zeltrax.com/classiccmp_forum/tapetransfert/shugartSA3800_01.jpg
http://www.zeltrax.com/classiccmp_forum/tapetransfert/shugartSA3800_02.jpg
I found a brochure about this:
http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/shugart/brochures/Shugart_SA3800_Bro…
I do not know if there is a way to connect this machine to my D-116, I
don't know if I have the required interface in the D-116, and finally I
don't know anything about the interface currently present inside the
SA3800. This machine was hooked to another rare machine, a "Hermes Data
System 200 FD", machine currently down, and no doc, no info:
http://www.zeltrax.com/classiccmp_forum/tapetransfert/hermes_data_system_20…
I wanted to use the Hermes as a telex and one of these floppy drive -
Although it's an SD one - for data transfer between my recent machines
and my dear (still dead) Sperry Univac UTS 40, but that's another topic
again, sorry, I'm scattering ;-)
FYI I still have many lacks of knowledge, I do not know what an AWS
image format. I do not know anything about licensing and copywrite
issues in the context of retro-computer preservation, I've always found
that very inappropriate in regard of the efforts we make, the time we
take on our lives to protect this legacy for the unique purpose of
preserving a piece of history related to the evolution of technology.
Fortunately there are people like you, in a good spirit of mutual help
that goes beyond the borders of countries and continents,? a big thank
you for that!
Dominique
On 16/01/2018 02:16, Jay Jaeger via cctalk wrote:
On 10/4/2017 3:33 PM, Dominique Carlier via cctech
wrote:
Hi all
I start here another topic concerning my research about a new Operating
System for my freshly restored DCC-116 E.
http://www.zeltrax.com/classiccmp_forum/second_boot/04.jpg
http://www.zeltrax.com/classiccmp_forum/second_boot/02.jpg
I originally intended to install RDOS on my machine but it seems very
difficult to find the files needed to make a system installation tape.
FIRST: If you have drawings for the DCC, please let me know. I have
two of them (long in storage in the house, but they ran when I pulled
them from their Unitote/Regitel rack a couple of *decades* ago.
There is an RDOS - disk images, available at:
http://simh.trailing-edge.com/software.html
(Top entry in the list) It is about a 2.5MB disk image.
I suggest that you might download SimH and that image, configure SimH as
a straight Nova (rather than a /3 or /4) and see if it runs that image
OK. If so, there you go!
Beyond that, I *might* be able to help, but it will depend on what the
status of copyright is on what I have, and whether your system can even
run what I do have. I am looking into the copyright part of it - that
may take a week or two. (This is something I needed to to anyway).
In the meantime:
Do you have a way to *write* a tape image? I have an AWS format image
of an RDOS starter system. Note, however, that the label on the RDOS
starter image I have suggests it may only be appropriate for a NOVA 3
or NOVA 4, so it might not run on your system. So, I'd have to take
some time to boot it and try and set up a system for a straight Nova.
As this would take several hours, I'm not keen on doing that unless you
know that one from SimH will not work for you.
I also have some OS and compiler DG floppy images, if you have a
DG-compatible floppy setup. Several different operating systems there.
Same issue: one would have to see how many are compatible with a
straight Nova. I have images of the floppies.
Diagnostics for DG systems are notoriously difficult to find. I have a
few, in listing format.
JRJ
2273
days inactive
2531
days old
9 comments
5 participants
participants (5)
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cube1＠charter.net -
dce＠skynet.be -
jwest＠classiccmp.org -
jwsmail＠jwsss.com -
microtechdart＠gmail.com