15 Jun
2005
15 Jun
'05
11:07 a.m.
Hi,
I am just getting a PDP11/23plus. The CPU is already at home and I have
powered the machine up. Makes noise, turns fans, etc. If I start the
machine (running indicator lit) it gives me a dollar sign ('$') prompt
which seems to accept two character until it starts a new line.
Here a few (perhaps totally stupid - but I've never used such a toy
before) questions:
What's that?
What can I do from there?
Is it normal?
My machine lacks harddisk and floppy (at the moment, they have not
arrived yet). The monitor program (@-Prompt) seems to work correctly.
Regards,
Philipp :-)
15 Jun
15 Jun
11:18 a.m.
At 5:07 PM +0200 6/15/05, Philipp Hachtmann wrote:
Hi,
I am just getting a PDP11/23plus. The CPU is already at home and I
have powered the machine up. Makes noise, turns fans, etc. If I
start the machine (running indicator lit) it gives me a dollar sign
('$') prompt
which seems to accept two character until it starts a new line.
Here a few (perhaps totally stupid - but I've never used such a toy
before) questions:
What's that?
What can I do from there?
Is it normal?
Sounds like the bootstrap of a device controller, not the KDF boot
ROMs. You can probably type type characters for controller name and
another for device number, e.g., DU0.
You need to carefully inventory your boards and determine what you have.
Then look around (bitsavers, e.g.) for appropriate documentation.
John
11:24 a.m.
On Wed, 15 Jun 2005, Philipp Hachtmann wrote:
I am just getting a PDP11/23plus. The CPU is already
at home and I have
powered the machine up. Makes noise, turns fans, etc. If I start the
Congrats!
Noise is good!
machine (running indicator lit) it gives me a dollar
sign ('$') prompt
which seems to accept two character until it starts a new line.
Thats the bootstrap
ROM ("ROM BIOS") talking to you. It wants
you to tell it from what device to boot. From memory:
DL RL01/02 disks
DK RK05 disks
HK RK06/07 (perhaps HM)
DX RX01/02 diskettes
Newer ones probably also support DU (MSCP), network and various
tape controllers (TM, TS, MU) as boot devices.
Beware- afaik, only the FIRST UNIT (unit 0) is supported.
Here a few (perhaps totally stupid - but I've
never used such a toy
before) questions:
What's that?
See above. Life! :P
What can I do from there?
Yes.
Is it normal?
Very.
My machine lacks harddisk and floppy (at the moment,
they have not
arrived yet). The monitor program (@-Prompt) seems to work correctly.
Once you have
the disk stuff connected, try one of the above.
--f
1:25 p.m.
Hi,
Aha. But why is there no memory test etc? My documentation tells me
about memory test messages etc. and a start prompt. Are there several
bootstrap loaders around?
If yes, does anyone have a better one?
Fine.
Congrats! Noise is good!
I think so :-)
machine (running indicator lit) it gives me a
dollar sign ('$')
prompt which seems to accept two character until it starts a new
line.
Thats the bootstrap ROM ("ROM BIOS") talking to you. It wants you to
tell it from what device to boot. From memory:
DL RL01/02 disks DK RK05 disks HK RK06/07 (perhaps HM) DX RX01/02
diskettes Is it normal?
Very. Once you have the disk stuff connected, try one of the
above.
I'll do that at once when I have got the rest of the system.
Sounds like the bootstrap of a device controller, not the KDF boot
ROMs. You can probably type type characters for controller name and
another for device number, e.g., DU0.
What to do to get that kdf thing working? How
will I know? On my CPU
board are two eproms with green labels and nothing written on them. The
docum
If it is possible that I don't have the original bootstrap - can anyone
send it to me via email?
You need to carefully inventory your boards and
determine what you
have.
I have:
- CPU (M8189)
- RAM (M8067), 128k*18?
- RAM (8059), same size?
- Floppy controller M8029
- Emulex SC02/C RK06/07 compatible SMD disk controller (for my Ampex
hard drive)
- 2 * M8043 (4 serial ports)
- 1 unknown Plessey interface card, P/No. 701775 (What's that ?)
Thanks for all further hints!
Regards,
Philipp :-)
1:54 p.m.
At 7:25 PM +0200 6/15/05, Philipp Hachtmann wrote:
Aha. But why is there no memory test etc? My
documentation tells me
about memory test messages etc. and a start prompt. Are there
several bootstrap loaders around?
The normal 23+ boot ROMs do a memory test. This boot sequence can be
disabled via DIP switches on the board. See below.
- CPU (M8189)
- RAM (M8067), 128k*18?
- RAM (8059), same size?
- Floppy controller M8029
- Emulex SC02/C RK06/07 compatible SMD disk controller (for my Ampex
hard drive)
- 2 * M8043 (4 serial ports)
- 1 unknown Plessey interface card, P/No. 701775 (What's that ?)
The SC02 can take optional boot PROMs. Sounds like you have those
installed and enabled. If you haven't done so already, grab the
manual from bitsavers, also grab the 23+ manuals. You will see that
the $ prompt is from the Emulex board (see Section 6). There's
nothing wrong with that boot, if you want to use it. Alternatively,
you could disable that boot and enable the boot on the M8189 board.
One boot or the other, not both.
John
2:20 p.m.
On Wed, 15 Jun 2005, Philipp Hachtmann wrote:
Aha. But why is there no memory test etc? My
documentation tells me
about memory test messages etc. and a start prompt. Are there several
bootstrap loaders around?
It does seem like a customized one. A regular bootstrap
would
look like:
---------
256 KW
START? _
--------
or such.
If yes, does anyone have a better one?
Depends
on the cards you have. Open up the box, and list
us the cards (the Mxxxx numbers on the board handles will
do), this will tell us the system's configuration.
What to do to get that kdf thing working? How will I
know? On my CPU
board are two eproms with green labels and nothing written on them. The
docum
If it is possible that I don't have the original bootstrap - can anyone
send it to me via email?
Oh, scrap the above :)
You need to carefully inventory your boards and
determine what you
have.
I have:
- CPU (M8189)
M8189 KDF11-BA Q 11/23-PLUS single-board CPU
- RAM (M8067), 128k*18?
M8067-FA MSV11-PF
Q 128-Kbyte MOS memory with parity CSR
M8067-KA MSV11-PK Q 256-kbyte MOS memory with parity CSR
M8067-LA MSV11-PL Q 512-Kbyte MOS memory with parity CSR
- RAM (8059), same size?
M8059-FA MSV11-LF
Q 64-Kword MOS RAM, single voltage
- Floppy controller M8029
M8029 RXV21
Q RX02 floppy disk controller, 18-bit DMA only.
- Emulex SC02/C RK06/07 compatible SMD disk controller
(for my Ampex
hard drive)
- 2 * M8043 (4 serial ports)
M8043 DLVJ1-M
Q 4-Line Asynchronous Interface
- 1 unknown Plessey interface card, P/No. 701775
(What's that ?)
Dunno, sorry.
So, this is an 11/23-PLUS (meaning, 22-bit Qbus), with at least
64+ 2x128KB (probably more, depending on which model of those
two cards), an RX interface, 8 serial ports (plus console),
the hard disk interface, and the Plessey card, which could be
tape, or I/O of some sort.
The system *could* have a non-standard boot ROM on the CPU
board. If so, it will be easy to restore an original in there.
It **could** be the ROM from the Emulex card, by the way, as
the system most likely needed to boot off the Emulex card.
--f
7011
days inactive
7011
days old
5 comments
3 participants
participants (3)
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dundas＠caltech.edu -
hachti＠hachti.de -
waltje＠pdp11.nl