4 Feb
2006
4 Feb
'06
3:58 p.m.
Anyone know anything about these? It's a Multibus system, with an 80286 CPU
board inside, Ethernet board, ST506/412 disk controller, floppy, and 40MB hard
disk. Date seems to be 1990, which seems a little late for a '286 system.
Two serial ports on the back, Ethernet, Centronics, and another DB25 (serial
console?). Options on the back for another 19 DB25 ports, 3 larger ports
(poss. external disks?), and a DA15 (another Ethernet card I assume)
No apparent model number for the whole box, but a label on the front just says:
Node name: DCU-NODE
... and a network address.
On the underside there's what seems to be a board/part listing:
PSYP310-90C
iSBC286/12
SCX110
SBX344A
SBC552A
SBC214
40Mb HH Winchester
360Kb HH floppy
****ESYP310BYATLP****
The CPU board has an extra 1MB memory board fitted, a daughterboard which goes
to the possible-console connector, and a battery-backed clock card (luckily
there's minimum damage from battery corrosion)
Google seems spectacularly unhelpful. Anyone know if "DCU" is meaningful, or
if there was any particular target market for these systems? (we need to do
PSU checks etc. and find out if that is a serial console before seeing if
it'll fire up)
Given the port options on the back it was obviously designed to cater for
several users - but if it was just an off the shelf UNIX/other server it seems
strange that the case wasn't given any badge, overall model label etc.
cheers
Jules
4 Feb
4 Feb
2:51 p.m.
At 11:58 PM 2/4/06 +0000, you wrote:
Anyone know anything about these?
I've never heard of them and I collect Multibus cards and systems. Is it
an Intel system or does it just use Intel boards? Intel started selling the
boards seaparely specificly so that people could build their own systems
with them.
PSYP310-90C
Are you sure that that's a board number? It sounds like it might be the
model number and I've never heard of a board with that number. Intel did
build a computer with that model number. I think I have one. I don't have
the details handy (and the Intel catalog is rather vague about it anyway).
I probably have docs for some of the cards but for now you can look up
the cards (and pictures and brief descriptions) here
<http://www.classiccmp.org/hp/multibus/multibus.html>.
Can you send or post a picture of the unit? BTW it most likely has iRMX
or iRMX86 installed on the system and you'll have to have a paasword to get
into it. Speaking from experience :-(
More below.
It's a Multibus system, with an 80286 CPU
board inside, Ethernet board, ST506/412 disk
controller, floppy, and 40MB
hard
disk. Date seems to be 1990, which seems a little late
for a '286 system.
Two serial ports on the back, Ethernet, Centronics, and another DB25 (serial
console?). Options on the back for another 19 DB25 ports, 3 larger ports
(poss. external disks?), and a DA15 (another Ethernet card I assume)
No apparent model number for the whole box, but a label on the front just
says:
Node name: DCU-NODE
... and a network address.
On the underside there's what seems to be a board/part listing:
iSBC286/12
SCX110
SBX344A
SBC552A
SBC214
40Mb HH Winchester
360Kb HH floppy
****ESYP310BYATLP****
The CPU board has an extra 1MB memory board fitted, a daughterboard which
goes
to the possible-console connector, and a battery-backed
clock card (luckily
there's minimum damage from battery corrosion)
Google seems spectacularly unhelpful. Anyone know if "DCU" is meaningful, or
if there was any particular target market for these systems? (we need to do
PSU checks etc. and find out if that is a serial console before seeing if
it'll fire up)
Given the port options on the back it was obviously designed to cater for
several users - but if it was just an off the shelf UNIX/other server it
seems
strange that the case wasn't given any badge,
overall model label etc.
The Intel computers (other than the MDSs) that I have only have a
plastic Intel badge on them and no other markings except the board list on
the bottom of the case.
Joe
cheers
Jules
5 Feb
5 Feb
6:01 a.m.
Joe R. wrote:
Yes, I suspect that's overall model number - or maybe a part number for the
case, assuming it was unique to this system.
At 11:58 PM 2/4/06 +0000, you wrote:
I was hoping you'd speak up :)
Anyone know anything about these?
I've never heard of them and I collect Multibus cards and systems. Is it
an Intel system or does it just use Intel boards? Intel started selling the
boards seaparely specificly so that people could build their own systems
with them.
All Intel - seems to be more commonly known as an Intel 310.
Couple of pics of the outside at:
http://www.patooie.com/temp/intel_310_front.jpg
http://www.patooie.com/temp/intel_310_back.jpg
PSYP310-90C
Are you sure that that's a board number? It sounds like it might be the
model number and I've never heard of a board with that number. Intel did
build a computer with that model number. I probably have docs for some of the cards but for
now you can look up
the cards (and pictures and brief descriptions) here
<http://www.classiccmp.org/hp/multibus/multibus.html>.
Thanks - I was looking for that URL as I remember you posting it a few months ago!
(Incidentally, I can grab pics of my NCR Tower's multibus boards for you
sometime if you want - I think I've got an MSC board here at home, then the
machine is over at Bletchley and has the CPU, HPSIO, Ethernet and HPMSC boards
in it)
Can you send or post a picture of the unit?
see above :)
BTW it most likely has iRMX or iRMX86 installed on
the system and you'll
have to have a paasword to get into it. Speaking from experience :-(
Yep :-( That or Xenix. Not sure how to get around that one - I can get round
passwords on SCSI disks easy enough but I've got no way of hooking that
ST506/412 drive to anything more modern in order to modify it :(
The Intel computers (other than the MDSs) that I
have only have a
plastic Intel badge on them and no other markings except the board list on
the bottom of the case.
Yep, sounds like we have the same thing then...
cheers
Jules
6 Feb
6 Feb
2:49 a.m.
At 02:01 PM 2/5/06 +0000, you wrote:
round
Yeap. I looked at your pictures and it's definitely an Intel system.
That case looks like the same one that they used for the expansion chassis
and some of their external drive chassis for the MDSs.
Joe
Joe R. wrote:
I think you're right. I have a BRIEF description of the 310 in one of my
Intel catalogs but since you know what cards are in it you probably already
know more than what the description tells.
I have some manuals for the 330 system which is part of the same series
but I doubt they're be on any real help. I've been looking for manuals for
the 310 myself. Hmm. I've been dealing with one of the Multibus retailers
lately. I should see if he has any 310 manuals. Is ther anything that
you're specificly trying to find out? (other than how to get around the
passwoards!)
At 11:58 PM 2/4/06 +0000, you wrote:
I was hoping you'd speak up :)
Anyone know anything about these?
I've never heard of them and I collect Multibus cards and systems. Is it
an Intel system or does it just use Intel boards? Intel started selling the
boards seaparely specificly so that people could build their own systems
with them.
All Intel - seems to be more commonly known as an Intel 310.
Couple of pics of the outside at:
http://www.patooie.com/temp/intel_310_front.jpg
http://www.patooie.com/temp/intel_310_back.jpg
Yes, I suspect that's overall model number - or maybe a part number for the
case, assuming it was unique to this system.
months ago!
PSYP310-90C
Are you sure that that's a board number? It sounds like it might be the
model number and I've never heard of a board with that number. Intel did
build a computer with that model number. I probably have docs for some of the cards but
for now you can look up
the cards (and pictures and brief descriptions) here
<http://www.classiccmp.org/hp/multibus/multibus.html>.
Thanks - I was looking for that URL as I remember you posting it a few
(Incidentally, I can grab pics of my NCR Tower's multibus boards for you
sometime if you want - I think I've got an MSC board here at home, then the
machine is over at Bletchley and has the CPU, HPSIO, Ethernet and HPMSC
boards
in it)
Sure send them along. I like to add information about the systems that
the boards are found in.
Can you send or post a picture of the unit?
see above :)
BTW it most likely has iRMX or iRMX86 installed
on the system and you'll
have to have a paasword to get into it. Speaking from experience :-(
Yep :-( That or Xenix. Not sure how to get around that one - I can get passwords on SCSI disks easy enough but I've got no
way of hooking that
ST506/412 drive to anything more modern in order to modify it :(
I wish I could help but I don't know either. I wonder if anybody has
Linux running on a system with a ST 412 controller and might be able to
hack into the drive and delete/change the password.
The Intel computers (other than the MDSs) that
I have only have a
plastic Intel badge on them and no other markings except the board list on
the bottom of the case.
Yep, sounds like we have the same thing then...
cheers
Jules
8:40 a.m.
Yep :-( That
or Xenix. Not sure how to get around that one - I can get
round
passwords on SCSI disks easy enough but I've
got no way of hooking that
ST506/412 drive to anything more modern in order to modify it :(
I wish I could help but I don't know either. I wonder if anybody has
Linux running on a system with a ST 412 controller and might be able to
hack into the drive and delete/change the password. from floppy, mount the root partition, and just remove
the password from
/mnt/etc/passwd. (They weren't even shadowed in those
days.)
(My floppies are the pilot units, though, so I am not eager to part
with them. Maybe I could figure out how to duplicate them.)
Vince
7:18 a.m.
Vince,
Do you have floppies for an Intel system???? If so which system? I have
floppies for Tandy XENIX and IBM PC XENIX but not for the Intels. I have an
Intel that runs XENIX and I have't been able to get past the password on it
either.
Joe
At 08:40 AM 2/6/06 -0800, you wrote:
If it's XENIX, I have the install floppies. You should be able to boot
from floppy, mount the root partition, and just remove the password from
/mnt/etc/passwd. (They weren't even shadowed in those days.)
(My floppies are the pilot units, though, so I am not eager to part
with them. Maybe I could figure out how to duplicate them.)
Vince
Yep :-( That or Xenix. Not sure how to get around that
one - I can get
round
passwords on SCSI disks easy enough but I've
got no way of hooking that
ST506/412 drive to anything more modern in order to modify it :(
I wish I could help but I don't know either. I wonder if anybody has
Linux running on a system with a ST 412 controller and might be able to
hack into the drive and delete/change the password.
2:19 p.m.
Do you have floppies for an Intel system???? If so
which system? I have
floppies for Tandy XENIX and IBM PC XENIX but not for the Intels. I have
an
Intel that runs XENIX and I have't been able to
get past the password on
it
either.
The floppies that I have are the XENIX installation floppies from Intel. I
have the pilot units, as I was the team leader for the evaluation of that
product. (Pilot units were the very first one made, which was sent to the
evaluation group to verify that they were manufactured correctly. One time
they weren't, and the poor sod that made them lost his job.)
Vince
8:59 a.m.
vrs wrote:
If it's XENIX, I have the install floppies. You should be able to boot
from floppy, mount the root partition, and just remove the password from
/mnt/etc/passwd. (They weren't even shadowed in those days.)
Yep, true :)
Yep :-( That or Xenix. Not sure how to get around
that one - I can get
round
passwords on SCSI disks easy enough but I've
got no way of hooking that
ST506/412 drive to anything more modern in order to modify it :(
I wish I could
help but I don't know either. I wonder if anybody has
Linux running on a system with a ST 412 controller and might be able to
hack into the drive and delete/change the password. (My floppies are the pilot units, though, so I am not
eager to part
with them. Maybe I could figure out how to duplicate them.)
Hmm, well I expect Imagedisk on a suitable PC will produce an image of them. I
doubt the systems used anything particularly strange for the disk controller,
so they're probably fairly standard geometry FM or MFM format.
I don't mind doing a fresh install if needs be - although it'd be nice to nose
around the hard disk and see what the machine was used for. At the end of the
day though, having something that works and can be maintained in working
condition is more important! :-)
cheers
Jules
8:41 a.m.
Joe R. wrote:
No probs - will try and get something this coming weekend.
round
Usual ST controller problem then though in that the PC's controller likely
won't talk nicely to the format used by the Intel machine :-(
Someone with a few years worth of rainy days could do something from the 310's
built in debugger I suppose ;)
I have some manuals for the 330 system which is
part of the same series
but I doubt they're be on any real help.
Well it turns out there's some useful stuff on Bitsavers - it only seems to
cover the earlier 286/10 boards (and no mention of the 1MB memory board that's
in this system), but it's enough to be getting on with.
Is ther anything that you're specificly trying to
find out? (other than
how to get around the passwoards!)
Well I think the bitsavers info should be enough to go on in order to drive
the internal diagnostics, so passwords are then really the only problem
assuming the hard disk even works (the rest of the system seems in good
condition, so I think there's a good chance it'll be OK).
I think my initial curiousity was that it was an oddball Intel machine with
Ethernet support - I didn't know that Intel actually branched out into
building their own minis along with the MDS line.
(Incidentally,
I can grab pics of my NCR Tower's multibus boards for you
sometime if you want - I think I've got an MSC board here at home, then the
machine is over at Bletchley and has the CPU, HPSIO, Ethernet and HPMSC
boards in
it)
Sure send them along. I like to add information about the systems that
the boards are found in. BTW it most likely has iRMX or iRMX86 installed on
the system and you'll
have to have a paasword to get into it. Speaking from experience :-(
Yep :-( That
or Xenix. Not sure how to get around that one - I can get passwords on SCSI disks easy enough but I've
got no way of hooking that
ST506/412 drive to anything more modern in order to modify it :(
I wish I could help but I don't know either. I wonder if anybody has
Linux running on a system with a ST 412 controller and might be able to
hack into the drive and delete/change the password. Yeap. I looked at your pictures and it's
definitely an Intel system.
That case looks like the same one that they used for the expansion chassis
and some of their external drive chassis for the MDSs.
Ahh, you know I had wondered after I left the site, but didn't have any photos
of our MDS systems handy at the time. Makes sense that they'd just re-use the
case, though.
cheers
Jules
7:22 a.m.
At 04:41 PM 2/6/06 +0000, you wrote:
round
Usual ST controller problem then though in that the PC's controller likely
won't talk nicely to the format used by the Intel machine :-(
I know. That's why I suggested Linux. With it they may be able to
program the controller to read the Intel format.
Joe R. wrote:
>>> BTW it most likely has iRMX or iRMX86 installed on the system and
you'll
have to have a
paasword to get into it. Speaking from experience :-(
Yep :-( That or Xenix. Not
sure how to get around that one - I can get passwords on SCSI disks easy enough but I've
got no way of hooking that
ST506/412 drive to anything more modern in order to modify it :(
I wish I could help but I don't know either. I wonder if anybody has
Linux running on a system with a ST 412 controller and might be able to
hack into the drive and delete/change the password.
Someone with a few years worth of rainy days could do something from the
310's
built in debugger I suppose ;)
I've played with the debugger and I don't think it had any functions to
allow raw disk reads. BTW the debugger is simple and easy to figure out.
Joe
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9 comments
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julesrichardsonuk＠yahoo.co.uk -
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