Subject: Re: Loading an OS onto a real PDP-11 - not an emulator From: Dave McGuire <mcguire at neurotica.com> Date: Sun, 23 Mar 2008 13:40:14 -0400 To: "General Discussion: On-Topic Posts Only" <cctech at classiccmp.org>

On Mar 23, 2008, at 7:49 AM, Allison wrote: >> Following the wonderful advice so for, My shiny PDP 11/04 has now been >> upgraded to a 11/34, and I have a temporary terminator pack for my >> RL01 >> disk drive. >> >> I suspect that I have a system that is capable of booting. - Wo Hoo. >> (read - the disks spin, and the fault light stays off.....) >> >> My final problem (Dont hold me to that though) is that I while I have >> a >> number of disk packs, I don't believe that I have anything to boot!! >> The packs are not really usefully labeled. >> >> Having trawled the list, I can find many many messages about archiving >> data off RL disk packs, and onto archival systems (such as emulators, >> etc) - bit I cant find anything about how to take a disk image, and >> put >> it onto an real RL01 attached to real PDP11 where there is no other >> media... I suspect that I have to load in a serial receiver program, >> and dump an image - but the details are so far, sparse.... >> >> If somebody could provide some pointers - that would be awesome..... >> In >> an ideal world, I would be able to get RSTS onto this system (I have >> dual RL01's - so that may not work) - Alternately, just being able to >> boot RT11 to load a Forth interpreter would also work. [Yes, this is >> where I admit to being a Forth person - I hope people will still want >> to >> talk to me having admitted that] >

> Two ways I know of and they are essentailly the same. Create a pack > on a > working system or bring up a pack from a working sytems. Other options > are a floppy based bring up (RT11 fits on floppy) or maybe loading core > via serial line with a bottable image. Last option is emulateted Tu58 > where the PC acts as a TU58 with RT11 and you use a serial line to boot > and run fromt hat to create a RL pack. IN any case I don't think > anyone > has come up with a way to write a RL from a PC directly. Generally > every > one has at least one other media (RX01/2 or RX50 OR TK50, TUxx) for > portability. > > It's look at the option where someone creates a pack for you or loans > a pack or the emulated TU58 option.

Using vtserver is a good option here. Though I'm currently having trouble with it with an 11/23 I'm trying to load with RSTS/E, I've had good luck with it in the past with RSTS/E and 2.11BSD on an 11/83. I think my 11/23's console SLU is somehow flakey and screwing with data transfer.

-Dave -- Dave McGuire Port Charlotte, FL