Desperate...Help...HP 9-track drive... - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

14 Oct 1999

-----Original Message-----
From: Tony Duell &lt;ard(a)p850ug1.demon.co.uk&gt;
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
&lt;classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu&gt;
Date: Thursday, October 14, 1999 4:56 PM
Subject: Re: Desperate...Help...HP 9-track drive...

...
 >   One of the things I like the least about my
collection of Olde
> Iron, is the amount of time I seem to have to spend
> diagnosing/repairing vs. enjoying the system. I am a BSEE, and have
> spent a good deal of my career fixing broken things, and I've paid
> some dues as a programmer and systems analyst, too... but it's
> seldom I turn on a system that it doesn't woof it's cookies and go
> casters up on me. 

That's the best part! I get bored quickly with old systems that run. Most of
the minis I get out of plants "operational" are far from operational. I
never board swap so that keeps things interesting. They usually take a few
days to a few weeks to fully restore. Most of them come with poor
software... I spend my days designing hardware/firmware and some software
for new projects so I don't find it too interesting writing Fortran programs
on a teletype.

The Honeywell 316 series *were* my favorite computers because they break
down so often. At one time I had three of them taking turns crapping out.

I think I might be able to enjoy writing some code on the PDP 8/s. For
anyone interested I am setting up a small communications server with a Nova,
the 8/s, and a PDP 11/05 so folks on the internet can telnet into them
(Nova - Basic, 8/s - whatever looks the coolest, PDP 11/05 - RT11 with
MBASIC, maybe a 11/34). Hopefully some folks will appricate logging into the
systems and playing with them.

john

...

Err, isn't that part of the fun of running old computers. If you want a
machine that powers up first time, you probably don't want to be running
some strange 1970's box :-).

Seriously, though, most of my machines are pretty relaible. Yes, I do get
failures. And I know that sometimes when I turn them on, it's not going
to work. That's why I have a pile of service manuals, schematics, tools,
test gear, etc. But 95%+ of the time, things work.

One thing is, I do do a bit of PM. Not in the field service sense of
changing the filters once a month. But in the sense of checking PSU
voltages, fan operation, cleaning connectors, etc from time to time. I
generally completely strip any machine that I get and check for problems
(power connections hanging on 1 or 2 strands are common, and cause all
sorts of problems). Then every so often I stick a voltmeter on the PSU
outputs, just to check.

I don't get that many failures. Oh, the odd chip fails, the odd dry joint
opens (more often in new stuff, actually). But not that often.

-tony