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Question about VAXen?

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rcini＠email.msn.com

15 Nov 1998 15 Nov '98

3:39 a.m.

Hello, all: I made this offer to Hans Pufal, but I may as well open it up to all. If people on this list have any classic-related technical documents, like the MCS-4 manual, but are unable to post them because they don't have a web site, let me know off-list. Depending on the quantity/size of the docs, I may be able to accomodate them on my site. Also, I'm going to start posting the Altair Computer Notes this week. [ Rich Cini/WUGNET [ ClubWin!/CW7 [ MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking [ Collector of "classic" computers [ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp/ [ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/pdp11/ <================ reply separator =================>

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jax＠tvec.net

15 Nov 15 Nov

1:24 p.m.

New subject: Newbie's got a dead 386

Hello all, FNG here. Having joined the mailing list a few days ago, I've been sitting back reading with interest and sometimes envy, but I have a prol'um: Friend brought me his expired Wyse Decision 386SX20 for resurrection. Don't know exactly why he brought it to me, just a somewhat adept hobbyist ( I only hurt myself every 45 min. or so). Guess he's too cheap to get a pro even though the unit is used as a POS device in his business. It's got a bad floppy drive, which I have, BUT, it sat around unplugged until the battery went down and the BIOS settings are GONE. I have tried every keyboard combination I can think of at bootup and I can't access the BIOS setup. I am suspicious that this model needs a special setup disk to write to the BIOS directly. No book, no brains, no patience...... this may take awhile. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. jax(a)tvec.net

rhblake＠bigfoot.com

10:40 a.m.

New subject: Newbie's got a dead 386

Ethan, nevermind, I had a slip and got the original last. jax wrote:

...

Friend brought me his expired Wyse Decision 386SX20 for resurrection. Don't know exactly why he brought it to me, just a somewhat adept hobbyist ( I only hurt myself every 45 min. or so). Guess he's too cheap to get a pro even though the unit is used as a POS device in his business. It's got a bad floppy drive, which I have, BUT, it sat around unplugged until the battery went down and the BIOS settings are GONE. I have tried every keyboard combination I can think of at bootup and I can't access the BIOS setup. I am suspicious that this model needs a special setup disk to write to the BIOS directly.

CTL-ALT-ESC, CTL-ALT-ENTER, CTL-ALT-INS, CTL-ALT-S, CTL-ALT-END, F10, Hold F while booting, many other possibles. Look in your presonal inbox for a message in which I sent you a file called GSETUP31 that when run will allow much of this to be fixed. Anyone else that wants it can email me and I'll attach it, very small file. Got it

...

from a guy in Amsterdam and it's saved many an odd machine over the last 2 years. I

think it's available on Download.Com or Shareware.Com as well. Have you replaced the battery yet? Many use a commonly available photo or watch battery that you can get at a retail store rather than a 200% markup for one in a pooter shop that's usually old anyway.

...

No book, no brains, no patience...... this may take awhile.

I work like that all the time, it's obvious by me asking Ethan for the originator's address. Ask Sam, he knows all about people with no brains on the list <grin, just kidding Sam>

...

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. jax(a)tvec.net

Appreciation can be sent by check or money order to.........

erd＠infinet.com

16 Nov 16 Nov

4:47 a.m.

New subject: Newbie's got a dead 386

...

Hello all, FNG here.

Where did you pick this term up? I know *exactly* what it means, but I've never seen anybody use it who hasn't been to Antarctica. I'm curious to learn other contexts this moniker appears in.

...

It's got a bad floppy drive, which I have, BUT, it sat around unplugged until the battery went down and the BIOS settings are GONE. I have tried every keyboard combination I can think of at bootup and I can't access the BIOS setup. I am suspicious that this model needs a special setup disk to write to the BIOS directly.

Some do. Old Compaq 386-sx units come to mind. Also... Phoenix BIOS does not always announce the keyboard combo to trigger setup. ISTR CNTL-ALT-ESC and CNTL-ALT-F10 are two popular non-DEL bits. You can't do those at power-up. Boot from a floppy and start whacking keys at the DOS prompt. Good luck, -ethan

rhblake＠bigfoot.com

15 Nov 15 Nov

10:31 a.m.

New subject: Newbie's got a dead 386

Ethan Dicks wrote:

...

Hello all, FNG here.

Where did you pick this term up? I know *exactly* what it means, but I've never seen anybody use it who hasn't been to Antarctica. I'm curious to learn other contexts this moniker appears in.

I used it all the time in the AF, when we had a bad unit we'd mark it FNG, otherwise known as F***ing No Good.

...

Ethan, if you have the originators email address I can help him or her more exactly, as well as send a generic setup program if need be. PS/2 units won't do a thing without a specific setup disk, and some even back to 8088/8086 such as Leading Edge machines require a setup disk (of sorts). Drop it to me direct email and I'll get with the newbie and lend a hand. Russ

erd＠infinet.com

16 Nov 16 Nov

12:10 p.m.

New subject: Newbie's got a dead 386

...

Ethan Dicks wrote:

Hello all, FNG here.

Where did you pick this term up? I know *exactly* what it means, but I've never seen anybody use it who hasn't been to Antarctica. I'm curious to learn other contexts this moniker appears in.

I used it all the time in the AF, when we had a bad unit we'd mark it FNG, otherwise known as F***ing No Good.

But in this case, in context, it's F***ing New Guy. We pronounced it finjy (fin-gee). You could always spot a finjy. Newby, I'm told, comes from the British educational system, short for New Boy, for comparison. -ethan

handyman＠sprintmail.com

6:40 a.m.

New subject: Changing to new ISP

Help... Do to the poor service from Sprint/Earthlink I may be forced to change to a new ISP... This company has been down more than up, and I have now realized that the slow connection is not my computer but the ISP themselves.. I tried Mindspring last night and it flew at lightning speed, and took full advantage of my 56K modem... I know this is not Classic Computer stuff (Please forgive) but.. 1. How do most of you rate your ISP..? 2. I any comments on Mindspring as an ISP..? 3. Are there any better providers? I need a larger nation wide provider.. Phil..

gram＠cnct.com

7:07 a.m.

New subject: Changing to new ISP

Phil Clayton wrote:

...

Mine is purely local, Jersey City and New York City, and it sucks ugly rocks -- pitiful system administration and a Usenet feed with (on a good day) maybe 5% of the articles available in the newsgroups I read. I'm just waiting for cablemodem availability in my neighborhood, _Real Soon Now_ as they've been telling me since May, then the old address just gets forwarded until the subscription runs out next September. For access while travelling, it's my wife's AOL account and telnet (currently to my ISP, when the cablemodem is in place to the home Linux server). -- Ward Griffiths <mailto:gram@cnct.com> <http://www.cnct.com/home/gram/> WARNING: The Attorney General has determined that Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms can be hazardous to your health -- and get away with it.