Re: Extracting files off “unknown” 8 inch disks. Any thoughts…

[Warner Losh]

On Fri, May 5, 2017 at 5:16 PM, allison via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
> After looking at all that...
>
> The prompt is VMS the $.  The date makes it V3.6 to 4.2.
> I'd still bet that its Files-11 not ODS-II.
>
> I'd have to check of the DCL prompt under RSX-11 is also $.

It is, though I don't know the version range. At least that's my
memory from 30 years ago when we once had to run RSX-11 for some
purpose that I've long forgotten...

Warner

> Either way the save command under VMS will have defaults for the device
> target
> and that a lookup on the Orange or Grey wall (manuals).
>
> Allison
>
>
> On 05/05/2017 06:26 PM, Jerry Weiss via cctalk wrote:
>>> On May 5, 2017, at 5:13 PM, Jerry Weiss <jsw at ieee.org> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>> On May 5, 2017, at 4:58 PM, Terry Stewart via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org <mailto:cctalk at classiccmp.org>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> In case not everyone noticed, but Terry's already given up on this
>>>> Lol, true. The disks will be given back on Monday.  It's no big deal.  The
>>>> owners can decided what they want to do.  Even if I can't read it the
>>>> disks, however, pondering just what the format might be is fun. I'm
>>>> certainly learning something. Feel free to keep speculating if you are so
>>>> inclined.
>>>>
>>>>> I still think the best suggestion was the one about posting what's on the
>>>>> printed sheet that appears to be a directory listing
>>>> Here it is:
>>>>
>>>> http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/images/2017-04-15-vax-disk-cover.jpg <http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/images/2017-04-15-vax-disk-cover.jpg>
>>>>
>>>> Some more info.  Anadisk tells me the disks are Single Sided, Single
>>>> Density.  It can see ID marks as it tracks a disk but that is all.  It
>>>> can't see any data.  Could be an RX02 disk as people say...
>>>>
>>>> Terry (Tez)
>>>
>>> Looks like ODS2.  The files appear to be RUNOFF.   Quick guess is that they
>>> are the appendices to some document or manuscript.
>>>
>>>
>> Mr Obvious here (missed the handwritten text in the label at first).
>>
>> The .RNO files should contain human readable text.  It no-one has a VAX
>> with an RX02, it should be possible to image the disk from a PDP11 and
>> then mount the image in elsewhere to recover the data.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>>>
>>>> On Sat, May 6, 2017 at 8:50 AM, allison via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org <mailto:cctalk at classiccmp.org>>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> On 05/05/2017 03:39 PM, Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote:
>>>>>>>> Terry is doing it for fun; we can't expect the others to.
>>>>>> On Fri, 5 May 2017, Bill Gunshannon via cctalk wrote:
>>>>>>> I would.  :-)  Or maybe for beer.
>>>>>> I doubt that Allison will want to underbid THAT!
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>> Free beer?!?  No, no,no...
>>>>>
>>>>> Allison
>>>>>
>>> Jerry Weiss
>>> jsw at ieee.org <mailto:jsw at ieee.org>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>> Jerry Weiss
>> jsw at ieee.org
>>
>>
>>
>