Which Operating System for my DCC-116 E / Entrex 480 / Nixdorf 620 / Data General Nova 1200 clone ?

[AJ Palmgren]

Well, Dominique, I would encourage you to not give up.  You have the only
functional version of this system that anyone has ever reported over the
Internet in recent times (as far as I've found), and I would love to help
in any way that I can.

I also am quite busy, as are you, but this system has come to hold a
important place in my desire to preserve vintage equipment.

The complexity of the situation may be beyond my current skill set as well,
however, I'd be very happy to contribute to the diagnosis in any way I
can.  I've come up with some pretty "unorthodox" methods, over the past few
years, of reverse-engineering the way older vintage computer components
talk to each other,and one of those tricks just might be the key to
unlocking this mystery.

Please keep us posted here.  There are many here far more knowledgeable and
experienced than I, with this vintage of equipment.  It's so fascinating!

Best always,
AJ



On Wed, Sep 26, 2018 at 4:50 AM Dominique Carlier <dce at skynet.be> wrote:

> Hello AJ
>
> Thank you for your interest in my project ;-)
>
> Unfortunately I was stopped by some technical problems.
>
> As I was studying ways to create bootable tapes for my DCC-166 when it
> started to present troubles.
>
> It started with illegible characters (like a bad charset) on the only
> operational terminal I have. Despite this he continued to boot from the
> Diablo 44.
> Then I tried to reinstall from a bootable tape with DIDOS, the operating
> system of Nixdorf, and there it does not work anymore.
>
> Is it because the terminal is not properly working? Is it because there is
> a problem with the nine track tape? Is the disc of my Diablo 44 altered? Is
> it all problems are from a PSU problem? I do not know.
> I cleaned the tape drive, the disk platter, the heads, I clean all
> connectors (boards), checked what I could at the level of power supply. I
> still have not found the cause of the breakdown(s).
>
> I have not had the time yet but I am going to create a new topic on cctalk
> about this, unfortunately, I already feel that this troubleshooting will
> require knowledge beyond my skills.
>
> Well, we'll see ;-)
>
> Dominique
>
> On 25/09/2018 08:01, AJ Palmgren wrote:
>
> Dominique,
>
> Might you have any updates on your Nixdorf 620 / Entrex 480 system?  I am
> quite interested, and it's been a while since I've seen any email with
> these keywords here, from you or anyone.
>
> Someday, it is my hope that I might take a tour of your system in Belgium,
> on my next trip to the region, if you would be open to this.  I am quite
> fascinated by this rare dinosaur of a system.
>
> I have begun to archive your work, and everything else I've ever found
> about the Entrex 480 systems here:
>
> http://Entrex480.com
>
> Like your system restoration, it is a work in progress...
>
> Best always,
> AJ
>
>
>
> On Tue, Jan 16, 2018 at 9:52 AM Dominique Carlier via cctalk <
> cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
>
>> I understand very well your concerns about sending by mail rare data on
>> magnetic media. It's a pity that I live so far away (in Belgium), even
>> if I have not finished to configure my machines, at the end I should be
>> able to write anything on any media, and concerning magnetic tapes it
>> will be from 500 to 6250 bpi.
>>
>> If one day you find in your stock a communication board for Nova 1200
>> that you do not use please note that I am a potential buyer.
>>
>> In the meantime, I have to find solutions to reopen all my old monsters
>> to the outside world ;-)
>>
>> Dominique
>>
>> On 16/01/2018 15:19, Jay West via cctalk wrote:
>> > The 'other Jay' wrote...
>> > ----------------------------------
>> > Diagnostics for DG systems are notoriously difficult to find.  I have a
>> few, in listing format.
>> > ----------------------------------
>> > I have a full official DG-issued/labeled original diagnostic OS tape. I
>> do believe it is at 800bpi though. If I had an 800 bpi drive (everything I
>> have is 1600-6250) I'd image it for everyone.
>> >
>> > I have a nice S/130 rack that I was almost finished restoring till
>> Bruce Ray stopped responding. It's been sitting in my workshop for years
>> now and I may have to just get rid of it. Next to it is a pile of about 8
>> nova 800/1200 cpus (all stuffed with boards) that I was going to start on
>> next, but was waiting till the S/130 was done. I'd like to get done with
>> them so I can move on to other machines that need to be restored... but may
>> have to just move them out altogether.
>> >
>> > I'm wary of just sending the tape through the mail for imaging....
>> maybe I can find someone local with an 800 bpi tape drive and eric smith's
>> tapeutils.
>> >
>> > J
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>
> --
>
> Thanks,
> AJ Palmgren
> http://fb.me/SelmaTrainWreck
> http://SelmaTrainWreck.blogspot.com
> https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010931314283
> https://www.linkedin.com/in/aj-palmgren-4a085516/
>
>
>
>

-- 

Thanks,
AJ Palmgren
http://fb.me/SelmaTrainWreck
http://SelmaTrainWreck.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010931314283
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aj-palmgren-4a085516/