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

[Dominique Carlier]

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 <mailto: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/
>
>