PDP-11/45 RSTS/E boot problem
Jerry Weiss
jsw at ieee.org
Sat Jan 5 18:06:48 CST 2019
On 1/5/19 2:58 PM, Fritz Mueller via cctalk wrote:
>> On Jan 5, 2019, at 8:07 AM, Noel Chiappa via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
>>
>>> From: Fritz Mueller
>>> All the CPU, FPU, KT11, KW11, and RK11 MAINDECS are passing just fine.
>> Don't forget Vonada Maxim #12:
>> "Diagnostics are highly efficient in finding solved problems.”
> Well, there’s wisdom there, for sure! :-)
>
> Last night I also managed to put a new RSTS image, sysgen’d with the non-overlapped DK driver, on a different physical pack. It behaved exactly the same way on the real hardware (looping, counting up errors) on boot.
>
> So I think now overlapped vs. non-overlapped DK driver is not the issue, and media and image transfer fidelity are not the issue. A memory or MMU problem would be consistent with what has been seen so far, so I may bark up that tree a little more today.
>
> Paul, any additional suggestions for things to look at in ODT to try and wring out more information on the specifics of the fault?
>
> I did get some MACRO CRC-16 sub-routines coded up last night while waiting for various transfers, so I think I’ll go ahead and finish up the standalone CRC dumper utility today.
>
> Lastly, a 5V-tolerant USB FIFO breakout board is supposed to show up in the mails today. If that works out as simply as I hope to interface with a DR11-C, I should have a much better way to blast bits on and off the machine soon.
>
> cheers,
> --FritzM.
>
Along those lines if you have a spare disk pack, try putting RT11(FB,XM)
on the machine and give it a workout. This would exercise the machine
a bit more than MAINDECS, though not as much as RSTS.
A few suggestions from my ancient history running RK11-C and a mix of
DEC and Diablo Drives. I regularly disassembled, moved cross country
and reassembled PDP 11/34 and LSI 11/73 systems. I ran them in small
rooms which housed saltwater tanks containing sea creatures.
* Given the age of this equipment, double check all the ground
connections between the cabinets, PDU's, drives, outlets and CPU.
* Carefully check for breaks or problems with drive cables and
terminators.
* I believe you need a terminator in the RK11-C if the second disk bus
is unused.
* Try using the drive on the other bus if RSTS can be booted of from DK4.
* Make sure you only have one LTC active if a DL11-W and a KW11 are
both in use.
* If you are not using a common PDU for the CPU, Drive and RK11-C
power supplies, make sure they all powered from outlets on the same
phase.
* Don't leave the disk packs or drives near the tanks. The squid have
good aim and their ink isn't kind to electrical devices.
Jerry
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