Re: scary warning about bubble memory loop mask, TI 763/765 maint manual

[Eric Smith via cctalk]

On Aug 5, 2017 19:42, "Chuck Guzis via cctalk" 
wrote:

My recollection is that the track data was printed by Intel.  At least
mine came that way.


Both Intel and TI printed the bad loop map/mask on the device label.  Intel
also programmed the map into a special "boot loop" in the device; TI did
not, at least on their 92Kbit devices.

The Intel boot loop was deliberately set up to require a special procedure
to write, so that under normal circumstances it was written once at the
factory, and never had to be written again. However, there was a procedure
to rewrite the boot loop in the field if necessary.

For the TI 763/765 terminal, losing the mask data isn't the problem. The
TEST MASK command lets you type in the mask data if needed.

The problem is that if you type in the mask data wrong on the TI, it can
corrupt the device such that it is NOT FIELD RECOVERABLE. Re-entering the
correct mask and "reformatting" won't fix it.

With Intel devices, there is a special "seed module" and procedure that can
be used to recover bubble devices which have become corrupted. TI just says
that such devices have to be replaced, which is pretty difficult these days.

pdp-8/e restoration.

[Rod Smallwood via cctalk]

Hi List!

  Movin right along.

 Programmers console now properly attached to light screening bar.

Front panel and bezel on. Needs a bit more work.

Not as secure or as straight as I would like.

Then there's the key lock problem.

Its in the off position and of course I don't have the key.

So I cant fit that just now.

Took power supply out. Changed mains cable as it was only a foot long.

Soldered to the circuit breaker was a factory standard would you believe.

Power supply back in. Connect up. Power on. Load address , press 
CLEAR and CONT.


Test program still in core. Started right up.

To-days task get the serial I/O going.

Rod in Restore Mode


.--
Wanted one pdp-8/i rocker switch leaver to copy.

Was there ever a final version of the Altos ACS 8600 users manual?

[Al Kossow via cctalk]

I just uploaded a bunch of ACS 8600 documentation to bitsavers, but the Users 
manual I
have is preliminary from 1982. Does anyone have a later version that has the 
missing
chapters (esp the schematics Appendix)?

Re: scary warning about bubble memory loop mask, TI 763/765 maint manual

[Chuck Guzis via cctalk]

On 08/05/2017 06:29 PM, Eric Smith via cctalk wrote:

> Bubble memory devices typically have many minor loops, not all of
> which are usable.  TI printed mask data on the label of the bubble
> device, identifying the defective loops.  When a bubble memory board
> is installed or replaced in the terminal, it is necessary to put the
> terminal into command mode and issue a test command to enter the
> mask.

My recollection is that the track data was printed by Intel.  At least
mine came that way.

It always seemed like a solution in search of a problem, given the
power-hungry specialized ICs needed to run it.

--Chuck

scary warning about bubble memory loop mask, TI 763/765 maint manual

[Eric Smith via cctalk]

Al just put the TI Silent 700 Model 763/765 maintenance manual up on
Bitsavers. (Thanks Al!)

The 763 and 765 are the models using internal bubble memory for between
10,000 and 80,000 characters of local storage.  They use either one or two
"discrete memory boards", with one 92 Kbit bubble device each, or one to
four "dual memory boards", each with two 92 Kbit devices.

Bubble memory devices typically have many minor loops, not all of which are
usable.  TI printed mask data on the label of the bubble device,
identifying the defective loops.  When a bubble memory board is installed
or replaced in the terminal, it is necessary to put the terminal into
command mode and issue a test command to enter the mask.

The scary part is this warning in section 5.2.4.2:

CAUTION

Care should be exercised in the installation of the bubble memory
mask. If an incorrect mask is entered, the bubble device will not work
correctly even if the correct mask is entered at a later time. If an
incorrect mask is entered, replacement memory board must be
installed because the bubble device is no longer reliable.

Intel provided the necessary technical information and hardware to recover
corrupted bubble devices in the field.  As far as I can tell, TI did not.

Re: WTB: RX02 Floppy Disks

[Ulrich Tagge via cctalk]

Output:
.SET DU CSR=17760340
?DU-W-Patch handler bootstrap, put CSR at 3264

As you may have already learned, use only 16bit addresses for this.

Hi Jerry,

Thanks, you found the failure! (it's always the same with Copy and Paste).
After I have corrected this to 160340 and afterwards all was running 
fine, and I was able to INIT the Disk.
A format was still not possible, but I think this is normal and works as 
designed?!


Last step was to set the adapter CSR to the MSCP default, to bypass 
further issues due to the non default CSR.
As there is at the moment no plan for additional MSCP adapter in this 
PDP, it will be fine.


After this change I was needed to restore the original DU.SYS, as 
booting was not possible, and a SYSGEN is by now not an option. (will 
look at it later on, to understand a bit more about)

>>
?BOOT-U-▒Conflicting SYSGEN options
>>

Now I have managed to boot from the SCSI disk, which is a great result.

>>>
Trying DU0

Starting system from DU0


RT-11SJ (S) V04.00I

.SET TT QUIET
?KMON-F-File not found SY:RTPRES.SAV
?KMON-F-File not found SY:DATE.SAV
?KMON-F-Illegal device VW:
?KMON-F-Illegal device BS:
?KMON-F-Illegal device HC:

.DIR

US.SYS 7  26-Nov-91  TT.SYS 2  26-Nov-91
DL.SYS 4  26-Nov-91  DU.SYS 4  26-Nov-91
RK.SYS 3  26-Nov-91  DY.SYS 4  26-Nov-91
DX.SYS 3  26-Nov-91  LP.SYS 2  26-Nov-91
SC.SYS 5  26-Nov-91  HC.SYS 5  26-Nov-91
BS.SYS 3  26-Nov-91  VW.SYS 2  26-Nov-91
NL.SYS 2  26-Nov-91  LS.SYS 2  26-Nov-91
SCMEV .SYS 5  26-Nov-91  SCVS11.SYS 4  26-Nov-91
SCEVA .SYS 4  26-Nov-91  LPMEV .SYS 2  26-Nov-91
LPLXY .SYS 2  26-Nov-91  LPSID .SYS 2  26-Nov-91
LPEVA .SYS 2  26-Nov-91  MS.SYS10  26-Nov-91
MM.SYS 9  26-Nov-91  HC7221.SYS 4  26-Nov-91
HC7220.SYS 5  26-Nov-91  HC722T.SYS 5  26-Nov-91
US460 .SYS 7  26-Nov-91  US410 .SYS 7  26-Nov-91
HC7580.SYS 5  26-Nov-91  HC7550.SYS 5  26-Nov-91
HC7475.SYS 5  26-Nov-91  HC722C.SYS 5  26-Nov-91
SCMPR .SYS 5  26-Nov-91  DUORG .SYS 4  26-Nov-91
STARTS.COM 1  26-Nov-91  PIP   .SAV23  26-Nov-91
DIR   .SAV17  26-Nov-91  DUP   .SAV41  26-Nov-91
RESORC.SAV15  26-Nov-91  FORMAT.SAV19  26-Nov-91
SWAP  .SYS25  26-Nov-91  RT11SJ.SYS65  26-Nov-91
CHKPNT.SYS   412  09-Aug-94
 43 Files, 763 Blocks
 58469 Free blocks
>>


So next step is to look at a newer RT11 version, and try to install all 
from scratch.


Again many thanks!
Have a nice Weekend
Ulrich

RE: Looking for a TURBOchannel Extender Cable

[Rob Jarratt via cctalk]

> 
> > > I have not yet been able to locate one of these, although I now know
> > > the part number, which is 17-03335-01.
> >
> >
> > Andf it is even in the UK:
> >
> > http://refurb.icc4it.co.uk/parts/legacy/dec/17-03335-01
> >
> 
> 
> Thanks Emanuel. Actually I have already seen that page. It looks like one
of
> those sites that speculatively lists everything imaginable but doesn't
actually
> have it available, and in any case it looks like it only serves business
customers.
> Maybe I should just try giving them a call anyway.
> 


I suppose I should also explain that I was asking about the pinout because
there is a cable on ebay which uses the same connectors, and I wondered if
that might do the job. That one is here:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100-Pin-SCSI-II-SCSI-2-Cable-1M-NEW/263106597353

Regards

Rob

RE: Looking for a TURBOchannel Extender Cable

[Rob Jarratt via cctalk]

> > I have not yet been able to locate one of these, although I now know
> > the part number, which is 17-03335-01.
> 
> 
> Andf it is even in the UK:
> 
> http://refurb.icc4it.co.uk/parts/legacy/dec/17-03335-01
> 


Thanks Emanuel. Actually I have already seen that page. It looks like one of
those sites that speculatively lists everything imaginable but doesn't
actually have it available, and in any case it looks like it only serves
business customers. Maybe I should just try giving them a call anyway.

Regards

Rob

Re: 2.11BSD on two RL02 drives? Probably not, but...

[emanuel stiebler via cctalk]

On 2017-08-05 08:55, David Bridgham via cctalk wrote:

On 8/5/17 04:29, emanuel stiebler wrote:



Xilinx Artix 7.  More specifically, we're using a ZTEX 2.13 FPGA module
for our prototyping.  Unless some good reason came up, I was thinking to
stick with the same FPGA.


Artix 7? Nice, use them a lot.

Vivado or ISE?


Vivado.  Another huge learning experience.  Does ISE even support the
Artix 7?


IIRC, the -100t and 200t were/are supported on ISE. But it isn't worth 
it. If you use artix, get the latest vivado ...


I didn't like to switch either, but in the meantime, starting with the 
last years releases it became more useful than ISE.

Re: 2.11BSD on two RL02 drives? Probably not, but...

[David Bridgham via cctalk]

On 8/5/17 04:29, emanuel stiebler wrote:


>> Xilinx Artix 7.  More specifically, we're using a ZTEX 2.13 FPGA module
>> for our prototyping.  Unless some good reason came up, I was thinking to
>> stick with the same FPGA.
>
> Artix 7? Nice, use them a lot.
>
> Vivado or ISE?

Vivado.  Another huge learning experience.  Does ISE even support the
Artix 7?

Re: 2.11BSD on two RL02 drives? Probably not, but...

[emanuel stiebler via cctalk]

On 2017-08-04 18:12, David Bridgham via cctalk wrote:

On 8/4/17 11:25, emanuel stiebler wrote:



What FPGAs are you using?


Xilinx Artix 7.  More specifically, we're using a ZTEX 2.13 FPGA module
for our prototyping.  Unless some good reason came up, I was thinking to
stick with the same FPGA.


Artix 7? Nice, use them a lot.

Vivado or ISE?

Re: Looking for a TURBOchannel Extender Cable

[emanuel stiebler via cctalk]

On 2017-08-05 02:15, Rob Jarratt via cctalk wrote:


-Original Message-
From: Rob Jarratt [mailto:robert.jarr...@ntlworld.com]
Sent: 15 July 2017 22:11
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts

(cctalk@classiccmp.org)


Subject: Looking for a TURBOchannel Extender Cable

Today I finally got the DECstation 5000/240 with a TURBOchannel Extender
cable from the Mesa Electronics clearout back in May. Details here if

anyone is

interested: https://robs-old-computers.com/2017/07/15/decstation-5000240/

Unfortunately I didn't get a cable to connect the Extender to the main

machine.

I have a feeling they are hard to come by, does anyone have one that is

surplus

to requirements or know where I can get one?




I have not yet been able to locate one of these, although I now know the
part number, which is 17-03335-01.



Andf it is even in the UK:

http://refurb.icc4it.co.uk/parts/legacy/dec/17-03335-01


Does anyone have such a cable and could check its pinout for me?

Thanks

Rob

R: VCF West: 90's Workstations On Consignment for $5 each

[Mazzini Alessandro via cctalk]

Sigh (envy), I need to relocate to US. Does anyone need a poor engineer ?

-Messaggio originale-
Da: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org] Per conto di Steven M Jones 
via cctalk
Inviato: sabato 5 agosto 2017 08:39
A: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
Oggetto: VCF West: 90's Workstations On Consignment for $5 each

I've loaded up the car and will be putting the following in the Consignment 
Room at VCF West in the morning. These were all rescued from Mesa Electronics a 
couple months ago.

I'm asking for a $5 donation to VCFed for 24 of these items, just to support 
the event (one is free). There are multiple examples of most of
these:

 - Personal DECstation 5000/25 (MIPS)
 - DECstation 5000/1xx (MIPS)
 - DECstation 5000/240 (MIPS)
 - DEC 3000/300 (Alpha)
 - DEC 3000/400 (Alpha)
 - DEC 3000/600 (Alpha)
 - HP 712/80 (PA-RISC)
 - HP 715/80 (PS-RISC)
 - IBM POWERstation 230 (RS/6000)


Hope to see you there,
--Steve.

Re: IBM 5280

[Christian Corti via cctalk]

On Fri, 4 Aug 2017, Sam O'nella wrote:

What are the 4 games?


SPIEL1: Vier in einer Reihe
SPIEL2: Lebenserwartung
SPIEL3: Roulette
SPIEL4: Kopfnuss (Superhirn)

Christian

Re: 2.11BSD on two RL02 drives? Probably not, but...

[Christian Corti via cctalk]

On Fri, 4 Aug 2017, Guy Sotomayor Jr wrote:
Unfortunately PATA drives are becoming difficult to find and designing a 
SATA interface (not to mention layout issues) is not for the faint of 
heart.


That's why I suggest using dirt cheap external PATA<-->SATA bridges.

Christian

VCF West: 90's Workstations On Consignment for $5 each

[Steven M Jones via cctalk]

I've loaded up the car and will be putting the following in the
Consignment Room at VCF West in the morning. These were all rescued from
Mesa Electronics a couple months ago.

I'm asking for a $5 donation to VCFed for 24 of these items, just to
support the event (one is free). There are multiple examples of most of
these:

 - Personal DECstation 5000/25 (MIPS)
 - DECstation 5000/1xx (MIPS)
 - DECstation 5000/240 (MIPS)
 - DEC 3000/300 (Alpha)
 - DEC 3000/400 (Alpha)
 - DEC 3000/600 (Alpha)
 - HP 712/80 (PA-RISC)
 - HP 715/80 (PS-RISC)
 - IBM POWERstation 230 (RS/6000)


Hope to see you there,
--Steve.

RE: Looking for a TURBOchannel Extender Cable

[Rob Jarratt via cctalk]

> -Original Message-
> From: Rob Jarratt [mailto:robert.jarr...@ntlworld.com]
> Sent: 15 July 2017 22:11
> To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
(cctalk@classiccmp.org)
> 
> Subject: Looking for a TURBOchannel Extender Cable
> 
> Today I finally got the DECstation 5000/240 with a TURBOchannel Extender
> cable from the Mesa Electronics clearout back in May. Details here if
anyone is
> interested: https://robs-old-computers.com/2017/07/15/decstation-5000240/
> 
> Unfortunately I didn't get a cable to connect the Extender to the main
machine.
> I have a feeling they are hard to come by, does anyone have one that is
surplus
> to requirements or know where I can get one?
> 


I have not yet been able to locate one of these, although I now know the
part number, which is 17-03335-01.

Does anyone have such a cable and could check its pinout for me?

Thanks

Rob