RE: ICL PERQ 2 T2 Micropolis 1303 spinning down.

[Rob Jarratt via cctalk]

> -Original Message-
> From: cctech  On Behalf Of Mattis Lind via
> cctech
> Sent: 05 January 2021 17:52
> To: David Gesswein ; General Discussion: On-Topic
> Posts 
> Subject: Re: ICL PERQ 2 T2 Micropolis 1303 spinning down.
> 
> Den lör 2 jan. 2021 kl 19:34 skrev David Gesswein via cctech <
> cct...@classiccmp.org>:
> 
> > This is my info on RD53 sticking heads. Your symtoms match what I have
> > seen with this drive.
> >
> > If the heads are stuck to the rubber bumper the drive will spin back
> > down when it finds the heads won't move. It will also spin down if it
> > can't switch from the coarse speed control loop to using the head servo
> signal.
> > There is a narrow band where the heads are parked with the proper signal.
> > When the rubber has deteriorated the heads are no longer over it.
> > Adding shims can fix that. I used a tent with RK05 filter but others
> > have opened drives in reasonably clean locations sucessfully. Best to
> > keep the pets away.
> >
> > http://www.pdp8online.com/rd53/rd53.shtml
> >
> > Shim picture.
> > http://www.pdp8online.com/rd53/pics/lock.shtml?small
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks. Good advice and good prictures! Need to find some material that
> makes a good shim then. 

I just used a sliver of paper as a shim. It is probably not ideal, but it 
worked for me.


> It will be very interesting if this solves the problem.
> I wonder if the other symptom I saw where the drive kept spinning while the
> head was moving back and forth also is related to the first? It didn't sound
> like full seeks but rather quite short. The drive kept doing this for maybe 
> one
> minute and then spun down.
> 
> 
> /Mattis
> 
> 
> >
> >
> >
> > On Sat, Jan 02, 2021 at 02:05:11PM +0100, Mattis Lind wrote:
> > > Den l?r 2 jan. 2021 kl 11:48 skrev Rob Jarratt <
> > robert.jarr...@ntlworld.com
> > > >:
> > >
> > > > When that has happened to MFM disks of mine it has been because
> > > > for one reason or another the heads have not moved and found track
> > > > 0. Why they aren't moving could be more than one reason. They
> > > > could be stuck, or
> > there
> > > > could be some other problem that is preventing them getting the
> > > > power needed to move.
> > > >
> > >
> > > Did you solve the problem? How?
> > >
> > > I have heard that Micropolis 1325 is prone to have a problem with a
> > rubber
> > > bumper that sticks to the head mechanism. Maybe it is the same for
> > > this Micropois drive? What resolutions are there to this type of problem?
> > >
> > > /Mattis
> > >
> > >
> > > >
> > > > Regards
> > > >
> > > > Rob
> > > >
> > > > > -Original Message-
> > > > > From: cctalk  On Behalf Of Mattis
> > Lind
> > > > via
> > > > > cctalk
> > > > > Sent: 02 January 2021 08:59
> > > > > To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
> > > > > 
> > > > > Subject: ICL PERQ 2 T2 Micropolis 1303 spinning down.
> > > > >
> > > > > I have a nice ICL PERQ 2 T2 that I am going to start working
> > > > > with
> > now.
> > > > >
> > > > > First thing was to try to image the hard drive. It is a
> > > > > Micropolis
> > 1303.
> > > > It spins
> > > > > up but when it reaches what I think the correct speed it
> > > > > immediately
> > > > spins
> > > > > down. Usually I think there would be a click and then the heads
> > > > > would recalibrate. But there is no click and no head movement.
> > > > >
> > > > > I really would like to make an image of the drive.  What are
> > > > > your
> > > > thoughts?
> > > > > Are the heads sticking?
> > > > > Some kind of solenoid that is not releasing the heads? Not
> > > > > properly
> > up to
> > > > > speed? (but it sounds like the speed is right)
> > > > >
> > > > > /Mattis
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> >

Re: DEDICATED HOBBYIST ALERT: IBM AS/400 9406-F2 for cheap sale in Germany

[Tomasz Rola via cctalk]

On Wed, Jan 06, 2021 at 12:57:42AM +0100, Patrik Schindler via cctalk wrote:
> Hello Tomasz,

Ahoy,

> Am 05.01.2021 um 22:45 schrieb Tomasz Rola via cctalk :
> 
> > I guess it is more complicated to check mainframe's correct operation.
> 
> If you’re new to the platform, I agree. :-)

To be frank, I am "new" to many things out there. Learning requires
time and I have to spend time on few other subjects, so not so much is
left for hobbies. I would describe myself as "on-off newbie", a much
worse kind than regular newbie :-) , because at times I want to learn
everything and then I do not want to learn anything. The only real
result from this, I am subscribed to quite a few mailing lists where I
keep stepping on other people's nerves. Also, from time to time,
trying to help. Always trying to learn. Perhaps this is my real
hobby.

I was also "on-off game player". There are games I started in 1995 or
1994 and did not finish yet (ok, but I am not a total looser, I
finished "Centurion", it was strategy game for DOS and Amiga... and
perhaps I also finished "Panzer General", another strategy but I am
really not sure, if it happened it was so many years ago). I think I
might link two hobbies, if I can find some old archives.

Even worse, there are games I bought pre-2000 and had not even
unpacked from their boxes. Shit, there are movies I bought on dvd and
did not watch yet. I think I am truly lousy hobbist.

At least when I start reading a book, I finish it. Always.

> Hint: If you say mainframe to an AS/400 and a mainframe guy is
> nearby, duck and cover. ;-) AS/400s were part of the IBM midrange
> platforms.

All right, I will watch my mouth... I do not want to find myself under
the raised floor.

> Having played with the Hercules Mainframe Emulator, and the last OS
> that can legally being run (MVS 3.8j), I’d say, the AS/4000 platform
> borrowed a good deal of good concepts from the mainframe
> platform. Compatibility with established mainframe personnel, and
> already running mainframe software wasn’t necessary. This makes the
> platform a really nice entry into the big iron world.
> 
> Btw., you can download a Turnkey-System with MVS for your own
> learning experience here: http://wotho.ethz.ch/tk4-/

Bookmarked, thanks. Your wiki about as/400, bookmarked too.

> Add a 3270 emulator and you’re ready to go. The biggest pain is to
> decide where to begin, because everything seems to be different and
> need to be learned. This is true for OS/400, also. ;-)

Yes indeed, if I had to describe IBM's world in one word, the word
would be "different".

I, once in the past, dabbled a bit with Hercules. Even tried to
heroically (i.e. without reading manuals) install one of the turnkeys
(possibly TK3 by Volker Bandke). I came upon some problems with
keyboard mapping and then decided to have a look into the DEC world. I
have some intro book about mainframes stuffed on my e-book reader,
maybe I will try again. Some day.

There is, or was, a very interesting effort to create a modern upgrade
to S360, called S380 (and there are, or were, upgraded versions of OS
and MVS). There was also a dedicated group on yahoo, which sunk with
yahoo, I believe. It was great idea, because S360 and related software
all have fallen into public domain, free to tinker with.

[...]
> > I would also make sure it could be powered on without blowing the
> > fuses out of the wall...
> 
> On the label of the second last photo, there’s the machine type
> written (9406-F2), and the maximum power rating: 2400W. Far from
> blowing a fuse. But hurtful to pay when running 24/7. At least here
> in Germany.

Ok, so it is not a fridge. It is a kitchen. Burning it 24/7, well,
maybe not. Energy costs are going up everywhere. Actually, it is also
too heavy for me...

> Searching, and having a look into the most likely fitting System
> Builder Manual
> (http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redpapers/pdfs/redp0542.pdf), I can’t
> find a model F2, though. Hmm.

It so happens that I am subscribed (surprise surprise) to mailing
group for mainfraimers and they regularly hang dogs on IBM for wiping
whole sections of old documentation off the redbooks site. Whatever
one finds there, be thankful and download.

[...]
> > Last but not least, my limited understanding is, the owner would need 
> > either control panel or operation console (looks like a laptop... perhaps?)
> 
> You’re possibly talking about a true mainframe's so called „service
> element“, which equals to a ThinkPad running OS/2 and a proprietary
> setup software for a long time. I don’t know if current SE’s run
> Linux meanwhile.

I guess I am talking about this one :-).

> After the demise of Twinax Terminals, IBM introduced other ways of
> console handling. For AS/400’s (their successors, to be precise)
> this equals a built-service processor with a LAN port. IBM offers a
> so called Hardware Management Console (today even compatible with
> Vmware ESXi) to manage many of these machines. And have console
> access, 

RE: DEDICATED HOBBYIST ALERT: IBM AS/400 9406-F2 for cheap sale in Germany

[mazzinia--- via cctalk]

Yeh, I know for a fact you cannot setup Hdds for an as/400 unless with the ibm 
factory tool. ( saw people using AS for a lot of years professionally discuss 
this )
You had an as400, you had to buy the spares hdds sold by ibm and ibm only

About the panel ... let me see...

Press 1 time "arrow up" to get 02 on the display
Press "insert" > panel will show "02 BN"
Press 4 times "arrow up" so that it changes to "02 BM"
Press 2 times the white power on button, to start the shutdown/poweroff phase


-Original Message-
From: cctalk  On Behalf Of Patrik Schindler via 
cctalk
Sent: Wednesday, January 6, 2021 12:11 AM
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts 
Subject: Re: DEDICATED HOBBYIST ALERT: IBM AS/400 9406-F2 for cheap sale in 
Germany

Hello,

Am 05.01.2021 um 23:33 schrieb mazzinia--- via cctalk :

> The hard disks are factory initialized with a specific number of sectors...
> they are scsi, and you cannot use normal scsi disks there.

Yap. See here for details (and further reading).

https://try-as400.pocnet.net/wiki/Ordinary_Harddisks_on_the_AS/400

> the only way to initialize them for an as/400 is with an ibm tool that has 
> never been released.


Do you have experience with this? Because, you certainly can format a disk in 
the „BIOS“ (Dedicated Service Tools) of a machine. And I suppose that doing 
this is doing the right thing.

> and yes, you can otherwise use the small panel on the front to ipl it 
> up, and shut it down

I know no safe way to initiate a proper shutdown from the panel. Do you have 
more information on that?

> You can add more twinax terminals ( the cables are included ), or 
> connect to a twinax card in a pc ( isa/pci , depends what you find ) 
> and ibm client access... or client access on lan.
> In any case you need that ( or a ) twinax terminal (emulator card 
> works) for maintenance/admin duties

I guess it’s included, eventhough not mentioned in the text. And I fully agree, 
Console is important to have.

:wq! PoC

Re: DEDICATED HOBBYIST ALERT: IBM AS/400 9406-F2 for cheap sale in Germany

[Patrik Schindler via cctalk]

Hello Tomasz,

Am 05.01.2021 um 22:45 schrieb Tomasz Rola via cctalk :

> I guess it is more complicated to check mainframe's correct operation.

If you’re new to the platform, I agree. :-)

Hint: If you say mainframe to an AS/400 and a mainframe guy is nearby, duck and 
cover. ;-) AS/400s were part of the IBM midrange platforms.

Having played with the Hercules Mainframe Emulator, and the last OS that can 
legally being run (MVS 3.8j), I’d say, the AS/4000 platform borrowed a good 
deal of good concepts from the mainframe platform. Compatibility with 
established mainframe personnel, and already running mainframe software wasn’t 
necessary. This makes the platform a really nice entry into the big iron world.

Btw., you can download a Turnkey-System with MVS for your own learning 
experience here: http://wotho.ethz.ch/tk4-/

Add a 3270 emulator and you’re ready to go. The biggest pain is to decide where 
to begin, because everything seems to be different and need to be learned. This 
is true for OS/400, also. ;-)

> And I would want a very specific info about what is in the box. I am not 
> sure, for example, if hard drives for it can be easily bought. 

This would be hard to know, because the seller states, he has no clue about the 
platform. He can look at the labels on the disks, most likely stating being 
type 6607, which equals to a 4GB drive. The only identifiable card is a 2838 
10/100M Ethernet NIC, seen on the extra photos the seller sent me (but 
unfortunately did not put online).

The hard disks still can be bought in used condition. In the US, they can be 
obtained more easily than in Europe. And they are pretty reliable also.

For the rest of information, the machine needs to be powered and IPL’d. Most 
likely, a password reset needs to be done, and then someone skilled could 
easily find out about what’s inside.

I doubt that the seller is willing to make such an effort for the given price. 
I guess he’s pretty much aware that transportation is what really costs money. 
Not the machine itself.

> Then again, if it worked perfectly and did not broke, there is good chance it 
> might work for a long time. At least this is what older mainframes did (from 
> what I have read).

The reliability is indeed pretty good.

> I would also make sure it could be powered on without blowing the fuses out 
> of the wall...

On the label of the second last photo, there’s the machine type written 
(9406-F2), and the maximum power rating: 2400W. Far from blowing a fuse. But 
hurtful to pay when running 24/7. At least here in Germany.

Searching, and having a look into the most likely fitting System Builder Manual 
(http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redpapers/pdfs/redp0542.pdf), I can’t find a model 
F2, though. Hmm.

> Ok, after consulting IBM page 
> [https://www-01.ibm.com/common/ssi/printableversion.wss?docURL=/common/ssi/rep_sm/3/872/ENUS9406-_h03/index.html
> ] - it says, 300~~700 watts, depending on configuration. 

The page you linked is for a model 170. Much smaller.

> Last but not least, my limited understanding is, the owner would need either 
> control panel or operation console (looks like a laptop... perhaps?)

You’re possibly talking about a true mainframe's so called „service element“, 
which equals to a ThinkPad running OS/2 and a proprietary setup software for a 
long time. I don’t know if current SE’s run Linux meanwhile.

After the demise of Twinax Terminals, IBM introduced other ways of console 
handling. For AS/400’s (their successors, to be precise) this equals a 
built-service processor with a LAN port. IBM offers a so called Hardware 
Management Console (today even compatible with Vmware ESXi) to manage many of 
these machines. And have console access, of course.

> I suppose it will not boot (ipl) without panel/console.

You suppose wrong. The machines are usually set up to IPL in „normal mode“. You 
plug them into the power outlet(s), press the square, white power button on the 
front and just wait between nearly 10 Minutes or much more, depending on a lot 
of factors. For a normal mode IBM, Console is not needed, and the panel itself 
is built-in anyway. It’s mainly used to set the IPL mode, force console to be 
of a certain type and surely a lot of undocumented things. The panel displays 
hex numbers to show the IPL progress. If finished, most likely „01 B N“ is 
displayed. (Function 01 = Display IPL mode, B = IPL secondary, patched/updated 
„kernel“, N = Boot normal, unattended).

:wq! PoC

Re: KL11 asynchronous serial line interface on eBay

[Ethan Dicks via cctalk]

On Tue, Jan 5, 2021 at 6:41 PM Chris Zach via cctalk
 wrote:
> I could not think of a reason to pick it up. So I didn't. I feel good
> about this.

I have a PDP-11/20 but this item was sold before I spotted the e-mail.

-ethan

Re: KL11 asynchronous serial line interface on eBay

[Chris Zach via cctalk]

I could not think of a reason to pick it up. So I didn't. I feel good 
about this.


C


On 1/5/2021 6:24 PM, Doug Jackson via cctalk wrote:

Well,

That went quickly.

Kindest regards,

Doug Jackson

em: d...@doughq.com
ph: 0414 986878

Check out my awesome clocks at www.dougswordclocks.com
Follow my amateur radio adventures at vk1zdj.net

---

Just like an old fashioned letter, this email and any files transmitted
with it should probably be treated as confidential and intended solely for
your own use.

Please note that any interesting spelling is usually my own and may have
been caused by fat thumbs on a tiny tiny keyboard.

Should any part of this message prove to be useful in the event of the
imminent Zombie Apocalypse then the sender bears no personal, legal, or
moral responsibility for any outcome resulting from its usage unless the
result of said usage is the unlikely defeat of the Zombie Hordes in which
case the sender takes full credit without any theoretical or actual legal
liability. :-)

Be nice to your parents.

Go outside and do something awesome - Draw, paint, walk, setup a
radio station, go fishing or sailing - just do something that makes you
happy.

^G ^G ^G ^G ^G ^G ^G ^G- In more laid back days this line would literally
sing ^G ^G ^G ^G ^G ^G ^G ^G




On Wed, 6 Jan 2021 at 02:45, Lars Brinkhoff via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:


Always jarring to see KL... and then not 10 after!

Re: KL11 asynchronous serial line interface on eBay

[Doug Jackson via cctalk]

Well,

That went quickly.

Kindest regards,

Doug Jackson

em: d...@doughq.com
ph: 0414 986878

Check out my awesome clocks at www.dougswordclocks.com
Follow my amateur radio adventures at vk1zdj.net

---

Just like an old fashioned letter, this email and any files transmitted
with it should probably be treated as confidential and intended solely for
your own use.

Please note that any interesting spelling is usually my own and may have
been caused by fat thumbs on a tiny tiny keyboard.

Should any part of this message prove to be useful in the event of the
imminent Zombie Apocalypse then the sender bears no personal, legal, or
moral responsibility for any outcome resulting from its usage unless the
result of said usage is the unlikely defeat of the Zombie Hordes in which
case the sender takes full credit without any theoretical or actual legal
liability. :-)

Be nice to your parents.

Go outside and do something awesome - Draw, paint, walk, setup a
radio station, go fishing or sailing - just do something that makes you
happy.

^G ^G ^G ^G ^G ^G ^G ^G- In more laid back days this line would literally
sing ^G ^G ^G ^G ^G ^G ^G ^G




On Wed, 6 Jan 2021 at 02:45, Lars Brinkhoff via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:

> Always jarring to see KL... and then not 10 after!
>

Re: DEDICATED HOBBYIST ALERT: IBM AS/400 9406-F2 for cheap sale in Germany

[Patrik Schindler via cctalk]

Hello,

Am 05.01.2021 um 23:33 schrieb mazzinia--- via cctalk :

> The hard disks are factory initialized with a specific number of sectors...
> they are scsi, and you cannot use normal scsi disks there.

Yap. See here for details (and further reading).

https://try-as400.pocnet.net/wiki/Ordinary_Harddisks_on_the_AS/400

> the only way to initialize them for an as/400 is with an ibm tool that has 
> never been released.


Do you have experience with this? Because, you certainly can format a disk in 
the „BIOS“ (Dedicated Service Tools) of a machine. And I suppose that doing 
this is doing the right thing.

> and yes, you can otherwise use the small panel on the front to ipl it up, and 
> shut it down

I know no safe way to initiate a proper shutdown from the panel. Do you have 
more information on that?

> You can add more twinax terminals ( the cables are included ), or connect to
> a twinax card in a pc ( isa/pci , depends what you find ) and ibm client
> access... or client access on lan.
> In any case you need that ( or a ) twinax terminal (emulator card works) for
> maintenance/admin duties

I guess it’s included, eventhough not mentioned in the text. And I fully agree, 
Console is important to have.

:wq! PoC

RE: DEDICATED HOBBYIST ALERT: IBM AS/400 9406-F2 for cheap sale in Germany

[mazzinia--- via cctalk]

These things are tanks, sort of... so technically troubles tend to be
relative.
The hard disks are factory initialized with a specific number of sectors...
they are scsi, and you cannot use normal scsi disks there.
Also you must not reformat these hdd elsewhere, or you end messing them
up... the only way to initialize them for an as/400 is with an ibm tool that
has never been released.

This said, that auction has the terminal needed to operate it ( as admin )
included, it sits on top. (and yes, you can otherwise use the small panel on
the front to ipl it up, and shut it down)

You can add more twinax terminals ( the cables are included ), or connect to
a twinax card in a pc ( isa/pci , depends what you find ) and ibm client
access... or client access on lan.
In any case you need that ( or a ) twinax terminal (emulator card works) for
maintenance/admin duties

-Original Message-
From: Tomasz Rola  
Sent: Tuesday, January 5, 2021 10:46 PM
To: cctalk@classiccmp.org
Cc: mazzi...@tin.it
Subject: Re: DEDICATED HOBBYIST ALERT: IBM AS/400 9406-F2 for cheap sale in
Germany

On Tue, Jan 05, 2021 at 10:02:02PM +0100, mazzi...@tin.it wrote:
> Well,
> 
> The whole translation is more on the lines that it hasn't been started 
> since 3 years and they can't be bothered to check if it still works 
> with the mains not plugged since then. Thus the risk to turn it on is 
> on the buyer.

Yep. I am used to this kind of description. I sometimes see it on certain
Polish auctioning site. The seller is honest - they say it openly that they
cannot take on the risk. "We also sell power supply to this laptop on
separate auction but whatever stopped us from plugging one into another and
into the wall"...

I guess it is more complicated to check mainframe's correct operation. And I
would want a very specific info about what is in the box. I am not sure, for
example, if hard drives for it can be easily bought. 

Then again, if it worked perfectly and did not broke, there is good chance
it might work for a long time. At least this is what older mainframes did
(from what I have read).

[...]
> Another small thing... I helped carrying that model up into our 
> office, years ago... good luck to whoever purchases it because it's 
> some serious weight

I would also make sure it could be powered on without blowing the fuses out
of the wall... Ok, after consulting IBM page [
https://www-01.ibm.com/common/ssi/printableversion.wss?docURL=/common/ssi/re
p_sm/3/872/ENUS9406-_h03/index.html
] - it says, 300~~700 watts, depending on configuration. 

Last but not least, my limited understanding is, the owner would need either
control panel or operation console (looks like a laptop... perhaps?) and
cables to connect them into the black refrigerator. Without enabling js for
this page I cannot see what is pictured on very small photos. I suppose it
will not boot (ipl) without panel/console.

--
Regards,
Tomasz Rola

--
** A C programmer asked whether computer had Buddha's nature.  **
** As the answer, master did "rm -rif" on the programmer's home**
** directory. And then the C programmer became enlightened...  **
** **
** Tomasz Rola  mailto:tomasz_r...@bigfoot.com **

Re: DEDICATED HOBBYIST ALERT: IBM AS/400 9406-F2 for cheap sale in Germany

[Tomasz Rola via cctalk]

On Tue, Jan 05, 2021 at 10:02:02PM +0100, mazzi...@tin.it wrote:
> Well,
> 
> The whole translation is more on the lines that it hasn't been
> started since 3 years and they can't be bothered to check if it
> still works with the mains not plugged since then. Thus the risk to
> turn it on is on the buyer.

Yep. I am used to this kind of description. I sometimes see it on
certain Polish auctioning site. The seller is honest - they say it
openly that they cannot take on the risk. "We also sell power supply
to this laptop on separate auction but whatever stopped us from
plugging one into another and into the wall"...

I guess it is more complicated to check mainframe's correct
operation. And I would want a very specific info about what is in the
box. I am not sure, for example, if hard drives for it can be easily
bought. 

Then again, if it worked perfectly and did not broke, there is good
chance it might work for a long time. At least this is what older
mainframes did (from what I have read).

[...]
> Another small thing... I helped carrying that model up into our
> office, years ago... good luck to whoever purchases it because it's
> some serious weight

I would also make sure it could be powered on without blowing the fuses
out of the wall... Ok, after consulting IBM page [
https://www-01.ibm.com/common/ssi/printableversion.wss?docURL=/common/ssi/rep_sm/3/872/ENUS9406-_h03/index.html
] - it says, 300~~700 watts, depending on configuration. 

Last but not least, my limited understanding is, the owner would need
either control panel or operation console (looks like a
laptop... perhaps?) and cables to connect them into the black
refrigerator. Without enabling js for this page I cannot see what is
pictured on very small photos. I suppose it will not boot (ipl)
without panel/console.

-- 
Regards,
Tomasz Rola

--
** A C programmer asked whether computer had Buddha's nature.  **
** As the answer, master did "rm -rif" on the programmer's home**
** directory. And then the C programmer became enlightened...  **
** **
** Tomasz Rola  mailto:tomasz_r...@bigfoot.com **

Re: DEDICATED HOBBYIST ALERT: IBM AS/400 9406-F2 for cheap sale in Germany

[Patrik Schindler via cctalk]

Hello,

Am 05.01.2021 um 22:02 schrieb mazzinia--- via cctalk :

> The whole translation is more on the lines that it hasn't been started since 
> 3 years and they can't be bothered to check if it still works with the mains 
> not plugged since then. Thus the risk to turn it on is on the buyer.

I can confirm.

> This said, without the license codes is going to be a big decorative object, 
> sort of way... so if someone is interested, he should make sure that they 
> have still the licenses to give alongside.

Without asking, we don’t know. The machine is advertised as has been running 
before, and 10 disks are included. The seller was writing me he has no idea 
about AS/400, and the guy who serviced it is no longer available. So I guess, 
nothing has been deleted so far. Even if there are no paper based lickeys to be 
obtained, they are still in the system.

> Another small thing... I helped carrying that model up into our office, years 
> ago... good luck to whoever purchases it because it's some serious weight

I guess, 120 kg or more. A lot of steel.

:wq! PoC

Re: DEDICATED HOBBYIST ALERT: IBM AS/400 9406-F2 for cheap sale in Germany

[Paul Berger via cctalk]

On 2021-01-05 5:02 p.m., Patrik Schindler via cctalk wrote:

Hello Tomasz,

Am 05.01.2021 um 21:53 schrieb Tomasz Rola via cctalk :


It says "Als Ersatzteil / defekt", which to my nose smells like "parts
donor". Whoever would like to pick it, should verify this. I might be
wrong.

It’s advertised as that because it’s „three years ago since the last time it 
has been running flawless“.

@Paul: This makes me assume this key is still available. Or not needed. I have 
no personal experience with machines featuring a Keylock.

:wq! PoC

I think you need the key to do things like a D IPL but I don't recall 
exactly it has been 25 years since I had a lot of hands on with an AS/400.


Paul.

Re: DEDICATED HOBBYIST ALERT: IBM AS/400 9406-F2 for cheap sale in Germany

[Patrik Schindler via cctalk]

Hello Tomasz,

Am 05.01.2021 um 21:53 schrieb Tomasz Rola via cctalk :

> It says "Als Ersatzteil / defekt", which to my nose smells like "parts
> donor". Whoever would like to pick it, should verify this. I might be
> wrong.

It’s advertised as that because it’s „three years ago since the last time it 
has been running flawless“.

@Paul: This makes me assume this key is still available. Or not needed. I have 
no personal experience with machines featuring a Keylock.

:wq! PoC

RE: DEDICATED HOBBYIST ALERT: IBM AS/400 9406-F2 for cheap sale in Germany

[mazzinia--- via cctalk]

Well,

The whole translation is more on the lines that it hasn't been started since 3 
years and they can't be bothered to check if it still works with the mains not 
plugged since then. Thus the risk to turn it on is on the buyer.
This said, without the license codes is going to be a big decorative object, 
sort of way... so if someone is interested, he should make sure that they have 
still the licenses to give alongside.

Another small thing... I helped carrying that model up into our office, years 
ago... good luck to whoever purchases it because it's some serious weight

-Original Message-
From: cctalk  On Behalf Of Tomasz Rola via cctalk
Sent: Tuesday, January 5, 2021 9:54 PM
To: Patrik Schindler via cctalk 
Subject: Re: DEDICATED HOBBYIST ALERT: IBM AS/400 9406-F2 for cheap sale in 
Germany

On Tue, Jan 05, 2021 at 06:41:30PM +0100, Patrik Schindler via cctalk wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> to fellow readers in Germany and surrounding areas:
> 
> HUGE 9406-F2, 300€, pickup in Heidelberg, Germany. Might be a 
> Multiprocessor-Machine.
> 
> https://cgi.ebay.de/174577267021
> 
> I’m not related to the seller. Have seen this by chance.
> 
> I requested more photos to see what machine it is. Would be very sad 
> if it will be scrapped. I can forward the additional photos as email 
> on request.
> 
> :wq! PoC

It says "Als Ersatzteil / defekt", which to my nose smells like "parts donor". 
Whoever would like to pick it, should verify this. I might be wrong.

--
Regards,
Tomasz Rola

--
** A C programmer asked whether computer had Buddha's nature.  **
** As the answer, master did "rm -rif" on the programmer's home**
** directory. And then the C programmer became enlightened...  **
** **
** Tomasz Rola  mailto:tomasz_r...@bigfoot.com **

Re: DEDICATED HOBBYIST ALERT: IBM AS/400 9406-F2 for cheap sale in Germany

[Tomasz Rola via cctalk]

On Tue, Jan 05, 2021 at 06:41:30PM +0100, Patrik Schindler via cctalk wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> to fellow readers in Germany and surrounding areas:
> 
> HUGE 9406-F2, 300€, pickup in Heidelberg, Germany. Might be a
> Multiprocessor-Machine.
> 
> https://cgi.ebay.de/174577267021
> 
> I’m not related to the seller. Have seen this by chance.
> 
> I requested more photos to see what machine it is. Would be very sad
> if it will be scrapped. I can forward the additional photos as email
> on request.
> 
> :wq! PoC

It says "Als Ersatzteil / defekt", which to my nose smells like "parts
donor". Whoever would like to pick it, should verify this. I might be
wrong.

-- 
Regards,
Tomasz Rola

--
** A C programmer asked whether computer had Buddha's nature.  **
** As the answer, master did "rm -rif" on the programmer's home**
** directory. And then the C programmer became enlightened...  **
** **
** Tomasz Rola  mailto:tomasz_r...@bigfoot.com **

Re: DEDICATED HOBBYIST ALERT: IBM AS/400 9406-F2 for cheap sale in Germany

[Paul Berger via cctalk]

That looks like it may be a 730 model complete with a twinax terminal 
for a console.  One thing that seem to be missing is the electronic key 
that fits into the odd shaped hole in the operator panel.


Paul.

On 2021-01-05 1:41 p.m., Patrik Schindler via cctalk wrote:

Hello,

to fellow readers in Germany and surrounding areas:

HUGE 9406-F2, 300€, pickup in Heidelberg, Germany. Might be a 
Multiprocessor-Machine.

https://cgi.ebay.de/174577267021

I’m not related to the seller. Have seen this by chance.

I requested more photos to see what machine it is. Would be very sad if it will 
be scrapped. I can forward the additional photos as email on request.

:wq! PoC

Re: ICL PERQ 2 T2 Micropolis 1303 spinning down.

[Mattis Lind via cctalk]

Den lör 2 jan. 2021 kl 19:34 skrev David Gesswein via cctech <
cct...@classiccmp.org>:

> This is my info on RD53 sticking heads. Your symtoms match what I have seen
> with this drive.
>
> If the heads are stuck to the rubber bumper the drive will spin back down
> when it finds the heads won't move. It will also spin down if it can't
> switch from the coarse speed control loop to using the head servo signal.
> There is a narrow band where the heads are parked with the proper signal.
> When the rubber has deteriorated the heads are no longer over it. Adding
> shims
> can fix that. I used a tent with RK05 filter but others have opened drives
> in reasonably clean locations sucessfully. Best to keep the pets away.
>
> http://www.pdp8online.com/rd53/rd53.shtml
>
> Shim picture.
> http://www.pdp8online.com/rd53/pics/lock.shtml?small



Thanks. Good advice and good prictures! Need to find some material that
makes a good shim then. It will be very interesting if this solves the
problem. I wonder if the other symptom I saw where the drive kept spinning
while the head was moving back and forth also is related to the first? It
didn't sound like full seeks but rather quite short. The drive kept doing
this for maybe one minute and then spun down.


/Mattis


>
>
>
> On Sat, Jan 02, 2021 at 02:05:11PM +0100, Mattis Lind wrote:
> > Den l?r 2 jan. 2021 kl 11:48 skrev Rob Jarratt <
> robert.jarr...@ntlworld.com
> > >:
> >
> > > When that has happened to MFM disks of mine it has been because for one
> > > reason or another the heads have not moved and found track 0. Why they
> > > aren't moving could be more than one reason. They could be stuck, or
> there
> > > could be some other problem that is preventing them getting the power
> > > needed to move.
> > >
> >
> > Did you solve the problem? How?
> >
> > I have heard that Micropolis 1325 is prone to have a problem with a
> rubber
> > bumper that sticks to the head mechanism. Maybe it is the same for this
> > Micropois drive? What resolutions are there to this type of problem?
> >
> > /Mattis
> >
> >
> > >
> > > Regards
> > >
> > > Rob
> > >
> > > > -Original Message-
> > > > From: cctalk  On Behalf Of Mattis
> Lind
> > > via
> > > > cctalk
> > > > Sent: 02 January 2021 08:59
> > > > To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
> > > > 
> > > > Subject: ICL PERQ 2 T2 Micropolis 1303 spinning down.
> > > >
> > > > I have a nice ICL PERQ 2 T2 that I am going to start working with
> now.
> > > >
> > > > First thing was to try to image the hard drive. It is a Micropolis
> 1303.
> > > It spins
> > > > up but when it reaches what I think the correct speed it immediately
> > > spins
> > > > down. Usually I think there would be a click and then the heads would
> > > > recalibrate. But there is no click and no head movement.
> > > >
> > > > I really would like to make an image of the drive.  What are your
> > > thoughts?
> > > > Are the heads sticking?
> > > > Some kind of solenoid that is not releasing the heads? Not properly
> up to
> > > > speed? (but it sounds like the speed is right)
> > > >
> > > > /Mattis
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
>

DEDICATED HOBBYIST ALERT: IBM AS/400 9406-F2 for cheap sale in Germany

[Patrik Schindler via cctalk]

Hello,

to fellow readers in Germany and surrounding areas:

HUGE 9406-F2, 300€, pickup in Heidelberg, Germany. Might be a 
Multiprocessor-Machine.

https://cgi.ebay.de/174577267021

I’m not related to the seller. Have seen this by chance.

I requested more photos to see what machine it is. Would be very sad if it will 
be scrapped. I can forward the additional photos as email on request.

:wq! PoC

Re: Dec RQDX: What kind of chips on it?

[Paul Koning via cctalk]

> On Jan 5, 2021, at 11:00 AM, Warner Losh  wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> On Tue, Jan 5, 2021, 7:20 AM Paul Koning via cctalk  
> wrote:
> ...
>> As for floppies, the RX50 format is the same for all PDP-11/VAX systems.  
>> Unlike hard drives, Pro floppies and RQDX3 floppies are identical.  The 
>> geometry is handled in the host for the Pro and in the controller for the 
>> RQDX case, but it's the same geometry.  And by the way, a PC floppy drive 
>> can handle RX50 floppies without any trouble, if you set it to the correct 
>> geometry -- in particular, you have to tell it there are 10 sectors per 
>> track rather than the PC default of 9 sectors.
>> 
> Reading this is true. There are several drivers for this for DOS, linux and 
> FreeBSD (though the latter may be out of tree). Writing on PC and reading on 
> a Rainbow is possible, but it is unreliable because the 1.2M drives aren't 
> that good at writing lower the lower density data rates.

I don't know about FreeBSD, but you don't need special drivers on DOS or Linux. 
 In DOS, it's just some int 13 magic.  In Linux, it's an ioctl to set the 
floppy layout.

I did this a long time ago for my "flx" utility (RSTS file access on a PC).  
The initial version was for DOS, and that code should still work.  I added 
Linux support later.  There are two versions of this code: one in C (flx 2.6) 
for DOS and Linux; that one on Linux needs to have the layout set via a Linux 
utility first.  The other is flx 3.0 which is written in Python; it handles 
everything directly.  That version also includes a separate utility that just 
does interleave or de-interleave of 800 block disks and container files, so you 
can create a SIMH compatible disk image from a floppy, or a Xhomer interleaved 
layout image from a regular (logical order) image.  That simply uses the disk 
access code from FLX with the file system pieces left out, so it isn't specific 
to RSTS.

In my experience (admittedly only on a few PCs I have had that include a 5.25 
inch floppy drive) both reading and writing work with no trouble at all.  For 
my Pro development I've always used floppies as the transfer medium, which 
means creating bootable RSTS disks on the PC.  Works fine.

paul

Re: Dec RQDX: What kind of chips on it?

[Mattis Lind via cctalk]

I used the Davids MFM emulator to emulate an RQDX2 formatted disk a few
years ago. I tested both with a RQDX1 and RQDX2. Both were tested with
10.0D firmware. I know that we had some initial problems which David fixed
quickly. As far as I remember I did read disks as well. But I have no
traces of these read disks since the flash of the Beaglebone got erased.

One thing to keep in mind with RQDX1 and RQDX2 is that they are not format
compatible among certain versions. Maybe the firmware that wrote the disk
is older and thus it cannot be read by the mfm emulator since it was
adapted to 10.0D?

/Mattis



Den mån 4 jan. 2021 kl 23:40 skrev Chris Zach via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org>:

> Can someone check to see if a RQDX2 used the Western Digital chips to
> interface to MFM drives? Reason I'm asking is the MFM emulator can
> identify an RQDX3, and also a Pro/350 controller but this particular
> RD52 I have (which was verified by me to run Digital Mumps) is reading as:
>
> root@beaglebone:~/mfm# ./mfm_read -a
> Board revision C detected
> Found drive at select 3
> Returning to track 0
> Drive RPM 3525.4
> Matches count 36 for controller WD_1006
> Header CRC: Polynomial 0x1021 length 16 initial value 0x
> Sector length 512
> Data CRC: Polynomial 0x1021 length 16 initial value 0x
> Interleave mismatch previous entry 0, 9 was 1 now 0
> Selected head 8 found 0, last good head found 7
> Read errors trying to determine sector numbering, results may be in error
> Number of heads 8 number of sectors 18 first sector 0
> Unable to determine interleave. Interleave value is not required
> Drive supports buffered seeks (ST412)
> Disk has recalibrated to track 0
> Stopping end of disk search due to recalibration
> Number of cylinders 512, 37.7 MB
>
> Thanks!
> CZ
>

Re: Dec RQDX: What kind of chips on it?

[Ethan Dicks via cctalk]

On Tue, Jan 5, 2021 at 9:20 AM Paul Koning via cctalk
 wrote:
> It's surprising that the RQDX3 wasn't made format-compatible with the older 
> controllers.

I think it's more of a case that DEC completely rolled their own
controller for the RQDX1/2 and gave it and went with a standard (SMC)
controller for the KA410 (uVAX 2000) and the RQDX3.

I have no specific knowledge of their process, but it seems likely
that they had two engineering goals around the same time: make a
lunchbox VAX and create the follow-on hard disk controller for Qbus
MicroVAXen that could support larger disks than the RQDX2, and that
one effort likely borrowed from the other (why reinvent two wheels at
once?).

The fact that you had to toss out your old RQDX2 to put a larger disk
in the machine was already a given so there was no need to support a
backwards-compatible on-disk format.

I'm just happy that the KA410 and RQDX3 have compatible formats.
That's been handy over the years.  I do have one uVAX I with an RQDX1
(that I should probably see about imaging, but as mentioned, it's easy
enough to use vtserver - just pull the KA610 processor and install a
KDF11 or KDJ11 board (and a grant card) at the top.

-ethan

Re: Dec RQDX: What kind of chips on it?

[Al Kossow via cctalk]

On 1/5/21 6:20 AM, Paul Koning via cctalk wrote:


It's surprising that the RQDX3 wasn't made format-compatible with the older 
controllers.


They built their own controller, with its own unique format, no doubt. The dx3 
uses a SMC
disk controller.

I couldn't find maint drawings anywhere for the dx1 or dx2, that would be a 
good thing to
be on the lookout for.

Chris, you really should talk to Dave about getting that bitstream to him if he 
doesn't
already have an example of the format so that it can be added to the MFM 
emulator.

Re: Dec RQDX: What kind of chips on it?

[Warner Losh via cctalk]

On Tue, Jan 5, 2021, 7:20 AM Paul Koning via cctalk 
wrote:

>
>
> > On Jan 5, 2021, at 6:56 AM, Joshua Rice via cctalk <
> cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
> >
> > These links may help:
> >
> > http://decvax.50megs.com/doc/rqdx/rqdx.html <
> http://decvax.50megs.com/doc/rqdx/rqdx.html>
> > ...
> > There’s definitely incompatabilities between the RQDX2 and RQDX3. They
> shouldn’t be assumed to be designed or act similarly, despite their names.
> The only similarity is that the RQDX3 can read the same floppy disks as the
> RQDX2 formats.
>
> It's surprising that the RQDX3 wasn't made format-compatible with the
> older controllers.
>
> As for floppies, the RX50 format is the same for all PDP-11/VAX systems.
> Unlike hard drives, Pro floppies and RQDX3 floppies are identical.  The
> geometry is handled in the host for the Pro and in the controller for the
> RQDX case, but it's the same geometry.  And by the way, a PC floppy drive
> can handle RX50 floppies without any trouble, if you set it to the correct
> geometry -- in particular, you have to tell it there are 10 sectors per
> track rather than the PC default of 9 sectors.
>

Reading this is true. There are several drivers for this for DOS, linux and
FreeBSD (though the latter may be out of tree). Writing on PC and reading
on a Rainbow is possible, but it is unreliable because the 1.2M drives
aren't that good at writing lower the lower density data rates.

Fun fact: the 720k 3.5" floppies can handle 10 sectors per track just fine.
You can boot a Rainbow off one of these even, but I didn't keep that setup
for reasons I don't recall..

Warner

>

Re: KL11 asynchronous serial line interface on eBay

[Lars Brinkhoff via cctalk]

Always jarring to see KL... and then not 10 after!

KL11 asynchronous serial line interface on eBay

[Noel Chiappa via cctalk]

Here:

  https://www.ebay.com/itm/284137678274

and:

  https://gunkies.org/wiki/KL11_asynchronous_serial_line_interface

if you want to know what it is. The lot includes an M105 Address Selector and
an M782 Interrupt Control (which you'd need to actually use it); the price for
the group is quite reasonable.

  Noel

Re: Dec RQDX: What kind of chips on it?

[Chris Zach via cctalk]

It's surprising that the RQDX3 wasn't made format-compatible with the older 
controllers.


It makes sense: The 1/2 used interleaving, which would have required 
extra code in the 3 to support. The 1/2 figured out the disk geometry 
based on ROM lookups, the 3 stored the disk geometry on the disk. That 
meant you didn't have to worry about ROMs and technically you could use 
pretty much any MFM disk with less than a certain number of heads and 
cylinders.


What I realized mentally is that from the OS/driver/register level they 
are identical. So while the physical disk format is different, there 
should be no reason I can't hook up an RQDX2 to the DSM disk, fire up 
PDPGUI, select the drive as a DU: type, suck the data into a file over a 
serial connection, and boot it on SIMH without any issues.



As for floppies, the RX50 format is the same for all PDP-11/VAX systems.


True, and I can download P/OS, dig out the PC with a 1.2mb floppy, and 
make the floppies on these Micro-RSX11M floppies I have in a box but man 
it's 30 floppies of *stuff*.


Technically I see there is a disk writer utility for the Pro/POS 
somewhere so I *could* download that to the Pro, download the disk 
images, and copy them one at a time. Or maybe I could use this Dave G 
MFM emulator to emulate an RX50, then just present the disks over and 
over till install is done. Hm


C

Re: Keyboard storage, part 2

[Alan Perry via cctalk]

> On Jan 5, 2021, at 05:34, John Foust via cctalk  wrote:
> 
> At 08:31 PM 1/4/2021, Alan Perry via cctalk wrote:
>> Next, I ordered the Uline keyboard boxes. I had to get 25 of them and they 
>> are not free
> 
> Well, actually... neither are the "free" USPS boxes.  *Someone* paid for them,
> and they're supposed to be used for shipping.

Nice editing. What did I say the ones that I got will be used for? And I was 
recommending against them being used for keyboard storage.

Re: Dec RQDX: What kind of chips on it?

[Paul Koning via cctalk]

> On Jan 5, 2021, at 6:56 AM, Joshua Rice via cctalk  
> wrote:
> 
> These links may help:
> 
> http://decvax.50megs.com/doc/rqdx/rqdx.html 
>  
> ...
> There’s definitely incompatabilities between the RQDX2 and RQDX3. They 
> shouldn’t be assumed to be designed or act similarly, despite their names. 
> The only similarity is that the RQDX3 can read the same floppy disks as the 
> RQDX2 formats.

It's surprising that the RQDX3 wasn't made format-compatible with the older 
controllers.

As for floppies, the RX50 format is the same for all PDP-11/VAX systems.  
Unlike hard drives, Pro floppies and RQDX3 floppies are identical.  The 
geometry is handled in the host for the Pro and in the controller for the RQDX 
case, but it's the same geometry.  And by the way, a PC floppy drive can handle 
RX50 floppies without any trouble, if you set it to the correct geometry -- in 
particular, you have to tell it there are 10 sectors per track rather than the 
PC default of 9 sectors.

paul

Re: personal history of personal computers = joke

[ben via cctalk]

On 1/4/2021 5:53 PM, Bill Degnan via cctalk wrote:

Need to grease/lube it periodically


That is your problem there! You grease pigs not cats.
Ben.

Re: Keyboard storage, part 2

[John Foust via cctalk]

At 08:31 PM 1/4/2021, Alan Perry via cctalk wrote:
>Next, I ordered the Uline keyboard boxes. I had to get 25 of them and they are 
>not free 

Well, actually... neither are the "free" USPS boxes.  *Someone* paid for them,
and they're supposed to be used for shipping.

- John

Re: Dec RQDX: What kind of chips on it?

[Antonio Carlini via cctalk]

On 05/01/2021 11:47, Joshua Rice via cctalk wrote:

I’m not sure where i read it, but i’m pretty sure the main “brains” of the 
RQDX2 is a T-11 (PDP-11 FALCON) chip, and that does the negotiations between 
disk and system. I don’t know if it’s the same for the RQDX3, but i’d suspect 
not, as the incompatabilities between the 2 and 3 are probably due to a 
controller redesign. Though i really am no expert when it comes to disk 
controllers, and barely qualify as an amatuer with QBUS PDP-11’s in general!


The RQDX3 definitely uses a T-11 (the controller User Guide says so). I 
don't know what the RQDX2 uses, although Wikipedia says that uses a T-11 
too. They can use (at least) some of the same RDxx disks but the format 
is incompatible between the two AFAICR. So you could move an RD53 (say) 
from an RQDX2 to an RQDX3 (or vice versa) but you'd have to reformat it 
to use it: you could not read data written by an RQDX2 on an RQDX3 
(again, AFAICR).



I think that the (even older) RQDX1 was very similar to the RQDX2 but 
had a design fault that meant it had to be the last module on the bus 
(it failed to pass on the grant signal, I think).




Antonio


--
Antonio Carlini
anto...@acarlini.com

Re: Dec RQDX: What kind of chips on it?

[Joshua Rice via cctalk]

Sorry for the spam!

Here’s some high-resolution pics i took of the 2 and 3 for your viewing 
pleasure:

https://imgur.com/gallery/VJPW5YV

Re: Dec RQDX: What kind of chips on it?

[Joshua Rice via cctalk]

These links may help:

http://decvax.50megs.com/doc/rqdx/rqdx.html 
 

http://www.vcfed.org/forum/archive/index.php/t-47834.html 


http://web.frainresearch.org:8080/projects/pdp-11/diskcntl.php 
 

There’s definitely incompatabilities between the RQDX2 and RQDX3. They 
shouldn’t be assumed to be designed or act similarly, despite their names. The 
only similarity is that the RQDX3 can read the same floppy disks as the RQDX2 
formats.

Re: Dec RQDX: What kind of chips on it?

[Joshua Rice via cctalk]

I’m not sure where i read it, but i’m pretty sure the main “brains” of the 
RQDX2 is a T-11 (PDP-11 FALCON) chip, and that does the negotiations between 
disk and system. I don’t know if it’s the same for the RQDX3, but i’d suspect 
not, as the incompatabilities between the 2 and 3 are probably due to a 
controller redesign. Though i really am no expert when it comes to disk 
controllers, and barely qualify as an amatuer with QBUS PDP-11’s in general!

I have a suspected faulty, but never tested (water damaged) RQDX2 i have pulled 
from a MicroPDP-11/23 i have been restoring. I don’t know if it’s any use, but 
i’m sure i can let it go for a pittance as long as you’re located in the UK

> On Jan 4, 2021, at 10:40 PM, Chris Zach via cctalk  
> wrote:
> 
> Can someone check to see if a RQDX2 used the Western Digital chips to 
> interface to MFM drives? Reason I'm asking is the MFM emulator can identify 
> an RQDX3, and also a Pro/350 controller but this particular RD52 I have 
> (which was verified by me to run Digital Mumps) is reading as:
> 
> root@beaglebone:~/mfm# ./mfm_read -a
> Board revision C detected
> Found drive at select 3
> Returning to track 0
> Drive RPM 3525.4
> Matches count 36 for controller WD_1006
> Header CRC: Polynomial 0x1021 length 16 initial value 0x
> Sector length 512
> Data CRC: Polynomial 0x1021 length 16 initial value 0x
> Interleave mismatch previous entry 0, 9 was 1 now 0
> Selected head 8 found 0, last good head found 7
> Read errors trying to determine sector numbering, results may be in error
> Number of heads 8 number of sectors 18 first sector 0
> Unable to determine interleave. Interleave value is not required
> Drive supports buffered seeks (ST412)
> Disk has recalibrated to track 0
> Stopping end of disk search due to recalibration
> Number of cylinders 512, 37.7 MB
> 
> Thanks!
> CZ