[cctalk] Re: IBM 5100 emulation

[Mark Wickens via cctalk]

The DEC Legacy Event is running this year from November 12th-13th 2022 in
Windermere, UK.

Head over to http://wickensonline.co.uk/declegacy/ for more information.

Hope to see you there.

Regards, MArk.

On Mon, 19 Sept 2022 at 17:15, Steve Lewis via cctalk 
wrote:

> Greetings, we've extracted the Executive ROS of the IBM 5100.  The PALM
> opcodes between the 5100 and 5110 should be identical.  So we have
> used Christian Corti emulator code to run that Executive ROS (under Wintel
> environment).  However, the CRC checks and transition to the Language ROS
> apparently works a little differently on the IBM 5100 (compared to the
> 5110).
>
> Not the CRC check method itself, but perhaps the addressing used to look
> for the Common ROS.  In the 5110, the Common ROS is more obviously a
> separate device/card.  For the 5100, I'm not exactly sure where the Common
> ROS is (part of the Executive ROS card, or part of the BASIC ROS card?).
> I've seen some APL-only 5100's, so I think that system could operate with
> the BASIC card (but maybe that device slot still would have the Common ROS
> segments?).
>
> Hoping someone is available to maybe give suggestions or tips in how to get
> this emulator code going with the IBM 5100 ROS's (see EMUV5110 in github;
> trying to use that to run the IBM 5100 ROS's that are at archive.org).
>
> NOTE: The Executive ROS for the IBM 5100 is a 64K binary (I think the last
> 20K of that is blank, all 0's).  In contrast, the Executive ROS for the IBM
> 5110 is 32K.
>


-- 
M0NOM/P    ADIF Processor

[cctalk] Re: HP 2000 hardware in Salt Lake

[Bbrown314--- via cctalk]

You’ve got some nice Hp goodies.
Unfortunately I’m a bit far from salt lake
(I’m in the chicago area).

The 2100a is particularly interesting but it all looks cool!


-Bob

> On Sep 21, 2022, at 12:15 AM, Tim Riker via cctalk  
> wrote:
> 
> I added some old videos to the Google Photos archive. Example:
> 
> https://photos.app.goo.gl/2k1f9kQhbrFnU3J79
> 
> I should make some higher res versions. :)
> 
> Sources here:
> 
> https://rikers.org/hp2100/
> 
> Full gallery link again:
> 
> https://photos.app.goo.gl/ry648oCejfmjnuNf9
> 
>> On 9/19/2022 7:14 PM, Tim Riker via cctalk wrote:
>> All,
>> 
>> I'm not getting around to working on this hardware. Another potential move 
>> coming up. What's the interest level out there for HP 1000/2000 hardware?
>> 
>> Computers:
>> 
>>  * HP-2116A 8kB - the original HP computer. There is only one other
>>that I am aware of in existence. David Collins got theirs up and
>>running. Mine still blows fuses on startup.
>>  * http://hpmuseum.net/display_item.php?hw=95
>>  * HP-2100A - untested
>>  * HP-2108 - working last I checked 64kB (I might keep this one)
>>  * HP-2112 - working last I checked 64kB
>> 
>> Others:
>> 
>>  * HP-7901A disc drive - untested (2.5mB)
>>  * HP-7900A disc drive - untested, with external power supply (5mB)
>>  * HP-7900A disc drive - untested, with external power supply
>>  * HP-2748B paper tape reader - spins up, does not seem to pass data
>>  * CCC tape punch - untested
>>  * HP-2761A Optical Mark Reader - punch card reader. loading wheel
>>turned to goo long ago. probably restorable
>>  * card slot expansion chassis. I forget the part number.
>>  * dual 3 1/2" drive in hpio chassis might someday work with these systems
>>  * non-hp 19" rack holding most equipment
>>  * lot's of peripheral cards including interfaces for disc drives,
>>punch, tape, card, etc.
>> 
>> Photos on Google Photos. My Gallery App is down at the moment.
>> 
>> https://photos.app.goo.gl/ry648oCejfmjnuNf9
>> 
>> I'd guess it's about 1500 pounds of hardware. So, pickup in Salt Lake only.

[cctalk] Re: Data Systems Designs floppy interface cross-compatibility?

[Ethan Dicks via cctalk]

On Sun, Sep 18, 2022 at 2:30 AM jim stephens via cctalk
 wrote:
> I'm getting ready to move to KC and my pile of DSD is back there.

Hi, Jim,

Cool.

> I have both PDP8 varieties and PDP11.  One complete system from Sellam
> which hopefully  contain data, etc.  Dual booted for a friend he helped 
> maintain it.

I have boxes of floppies that were the residue from a rescue in
Champaign where Jack Rubin (who was closer) got first pick, and I got
the things he didn't want/didn't fit in his car.  From the directory
slips and markings on the box, I suspect many of these floppies are
double-sided and were used on DSD drives.  Mix of PDP-8 and PDP-11
contents.

> A guy in West Wendove NV had a number of subsystems  and
> I have all of them.  We'll have to make a date to do a prisoner
> exchange, and I'll loan / trade you what I've got, and hopefully come up with 
> working systems.

Sounds like a plan.  I'm not in a massive hurry, I just wanted to see
if I had all the parts on hand to do _something_

> I've got two of the units with the SA-1000 drives as well.

I've read the docs but haven't seen those in person.  Kind of handy
for a smallish PDP-11 setup.

> Will take a bit of sorting, will have it on the list to get some stuff and
> visit you later this year, but probably next year.

Since it's already late September, I will just expect next year, but
if something on your end changes, just say the word.  I do have some
"blackout dates" for various weekends through the end of the year -
travel between here and NYC or here and Chicago, etc.

> Glad you're looking into this.  I don't think I've got enough
> to run much on DEC disk hardware.

I have an abundance of PDP-11 and PDP-8 gear.  I'm trying to see what
(still) works and fix what does not.  So far, I have been entirely
unable to even so much as read an 8" DEC floppy this year.  I keep
taking different stabs at it.  Part of the problem is that I have
mostly older (70s/80s) gear and the newer stuff (90s) doesn't work
with old peripherals.  Case in point, my DSD 8838 card has written in
sharpie on the bag "does not work with PDP-11/73".  That's not
unusual.  There are a lot of older Qbus cards that don't work with
"MicroPDP systems" (usually meaning J-11).

> I think among a pile of 8/As I got from sellam there are
> DSD cards, but it was all unsorted.  Hand over money load and drive
> with a pile is the state of that lot.

Right.

> I have makings of 6 or 8 8/A's would like a couple, but DSD again
> would be nice.

I have three hex-wide Omnibus boxes, I'd like to keep 2 and sell 1 to
someone, and I have two quad-wide Omnibus boxes -8/e and -8m) and I
may want to get both of them running.  I have an assortment of drives
and peripheral cards, enough to load up all the machines, if they are
all functional.

Where the DSD drive comes into play is that it can format RX01 media
(I have boxes of blank-blanks for CP/M machines) and mine (DSD480) can
do double-sided media, which is only important to me for reading
double-sided media.  I wouldn't want to depend on a working
double-sided drive for an operational setup.   For real DEC drives, I
have a number of RX01 and RX02 drive units and a box of spare parts
(motors, belts, door latches, etc).

Let me know when any of your plans crystalize.  Most of my travel
plans involve events like VCF so I can't haul lots of things because I
already have a load of event-related materials.  I also don't usually
get out past Chicago going West.  I haven't driven to St. Louis in
well over 20 years.

-ethan

[cctalk] Looking for Fred N van Kempen ... (pdp11, GUTS)

[Graham Toal via cctalk]

20 years ago I loaned Fred van Kempen a pdp11 disk pack (RK11?) to try
recovering for me.  We think it may have the Dutch "GUTS" operating system
(Groningen University Timesharing System -
https://gtoal.com/history.dcs.ed.ac.uk/archive/scans/guts/*.pdf ) and
sources on it.  My Dad carefully hand-carried it to the Netherlands from
Scotland by boat and bicycle!, avoiding any magnetic scanning on the way.

I never heard back from Fred and every now and then (some years apart) I
try to contact him but all the mail addresses I've tried go unreplied or
bounce.

Does anyone here know him and have a reliable way to contact him?  He might
be in the USA now and the only indication I have that he's still alive is a
github update in Jan of this year (and happily a lack of hits when looking
for an obituary!).

I'm assuming he never extracted the disk contents because if he had I'm
sure he would have contacted me.  If the disk has not degraded too much
over the last 20 years since I last saw it, I'ld still like to recover it
and so I'ld like to get it back from Fred and give it to whoever else might
be able to read it.

Thanks,

Graham

[cctalk] Re: Looking for Fred N van Kempen ... (pdp11, GUTS)

[Sellam Abraham via cctalk]

Hi Graham.

I last communicated with Fred at least a year ago (might've been two,
actually).  Last I heard from him he was moving into a nursing home as he
was apparently debilitated as a result of a car accident some years ago.

I believe the last time he reached out to me was via Facebook.  Later today
I'll log in and see if I can find a contact for Fred and get back to you.
I believe he's on my "friend" list there.

Sellam

On Wed, Sep 21, 2022 at 2:34 PM Graham Toal via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:

> 20 years ago I loaned Fred van Kempen a pdp11 disk pack (RK11?) to try
> recovering for me.  We think it may have the Dutch "GUTS" operating system
> (Groningen University Timesharing System -
> https://gtoal.com/history.dcs.ed.ac.uk/archive/scans/guts/*.pdf ) and
> sources on it.  My Dad carefully hand-carried it to the Netherlands from
> Scotland by boat and bicycle!, avoiding any magnetic scanning on the way.
>
> I never heard back from Fred and every now and then (some years apart) I
> try to contact him but all the mail addresses I've tried go unreplied or
> bounce.
>
> Does anyone here know him and have a reliable way to contact him?  He might
> be in the USA now and the only indication I have that he's still alive is a
> github update in Jan of this year (and happily a lack of hits when looking
> for an obituary!).
>
> I'm assuming he never extracted the disk contents because if he had I'm
> sure he would have contacted me.  If the disk has not degraded too much
> over the last 20 years since I last saw it, I'ld still like to recover it
> and so I'ld like to get it back from Fred and give it to whoever else might
> be able to read it.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Graham
>

[cctalk] Re: Looking for Fred N van Kempen ... (pdp11, GUTS)

[Graham Toal via cctalk]

Ah. Thank you. And that would explain the loss of communication.

Graham

On Wed, Sep 21, 2022 at 4:51 PM Sellam Abraham via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:

> Hi Graham.
>
> I last communicated with Fred at least a year ago (might've been two,
> actually).  Last I heard from him he was moving into a nursing home as he
> was apparently debilitated as a result of a car accident some years ago.
>

[cctalk] Re: 8" disk question!

[Eric Smith via cctalk]

On Fri, Sep 2, 2022, 07:51 geneb via cctalk  wrote:

> The question I have is how did a contemporary system deal with the
> combination of a disk with both index windows and a drive with both index
> sensors?
>

They didn't deal with it at all. It didn't work. No normal 8-inch floppy
disks have both index holes in the jacket. If you convert a disk from SS to
DS, or vice versa, by punching the other index hole in the jacket, you have
to cover the original, unless you're going to use it in a drive that has
only one index sensor (typically an SS drive).