[cctalk] WTB: Working IBM 9401-150

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Hello everyone,

First time posting here...

I am wondering if anyone knows of someone looking to get rid of a working
(preferably) IBM AS/400e 9401-150? For local pickup it would need to be
around the Atlanta, GA area in the US.

Thanks!
-Peter

[cctalk] Re: WTB: Working IBM 9401-150

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Hi Yvan,

I am looking for one to add to my collection of toys. Purely as a hobby
item so I'm mainly thinking of keeping cost down, I'm also thinking of
licensing and such.
The 150 doesn't require a license from what I have read. Although I
wouldn't turn down a 170 with a proper license if the price is right. :)

-Peter

On Tue, Mar 21, 2023 at 9:46 AM Yvan Janssens  wrote:

> Hi Peter,
>
> Is there any particular reason why you need a model 150?
>
> Depending on your needs, you might be better off with eg a -170; a -170
> will support the same software stack and will be significantly faster.
>
> Are you stuck with relying on Advanced/36 or similar?
>
> /y
>
> On Tue, 21 Mar 2023 at 14:42, Peter Ekstrom via cctalk <
> cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
>
>> Hello everyone,
>>
>> First time posting here...
>>
>> I am wondering if anyone knows of someone looking to get rid of a working
>> (preferably) IBM AS/400e 9401-150? For local pickup it would need to be
>> around the Atlanta, GA area in the US.
>>
>> Thanks!
>> -Peter
>>
>
>
> --
>
>
>
>
> Sent using CompuServe 1.22
>
>

[cctalk] Re: WTB: Working IBM 9401-150

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Well, I say a 170 would work too but power consumption is another reason I
have been looking at the -150.

-Peter

On Tue, Mar 21, 2023 at 9:53 AM Peter Ekstrom  wrote:

> Hi Yvan,
>
> I am looking for one to add to my collection of toys. Purely as a hobby
> item so I'm mainly thinking of keeping cost down, I'm also thinking of
> licensing and such.
> The 150 doesn't require a license from what I have read. Although I
> wouldn't turn down a 170 with a proper license if the price is right. :)
>
> -Peter
>
> On Tue, Mar 21, 2023 at 9:46 AM Yvan Janssens  wrote:
>
>> Hi Peter,
>>
>> Is there any particular reason why you need a model 150?
>>
>> Depending on your needs, you might be better off with eg a -170; a -170
>> will support the same software stack and will be significantly faster.
>>
>> Are you stuck with relying on Advanced/36 or similar?
>>
>> /y
>>
>> On Tue, 21 Mar 2023 at 14:42, Peter Ekstrom via cctalk <
>> cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
>>
>>> Hello everyone,
>>>
>>> First time posting here...
>>>
>>> I am wondering if anyone knows of someone looking to get rid of a working
>>> (preferably) IBM AS/400e 9401-150? For local pickup it would need to be
>>> around the Atlanta, GA area in the US.
>>>
>>> Thanks!
>>> -Peter
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Sent using CompuServe 1.22
>>
>>

[cctalk] Re: WTB: Working IBM 9401-150

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Hey Devin,

Wish I had seen this earlier. One popped up right after I posted this and I
snagged it.
It is going to need a little work but I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty.

-Peter

On Tue, Mar 21, 2023 at 12:58 PM devin davison via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:

> I have a 170. Im in melbourne fl.
>
> I have been unable to move it, its in my living room, but you would need to
> load it into the car. It ipl's to a working install, but not sure what
> version. Sold off all my twinax terminals a while back.
>
> On Tue, Mar 21, 2023, 10:14 AM Peter Ekstrom via cctalk <
> cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
>
> > Well, I say a 170 would work too but power consumption is another reason
> I
> > have been looking at the -150.
> >
> > -Peter
> >
> > On Tue, Mar 21, 2023 at 9:53 AM Peter Ekstrom 
> wrote:
> >
> > > Hi Yvan,
> > >
> > > I am looking for one to add to my collection of toys. Purely as a hobby
> > > item so I'm mainly thinking of keeping cost down, I'm also thinking of
> > > licensing and such.
> > > The 150 doesn't require a license from what I have read. Although I
> > > wouldn't turn down a 170 with a proper license if the price is right.
> :)
> > >
> > > -Peter
> > >
> > > On Tue, Mar 21, 2023 at 9:46 AM Yvan Janssens  wrote:
> > >
> > >> Hi Peter,
> > >>
> > >> Is there any particular reason why you need a model 150?
> > >>
> > >> Depending on your needs, you might be better off with eg a -170; a
> -170
> > >> will support the same software stack and will be significantly faster.
> > >>
> > >> Are you stuck with relying on Advanced/36 or similar?
> > >>
> > >> /y
> > >>
> > >> On Tue, 21 Mar 2023 at 14:42, Peter Ekstrom via cctalk <
> > >> cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
> > >>
> > >>> Hello everyone,
> > >>>
> > >>> First time posting here...
> > >>>
> > >>> I am wondering if anyone knows of someone looking to get rid of a
> > working
> > >>> (preferably) IBM AS/400e 9401-150? For local pickup it would need to
> be
> > >>> around the Atlanta, GA area in the US.
> > >>>
> > >>> Thanks!
> > >>> -Peter
> > >>>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> --
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Sent using CompuServe 1.22
> > >>
> > >>
> >
>

[cctalk] Looking for IBM 2723

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Hey all,

So, being the new owner of a AS/400 9401-150, I am looking for a 2723-9406
LAN card for it.
Does anyone have one they wouldn't mind parting with by chance?

-Peter

[cctalk] Re: Gb Ethernet and 10Mb links

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

I found that out the hard way recently when I acquired my AS/400 and the
10Mb/s card for it. It did not like talking to my 10/100/1000 switch at all.
And of course I had recently gotten rid of my old 10Mb/s hub I had been
saving for a couple of decades... Had to resort to eBay for an ancient hub.

On Sun, May 28, 2023 at 2:09 PM Craig Ruff via cctalk 
wrote:

> FYI: The Ethernet standards dropped support for half duplex connections a
> few years back, so that if you have something that depends on half duplex
> links a recent Ethernet switch might not support it.

[cctalk] Re: ROM data for Lear Siegler ADM31?

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Hi John,

Would these be what you are looking for?

https://bitsavers.org/pdf/learSiegler/ADM_31/firmware/

-Peter

On Thu, Aug 3, 2023 at 2:47 PM John Robertson via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:

> I sold my Lear Siegler ADM31 recently and the new owner (Ian) has found
> that one of the ROMs failed before he could archive it - or it was
> defective to start with.
>
> So my question to the list is - does anyone have the ROM codes (there
> are three of them) archived?
>
> I don't think Ian is a member of this list, otherwise I'm sure I would
> have spotted a post with a subject line like mine...
>
> Thanks!
>
> John :-#)#
>
> --
>   John's Jukes Ltd.
> 7 - 3979 Marine Way, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5J 5E3
> Call (604)872-5757 (Pinballs, Jukes, Video Games)
>   flippers.com
>   "Old pinballers never die, they just flip out"
>
>

[cctalk] Re: ROM data for Lear Siegler ADM31?

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

John,

Have to admit, I am curious. Has Ian had a chance to look at those ROM
images yet? Did they work?

-Peter

On Thu, Aug 3, 2023 at 3:45 PM John Robertson  wrote:

> Hi Peter,
>
> Thanks, I'll check with Ian if he tried those or not...
>
> John :-#)#
>
> On 2023/08/03 11:58 a.m., Peter Ekstrom wrote:
>
> Hi John,
>
> Would these be what you are looking for?
>
> https://bitsavers.org/pdf/learSiegler/ADM_31/firmware/
>
> -Peter
>
> On Thu, Aug 3, 2023 at 2:47 PM John Robertson via cctalk <
> cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
>
>> I sold my Lear Siegler ADM31 recently and the new owner (Ian) has found
>> that one of the ROMs failed before he could archive it - or it was
>> defective to start with.
>>
>> So my question to the list is - does anyone have the ROM codes (there
>> are three of them) archived?
>>
>> I don't think Ian is a member of this list, otherwise I'm sure I would
>> have spotted a post with a subject line like mine...
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>> John :-#)#
>>
>> --
>>   John's Jukes Ltd.
>> 7 - 3979 Marine Way, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5J 5E3
>> Call (604)872-5757 (Pinballs, Jukes, Video Games)
>>   flippers.com
>>   "Old pinballers never die, they just flip out"
>>
>>
> --
>  John's Jukes Ltd.
> 7 - 3979 Marine Way, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5J 5E3
> Call (604)872-5757 (Pinballs, Jukes, Video Games)
>  flippers.com
>  "Old pinballers never die, they just flip out"
>
>

[cctalk] Anyone have any IO Corp 8219HP docs or info

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Happy New Year everyone!

I was wondering if anyone happens to have any documentation or information
about the 8219HP adapter by IO Corporation? It is a protocol converter from
Twinax to RS232 emulating an IBM 5219 printer. I am mostly looking for
information about the option/rate switches on the back.

I acquired one of these for cheap recently but haven't been able to find
any information about it.

Thanks!

[cctalk] Looking for a DG manual

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Hello,

Does anyone have a PDF of the AOS/VS Systems internals reference manual by
chance?

Thanks,
Peter

[cctalk] A little off-topic but at least somewhat related: endianness

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Hi to the group,

I am tinkering with some C-code where I am working on something that can
process some microcode. The microcode is from a DG MV/1 machine and
while working on it, I noticed it is in little-endian. That's simple enough
to work around but that had me wondering, why do we have big and little
endianness? What is the benefit of storing the low-order byte first? Or is
that simply just an arbitrary decision made by some hardware manufacturers?

I am mostly just curious.

Thanks,
Peter / KG4OKG

[cctalk] RSX11M installation on real PDP11

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Hello to the group,

I have acquired some boards and a backplane for a PDP 11/23+. The disk
controller is an RQDX3 and I have a 3.5" drive that works as an RX50. I
have a greazeweasle so I am able to write RX50 images to 3.5 inch
floppies.  I also have an RD32 MFM drive that also works.

Since I have an M8189 CPU board, I have a second serial port that works as
a TU58 device so I can use the tu58em emulator. I also have 512K of memory
and a DZV11. Using the TU58 emulator I have been able to get RT-11 up and
running on it.

My goal though is to try and get RSX11M (I have no FPP right now) on it,
but I am somewhat at a loss on how to get it installed. Anyone have any
suggestions on how I could do that? I have some .tap files and some RL02
images with various versions of RSX11M, but I don't know how to get them
onto my RD32 drive.

Thanks in advance for any pointers or suggestions.

And let me just say I love finally having a real PDP11!!

-Peter

[cctalk] Re: RSX11M installation on real PDP11

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Awesome! That appears to work. So even though it has the same version
number as the one I have tried from another git repo, it is different.

Thank you for this information!

-Peter

On Mon, Oct 21, 2024 at 11:10 AM Nadav Eiron  wrote:

> My 11/23 is not accessible, but I believe I've used this version a couple
> of years ago (on a Raspberry Pi): https://github.com/drboone/vtserver
>
> On Mon, Oct 21, 2024 at 7:45 AM Peter Ekstrom via cctalk <
> cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
>
>> Hmm, not sure why yet, but I'm not able to get vtserver to work. I have
>> entered the bootcode manually in ODT, and I have had vtserver send it.
>> It looks like it loads the code and then reads one record but then hangs.
>> I'm wondering if my version of ODT on the CPU board needs something to be
>> handled differently.
>> Btw, the version I have found of vtserver is 2.3.1.5. I can't seem to find
>> anything later than that.
>>
>> I am going to try PDP11GUI but I am waiting on a supported USB-RS232
>> adapter to arrive. The ones I have aren't supported under Windows anymore.
>> I should have it tomorrow.
>>
>> -Peter
>>
>> On Sun, Oct 20, 2024 at 9:30 AM Peter Ekstrom 
>> wrote:
>>
>> > Aha! Ok great, I need to look closer at those then. Thank you!
>> >
>> > On Sun, Oct 20, 2024 at 9:23 AM cz  wrote:
>> >
>> >> use pdp11gui or vtserver. They can use ODT to upload a small program to
>> >> the 11 which allows it to send or receive an image to a MCSP or
>> >> RL/RX/Whatever drive. Can be slow (top speed is 9600 or 19200 baud on
>> an
>> >> 11/23) but it does get the job done.
>> >>
>> >> C
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> On 10/20/2024 9:02 AM, Peter Ekstrom wrote:
>> >> > Thank you all for the tips and pointers. I like the idea of pulling
>> the
>> >> > image off of my real drive, but how would I transfer it between the
>> pdp
>> >> > and my Linux box with Simh? It is too big for the tu58 emulator.
>> >> >
>> >> > On Sun, Oct 20, 2024 at 03:15 cz via cctalk > >> > <mailto:cctalk@classiccmp.org>> wrote:
>> >> >
>> >> >  >If you go this route, be advised, that SIMH creates RD32
>> disk
>> >> > images
>> >> >  > are not the same size as a real RD32. This will likely cause
>> >> > problems
>> >> >  > when writing a SIMH created image to a real disk (and I'm not
>> >> > talking
>> >> >  > about the additional issues that the trailing metadata on disk
>> >> > images
>> >> >  > from the Pizzolato version of SIMH can cause - the problem I'm
>> >> >  > describing is caused by an incorrect disk size value in SIMH).
>> >> >
>> >> > True, I think you can get around this by making them  disk in
>> SIMH a
>> >> > couple of blocks smaller.
>> >> >
>> >> > However there is another way. Format your real RD32 with the
>> RQDX3
>> >> > formatter, then once formatted suck it into a file. Then you
>> have an
>> >> > exact replica you can mount in SIMH and load it up.
>> >> >
>> >> > I did this with a 154mb Hitachi ESDI MCSP disk that went "bad" 30
>> >> years
>> >> > ago and would not boot. Sucked it in, booted RSX11M off a virtual
>> >> > drive,
>> >> > then mounted it. Turns out when I did a purge of old files I
>> deleted
>> >> > the
>> >> > RSX11M.TSK file I was using to boot because I forgot to do a
>> /SAV /
>> >> > WB in
>> >> > VMR to update the boot block to the new file location. Did that,
>> >> system
>> >> > booted, then copied it back to the "real" Hitachi disk.
>> >> >
>> >> > Back in operation. :-)
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >>
>>
>

[cctalk] Re: RSX11M installation on real PDP11

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Aha! Ok great, I need to look closer at those then. Thank you!

On Sun, Oct 20, 2024 at 9:23 AM cz  wrote:

> use pdp11gui or vtserver. They can use ODT to upload a small program to
> the 11 which allows it to send or receive an image to a MCSP or
> RL/RX/Whatever drive. Can be slow (top speed is 9600 or 19200 baud on an
> 11/23) but it does get the job done.
>
> C
>
>
> On 10/20/2024 9:02 AM, Peter Ekstrom wrote:
> > Thank you all for the tips and pointers. I like the idea of pulling the
> > image off of my real drive, but how would I transfer it between the pdp
> > and my Linux box with Simh? It is too big for the tu58 emulator.
> >
> > On Sun, Oct 20, 2024 at 03:15 cz via cctalk  > > wrote:
> >
> >  >If you go this route, be advised, that SIMH creates RD32 disk
> > images
> >  > are not the same size as a real RD32. This will likely cause
> > problems
> >  > when writing a SIMH created image to a real disk (and I'm not
> > talking
> >  > about the additional issues that the trailing metadata on disk
> > images
> >  > from the Pizzolato version of SIMH can cause - the problem I'm
> >  > describing is caused by an incorrect disk size value in SIMH).
> >
> > True, I think you can get around this by making them  disk in SIMH a
> > couple of blocks smaller.
> >
> > However there is another way. Format your real RD32 with the RQDX3
> > formatter, then once formatted suck it into a file. Then you have an
> > exact replica you can mount in SIMH and load it up.
> >
> > I did this with a 154mb Hitachi ESDI MCSP disk that went "bad" 30
> years
> > ago and would not boot. Sucked it in, booted RSX11M off a virtual
> > drive,
> > then mounted it. Turns out when I did a purge of old files I deleted
> > the
> > RSX11M.TSK file I was using to boot because I forgot to do a /SAV /
> > WB in
> > VMR to update the boot block to the new file location. Did that,
> system
> > booted, then copied it back to the "real" Hitachi disk.
> >
> > Back in operation. :-)
> >
>
>

[cctalk] Re: RSX11M installation on real PDP11

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Hmm, not sure why yet, but I'm not able to get vtserver to work. I have
entered the bootcode manually in ODT, and I have had vtserver send it.
It looks like it loads the code and then reads one record but then hangs.
I'm wondering if my version of ODT on the CPU board needs something to be
handled differently.
Btw, the version I have found of vtserver is 2.3.1.5. I can't seem to find
anything later than that.

I am going to try PDP11GUI but I am waiting on a supported USB-RS232
adapter to arrive. The ones I have aren't supported under Windows anymore.
I should have it tomorrow.

-Peter

On Sun, Oct 20, 2024 at 9:30 AM Peter Ekstrom  wrote:

> Aha! Ok great, I need to look closer at those then. Thank you!
>
> On Sun, Oct 20, 2024 at 9:23 AM cz  wrote:
>
>> use pdp11gui or vtserver. They can use ODT to upload a small program to
>> the 11 which allows it to send or receive an image to a MCSP or
>> RL/RX/Whatever drive. Can be slow (top speed is 9600 or 19200 baud on an
>> 11/23) but it does get the job done.
>>
>> C
>>
>>
>> On 10/20/2024 9:02 AM, Peter Ekstrom wrote:
>> > Thank you all for the tips and pointers. I like the idea of pulling the
>> > image off of my real drive, but how would I transfer it between the pdp
>> > and my Linux box with Simh? It is too big for the tu58 emulator.
>> >
>> > On Sun, Oct 20, 2024 at 03:15 cz via cctalk > > > wrote:
>> >
>> >  >If you go this route, be advised, that SIMH creates RD32 disk
>> > images
>> >  > are not the same size as a real RD32. This will likely cause
>> > problems
>> >  > when writing a SIMH created image to a real disk (and I'm not
>> > talking
>> >  > about the additional issues that the trailing metadata on disk
>> > images
>> >  > from the Pizzolato version of SIMH can cause - the problem I'm
>> >  > describing is caused by an incorrect disk size value in SIMH).
>> >
>> > True, I think you can get around this by making them  disk in SIMH a
>> > couple of blocks smaller.
>> >
>> > However there is another way. Format your real RD32 with the RQDX3
>> > formatter, then once formatted suck it into a file. Then you have an
>> > exact replica you can mount in SIMH and load it up.
>> >
>> > I did this with a 154mb Hitachi ESDI MCSP disk that went "bad" 30
>> years
>> > ago and would not boot. Sucked it in, booted RSX11M off a virtual
>> > drive,
>> > then mounted it. Turns out when I did a purge of old files I deleted
>> > the
>> > RSX11M.TSK file I was using to boot because I forgot to do a /SAV /
>> > WB in
>> > VMR to update the boot block to the new file location. Did that,
>> system
>> > booted, then copied it back to the "real" Hitachi disk.
>> >
>> > Back in operation. :-)
>> >
>>
>>

[cctalk] Re: RSX11M installation on real PDP11

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Thank you all for the tips and pointers. I like the idea of pulling the
image off of my real drive, but how would I transfer it between the pdp and
my Linux box with Simh? It is too big for the tu58 emulator.

On Sun, Oct 20, 2024 at 03:15 cz via cctalk  wrote:

> >If you go this route, be advised, that SIMH creates RD32 disk images
> > are not the same size as a real RD32. This will likely cause problems
> > when writing a SIMH created image to a real disk (and I'm not talking
> > about the additional issues that the trailing metadata on disk images
> > from the Pizzolato version of SIMH can cause - the problem I'm
> > describing is caused by an incorrect disk size value in SIMH).
>
> True, I think you can get around this by making them  disk in SIMH a
> couple of blocks smaller.
>
> However there is another way. Format your real RD32 with the RQDX3
> formatter, then once formatted suck it into a file. Then you have an
> exact replica you can mount in SIMH and load it up.
>
> I did this with a 154mb Hitachi ESDI MCSP disk that went "bad" 30 years
> ago and would not boot. Sucked it in, booted RSX11M off a virtual drive,
> then mounted it. Turns out when I did a purge of old files I deleted the
> RSX11M.TSK file I was using to boot because I forgot to do a /SAV /WB in
> VMR to update the boot block to the new file location. Did that, system
> booted, then copied it back to the "real" Hitachi disk.
>
> Back in operation. :-)
>
>

[cctalk] Re: RSX11M installation on real PDP11

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Alright! I booted up RSX11M 4.2 a little bit ago on my 11/23-plus! I had
logged in to one of my Linux machines from my work laptop to run the copy,
and of course they installed Windows updates and it needed to reboot. But I
have a little more than half of the disk image copied over so I was able to
boot it up. Very exciting! I'll start the copy over a bit later in the week
when I can let it run longer. I also have a DECNA card in the machine now
so I can install DECnet and play with that uner RSX. I wish I could install
TCP/IP but I understand the hardware doesn't have the separate I/D space so
it won't work.

Thanks again for all the pointers and tips!

-Peter

On Mon, Oct 21, 2024 at 11:54 AM Peter Ekstrom  wrote:

> Awesome! That appears to work. So even though it has the same version
> number as the one I have tried from another git repo, it is different.
>
> Thank you for this information!
>
> -Peter
>
> On Mon, Oct 21, 2024 at 11:10 AM Nadav Eiron 
> wrote:
>
>> My 11/23 is not accessible, but I believe I've used this version a couple
>> of years ago (on a Raspberry Pi): https://github.com/drboone/vtserver
>>
>> On Mon, Oct 21, 2024 at 7:45 AM Peter Ekstrom via cctalk <
>> cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
>>
>>> Hmm, not sure why yet, but I'm not able to get vtserver to work. I have
>>> entered the bootcode manually in ODT, and I have had vtserver send it.
>>> It looks like it loads the code and then reads one record but then hangs.
>>> I'm wondering if my version of ODT on the CPU board needs something to be
>>> handled differently.
>>> Btw, the version I have found of vtserver is 2.3.1.5. I can't seem to
>>> find
>>> anything later than that.
>>>
>>> I am going to try PDP11GUI but I am waiting on a supported USB-RS232
>>> adapter to arrive. The ones I have aren't supported under Windows
>>> anymore.
>>> I should have it tomorrow.
>>>
>>> -Peter
>>>
>>> On Sun, Oct 20, 2024 at 9:30 AM Peter Ekstrom 
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> > Aha! Ok great, I need to look closer at those then. Thank you!
>>> >
>>> > On Sun, Oct 20, 2024 at 9:23 AM cz  wrote:
>>> >
>>> >> use pdp11gui or vtserver. They can use ODT to upload a small program
>>> to
>>> >> the 11 which allows it to send or receive an image to a MCSP or
>>> >> RL/RX/Whatever drive. Can be slow (top speed is 9600 or 19200 baud on
>>> an
>>> >> 11/23) but it does get the job done.
>>> >>
>>> >> C
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> On 10/20/2024 9:02 AM, Peter Ekstrom wrote:
>>> >> > Thank you all for the tips and pointers. I like the idea of pulling
>>> the
>>> >> > image off of my real drive, but how would I transfer it between the
>>> pdp
>>> >> > and my Linux box with Simh? It is too big for the tu58 emulator.
>>> >> >
>>> >> > On Sun, Oct 20, 2024 at 03:15 cz via cctalk >> >> > <mailto:cctalk@classiccmp.org>> wrote:
>>> >> >
>>> >> >  >If you go this route, be advised, that SIMH creates RD32
>>> disk
>>> >> > images
>>> >> >  > are not the same size as a real RD32. This will likely cause
>>> >> > problems
>>> >> >  > when writing a SIMH created image to a real disk (and I'm not
>>> >> > talking
>>> >> >  > about the additional issues that the trailing metadata on
>>> disk
>>> >> > images
>>> >> >  > from the Pizzolato version of SIMH can cause - the problem
>>> I'm
>>> >> >  > describing is caused by an incorrect disk size value in
>>> SIMH).
>>> >> >
>>> >> > True, I think you can get around this by making them  disk in
>>> SIMH a
>>> >> > couple of blocks smaller.
>>> >> >
>>> >> > However there is another way. Format your real RD32 with the
>>> RQDX3
>>> >> > formatter, then once formatted suck it into a file. Then you
>>> have an
>>> >> > exact replica you can mount in SIMH and load it up.
>>> >> >
>>> >> > I did this with a 154mb Hitachi ESDI MCSP disk that went "bad"
>>> 30
>>> >> years
>>> >> > ago and would not boot. Sucked it in, booted RSX11M off a
>>> virtual
>>> >> > drive,
>>> >> > then mounted it. Turns out when I did a purge of old files I
>>> deleted
>>> >> > the
>>> >> > RSX11M.TSK file I was using to boot because I forgot to do a
>>> /SAV /
>>> >> > WB in
>>> >> > VMR to update the boot block to the new file location. Did that,
>>> >> system
>>> >> > booted, then copied it back to the "real" Hitachi disk.
>>> >> >
>>> >> > Back in operation. :-)
>>> >> >
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>>
>>

[cctalk] RQDX3 Formatter

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Hi everyone,

Does anyone have the source for the ZRQCxx formatter? I have found a pdf
for ZRQCE0 but am curious if the actual source code for that one, or ZRQCH0
is available? I'd like to make some changes to the UIT table.

-Peter

[cctalk] Re: RQDX3 Formatter

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Well, I learned that not all drives that look like ST-506, are... Turns out
the drive I was going to use is a Micropolis 1355, which is an ESDI drive.
So it won't work with the RQDX3.
I guess that drive goes back on the shelf until something else comes along.

Thanks for all the info on the formatter though! I'm sure I'll find
something else down the road I can try that on.

-Peter

On Sun, Oct 27, 2024 at 5:30 PM David Gesswein via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:

> On Sun, Oct 27, 2024 at 09:32:00AM -0400, Peter Ekstrom wrote:
> > Is there such a
> > thing as an MFM drive emulator that would plug in to the RQDX3 as
> > a real drive would?
> >
> Yes.
> https://www.pdp8online.com/mfm/
>

[cctalk] Re: RQDX3 Formatter

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Hi Chuck,

Lou did reach out to me and shared a copy of his document. (If you read
this Lou, thank you!) I haven't yet, but I plan to go through it and learn
(I know I will) lots of good stuff. I did come across the thread you
mention with your spreadsheet and I also plan to make good use of it. Thank
you for sharing it in that thread!

I have an RD32 drive that has been working fine, but recently developed
some sort of problem that now prevents me from even formatting it.
It starts out just fine, encounters a couple of bad blocks and then stalls
the formatting process. I have another drive that isn't DEC standard so
that's where patching of ZRQCH0 on my XXDP tape comes into place. I'm
guessing you're right, I may have to abandon the idea of using the
real drives and get something like a Qbone or something. Is there such a
thing as an MFM drive emulator that would plug in to the RQDX3 as
a real drive would?

Back in the 80's I came close to getting an 11/23 with a couple of RL02
drives and I think some RX-drives as well. Probably a tape drive too. But
unfortunately it fell through. So this is an attempt to get to tinker with
the real thing. I love the SIMH simulator suite but for some reason, missing
the hardware takes away a big part of tinkering for me. So I am enjoying
having these 11/23+ boards and drives to tinker with now.

Thank you for all the information, tips and pointers!

-Peter

On Sun, Oct 27, 2024 at 1:55 AM Charles Dickman via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:

> Search the list back in late 2018, there is a thread with the same subject.
>
> There is a link to a spreadsheet in that thread that has the calculations
> for new drive sizes.
>
> Lou and I sort of worked out the details without knowledge of each other
> and he had a nice document describing how to create a new entry in the
> table. He seemed reluctant to share it at the time, so I will respect that
> now.
>
> I was interested in modifying the tables so that I could create a maximum
> sized disk to use with an MFM disk emulator.
>
> Congratulations if you have an MFM drive that you think is reliable enough
> today to format and try to use. The central theme of the RQDX3 format is
> bad block replacement, and you will probably need it.
>
> Based on the reliability of the drive, a portion of the drive is allocated
> to bad block replacement. One sector per track (?) is reserved for in-track
> replacement and a group of tracks are allocated for out-of-track
> replacement. The space allotted for replacements is inconsistent, for
> example the RD51 has room for 0.66% of the blocks to fail vs. the RD33
> which can only tolerate 0.19% block failure rate. The replacement block
> locations are based on a hash. The only place I have seen the replacement
> algorithm documented is in an Ultrix driver for the microVAX 2000 (?). This
> would make a sector image of an RQDX3 drive very difficult to work with
> unless it is connected to another RQDX3 or the replacement map is
> understood.
>
> Is Lou around? I hope so, he refined a PDP-8/e memory board design I did
> and built multiple copies. That phrase used to imply moving on to some
> other hobby, but lately these old computer lists it's become past on. Ugh.
>
> -chuck
>
> If the original author is no longer available to ask I can contribute my
> copy to bitsavers. This has been a topic of discussion for many years. I
> doubt DEC/Compaq/HP cares anymore.
>
>
>
> On Thu, Oct 24, 2024 at 5:34 PM Glen Slick via cctalk <
> cctalk@classiccmp.org>
> wrote:
>
> > Did Lou ever publish somewhere his notes on patching ZRQCH0?
> >
> > Back from around almost 10 years ago:
> >
> >
> >
> https://forum.vcfed.org/index.php?threads/patching-zrqch0-to-use-any-geometry-mfm-hard-disk-on-rqdx3.39318/
> >
> > Is Lou still around? Looks like he hasn't posted on VCFed in a few years.
> >
> >
> > On Thu, Oct 24, 2024 at 11:45 AM Jacob Ritorto via cctalk
> >  wrote:
> > >
> > > I don't have the source, but I had great success octal-patching my
> copy a
> > > few years ago, made it work with a Maxtor xt-11something instead of the
> > > real rd54 / xt-2190.
> > > I'll reply again if I can find the instructions for doing it.  Just
> > > followed recipe from some guy's website and it worked perfect.
> > >
> > > On Thu, 24 Oct 2024 at 09:20, Peter Ekstrom via cctalk <
> > > cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
> > >
> > > > Hi everyone,
> > > >
> > > > Does anyone have the source for the ZRQCxx formatter? I have found a
> > pdf
> > > > for ZRQCE0 but am curious if the actual source code for that one, or
> > ZRQCH0
> > > > is available? I'd like to make some changes to the UIT table.
> > > >
> > > > -Peter
> > > >
> >
>

[cctalk] Re: Philips P2000C disk format

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

This one seems to have information on the diskette layout starting on page
230:

https://electrickery.nl/comp/p2000c/doc/P2000C-SystemRefServiceManual.pdf

-Peter

On Sun, Dec 8, 2024 at 4:52 PM Rik Bos via cctalk 
wrote:

> Tony,
>
> Maybe this software catalogue will help you:
> https://electrickery.nl/comp/p2000c/doc/PTC_Katalogus.pdf
>
> -Rik
>
> -Oorspronkelijk bericht-
> Van: Tony Duell via cctalk 
> Verzonden: zondag 8 december 2024 19:55
> Aan: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts <
> cctalk@classiccmp.org>
> CC: Tony Duell 
> Onderwerp: [cctalk] Philips P2000C disk format
>
> The quick version : Does anyone know the exact physical and logical disk
> format used by CP/M on the Philips P2000C portable computer?
>
> The long version with explanations :
>
> I am having reasonable success transfering files to/from disk images for
> my Osborne 1A (using cpmtools) and IBM5155 (MS-DOS, of course using
> editdisk). And I've even got the Greaseweazle to transfer those images
> to/from real floppies. The Greaseweazle still annoys me in that I know it's
> capable of a lot more if only I could work out how to do it, but at least
> it does something useful
>
> [The less said about floppy disks shedding oxide and/or suffering from
> 'sticky shed' the better. I'm spending far too much time dismantling and
> cleaning drives]
>
> Any, I'd like to do the same for another of my machines, a Philips P2000C
> cp/m 'portable'. My machine is the version with 2 internal 40 cylinder
> single head drives (about 160K each, MFM) but I can also plug in an
> external 80 cylinder double head drive to handle this machine's other
> native format (about 640K).
>
> Unfortunately, this machine is not common, and neither cpmtools nor the
> greaseweazle software has the formats predefined. I could add them myself
> -- if I knew what they were. Things like #sectors/track, sector size,
> #system tracks,  skew, etc.
>
> It's not obviously given in any of the manuals I have, so does anyone know
> it before I try to work it out.
>
> Alternatively there are rumours that the P2000C could read/write at least
> one more common cp/m disk type. The hardware should be capable of it, sure.
> Doe anyone know if software to do something like this exists anywhere for
> the P2000C. I can't find it on any of the obvious sites
>
> -tony
>
>

[cctalk] Re: Philips P2000C disk format

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Out of curiosity I downloaded the P2000C system disk images from Dave
Dunfield's archive and looked through them in Linux using the strings
command.
Turns out, in the 4th disk image (P2000_4.IMD) there appears to be the
assembler source for a format command that can handle multiple diskette
formats.
There are table entries for the P2000C's 160KB format as well. I haven't
had time to look through it all and figure out all the values but perhaps
that can be
a good starting point?

As an example, a couple of snippets of what I found:

;==
;THIS FILE HAS THE DISK TABLES FOR UTILITY
;THE TABLE HAS FOLLOWING STRUCTURE:
;BYTES  00-01   LENGTH OF TH
B   0E5H;FORMAT INFO
DEFB10H ;
 OF SECTORS ON SIDE-0
DEFB1,02H,03H,04H,05H,06H,07H,08H ;SECTORS IN TRACK FORMAT
DEFB9,0AH,0BH,0CH,0DH,0EH,0FH,10H
DEFB10H ;
 OF SECTORS ON SIDE-1
DEFB1,02H,03H,04H,05H,06H,07H,08H ;SECTORS IN TRACK FORMAT
DEF


;DESCRIPTOR FOR 2000C 160K DISK
DT2:DEFBDT3-DT2 ;TABLE LENGTH
DEFT 'P2000C 160K - CP/M' ;NAME
FORMATTING INFO (E5, OR F6)
;   1 BYTE FOR THE
 OF SECTORS ON SIDE-0
; BYTES FOR THE SECTOR NUMBERS ON SIDE-0
;   1 BYTE FOR THE
 OF SECTORS ON SIDE-1
; BYTES FOR THE SECTOR NUMBERS ON SIDE-1
;   SYSTEM IDENTIFIER 1=CP/M
; 3=MSDOS
;   IF MSDOS: 1
DEFB81H ;FLAG FOR SINGLE SIDED
DEFB28H ;NUMBER OF TRACKS
DEFB1   ;TR MULTIPLIER ACTIVE
SRL H
RET ;TRANSL SUBR FOR BIOS
DEFB0   ;TO MAKE UP 4 BYTES
DEFB1   ;1 SUBTABLE
DT21:   DEFBDT22-DT21 ;LENGTH OF SUBTABLE
DEFT'CP/M'  ;SUBTABLE NAME
DEFB1   ;SECT LGTH = 256 BYTES
DEFB0E5H;FORMAT INFO
DEFB10H ;
 OF SECTORS ON SIDE-0
DEFB1,02H,03H,04H,05H,06H,07H,08H ;SECTORS IN TRACK FORMAT
DEFB9,0AH,0BH,0CH,0DH,0EH,0FH,10H
DEFB0   ;
 OF SECTORS ON SIDE-1
DEFB1   ;FOR CP/M
DEFB 20H,0,
7,08,11,12,15,16
DEFB 19,20,23,24,27,28,31,32

On Mon, Dec 9, 2024 at 8:44 AM Tony Duell  wrote:

> On Mon, Dec 9, 2024 at 1:02 PM Peter Ekstrom via cctalk
>  wrote:
> >
> > This one seems to have information on the diskette layout starting on
> page
> > 230:
> >
> >
> https://electrickery.nl/comp/p2000c/doc/P2000C-SystemRefServiceManual.pdf
>
> Unofortunately that doesn't go far enough. It doesn't give the number
> of sectors/track or their size (I think it's 16 sectors, each of 256
> bytes)
>
> It also doesn't give the 'skew. Under CP/M the sectors may not be used
> in numerical order, maybe it uses every third one until all are used
> then goes on to the next track. This is something that is very hard to
> determine by lookng at the disk but is obviously essential to know to
> make use of the diak image.
>
> -tony
>

[cctalk] I need some RSX11M+ TKB help

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

I have RSX11M+ 4.6 BL87 installed and running on my real PDP 11/23+ and
have gotten DECnet to work as well. But recently a need to access a TU58
tape has come up, and turns out the DD driver on disk isn't built against
the correct RSX11M.STB file. So I need to, I guess, recreate the DDDRV.TSK
file. I have tried some very simplistic TKB commands but keep getting an
error saying a required file is missing.

I don't have the sysgen stuff on this disk... What I have comes from the
pregenned RL02 image.

Does anyone know how the TKB command line should look for this? I know, I
am looking for the easy way out. I have skimmed through some manuals but
nothing has stood out to me (I'm sure I missed it).

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

- Peter

[cctalk] Re: I need some RSX11M+ TKB help

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Hi Mark,

Ooo! Awesome! It turns out my setup is missing a lot of things so
rebuilding drivers doesn't seem to work. I am looking at redoing the
install in a SIMH pdp11 to see if I can get a more complete installation.
But this looks like it should solve the immediate problem. I will
definitely try this later today when I get back home from work.

Thank you!
- Peter

On Tue, Dec 31, 2024 at 10:14 AM Mark Matlock 
wrote:

> Peter,
> I just set up a pregenned RL02 based RSX11M+ and took a look at the DD
> driver. It is a vectored driver and needs to have the /VEC switch to tell
> it not to use the default RSX11M.STB but instead use RSXVEC.STB
>
> I was able to load the DDDRV with:
>
> >LOA DD:/VEC/PAR=GEN/HIGH
>
> The /PAR=GEN overrides trying to put the driver in DRVPAR that won’t have
> room for it unless you reVMR
> The /HIGH puts the driver at highest available memory in GEN to avoid
> fragmenting the memory in GEN
>
> Best,
> Mark
>
> On Dec 30, 2024, at 4:21 PM, Peter Ekstrom  wrote:
>
> Hi Mark,
>
> Thank you so much for this information! Seeing this, I was on the right
> track but was missing a few items.
> I typed this into a file on the PDP and ran it, but now it turns out I
> don't have the RSX11M.OLB file, so I guess I am just going to have to work
> on getting the sysgen stuff onto my disk.
>
> Again, thank you very much for the info!
>
> -Peter
>
>
> On Mon, Dec 30, 2024 at 3:20 PM Mark Matlock 
> wrote:
>
>> Peter,
>>The command file below is from a SYSGEN driver build of DDDRV from my
>> system but I think it should work for yours. Note that OU: is defined by
>> the SYSGEN process and should be set as a logical to your system disk
>> (DL0:) or perhaps more simply just edited to be SY: Also, note that it uses
>> RSXVEC.STB which should work  on the pregenned RL02 RSX11M+.
>>
>> [200,200]DDDRVBLD.CMD
>> ;
>> ; DDDRVBLD.CMD  --  RSX-11M-PLUS loadable DD: driver build command file
>> ;
>> ; Created on 01-NOV-2024 at 14:00:05
>> ;
>> OU:[1,54]DDDRV/-MM/-HD,SY:[1,34]DDDRV/SH/-SP,OU:[1,54]DDDRV=
>> SY:[1,24]RSX11M/LB:DDDRV:DDTAB
>> LB:[3,54]RSXVEC.STB/SS
>> LB:[1,1]EXELIB/LB
>> /
>> STACK=0
>> PAR=DRVPAR:12:2
>> /
>>
>> If for some reason you need to assemble the DDDRV driver below is the
>> SYSGEN produced assembly command files.
>>
>>
>> [200,200]DDDRVASM.CMD
>> ;
>> ; DDDRVASM.CMD  --  RSX-11M-PLUS loadable DD: driver assembly command file
>> ;
>> ; Created on 01-NOV-2024 at 12:56:02
>> ;
>>
>> OU:[11,24]DDDRV,LS:[11,34]DDDRV/-SP=IN:[1,1]EXEMC/ML,[11,10]RSXMC/PA:1,DDDRV
>>
>> OU:[11,24]DDTAB,LS:[11,34]DDTAB/-SP=IN:[1,1]EXEMC/ML,[11,10]RSXMC/PA:1,DDTAB
>>
>> Good Luck,
>> Mark
>>
>>
>>   1. I need some RSX11M+ TKB help (Peter Ekstrom)
>>
>> *From: *Peter Ekstrom 
>> *Subject: **[cctalk] I need some RSX11M+ TKB help*
>> *Date: *December 29, 2024 at 6:21:46 PM CST
>> *To: *"General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <
>> cctalk@classiccmp.org>
>> *Reply-To: *"General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <
>> cctalk@classiccmp.org>
>>
>> I have RSX11M+ 4.6 BL87 installed and running on my real PDP 11/23+ and
>> have gotten DECnet to work as well. But recently a need to access a TU58
>> tape has come up, and turns out the DD driver on disk isn't built against
>> the correct RSX11M.STB file. So I need to, I guess, recreate the DDDRV.TSK
>> file. I have tried some very simplistic TKB commands but keep getting an
>> error saying a required file is missing.
>>
>> I don't have the sysgen stuff on this disk... What I have comes from the
>> pregenned RL02 image.
>>
>> Does anyone know how the TKB command line should look for this? I know, I
>> am looking for the easy way out. I have skimmed through some manuals but
>> nothing has stood out to me (I'm sure I missed it).
>>
>> Any help would be greatly appreciated.
>>
>> - Peter
>>
>>
>

[cctalk] Re: I need some RSX11M+ TKB help

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Hi Mark,

Thank you so much for this information! Seeing this, I was on the right
track but was missing a few items.
I typed this into a file on the PDP and ran it, but now it turns out I
don't have the RSX11M.OLB file, so I guess I am just going to have to work
on getting the sysgen stuff onto my disk.

Again, thank you very much for the info!

-Peter


On Mon, Dec 30, 2024 at 3:20 PM Mark Matlock  wrote:

> Peter,
>The command file below is from a SYSGEN driver build of DDDRV from my
> system but I think it should work for yours. Note that OU: is defined by
> the SYSGEN process and should be set as a logical to your system disk
> (DL0:) or perhaps more simply just edited to be SY: Also, note that it uses
> RSXVEC.STB which should work  on the pregenned RL02 RSX11M+.
>
> [200,200]DDDRVBLD.CMD
> ;
> ; DDDRVBLD.CMD  --  RSX-11M-PLUS loadable DD: driver build command file
> ;
> ; Created on 01-NOV-2024 at 14:00:05
> ;
> OU:[1,54]DDDRV/-MM/-HD,SY:[1,34]DDDRV/SH/-SP,OU:[1,54]DDDRV=
> SY:[1,24]RSX11M/LB:DDDRV:DDTAB
> LB:[3,54]RSXVEC.STB/SS
> LB:[1,1]EXELIB/LB
> /
> STACK=0
> PAR=DRVPAR:12:2
> /
>
> If for some reason you need to assemble the DDDRV driver below is the
> SYSGEN produced assembly command files.
>
>
> [200,200]DDDRVASM.CMD
> ;
> ; DDDRVASM.CMD  --  RSX-11M-PLUS loadable DD: driver assembly command file
> ;
> ; Created on 01-NOV-2024 at 12:56:02
> ;
>
> OU:[11,24]DDDRV,LS:[11,34]DDDRV/-SP=IN:[1,1]EXEMC/ML,[11,10]RSXMC/PA:1,DDDRV
>
> OU:[11,24]DDTAB,LS:[11,34]DDTAB/-SP=IN:[1,1]EXEMC/ML,[11,10]RSXMC/PA:1,DDTAB
>
> Good Luck,
> Mark
>
>
>   1. I need some RSX11M+ TKB help (Peter Ekstrom)
>
> *From: *Peter Ekstrom 
> *Subject: **[cctalk] I need some RSX11M+ TKB help*
> *Date: *December 29, 2024 at 6:21:46 PM CST
> *To: *"General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <
> cctalk@classiccmp.org>
> *Reply-To: *"General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <
> cctalk@classiccmp.org>
>
> I have RSX11M+ 4.6 BL87 installed and running on my real PDP 11/23+ and
> have gotten DECnet to work as well. But recently a need to access a TU58
> tape has come up, and turns out the DD driver on disk isn't built against
> the correct RSX11M.STB file. So I need to, I guess, recreate the DDDRV.TSK
> file. I have tried some very simplistic TKB commands but keep getting an
> error saying a required file is missing.
>
> I don't have the sysgen stuff on this disk... What I have comes from the
> pregenned RL02 image.
>
> Does anyone know how the TKB command line should look for this? I know, I
> am looking for the easy way out. I have skimmed through some manuals but
> nothing has stood out to me (I'm sure I missed it).
>
> Any help would be greatly appreciated.
>
> - Peter
>
>

[cctalk] Trouble with DEQNA adapter

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Hi all,

This may be a dumb question but I am a bit stumped. I can't seem to find
any helpful info in the manuals. I have a DEQNA installed in my 11/23+ and
I have run a NETGEN using the QNA driver. When NETINS runs I start seeing
messages like these on the console:

 Event type 5.14, Send failed
Occurred 19-DEC-24 09:30:11 on node 10.1 (TYCHO)
Line QNA-0
Failure reason = Collision detect check failed

So obviously the link isn't working, but I find nothing helpful about where
to start looking regarding the failed collision detect check. The line is
on:

NCP>show line qna-0 status

Line status as of 19-DEC-24 09:36:31

Line State

QNA-0On

I have an Ethernet transceiver (I have 2 and have tried both, they worked
last time I used them) connected to the DEQNA harness, and a cable
connecting it to an old 10Base-T hub. I know that hub works because I have
a couple of other systems (OS/2 laptop and an AS/400) connected to it.

So does anyone have any ideas of where I can start?

Thanks in advance!
Peter

[cctalk] Re: Trouble with DEQNA adapter

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

I just learned what SQE does. I had to enable it on my AUI and it seems the
collision detection is happy now.

-Peter

On Thu, Dec 19, 2024 at 9:41 AM Peter Ekstrom  wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> This may be a dumb question but I am a bit stumped. I can't seem to find
> any helpful info in the manuals. I have a DEQNA installed in my 11/23+ and
> I have run a NETGEN using the QNA driver. When NETINS runs I start seeing
> messages like these on the console:
>
>  Event type 5.14, Send failed
> Occurred 19-DEC-24 09:30:11 on node 10.1 (TYCHO)
> Line QNA-0
> Failure reason = Collision detect check failed
>
> So obviously the link isn't working, but I find nothing helpful about
> where to start looking regarding the failed collision detect check. The
> line is on:
>
> NCP>show line qna-0 status
>
> Line status as of 19-DEC-24 09:36:31
>
> Line State
>
> QNA-0On
>
> I have an Ethernet transceiver (I have 2 and have tried both, they worked
> last time I used them) connected to the DEQNA harness, and a cable
> connecting it to an old 10Base-T hub. I know that hub works because I have
> a couple of other systems (OS/2 laptop and an AS/400) connected to it.
>
> So does anyone have any ideas of where I can start?
>
> Thanks in advance!
> Peter
>

[cctalk] Re: Trouble with DEQNA adapter

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

I have 3 AUIs: two 10BaseT and one 10Base2 (don't have any 10Base2 stuff
anymore though). I tested with both the 10BaseT units and it so happens
they both had SQE turned off. So after flipping the tiny switch to on, they
both work and no more message.  I used them with some old Sun Sparc IPC
machines in the past and clearly they didn't care. So I must have turned
them both off back then. I'm glad it was that simple.

On Thu, Dec 19, 2024 at 7:49 PM Paul Koning via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:

> Collision check test is, if I remember right, a feature that wasn't in the
> Ethernet spec but got added by IEEE 802.3.  So old transceivers may not
> have it.  In spite of what the event says, it's not a send failure because
> the SQE test signal occurs right after the packet is finished.  If you have
> such a transceiver, you may want to look into disabling the check.  Failing
> that, turn off the event.
>
> If the transceiver does have SQE, then its failure might be due to a cable
> problem.  Check the Ethernet cable.  It needs to be terminated at both ends
> and nowhere else :-) and it needs to be grounded at exactly one point.
>
> paul
>
> > On Dec 19, 2024, at 5:15 PM, Warner Losh via cctalk <
> cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
> >
> > It's always SQE with thicknet. Too much or too little.
> >
> > On Thu, Dec 19, 2024, 3:03 PM Peter Ekstrom via cctalk <
> > cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
> >
> >> I just learned what SQE does. I had to enable it on my AUI and it seems
> the
> >> collision detection is happy now.
> >>
> >> -Peter
> >>
> >> On Thu, Dec 19, 2024 at 9:41 AM Peter Ekstrom 
> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Hi all,
> >>>
> >>> This may be a dumb question but I am a bit stumped. I can't seem to
> find
> >>> any helpful info in the manuals. I have a DEQNA installed in my 11/23+
> >> and
> >>> I have run a NETGEN using the QNA driver. When NETINS runs I start
> seeing
> >>> messages like these on the console:
> >>>
> >>> Event type 5.14, Send failed
> >>> Occurred 19-DEC-24 09:30:11 on node 10.1 (TYCHO)
> >>> Line QNA-0
> >>> Failure reason = Collision detect check failed
> >>>
> >>> So obviously the link isn't working, but I find nothing helpful about
> >>> where to start looking regarding the failed collision detect check. The
> >>> line is on:
> >>>
> >>> NCP>show line qna-0 status
> >>>
> >>> Line status as of 19-DEC-24 09:36:31
> >>>
> >>> Line State
> >>>
> >>> QNA-0On
> >>>
> >>> I have an Ethernet transceiver (I have 2 and have tried both, they
> worked
> >>> last time I used them) connected to the DEQNA harness, and a cable
> >>> connecting it to an old 10Base-T hub. I know that hub works because I
> >> have
> >>> a couple of other systems (OS/2 laptop and an AS/400) connected to it.
> >>>
> >>> So does anyone have any ideas of where I can start?
> >>>
> >>> Thanks in advance!
> >>> Peter
> >>>
> >>
>
>

[cctalk] Re: I need some RSX11M+ TKB help

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Mark,

I just wanted to say Thank you for the help! I have the device loaded up
now on my PDP.

-Peter

On Tue, Dec 31, 2024 at 10:26 AM Peter Ekstrom  wrote:

> Hi Mark,
>
> Ooo! Awesome! It turns out my setup is missing a lot of things so
> rebuilding drivers doesn't seem to work. I am looking at redoing the
> install in a SIMH pdp11 to see if I can get a more complete installation.
> But this looks like it should solve the immediate problem. I will
> definitely try this later today when I get back home from work.
>
> Thank you!
> - Peter
>
> On Tue, Dec 31, 2024 at 10:14 AM Mark Matlock 
> wrote:
>
>> Peter,
>> I just set up a pregenned RL02 based RSX11M+ and took a look at the
>> DD driver. It is a vectored driver and needs to have the /VEC switch to
>> tell it not to use the default RSX11M.STB but instead use RSXVEC.STB
>>
>> I was able to load the DDDRV with:
>>
>> >LOA DD:/VEC/PAR=GEN/HIGH
>>
>> The /PAR=GEN overrides trying to put the driver in DRVPAR that won’t have
>> room for it unless you reVMR
>> The /HIGH puts the driver at highest available memory in GEN to avoid
>> fragmenting the memory in GEN
>>
>> Best,
>> Mark
>>
>> On Dec 30, 2024, at 4:21 PM, Peter Ekstrom  wrote:
>>
>> Hi Mark,
>>
>> Thank you so much for this information! Seeing this, I was on the right
>> track but was missing a few items.
>> I typed this into a file on the PDP and ran it, but now it turns out I
>> don't have the RSX11M.OLB file, so I guess I am just going to have to work
>> on getting the sysgen stuff onto my disk.
>>
>> Again, thank you very much for the info!
>>
>> -Peter
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Dec 30, 2024 at 3:20 PM Mark Matlock 
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Peter,
>>>The command file below is from a SYSGEN driver build of DDDRV from my
>>> system but I think it should work for yours. Note that OU: is defined by
>>> the SYSGEN process and should be set as a logical to your system disk
>>> (DL0:) or perhaps more simply just edited to be SY: Also, note that it uses
>>> RSXVEC.STB which should work  on the pregenned RL02 RSX11M+.
>>>
>>> [200,200]DDDRVBLD.CMD
>>> ;
>>> ; DDDRVBLD.CMD  --  RSX-11M-PLUS loadable DD: driver build command file
>>> ;
>>> ; Created on 01-NOV-2024 at 14:00:05
>>> ;
>>> OU:[1,54]DDDRV/-MM/-HD,SY:[1,34]DDDRV/SH/-SP,OU:[1,54]DDDRV=
>>> SY:[1,24]RSX11M/LB:DDDRV:DDTAB
>>> LB:[3,54]RSXVEC.STB/SS
>>> LB:[1,1]EXELIB/LB
>>> /
>>> STACK=0
>>> PAR=DRVPAR:12:2
>>> /
>>>
>>> If for some reason you need to assemble the DDDRV driver below is the
>>> SYSGEN produced assembly command files.
>>>
>>>
>>> [200,200]DDDRVASM.CMD
>>> ;
>>> ; DDDRVASM.CMD  --  RSX-11M-PLUS loadable DD: driver assembly command
>>> file
>>> ;
>>> ; Created on 01-NOV-2024 at 12:56:02
>>> ;
>>>
>>> OU:[11,24]DDDRV,LS:[11,34]DDDRV/-SP=IN:[1,1]EXEMC/ML,[11,10]RSXMC/PA:1,DDDRV
>>>
>>> OU:[11,24]DDTAB,LS:[11,34]DDTAB/-SP=IN:[1,1]EXEMC/ML,[11,10]RSXMC/PA:1,DDTAB
>>>
>>> Good Luck,
>>> Mark
>>>
>>>
>>>   1. I need some RSX11M+ TKB help (Peter Ekstrom)
>>>
>>> *From: *Peter Ekstrom 
>>> *Subject: **[cctalk] I need some RSX11M+ TKB help*
>>> *Date: *December 29, 2024 at 6:21:46 PM CST
>>> *To: *"General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <
>>> cctalk@classiccmp.org>
>>> *Reply-To: *"General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <
>>> cctalk@classiccmp.org>
>>>
>>> I have RSX11M+ 4.6 BL87 installed and running on my real PDP 11/23+ and
>>> have gotten DECnet to work as well. But recently a need to access a TU58
>>> tape has come up, and turns out the DD driver on disk isn't built against
>>> the correct RSX11M.STB file. So I need to, I guess, recreate the
>>> DDDRV.TSK
>>> file. I have tried some very simplistic TKB commands but keep getting an
>>> error saying a required file is missing.
>>>
>>> I don't have the sysgen stuff on this disk... What I have comes from the
>>> pregenned RL02 image.
>>>
>>> Does anyone know how the TKB command line should look for this? I know, I
>>> am looking for the easy way out. I have skimmed through some manuals but
>>> nothing has stood out to me (I'm sure I missed it).
>>>
>>> Any help would be greatly appreciated.
>>>
>>> - Peter
>>>
>>>
>>

[cctalk] Re: Selling Off My Q-Bus Collection (revision based on suggestions)

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Hi Joe,

I have an 11/23-PLUS without a chassis so would that BA-chassis happen to
be for a 23-PLUS? A BA-11S I believe it should be.

-Peter

On Wed, Mar 19, 2025 at 2:09 PM Alex King via cctalk 
wrote:

>
> Hey Joe, can you tell me more about the VT103?
>
> Alex
>
>
> > On Mar 19, 2025, at 10:44 AM, Joe via cctalk 
> wrote:
> >
> > Hi, located in Eastern MA,   I already have a couple of interests, but
> I'll see what comes in.  Multiple q-bus boards that can easily  ship, a
> VT103, a BA chassis 9x4 I think and two RX02 units.
>
>

[cctalk] Re: RSX11M tape copy

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Hi Jon,

I have downloaded your zip-file and will take a look at it.

I have managed to create tape images using RSX11M+ running in simh and
using VCP to create a TS11 image.
The TS11 device was able to read the tape images I have for simh. So that
way I was able to look at the contents
of the tape, and then use BRU to restore everything. After that I wrote a
very basic CMD-file that put everything I
had restored onto a tape image connected via VCP in the same order as the
original.

After that, I NFTed the images I had created to my PDP-11/23+ in blocked
image mode. Once that was done, I
used VCP to connect the images and I could restore the auto-installer and
run @autoin to install both PDP-11 C
and Fortran 77. So now I have C and F77 on my PDP-11/23+!

I don't know if those VCP images are like actual raw images that could have
come off of a physical tape, but at
least I can access them using VCP on my hardware so I'm happy.

Next I am going to attempt to compile your tapedup utility and see how that
goes. I have never written or compiled
anything in Fortran77 before so it will be interesting.

-Peter

On Wed, Apr 16, 2025 at 4:56 PM Jon Elson via cctalk 
wrote:

> On 4/16/25 12:40, Peter Ekstrom via cctalk wrote:
> > On Wed, Apr 16, 2025 at 1:21 PM Jon Elson via cctalk <
> cctalk@classiccmp.org>
> > wrote:
> >
> >> On 4/16/25 11:53, Peter Ekstrom via cctalk wrote:
> >>> Hello all,
> >>>
> >>> I have transferred some simh .tap files to my PDP-11/23+ running
> RSX11M+.
> >>> There I have tried to use VCP to attach them to a virtual device but I
> >> keep
> >>> getting an invalid record format error. I then realized the simh .tap
> >> files
> >>> most likely aren't organized correctly. If I attach them to TS0 in
> simh I
> >>> can work with them. So now I am trying duplicate a tape into a new .tap
> >>> file created using VCP. I can't for the life of me get it to work
> though.
> >>> BRU doesn't support tape-to-tape and FLX doesn't complain but also
> never
> >>> completes. Is there a process for tape duplication under RSX?
> >> I wrote some stand-alone programs that did mag tape copies,
> >> and directory listings in Fortran on RSX-11M and VMS.
> >>
> >> I could send you these if you have Fortran on your system.
> >>
> >> Jon
> >>
> >> Hi Jon,
> > That is part of my dilemma, I am trying to install Fortran among others.
> > But being a physical machine, the SIMH images aren't working.
> > I'd still be interested in the programs though if you don't mind sharing.
> >
> Well, actually, I have an RSX-11M executable of the
> program.  I don't know if that would run on an RSX-11M+ OS,
> but it seems like maybe it would.  It might require
> byte-hacking the tape drive unit addresses.
>
> Let me know if you want to try this.  I have placed a zip
> file named magtape.zip on my server at:
>
> http://pico-systems.com/codes/magtape.zip
>
> Let me know if you have any problems with this.
>
> Jon
>
>
> Jon
>
>

[cctalk] RSX11M tape copy

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Hello all,

I have transferred some simh .tap files to my PDP-11/23+ running RSX11M+.
There I have tried to use VCP to attach them to a virtual device but I keep
getting an invalid record format error. I then realized the simh .tap files
most likely aren't organized correctly. If I attach them to TS0 in simh I
can work with them. So now I am trying duplicate a tape into a new .tap
file created using VCP. I can't for the life of me get it to work though.
BRU doesn't support tape-to-tape and FLX doesn't complain but also never
completes. Is there a process for tape duplication under RSX?

The images were first transferred to my PiDP-11 using ftp in binary mode
over TCP/IP. From there I used NFT in image mode and I tried both record
and block modes.

I have also seen the simh tape tools but there doesn't seem to be a tool to
convert a simh file back to what would be on a real tape.

Anyone have any information or pointers to get this to work?

Thanks!
-Peter

[cctalk] Re: RSX11M tape copy

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

On Wed, Apr 16, 2025 at 1:21 PM Jon Elson via cctalk 
wrote:

> On 4/16/25 11:53, Peter Ekstrom via cctalk wrote:
> > Hello all,
> >
> > I have transferred some simh .tap files to my PDP-11/23+ running RSX11M+.
> > There I have tried to use VCP to attach them to a virtual device but I
> keep
> > getting an invalid record format error. I then realized the simh .tap
> files
> > most likely aren't organized correctly. If I attach them to TS0 in simh I
> > can work with them. So now I am trying duplicate a tape into a new .tap
> > file created using VCP. I can't for the life of me get it to work though.
> > BRU doesn't support tape-to-tape and FLX doesn't complain but also never
> > completes. Is there a process for tape duplication under RSX?
>
> I wrote some stand-alone programs that did mag tape copies,
> and directory listings in Fortran on RSX-11M and VMS.
>
> I could send you these if you have Fortran on your system.
>
> Jon
>
> Hi Jon,

That is part of my dilemma, I am trying to install Fortran among others.
But being a physical machine, the SIMH images aren't working.
I'd still be interested in the programs though if you don't mind sharing.

-Peter

[cctalk] Re: PDP-11 hardware clock

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Oh! Thank you for that! I didn't know about that one.

-Peter

On Sun, May 4, 2025 at 1:18 PM Glen Slick via cctalk 
wrote:

> One option for a QBus time of day clock calendar card is the DIGITAL
> PATHWAYS INC TCU-50, for example:
>
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/177058714800
>
> https://bitsavers.org/pdf/digitalPathways/tcu-50.pdf
>

[cctalk] Re: PDP-11 hardware clock

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

It is still a 'good to have' for those running real PDP-11 machines without
I/D support, like the 11/23 and 11.23+.
The TCP/IP stack Johnny has written works great on the machines (emulated
or real) that do support I/D space.
I would really like to have Johnny's TCP/IP stack on my 11/23+ but I
understand it is a big undertaking to modify
the stack to work on non-I/D space systems. DECnet works though but lacks
NTP-like utilities.

-Peter

On Sun, May 4, 2025 at 10:23 AM Christopher Zach via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:

> Neat! Is the rsx code or source code for the rtc anywhere? It's less
> necessary now that we have ntp from the tcp stack (thank you bqt) but it
> would still be cool
>
> On May 4, 2025 2:08:35 AM EDT, Jerry Weiss via cctalk <
> cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
> >My note in the  DEC VCF forum might give you some more background.
> >
> >
> https://forum.vcfed.org/index.php?threads/real-time-clock-card-gtsc306a-adding-calender.71542/
> >
> https://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/gtsc/979-0021-306_GTSC306_Sep88.pdf
> >
> >The DEC KWV-11 is designed to support analog and digital acquisition
> >boards. See EK-ADV11-OP-002 ADV11-A, KWV11-A, AAV11-A, DRV11 User's
> >Manual.pdf.
> >
> >On Sat, May 3, 2025 at 9:18 PM Ethan Dicks via cctalk <
> cctalk@classiccmp.org>
> >wrote:
> >
> >> On Sat, May 3, 2025 at 12:08 PM Christopher Zach via cctalk
> >>  wrote:
> >> > Interesting. I have one does it emulate a kw11? Can it keep the date
> and
> >> time between reboots?
> >>
> >> I think it's a KWV11 plus an RTC.  That MicroPDP-11/53 came with
> >> MicroRSX-11 and there was a program for reading the RTC. It complains
> >> when I boot it up and the board is missing.
> >>
> >> It shouldn't be impossible to figure out how it all works and write a
> >> program for RT-11 or possibly 2BSD to read the time.
> >>
> >> Oh... there are product variants for how much of the board is
> >> populated.  I think mine is "RTC only".
> >>
> >> -ethan
> >>
> >
> >
> >--
> >j...@ieee.org
>

[cctalk] Re: RSX11M tape copy

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Yes, I have that install-media as well. I didn't look at it and assumed it
would have the same problem.
I may take a look at that instead, then. Until I get a KEF11-A for my CPU.

Thanks!
-Peter

On Thu, Apr 24, 2025 at 5:06 PM Paul Koning via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:

> Does RSX have the equivalent of the FORTRAN-IV compiler on RT11?  That one
> is a more basic implementation, lower performance but I think also smaller
> code.  It doesn't need an FPP.
>
> paul
>
> > On Apr 24, 2025, at 2:01 PM, Peter Ekstrom via cctalk <
> cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
> >
> > Well darn! I forgot I don't have the KEF11-A chip installed so Fortran
> > programs don't run on my 11/23-PLUS.
> > I have seen one for sale but it is rather expensive at almost $400.
> > Guess I'll have to keep an eye out.
> >
> > I'll give the tapedup code a try on my PiDP-11 instead.
> >
> > -Peter
> >
> > On Tue, Apr 22, 2025 at 6:26 PM Jon Elson via cctalk <
> cctalk@classiccmp.org>
> > wrote:
> >
> >> On 4/22/25 12:31, Peter Ekstrom via cctalk wrote:
> >>> Hi Jon,
> >>>
> >>> Next I am going to attempt to compile your tapedup utility and see how
> >> that
> >>> goes. I have never written or compiled
> >>> anything in Fortran77 before so it will be interesting.
> >>
> >> Unfortunately, I didn't see a compile and link command file
> >> to link the tapedup program with mtape, and my memories of
> >> RSX-11M have been overwritten with VMS stuff.  Hopefully,
> >> you can find some docs online for running the link step.
> >>
> >> Jon
> >>
> >>
>
>

[cctalk] Re: RSX11M tape copy

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Well darn! I forgot I don't have the KEF11-A chip installed so Fortran
programs don't run on my 11/23-PLUS.
I have seen one for sale but it is rather expensive at almost $400.
Guess I'll have to keep an eye out.

I'll give the tapedup code a try on my PiDP-11 instead.

-Peter

On Tue, Apr 22, 2025 at 6:26 PM Jon Elson via cctalk 
wrote:

> On 4/22/25 12:31, Peter Ekstrom via cctalk wrote:
> > Hi Jon,
> >
> > Next I am going to attempt to compile your tapedup utility and see how
> that
> > goes. I have never written or compiled
> > anything in Fortran77 before so it will be interesting.
>
> Unfortunately, I didn't see a compile and link command file
> to link the tapedup program with mtape, and my memories of
> RSX-11M have been overwritten with VMS stuff.  Hopefully,
> you can find some docs online for running the link step.
>
> Jon
>
>

[cctalk] Re: KEF-11 - WAS: Re: Re: RSX11M tape copy

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Hey John,

Thanks for that tip! I don't know why I didn't think of that! I just bought
that board (I see he has a couple more).
Since I don't need an M8186 board, just the FPU I may be able to sell the
board without the FPU. Or put together an 11/23.

Thanks again!

- Peter

On Fri, Apr 25, 2025 at 2:21 PM John H. Reinhardt via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:

> On 4/25/2025 11:05 AM, John Robertson via cctalk wrote:
> > On 2025-04-25 8:28 a.m., John H. Reinhardt via cctalk wrote:
> >> On 4/24/2025 1:01 PM, Peter Ekstrom via cctalk wrote:
> >>> Well darn! I forgot I don't have the KEF11-A chip installed so Fortran
> >>> programs don't run on my 11/23-PLUS.
> >>> I have seen one for sale but it is rather expensive at almost $400.
> >>> Guess I'll have to keep an eye out.
> >>>
> >>> I'll give the tapedup code a try on my PiDP-11 instead.
> >>>
> >>> -Peter
> >> This feels a little like grave robbing to suggest, but there is a
> seller on Ebay that has KDF11-BB (I assume) M8186 boards with floating
> point chips for $100.  You could get one and transfer the chip to your
> M8189 - I think they are the same FP chip.
> >>
> >> I just bought one, not for the FP chip (my M8189 has the KEF-11 chip),
> but my VT103 needs a nice processor.
> >>
> >> https://www.ebay.com/itm/20534106
> >>
> >> --
> >>
> >> John H. Reinhardt
> >>
> > Why not sell the board you bought to Peter? Or sell him the
> chip...you've got what you needed from it...
> >
> > John :-#)#
> >
> Because I want the board with the FP chip also.  I want my VT103 to be
> able to do Fortran on RSX-11 as well.  I suppose I should have said it
> needs a nice CPU board.  My original wording sounds like I just wanted the
> CPU chip which is not the case.
>
> --
> John H. Reinhardt
>
>
>

[cctalk] PDP-11 hardware clock

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Hello PDP-11 Gurus,

I am looking for a better time-keeping alternative than the LTC in my
PDP-11/23-PLUS.
Is the KWV11-C card the best option for that or are there other options? I
have looked
around a bit and have seen some other RTC boards but don't know if they
would work.

-Peter

[cctalk] Re: PDP-11 hardware clock

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Thanks for the info! I'm going to have to widen my search for sure. One of
those 306A or 307 cards sounds like they should work.

- Peter

On Sat, May 3, 2025 at 12:08 PM Christopher Zach via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:

> Interesting. I have one does it emulate a kw11? Can it keep the date and
> time between reboots?
>
> On May 2, 2025 3:44:14 PM EDT, Ethan Dicks via cctalk <
> cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
> >On Fri, May 2, 2025 at 11:53 AM Jonathan Chapman via cctalk
> > wrote:
> >> > Is the KWV11-C card the best option for that or are there other
> options? I
> >> > have looked around a bit and have seen some other RTC boards but
> don't know if they
> >> > would work.
> >>
> >> There are third-party options that are KW11 compatible and generally
> have more features. They're also usually nearly free when you find them!
> Beware of battery damage, many had a NiCd cell or pack mounted on the PCB.
> >
> >I have a Grant Technologies 306A/307 I found in a MicroPDP-11/53 I
> >bought a few years back.  Yes... NiCd damage under the battery,
> >fortunately very minor.
> >
> >-ethan
>

[cctalk] QRAM-2 SAB-1 manual?

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

So I have one of these boards, but I haven't been able to locate a manual
for this specific one.
Does anyone have the manual for this specific board?

- Peter

[cctalk] VMR question for RSX11M and DECnet CEX

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

I am putting together a PDP-11/23 and have a working RSX-11M 4.4 OS running
in simh while I wait for a few parts. I want DECnet as well. I have the 4.7
kit and have done a netgen, but I can't install it because I don't have the
CEXPAR partition in my system image. I have gone over the VMR command in
the manual a few times and tried various things to try and create the
partition in my image, but have not been successful. I assume (from looking
in the manuals) that I either need to create that partition in my image, or
make room for it?

The netgen process has the defaults of 113500 as the base and 4300 as the
size. VMR complains about 'non-existing memory' for the base and if I try
the wild card I get 'alignment error'.

I have 512KW of memory that I plan to use in the real machine, so simh is
configured with that as well.

Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.

-Peter

[cctalk] Re: VMR question for RSX11M and DECnet CEX

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

I figured it out. Wohoo!

On Thu, May 8, 2025 at 12:42 PM Peter Ekstrom  wrote:

> I am putting together a PDP-11/23 and have a working RSX-11M 4.4 OS
> running in simh while I wait for a few parts. I want DECnet as well. I have
> the 4.7 kit and have done a netgen, but I can't install it because I don't
> have the CEXPAR partition in my system image. I have gone over the VMR
> command in the manual a few times and tried various things to try and
> create the partition in my image, but have not been successful. I assume
> (from looking in the manuals) that I either need to create that partition
> in my image, or make room for it?
>
> The netgen process has the defaults of 113500 as the base and 4300 as the
> size. VMR complains about 'non-existing memory' for the base and if I try
> the wild card I get 'alignment error'.
>
> I have 512KW of memory that I plan to use in the real machine, so simh is
> configured with that as well.
>
> Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.
>
> -Peter
>
>

[cctalk] Board repairs?

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Was there someone on this list who can help repair boards, like the RQDX3s
I broke in my H9278? I don't know if it would be too costly, but if not I'd
like to restore them to working condition.

-Peter

[cctalk] Re: Problems with an RQDX3 in an 11/23.

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Nope, turns out my H9278 backplane is killing the controllers Who'd a
thunk it.
And please don't ask how I know that now.

- Peter

On Sat, May 24, 2025 at 9:27 AM Peter Ekstrom  wrote:

> I had one of the ends of the 50-wire flat cable get damaged and replaced
> it. But it is possible either I did something wrong, or the cable itself
> also got damaged.
> I don't have anymore of those but I have a new one on the way. So I'll see
> when I get it.
>
> Yeah, the CSR is the factory 172150, and both XXDP and RT-11 see a
> controller on that address. It gets a vector of 154 which also seems
> reasonable compared to my 11/23+.
>
> - Peter
>
> On Fri, May 23, 2025 at 10:03 PM Wayne S via cctalk 
> wrote:
>
>> Csr correct?
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> > On May 23, 2025, at 16:58, Bill Degnan via cctalk <
>> cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
>> >
>> > Cable and termination?
>> >
>> >> On Fri, May 23, 2025 at 6:48 PM Peter Ekstrom via cctalk <
>> >> cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> Hello to the group,
>> >>
>> >> I have been banging my head against a PDP-11/23 where I have an RQDX3
>> I'm
>> >> trying to get to work. Actually, I have two RQDX3's but only one at a
>> time.
>> >> It is configured to the factory CSR, 172150, and it has the latest
>> >> microcode on it. When I run the XXDP ZRQCH0 formatter I get the
>> following:
>> >>
>> >> RQDX3 Disk Formatter Utility
>> >> UNIT IS Formattable Winchester (RDnn) or Floppy (RX33) Drives
>> >> RSTRT ADR 145702
>> >> DR>STA
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> CHANGE HW (L)  ? Y
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> # UNITS (D)  ? 1
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> UNIT 0
>> >> Enter controller IP Address (O)  172150 ?
>> >> What unit do you want to format [0-255] (D)  0 ?
>> >> Would you like to revector a single LBN only [Y/N] (L) N ?
>> >> Do you want to use the "AUTOFORMAT" Mode [Y/N] (L) Y ? N
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> ZRQC SYS FTL ERR  6 ON UNIT 00 TST 001 SUB 000 PC: 105742
>> >> Fatal Controller Error During Initialization.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> ZRQC SYS FTL ERR  6 ON UNIT 00 TST 001 SUB 002 PC: 105742
>> >> Fatal Controller Error During Initialization.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> ZRQC EOP1
>> >>2 TOTAL ERRS
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> DR>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> I have been booting XXDP and also RT11 over an emulator TU58. And I
>> have a
>> >> BDV11 so it has an LTC.
>> >>
>> >> I did try downgrading the microcode on the RQDX3 to the previous
>> version,
>> >> 3. It was 4. But no luck.
>> >> Am I missing something? This should work with an M8186 CPU board,
>> right?
>> >>
>> >> Anyone have any ideas? I haven't yet, but I plan to pop one of these
>> RQDX3s
>> >> in my 11/23+ and see if it works there.
>> >>
>> >> -Peter
>> >>
>>
>

[cctalk] Re: Problems with an RQDX3 in an 11/23.

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

I had one of the ends of the 50-wire flat cable get damaged and replaced
it. But it is possible either I did something wrong, or the cable itself
also got damaged.
I don't have anymore of those but I have a new one on the way. So I'll see
when I get it.

Yeah, the CSR is the factory 172150, and both XXDP and RT-11 see a
controller on that address. It gets a vector of 154 which also seems
reasonable compared to my 11/23+.

- Peter

On Fri, May 23, 2025 at 10:03 PM Wayne S via cctalk 
wrote:

> Csr correct?
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On May 23, 2025, at 16:58, Bill Degnan via cctalk 
> wrote:
> >
> > Cable and termination?
> >
> >> On Fri, May 23, 2025 at 6:48 PM Peter Ekstrom via cctalk <
> >> cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
> >>
> >> Hello to the group,
> >>
> >> I have been banging my head against a PDP-11/23 where I have an RQDX3
> I'm
> >> trying to get to work. Actually, I have two RQDX3's but only one at a
> time.
> >> It is configured to the factory CSR, 172150, and it has the latest
> >> microcode on it. When I run the XXDP ZRQCH0 formatter I get the
> following:
> >>
> >> RQDX3 Disk Formatter Utility
> >> UNIT IS Formattable Winchester (RDnn) or Floppy (RX33) Drives
> >> RSTRT ADR 145702
> >> DR>STA
> >>
> >>
> >> CHANGE HW (L)  ? Y
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> # UNITS (D)  ? 1
> >>
> >>
> >> UNIT 0
> >> Enter controller IP Address (O)  172150 ?
> >> What unit do you want to format [0-255] (D)  0 ?
> >> Would you like to revector a single LBN only [Y/N] (L) N ?
> >> Do you want to use the "AUTOFORMAT" Mode [Y/N] (L) Y ? N
> >>
> >>
> >> ZRQC SYS FTL ERR  6 ON UNIT 00 TST 001 SUB 000 PC: 105742
> >> Fatal Controller Error During Initialization.
> >>
> >>
> >> ZRQC SYS FTL ERR  6 ON UNIT 00 TST 001 SUB 002 PC: 105742
> >> Fatal Controller Error During Initialization.
> >>
> >>
> >> ZRQC EOP1
> >>2 TOTAL ERRS
> >>
> >>
> >> DR>
> >>
> >>
> >> I have been booting XXDP and also RT11 over an emulator TU58. And I
> have a
> >> BDV11 so it has an LTC.
> >>
> >> I did try downgrading the microcode on the RQDX3 to the previous
> version,
> >> 3. It was 4. But no luck.
> >> Am I missing something? This should work with an M8186 CPU board, right?
> >>
> >> Anyone have any ideas? I haven't yet, but I plan to pop one of these
> RQDX3s
> >> in my 11/23+ and see if it works there.
> >>
> >> -Peter
> >>
>

[cctalk] Problems with an RQDX3 in an 11/23.

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Hello to the group,

I have been banging my head against a PDP-11/23 where I have an RQDX3 I'm
trying to get to work. Actually, I have two RQDX3's but only one at a time.
It is configured to the factory CSR, 172150, and it has the latest
microcode on it. When I run the XXDP ZRQCH0 formatter I get the following:

RQDX3 Disk Formatter Utility
UNIT IS Formattable Winchester (RDnn) or Floppy (RX33) Drives
RSTRT ADR 145702
DR>STA


CHANGE HW (L)  ? Y




# UNITS (D)  ? 1


UNIT 0
Enter controller IP Address (O)  172150 ?
What unit do you want to format [0-255] (D)  0 ?
Would you like to revector a single LBN only [Y/N] (L) N ?
Do you want to use the "AUTOFORMAT" Mode [Y/N] (L) Y ? N


ZRQC SYS FTL ERR  6 ON UNIT 00 TST 001 SUB 000 PC: 105742
Fatal Controller Error During Initialization.


ZRQC SYS FTL ERR  6 ON UNIT 00 TST 001 SUB 002 PC: 105742
Fatal Controller Error During Initialization.


ZRQC EOP1
2 TOTAL ERRS


DR>


I have been booting XXDP and also RT11 over an emulator TU58. And I have a
BDV11 so it has an LTC.

I did try downgrading the microcode on the RQDX3 to the previous version,
3. It was 4. But no luck.
Am I missing something? This should work with an M8186 CPU board, right?

Anyone have any ideas? I haven't yet, but I plan to pop one of these RQDX3s
in my 11/23+ and see if it works there.

-Peter

[cctalk] Re: 3 VCF's this weekend! Atlanta, Dallas, Australia

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

I'm looking forward to the one here in Atlanta tomorrow. :)
Wonder what kind of PDP-11 stuff I'll find, if any.

- Peter

On Fri, Jun 20, 2025 at 5:59 PM Adrian Godwin via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:

> Do we ever have one in the UK ?
> I think the nearest thing I've seen recently is the retro festival at
> the Cambridge CCH museum.
> TNMoC of course has excellent fixed exhibits but I don't think it's
> had guests for a long while.
>
> On Fri, Jun 20, 2025 at 9:54 PM Jeffrey Brace via cctalk
>  wrote:
> >
> > Wow! There are 3 VCFs this weekend!
> >
> > VCF SE (Atlanta, GA) :
> >
> https://vcfed.org/events/otherevents/vintage-computer-festival-southeast/
> > VCF SW (Dallas, TX): https://www.vcfsw.org/
> > VCF Down Under (Australia) :
> >
> https://www.facebook.com/events/s/cvce-vcf-downunder-2025-planni/590408286989203/?mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=CtMETYu9lX4cw71O#
> >
> > Jeff Brace
>

[cctalk] Re: Q-bus, PDP8, VAX items

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Where are you located? I wouldn't mind a BA11-M box for my 11/23-PLUS.
I have a feeling shipping would be pretty high for one of those.

-Peter

On Thu, Jun 26, 2025 at 3:14 AM Paul Anderson via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:

> As many of you know I have been trying to finish organizing my Unibus parts
> and finish building several systems for years. Other than time and my
> health I don't have enough space. I would like to sell, at reasonable
> prices, all of my q-bus parts which include 400 - 500 boards, about a dozen
> boxes, and a lot of spare parts. I have BA11-M, BA11-N, BA11-S and a few
> BA23 boxes left.
>
> If you have an original 11/03, I have a dozen or so H780 power supplies,
> which are very hard to find. They are also used in the Vax 11/780 front
> end, the
> RKV11-D and possibly a few other items. I can test them if I have time, but
> that might take awhile.
>
> I'm also taking offers on some of my 8-E and all of my 8-A items. I will
> entertain offers on the VT14 and all of the PDP 14 industrial controller
> parts.
>
> I have a few Vax 3000, 5000, and a few others along with parts including
> memory.
>
> Those of you who have been here know I have a ton of DEC and
> DEC-compatible  parts, but no one has seen everything. I have brand new
> disk heads, tape drive heads, alignment packs, and literally tons more. I
> went through over 50 backplanes a few weeks ago looking for a few specific
> ones.
>
> Some Unibus items are also going. Probable some 11/05s, 11/34s, 11/83
> and/or 84s and a lot of options and boards.
>
> So if you need or are thinking about DEC items, feel free to send me a wish
> list off list.
>
> I prefer phone calls and will send my number upon request. I was never
> great at typing and I'm getting worse.
>
> Oh- I also trade for US and foreign coins and currency.
>
> Thank, Paul
>

[cctalk] SyQuest disk anyone?

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

I am looking for a 15MB SQ300 disk cartridge in working condition.
Anyone have one they wouldn't mind parting with?

- Peter

[cctalk] Re: SyQuest disk anyone?

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Wayne,

I have an external SCSI and an internal SCSI ZIP100 for my two Amigas. I
know they made a parallel version but I don't think I've ever seen a serial
version. As in RS232. I used to have a USB version but it gave up.
I guess if there was a serial version it could probably be made to work
over a DLV11 port, like the TU58.

- Peter

On Sun, Jul 20, 2025 at 4:37 PM Wayne S  wrote:

> Easier to get the serial zip drive to work. There’s still carts available
> for those.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On Jul 20, 2025, at 13:15, Peter Ekstrom via cctalk <
> cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
> >
> > I did find that out a little while ago. But the disks do seem as rare as
> > hen's teeth for sure!
> > I came across an SQ319RD drive for cheap a little while back and was
> > thinking of trying to get it to work with one of my PDP-11s, but without
> a
> > disk it is just a paper weight.
> > Figured I'd ask here too but you just confirmed I'm going to have to be
> > very patient. I'd like to have a few disks but right now I just need one
> so
> > I can verify the drive works.
> >
> > -Peter
> >
> >> On Sun, Jul 20, 2025 at 3:59 PM Travis Pierce  >
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >> I've been looking for these removable drive cartridges for years with no
> >> luck.   Sysgen called these DuraPak's and SyQuest called them Q-PAK's.
> I'm
> >> not sure why they had different names.
> >>
> >> On Sun, Jul 20, 2025 at 9:25 AM Peter Ekstrom via cctalk <
> >> cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
> >>
> >>> I am looking for a 15MB SQ300 disk cartridge in working condition.
> >>> Anyone have one they wouldn't mind parting with?
> >>>
> >>> - Peter
> >>>
> >>
>

[cctalk] Re: SyQuest disk anyone?

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Brad,

Well, I guess I have a paper weight for now then and just need to be
patient and keep both eyes open. Congrats on scoring two of each for your
drives!
And yeah, from the pictures I have found of those earlier cartridges, they
really were poorly labeled.

-Peter

On Mon, Jul 21, 2025 at 1:15 AM brad via cctalk 
wrote:

> I can attest these carts are nearly impossible to find.  I hunted for eons
> to find a 5mb for my SQ306rd.  Last month I found a 'QPAK' and was all
> excited but it turned out to be a 10MB SQ200 instead.  Which is fine,
> because right after that I found a 2 unit Tecmar drive that had both a 5mb
> and 10mb Syquest drive in it and both appear to have one cartridge each.
> So now I have two kicks at the can for the 10mb drive and one for the
> 5mb.But yeah.. super hard to find.  I think part of it is the early carts
> are not well labeled and look like random junk to most people.BradSent from
> my Galaxy
>  Original message From: Wayne S via cctalk <
> cctalk@classiccmp.org> Date: 2025-07-20  1:45 p.m.  (GMT-08:00) To:
> "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" 
> Cc: Travis Pierce , Wayne S <
> wayne.su...@hotmail.com> Subject: [cctalk] Re: SyQuest disk anyone?
> Easier to get the serial zip drive to work. There’s still carts available
> for those.Sent from my iPhone> On Jul 20, 2025, at 13:15, Peter Ekstrom via
> cctalk  wrote:> > I did find that out a little
> while ago. But the disks do seem as rare as> hen's teeth for sure!> I came
> across an SQ319RD drive for cheap a little while back and was> thinking of
> trying to get it to work with one of my PDP-11s, but without a> disk it is
> just a paper weight.> Figured I'd ask here too but you just confirmed I'm
> going to have to be> very patient. I'd like to have a few disks but right
> now I just need one so> I can verify the drive works.> > -Peter> >> On Sun,
> Jul 20, 2025 at 3:59 PM Travis Pierce >>
> wrote:>> >> I've been looking for these removable drive cartridges for
> years with no>> luck.   Sysgen called these DuraPak's and SyQuest called
> them Q-PAK's.  I'm>> not sure why they had different names.>> >> On Sun,
> Jul 20, 2025 at 9:25 AM Peter Ekstrom via cctalk <>> cctalk@classiccmp.org>
> wrote:>> >>> I am looking for a 15MB SQ300 disk cartridge in working
> condition.>>> Anyone have one they wouldn't mind parting with?>>> >>> -
> Peter>>> >>

[cctalk] Re: SyQuest disk anyone?

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

I did find that out a little while ago. But the disks do seem as rare as
hen's teeth for sure!
I came across an SQ319RD drive for cheap a little while back and was
thinking of trying to get it to work with one of my PDP-11s, but without a
disk it is just a paper weight.
Figured I'd ask here too but you just confirmed I'm going to have to be
very patient. I'd like to have a few disks but right now I just need one so
I can verify the drive works.

-Peter

On Sun, Jul 20, 2025 at 3:59 PM Travis Pierce 
wrote:

> I've been looking for these removable drive cartridges for years with no
> luck.   Sysgen called these DuraPak's and SyQuest called them Q-PAK's.  I'm
> not sure why they had different names.
>
> On Sun, Jul 20, 2025 at 9:25 AM Peter Ekstrom via cctalk <
> cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
>
>> I am looking for a 15MB SQ300 disk cartridge in working condition.
>> Anyone have one they wouldn't mind parting with?
>>
>> - Peter
>>
>

[cctalk] Re: SyQuest disk anyone?

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Hi Mike,

Honestly, I don't know. How wide is the cartridge? I have an 88MB cartridge
but it is too big.

- Peter

On Mon, Jul 21, 2025 at 12:17 PM Mike Stein  wrote:

> I have a 44MB SQ400, condition unknown; any use to you?
>
> On Sun, Jul 20, 2025 at 11:25 AM Peter Ekstrom via cctalk <
> cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
>
>> I am looking for a 15MB SQ300 disk cartridge in working condition.
>> Anyone have one they wouldn't mind parting with?
>>
>> - Peter
>>
>

[cctalk] RSX11M (not PLUS) v4.8 question

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

So, I may just be spoiled from using RSX11M-PLUS and now expect too much
from the RSX11M OS. But it seems to me the CLS command would be a
nice-to-have, but I am not able to find anything about it. So did that not
exist for RSX11M? How does one clear the screen in that environment?

-Peter

[cctalk] Me again! RSX-11M manual set

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Ok, it's me again with another RSX-11M question.

I have a nearly complete set in PDF form for 4.2. But I am running 4.8.
Is 4.2 close enough or does anyone have a set for 4.8 or maybe even 4.6?
In searching around on the 'net I have found a release notes doc for 4.8
but that's it.

Thanks!
- Peter

[cctalk] Re: RSX11M (not PLUS) v4.8 question

[Peter Ekstrom via cctalk]

Hi Mark,

Wow! Thank you for this info! I built the CLR command and it works
flawlessly. I need to read up on Macro11.
I will definitely check out MCE. I tried something like that a while back
under M+, don't know if it was MCE or another one I had found.

Thanks!
- Peter


On Thu, Jul 31, 2025 at 2:14 PM Mark Matlock  wrote:

> Peter,
>
> I also had the same problem when using RSX11M instead of M+.
> Below is a quick Macro-11 program that sends two VT100 escape sequences.
> The first clears the screen and the second sends the cursor home.
> It can be easily modified for other terminal types if needed.
>
> For command line editing that works with RSX11M, take a look at the
> MCE command line editor.
> It is a great DECUS program  found on RSX SIG Tape Spring 1989 in [265,1]
>
> Best,
> Mark
>
>
> >TYP CLR.MAC
>
> .TITLE Reset VT Terminal
>
> .MCALL QIOW$S,EXIT$S
> .EVEN
> MSG:
> .ASCII   <33>/[2J/<33>/[H/
> LEN = . - MSG
>
> .EVEN
> START:  QIOW$S  #IO.WVB,#5,#1<#MSG,#LEN,>
> EXIT$S
> .ENDSTART
>
> >MAC CLR=CLR
> >TKB
> TKB>CLR=CLR
> TKB>/
> TKB>TASK=…CLR
> TKB>//
> >PIP LB:[1,54]/NV/CO=CLR.TSK
> >INS $CLR
>
>