[cctalk] Re: Current SOA scsi disk emulators for DEC

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

I'm currently using a version 5 something (5.4 I think) of the SCSI2SD in my 
11/83 to run 2.11BSD, it has worked well.

[cctalk] Re: Gb Ethernet and 10Mb links

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

> On May 28, 2023, at 14:18, Paul Koning  wrote:
> 
> Dropped support for it on 10 Mb links?  That seems like a crazy change to 
> make.  I know it was defined but basically unused at higher speeds.

No just the half duplex part of the standard. The 10 Mb/s full duplex links are 
still supported. 

[cctalk] Gb Ethernet and 10Mb links

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

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: HP9825A for sale

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

> On Apr 17, 2023, at 11:00, cctalk-requ...@classiccmp.org wrote:
> For the HP, I think it's a fair asking price because of all the cables,
> manuals, and accessories that he's got -- he's got all the SerialIO
> stuff, so it would be a fun project (to me) to try to write a terminal
> program and get that calculator on the internet :) 

The price seems high to me also, but if someone is willing to pay for it. The 
tape drive will almost certainly need work.

That said, I did write a terminal program for a 9825T in college, but it was 
only usable because I had a 9871A printer on which to display the output. It 
was a pain to use, but better than waiting for a terminal in the university's 
computer center.

[cctalk] double cctalk membership

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

I followed the suggestion in a previous message to logon to the new server and 
set my desired list settings. Now I show up with two subscriptions for my email 
address, one as "nonmember" and the new one as "member". It does not appear 
that I am receiving doubles delivery of messages, so I'm not sure if this is an 
issue or not.

Re: Alphastation 200 login (Wayne S)

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

> On May 18, 2022, at 11:00, cctech-requ...@classiccmp.org wrote:
> 
> Got my Alphastation to boot but i can?t logon because i don?t the 
> administrator password? Any ideas on how to get past that?

It depends on the OS installed. For Unix-style OS you need to figure out the 
single user boot mode, which may mean passing "-s" or "single" in the boot 
arguments from the ROM. For VMS, if I recall correctly, you set the boot R5 
register to 1. Then obviously the reset of the administrator user password is 
also OS dependent.

Not just slashed zeroes/ohs

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

Having gone through many mathematics courses it was common to also place a 
slash on the letter Z to distinguish it from the numeral 2. Also for persons 
from Europe where they slashed the numeral 7 to distinguish it from a numeral 1 
that commonly had an initial small upward stroke at the top when hand written.

Re: P112 Floppy Controller

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

The P112's floppy controller is the one in the SMSC FDC37C665IR SuperIO chip. 
The data sheet states it is a 2.88 MB "Licensed CMOS 765B Floppy Disk 
Controller" and claims 100% IBM compatibility (for what that's worth).

Re: Retro networking / WAN communities

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

> I'm running into issues with switches not supporting 10 / 100 Mbps management 
> interfaces for other equipment.

Half duplex was apparently deprecated a few years back, and recent switches 
from Cisco (and probably other vendors) no longer support half duplex. We ran 
into this at work for long lifetime medical devices.

Re: External SCSI Drives on DEC2000 AXP

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

Have you verified that the SCSI bus is terminated properly? A missing or 
improperly configured terminator can sometimes cause those sort of symptoms.

RE: SCSI2SD

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

I've also used a version 5.1 SCSI2SD on a VAXstation 4000/60 without problem.

Microfiche reader spotted in Longmont, CO thrift store

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

If anyone along the northern Colorado Front Range is in need of a microfiche 
reader, it was reported to me that a Micro Design model 4010 is sitting in the 
Longmont Community Thrift store. My source didn't notice a price. The condition 
is unknown, but it appears to be reasonably intact, and a cell phone picture 
from the front is available if you send me a message.

Re: Need HP 9114B PROM 09114-15521 Contents

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

FYI: I've received the PROM image, no need for anyone else to go to the trouble 
to extract it.

Need HP 9114B PROM 09114-15521 Contents

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

The PROM in my 9114B committed suicide this morning, letting the magic smoke 
out. It was marked with part number 09114-15521, does anyone happen to have 
dumped the contents so I can program a new one? Thanks.

Re: Replacing cables sheaths?

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

Thanks for the suggestions. I currently have Rescue Tape brand self adhesive 
silicone tape on the cable, but it looks like it is causing corrosion of the 
spiral-wound metal shield wires. The wrap around heat shrink might cost more 
than just buying a new adapter! It looks like there is an 1/8" split wire loom 
that could work, or perhaps Plasti Dip spray would make a reasonable coating.

Replacing cables sheaths?

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

Does anyone know of an effective technique to replace the sheath of a cable 
without needing to reterminate the ends? On all of the Apple power adapter 
cables I've used the plastic sheath starts to fall apart, but the adapter 
itself and the cable conductors are still useable. Something that results in a 
reasonably flexible coating that doesn't look like a horrible accident happened 
to the cable? :-)

Re: 13W3 to HDMI/DisplayPort

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

Just bought an Extron RGB-HDMI 300 (A) that handles VGA and other RGB type 
signals and has HDMI output. I've connected it to my VAXstation 4000/60 (very 
successfully), and my IIgs (reasonable but this is at the low end of what the 
unit can manage). Output on either my Sony 46" TV or Apple 1600x1050 monitor. 
Found one (pull from service) at surpluscrestron.com for $53 shipped. It didn't 
come with the power supply (12 V @ 1 A) and needed this connector 
(https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/molex/039502/WM7732-ND/1280583) 
to attach the power supply.

Re: P112

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

Just in case someone else hasn't already responded, the P112 does not use DOS 
style fdisk partitioning for a hard disk. It is done in the BIOS image, and 
then the logical disks have to be initialized. This is described in the "P112 
GIDE Construction.pdf" document.

I've only used 3.5" floppies, which work fine. You can also attach a PATA 
CD-ROM drive and access disks with a program that escapes my memory at the 
moment.

Re: looking for a program - last gasp questions (Dr Iain Maoileoin)

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

Perhaps http://www.asciisector.net/  ?

Re: Raised Floors

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

I should have been more clear in my last response.  The 2x2 grid of the floor 
tiles does not extend to the floor, but to an intermediate layer with wider 
spacing of the supports at the floor level.

Re: Raised Floors

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

> On May 22, 2019, at 11:00 AM, cctech-requ...@classiccmp.org wrote:
> From: Grant Taylor 
> 
> On 5/21/19 5:33 PM, Craig Ruff via cctech wrote:
>> The NCAR Wyoming Supercomputer Center has raised floors of about 20 feet.
> 
> Did the support posts go all the way down?  Or was there some sort of 
> grid work that supported the raised floor above an open area that 
> contained the PDUs?

It was moderately open below the floor, there are columns that support the 
grid.  I looked, but I don't have a picture in the under floor area when I was 
up there years ago, and didn't see anything obvious on the NCAR or Wyoming web 
sites.  There is a video at https://www.youtube.com/embed/u4H7U5Weopw 
 that shows some of the support 
equipment briefly, but not the underfloor area.

Re: Raised Floors

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

The NCAR Wyoming Supercomputer Center has raised floors of about 20 feet. The 
auxilary cooling and PDUs are installed down there.  Needless to say, you don't 
pull a floor tile there unless you are on the facility staff!

Q: Plotter bed repair with MonoKote?

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

> On Feb 18, 2019, at 11:00 AM, dwight wrote:
> 
> There were a couple hp XY plotters that had the mylar plate delaminating. 
> I've reworked these with model airplane mono coat.

Are you referring to MonoKote (www.monokote.com )?  
That looks perfect for repairing the gouged bed of one of my 9872C plotters.  
Is a hot air supply suitable for applying the film, or did you use their 
heating iron?  I'm guessing a bit of pressure to adhere the film is necessary?

Re: Teac Mt-2st/20D-12-u

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

I used to have a SCSI interface version of that drive type, I made backups of 
my Mac Plus (I think it was) hard drive.  Since I don't have it currently, I 
believe I gave it to a friend along with the rest of my Mac Plus peripherals.  
I don't recall the capacity of my specific drive, but it used a "data 
cassette", which had a notch in the tape case to prevent use of regular 
cassette tapes.

Re: P112

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

I have a operational P112 with 3.5" floppies, GIDE/CF and CD-ROM.  Do you know 
which ROM you have installed?

Re: DEC 3000 (alpha) faultfinding

[Craig Ruff via cctalk]

On the AXPpci33 board, the SROM is also an 8 bit device. What happens is that 
the CPU reads in a bit stream into cache at power up reset, where the specific 
bit stream is selected by the jumper position on the board. In effect the SROM 
can contain up to 8 bit streams. Some of them will make use of the SROM console 
port.