Hi,
after carefully examining the power supply and checking the generated
voltages, we were convinced that this wouldn't kill our Multibus boards.
Maybe some of you are interested in our progress, so I though I would
send you an update.
After reconnecting the Multibus backplane, we started the system with
only a CPU board and a memory board. On one of our CPU boards
the smaller (P2) Multibus connector is masked with tape, I'll have to dig
deeper to find out what is deactivated by this…
One of our two CPU boards is currently non functional (the one without
the masking take, this doesn't say a thing on the console UART, will bring
in the scope in Monday to check for details). The other one brings up the
monitor startup message and prompt on a connected serial terminal
(emulator) - however, we are unable to get any characters echoed back.
The serial cable is working, we tried all sorts of handshake configurations.
If we get any characters back (the system is running at 9600 baud, I tried
all combinations of 7/8 bit, none/even/odd/mark/space parity and 1/2 stop
bits), these are garbled and contain mostly "1" bits (0xfc, 0xfe, 0xff or
similar).
The UART itself seems to work (exchanged it with the one from the non
working board - same result), so now I suspect the AM26LS32 RS423
driver to be the culprit.
I uploaded some pictures to
http://s1372.photobucket.com/user/michaelengel/library/Codata?sort=3&page=1
- there you can see that this machine is far from being in any sort of
original condition. Nevertheless, it's great to see it come alive again!
Btw., current versions of MAME/MESS include a rudimentary Codata
simulator. This doesn't do very much so far, but it can successfully run
the firmware ROM code (picture also uploaded to photobucket).
Best wishes,
Michael
On 2014-10-07 03:00, norman(a)oclsc.org (Norman Wilson) wrote:
>
> The 11/70 service manual is all good, but it's definitely not enough.
> Ideally, you should have access to the full drawings, the service manual
> for the CPU, the service manual for the memory subsystem, I seem to
> remember that the FP11 has its own service manual, and I think the
> massbus interface also has its own documentation set.
> Also, the memory system consists of both the Unibus map, the cache and
> memory bus system, and they you have separate documentation for the
> memory boxes (either MJ11 or MK11 box).
>
> It might be worth while to contact the Living Computer Museum.
> I forget whether they have an 11/70 running or just an 11/45,
> but I do know that they collect all the documentation they can
> get for old computers--I saw the room where they store it.
> Whenever they need to use it, or there's some other need to
> access it, they try to make time to scan it, so the precious
> copy can stay in the archive room.
LCM have atleast one 11/70 running. Although they are not really doing
anything fun on it. I hope to maybe help them with that next time I'm
there. I can't remember seeing any 11/45 running, but I'm pretty sure
there are some in their storage if nothing else...
I'm not going to try dragging a lot of documentation from Sweden to
Seattle, though (I'm not even in Sweden myself lots of the time). On the
other hand, I know they have plenty of documentation, so I would hope
they (and/or CHM) already have most of it.
> Since their goal is to have ancient computers actually
> running, they are certainly interested in having all the
> documents (even if you can't get the wood, as Warren might
> remark at this point), including full engineering drawings.
>
> It's also a neat place to visit if you have some free time in
> Seattle. I'm disappointed to have figured out that, although
> I'll be in Seattle for a conference in about a month, I won't
> be able to visit LCM while they're open unless I skip some
> conference sessions ... or unless I can convince them to open
> up specially. Anyone else on this list planning to attend
> LISA and interested in visiting a museum of old running
> computers?
I know of the place, and have known Rich Alderson for a long time.
It is a fun place, and I could see myself working there, if I just had
the right offer. Don't expect that to happen, though...
I'll be there for different reasons in about a month from now. But my
weekends are free... :-)
Johnny
Also, I had this e-mail sent to me from Jacob who is a long-time TUHS
person. Again, he has questions I don't know the answers to. Anybody?
Cheers, Warren
----- Forwarded message from Jacob Ritorto -----
Greetings Warren,
 It's been decades since we last corresponded and I'm delighted to
see that you're still active in the pdp11 unix community! I've found
some free time and have been kicking around the idea of repairing
the11/45 I scored some years ago (11/45 system number 273 from Stanford
University) and installing 2.9bsd on it. You helped me out years ago
when I had an 11/34 and I managed to do it back then, so I have some
hope this time around too, though there are some more serious hurdles
now. Glad to see that a lot of the license trolling finally appears
to be settled and we can have unfettered access to all the good stuff!
Â
 Any pointers to who
has parts and troubleshooting knowledge would be a big help.
 Softwarewise, I was also thinking I'd like to get my Fuji160 disks
working on the machine. Has work like this been done already, or
would you have pointers as to how to go about it?
  Also, has anyone written a miniature httpd for any of the ancient
bsds?
thanks
jake
----- End forwarded message -----
The 11/70 service manual is all good, but it's definitely not enough.
Ideally, you should have access to the full drawings, the service manual
for the CPU, the service manual for the memory subsystem, I seem to
remember that the FP11 has its own service manual, and I think the
massbus interface also has its own documentation set.
Also, the memory system consists of both the Unibus map, the cache and
memory bus system, and they you have separate documentation for the
memory boxes (either MJ11 or MK11 box).
It might be worth while to contact the Living Computer Museum.
I forget whether they have an 11/70 running or just an 11/45,
but I do know that they collect all the documentation they can
get for old computers--I saw the room where they store it.
Whenever they need to use it, or there's some other need to
access it, they try to make time to scan it, so the precious
copy can stay in the archive room.
Since their goal is to have ancient computers actually
running, they are certainly interested in having all the
documents (even if you can't get the wood, as Warren might
remark at this point), including full engineering drawings.
It's also a neat place to visit if you have some free time in
Seattle. I'm disappointed to have figured out that, although
I'll be in Seattle for a conference in about a month, I won't
be able to visit LCM while they're open unless I skip some
conference sessions ... or unless I can convince them to open
up specially. Anyone else on this list planning to attend
LISA and interested in visiting a museum of old running
computers?
Norman Wilson
Toronto ON
On 2014-10-05 03:00, Dave Horsfall<dave(a)horsfall.org> wrote:
>
> On Sat, 4 Oct 2014, Noel Chiappa wrote:
>
>> >Anyone seriously working on bringing old hardware back to life needs to
>> >get in touch with the Classic Computer Talk list:
> Is John Dodson on this list? He has an 11/70 in his house.
No idea. I occasionally scan cctalk, but most of the time don't bother.
Too much noise and irrelevant or ignorant posts. However, unfortunately
I don't have any better suggestions where to go if you are trying to
restore old hardware and don't have enough knowledge.
And yes, I keep lots of different PDP-8, PDP-11 and VAXen running,
including 11/70 systems.
Johnny
--
Johnny Billquist || "I'm on a bus
|| on a psychedelic trip
email: bqt(a)softjar.se || Reading murder books
pdp is alive! || tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol
On Sun, Oct 5, 2014, at 13:47, Jacob Ritorto wrote:
> awesome, man, thanks. If I fork tinyhttpd on github, mind if I use 'em?
> I'll attribute to you of course If ok, any license preference? I
> usually
> use MIT..
tinyhttpd itself is not mine and appears to be under the GPL.
On Sat, Oct 4, 2014, at 12:37, Jacob Ritorto wrote:
> nice. may i see your difffs?
>
> On Sat, Oct 4, 2014 at 4:06 AM, <random832(a)fastmail.us> wrote:
> >
> > Seeing this question, I figured "it can't be that hard", and managed to
> > get tinyhttpd http://tinyhttpd.sourceforge.net/ to compile on 2.11BSD.
> > Mostly just required K&R-ification, though I also had to fix some bugs
> > in the way it uses buffers to get it to work at all. Normal GET requests
> > work; The whole CGI thing I disabled because I couldn't get it to work
> > reliably even on modern linux.
> >
> > Not actually tested, though - I couldn't get simh to emulate a network
> > device.
Sure.
Security note: the httpd itself doesn't appear to do anything about e.g.
".." in pathnames, and I didn't do anything about that.
Some guy on eBay has a flock of RL02 drives available (in New York, USA) for a
pretty reasonable price:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/261288230510
I just bought a flock of them, and they are in very good condition. They were
only recently withdrawn from service (at the FAA, so they were professionally
maintained up until they went), and were properly prepared for moving (heads
immobilized, _and_ the motor was locked down - very rare to see that last
step, as is involves finding the right machine screws - or having saved them).
They are late-production ones, too (looked, but couldn't find a date) - they
have the anti-RFI/EMI 'finger' strips (the kind that make a pressure-loaded
contact with the incoming connector shell), which I personally had never seen
on any RL0x drives.
Alas, they have no packs or terminators available, nor cables or slides (any
more :-). But other than that, recommended.
Noel
> From: Warren Toomey <wkt(a)tuhs.org>
>> have been kicking around the idea of repairing the11/45 I scored some
>> years ago (11/45 system number 273 from Stanford University)
>> ..
>> Any pointers to who has parts and troubleshooting knowledge would be a
>> big help.
Anyone seriously working on bringing old hardware back to life needs to get
in touch with the Classic Computer Talk list:
http://www.classiccmp.org/mailman/listinfo/cctalk
A wealth of experience and knowledge on every conceivable topic involved in
old hardware is available there, and people are very helpful.
Noel
> The machine is a Codata 300
Wow.
I went to Leeds Poly (as it was then) in the mid 1980s.
There where two Codatas in the electronics dept., one in its
original plastic case and one 19inch rackmount - built as a
IEEE 488 controller; I assume what you have is one of those.
The former machine was loaded with Whitesmiths cross compilers
and I learnt z80 assembly language on it ☺
It ran V7 indeed, and was a friend of the Interdata/Perkin Elmer
3210, the main electronics teaching machine. If it is this
machine then it should have the V7 source from the 3210 (Xelos
as it was called) and the source for the drivers for the
codata (which we gained by "accident").
I may be able to remember some other snippets - contat me
off-list with specific questions. I can give you the names
of the lecturers who would know most about it but I guess they
are now retired (though they may still be Headingly somwhere).
(fondly remembers Leeds).
-Steve
