With all this social distancing and staying home, I've been dusting off
old hardware and fixing it up. I just finished running diagnostics on a
nice little PDP-11 system. It is a -
PDP-11/53+ with 3.5Mb RAM in a BA123
KDA50 and 2xRA73 drives
DELQA NI
CXA16 16 line mux (DHV11 clone, more or less)
TQK70 and TK70 (probably worthless - those things never work)
SQ739 SCSI controller (does both MSCP and TMSCP!)
I figure I'll use the SCSI for a CDROM and a tape drive, maybe an
Exabyte. Don't really need more disk space with two RA73s already, and I'm
sure the SDI is faster than the SCSI.
So, the question is, what OS should I put on it? RSX or RSTS? It has to
be something that can make good use of the hardware.
No Unix, please - I've already got a nice 11/83 with 2.11bsd on it.
Ideas?
Bob
Boot on Vax8600:
HK0: 'F:\Shares\Distribution\VMS\Vms_30\VAXVMSV3.0-26APR1982\vmsv30.rk07' Contains ODS2 File system
HK0: Volume Name: VAXVMSRL3 Format: DECFILE11B Sectors In Volume: 53790
sim> b hk0
Loading boot code from internal vmb.exe
%SYSBOOT-W-ECO or microcode version less than minimum required for VMS.
%SYSBOOT-E-Unable to locate file SYSLOA
SC.EXE
HALT instruction, PC: 0000325A (CLRQ R8)
sim>
So some work to do or not (very well) possible.
So it will run on Vax11/780 the original workhorse from then.
Somewhere a Decnet-3.0 around for Vms to make it complete?
Best regards,
R.V.
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-hecnet at Update.UU.SE [mailto:owner-hecnet at Update.UU.SE] On Behalf Of Paul Birkel
Sent: Saturday, 21 March, 2020 13:56
To: 'Ray Jewhurst' <raywjewhurst at gmail.com>; 'General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts' <cctalk at classiccmp.org>; hecnet at update.uu.se
Cc: 'simh' <simH at trailing-edge.com>; 'John Dundas' <dundas at caltech.edu>
Subject: RE: [HECnet] VAX/VMS 3.0 Distribution Available for Download
According to the Release Notes it works on the 11/750 and 11/730 as well.
See: AA-D015D-TE
https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_decvaxvms3leaseNotesV3.0May82_5458871…
-----Original Message-----
From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Ray Jewhurst via cctalk
Sent: Saturday, March 21, 2020 8:34 AM
To: hecnet at update.uu.se
Cc: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts; simh; John Dundas
Subject: Re: [HECnet] VAX/VMS 3.0 Distribution Available for Download
>From 1982 I see. I know that this will run on the 780/785 but what about the other VAX-11s or the 8600? I am purely a simulator and have never used the real thing and I am not sure what years the models in question were released. Sorry if my questions seem ignorant.
Ray
On Sat, Mar 21, 2020, 8:08 AM Supratim Sanyal <supratim at riseup.net> wrote:
> John Dundas' distribution of VAX/VMS version 3.0 (April 1982) can now
> be downloaded from my Dropbox.
>
> The SYSTEM password is MANAGER.
>
> Note: Dropbox does not force you to create an account, if you look
> carefully you will see a "Continue to view" link at the bottom of that
> pop-up.
>
> Here's what it boots into:
>
>
> VAX/VMS Version V3.0 26-APR-1982 16:21
>
>
> PLEASE ENTER DATE AND TIME (DD-MMM-YYYY HH:MM) 21-MAR-2020 11:58
> %JBC-I-NEWQUEUE, new queue file created %OPCOM, 21-MAR-2020
> 11:58:34.51, logfile initialized by operator OPA0
> logfile is SYS$MANAGER:OPERATOR.LOG
> Login quotas - Interactive limit=64, Current interactive value=0
> SYSTEM job terminated at 21-MAR-2020 11:58:39.91
>
> Username: SYSTEM
> Password:
> Welcome to VAX/VMS version V3.0 $ $
>
> Grab it from https://bit.ly/vaxvms30
>
> Regards,
> Supratim
>
> --
> Supratim Sanyal, W1XMT
> 39.19151 N, 77.23432 W
> QCOCAL::SANYAL via HECnet
>
>
It looks there is some decnet on the disk.
Exec list gives phase-III router:
$ mc ncp
NCP>show exec char
Node Volatile Characteristics as of 21-MAR-2020 15:16:42
Executor node = 0
Identification = DECnet-VAX V3.0, VMS V3.0
Management version = V3.0.0
Incoming timer = 45
Outgoing timer = 45
NSP version = V3.2.0
Maximum links = 32
Delay factor = 64
Delay weight = 2
Inactivity timer = 60
Retransmit factor = 10
Routing version = V1.3.0
Type = routing
Routing timer = 600
Maximum address = 1
Maximum circuits = 0
Maximum cost = 1023
Maximum hops = 31
Maximum visits = 63
Maximum buffers = 2
Buffer size = 1000
Default access = incoming and outgoing
So ..... playtime ....?
R.V.
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-hecnet at Update.UU.SE [mailto:owner-hecnet at Update.UU.SE] On Behalf Of R. Voorhorst
Sent: Saturday, 21 March, 2020 14:48
To: hecnet at Update.UU.SE; 'Ray Jewhurst' <raywjewhurst at gmail.com>; 'General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts' <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Cc: 'simh' <simH at trailing-edge.com>; 'John Dundas' <dundas at caltech.edu>
Subject: RE: [HECnet] VAX/VMS 3.0 Distribution Available for Download --> boot on Vax8600/50
Boot on Vax8600:
HK0: 'F:\Shares\Distribution\VMS\Vms_30\VAXVMSV3.0-26APR1982\vmsv30.rk07' Contains ODS2 File system
HK0: Volume Name: VAXVMSRL3 Format: DECFILE11B Sectors In Volume: 53790
sim> b hk0
Loading boot code from internal vmb.exe
%SYSBOOT-W-ECO or microcode version less than minimum required for VMS.
%SYSBOOT-E-Unable to locate file SYSLOA
SC.EXE
HALT instruction, PC: 0000325A (CLRQ R8)
sim>
So some work to do or not (very well) possible.
So it will run on Vax11/780 the original workhorse from then.
Somewhere a Decnet-3.0 around for Vms to make it complete?
Best regards,
R.V.
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-hecnet at Update.UU.SE [mailto:owner-hecnet at Update.UU.SE] On Behalf Of Paul Birkel
Sent: Saturday, 21 March, 2020 13:56
To: 'Ray Jewhurst' <raywjewhurst at gmail.com>; 'General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts' <cctalk at classiccmp.org>; hecnet at update.uu.se
Cc: 'simh' <simH at trailing-edge.com>; 'John Dundas' <dundas at caltech.edu>
Subject: RE: [HECnet] VAX/VMS 3.0 Distribution Available for Download
According to the Release Notes it works on the 11/750 and 11/730 as well.
See: AA-D015D-TE
https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_decvaxvms3leaseNotesV3.0May82_5458871…
-----Original Message-----
From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Ray Jewhurst via cctalk
Sent: Saturday, March 21, 2020 8:34 AM
To: hecnet at update.uu.se
Cc: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts; simh; John Dundas
Subject: Re: [HECnet] VAX/VMS 3.0 Distribution Available for Download
>From 1982 I see. I know that this will run on the 780/785 but what about the other VAX-11s or the 8600? I am purely a simulator and have never used the real thing and I am not sure what years the models in question were released. Sorry if my questions seem ignorant.
Ray
On Sat, Mar 21, 2020, 8:08 AM Supratim Sanyal <supratim at riseup.net> wrote:
> John Dundas' distribution of VAX/VMS version 3.0 (April 1982) can now
> be downloaded from my Dropbox.
>
> The SYSTEM password is MANAGER.
>
> Note: Dropbox does not force you to create an account, if you look
> carefully you will see a "Continue to view" link at the bottom of that
> pop-up.
>
> Here's what it boots into:
>
>
> VAX/VMS Version V3.0 26-APR-1982 16:21
>
>
> PLEASE ENTER DATE AND TIME (DD-MMM-YYYY HH:MM) 21-MAR-2020 11:58
> %JBC-I-NEWQUEUE, new queue file created %OPCOM, 21-MAR-2020
> 11:58:34.51, logfile initialized by operator OPA0
> logfile is SYS$MANAGER:OPERATOR.LOG
> Login quotas - Interactive limit=64, Current interactive value=0
> SYSTEM job terminated at 21-MAR-2020 11:58:39.91
>
> Username: SYSTEM
> Password:
> Welcome to VAX/VMS version V3.0 $ $
>
> Grab it from https://bit.ly/vaxvms30
>
> Regards,
> Supratim
>
> --
> Supratim Sanyal, W1XMT
> 39.19151 N, 77.23432 W
> QCOCAL::SANYAL via HECnet
>
>
John Dundas' distribution of VAX/VMS version 3.0 (April 1982) can now be
downloaded from my Dropbox.
The SYSTEM password is MANAGER.
Note: Dropbox does not force you to create an account, if you look
carefully you will see a "Continue to view" link at the bottom of that
pop-up.
Here's what it boots into:
? VAX/VMS Version V3.0 26-APR-1982 16:21
PLEASE ENTER DATE AND TIME (DD-MMM-YYYY? HH:MM) 21-MAR-2020 11:58
%JBC-I-NEWQUEUE, new queue file created
%OPCOM, 21-MAR-2020 11:58:34.51, logfile initialized by operator OPA0
??????? logfile is SYS$MANAGER:OPERATOR.LOG
? Login quotas - Interactive limit=64, Current interactive value=0
? SYSTEM?????? job terminated at 21-MAR-2020 11:58:39.91
Username: SYSTEM
Password:
??????? Welcome to VAX/VMS version V3.0
$
$
Grab it from https://bit.ly/vaxvms30
Regards,
Supratim
--
Supratim Sanyal, W1XMT
39.19151 N, 77.23432 W
QCOCAL::SANYAL via HECnet
Speaking about compilers...
TOPS-10 (and TOPS-20) TSU patches were distributed in encrypted form, the
idea being that only people having keys that were delivered with original
product tapes could decrypt them. In fact TSU tapes contain almost complete
versions of most licensed Digital products.
Unfortunately, the tape image of the Fortran-10 V11 product tape available
on both Trailing Edge and Bitsavers is truncated and lacks the saveset with
the keys. It should be the 7th saveset, but the image ends after the 4th.
Does anyone here have some idea about how to overcome this problem? Or, even
better, does anyone know if there could be another copy of the same tape
available somewhere? I've found that the Computer History Museum has a copy
(https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102773759) and I wonder
if it's the one from which the truncated image was sourced.
The tape identifier is BB-D480G-SB.
Alternatively I think it might be possible to build the TOPS-10 FORTRAN V11
compiler with the patched sources of the TOPS-20 compiler, in fact they
should share almost everything except maybe OS interfaces like SCAN, WILD,
COMND, and so on...
Thoughts? :)
G.
I just received an email from the HPE program. I guess they are going to
have long term PAKs they are selling to hobbyists. So I guess I am out.
There is someone named Jon you can get these from. I believe Jon Feldman.
Bill
I remember using a C compiler under TOPS-10, but that was far away and
very long ago. Can anybody tell me if my memory is bad, or did that really
exist? Was it a DEC product or a DECUS thing?
Thanks
Bob
No, I'm not complaining about intermittent connectivity with PyDECnet; I'm asking if it's possible!
I don't have persistent Internet connectivity or a fixed IP address at my just-barely-rural home. When my home network is connected to the Internet, it's tethered over my cell phone. And even then, my cell service is spotty. I could possibly resume using a separate hotspot at home rather than my regular cell phone, but even when I was doing that, my connectivity wasn't great. Cell service in my neighborhood isn't very good via either AT&T or Verizon, and wired connectivity is not available.
Would any of the DECnet routing mechanisms supported by PyDECnet possibly be suitable for intermittent connection of my home network, with a small number of DECnet nodes, to HECnet? Or am I just going to have to remain a HECnet spectator until I manage to obtain better Internet connectivity?
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X <nf6x at nf6x.net>
http://www.nf6x.net/
I thought that I had sent a message to the list a few months ago showing the procedure to use the software DDCMP driver in RSTS V10.1. That's a standard feature, but undocumented and probably unsupported. It works well and interoperates with PyDECnet and with the DDCMP implementation in SIMH. Presumably it will talk to the software DDCMP in RSX, though I have not tried that.
Attached are the instructions and the program mentioned.
paul