>Zane H. Healy wrote:
> >I'e done it with both using the correct backplanes. As I remember the
> >SMS1000 is a bit strange in the boot deperatment.
> You can say that again!!! Though if you get into the right parts of the
> Boot ROMs there is some cool stuff. It is _VERY_ limited on what it will
> work with though, and I suspect there is some wierd stuff about the console
> port also. As a result I've stolen the CPU out of on of my two SMS-1000's
> for the Homebuilt/73.
Jerome Fine replies:
I have one working (or at least it was about 3 years ago when it was last
in active use) SMS-1000 backplane (and power supply) with built in
hard disk drive (I can't remember the size - about 10 to 30 Megs). If
I remember correctly, the backplane is only 5 quad ABAB slots which
is OK for very limited things. But the design was far superior to the
BA23, so I used it for a while.
> IIRC, the SMS-1000 is really wierd in how it works with the 5.25" floppy.
> I want to say that it expects to boot off the floppy thinking it's a RX02,
> but it's been months since I've messed with it, so I might be mistaken.
My box has a single 8" floppy which is DSDD in capacity for a total of
1976 blocks. The drive is also set up the detect SSDD floppy media
as well as DSSD and SSSD media. BUT, the device type is for the
MSCP emulation. AND the DSDD interface switches from side 1 to
side 2 for each cylinder (or track since there is only one double-sided
surface) within the firmware. Since this behaviour is outside the control
of the device driver (MSCP is DU:), the use of DSDD media is quite
a surprise as compared to the RX03 implementation on a DSD
880/30 which uses the same floppy media, but uses the whole first
side of the media followed by the second side of the media as
programmed within the DY(X).SYS software device driver in
RT-11. If someone wants a further explanation because I did not
explain things well enough, please ask. The key point I am making
is that when I wanted to make a bootable media for the SSDD
floppy, I was able to issue the command:
COPY/BOOT:DU DY0:RT11XM.SYS DY0:
when I had set up all the files on the RX02 floppy (DEC or DSD would
not matter) prior to using the floppy to be bootable on the SMS-1000.
I then copied a number of additional files onto a second floppy SSDD
which I wanted to place on ONE DSDD floppy on the SMS-1000.
After I booted the SMS-1000, I set up a VM: (memory disk in about
2 Mbytes of memory with 1976 blocks. I copied the first floppy SSDD
onto the memory disk, did a SQUEEZE and a BOOT. That way,
I could then insert the second SSDD floppy with the additional files
from the RX02. I then copied these into the VM:, inserted a real
DSDD 8" floppy and COPY/DEVICE VM0: DU1:
which gave me an 8" DSDD floppy with 1976 blocks for the
SMS-1000 which was bootable on that hardware and had most
of the files I wanted for development and testing. Eventually,
I backed up the hard drive onto floppy (I think it had RSX-11)
and placed RT-11 on the hard disk.
Eventually, I suspect I will bring the system back to life and
play some more. It is almost identical in size to a BA23, but
a little lighter and much easier access. If I add an ESDI
controller, I can have 600 MBytes and still have 3 quad
slots available with a dual 11/73, a dual 2 MBytes memory.
Since the access is so simple, I can at various time add any
number of boards. And with a 600 Mbyte ESDI hard
drive that I can WRITE PROTECT and backup directly
onto another 600 Mbyte hard drive (both on a PC power
supply), there will be more than enough hard disk storage
for RT-11 (the ESDI Sigma controller allows up to 4 drives).
NOTE that I said play. With the Eratz-11 emulator running
already at about 10 times the speed of a real DEC 11/73
on a high end Pentium III and only a change of the chip
required to run at 20 times the speed (or even more), I
doubt that the real DEC CPUs will be attractive much
longer. Certainly, I will still keep a real DEC 11/73 CPU
available to test things as an additional verification when
I want to be absolutely sure, but I have yet to find ANY
problems with the Eratz-11 emulator.
As soon as I finish my tax returns and clean up a few other
things, I want to make Y2K patches available for hobby
use for V5.3 of RT-11. Is anyone interested? If you read
this far into this e-mail, then you must be a PDP-11 user
(addict like I am). I know a few of you like RT-11 as well,
but I don't know how serious you feel about Y2K patches?
Please respond (either on list or off - V5.3 was released in
1985 and qualifies under the 10 year rule).
Sincerely yours,
Jerome Fine
RT-11/TSX-PLUS User/Addict
Received on Sun Apr 04 1999 - 08:47:18 BST
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