Sigh. Bringing up a PDP-8/M

From: Allison J Parent <allisonp_at_world.std.com>
Date: Tue Apr 13 21:49:14 1999

<OK... First thing is to clean out the backplane in the 8/m. Use a vacuum
<cleaner to remove loose dust and then squirt isopropyl alcohol
<(propan-2-ol) into the connectors.

Dry it well before powering it up. Also make sure there are no shorts
under the backplane to the outer case from foreign objest like screws.

<Then, if it still doesn't halt, check the power supply. I can't remember
<what the power good line will make the CPU do if it's in the wrong state,
<but I don't think it forces the CPU to the RUN state (unlike the 11/45...)

It does have power fail and if it's in the "wrong" state the machine it
halted.

Look for obvious stuff, shorted wires or other conductors (even on boards)
and leads floating loose or misconnected. CHECK all three voltages because
if any are missing it will do nothing intelligible.

Allison
Received on Tue Apr 13 1999 - 21:49:14 BST