Free NCR tower in Miami FL.

From: Julian Richardson <JRichardson_at_softwright.co.uk>
Date: Wed Dec 8 10:35:04 1999

>> If they're anything like the one I have, a small forklift would be
>> *very* helpful. These suckers weigh a *ton*.

yep, that sounds familiar :)

>> I think I have a
>> Model 1632 (it's been awhile since I've looked). 4mb, 68010
>> _at_ 10MHz, MFM drives. Runs SVR3. Won't even support *BSD. Bummer.

Unisys also made the same machines at one point but with different
badges on the front apparently, plus NCR had 'internal' model numbers (I
guess that's what 1632 is!).
>
>> These use Multibus cards, I think NCR used an Emulex ethernet
>> controller, supporting NCR's own arcane networking protocol. The
>> install tape I have for it implies that this beast supported an MMU,
>> though (although mine is not so equipped). ANyone know how they did
>> this?

I've hooked one of these things up to a 10Mbps LAN before along with a
Linux box and run remote X programs and stuff, so they do talk TCP/IP
quite happily. Not sure about the MMU - I think by the time things had
progressed to the 68030 the MMU was built in?? (I easily could be wrong
there; aside from the Amiga 500 I haven't had much dealing with 68xxx
chips).

The system boards on these things are huge though - something like 1x4
feet if I remember correctly. My system had sat idle for a while and
didn't boot the last time I tried it about a year ago; I'm hoping that's
something simple rather than a crack in one of the boards somewhere.

>> According to my manuals, the TOWER supported SCSI and ESDI drives.
>> I speculate that they used off-the-shelf multibus boards for these;
>> the tape controller is a stock unit made by CIPRICO (IIRC). The
>> MFM disk controller was made by NCR, but it looks like a 'cookbook'
>> design using the WD-100x chipset.

not sure about the SCSI controller - I remember it having a fair amount
of cache memory on it and quite a few processor chips of assorted kinds.
I actually have the MFM controller with me at home (along with a serial
IO board) but the rest of the Tower stuff is back at my folks place.

to the original poster:

        the console connection was a bit strange I seem to remember and needed
a custom cable - I do have pinouts someplace if needed...
        the BNC connector at the base of the machine (I think all Towers had
these?) is for some sort of remote power control (certainly my '700 will
keep memory contents refreshed in a power cut for several hours) - don't
plug an ethernet network in here as you'll likely fry something quite
nicely!!

cheers

Jules
>
Received on Wed Dec 08 1999 - 10:35:04 GMT