PDP 8/E partially restored

From: Lawrence LeMay <lemay_at_cs.umn.edu>
Date: Fri Jul 28 14:47:44 2000

Well, I have my PDP 8/e partially restored. I realized that I had the correct
replacement bulbs for the front panel 'in stock', in that I obtained
a bunch of used ones in some junk DEC peripheral parts earlier this summer.
Is this dumb luck, or just the Computer Gods manipulating Fate again?
Obviously, I'm a man of Science, so I'm leaning towards the Computer
Gods scenario...

All the panel lights are working, except the least significant bit (switch 12)
on the lower display. There is some evidence that someone has replaced
an IC on the front panel display board sometime in the past.

I have 8K of core installed and I'm running the "initial operating
check" from chapter 2 of the maintenance manual. So far so good.
Does anyone have any small test routines that I might toggle in to
futher test the core?

I did switch in a different M8310/M8300 set, and that one panel light is
still dead (and obviously I tried 2 working bulbs before i proceeded
to more complicated stuff).

Stuff I still need: 2-3 yellow switch handles, and possibly one switch to
replace the EXTD ADDR LOAD switch someday. that switch does work, but it
doesnt feel at all right... Also, I need some serial cables, as i dont have
a single one... And I still want to find a supplier to buy some new
front panel lamps from, at a reasonable price...

I think I bought a PDP 8/e,f,m small computer handbook once, so I better
go look that up! Anyone with a good suggestion on how to printout the small
scans of that book thats on Highgate, so that it wills a Letter size
sheet of paper, should contact me ;)

-Lawrence (extraordinarily pleased with himself) LeMay
Received on Fri Jul 28 2000 - 14:47:44 BST