--- Chad Fernandez <fernande_at_internet1.net> wrote:
> Unfortunately, I know absolutely zero on core. Never even seen the
> stuff in real life :-(
>
> My computer experiences have all ben with 80's and 90's hardware. All
> microcomputers up until recently. Even then I'm only working with a
> MicroPDP11 and a MicroVax. You guys with PDP8's, old 11's, and other
> minis I'm sure will have cleaning issues I haven't dealt with yet...
> such as core.
My opinion is don't clean it if you don't have to. My first exposure
to core was when I was in High School on a PDP-8/L I picked up at
Dayton for $35. I cleaned the crud out of the machine and saw lots
of fluff and schmutz at the edges of the core where the interconnect
wires on the stack acted as a 10000 micron filter :-) I tried to
carefully pick the fluff out near the edge as best I could, but I
think either a) it was bad when I got it or b) I broke it during cleaning.
Either way, the machine did not pass a simple memory test, so I opened
it up.
Unfortunately, the PCB holes in the stack are only slightly larger than
the wires used to hold it all together. Desoldering with a Ratshack iron
was not working. All I did was cook the fiberglass. In the end, I
cut the stack apart to see what was inside (mind you, this was 15+ years
ago and I'm still sorry I did it)... here's what it looks like now...
Exterior:
http://www.penguincentral.com/retrocomputing/pdp8/pix/coreassy.jpg
Interior:
http://www.penguincentral.com/retrocomputing/pdp8/pix/coremat1.jpg
http://www.penguincentral.com/retrocomputing/pdp8/pix/coremat2.jpg
Note the missing core - this is what happens when a 16-year-old with
no experience, gains experience the hard way. :-( I wish I'd have
known some of you people then.
-ethan
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Received on Fri Aug 03 2001 - 09:32:16 BST
