Acquired a PDP11/44, but missing M7095

From: Glen S <glenslick_at_hotmail.com>
Date: Wed Dec 11 01:59:00 2002

A google search for M7095 turned up www.jtcomputer.com so I already sent an
email earlier tonight inquiring about a M7095. Are they a decent place to
do business with?

I just tried an old barrel key from a Kryptonite lock and it does work (a
little rough to insert & remove) so that takes care of that problem.

I didn't get any disk subsystems. The rules of the surplus department where
I aquired the CPU dictate that disk drives be destroyed before systems are
made available to the public.

The I/O cards that were installed were an M7521 DELUA ethernet, CMD
CDU-720/TM SCSI, M7819 DZ11-A octal serial, Digital Pathways TCU-150 clock
module?, M7258 LP11, Datasystems DLP-11.

The CPU came in a rack that is about three times the height of the the
PDP11/44 and about 1.25x as wide. It's a Digital rack, but I didn't see a
model number on the rack. The rack itself really heavy. They used a
forklift to load it into my van and I was able to get it out of the van
myself with the careful application of gravity, but there was no way I would
have been able to get it into the house. I did download the User's Guide /
System Technical Manuals which came in handy when I got stuck trying to
figure out how to release the rack slide lock mechanism. Now I've got the
CPU out of the rack and in the house were I can work on it.

The rack did have bulkhead connectors and cables for the M7521 DELUA
ethernet (AUI) and the console (DB25). The rack had a couple of other
connectors I didn't recognize, I think they must have been cabled up to the
M7819 DZ11-A and M7258 LP11. There is no breakout pod for the M7819 DZ11-A.
  The DLP-11 had a very long LPT ribbon cable attached. It might have
originally been attached to a huge Genicom? printer that was also available
at the surplus place, but I passed on that at the time.

I inspected the insides before thinking about trying to power up the CPU and
when I realized the M7095 was missing (I wonder why it was removed?) I
didn't go any further. Also, while the power supply is configured for
120VAC it has the high current (20A) plug with one of the lugs rotated 90
degress and I don't think I have any compatible outlets in my house so that
is yet another challege to solve.

If I do get the CPU running, then I'll have to figure out what software I
should try to run on it. I don't really know much about PDP11 software yet.

-Glen


>From: John Lawson <jpl15_at_panix.com>
>Reply-To: cctalk_at_classiccmp.org
>To: cctalk_at_classiccmp.org
>Subject: Re: Acquired a PDP11/44, but missing M7095
>Date: Wed, 11 Dec 2002 01:58:00 -0500 (EST)
>
>
>
>On Tue, 10 Dec 2002, Glen S wrote:
>
> > I recently acquired a surplus PDP11/44 (my first real PDP11) and it
>appears
> > that it is in reasonably good condition, but after opening it up to
>check
> > out what modules were installed I realized that it is missing the M7095
> > control logic module, one of the 5 core modules that make up CPU.
>Anyone
> > know where I can find one of these at a reasonable price, or have a good
> > spare that they care part with?
>
> Congratulations! Join the Club.... ;}
>
> A lot of DEC Stuff is listed here ( they also sell on eBay ).
>
> www.jtcomputer.com shows a M7095 - $25.00
>
>
> >
> > Also, the keyswitch for the front panel is missing. Anyone know where I
>can
> > find one of those, or is there an easy way to bypass the switch?
> >
>
> Any barrel key will work... one of mine has flutes, but the other ( a
>red plastic one marked 'anti static' has no flutes at all.
>
>
> > On the plus side a CMD CDU-720/TM SCSI controller was installed so if I
>get
> > the CPU running I hope it won't be too hard to connect it to a SCSI hard
> > drive and tape drive.
> >
>
> Depends on the OS you use, and how you generate the new system.
>
> Did you get any other peripherals, especially the disk subsystems that
>were once attached? Is the console serial cable present? ( a longish
>cable terminating in a DB25). Any other I/O cards? Have you powered the
>machine on yet? Be careful of the power supply - they're REALLY deadly
>with the covers off. ALso be sure the fan deck is running.
>
> Oh yeah - did you get any Doc with the system... or can you get a copy
>of the PDP-11/44 System Technical Manual and the System User's Guide...
>these will be most helpful getting the beast to wake up.
>
> Keep us informed of your progress... there are several /44s up and
>running among us.
>
> Cheers
>
>John


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Received on Wed Dec 11 2002 - 01:59:00 GMT

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