Looking for RL02 prints and maint docs

From: David HM Spector <spector_at_zeitgeist.com>
Date: Thu Nov 14 19:43:00 2002

I should explain... in looking back over my posting, I see my spelling
and syntax were atrocious. In my defense, I had just spent 2 hours
uncrating my new toys and was pooped. Of course, they are RL02
DRIVES. I'm a systems programmer and I *DO* recognize the difference!
  :-) :-)

In any case, I found a super-special-added-bonus at the bottom of one
of the large boxes of RSX-11 documentation:
a complete print set for the drives! Originals no less. There's lots
more.. I just haven't had a chance to go through it all.

thanks to everyone who pointed me toward the online sources -- I have
been perusing them as they're a little easier to tote around and read
on the train.

regards,
   David Spector

On Tuesday, Nov 12, 2002, at 04:27 America/New_York, John Lawson wrote:

>
>
> On Mon, 11 Nov 2002, David HM Spector wrote:
>
>> I just took delivery of a PDP-11/23 with (amongst other things) 4
>> RL02
>> drivers on it .
>
> A small point: you will possibly cause confusion, semantically - what
> you have are RL02 *drives*. The "drivers" are software modules
> installed
> in your Operating System to allow it to properly interface with the
> Drives.
>
>
>>
>> I would like to make sure the drivers are cleaned and lubed before I
>> attempt to power them up... does anyone have any points to a print-set
>> and maintenance data for these drives?
>
> If not available on-line or from nearer sources, I have one spare
> printset for the RL02 subsystem - the physical drive and the
> single-card
> Unibus adapter for it, and the cable. They are 11x14 size and hard to
> get
> copied easily. Let me know if you have trouble finding doc closer to
> you.
> These are quite common, BTW, should be fairly easy. (ha!!) ;}
>
> In the case of the /23, the adapter card is different, but the drive
> is
> the same.
>
>
> Any experiences people have had
>> bringing RL02s back to life would be greatly appreciated!
>
> Depending on the operating environment, you will most likely need to
> find clean (or new) HEPA filters and install them. A thorough vacuuming
> with a soft-brushed wand is in order as well.
>
> It is doubtful that the shipping lockscrews have been installed on
> the
> bottom of the drives, but slide them out and check. They are marked as
> to
> which two are the locks. The heads are retracted and locked
> automagically
> - IIRC there is a shipping lock for the head motor, but that is all I
> can
> recall specifically.
>
> Look on the right-hand side of the drive near the middle and close to
> the chassis slide. There should be a small metal cover with a couple of
> screws. take this off, and there is a lever hidden in there, pulling it
> just the right way will release the lid-latch and allow you to remove
> the
> disk pack w/out powering up the drive. If it is the older style with
> no
> access cover, you can remove the screws in the rear top cover and
> finesse
> the lids off - or, you can power up the system with the load switches
> 'OUT' and then remove the packs. Pushing 'IN' the load switches with
> power
> and clock reaching the drives will spin them up - not a good idea at
> this
> point. Then you can clean the drive compartment and most likely swab
> the
> heads with a soft q-tip and a 50/50 mixture of hydroflouric and fuming
> nitric acids.
>
> No, wait, I meant isopropyl alcohol - sorry. 70% or 90% to avoid
> getting
> a lot of residual water left on the heads. Of course the usual
> cautions
> apply when cleaning large, old, delicate disk drive heads - be sure to
> leave no lint, residue, debris, etc.
>
>> Also, any
>> pointers/experiences re: potential cleaning issues of old RL02 packs
>> themselves would be helpful too...
>>
>
> Others may have more experience than I on actually cleaning the
> packs,
> but unless they have been stored in a swamp or out of thier covers for
> long periods of time, and have not been physically abused (if DEC
> packs,
> they'll have 'shock-watch' indicators on them [at least all mine do] to
> tell you if they've been dropped, they are probably OK. IIRC there are
> machines that clean and verify the packs, but I've never seen one
> except
> in pictures.
>
> Hope this helps a bit - I'm quite jealous now as I'm actively looking
> for another two RL02 drives for my 11/44... you lucky dog!
>
>
> Cheers
>
> John
>
Received on Thu Nov 14 2002 - 19:43:00 GMT