RT-11 / PDP-11 Software Users

From: Jerome H. Fine <jhfinexgs2_at_compsys.to>
Date: Wed Aug 11 19:43:16 2004

>"Zane H. Healy" wrote:

> > having a pdp-11/40 on my desk is pretty cool... and I've gotten rid of
> > most of my pc software, so until I can find a unibus cdrom controller I'm
> > a bit out of luck.
> I've not verified that it will work, but a Viking UDT with new enough ROM's
> should be able to drive a CD-ROM. I've had both an DEC RRD-42, and Plextor
> 6x, and 8x drives attached to my Viking QDT. While my /44 has a Viking UDT
> controller in it, it is currently buried in my folks garage for the
> forseeable future.

Jerome Fine replies:

Prior to the V4.x releases of E11, I was able to use a CD using
a SCSI CDROM via the command:
MOUNT DU0: SCSI0:
Of course, that also required the "Full" version of E11.

Now (as far as I know), even the hobby version of E11 is able to:
MOUNT DU0: CDROMJ: (assumes that the drive letter is "J")
BOOT DU0:
BUT, I am able to do so ONLY when I use a DVD combo
(DVD reader and CD reader/writer). Using the original CDROM
(ONLY) drive, the above command under E11 still does not provide
access to the first 64 blocks (16 CD sectors) of the CD. So while
that lack of access prevents using the first RT-11 partition (PART=0),
all of the other RT-11 partitions are still available along with the
portion of the first RT-11 partition starting with block 64.

This means that E11 can BOOT RT-11 from a correctly
configured CD when run with a hardware compatible drive to
read the CD and an operating system that is also friendly in the
manner that is required. For myself, that means (UGGGH!!!)
Windows 98 SE.

You can download a Zipped CD image with 13 RT-11 distributions
(from V01-15 up to V05.03 of RT-11) from:
http://www.classiccmp.org/PDP-11/RT-11/dists/
and legally run RT-11 under E11 if you have the correct licenses.

Otherwise, use SIMH and the UnZipped image file of the CD
using the commands (rather than burning the CD):
ATTACH RQ0: RT11DV10.ISO
SET RQ0: LOCK
BOOT RQ0:
or under E11, the commands are:
MOUNT DU0: RT11DV10.ISO/RONLY
BOOT DU0:

Or, if you burn the CD, under SIMH just:
ATTACH RL0: J:RTV5RL.03
BOOT RL0:
or under E11, just:
MOUNT DL0: J:RTV5RL.03
BOOT DL0:

As for real DEC Qbus hardware, I have a CQD 220/TM host
adapter. I have not been able to find a compatible CDROM
drive that can read a CD. Does anyone know if an RRD42
and a CQD 220/TM will solve the problem.

Sincerely yours,

Jerome Fine
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Received on Wed Aug 11 2004 - 19:43:16 BST

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