Back in 1976/7 there was a PDP 11/45 not being used at the University of Waterloo. We had the idea to put the UNIX system on it and got a license from Bell Labs. It may have been the first ever license and was a single typewritten page. We had a number of problems getting the UNIX code onto the machine because it had non-DEC disk drives. We configured the system on another PDP 11 then copied the system image over a 9600 bps wire we hooked up and a little program we keyed in through the console. I debugged the drivers while talking to Ken Thompson on the phone cradled to my ear while keying in things on the console and reading back data from the lights. Once we got it running I used the system to teach operating systems. It had 128KB of memory and was a nifty little multi-user system. My, how things have changed!
Congrats! Interesting to see that SCSI controller working. I would have expected you needed to add a terminator at the end of the cable. Interesting to see that image of a VAX7550 with 'Intergraph' logo on it. I worked for Intergraph as a repair technician, doing chip-level repair of their graphics workstations.
Hello and excellent work! :) I have same problems on my VAXstation II/GPX that have MAXTOR MFM hard disk broken! And I try to find new replacement using or SCSI-II HD or MFM disk emulator over existing HD controller on the machine. But you use EMULEX SCSI card, what model you use?
I'm pleased to see it finally working and I'm Jealous! Now, I'm sure it's on the cards, but can't wait to see this with a beautiful DEC Amber terminal - Gods own terminal colour!
You are correct! However, the SCSI drive emulator has a termination option on it - it's a DIP switch. I checked that when I set it up. Good call though!
24:57 Woah! C81ODL - that's part of the Cobol compiler we had on our "full size" 11/73 at college... I haven't seen that for nearly 40 years. It's funny, I've got some old printouts on my desk, still after all these years, with "_RUN $SHUTUP" and "C81ODL" on them. I'm a bit shocked to learn the 11/73 has a CPU cache... that sounds so "mainframe" or "21st century" for a humble old PDP. :)
The image created for the SIMH stuff has a lot of cool things on it, including a COBOL and PASCAL compilers. Maybe in a future vid I'll do some programming on it :)
I'm not sure it's really necessary anymore. That's only if you need to keep the original hardware (QBus, etc) running. If you need a PDP11, just run a hardware emulator, which is where most software systems have moved to already.
Back in 1976/7 there was a PDP 11/45 not being used at the University of Waterloo. We had the idea to put the UNIX system on it and got a license from Bell Labs. It may have been the first ever license and was a single typewritten page. We had a number of problems getting the UNIX code onto the machine because it had non-DEC disk drives. We configured the system on another PDP 11 then copied the system image over a 9600 bps wire we hooked up and a little program we keyed in through the console. I debugged the drivers while talking to Ken Thompson on the phone cradled to my ear while keying in things on the console and reading back data from the lights. Once we got it running I used the system to teach operating systems. It had 128KB of memory and was a nifty little multi-user system. My, how things have changed!
Congrats! Interesting to see that SCSI controller working. I would have expected you needed to add a terminator at the end of the cable.
Interesting to see that image of a VAX7550 with 'Intergraph' logo on it. I worked for Intergraph as a repair technician, doing chip-level repair of their graphics workstations.
Yep, it was working perfectly, no terminator needed. Thanks for stopping by!
Congratulations brilliant effort
Thank you! Cheers!
great video, very educational for people who never used these early systems!
Glad you enjoyed it!
funny how a tiny little 0.5 gram sd-card replaces a 70 kg giant platter device, and still has 100x the capacity 😂
It's alive! It's alive!
RUN $SHUTUP - ooh, sweet memories.
Hello and excellent work! :) I have same problems on my VAXstation II/GPX that have MAXTOR MFM hard disk broken! And I try to find new replacement using or SCSI-II HD or MFM disk emulator over existing HD controller on the machine. But you use EMULEX SCSI card, what model you use?
I'm pleased to see it finally working and I'm Jealous! Now, I'm sure it's on the cards, but can't wait to see this with a beautiful DEC Amber terminal - Gods own terminal colour!
Are you to lazy to clean connectors ? Tip a vacuum cleaner helps. Otherwise a great video 👍
That shipping label reveals your address. I'd blur that part of the video, if I were you.
Ah! Thanks, fixed!
Unless I missed something when skipping through the video, you haven’t terminated your SCSI bus. That won’t work optimally.
You are correct! However, the SCSI drive emulator has a termination option on it - it's a DIP switch. I checked that when I set it up. Good call though!
I've met Mitch. He is too cool
I honestly couldnt' have completed this project without his help.
24:57 Woah! C81ODL - that's part of the Cobol compiler we had on our "full size" 11/73 at college... I haven't seen that for nearly 40 years.
It's funny, I've got some old printouts on my desk, still after all these years, with "_RUN $SHUTUP" and "C81ODL" on them.
I'm a bit shocked to learn the 11/73 has a CPU cache... that sounds so "mainframe" or "21st century" for a humble old PDP. :)
The image created for the SIMH stuff has a lot of cool things on it, including a COBOL and PASCAL compilers. Maybe in a future vid I'll do some programming on it :)
@@vintageapparatus NICE!
ShutUp vs ShutDown? Is this a coincidence?
Someone should make an (FPGA) replacement board for those CPU boards...
I'm not sure it's really necessary anymore. That's only if you need to keep the original hardware (QBus, etc) running. If you need a PDP11, just run a hardware emulator, which is where most software systems have moved to already.
You take boards out of static protection bags,
without being earthed with a static strap.....
Progress! :D