[HECnet] Reading RT11 files under Windows or Linux

[Johnny Billquist]

On 2021-04-22 04:19, Robert Armstrong wrote:
>> Johnny Billquist <bqt at softjar.se> wrote:
>> ...
>> By the way, the 86x0 use an F11 (if I remember right, might be a T11)
> 
>    According to the VAX handbook it was a T11...
> 
> http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/dec/vax/handbook/VAX_Hardware_Handbook_Volume_1_1986.pdf

Ah. Thanks. I probably should have looked it up before writing. First I 
wrote T11, then I doubted myself, and changed it to F11. But I knew I 
was trying to recollect something that I shouldn't trust my brain about.

>> I even have the FE disk image available on MIM.
> 
>    Do you have sources for the FE software?  I'd be interested in looking at those...

Sadly no. Just binaries. The 86x0 is interesting in that the FE contains 
all the microcode for the machine, along with diagnostics, boot files, 
VMB and so on. In addition to the RT-11 system itself.

The 86x0 do load all microcode from the FE at startup time. It takes a 
little while to boot an 86x0 because of this. The power system is also 
software controlled, and at power up, only a single power supply is on. 
Everything else is turned on by the FE at a later stage. Fun to watch 
the system start up. Slowly, LED after LED lights up, as different parts 
gets initialized.

I just love that machine. :-)

   Johnny

-- 
Johnny Billquist                  || "I'm on a bus
                                   ||  on a psychedelic trip
email: bqt at softjar.se             ||  Reading murder books
pdp is alive!                     ||  tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol