[HECnet] SIMH TOPS-20 question --> combined tapeset

[R. Voorhorst]

Thomas,

No, he isn't doing bare metal restore but you cannot get this boot tape directly in dumper because the initial files are blocking the savesets.
He only wants to retrieve some files in the savesets.

I tried to skip files from the rewind state to the point just beyond dumper as some images of this tape give bad exe errors in 4.1, but I fail to pinpoint the start of the savesets.
At the spot of dumper, the tape gives ?bad .exe file format and skipping files beyond does not work either, the tape looks damaged?
Also restoring to a new initialized disk from mtboot itself does not work either at the moment as dumper cannot be started from the tape.
To be continued.

Reindert

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-hecnet at Update.UU.SE [mailto:owner-hecnet at Update.UU.SE] On Behalf Of Thomas DeBellis
Sent: Saturday, 25 December, 2021 01:22
To: hecnet at Update.UU.SE
Subject: Re: [HECnet] SIMH TOPS-20 question --> combined tapeset

simh format would be known as TPS format to KLH10, internally as "Wilson & Supnik" format.  This is what klh10 claims to use by default.

The below is a standard build tape that you boot from, which we always thought was kind of neat.

I missed that he was building from bare metal.

On 12/24/21 7:03 PM, R. Voorhorst wrote:
> Paul,
>
> The tape is simh format
> Instead of booting the disk you must boot the tape in simh format and 
> the MTBOOT prompt will appear.
>  From there onwards, look at the Tops20 V4.1 installation manual in bitsaver.
>
> Swbx04> att -f tu0 simh
> F:\Shares\Distribution\Pdp_10\Media\Tops-20\BB-D867E-BM.tap
> Swbx04> b tu0
> MTBOOT>
>
> Tape format for V7tape for instance:
> 	; Tape directory for V7.0 TOPS-20 installation tape
> 	; Bytes: 22519060, Records: 8704, Files(EOF marks): 7
> 	TF-Format: raw
> 	0: 2560*597 EOF			; MONITR.EXE
> 	1528320: 2560*125 EOF		; EXEC.EXE
> 	1848320: 2560*8 EOF		; DLUSER.EXE
> 	1868800: 1270 EOF		; DLUSER data
> 	1870070: 2560*36 EOF		; DUMPER.EXE
> 	1962230: 2590*7937 EOF		; DUMPER savesets for <SYSTEM>, etc.
> 	22519060: EOF
> 	EOT:
>
> This tape follows about the same pattern
>
> Reindert
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-hecnet at Update.UU.SE [mailto:owner-hecnet at Update.UU.SE] On 
> Behalf Of Paul Koning
> Sent: Friday, 24 December, 2021 22:46
> To: hecnet at update.uu.se
> Subject: Re: [HECnet] SIMH TOPS-20 question
>
>
>
>> On Dec 24, 2021, at 3:17 PM, Peter Lothberg <roll at stupi.com> wrote:
>>
>> Take MRC's "Panda distribution" if you just want it up and runnning.
>> I'ts somwhere on trailing edge..
>>
>> -P
> What I'm trying to do is fill out the missing bits of the TOPS-20 4.1 
> DECnet Phase II system I have.  I think tape image BB-D867E-BM.tap is 
> the relevant kit.
>
> When I attached it in TPC format I get some messages that look scary 
> but perhaps they are just confusing.  I don't know how to ask TOPS-20 
> what it sees on the tape, though.  "dir mt0:" complains that someone 
> else owns the tape.
>
> 	paul
>
>