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

[Thomas DeBellis]

Hum...  Intriguing.  Let me grab it and mess around with it.  I actually 
do regular Tops-20 backups and have fixed a number of issues with 
dumper, so maybe I'll crack it.


On 12/24/21 8:09 PM, R. Voorhorst wrote:
> 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
>>
>>