Notes

I'm not dumb, but I tend to forget things. Like, when I haven't used RSX-11 for a while, I sometimes have to get back to the manual to check "what was the exact command again?", "which file was it I need to edit?", "how did I do the upgrade last time?", and so on. And it's not even RSX-11 only, it happens with a lot of stuff. "Oh man, how did I do that the last time around, it can't have been more than a couple of months ago?!?". Only the totally useless trivia I seem to remember forever, the stuff I actually need...somewhat less. But at least I do remember that at one time I did know, and am able to rediscover it over and over again.

Of course it helps to write things down, and that is basically what this page is for, at least PDP-11 related. Or maybe I should broaden it a bit and make it "Retro computing" related, I don't know yet. So, in other words, here are some ramblings and notes to myself. Retro-hosted on the PiDP-11, of course!

Uploading web content to RSX-11

Let's start with the chicken and the egg. I need to upload this page, but how do I do that? I could read my notes on my PDP-11 web site, but that page hasn't been uploaded yet because I forgot how to. Yeah... Well no, just kidding, I do know, and here's how:

• To make life easier for myself I have a dedicated web server user on my RSX-11 whose UID is pointed to by the HTTPD$ROOT Logical Name.
• File transfer is done with FTP in passive mode (ftp -p xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx, or the passive command after FTP login).
• FTP login with the dedicated web server user, text file transfers as usual with put and get.
• Image files need to be transfered in binary mode, and with 512 bytes fixed records: set quote block before transfering images.
• Edit PUBLIC.TXT to update the URL to file mappings.
• Similarly update CONTENT.TXT and DEFAULT.TXT if necessary.

Compiling C in RSX-11

RSX-11 is not UNIX, but it can still compile and run C programs (if the C compiler is installed). Assuming the filename is "FILE":

• edt FILE.C (or FTP it)
• cc FILE
• link FILE,LB:[1,1]cfpursx/library
• run FILE

Updating RSX-11 with a new image

Here's a big one. RSX-11M-PLUS may be old, but some people still feel the love for this Operating System and are putting much effort in keeping RSX-11 relevant in the 21^st century. Johnny Billquist in particular is owed much by the community in this regard, two of his achievements which make RSX-11 much more easy to use (everything is relative, of course) are the RPM Package Manager (totally unrelated to RedHat's RPM format) and the fully working TCP suite. Check out his PiDP-11 page and the PiDP-11 Forum.

Anyway, Johnny sometimes releases new RSX-11M-PLUS images which can be used to install it from scratch, or update an existing system with whilst keeping all settings intact. This writeup is merely a copy from his PiDP-11 page, plus some feedback I was able to give. Commands to enter are in bold here:

• Download with FTP (passive) the file pidp.tap.gz from ftp.dfupdate.se/pub/pdp11/rsx/pidp/ and unzip it.
• Attach the file to the tape device in the SIMH boot.ini console (or boot.ini file and reboot): att -f tq0 e11 pidp.tap.
• >mou mu:/for
• >bru /noini/ufd/new/bac:pidp mu: du:

BRU - Starting Tape 1 on MU0:
BRU - End of Tape 1 on MU0:
BRU - Completed

• >set /def=[1,54]
• >pip rsx11m.sys/nv/co/bl:2050.=rsx11m.tsk
• >ins $vmr
• >vmr @sysvmr

Loading Executive data space
Data space loading completed
VMR -- *DIAG*-Installed tasks or commons may no longer fit in partition
SET /TOP=SYSPAR:-*
VMR -- *DIAG*-Loadable driver larger than 4K
LOA TT:
VMR -- *DIAG*-Installed tasks or commons may no longer fit in partition
SET /TOP=DRVPAR:-*
SECPOL 117734 00200400 01000000  SEC POOL
SYSPAR 117670 01200400 00205400  MAIN
       117624 01200400 00115300  RO COM !DIR11M!
       117434 01315700 00005200  TASK   [...LDR]
       117230 01323100 00033300  TASK   [MCR...]
       117024 01356400 00010500  TASK   [TKTN  ]
       116620 01367100 00003200  TASK   [SHF...]
       116414 01372300 00013500  TASK   [RCT...]
DRVPAR 116334 01406000 00147300  MAIN
       116270 01406000 00006700  RO COM !TTEXT !
       116204 01414700 00020700  RO COM !TTCOM !
       116120 01435600 00035000  DRIVER (TT:)
       115320 01472600 00003500  DRIVER (DL:)
       115254 01476300 00005100  RO COM !PUCOM !
       114454 01503400 00014000  DRIVER (DU:)
       114120 01517400 00011500  DRIVER (MU:)
       113730 01531100 00000100  DRIVER (NL:)
       113664 01531200 00017400  DRIVER (VF:)
       113620 01550600 00000300  DRIVER (CO:)
       113554 01551100 00002500  DRIVER (VT:)
       113510 01553600 00001500  DRIVER (RD:)
GEN    113444 01555300 15222500  MAIN
...LDR 12.01  117500  SYSPAR 248. 00005200 LB0:-00522631 FIXED
TKTN   07.01  117070  SYSPAR 248. 00010500 LB0:-00554221 FIXED
F11MSG 15.00  111240  GEN    200. 00006300 LB0:-00542504
MTAACP 17.00  110644  GEN    200. 00016200 LB0:-00547167
SHE... 06.01  110374  GEN    200. 00014500 LB0:-00552637
MCR... 08.00  117274  SYSPAR 160. 00033300 LB0:-00546144 FIXED
F11ACP 07.00D 113230  GEN    149. 00041000 LB0:-00541223
ERRLOG 05.03  112670  GEN    148. 00056300 LB0:-00541070
PMT... 02.02  112230  GEN    148. 00007500 LB0:-00550100
COT... 02.04  111364  GEN    145. 00014300 LB0:-00535324
HRC... 05.00  110770  GEN    140. 00042500 LB0:-00543270
PMD... 07.05  110520  GEN    140. 00017600 LB0:-00550050
SYSLOG 04.04  111760  GEN    130. 00024500 LB0:-00553077
SHF... 07.01  116664  SYSPAR 105. 00003200 LB0:-00552656 FIXED
RCT... 06.02  116460  SYSPAR 100. 00013500 LB0:-00550544 FIXED
UML... 02.01  111634  GEN    100. 00023500 LB0:-00554262
FXR... 03.02  111114  GEN    100. 00003300 LB0:-00542476
BAP0   04.11  113014  GEN     80. 00050300 LB0:-00533001
QMG... 06.04  112104  GEN     75. 00037300 LB0:-00550503
LP0    07.04  112450  GEN     70. 00020300 LB0:-00545462
ACNT   06.10  111510  GEN     50. 00057300 LB0:-00532367
SHUTUP 04.04  110250  GEN     50. 00016500 LB0:-00552663
...RMD 05.00  002042+ GEN    225. 00042000 LB0:-00550566
...DCL 06.01  002016+ GEN    160. 00062500 LB0:-00535631
...DMO 04.02  002020+ GEN    160. 00017400 LB0:-00536605
...MCR 08.36  002034+ GEN    160. 00040300 LB0:-00546201
...MOU 26.06  002036+ GEN    160. 00045600 LB0:-00547076
...CA. 01.00  002072+ GEN    150. 00026200 LB0:-00553126
...INS 17.00  002032+ GEN    100. 00053300 LB0:-00544155
...SAV 11.00  002066+ GEN    100. 00070500 LB0:-00523100
...UFD 07.03  002074+ GEN    100. 00023700 LB0:-00554234
...VCP V04.10 002076+ GEN     90. 00020300 LB0:-00554431
...ACS 04.00  002050+ GEN     70. 00006200 LB0:-00532622
...ACC 05.00  002010+ GEN     65. 00032100 LB0:-00532130
...SHA 06.01  002070+ GEN     65. 00032200 LB0:-00552464
...AT. 10.0   002024+ GEN     64. 00056500 LB0:-00543541
...INI 24.00  002026+ GEN     60. 00037300 LB0:-00544061
...HOM 24.00  002030+ GEN     60. 00037300 LB0:-00544061
...BRO 09.10  002012+ GEN     50. 00041600 LB0:-00533130
...BYE 06.05  002014+ GEN     50. 00022000 LB0:-00533435
...HEL 06.10  002022+ GEN     50. 00031600 LB0:-00542634
...PIP 22.00  002040+ GEN     50. 00027500 LB0:-00547574
...UNL 05.04  002044+ GEN     50. 00021500 LB0:-00554357
...ACD 03.00  002046+ GEN     50. 00042600 LB0:-00532221
...BOO 03.10  002052+ GEN     50. 00047300 LB0:-00532727
...CON 05.00  002054+ GEN     50. 00135600 LB0:-00535122
...ELI 04.04  002056+ GEN     50. 00032600 LB0:-00541033
...LOA 05.03  002060+ GEN     50. 00040100 LB0:-00545265
...MAG 03.00  002062+ GEN     50. 00037300 LB0:-00546102
...PSW 03.03  002064+ GEN     50. 00017600 LB0:-00550166
YLA     OFL     CPA     CSR=177560      VEC=60  PRI=5
YZA     OFL     CPA     CSR=160100      VEC=300 PRI=5
DLA     OFL     CPA     CSR=174400      VEC=160 PRI=5
DUA     OFL     CPA     CSR=172150      VEC=154 PRI=5
MUA     OFL     CPA     CSR=174500      VEC=260 PRI=5
VF0:                    OFL     DRIVER
VF1:                    OFL     DRIVER
CO0:                    OFL     DRIVER
TT0:    YLA0:           OFL     DRIVER
TT1:    YZA0:           OFL     DRIVER
TT2:    YZA1:           OFL     DRIVER
TT3:    YZA2:           OFL     DRIVER
TT4:    YZA3:           OFL     DRIVER
TT5:    YZA4:           OFL     DRIVER
TT6:    YZA5:           OFL     DRIVER
TT7:    YZA6:           OFL     DRIVER
TT10:   YZA7:           OFL     DRIVER
VT0:                    OFL     DRIVER
RD0:                    ONL     DRIVER
DL0:    DLA0:           OFL     DRIVER
DL1:    DLA1:           OFL     DRIVER
DL2:    DLA2:           OFL     DRIVER
DL3:    DLA3:           OFL     DRIVER
DU0:    DUA0:           OFL     DRIVER
DU1:    DUA1:           OFL     DRIVER
DU2:    DUA2:           OFL     DRIVER
DU3:    DUA3:           OFL     DRIVER
MU0:    MUA0:           OFL     DRIVER
NL0:                    OFL     DRIVER
POOL=1200:13280.:13280.:2004

• >boo rsx11m

XDT: 87

• XDT>g

RSX-11M-PLUS V4.6  BL87

• >sav

RSX-11M-PLUS V4.6  BL87   1920.KW  System:"PIDP  "
>RED DU:=SY:
>RED DU:=LB:
>RED DU:=SP:
>MOU DU0:"RSX11MPBL87"
>@DU:[1,2]STARTUP
>* Please enter time and date (HH:MM DD-MMM-YYYY) [S T:1M]:

• ^Z

>@ <EOF>

• >sav /wb

DMO -- System disk being dismounted
DMO -- SYSTEM  dismounted from DU0:    *** Final dismount initiated ***
00:00:12  *** DU0:  -- Dismount complete
>

RSX-11M-PLUS V4.6  BL87   1920.KW  System:"PIDP  "
>RED DU:=SY:
>RED DU:=LB:
>RED DU:=SP:
>MOU DU0:"RSX11MPBL87"
>@DU:[1,2]STARTUP
>* Please enter time and date (HH:MM DD-MMM-YYYY) [S T:1M]:

• After the above steps have completed, I find it the simplest to just ^Z out and reboot RSX-11, then login with user SYSTEM and temporary password SYSTEM.
• Delete all updated versions of the following files:
  • LB:[0,0]RSX11.SYS (this file contains account data)
  • LB:[1,2]IPPARAM.CMD(this file has the IP configuration)
  • LB:[1,2]LOGIN.TXT (if you happen to have a custom login message file)
  • LB:[RPM]INSTALLED.LST (only if it was actually overwritten)
• Run @RPM ALL
• Reboot RSX-11, and login with your own password.

SSH login without a password

Not RSX-11 related, but here's one I keep searching for over and over again, and it's so simple...:

• Generate a key pair on the local machine, if necessary, with ssh-keygen. Default file, no passphrase.
• Copy the public key to the remote machine: ssh-copy-id -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub <username>@<remote>.
• Test the passwordless remote shell.

Upgrade Retro Chip Tester Pro firmware

Upgrading the firmware of the Retro Chip Tester Pro kit is easy (with the right tools) but takes a couple of important steps:

• Remove the DC-DC module, the display and disconnect the SD card reader.
• Close jumpers JP1 to 4 on the board.
• Power up the Retro Chip Tester Pro board with 6 to 12v via the barrel jack.
• Connect the Pololu USB AVR Programmer v2.1 to the PC.
• Open the Pololu AVR Configuration Utility.
• Check the following:
  • Regulator mode: Auto
  • VCC output: Disabled
  • Take note of the Programming port
• Connect the programmer to the board. Make sure the orientation is correct (the red stripe nearest to the three capacitors)!
• Extract the firmware file, only the .hex file is needed.
• Run the command (change options were required):

  avrdude -C /etc/avrdude.conf -v -p atmega2560 -c stk500 -P /dev/ttyACM0 -b 115200 -U flash:w:$HOME/Temp/Chip-TesterPro-FW-v0.27.hex:i

• Disconnect the programmer, power down the board and close the configuration utility.
• Open jumpers JP1 to 4 on the board.
• Re-assemble the Retro Chip Tester Pro with the DC-DC module, the display and connect the SD card reader.
• On power-up of the Retro Chip Tester Pro the new formware version is shown.