| all working perfectly pdp11 + rd53 + mfm_read then mfm_emu | iain maoileoin | 10/30/15 4:47 PM | OK, everything works well Some notes .... PDP11, RD53. I could not format a "blank" disk file made using the emulator "--initialise" and the dec XXDP .R ZRQCH0 commands Errors about the disk UIT not being valid. So, I did as I was told and used the emu_read to clone a freshly formatted rd53 disk. Now I have an image that does not need the XXDP formatter, and can be read fine by my RQDX3 controllers in various PDP11 busses. When reading
So far so good. However I would like to put an rd54 image up on the emu and I dont have an rd54 disk to read. I am guessing without the UIT in the emulator data file the various dec diags wont format the disk? Does anyone know how to put a UIT on a blank disk? If anyone wants a "blank" rd53 image that is readable by an RQDX3 controller I can put one to a web-site. An impressive wee bit of kit. |
| Re: all working perfectly pdp11 + rd53 + mfm_read then mfm_emu | David Gesswein | 10/30/15 5:39 PM | On Fri, Oct 30, 2015 at 04:47:42PM -0700, iain maoileoin wrote:> - I had to use --drive 3 for a standard first DEC rd53 drive > - ./mfm_read --emulation_file ../rd53 --cylinders 1024 --heads 8 > --format DEC_RQDX3 --drive 3I have fixed the command parser to verify all required options are specified when --format used. You need to specify sectors, data_crc, header_crc also. Or use --analyze > - Further note that I HAD to use --drive 1 on mfm_emu to get to the file > via my RQDX3 controller > I have clarified http://www.pdp8online.com/mfm/code/emu/mfm_emu_doc.htm. You know other spots it is confusing? For emulation the drive is selected with the jumpers so 1 is almost always the right choice. For reading you need to specify which drive select to assert. The changes are only on my staging site so far. They will go out with the next update. > So far so good. > Good to hear. Not sure if most people haven't used the one they bought or its just working. I suspect the former. These seems to imply with the right selections ZRQCH0 it will write it. Does this procedure work? http://home.windstream.net/engdahl/rqdx3.htm http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/archive/index.php/t-42481.html |
| Re: all working perfectly pdp11 + rd53 + mfm_read then mfm_emu | iain maoileoin | 11/2/15 2:13 PM |
not yet, but I will do my best to find them! For emulation the drive is My zrqch0 (xxdp 2.5 and xxdp 2.2) does not appear to have that UIT prompt - but I have seen those messages somewhere on my travels! It might have been for the rx2 formatter. I dont have the time to download the floppy image, nor get a different controller in my system - but I will do so when I get spared. Thinks work as they are - with a cloned image. perhaps this weekend? |
| Re: all working perfectly pdp11 + rd53 + mfm_read then mfm_emu | iain maoileoin | 11/3/15 2:09 AM | Just to clarify what is happening on my kit, here is a run of my attempt to format: Commands are Help, Boot, List, Setup, Map and Test. Type a command then press the RETURN key: B DL0 Trying DL0 Starting system from DL0 BOOTING UP XXDP-XM EXTENDED MONITOR XXDP-XM EXTENDED MONITOR - XXDP V2.5 REVISION: F0 BOOTED FROM DL0 124KW OF MEMORY NON-UNIBUS SYSTEM RESTART ADDRESS: 152000 TYPE "H" FOR HELP ! .DIR ZRQC??.* ENTRY# FILNAM.EXT DATE LENGTH START VERSION 636 ZRQCH0.BIN 1-MAR-89 72 035016 FREE BLOCKS: 2929 **** so I dont have the older ZRQCC formatters on this disk .R ZRQCH0 ZRQCH0.BIN DRSSM-G2 ZRQC-H-0 RQDX3 Disk Formatter Utility UNIT IS Formattable Winchester (RDnn) or Floppy (RX33) Drives RSTRT ADR 145702 DR>START CHANGE HW (L) ? Y # UNITS (D) ? 1 UNIT 0 Enter controller IP Address (O) 172150 ? 172154 What unit do you want to format [0-255] (D) 0 ? 0 Would you like to revector a single LBN only [Y/N] (L) N ? Do you want to use the "AUTOFORMAT" Mode [Y/N] (L) Y ? Enter unit serial number [1-32000] (D) 12345 ? 1 **** WARNING **** ALL DATA ON SELECTED DRIVE WILL BE DESTROYED Write protect all drives not being formatted. Please verify that the selected drive is ON LINE and NOT write protected. If formatting RX33 media, insert media to be formatted in the selected drive. Do you wish to continue [Y/N] (L) Y ? Y Autosizer found: Unit Cylinders Drive Name 0 2048 Unrecognized Drive Type MSCP Controller Model: 19 Microcode Version: 4 ZRQC SYS FTL ERR 00009 ON UNIT 00 TST 001 SUB 000 PC: 105742 Unrecognized drive, No Unit Information Table available. ***** so it just said no UIT - no option to create it/replace it etc ZRQC EOP 1 1 TOTAL ERRS **** try again DR>START CHANGE HW (L) ? Y # UNITS (D) ? 1 UNIT 0 Enter controller IP Address (O) 172150 ? 172154 What unit do you want to format [0-255] (D) 0 ? 0 Would you like to revector a single LBN only [Y/N] (L) N ? N Do you want to use the "AUTOFORMAT" Mode [Y/N] (L) Y ? N ***** no auto format Would you like to use the RCT - Revector known bad blocks [Y/N] (L) N ? Y **** WARNING **** ALL DATA ON SELECTED DRIVE WILL BE DESTROYED Write protect all drives not being formatted. Please verify that the selected drive is ON LINE and NOT write protected. If formatting RX33 media, insert media to be formatted in the selected drive. Do you wish to continue [Y/N] (L) Y ? ZRQC DVC FTL ERR 00001 ON UNIT 00 TST 001 SUB 000 PC: 105742 Bad status returned from the controller. Online Command Failed on Drive 0 Status: Media Format Error, Disk Isn't Formatted Or FCT Corrupted ZRQC EOP 1 1 TOTAL ERRS So It looks like XXDP 2.5 (and I tried XXDP 2.2) does not have the ability to do UIT replacement Ot is there an option I have skipped? I *WILL* download the version in the links above when I get time. |
| Re: all working perfectly pdp11 + rd53 + mfm_read then mfm_emu | David Gesswein | 11/3/15 4:20 AM | > So It looks like XXDP 2.5 (and I tried XXDP 2.2) does not have the abilityLooks like you need to say N to revector known bad blocks. It is trying to read the bad block list from the drive which won't work. This I think is the same version as yours. http://www.avitech.com.au/pdp-11-03/rqdx-wiring.html |