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IBM pccbbs back on line!

A

Acorn

Experienced Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2007
Messages
68
Location
Atlanta, GA
It looks like Lenovo has got pccbbs back up and running!
...well sort of :rolleyes:

pccbbs was the ftp server that IBM used to keep all of the configuration files for all of their PC's. The reference disks for the PS/2's for example, were kept in /pccbbs/refdisks. All of the Thinkpad files were kept in /pccbbs/mobiles.

The files are all there and can be downloaded. The problem is you can't browse them to see what's there. The files are hidden. You have to know the name and location of the file to download it.

For example

If you go to the following link you will see all of the pccbbs folders:
ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs/

Now, if you click on "refdisks" you get a blank screen instead of a list of files in the refdisks directory. But, the files are really there!

Try this url for "xtdgs225.dsk" which is the PC-XT Diagnostic Disk Ver-2.25
ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs/refdisks/xtdgs225.dsk
In order to actually use xtdgs225.dsk you have to convert it to a bootable 5 1/4" floppy using LOADDSKF.EXE. I have not found that on the server yet but I already have a copy so I don't need it.

Here's one for the Thinkpad 600 setup guide "600setup.pdf"
ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs/mobiles/600setup.pdf
 
I suppose I'll have to create an HTML listing that links to the actual pages... (I was notified of this by someone a few months ago, that the files are actually still there. It's how I got my PC Power Edition files.)
 
I have an archive of the entire FTP site if anybody needs it. It fits on two DVDs, so be prepared to pay for media and postage if you are interested.
 
Would the contents of that archive be a good fit for the retroarchive.org site? The CP/M submissions have tapered off over the last few years and I think it's time to start working on the machine specific stuff and PC & clone data.

If it would be a good fit, I'd be happy to pony up the money for the DVD copies so I can put it online. Is there a description of the contents?

tnx!


g.
 
Last edited:
We can talk about the details offline. I have no problems sharing the data, as it needs to be out there. (Which is why I have a copy in the first place.)

It's about 6 or 8 GB of downloadable files from the original IBM PC company BBS. It includes some ancient shareware and device drivers for very early machines, device drivers for later Windows based machines, BIOS updates, etc.


OT: I looked at your F15 simulator project. Are you a pilot?
 
mbbrutman, email me at deltasoft.com at geneb and we'll go from there.

I'm not a pilot, just a most extreme F-15 fanboy. *laughs*

g.
 
Yes .. the DVDs are a mirror of the collection and that file describes the collection.
 
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