• Please review our updated Terms and Rules here

DEC Pro 350

M

Micom 2000

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2004
Messages
1,284
Location
Manitoba North of 50 degrees Latitude
I have a Pro 350 and need a P/OS boot disk to remove password protection. I've googled regarding this problem and found a lot of info
but don't have the means (brainwise or equipment) to do it.

I would willingly pay postage and/or send something in return for this.
My collection is massively non-DEC.

Lawrence
 
I have the full P/OS installation setup including the manuals, etc.

The problem is, of course (I'm beginning to sound like a broken record) that everything is in storage at the moment.

I'm really hoping to get my stuff back this summer!

One thing I remember about the OS, though, was that there was no obvious provision for copying disks.

I'd have to re-check that to figure out how to make you a set when I get my machine back.

Erik
 
My friend (who I'm over-due a visit to) has what you need, but it's probably in storage too. I'll give him a call and see what he can dig up. The other problem is that, besides not having a disk copying program, there is no provision made for formatting a disk either! DEC expected it's customers to purchase pre-formatted disks from them (RK-50, IIRC). I don't know if they still sell them or not, but if not, then the few disks you may have are probably rather dear, and not to be shared lightly. (IOW, he may want some serious $$$ compensation). I don't remember if the disk format is the same as for the DEC Rainbow, but I do recall a third-party program was available for formatting Rainbow disks. I'll check with Mark and see if he has such a program for the 350. (BTW, it's a very nice machine, I hope you can get it up & running soon).

--T
 
Do the Pro-350 uses the same formatting as the Rainbow? If so, I think I have a few extra disks NOT in storage.

I'll double-check the boxes when I get home to see if they are marked in any way. They came with my Rainbow so they're supposed to work for it and the drives are pysically the same. . .

I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Erik
 
Dec Pro 350

Dec Pro 350

From what I've been able to find R'bow formatted disks are fine. Word is that many 350 user bought "bows just so they could format disks.
I have some DEC branded disks which I could supply if that is a problem.
I also have a Rainbow 100+ and there is info on transferring the system
from the P/OS site but then there is the problem of translating to R'bow
and then copying them for the 350. Once I can remove the password and
have access to the P/OS system on the HD I should have much less difficulties using utilities. What I would like is to install RT-11 on it once I
get the sytem unlocked. There is also a cd of the DECUS library available
from a Classiccmp list poster which has many P/OS apps on it as well as the RT-11 which runs on the 350.

Other than the 'bow I'm a DEC virgin so it should be quite a challenge
learning a new language. I still have problems with CP/M, AmigaDos,and
NextStep. LOL.

Lawrence
 
Ahhh, so ya want to try your hand at some big-iron software, eh? Didn't DEC also make a version without the LSI-whatever PDP-11-on-a-chip thinggy? Was it the Professional 325? (My memory fails me...)
BTW, I called my friend a couple of times this afternoon, but got no answer (and he doesn't have voice-mail). I'll keep trying to reach him.

--T
 
Terry Yager said:
Ahhh, so ya want to try your hand at some big-iron software, eh? Didn't DEC also make a version without the LSI-whatever PDP-11-on-a-chip thinggy? Was it the Professional 325? (My memory fails me...)
BTW, I called my friend a couple of times this afternoon, but got no answer (and he doesn't have voice-mail). I'll keep trying to reach him.

--T
Click to expand...

To my knowledge the Pro 325 was the same processor but without the
hard drive capabilities. When I think of big-iron software I think of IBM
360 or 370. My house is already full of home computers, I dare not even
contemplate a real PDP-11.

Has anyone used Putr to transfer apps from a Win/Dos machine to another media ? I have an emergency disk app which supposedly creates
a DEC boot disk for the 350 but have had no luck creating one. It includes a Putr.ini that has the command line, however it simply makes a bootdisk.dsk in the same directory as the image disk and leaves
my 5 1/2 untouched, whether I use a DD, HD, or a DEC formatted disk.
Perhaps I need to try it on something else than my Win98 box.

Lawrence
 
Micom 2000 said:
To my knowledge the Pro 325 was the same processor but without the
hard drive capabilities. When I think of big-iron software I think of IBM
360 or 370. My house is already full of home computers, I dare not even
contemplate a real PDP-11.
Lawrence
Click to expand...

Yeah, but when the discussion comes 'round to such machines as the DEC 350, or the TI 990, the distinction between mainframe/mini/micro computers becomes very blurred.

BTW, my friend's Professional 350 is buried in storage, just as I suspected (along with the rest of his museum). The good news is that he seems to remember the Rainbow & Pro 3xx using the same disk format too. I don't know where you might find it, but there is a (p/d?) program available for formatting disks on the Rainbow 100s. I'll take a look 'round the CP/M CD this afternoon and see if there's anything on there. (Do you have CP/M for the Rainbow)?

--T
 
Terry Yager said:
Micom 2000 said:
To my knowledge the Pro 325 was the same processor but without the
hard drive capabilities. When I think of big-iron software I think of IBM
360 or 370. My house is already full of home computers, I dare not even
contemplate a real PDP-11.
Lawrence
Click to expand...

Yeah, but when the discussion comes 'round to such machines as the DEC 350, or the TI 990, the distinction between mainframe/mini/micro computers becomes very blurred.

BTW, my friend's Professional 350 is buried in storage, just as I suspected (along with the rest of his museum). The good news is that he seems to remember the Rainbow & Pro 3xx using the same disk format too. I don't know where you might find it, but there is a (p/d?) program available for formatting disks on the Rainbow 100s. I'll take a look 'round the CP/M CD this afternoon and see if there's anything on there. (Do you have CP/M for the Rainbow)?

--T
Click to expand...

Yes I have Raindos as well as a stash of DEC branded and formatted
disks but Raindos won't transfer P/OS TMK. I guess my best hope is to
get the Putr program working, or else find a Teledisk copy of the necessary P/OS files. Perhaps a Putr user will turn up.

Thanks. I used to have similiar problems digging up things when I lived in a city apartment but now that I've retired to a 2 story house in the
country and with no SO, I'm able to find things easier. After almost 3
years I'm still organising my collection tho. :sigh:

Lawrence
 
Micom 2000 said:
Yes I have Raindos as well as a stash of DEC branded and formatted
disks but Raindos won't transfer P/OS TMK. I guess my best hope is to
get the Putr program working, or else find a Teledisk copy of the necessary P/OS files. Perhaps a Putr user will turn up.

Thanks. I used to have similiar problems digging up things when I lived in a city apartment but now that I've retired to a 2 story house in the
country and with no SO, I'm able to find things easier. After almost 3
years I'm still organising my collection tho. :sigh:

Lawrence
Click to expand...

I just checked the Don Maslin sysdisk file ( www.gaby.de/sysdisks.htm ), and Don has CP/M-80 bootdisks for the Pro-3xx, if that is any help (requires a Z80 board). He'll usually be able to send along a TD image, if you contact him. He often has software that isn't on the list, doesn't hurt to ask. His email is: donm@crash.cts.com

--T
 
I just checked the Don Maslin sysdisk file ( www.gaby.de/sysdisks.htm ), and Don has CP/M-80 bootdisks for the Pro-3xx, if that is any help (requires a Z80 board). He'll usually be able to send along a TD image, if you contact him. He often has software that isn't on the list, doesn't hurt to ask. His email is: donm@crash.cts.com

--T[/quote]

I've been in contact with Don many times over the years. He is indeed a great resource for the vintage computer community. He provided me with disks for my original Rainbow and later disks and manuals for my Kaypros
at a minimal price as well as illumination on the different CPU versions which determine the software used. He and Tim M. whose Unofficial CPM site, since his death, is now on Gaby's site are beacons to the spirit of sharing which seems to be eclipsed greatly since the rise of the rapacious dot.coms. An era of which only vestiges remain, such as on sites like this. It's important that we keep these values alive even tho some request from an 18 year old kid with an attitude, may justify "shit, am I ever going
to escape these wants". Life gets in the way many times and I can't hold
myself as exemplary but I do believe.

I might give Don a holler but I doubt he will has any non CPM disks and
from what I have googled the 350 would need a CP/M board to use it.
I see an Allison and Megan on this list and if they are the DEC people I think they are could coach me to using PUTR to make the bootdisks. I used to be a regular on classiccmp but left because of the high volume and the mini-centric nature of most of the posts. perhaps I can duck in/duck out with the needed info. :)

BTW I have a catalogue of CP/M software from the early 80s put out by
a Toronto software supplier. I don't usually encorage scans since they are a PIA to do but if you're interested I could do it (and very likely have years of requests for it unless it was on a CP/M site) :cry:

I also have an Epson HX10 with CP/M disk and a couple of manuals which
I've been waiting 8 years for the principal of attraction to provide me with
a monitor and KB. It boots with the disk but of course has no input to determine it's next step. I have an Epson 6-pin KB which according to Tony Duell is neither the CP/M nor Valdocs one (different guage and spacing). I even have an additional curly Kb cable. OOparts in archaelogical terms. Damn.

Since it doesn't have affinity to me as evidenced by the time I've waited,
it is up for trade. Up here in the frosted north I am unlikely to ever get
the necessary peripherals. Curse you, gods of Epson affinity.
It really is a beautifully designed box. Low profile, similiar to the Commodore 128D's but with a lower more curved profile.

What did I ever do to deserve this rejection. Sob, sob,

Lawrence
 
Yeah, I know what ya mean. I kinda worry about Don being the only source of CP/M bootdisks. What will the CP/M community do if he should go the way of Tim O.? Or even just suffer burnout and give up on his mission (I think that's what happened with Ken Stafford, aka "Mr. Kaypro". He just dropped off the face of the planet one day). I'd like to see Don's collection on the web somewhere (with mirrors, of course...none of this oak.oakland.edu crap). Tim's legacy lives on mainly because some other people had mirrored his all-important site. (I'm a big believer in mirrors). I wonder if Don would be willing to pass the torch to someone else (Gaby's site comes to mind). (I worry about Herb Johnson, too for the same reason, single source).

Don has provided me with some MS-DOS disks, but I think they are pretty much limited to machines which run CP/M as well as DOS (like the Rainbow).

As for the QX-10, I think I have the pinout for the video somewhere, I'll have to look. I know I've seen it somewhere in webland, mebbe a search will turn it up? As I recall, it was pretty straight-forward to convert another monitor. OTOH, have you tried connecting it to a terminal? I bet that would work, in a pinch.

--T
 
Tried to dig up that monitor pinout, no luck so far (I know I've seen it somewhere, thought I'd d/l-ed it). Anyways, I did come up with a place that'll sell you (or the QX-10's future owner) a brand new monitor for about $60.00 (seems like a fair price, as monitors go). Here's the link, in case anyone is interested:

http://www.notebooksupplies.com/epson/qx10.html

I'm not sure if that price includes the cable or not, they seem to have the cable listed separatly for another 10 buck$ or so.

--T
 
CP/M User said:
"Terry Yager" wrote:

> Tried to dig up that monitor pinout, no luck so far...

...for a Epson QX-10? Try Emmunuel (at comp.os.cpm),
he has one of these machines.

Cheers,
CP/M User.
Click to expand...

Did you see the link above? I'm just kinda interested that there's a source for new QX-10 machines (& parts). Thier prices even seemed reasonable, way less than they used cost when Epson was selling them. Looks like you could get the whole machine for around a couple hundred buck$.

Anyways, I was looking at the pinout of the monitor cable, and it seems straight-forward enough. There's a video signal and both syncs are separate. Looks like you could tie-in the two sync signals with the video and create a single composite video signal that would work with any standard composite monitor (of course, you'd have to use the ground wire too). That's something I'd try, were it up to me.

--T
 
"Terry Yager" wrote:

>>> Tried to dig up that monitor pinout, no luck so far...

>> ...for a Epson QX-10? Try Emmunuel (at comp.os.cpm),
>> he has one of these machines.

> Anyways, I was looking at the pinout of the monitor
> cable, and it seems straight-forward enough. There's
> a video signal and both syncs are separate. Looks like
> you could tie-in the two sync signals with the video and
> create a single composite video signal that would work
> with any standard composite monitor (of course, you'd
> have to use the ground wire too). That's something I'd
> try, were it up to me.

Didn't you want a monitor pinout though? He should have
that sort of information about the monitor pinout.

> Did you see the link above?

Why, do they provide that monitor pinout?

Cheers,
CP/M User.
 
"CP/M User" wrote:

>> Did you see the link above?

> Why, do they provide that monitor pinout?

Oh okay. You decided to sneek in a second post,
rather than update the first one & as a result I
read the first post & missed the second. I didn't
see it until after I posted the second, so I was
under the impression that you were still looking
for a fix to this.

Just to demonstrate the effect this does, I posted
this second, in hope you'll see my first note & post
to that first, then discover this one hiding behind
it, which answers part of the first. Well I find it
quite easy to respond to the first, then discover
a hidden responce afterwards.

Cheers,
CP/M User.
 
CP/M User said:
"CP/M User" wrote:

>> Did you see the link above?

> Why, do they provide that monitor pinout?

Oh okay. You decided to sneek in a second post,
rather than update the first one & as a result I
read the first post & missed the second. I didn't
see it until after I posted the second, so I was
under the impression that you were still looking
for a fix to this.

Just to demonstrate the effect this does, I posted
this second, in hope you'll see my first note & post
to that first, then discover this one hiding behind
it, which answers part of the first. Well I find it
quite easy to respond to the first, then discover
a hidden responce afterwards.

Cheers,
CP/M User.
Click to expand...

Oh, sorry. I'll try to clean up my act in the future. (What cn I say, I have the manners of a goat).

BTW, one of the posted links above also offers totally new Epson PX-8s besides the QX-10s. I've already got my eye on one of those babys. (Just sold sum'n nice on eBay in order to finance same. Took a whole 41 minutes to sell BIN--musta been the right price, eh?). With any luck, I'll soon be the proud owner of a brand-new PX-8!

--T
 
"Terry Yager" wrote:

> Oh, sorry. I'll try to clean up my act in the future.
> (What cn I say, I have the manners of a goat).

Well it wasn't mean't to be a complant, but perhaps
posting in that fashion might get that odd occurance!
:) I'll check in future! :)

Cheers,
CP/M User.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top