[Simh] RSTS/E Reminiscing

[John H. Reinhardt]

With all the recent discussion of BASIC games and such, I have been reminiscing about my first days introduced to RSTS/E and the PDP-11 at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology's Camp Retupmoc in summer 1977. At the time they were running V6B on their PDP-11/70. I've searched for some time for various versions of RSTS/E and I've found a few distributions.

I have a real PDP-11 chassis and cards which I am slowly working toward refurbishing. But they are newer MicroPDP-11 types and would not run anything older than V8 or V9. I've found a copy of V6C which is pretty close but I'm wondering if anyone has V6B on TAP format. Hopefully the SYSGEN tape or a running system that can be re-configured. I would run it on a SIM-11 emulation.

I know mention has been made of source listing/tapes. I don't know the legality but if it's possible to get source for a V6 or even V7 I'd love to have it to look at to see how things were done.

[Brett Bump]

Hi John,

Paul Nankervis grabbed an image of the V6C tape I had been hording for
almost 40 years and found a 1 block error that caused INIT.SYS to stop
with an "INIT BUG". You are probably running that copy of V6C as no
other copy has been found (in 40 years). Ashley Carder had (I think)
V6A running on the original Wofford Witch, but that distro has never
been retrieved. We have been hunting for many years to fill the gaps
and it seems the only ones missing are the V5 set, V6A, V6B and V7.1.

Pretty much everything else (distros) are online either at:

RSTS.org, trailing-edge.com, pdp-11.org.ru, or Bitsavers.

Actual sources to the distro kits are pretty much non-existant.

Brett

Post by John H. Reinhardt
With all the recent discussion of BASIC games and such, I have been
reminiscing about my first days introduced to RSTS/E and the PDP-11 at
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology's Camp Retupmoc in summer 1977. At the
time they were running V6B on their PDP-11/70. I've searched for some time
for various versions of RSTS/E and I've found a few distributions.
I have a real PDP-11 chassis and cards which I am slowly working toward
refurbishing. But they are newer MicroPDP-11 types and would not run
anything older than V8 or V9. I've found a copy of V6C which is pretty close
but I'm wondering if anyone has V6B on TAP format. Hopefully the SYSGEN tape
or a running system that can be re-configured. I would run it on a SIM-11
emulation.
I know mention has been made of source listing/tapes. I don't know the
legality but if it's possible to get source for a V6 or even V7 I'd love to
have it to look at to see how things were done.
--
John H. Reinhardt
_______________________________________________
Simh mailing list
http://mailman.trailing-edge.com/mailman/listinfo/simh

[John H. Reinhardt]

Hi Brett!

Yes, your RSTS.org was were I got the V6C version. Is there a way to patch around the error? Or patch to fix it? I haven't looked at your site recently so if the fix is there I have missed it. The list of locations you mentioned are the ones that I've looked. There were at various times some other places but they had the same things.

I know sources are scarce. One can hope though. ;)


Edit: I just looked and found the fixed SYSGEN.TAP Thanks!

Post by Brett Bump
Hi John,
Paul Nankervis grabbed an image of the V6C tape I had been hording for
almost 40 years and found a 1 block error that caused INIT.SYS to stop
with an "INIT BUG".  You are probably running that copy of V6C as no
other copy has been found (in 40 years).  Ashley Carder had (I think)
V6A running on the original Wofford Witch, but that distro has never
been retrieved.  We have been hunting for many years to fill the gaps
and it seems the only ones missing are the V5 set, V6A, V6B and V7.1.
 RSTS.org, trailing-edge.com, pdp-11.org.ru, or Bitsavers.
Actual sources to the distro kits are pretty much non-existant.
Brett

With all the recent discussion of BASIC games and such, I have been reminiscing about my first days introduced to RSTS/E and the PDP-11 at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology's Camp Retupmoc in summer 1977.  At the time they were running V6B on their PDP-11/70.  I've searched for some time for various versions of RSTS/E and I've found a few distributions.
I have a real PDP-11 chassis and cards which I am slowly working toward refurbishing.  But they are newer MicroPDP-11 types and would not run anything older than V8 or V9.  I've found a copy of V6C which is pretty close but I'm wondering if anyone has V6B on TAP format. Hopefully the SYSGEN tape or a running system that can be re-configured.  I would run it on a SIM-11 emulation.
I know mention has been made of source listing/tapes.  I don't know the legality but if it's possible to get source for a V6 or even V7 I'd love to have it to look at to see how things were done.
--
John H. Reinhardt
_______________________________________________
Simh mailing list
http://mailman.trailing-edge.com/mailman/listinfo/simh

[Johnny Billquist]

Post by John H. Reinhardt
With all the recent discussion of BASIC games and such, I have been
reminiscing about my first days introduced to RSTS/E and the PDP-11 at
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology's Camp Retupmoc in summer 1977.  At
the time they were running V6B on their PDP-11/70.  I've searched for
some time for various versions of RSTS/E and I've found a few
distributions.

The joy of reliving yesteryear... ;-)

Post by John H. Reinhardt
I have a real PDP-11 chassis and cards which I am slowly working toward
refurbishing.  But they are newer MicroPDP-11 types and would not run
anything older than V8 or V9.  I've found a copy of V6C which is pretty
close but I'm wondering if anyone has V6B on TAP format. Hopefully the
SYSGEN tape or a running system that can be re-configured.  I would run
it on a SIM-11 emulation.

I would have expected V7 something to be the ultimate if you wanted
"old" style RSTS/E. V8 might also fit the bill. V9 definitely have a
different taste, though...

Post by John H. Reinhardt
I know mention has been made of source listing/tapes.  I don't know the
legality but if it's possible to get source for a V6 or even V7 I'd love
to have it to look at to see how things were done.

While I really can't help with finding any distributions, I can at least
comment on the legality question, even if you won't like the answer.
RSTS/E is still owned by someone (XX2247 LLC) and is not available as
things stand today.
It's a long story...

Johnny

[John H. Reinhardt]

Post by Johnny Billquist

With all the recent discussion of BASIC games and such, I have been reminiscing about my first days introduced to RSTS/E and the PDP-11 at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology's Camp Retupmoc in summer 1977.  At the time they were running V6B on their PDP-11/70.  I've searched for some time for various versions of RSTS/E and I've found a few distributions.

The joy of reliving yesteryear... ;-)

I have a real PDP-11 chassis and cards which I am slowly working toward refurbishing.  But they are newer MicroPDP-11 types and would not run anything older than V8 or V9.  I've found a copy of V6C which is pretty close but I'm wondering if anyone has V6B on TAP format. Hopefully the SYSGEN tape or a running system that can be re-configured.  I would run it on a SIM-11 emulation.

I would have expected V7 something to be the ultimate if you wanted "old" style RSTS/E. V8 might also fit the bill. V9 definitely have a different taste, though...

I know mention has been made of source listing/tapes.  I don't know the legality but if it's possible to get source for a V6 or even V7 I'd love to have it to look at to see how things were done.

While I really can't help with finding any distributions, I can at least comment on the legality question, even if you won't like the answer. RSTS/E is still owned by someone (XX2247 LLC) and is not available as things stand today.
It's a long story...
  Johnny

Hi Johnny,

We actually ran V7.x for the majority part of the time I was at Rose-Hulman (1978-1983) but V6B was my first exposure to RSTS/E and in fact to just about any "large" computing system. At the time in 1977 when I went to the camp I had been working on building a Digital Group Z-80 from kits but hadn't finished. It might be that V7 was the epitome classic RSTS/E before DCL, etc but your first is something special.

I have been following all the news about the disappearance of Mentec, the shadowy existance of XX2247, LLC and all. I was hoping there was news that I'd missed. But I see not.

[Johnny Billquist]

Hi.

Post by John H. Reinhardt

Post by Johnny Billquist

Post by John H. Reinhardt
With all the recent discussion of BASIC games and such, I have been
reminiscing about my first days introduced to RSTS/E and the PDP-11
at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology's Camp Retupmoc in summer
1977.  At the time they were running V6B on their PDP-11/70.  I've
searched for some time for various versions of RSTS/E and I've found
a few distributions.

The joy of reliving yesteryear... ;-)

Post by John H. Reinhardt
I have a real PDP-11 chassis and cards which I am slowly working
toward refurbishing.  But they are newer MicroPDP-11 types and would
not run anything older than V8 or V9.  I've found a copy of V6C which
is pretty close but I'm wondering if anyone has V6B on TAP format.
Hopefully the SYSGEN tape or a running system that can be
re-configured.  I would run it on a SIM-11 emulation.

I would have expected V7 something to be the ultimate if you wanted
"old" style RSTS/E. V8 might also fit the bill. V9 definitely have a
different taste, though...

Post by John H. Reinhardt
I know mention has been made of source listing/tapes.  I don't know
the legality but if it's possible to get source for a V6 or even V7
I'd love to have it to look at to see how things were done.

While I really can't help with finding any distributions, I can at
least comment on the legality question, even if you won't like the
answer. RSTS/E is still owned by someone (XX2247 LLC) and is not
available as things stand today.
It's a long story...
   Johnny

Hi Johnny,
We actually ran V7.x for the majority part of the time I was at
Rose-Hulman (1978-1983) but V6B was my first exposure to RSTS/E and in
fact to just about any "large" computing system.  At the time in 1977
when I went to the camp I had been working on building a Digital Group
Z-80 from kits but hadn't finished.  It might be that V7 was the epitome
classic RSTS/E before DCL, etc but your first is something special.

Understood. I did suspect it might be something like that. I remember
running V7 and V8 back in the day as well. But personally, I would
probably always install the latest and greatest version, even if my
nostalgic memories are of V7.1.
But we all have different kinks. :-)

Post by John H. Reinhardt
I have been following all the news about the disappearance of Mentec,
the shadowy existance of XX2247, LLC and all.  I was hoping there was
news that I'd missed. But I see not.

Yeah, unfortunately no news at this time. But don't give up hope...

Johnny

[Johnny Billquist]

Brett, you sent me a question off the list, but your mail server refuses
to accept mails from me.

Sorry for the noise, everyone else.

Johnny