Cargo Cult sysadmining

[Mikkel L. Ellertson]

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On 08/07/2012 02:54 PM, jdow wrote:
> On 2012/08/07 12:09, Mikkel L. Ellertson wrote:
>>
>> On 08/07/2012 01:19 PM, jdow wrote:
>>> Removing PATA "because I'll never use it" leads to you discovering
>>> "never" is often not that far away. (PATA seems to still persist on
>>> certain classes of motherboard, I note. IMAO this is a good thing
>>> to keep old media readable. I also don't throw away old disks that
>>> still spin up and contain data. Well, OK, I'm a packrat. I don't
>>> throw ANY disks away. I have been known to convert their platters
>>> to ersatz wind chimes, though.)
>>>
>>> {^_-}
>> I have a couple of those. One only does PATA, and the second does
>> both PATA and SATA. Then I also have a SATA doc that will work a
>> eSATA or USB. I even have a couple of PATA to SATA and SATA to PATA
>> converters in my junk box for the few times I need them.
>>
>> You are not the only packrat when it comes to old disks. I still
>> have a couple of 8" floppies yet, as well as some paper tape. I
>> think I still have an 8" drive around here somewhere, and a
>> controller to hook it to. But I don't know if I still have the
>> optical paper tape reader. If I do, I am not sure I have anything to
>> interface it to. I do still have DOS program and game disks. I
>> should see if they run in dosemu...
>>
>> What I really should clean out is the old tape backups. I think I
>> still have a drive that will read (but not write) them. I am not
>> sure there is any usable information on them. Some are even DOS
>> backups, as well as some OLD Linux backups. I don't even remember
>> the backup program used to make them.
>>
>> My desktop does use a generic kernel. I could probably get some
>> performance if I compiled a kernel for the AMD Phenom processor, but
>> it isn't worth it. But that is not the answer for all my hardware.
>> Why not build in the drivers you need to boot the system if you have
>> to compile your own kernel anyway?
>>
>> Mikkel
>
> Boy, ah say, Boy! (Phoo - I do a LOUSY foghorn leghorn imitation.
{^_-})
>
> I still have some 8" ST-506 CPM disks around. I also have an 8" SASI
> disk. (All three may still work if heat has not killed them where they
> are currently stored.) I also have at least one 8" double sided
floppy,
> disks that MAY still work, and of course a controller in the old S-100
> machine. Um, I also have lots of Amiga disks - and Amigas themselves.
> Now THAT was a nice little OS for its day once it was tamed and
developers
> learned how to debug properly. It wrung a whole lot of performance
out of
> primitive CPUs by today's standards. THAT is SERIOUS packrateism.
(I bet
> my hypertrophied A-1000 still works, too.)
>
> {^_-}

I still have a working S-100 system with a Z-80 processor, and a 20M
hard drive in it. I do not know how I will replace it if it dies -
it is a MFM drive.

I played with a bunch of S-100 systems, including one that had a
Microplis (sp) floppy system and operating system. At one time I had
software to convert the Basic tokens in the saved BASIC file to
ASCII format, and software that let me read the MDOS disks under
CP/M. I also had a lot of S-100 cards that I figured out how to use
by dissembling the ROMs on the cards, or tracing circuits. I had
more time then money back then.

I never played with an Amigas. From what you have said, they sound
like fun. I probably played with most of the other "home" computers
of the era. I was the guy everybody called for help... Those were
the days...

Mikkel
- -- 
Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and
taste good with Ketchup!
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