Successful install of OpenBSD 4.7 on a SPARCbook 3

Here is the proof:

ZS is initialized                                                         
OBP CRC check: OK                                                         
Clearing TLB Entries                                                      
Initializing Tsunami Cache                                                
Probing for RAM @ 0x06000000                                              
Probing for RAM @ 0x04000000                                              
Probing for RAM @ 0x02000000                                              
Top RAM bank @ 0x02000000                                                 
Available Memory 0x04000000                                               
Context Table allocated, Available Memory 0x03ffc000                      
RAMsize allocated, Available Memory 0x03fec000                            
Level 1 Table allocated, Available Memory 0x03febc00                      
Mapping RAM @ 0xffef0000                                                  
RAMbase --> RAMsize mapped, Available Memory 0x03feba00                         
Mapping ROM @ 0xffd00000                                                        
ROMbase --> ROMsize mapped, Available Memory 0x03feb800                         
Mapping ROM @ 0x00000000                                                        
0 --> ROMsize mapped, Available Memory 0x03feb500                               
Available Memory 0x03feb000                                                     
                                                                                
ttya initialized                                                                
Probing Memory Bank #0 32 Megabytes                                             
Probing Memory Bank #1 32 Megabytes                                             
Probing Memory Bank #2 Nothing there                                            
Probing Memory Bank #3 Nothing there                                            
Incorrect configuration checksum;                                               
Setting NVRAM parameters to default values.                                     
Setting diag-switch? NVRAM parameter to true                                    
Probing /iommu@0,10000000/sbus@0,10001000 at 0,0  p9000                         
Probing /iommu@0,10000000/sbus@0,10001000 at 4,0  espdma esp sd st SUNW,bpp led 
Probing /iommu@0,10000000/sbus@0,10001000 at 1,0  ts102                         
Probing /iommu@0,10000000/sbus@0,10001000 at 2,0  SUNW,DBRIs3                   
Probing /iommu@0,10000000/sbus@0,10001000 at 3,0  Nothing there                 
                                                                                
ZS is initialized                                                               
OBP CRC check: OK                                                               
Clearing TLB Entries                                                            
Initializing Tsunami Cache                                                      
Probing for RAM @ 0x06000000                                                    
Probing for RAM @ 0x04000000                                                    
Probing for RAM @ 0x02000000                                                    
Top RAM bank @ 0x02000000                                                       
Available Memory 0x04000000                                                     
Context Table allocated, Available Memory 0x03ffc000                            
RAMsize allocated, Available Memory 0x03fec000                                 
Level 1 Table allocated, Available Memory 0x03febc00                            
Mapping RAM @ 0xffef0000                                                        
RAMbase --> RAMsize mapped, Available Memory 0x03feba00                         
Mapping ROM @ 0xffd00000                                                        
ROMbase --> ROMsize mapped, Available Memory 0x03feb800                         
Mapping ROM @ 0x00000000                                                        
0 --> ROMsize mapped, Available Memory 0x03feb500                               
Available Memory 0x03feb000                                                     
                                                                                
ttya initialized                                                                
Probing Memory Bank #0 32 Megabytes                                             
Probing Memory Bank #1 32 Megabytes                                             
Probing Memory Bank #2 Nothing there                                            
Probing Memory Bank #3 Nothing there                                            
Probing /iommu@0,10000000/sbus@0,10001000 at 0,0  p9000                         
Probing /iommu@0,10000000/sbus@0,10001000 at 4,0  espdma esp sd st SUNW,bpp led 
Probing /iommu@0,10000000/sbus@0,10001000 at 1,0  ts102                         
Probing /iommu@0,10000000/sbus@0,10001000 at 2,0  SUNW,DBRIs3                   
Probing /iommu@0,10000000/sbus@0,10001000 at 3,0  Nothing there                 
Tadpole S3 SPARCbook, Keyboard Present                                          
ROM Rev. 2.9 V1.00                                                              
64 MB memory installed, Serial #10690881.                                       
Ethernet address 0:0:83:a3:21:41, Host ID: 80a32141.                            
                                                                                 
Spinning discs down .. done                                                     
Boot device: /iommu/sbus/ledma@4,8400010/le@4,8c00000   File and args:          
Automatic network cable selection succeeded : Using AUI Ethernet Interface      
                                                                                
Type  help  for more information                                                
ok boot /iommu/sbus/espdma@4,8400000/esp/sd@5,0 bsd                             
Boot device: /iommu/sbus/espdma@4,8400000/esp/sd@5,0   File and args: bsd       
>> OpenBSD BOOT 2.3                                                             
Booting bsd @ 0x4000                                                            
3145804+437948 [52+149536+131969]                                               
[ using 281932 bytes of bsd ELF symbol table ]                                  
console is ttya                                                                 
Copyright (c) 1982, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1993                                      
        The Regents of the University of California.  All rights reserved.      
Copyright (c) 1995-2010 OpenBSD. All rights reserved.  http://www.OpenBSD.org   
                                                                                
OpenBSD 4.7 (GENERIC) #152: Fri Mar 19 02:33:48 MDT 2010                        
    deraadt@sparc.openbsd.org:/usr/src/sys/arch/sparc/compile/GENERIC           
real mem = 66699264 (63MB)                                                
avail mem = 59355136 (56MB)                                                     
mainbus0 at root: Tadpole_S3                                                    
cpu0 at mainbus0: TMS390S10 @ 50 MHz, on-chip FPU                               
cpu0: physical 4K instruction (32 b/l), 2K data (16 b/l) cache enabled          
obio0 at mainbus0                                                               
clock0 at obio0 addr 0x71200000: mk48t08 (eeprom)                               
timer0 at obio0 addr 0x71d00000 delay constant 23                               
zs0 at obio0 addr 0x71100000 pri 12, softpri 6                                  
zstty0 at zs0 channel 0: console                                                
zstty1 at zs0 channel 1                                                         
zs1 at obio0 addr 0x71000000 pri 12, softpri 6                                  
zskbd0 at zs1 channel 0: keyboard, type 5, layout 0x2e                          
wskbd0 at zskbd0 mux 1                                                          
zsms0 at zs1 channel 1                                                          
wsmouse0 at zsms0 mux 0                                                         
slavioconfig at obio0 addr 0x71800000 not configured                            
auxreg0 at obio0 addr 0x71900000                                                
auxreg1 at obio0 addr 0x71910000                                                
tctrl0 at obio0 addr 0x42000020 pri 11                                          
tctrl0: main power available, lid down                                   
clk-ctrl at obio0 addr 0x713c0000 not configured                                
btcham0 at obio0 addr 0x71380000: id 0x3a, revision 0xa0                        
com0 at obio0 addr 0x713a0000 pri 13: ns16550a, 16 byte fifo                    
com0: probed fifo depth: 0 bytes                                                
iommu0 at mainbus0 addr 0x10000000: version 0x1/0x4, page-size 4096, range 64MB 
sbus0 at iommu0: clock = 25 MHz                                                 
"p9000" at sbus0 class display slot 0 offset 0x100000 not configured            
dma0 at sbus0 slot 4 offset 0x8400000: rev 2                                    
esp0 at dma0 offset 0x8800000 pri 4: ESP200, 40MHz                              
scsibus0 at esp0: 8 targets, initiator 7                                        
probe(esp0:3:0): max sync rate 10.00MB/s                                        
sd0 at scsibus0 targ 3 lun 0:  SCSI2 0/direct fixed       
sd0: drive offline                                                              
sd1 at scsibus0 targ 5 lun 0:  SCSI2 0/direct d
sd1: 3067MB, 512 bytes/sec, 6281856 sec total                                   
cd0 at scsibus0 targ 6 lun 0:  SCSI2 5/cdrom reme
bpp0 at sbus0 slot 4 offset 0xc800000: DMA2  
ledma0 at sbus0 slot 4 offset 0x8400010: rev 2                                  
le0 at ledma0 offset 0x8c00000 pri 6: address 00:00:83:a3:21:41                 
le0: 16 receive buffers, 4 transmit buffers                                     
tslot0 at sbus0 slot 1 offset 0x2000000 pri 11: 2 slots                         
pcmcia0 at tslot0 socket 0                                                      
pcmcia1 at tslot0 socket 1                                                      
"SUNW,DBRIs3" at sbus0 class ISDN slot 2 offset 0x40 not configured             
vscsi0 at root                                                                  
scsibus1 at vscsi0: 256 targets                                                 
softraid0 at root                                                               
bootpath: /iommu@0,10000000/sbus@0,10001000/espdma@4,8400000/esp@4,8800000/sd@50
root on sd1a swap on sd1b dump on sd1b                                          
WARNING: / was not properly unmounted                                           
Automatic boot in progress: starting file system checks.                        
/dev/rsd1a: 2695 files, 32121 used, 810934 free (78 frags, 101357 blocks, 0.0% )
/dev/rsd1a: MARKING FILE SYSTEM CLEAN                                           
/dev/rsd1e: 9 files, 8 used, 164293 free (21 frags, 20534 blocks, 0.0% fragment)
/dev/rsd1e: MARKING FILE SYSTEM CLEAN                                           
/dev/rsd1d: 22231 files, 288694 used, 569387 free (1787 frags, 70950 blocks, 0.)
/dev/rsd1d: MARKING FILE SYSTEM CLEAN                                           
setting tty flags                                                               
pf enabled                                                                       
starting network                                                                
starting system logger                                                          
starting initial daemons: ntpd.                                                 
savecore: no core dump                                                          
checking quotas: done.                                                          
building ps databases: kvm dev.                                                 
clearing /tmp                                                                   
starting pre-securelevel daemons:.                                              
setting kernel security level: kern.securelevel: 0 -> 1                         
creating runtime link editor directory cache.                                   
preserving editor files.                                                        
ssh-keygen: generating new DSA host key... 
ssh-keygen: generating new RSA host key... done. 
ssh-keygen: generating new RSA1 host key... done.                               
starting network daemons: sshd sendmail inetd.                                  
starting local daemons:.                                                        
standard daemons: cron.                                                         
Thu Dec 31 12:09:33 GMT 1987                                                    
                                                                                
OpenBSD/sparc (tadpole.hecnet.eu) (console)                                     
                                                                                
login:                                                                                            

Epson Geneva PX-8 Portable Computer Serial RS/232 Cable

Thought it was worth posting this as there doesn't appear to be a reference for how to wire up a serial cable or RS/232 cable for the Epson PX-8 Mini DIN-8 to a PC DB9 female connector.

PX-8	PC-DB9
1	5
2	2
3	3
4,5	1
6	4
7	6
8	7,8

If the cable you're using contains a CG/E Common Ground wire you can connect this to the shell of the DB9. It's best to scratch the shell just above the connections then solder the wire directly onto the shell.

DEC Legacy Event, April 17th & 18th 2010, Windermere, UK

I am organising a DEC Legacy Event on the 17th & 18th April 2010 in Windermere, UK.

The event's purpose is to bring together people with an interest in the company Digital Equipment Corporation and their legacy of hardware, software and ethos. I am hoping to attract people willing to exhibit their DEC computer hardware and software at the event. There will be tables setup around the main hall on which equipment can be presented.

Whilst the format for the event is still fluid, I envisage that it will involve a mixture of the following:

• Walkabout sessions giving the opportunity to talk to owners of DEC hardware and to 'have a play'
• Demonstrations of equipment or software by their owners (languages, applications, games etc)
• Sit down presentations about specific topics of interest
• A programming competition (if there is enough interest)
• Buy & sell hardware, software, relevant items
• Raffle (with suitably themed items) on behalf of the National Museum of Computing

For more information please visit the webpage at: http://declegacy.org.uk

The Home Network

This is when you know it's time to 'consolidate'.

Simple Volume Shadowing of the System Disk under OpenVMS

I am not an OpenVMS expert. I had to read the manual a couple of times and consult with the Hoff to get the commands sorted to do this, so hopefully it will save you some time.

Volume Shadowing on OpenVMS at it's very simplest can be used to provide RAID-1 mirroring using two or more locally attached hard drives. In my case I have a single hard drive (DKA300:) which acts as my system and data disk. I wanted a complete hot mirror of this drive in case of hardware failure. I have used two identical drives to do this.

If you are an OpenVMS hobbyist you will have the license required for volume shadowing. You can easily check:

$ SHOW LICENSE VOLSHAD
Active licenses on node ORAC:

------- Product ID --------    ---- Rating ----- -- Version --
Product            Producer    Units Avail Activ Version Release    Termination
VOLSHAD            DEC             0  0     100    0.0  (none)      16-OCT-2009

You then need to setup the system parameters so that when you reboot OpenVMS your current system disk is included in a shadow set to which another drive (or drives) can then be added. Edit the file SYS$SYSTEM:MODPARAMS.DAT and add the following lines:

ALLOCLASS=100
SHADOWING=2
SHADOW_SYS_DISK=1
SHADOW_SYS_UNIT=0

A sensible value for ALLOCLASS is 100, but it can be anything from 1 to 255. If you have previously added the box to a cluster this parameter may already be defined. SHADOWING must be 2 to enable shadowing. SHADOW_SYS_DISK must be 1 to enable shadowing for the system disk, and SHADOW_SYS_UNIT defines the virtual unit number which is appended to the virtual drive name DUAx:

You then need to run AUTOGEN to save these parameters. I used the following two commands:

$ @SYS$UPDATE:AUTOGEN SAVPARAMS GENPARAMS
$ @SYS$UPDATE:AUTOGEN GENPARAMS REBOOT

The second command may fail on errors, if this is the case and you are happy to proceed add the keyword FEEDBACK to the end.

This will reboot the system and (hopefully) when it's started up you should see the virtual unit when you run the SHOW DEVICE command:

$ show dev d

Device                  Device           Error    Volume         Free  Trans Mnt
Name                   Status           Count     Label        Blocks Count Cnt
DSA0:                   Mounted              0  OVMSVAXSYS    16637880   337   1
$100$DKA200:    (ORAC)  Online wrtlck        0
$100$DKA300:    (ORAC)  ShadowSetMember      0  (member of DSA0:)

To add a new member to the volume set use the MOUNT command, like this:

MOUNT/CONFIRM/SYSTEM DSA0: /SHADOW=($100$DKA300,$100$DKA400) OVMSVAXSYS

This command specifies the existing system disk $100$DKA300 and the new disk $100$DKA400. You will need to confirm that you want to overwrite the contents of the new drive. The command initiates a copy of the data on the system disk to the new drive. SHOW DEVICE will indicate the copy progress:

$ show dev d

Device                  Device           Error    Volume         Free  Trans Mnt
Name                   Status           Count     Label        Blocks Count Cnt
DSA0:                   Mounted              0  OVMSVAXSYS    16637880   337   1
$100$DKA200:    (ORAC)  Online wrtlck        0
$100$DKA300:    (ORAC)  ShadowSetMember      0  (member of DSA0:)
$100$DKA400:    (ORAC)  ShadowCopying        0  (copy trgt DSA0:  43% copied)

After the copy is complete the two shadow set members will contain identical data, so that if one of the drives should fail it can be replaced without losing any data.

I encourage you to consult the Volume Shadowing for OpenVMS manual for more information.

VAX APL LK201 Keyboard

From the VAX APL Users Guide page 1-3 comes an image of the LK201-EC variant with APL keycaps:



With this image as a reference I designed a set of replacement keycaps for an existing LK201 using the Open Office Drawing tool (source file) and the excellent Simpl APL Unicode Font:


These were printed out using a laser printer on the self-adhesive transparency paper provided as part of the Hooleon Keyboard Sticker Label Making Kit. These were then cut out using a scalpel and mounted on backing stickers which are opaque. A final top sticker adds a textured finish and protects the printed label.This is the resulting keyboard:

Left Hand Side:


Right Hand Side:


I've also uploaded a short video to YouTube demonstrating how you interact with VAX APL V4.0 using this keyboard together with a VT320 terminal.

Embedding the SimPL APL font on a web page using Cufón

I came across Cufón a while ago whilst browsing the excellent nettuts+ website.

Having started coding in APL I was wondering about the best way to present developed code on my blog. One option is to use my java transcoding technique to load my Soliton Sharp APL code into jEdit (my favourite editor) using my custom character set transcoder to convert the custom eight-bit ASCII encoding used by Soliton into standard Unicode APL characters.

Cufón allows you to embed any arbitrary truetype font or fonts into a webpage via javascript and then use the font directly within the html by replacing a standard html tag. You can either download the utility or use their website to process a truetype font located on your hard disk to generate a javascript file containing your selected truetype glyphs. The generated file in this example is simpl_400.font.js (see code below).

I chose the excellent free font created by Phil Chasney called SImPL to embed within this blog.

The code required within the head tag of this page to embed the font is very simple:

  <script src="http://www.wickensonline.co.uk/styles/cufon-yui.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
  <script src="http://www.wickensonline.co.uk/styles/simpl_400.font.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
  <script type="text/javascript">
   Cufon.replace('h1');
  </script>

The results can be seen with the following APL characters above ASCII location 127 in the SOLITON-APL encoding:

¨¯≤≥≠∨×⍪⌹∵⌿
⍲¡€£¥¬⍱⌻⍂≡⌷¿
⍺⊥∩⌊∊∇∆⍳∘⎕∣⊤○
⍴⌈↓∪⍵⊃↑⊂⊢⍀⊣÷
⌶⊖⍎⍝⍷⍫⍒⍋⍸⍤⍞⍕⍥
⍟⍉⌽⍧←⍙→⋄

and an example of some APL code:

∇mbrt1[⎕]∇
[0] z←mbrt1
[1] rrz←(0.1×⍳21)−1 ⍝ array from ¯1 to +1 stepsize 0.1
[2] iiz←(0.1×⍳21)−1 ⍝ array from ¯1 to +1 stepsize 0.1


∇cmplsq[⎕]∇
[0] z← cmplsq ⍵
[1]
[2] ⍝ Function: Complex Square
[3] ⍝ Perform a complex square of the argument ⍵, returning array r,i in z
[4]
[5] r←⍵[0] ⍝ extract real part into r
[6] i←⍵[1] ⍝ extract imaginary part into i
[7] rn←(r⋆2)−(i⋆2) ⍝ real result
[8] in←r×i×2 ⍝ imaginary result
[9] z←rn,in ⍝ z is array of real and imaginary results