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diff --git a/content/blog/retro-computing-unisys.md b/content/blog/retro-computing-unisys.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..28ee60d --- /dev/null +++ b/content/blog/retro-computing-unisys.md @@ -0,0 +1,172 @@ ++++ +title = "Retro Computing - Unisys CWD-4002" +categories = [ "Retro Computing", "Unisys" ] +date = "2018-02-10T13:55:47+02:00" +thumbnail = "/images/blog/retro-computing-unisys/unisys-CDW-4002-1.jpg" ++++ + +## Intro + +I saw a video on [LGR](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddgmzmw6_qE) and +thought, this is a nice system to run my own operating system on. + +The Unisys CWD-4002 came as a i486 DX/2, 66 MHz, 16 MB RAM and a 512 MB hard drive. sweet. +And fits under my monitor, together with a Aten KVM switch and an Alix 1.E +minicomputer: + +{{< figure src="/images/blog/retro-computing-unisys/unisys-CDW-4002-backside.jpg" alt="Backside view" >}} + +Ok, I increased the memory to a whooping 32 MB. And I bought an +IDE-to-SD-adapter as the 512 MB hard disk is not enough for a basic installation +of Archlinux32 and I don't know how long the hard disk would work anyway: + +{{< figure src="/images/blog/retro-computing-unisys/unisys-CDW-4002-sd-ide.jpg" alt="SD card in a SD/IDE-adapter" >}} + +And old hard disks are generally really noisy. + +The SD-adapter contains an 8 GB SD card, I'm still wondering how many GBs the BIOS can +swallow. At least booting from within the first 512 MB over a Grub on DOS +seems to work. Also due to the 2 GB limit on LBA in the BIOS I fear some +old operating systems can only access the first 2 GB. With a Linux I may +be able to use the disk space above 2 GB. + +The motherboard is a "486-DBA", First International Computer. It's quite +a neat design, enough room to add an IDE raiser for one small ISA card: + +{{< figure src="/images/blog/retro-computing-unisys/unisys-CDW-4002-inside.jpg" alt="Inside the CDW-4002" >}} + +On the back size there is a paper attached which tells about all +the jumpers you can play with: + +{{< figure src="/images/blog/retro-computing-unisys/unisys-CDW-4002-schematics.jpg" alt="Schematics of the board" >}} + +There is a built-in network card (NE2000 compatible, an Accton/UNISYS UK0022, +the chips says on the outside). + +The graphic card is a Cirrus Logic GD5424 which is pretty standard. + +I also put in a sound card, the box has quite an unique ISA-riser design +and due to it's size you have to use a later model of an ISA 16-bit +sound blaster which is small enough to fit. I went with a +Creative Sound Blaster Vibra 16XV CT4170: + +{{< figure src="/images/blog/retro-computing-unisys/unisys-CDW-4002-soundcard.jpg" alt="ISA 16-bit sound card, CT4710" >}} + +Instead of repeating all information I found, I have made a list of +interesting videos, globs, articles, forums and download locations. +You find them at the bottom of the article. + +## DOS 6.22 and Window 3.11 + +First of all you have to bootstrap the machine somehow. I decided to +go via DOS 6.22 und first install the 3 standard disks (after doing +a fdisk setup with [BasicLinux](http://distro.ibiblio.org/baslinux/)). +BL has the advantage of being able to boot from two 1.44 MB floppies. + +Then I had to install the NE2000 drivers for the Accton/UNISYS UK0022 +integrated network card. The network driver is started by giving it +the I/O-address and the IRQ number: + +``` +C:\NET\NE2000.COM 0x60 10 +``` + +You can then use FreeDOS' wget port to fetch the rest of the software +to install via network to avoid a cramp while swapping floppies. + +## Windows 3.11 + +The installation is pretty standard, just remember to install the +TCP/IP-Stack to get network connectivity. + +For the sound card install the CTCU and CTCM programs (ISA plug- +and-play for auto-configuration ant utility). + +## Native Oberon + +This installation deserves it's own blog article. Just very short: + +Using the latest Native Oberon version from the ETH, install from +the OBERON0.DSK floppy. + +Have the additional files ready on the C:\ drive. + +There is an excellent blog about how to use Oberon on Vintage Computers, +check out the [Oberon Tutorial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Do2O1yFrnos) +series on Youtube by Andres Ramos. + +## Future plans + +I want to be able to boot a modern Linux kernel and distribution on +it. Currently I'm working on a "port" of [Archlinux32](https://www.archlinux32.org) +to the i486 architecture using the [crosstool-ng](https://crosstool-ng.github.io/) +toolchain (see [bootstrap32](https://git.archlinux32.org/bootstrap32)). + +The installation process has to be something over iPXE, as a 1.44MB floppy +really doesn't hold a kernel 4.15.x anymore. iPXE itself will need some +patching for i486 too. + +### Update 26.11.2022 + +Had to set up the machine again, either the SD card died or my Linux experiments +nuked the MBR. Found [mTCP](http://www.brutman.com/mTCP/) to be a very nice +alternative networking package, also having a FTP and HTTP server. + +Also the sentence about not being able to boot a modern Linux from floppy is wrong. +In the meantime I can boot it with the +[Archlinux32 i486 Floppy](https://git.archlinux32.org/archi486/tree/floppy), just the +NEx000 drivers in modern kernels are currently quite misbehaving somehow. + +## Videos and Links + +* LGR: [My Smallest 486 Desktop PC: Unisys CWD-4002](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddgmzmw6_qE) +* HighTreason610: [Leo Data Book 486-DBA Overview (Very small computer)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTuJXf0if2A) +* Andres Ramos: [Oberon Tutorial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Do2O1yFrnos) + +### Blogs and articles + +* [Gered's Ramblings, Follow-up: Unisys CWD 4001](http://blarg.ca/follow-up-unisys-cwd-4001/) +* [Unisys CWD Surplus info Page](http://mule.sworks.com/keng/unisys.shtml) +* https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=55212: post in the Vogons.org by some CWD 4001 users +* [8 bit museum](http://museo8bits.com/wiki/index.php/Unisys_CDW5001): Though it's about the Pentium based successor, it's worth a look +* [French blog](http://www.win3x.org/win3board/viewtopic.php?t=20276) +* [Windows 3.11 software installation](http://stephan.win31.de/w31mm_d1.htm): in German +* http://blarg.ca/mini-486-pc/ + +### Hardware + +* SD to IDE adapter on [Ebay](http://www.ebay.com/itm/291873933509) +* [Soundblaster VIBRA 16, CT4170](http://www.amoretro.de/2012/09/creative-sound-blaster-16-waveffects-ct4170.html): + in German +* [French page with drivers](http://nwserveur.no-ip.org/win3xorg/devices/UNISYS%20CWD/Model%204001/Drivers/) + +### DOS drivers + +* http://www.brutman.com/mTCP/: TCP/IP software for DOS +* [DOS drivers for the NE2000](http://www.georgpotthast.de/sioux/packet.htm), the NE2000.EXE package driver +* [Vibra 16 Soundblaster drivers on Vogons.org](http://www.vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fileid=33&menustate=0) + +### DOS software +* http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/net/wget/: wget for DOS + +### Windows 3.1 drivers + +* [Cirrus Logic GD5424](http://www.vogonsdrivers.com/index.php?catid=47) + +### Windows 3.1 software + +* [Windows 3.1x Utilities](http://www.k7tty.com/Utilities/Windows31/): some + packages with useful Windows 3.1x software bundled +* [FTP client](https://www.systemhaus-brandenburg.de/download/tools/win3x/ftp/ftp.html): + as the windows TCP/IP-32 stack for Windows 3.11 provides only quite an + ugly text based FTP client. +* [Netscape 3.04](http://ftp.vim.org/netscape/communicator/english/3.04/windows/windows3.1/navigator_gold/) + +### Games: + +* [DOS Games](http://www.abandonwaredos.com) + +### Other Links + +* ~~[Index of Interesting DOS programs](http://www.opus.co.tt/dave/indexall.htm)~~ + |