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+++
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](http://www.archlinux32.org)
to the i486 architecture using the [crosstool-ng](https://crosstool-ng.github.io/)
toolchain (see [bootstrap32](https://github.com/archlinux32/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.
## 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)
### 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)
|
