Help please for a 3b2 neophyte...

[Leslie Mikesell]

In article <2978 at jato.Jpl.Nasa.Gov> morris at jade.Jpl.Nasa.Gov (Mike Morris) writes:
>I have a chance to pick up a 3b2-300 with a very dead hard disk drive for
>very little money.
>Does anybody supply aftermarket cards (memory or otherwise) for this machine?

Congruent Technology makes a 2Meg memory card and an adapter that lets you
use it with the 2 1Meg cards you might already have.  Don't expect it to
be priced anything like '386 memory...

>The disk is (was, really) a full-height 5.25" CDC Wren.  Knowing a little
>about how AT&T designed hardware, I'm wondering if this is a standard 
>ST-506 interface, or do I need to look for a specific flavor of hard drive?

It is a standard ST-506 interface, but only certain sizes are supported
and you need something called "idtools" to format it.  This may only
be available to VARS.

>Also, if my source can't turn up the docs/floppies, how available
>is the needed software?

You can still get the unix system software, development tools, etc.

>How about a starlan card for it?
>If I can turn a starlan card for my XT will they talk?  Can the 3b2 be a
>file server & a print server?

Yes, that's all available and works pretty well.  Not cheap, though.

>Am I getting in over my head?
>Is there something I should be asking and am not? 

Unless something is wrong besides the disk, making the machine run should
just be a matter of finding a replacement and the formatting program.  However,
if you have to add memory or networking, it's going to be pretty expensive.
If the machine doesn't come with 4Megs of memory, I'd say forget it and go
for a '386.  All the same software is available for the '386 (starlan included)
and it is much more expandable in terms of memory, disk types, tape drives,
etc., and can be repaired with generic parts.  I've used both, and a 386
will run circles around the 3b2/300 (or 310/400) if it has a fast disk.

Les Mikesell
  les at chinet.chi.il.us