Data General Nova 2 users, where are you?

[Bruce Ray]

That sounds like a nice configuration.  DG did use bank switching for some 
of its machines (versus its official memory map design), but none officially 
existed for the Nova 2 from DG.  DG bank switch units were used on the CS/10 
and CS/20 microNova systems but the upper 16 K words were mapped since a 
couple of lower page zero locations had dedicated functions (i.e. interrupt 
return address, interrupt handler addresss).  Bank switching the lower 16 K 
could lead to "problematic situations" when an interrupt occurred.

The Nova 2 CPU board does not contain an integrated serial port controller. 
A 4010 board or 4075 board were the usual serial port adaptors for Novas.

Please contact me off-list for additional help for this interesting 
configuration: bkr at WildHareComputers.com.

Good find!


Bruce

Bruce Ray
Wild Hare Computer Systems, Inc.
bkr at WildHareComputers.com


...preserving the Data General legacy:  www.NovasAreForever.com




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Philipp Hachtmann" <hachti at hachti.de>
To: <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Friday, September 29, 2006 10:29 AM
Subject: Data General Nova 2 users, where are you?


> Hi folks,
>
> I recently got a Data General Nova 2 CPU. It is a very late built OEM 
> machine (Boards say ©1973 Data General but IC timestamps tell a different 
> story from the time around 1977/1978).
> The machine came with 80kw (!!!!!) of core memory which is two an a half 
> time of 32kw wich is the Nova's address space. The memory is banked by 
> very simple MMU which bank-switches the lower 16k. If I power the unit up 
> I can simply use 32kw of core. That seems to work. Have not yet worked out 
> how the mmu is switched. Will worry about that later...
>
> After replacing the front panel lights I can manually read and write 
> memory locations. And I *think* that the CPU works. At least basically.
>
> The machine is full of made in Germany boards made by some strange unknown 
> OEM company.
>
> There is a Diablo disk drive with a diablo controller. The only function I 
> can see at the moment is a red led on the controller which says "ready" in 
> sync with the ready light on the disk drive. Drive looks good. If I try to 
> boot the system via the built-in dma loading routine it simply hangs in an 
> endless loop and nothing happens.
>
> At the moment I would be glad to hook up some kind of "standard tty" to 
> the machine.
> Does the Nova 2 have a standard tty port built directly into the one-PCB 
> cpu? That would be wonderful!
>
> If anybody can help me with tips, tricks, software, hardware, experience 
> or any other interesting stuff and information - please let me know!
> I don't know what to do with the machine at the moment.
>
> I think I also could need some "standard peripherals" for the machine.
>
> Thanks a lot!
>
> Best wishes from Bavaria (!),
>
> Philipp :-)