Wild Hare Nova and Eclipse Emulator =================================== Beta Release [0.03] Quickstart 004 ---------------------------------- 2022-Nov-08 ----------- Contents -------- Background Tell Me More SimH? Beta Release Bug Reports, Comments, Suggestions Getting Started I Want to Run... 1) Original DOS (the start of it all!) 2) RDOS ...Unmapped Nova RDOS (URDOS) 3) ...Mapped Nova 840 RDOS (MRDOS) 4) ...Mapped Nova 4/X RDOS (NRDOS) 5) ...Mapped Eclipse RDOS (ZRDOS) 6) DG/RDOS 7) MP/OS 8) AOS 9) MP/AOS Background ---------- Wild Hare Computer Systems, Inc., is pleased to announce this beta version of its Data General Nova and Eclipse emulator. This emulator is a major part of Wild Hare's expanding efforts to preserve Data General's significant contributions to computer history. The emulator also complements Wild Hare's interactive, on-line, browser-based Nova emulator which is available at: www.NovasAreForever.org/novajs Additional background information on Data General and Wild Hare preservation efforts can be viewed at: www.NovasAreForever.org www.Nova-At-50.org www.WildHareComputers.com Wild Hare has concurrently released a non-commercial, hobbyist license for Data General legacy software, which covers the full range of DG operating systems, languages and utilities. Okay, Tell Me More ------------------ The full range of Data General 16-bit Nova and Eclipse computers are supported in a single executable program. It runs on Microsoft Windows and Linux platforms and is configured by the contents of an initialization file and/or using interactive user commands. The emulator combines portions of Wild Hare's commercial products with the SimH emulation structure to create a single emulator for the 16-bit Nova and Eclipse computers. For convenience, Wild Hare provides pre-configured operating system and language packages for the various processors and operating systems. These exist in the disk container files on the beta release web page. A full range of Data General software - operating systems and languages - have been released for hobbyist use with the emulator. The emulator supports the following DG computers and software: Processors unmapped Nova, SuperNova, Nova 1200, Nova 800, Nova 2, Nova 3, Nova 4 mapped Nova 840 mapped Nova 3/D mapped Nova 4/X Eclipse S/130 Eclipse S/140 Eclipse S/150 Eclipse S/120 Eclipse Desktop Generation Model 20 and Model 30 Peripherals TTI/TTO primary console (TeleType) input/output RTC real-time clock TTI1/TTO1 secondary console (TeleType) input/output PTR paper tape reader PTP paper tape punch PLT plotter LPT line printer MTA mag tape unit DSK fixed-head disk DKP moving head disks DEP Desktop Generation disks DZP popular "Zebra" disks QTY 4060 "Quad" asynchronous multiplexors ALM 4255 Asynchronous Line Multiplexors Software Operating Systems DOS Novas (first DOS written for Novas in 1970) RDOS URDOS Novas and Eclipses (in unmapped mode) MRDOS Mapped Nova 840 NRDOS Mapped Nova 3/D and Nova 4/X ZRDOS Mapped Eclipses MP/OS microProducts and Nova 4 DG/RDOS Eclipses AOS Eclipses MP/AOS Eclipses Languages ASM (Assembler) MAC (Macro Assembler) ALGOL DG/L FORTRAN 4 FORTRAN 5 FORTRAN 77 Extended BASIC Business BASIC MP Pascal SP Pascal COBOL Interactive COBOL (ICOBOL) PL/1 RPG II IDEA INFOS II CEO CompuCALC Miscellaneous fun games utilities extra languages What Else? Many other more arcane features are supported, including: - Nova system full FPU [floating point unit] support. - Nova 3 and 4 secret stack, unsigned multiply/divide, and signed multiply/divide instruction support. - Nova clone 64 KW memory extension support. - Eclipse full character instruction set. - Eclipse full Commercial Instruction Set. 3rd-party software packages SimH? ----- SimH is a mature open source project that provides a powerful framework for developing emulators of "legacy" computers. It supports a common software structure that supports a broad range of diverse legacy computer systems, from the smallest and earliest 1950s computers to large mainframes. Initially created by Bob Supnik, it has grown into a world-wide project that now has decades of its own rich history. SimH information can be found at: github.com/OpenSimH simh.trailing-edge.com Wild Hare is donating portions of its commercial products to the SimH project to create a Nova and Eclipse emulator. Beta Release ------------- This is considered an "beta-level" software release intended to gather user experience information to guide product development. Feedback is important to help make the software easier to use and determine areas of interest. Due to the breadth and range of effort, additional software and documentation will be incrementally added as time and priorities permit. Three things help make this beta release more fun and effective: DG knowledge SimH knowledge Nostalgic enthusiasm Each of these contributes to the overall value and benefit, especially since configuring user software (OS and language) takes significant time and effort. Note that anything and everythng could change at any time from release to release as improvements are made. As an beta release please do not distribute anything. Bug Reports, Comments, Suggestions ---------------------------------- Please send all bug reports, comments, suggestions, ridicule and giggles to: beta@WildHareComputers.com Getting Started --------------- Create the emulation environment Suggest use of the operating system's command line environment for system operation (rather than GUI click'n'pray) Create directory for the system Insure you have read/write access for directory The beta release web source page is at: www.NovasAreForever.org/beta Data General documentation is currently at: www.NovasAreForever.org/dgdocs Get the files you need... a) download the program file for your host operating system, or the single zip file which contains all of the progrma files: nova.exe MS Windows (Win XP, 7, 8, 10) nova.pi Linux, Raspberry Pi (ARM), 32-bit nova.x86 Linux, Ubuntu 20 LTS (x86), 64-bit all_program_files.zip zip file containing all three program files (Microsoft Windows Note: MS Windows Defender settings may need to have "Real-time protection" feature temporarily disabled to allow *.exe files to be downloaded, saved, renamed, and moved. Other Windows-based browsers and/or anti-virus programs may require similar profile changes to allow user access to the nova.exe file. Your mileage may vary.) The menu path is: Start ---> Settings ---> Update & Security ---> Windows Security ---> Virus & threat protection ---> Virus & threat protection settings ---> Manage settings ---> Real-time protection [X] On <=== turn this off! b) download simh.ini configuration file for the OS you want to run, or the single zip file which contains all of the files: simh.aos.ini simh.dos.ini simh.dgrdosini simh.mpaosini simh.mposini simh.rdosini simh.ini.zip zip file containing all configuration files There is one simh.ini.* file for each operating system. Note: All RDOS versions use the same container file. c) download the container file for the OS you want to run, or the single zip file which contains all of the files DKP.4047.DOS.raw DZP.6067.RDOS.raw DZP.6067.DGRDOS.raw DZP.6067.AOS.raw DKP.6103.MPOS.raw DZP.6067.MPAOS.raw all_disk_files.zip d) download the QuickStart, license and SimH documentation files DG_Hobbyist_License.txt quickstart_005_2020-Nov-08.txt simh_doc.doc simh_faq.doc e) download any of the Data General documentation www.NoasAreForever.org/dgdocs Note that these files are preliminary and should not yet be distributed - they will likely be updated or changed "soon". I Want to Run... ---------------- 1) Original DOS (the start of it all - 1969!) 2) RDOS ...Unmapped Nova RDOS (URDOS) 3) ...Mapped Nova 840 RDOS (MRDOS) 4) ...Mapped Nova 4/X RDOS (NRDOS) 5) ...Mapped Eclipse RDOS (ZRDOS) 6) DG/RDOS (specifically for Desktop Generation) 7) MP/OS 8) AOS 9) MP/AOS 1) I Want to Run... Original DOS (the start of it all!) --------------------------------------------------- Download container file: DKP.4047.DOS.raw DOS container file Startup command line: nova.exe simh.dos.ini (Windows) ./nova simh.dos.ini (Linux) The SimH commands in the simh.dos.ini file will boot the disk and start DOS with these SimH commands: boot DKP (issue boot command to disk) DOS REV 05. (displayed, and then CPU HALTs) R (DOS CLI command prompt then displayed) System termination "power off" system (no OS release command needed) (i.e. and then type QUIT) Languages available: Extended Assembler Sample Programs: HMA. HELLOWORLD. 2) I Want to Run Unmapped Nova RDOS (URDOS) --- --------------------------------------------------- Download container file: DZP.6067.RDOS.raw RDOS common disk container file Startup command line: nova.exe simh.urdos.ini (Windows) ./nova simh.urdos.ini (Linux) The SimH commands in the simh.rdos.ini file will boot the disk and start RDOS with these SimH commands: set CPU NOVA (set CPU to an unmapped NOVA) boot DZP (issue boot command to disk) Filename? (RDOS boot file name prompt is displayed) At this point you should type the name of the RDOS system you want to execute - "URDOS" for unmapped Nova and Eclipse in this case: URDOS (answer with 'URDOS' and ) NOVA RDOS Rev 7.60 (RDOS banner message displayed) Date (m/d/y) ? (Date query: answer 2-digit month, space, 2-digit day, space, 4-digit year, i.e. 4 7 2022) Time (h:m:s) ? (Time query: answer with traditional time response) R (DOS CLI command prompt displayed) Convenience macros are already available for your use, and these two should be run after the 'R' prompt is seen: UP (set up RDOS environment) CREATEUTIL (create URDOS-specific utility directory) System termination Run the BYE.MC CLI macro, or the CLI command: RELEASE %MDIR% (command to perform clean shutdown of RDOS system) MASTER DEVICE RELEASED (displayed message) (then type QUIT after HALT instruction is executed) Languages available: Assembler MAC (Macro assembler) ALGOL FORTRAN IV Extended BASIC 3) I Want to Run Mapped Nova 840 RDOS (MRDOS) --- --------------------------------------------------- Download container file: DZP.6067.RDOS.raw RDOS common disk container file Startup command line: nova.exe simh.mrdos.ini (Windows) ./nova simh.mrdos.ini (Linux) The SimH commands in the simh.rdos.ini file will boot the disk and start RDOS with these SimH commands: set CPU NOVA_840 (set CPU to an mapped NOVA 840) boot DZP (issue boot command to disk) Filename? (RDOS boot file name prompt is displayed) At this point you should type the name of the RDOS system you want to execute - "MRDOS" for the Nova 840 in this case: MRDOS (answer with 'MRDOS' and ) Mapped NOVA RDOS Rev 7.60 (RDOS banner message displayed) Date (m/d/y) ? (Date query: answer 2-digit month, space, 2-digit day, space, 4-digit year, i.e. 4 7 2022) Time (h:m:s) ? (Time query: answer with traditional time response) R (DOS CLI command prompt displayed) Convenience macros are already available for your use, and these two should be run after the 'R' prompt is seen: UP (set up RDOS environment) CREATEUTIL (create MRDOS-specific utility directory) System termination Run the BYE.MC CLI macro, or the CLI command: RELEASE DZ0 (command to perform clean shutdown of RDOS system) MASTER DEVICE RELEASED (displayed message) (then type QUIT after HALT instruction is executed) Languages available: Assembler MAC (Macro assembler) ALGOL FORTRAN IV FORTRAN 5 Extended BASIC 4) I Want to Run Mapped Nova 3/D and 4/X RDOS (NRDOS) --- ------------------------------------------------------ Download container file: DZP.6067.RDOS.raw RDOS common disk container file Startup command line: nova.exe simh.nrdos.ini (Windows) ./nova simh.nrdos.ini (Linux) The SimH commands in the simh.rdos.ini file will boot the disk and start RDOS with these SimH commands: set CPU NOVA_4/X (set CPU to an mapped NOVA 4/X) boot DZP (issue boot command to disk) Filename? (RDOS boot file name prompt is displayed) At this point you should type the name of the RDOS system you want to execute - "MRDOS" for the Nova 840 in this case: NRDOS (answer with 'NRDOS' and ) Mapped NOVA 3/4 RDOS Rev 7.60 (RDOS banner message displayed) Date (m/d/y) ? (Date query: answer 2-digit month, space, 2-digit day, space, 4-digit year, i.e. 4 7 2022) Time (h:m:s) ? (Time query: answer with traditional time response) R (DOS CLI command prompt displayed) Convenience macros are already available for your use, and these two should be run after the 'R' prompt is seen: UP (set up RDOS environment) CREATEUTIL (create NRDOS-specific utility directory) System termination Run the BYE.MC CLI macro, or the CLI command: RELEASE DZ0 (command to perform clean shutdown of RDOS system) MASTER DEVICE RELEASED (displayed message) (then type QUIT after HALT instruction is executed) Languages available: Assembler MAC (Macro assembler) ALGOL FORTRAN IV FORTRAN 5 Extended BASIC Interactive COBOL (ICOBOL) 5) I Want to Run Mapped Eclipse RDOS (ZRDOS) --- --------------------------------------------------- Download container file: DZP.6067.RDOS.raw RDOS common disk container file Startup command line: nova.exe simh.zrdos.ini (Windows) ./nova simh.zrdos.ini (Linux) The SimH commands in the simh.rdos.ini file will boot the disk and start RDOS with these SimH commands: set CPU Eclipse_S/140 (set CPU to an mapped Eclipse S/140) boot DZP (issue boot command to disk) Filename? (RDOS boot file name prompt is displayed) At this point you should type the name of the RDOS system you want to execute - "ZRDOS" for the Eclipse S/140 in this case: NRDOS (answer with 'NRDOS' and ) Mapped NOVA 3/4 RDOS Rev 7.60 (RDOS banner message displayed) Date (m/d/y) ? (Date query: answer 2-digit month, space, 2-digit day, space, 4-digit year, i.e. 4 7 2022) Time (h:m:s) ? (Time query: answer with traditional time response) R (DOS CLI command prompt displayed) Convenience macros are already available for your use, and these two should be run after the 'R' prompt is seen: UP (set up RDOS environment) CREATEUTIL (create NRDOS-specific utility directory) System termination Run the BYE.MC CLI macro, or the CLI command: RELEASE DZ0 (command to perform clean shutdown of RDOS system) MASTER DEVICE RELEASED (displayed message) (then type QUIT after HALT instruction is executed) Languages available: Assembler MAC (Macro assembler) ALGOL DG/L FORTRAN IV FORTRAN 5 Extended BASIC compiled COBOL Interactive COBOL (ICOBOL) 6) I Want to Run Mapped Eclipse DG/RDOS --- --------------------------------------------------- Download container file: DZP.6067.DGRDOS.raw DG/RDOS container file Startup command line: nova.exe simh.dgrdos.ini (Windows) ./nova simh.dgrdos.ini (Linux) The SimH commands in the simh.dgrdos.ini file will boot the disk and start DG/RDOS with these SimH commands: set CPU Eclipse_S/140 (set CPU to an mapped Eclipse S/140) boot DZP (issue boot command to disk) Filename? (RDOS boot file name prompt is displayed) This prompt will be displayed for a [very] short time period, then the boot program will load the default DG/RDOS operating system: DG/RDOS Rev 03.00 (DG/RDOS banner message displayed) Date (m/d/y) ? (Date query: answer 2-digit month, space, 2-digit day, space, 4-digit year, i.e. 4 7 2022) Time (h:m:s) ? (Time query: answer with traditional time response) R (DOS CLI command prompt displayed) Convenience macros are already available for your use, and this one should be run after the 'R' prompt is seen: UP (set up RDOS environment) System termination Run the BYE.MC CLI macro, or the CLI command: RELEASE DZ0 (command to perform clean shutdown of RDOS system) R (CLI displayed again) The emulator command line will need to be entered with the /E key sequence, then type QUIT after BYE after the "simulation stopped" message. Languages available: Assembler MAC (Macro assembler) ALGOL FORTRAN IV FORTRAN 5 Extended BASIC DG/L Interactive COBOL (ICOBOL) 7) I Want to Run MP/OS --- --------------------------------------------------- Download container file: DZP.6103.MPOS.raw MP/OS container file Startup command line: nova.exe simh.mpos.ini (Windows) ./nova simh.mpos.ini (Linux) The SimH commands in the simh.mpos.ini file will boot the disk and start MP/OOS with these SimH commands: set CPU NOVA_4/X (set CPU to an mapped NOVA 4/X) boot dkp (issue boot command to disk) MP/OS (NOVA 4) Rev 3.02 (MP/OS startup display messages) MP/OS CLI Rev. 3.20 Level 1 ) (MP/OS CLI command prompt) System termination BYE (command to perform clean shutdown of MP/OS disk) MP/OS CLI Terminating (MP/OS system shutdown messages) System Shutdown (then type QUIT after HALT instruction is executed) Languages available: MAC (Macro assembler) MP FORTRAN IV MP BASIC MP Pascal 8) I Want to Run AOS --- --------------------------------------------------- Download container file: DZP.6045.AOS.raw AOS container file Startup command line: nova.exe simh.aos.ini (Windows) ./nova simh.aos.ini (Linux) SimH Multi-user configuration messages are displayed: attach TTI1 40000 %SIM-INFO: Listening on port 40000 attach ALM 40001 %SIM-INFO: Listening on port 40001 Startup command line: nova.exe simh.aos.ini (Windows) ./nova simh.aos.ini (Linux) The SimH startup file will display helpful information regarding the AOS system, then configure the multi-user environment with TTI1/TTO1 assigned to port 4000 and the ALM lines assigned to port 4001. Then the SimH will boot the disk to boot AOS with the following command: boot DZP (issue boot command to disk) SPECIFY EACH DISK IN THE LDU (AOS asks about boot configuration) DISK UNIT NAME? DPF0 (answer with 'DPF0' and ) DEVICE CODE? (answer with [to use default device code]) SYSTEM PATHNAME? (answer with [to use default system]) AOS REV 7.00 DATE (MM/DD/YY) ? (Date query: answer 2-digit month, space, 2-digit day, space, 2-digit year, i.e. 4 7 99) (WARNING: AOS is not Y2K compliant - last year accepted here is '99') TIME (HH:MM:SS) ? (Time query: answer with traditional time response) OVERRIDE DEFAULT SPECS [N] ? (answer with ) MASTER LUD: DPF0 (AOS displays startup messages) AOS CLI REV 07.00 7-Apr-99 13:00:00 ) (system in single-user, non-priviledged mode) ) CHAR/NAS/CPL=166 (set terminal to perform after and 166 chars/line) ) SEARCH :util : :MACROS :PER (set up search list) ) SUPERUSER ON (set us as super user) *) UP (execute the multi-user environment startup command file) FROM PID ... (AOS startup messages displayed here) ... (consoles and EXEC system started) ) (after about 10 seconds console will become [new] standard user) ) SUPERUSER ON (may set us as super user) *) System termination BYE (command to return console to previous superuser process) AOS CLI TERMINATING 7-APR-99 13:03:58 13:03:58 *) BYE (command to terminate multi-user environment) YOU HAVE SONS, DO YUO WANT TO TERMINATE? YES (answer YES) DO YOU REALLYT WANT TO SHUT THE SYSTEM DOWN? (answer YES) STARTING SYSTEM SHUTDOWN 7-APR-99 13:07:41 SYSTEM SHUTDOWN (then type QUIT after HALT instruction is executed) Languages available: MAC (Macro assembler) Business BASIC Extended BASIC COBOL (compiled) Interactive COBOL (ICOBOL) DG/L FORTRAN IV FORTRAN 5 FORTRAN 77 MP Pascal SP Pascal games IDEA CompuCalc Multi-user access: TTI1/TTO1 Telnet port 40000 ALM lines Telnet port 40001 user: OP password: OPR Type a or to initiate login on the TTI1/TTO1 and ALM lines CHAR/NAS/CPL=166 (set terminal to perform after and 166 chars/line) SEARCH :util : :PER :MACROS (set up search list) Type BYE to log off the system. 9) I Want to Run MP/AOS --- --------------------------------------------------- Download container file: DZP.6045.MPAOS.raw MP/AOS container file Startup command line: nova.exe simh.mpos.ini (Windows) ./nova simh.mpos.ini (Linux) The SimH commands in the simh.mpaos.ini file will boot the disk and start MP/AOS with these SimH commands: set CPU Eclipse_S/140 (set CPU to an Eclipse S/140) boot DZP (issue boot command to disk) Sysboot Rev. 2.00 Enter system filename [mpaos.sys]: (answer with ) Override default specs [N]? (answer with ) MP/AOS Revision 2.00 Copyright (c) Data General Corporation 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 All Rights Reserved MP/AOS Licensed Property of Data General Corporation System ID : eclip (system displayed by boot system) Master Disk : DPF0 Enter System Time ( HH:MM:SS ) : (Time query: answer with traditional time response) Enter System Date ( DD-MMM-YY ) : (Date query: answer 2-digit day, '-', 3-character month, '-', 2-digit year, i.e. 07-APR-99) (WARNING: MP/AOS is not Y2K compliant - last year accepted here is '99') (Note reverse order of day and month, and name of month rather than number) MP/AOS CLI Rev. 2.0 Swaplevel 1 ) (system CLI command prompt) System termination BYE (command file to terminate system) MP/AOS CLI Terminating (system termination messages displayed) System Shutdown (then type QUIT after HALT instruction is executed) Languages available: MAC (Macro assembler) MP BASIC FORTRAN IV FORTRAN 77 MP Pascal SP Pascal SimH Reference -------------- Full SimH documentation can be found at: github.com/OpenSimH simh.trailing-edge.com Some of the common SimH functions and commands that are described in the documents include: How to... start emulator exit emulator show configuration enable a device disable a device attach a device unit detach a device unit device modifiers and registers show device modifiers set device modifier show device registers set device register change device settings change device unit settings boot a device program execution run interrupt continue exit exmine memory deposit memory breakpoints examine/modify memory help system simh.ini configuration file notes Software Matrix --------------- Operating System ---------------- Software URDOS NRDOS ZRDOS DGRDOS AOS MP/OS MP/AOS AOS-SU -------- ----- ----- ----- ------ --- ----- ------ ------ ASM X X X X X X X X MASM X X X X X X X X ALGOL X X X X - - - - Extended BASIC X X X X X X - - Business BASIC X X X X X X - - MP BASIC - - - X X X X ? COBOL - - X - X - - - ICOBOL X X X X X X ? ? DG/L - - X X X - ? ? FORTRAN IV X X X X X X X X FORTRAN 5 - X X X X ? ? ? FORTRAN 77 - - - X ? ? ? MP/Pascal - - - X X ? ? SP/Pascal - - - X ? ? ? PL/I - - - X ? ? ? AOS INFOS II - - - - X - ? ? AOS CEO - - - - X - ? ? IDEA - - X ? X - - - CompuCalc - - X X X - - - Others: DOS (original DOS, 1969-1973) DOS (Diskette OS, 1976) INFOS ICOS ------------------------------------ changes: 2022-Nov-08 ###