PDP-11/70 CPU core and SoC :: Systems
Systems
Fig S-1: Screen shot of 2.11BSD boot sequence and some commands on a w11a_s3 system. The output of the two DL11 is directed in the DL0/DL1 windows. In the bottom right corner is a window with messages of the backend server process visible. See also hi-res jpg.
Running Systems
The most stringent test so far is that the following systems are known to boot:- UNIX 5th edition. Released in June 1974 this very early UNIX uses only a fraction of the hardware capabilities, and also works happily on a CPU with out FPP. This system fits on a single RK05 volume (download disk image; under Caldera license).
- 2.11 BSD UNIX. Released in 1992, this end-point of historical UNIX development on PDP-11's uses almost all features (22 bit addressing, separate I/D space, 3 processor modes) to squeeze a full UNIX with most of the 4.3 BSD features into a 16 bit machine. A system with the latest patches is needed to get the kernel FPP emulation (patch 445) and RK05 as boot device (patch 446/447) to work. The current w11a system has only RK11 disks, so a very limited subset of the full 2.11BSD distribution was packed onto 5 RK05 disk volumes (download disk set; under BSD and Caldera license). See Figure S-1 for a screen shot of a 2.11BSD boot sequence on a w11a system.
Ancient UNIX systems for the PDP-11 can now be freely used, see Caldera license. Unfortunately there is no hobbyist or non-commercial license available for historical DEC PDP-11 operating systems like RSX-11M V3.2, owned since 1994 by Mentec Inc. (see DEC press release). The Mentec license certainly doesn't apply for usage on an FPGA implementation like the w11a. A RSX-11M V3.2 system, sysgen'ed for a 11/70 CPU with 1920 kwords, no FP-11, a 50 Hz clock, full duplex terminal driver, and a DK: system disk should work, a Fortran-IV V2.2 build with foreis.obj should even provide Fortran on this system without FPP. If somebody can resolve the license issues, please try and send a note to the author.