Installation of the
Intel iRMX Operating System

I have been attempting to „revitalize” my Intel System 310 computer, specifically the Intel SYP-310 model, for some time now. It turned out that the iSBC-214 card was damaged. This card controls floppy disk drives, ST-506 standard MFM hard drives, and a Quarter-Inch Cartridge tape drive. Thanks to documentation I found on the ’bitsavers.org’ website, I was able to repair it.

The computer was running the Intel iRMX operating system. Unfortunately, due to my lack of knowledge about the history of my Intel SYP-310 unit, I couldn’t retrieve the 'super’ user password, limiting my actions. A video demonstrating the startup of this computer can be viewed below.

A few days later, the aging hard disk stopped cooperating, rendering the computer „inactive”. I decided to attempt installing the iRMX system afresh on my Intel SYP-310 using a different hard disk.

Fortunately, disk images of the iRMX system are available on the ’bitsavers.org’ website. The images are in 'dmk’ and 'imd’ formats. I chose to utilize these files for installing the iRMX system on an external MFM drive.

I opted for a solution based on the FlashFloppy software running on the hardware emulator GOTEK. I used the ’HxC Floppy Emulator software’ to convert 'dmk’ disk image files to the 'img’ format required by the GOTEK emulator with FlashFloppy software.

I prepared the configuration files for the disk drive emulator, which worked seamlessly for me. I reconfigured all connections for the disk drives, hard drive, and tape drive to the rear panel of the computer. By making slight adjustments to the connections between the iSBC-214 card and the internally mounted hard drive and floppy disk drives, I successfully connected the external GOTEK emulator and a Miniscribe 3085 external hard drive.

* SYSTEM CONFIDENCE TEST [286-W-] V2.2 Copyright 1984, 1985, Intel Corporation Processor Subsystem Tests PROCESSOR SUBSYSTEM .......................................... PASS Memory Subsystem Tests MEMORY SUBSYSTEM ......................... 896 K Tested ...... PASS Boot Subsystem Tests :w0: Wini Read Transfer Status DATA FIELD ECC ERROR :wf0: Floppy READY BOOT SUBSYSTEM ............................................... FAIL SCT FAILED ... entering SYSTEM DEBUG MONITOR For Help Type: "wh" Interrupt 3 at F01F:0495 . b :wf0: Loading :wf0: iRMX 86 HI CLI, V3.0: USER = 65535 Copyright 1981, 1982, 1984 Intel Corporation - date q DATE: 06/20/24 20 JUN 24, 19:11:01 - time q TIME: 12 20 JUN 24, 12:00:00 - END SUBMIT :prog:r?logon - dir :sd: 20 JUN 24 12:00:13 DIRECTORY OF :sd: ON VOLUME 147025 RMX86B.060 system lang utils user config work instal.csd - super enter password: super- submit :sd:instal(CM0, 1, 1250) - ; - ; *-*-* INSTAL.CSD *-*-* - ; - ; Submit file to install the iRMX 86 R6.0 Installation System for - ; iAPX 286-based systems. This file should only be executed by the - ; System Manager (a user with an id of '0' (super). - ; - ; Invocation: submit instal(dev_name, interleave, files) - ; - ; Where: dev_name is the physical device name of the device on which - ; you are installing the Installation system. - ; interleave is the interleave factor that best suits the - ; device on which you are installing the Installation System. - ; files is the number of files you will need to be able - ; to create on the device on which you are installing the - ; Installation System. - ; - ; WARNING: the specified device will be formatted! - ; - attachdevice CM0 as :wd0: CM0, attached as :wd0:, id = 0 - ; - format :wd0:rmx286 il=1 files=1250 volume (rmx286) will be formatted as a NAMED volume granularity = 1,024 map start = 5,272 interleave = 1 files = 1,250 extensionsize = 3 volume size = 10,656 K TTTTTTTTTTT volume formatted - ; - diskverify :wd0: iRMX 86 Disk Verify Utility, V3.0 Copyright 1981, 1982, 1984 Intel Corporation *verify all DEVICE NAME = cm0 : DEVICE SIZE = 00A68000 : BLOCK SIZE = 0400 'NAMED1' VERIFICATION 'NAMED2' VERIFICATION BIT MAPS O.K. 'PHYSICAL' VERIFICATION NO ERRORS *save save fnode map? yes free fnode map saved save space map? yes free space map saved save bad block map? yes bad block map saved *exit - ; - ; create standard directory tree - ; - copy :sd:rmx86b.060 over :wd0:rmx86b.060 :sd:rmx86b.060 copied OVER :wd0:rmx86b.060 - ; - createdir :wd0:system,:wd0:lang,:wd0:utils,:wd0:config,:wd0:boot, & ** :wd0:config/user,:wd0:config/cmd,:wd0:work,:wd0:user, & ** :wd0:user/world,:wd0:user/world/prog,:wd0:rmx86, & ** :wd0:rmx86/nucleus,:wd0:rmx86/th,:wd0:rmx86/ios, & ** :wd0:rmx86/eios,:wd0:rmx86/loader,:wd0:rmx86/hi, & ** :wd0:rmx86/icu,:wd0:rmx86/crash,:wd0:rmx86/patch, & ** :wd0:rmx86/files,:wd0:rmx86/sdb,:wd0:rmx86/inc, & ** :wd0:rmx86/lib,:wd0:rmx86/udi :wd0:system, directory created :wd0:lang, directory created :wd0:utils, directory created :wd0:config, directory created :wd0:boot, directory created :wd0:config/user, directory created :wd0:config/cmd, directory created :wd0:work, directory created :wd0:user, directory created :wd0:user/world, directory created :wd0:user/world/prog, directory created :wd0:rmx86, directory created :wd0:rmx86/nucleus, directory created :wd0:rmx86/th, directory created :wd0:rmx86/ios, directory created :wd0:rmx86/eios, directory created :wd0:rmx86/loader, directory created :wd0:rmx86/hi, directory created :wd0:rmx86/icu, directory created :wd0:rmx86/crash, directory created :wd0:rmx86/patch, directory created :wd0:rmx86/files, directory created :wd0:rmx86/sdb, directory created :wd0:rmx86/inc, directory created :wd0:rmx86/lib, directory created :wd0:rmx86/udi, directory created - ; - ; Create the language run time support libraries. - ; - createdir :wd0:lib,:wd0:lib/plm86,:wd0:lib/ndp87,:wd0:lib/pasc86, & ** :wd0:lib/fort86,:wd0:lib/cc86,:wd0:lib/rmx86, & ** :wd0:lib/udi86,:wd0:inc :wd0:lib, directory created :wd0:lib/plm86, directory created :wd0:lib/ndp87, directory created :wd0:lib/pasc86, directory created :wd0:lib/fort86, directory created :wd0:lib/cc86, directory created :wd0:lib/rmx86, directory created :wd0:lib/udi86, directory created :wd0:inc, directory created - ; - ; Install the Installation System. - ; - copy :sd:system/* over :wd0:system :sd:system/rmx86 copied OVER :wd0:system/rmx86 :sd:system/attachdevice copied OVER :wd0:system/attachdevice :sd:system/copy copied OVER :wd0:system/copy :sd:system/createdir copied OVER :wd0:system/createdir :sd:system/date copied OVER :wd0:system/date :sd:system/detachdevice copied OVER :wd0:system/detachdevice :sd:system/dir copied OVER :wd0:system/dir :sd:system/diskverify copied OVER :wd0:system/diskverify :sd:system/format copied OVER :wd0:system/format :sd:system/permit copied OVER :wd0:system/permit :sd:system/submit copied OVER :wd0:system/submit :sd:system/super copied OVER :wd0:system/super :sd:system/time copied OVER :wd0:system/time - ; - copy :sd:config/terminals over :wd0:config :sd:config/terminals copied OVER :wd0:config/terminals - ; - copy :sd:config/cmd/* over :wd0:config/cmd :sd:config/cmd/instal860.csd copied OVER :wd0:config/cmd/instal860.csd :sd:config/cmd/instal860u.csd copied OVER :wd0:config/cmd/instal860u.csd :sd:config/cmd/instal863.csd copied OVER :wd0:config/cmd/instal863.csd - ; - copy :sd:config/user/* over :wd0:config/user :sd:config/user/0 copied OVER :wd0:config/user/0 :sd:config/user/world copied OVER :wd0:config/user/world - ; - copy :sd:user/world/prog/r'?'logon over :wd0:user/world/prog :sd:user/world/prog/r?logon copied OVER :wd0:user/world/prog/r?logon - ; - ; Establish the appropriate permissions. - ; - permit :wd0:,:wd0:*,:wd0:system,:wd0:system/*, & ** :wd0:rmx86,:wd0:rmx86/*,:wd0:config/*, & ** :wd0:config/cmd/*,:wd0:lib/* r u=world :wd0:, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:rmx86b.060, accessor = WORLD , -R-- :wd0:system, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:lang, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:utils, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:config, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:boot, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:work, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:user, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:rmx86, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:lib, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:inc, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:system, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:system/rmx86, accessor = WORLD , -R-- :wd0:system/attachdevice, accessor = WORLD , -R-- :wd0:system/copy, accessor = WORLD , -R-- :wd0:system/createdir, accessor = WORLD , -R-- :wd0:system/date, accessor = WORLD , -R-- :wd0:system/detachdevice, accessor = WORLD , -R-- :wd0:system/dir, accessor = WORLD , -R-- :wd0:system/diskverify, accessor = WORLD , -R-- :wd0:system/format, accessor = WORLD , -R-- :wd0:system/permit, accessor = WORLD , -R-- :wd0:system/submit, accessor = WORLD , -R-- :wd0:system/super, accessor = WORLD , -R-- :wd0:system/time, accessor = WORLD , -R-- :wd0:rmx86, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:rmx86/nucleus, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:rmx86/th, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:rmx86/ios, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:rmx86/eios, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:rmx86/loader, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:rmx86/hi, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:rmx86/icu, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:rmx86/crash, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:rmx86/patch, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:rmx86/files, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:rmx86/sdb, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:rmx86/inc, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:rmx86/lib, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:rmx86/udi, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:config/user, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:config/cmd, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:config/terminals, accessor = WORLD , -R-- :wd0:config/cmd/instal860.csd, accessor = WORLD , -R-- :wd0:config/cmd/instal860u.csd, accessor = WORLD , -R-- :wd0:config/cmd/instal863.csd, accessor = WORLD , -R-- :wd0:lib/plm86, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:lib/ndp87, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:lib/pasc86, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:lib/fort86, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:lib/cc86, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:lib/rmx86, accessor = WORLD , -L-- :wd0:lib/udi86, accessor = WORLD , -L-- - ; - permit :wd0:work lac u=world :wd0:work, accessor = WORLD , -LAC - ; - permit :wd0:system/rmx86 N u=world :wd0:system/rmx86, accessor = WORLD , ---- - ; - permit :wd0:user/*,:wd0:user/world/*,:wd0:user/world/prog/r'?'logon, & ** :wd0:config/user/world drau u=world :wd0:user/world, accessor = WORLD , DLAC :wd0:user/world/prog, accessor = WORLD , DLAC :wd0:user/world/prog/r?logon, accessor = WORLD , DRAU :wd0:config/user/world, accessor = WORLD , DRAU - ; - detachdevice :wd0: :wd0:, detached - ; - ; The iRMX 86 R6.0 Installation System is installed. - ; - ; Remove the Installation Diskette from the diskette drive and re-boot - ; iRMX 86 R6.0 from the drive on which it was just installed. Then - ; proceed with the rest of the System Installation. - ; - END SUBMIT :sd:instal.CSD super- * SYSTEM CONFIDENCE TEST [286-W-] V2.2 Copyright 1984, 1985, Intel Corporation Processor Subsystem Tests PROCESSOR SUBSYSTEM .......................................... PASS Memory Subsystem Tests MEMORY SUBSYSTEM ......................... 896 K Tested ...... PASS Boot Subsystem Tests :w0: Wini READY :wf0: Floppy READY BOOT SUBSYSTEM ............................................... PASS SCT PASSED ... entering BOOTLOADER Loading :w0: iRMX 86 HI CLI, V3.0: USER = 65535 Copyright 1981, 1982, 1984 Intel Corporation - date q DATE: 06/20/24 20 JUN 24, 12:07:25 - time q TIME: 12 20 JUN 24, 12:00:00 - END SUBMIT :prog:r?logon - dir :sd: 20 JUN 24 12:00:08 DIRECTORY OF :sd: ON VOLUME rmx286 rmx86b.060 system lang utils config boot work user rmx86 lib inc -

The only compatible mode for this hard drive with the iRMX system in the available version is a 10MB formatted size. Installation details of the system can be seen below. It is straightforward to use installation disk images for software languages, utilities, or system upgrades. If I find the time, I may attempt to document this further in subsequent videos. My plan includes installing the Microsoft XENIX system on this computer.

Step by Step Installation of the Intel iRMX Operating System

You can watch my other videos on vintage computer technology on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Oldics-com