Xerox Alto Restoration

[robespierre]

Part 11:

Marc takes the Alto mouse apart; Ken and Luca play with a couple of programs from the Alto's early days (Bravo and Draw)

[robespierre]

Part 12:

Fixing the 3Mbit/s Experimental Ethernet hardware, and a visit from some Alto pioneers:

[robespierre]

Part 13:

Attempts to create new Diablo and Experimental Ethernet interfaces not quite successful:



Part 14:

Testing some software on loan from Xerox PARC:

[robespierre]

Part 15:

Experimental Ethernet interface working: (this was demonstrated at VCF West)


Part 16:
Diablo disk failure caused by a fragment of a static dissipating resistor! and more:


The Alto monitor depends on an incandescent bulb:
http://www.righto.com/2017/10/inside-vi ... -tiny.html

[robespierre]

Part 17:
Smalltalk-76 running again on the Alto:


http://www.righto.com/2017/10/the-xerox ... iting.html

[jan-jaap]

This is awesome.

I love following this series.

[robespierre]

Our intrepid explorers put their experience to work restoring an Alto that was stored in a barn:



Gnarly power supplies:


A CRT that failed for a surprising reason:

http://www.righto.com/2017/10/inside-vi ... -tiny.html

The moment of truth:

[jan-jaap]

The Xerox Alto Struts Its Stuff on Its 40th Birthday

[robespierre]

Inside the Alto's 3 Megabit/s Experimental Ethernet interface:
http://www.righto.com/2017/11/fixing-et ... ntage.html

Part 18:
Diablo disk drive head crashes, head realignment, and CNC surgery on rare alignment packs:


How do you crack a password on a 40-year-old hard disk pack?
http://www.righto.com/2018/01/xerox-alt ... -disk.html

[jan-jaap]

How do you crack a password on a 40-year-old hard disk pack?

Using a Xero-day vulnerability

Sorry, couldn't resist...