Simh-hp3000

Emulates classic HP 3000 computers

hp3000 is a simulator for the classic SIO machines. This group consists of the 3000 CX, the Series I, Series II, and the HP 3000 Series III that is simulated here. A large variety of CPU options, device interface cards, and peripherals are provided.

In today’s article, we will explore the FreeBSD port “simh hp3000”, an HP 3000 Series III microcode-level simulator. This is a crucial component of the SIMH simulator package and offers a way for users to run MPE V or MPE XL, the operating systems for HP 3000 computers, on FreeBSD.

About SIMH HP3000

SIMH is a computer architecture simulator platform developed by Robert M. Supnik, a former DEC engineer. It provides a wide variety of historical computer simulations, including the HP 3000 microcomputer systems. The HP 3000 Series III is a vintage microcomputer which was first introduced in the late 70s.

Within the SIMH simulator package, simh hp3000 aids users to execute and run commands in FreeBSD, paving a new path to emulate vintage hardware platforms for developers, educators, historians, and enthusiasts.

Installing SIMH HP3000 in FreeBSD

In FreeBSD, you can use the ports collection to install SIMH HP3000.

Firstly, move to the /usr/ports/emulators/simh/ directory by using the following command

cd /usr/ports/emulators/simh/

Next, you can install SIMH HP3000 by using the command

make install clean

This command will fetch the required package, compile it, and then install it.

Running SIMH HP3000

Once the installation is complete, you can run the simh hp3000 emulator via the command prompt. Here’s how

The emulator is started with the hp3000 command. The simulator reads and executes commands from the standard input device until it is told to exit.

Example of starting the emulator

 hp3000

You will then see the simulator prompt, which accepts and executes commands.

For a full list of emulator commands, you can refer to the SIMH manual available on the web or use the HELP command within the emulator prompt.

Compound Commands in simh hp3000

You can further leverage the power of SIMH HP3000 by using compound commands. For instance, you can issue a command to load a bootstrap loader that will allow you to run the MPE V operating system on your HP 3000 simulation. The command would look something like this

LOAD -r HP3000-MPEV.bin
B

Interconnecting Other FreeBSD Ports

FreeBSD offers numerous other ports that can aid you in ensuring a smooth and secure experience while using the simh hp3000 port.

One such is the NMap, a utility for network discovery and security auditing. This port’s description and instructions are available [here]https//freebsdsoftware.org/security/nmap.html. While SIMH HP3000 supports emulating network interfaces, using tools such as nmap can provide additional insight into networking issues or security concerns in your emulation environment.

Conclusion

The SIMH HP3000 emulation software empowers users to recreate and utilize the HP 3000 system on a FreeBSD platform. Besides this, it opens up opportunities to dive into the architectural specifics of the classic systems and get your hands dirty with low-level programming.

This in-depth exploration of the FreeBSD port “simh hp3000” showcases how indispensable the heritage platforms can be to your development toolkit, everyone from developers, students, history enthusiasts, or professionals working on FreeBSD & using ports.

The SIMH HP3000 emulator is a fascinating dive into computer history that conjures nostalgia and is an essential tool in preserving and remembering how far computing architecture has come. Emulating the HP 3000 system on FreeBSD could just be the vintage computing experience you’ve been looking for!