RL01/RL02 User Guide

This document is the "RL01/RL02 User Guide" from Digital Equipment Corporation, published in 1981. It provides comprehensive information on the RL01/RL02 disk subsystem, covering its capabilities, installation, operation, and programming.

The subsystem consists of RL01 or RL02 disk drives and one of several controllers: the RL11 (for PDP-11 UNIBUS), RLV11/RLV12 (for LSI-11/Q-Bus), or RL8A (for PDP-8 OMNIBUS). Each controller supports up to four drives with Direct Memory Access (DMA). The disk cartridges (RL01K: 5.2 MB, RL02K: 10.4 MB) are removable, top-loading units that store servo, header, and user data; they are physically interchangeable but not functionally. The document includes detailed physical and operational specifications for both drives and cartridges, as well as environmental considerations.

The guide outlines site preparation, step-by-step installation procedures for each controller type and the disk drives (including cabling, grounding, and pre-startup checks), and confidence testing using diagnostic programs. An operator's section explains external controls, indicators, cartridge loading/unloading procedures, and basic user maintenance. Programming information details addressable registers, controller commands, error codes, and operational considerations, with dedicated chapters for II-Family (PDP-11/LSI-11) and RL8A (PDP-8) controllers. A key distinction highlighted is that the RL01/RL02 subsystem requires more software control for certain functions (e.g., seeks, reformatting) compared to older, more hardware-centric RK05 systems.