KL10-Based DECSYSTEM-20 Installation Manual

This "KL10-Based DECSYSTEM-20 Installation Manual" (1st Edition, August 1978) provides comprehensive procedures for the entire process of installing, checking out, and formally accepting the DECSYSTEM-20 computer system, ensuring it meets design specifications.

The manual is structured to guide installers through various phases:

1. Installation Planning: Covers personnel involvement, detailed scheduling, environmental and site prerequisites (power, temperature, humidity), system layout, and a day-by-day breakdown of the installation and checkout plan.
2. Unpacking and Inspection: Details procedures for receiving and thoroughly inspecting all system components for completeness and physical damage, including handling missing or damaged parts.
3. Unit Placement and Interconnection: Provides instructions for moving and positioning equipment (especially large cabinets), physically bolting units together, and connecting all internal and external cables (power, signal, and ground) with detailed integrity checks.
4. System Integration: Focuses on connecting various peripheral devices such as disk drives, magnetic tape drives, line printers, card readers, and communication subsystems, along with general grounding requirements.
5. Power Checkout: Outlines critical safety procedures and steps for verifying the system's power supply, including voltage checks with a digital voltmeter and testing emergency trip circuitry.
6. System Checkout (Diagnostics): Describes a comprehensive sequence of diagnostic tests for all major system components (front-end, CPU, memory, disk, tape, communication channels) to verify hardware functionality, perform timing adjustments (deskew), and ensure overall system reliability, culminating in booting the system monitor.
7. Hardware Acceptance: Specifies the formal procedures for validating that the system meets field service criteria, requiring customer observation and sign-off.
8. System Add-on and Adjustment: Includes detailed instructions for installing and adjusting specific hardware additions, such as MA20/MB20 memory and KL10-PV upgrades.
9. Reporting Procedures: Explains the administrative requirements for documenting the installation process through LARS forms, installation reports, and daily logs for quality control and customer history.

The document also includes appendices with sample planning sheets, diagnostic printouts, and hardware acceptance test forms.