test-drb

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

101090 discussions

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<1) Can someone explain the process of aligning a disk drive, what is out <whack, and how tricky it is for a rank electronics amateur like myself It's tricky as you will need a good scope and the alignment disk and know how to use both. also getting the alignment disk after so many years will be a challenge. <Oh, I forgot to mention, the drive is an 8", the Altair model that has th <same basic case and look of the Altair itself. This repair is one of the <suspect) many that will be required to bring the Altair back to life. Before you align anything check to see if the head is clean and the head load pad(felt) is there and intact. <I've managed to get it (almost) firing up during the self-test stage, bu <one of the address lines doesn't behave (the light doesn't come on on A2 <when I flick the switch that should light all of them, yet the light is <operational at other stages). I'll get to that one later. I'd check the switch (may be dirty contacts from age). then follow the logic as it may be a poor contection or a bad chip. <Looks like a long, slow process. But worth it, no? Shouldn't be that bad. the altair 8800B was a later machine and far better/different than the 8800 or 8800A. Of the Altairs it was the industrial strength version. What will help your task is having documentation (a must for any old machine!). It wouldn't hurt if you have a techie near you that is familiar with old s100 hardware as a PC kid genius would not have a clue. Allison

28 years, 3 months

CP/M conversion

by alanr＠morgan.ucs.mun.ca

At 03:34 PM 03/02/98 -0800, you wrote: >"CP/M" machine is pretty vague. 8" floppy? 5.25" floppy? 3.5" floppy? > Sorry, it's for a Kaypro 4, which is 5.25" (i think) > >*Which* long filenames? CP/M is 8.3, too! > Sorry again, I am not familiar with CP/M. I was told however that when he (the one with the Kaypro 4) tried to convert files before, the CP/M <--> DOS <--> Mac conversion truncated his files, I must have misinterpreted this to mean filenames :( Thanks however for the link to the CP/M <--> DOS conversion utility, it is much appreciated :)

28 years, 3 months

PS/1 software

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

ah yes, the first ps1 series to come out. i presume its a 2011-c34 or m01. you might want to try this trick: with the machine off, press and hold down both mouse buttons, then power on. when it posts, let the buttons go. that will force an autoconfig, and make it boot from rom again. that trick works on all ps1 models. you shoulda made your disk backups when it was running, but too late now. you can still order the core software from ibm. i think it's ~$45. ring the helpcentre at 800.772.2227 david In a message dated 98-02-03 16:55:21 EST, you write: << I recently came into possession of a PS/1 model 2011. (I believe that this was one of the initial PS/1 models). It has a '286 processor and 30 meg harddrive. Unfortunately, the harddrive seems to be DOA (1701 error on boot up). The system will boot up to a 4 quadrant screen from the rom. I have downloaded the programs from IBM to switch the boot sequence to the floppy, but I cannot access any of the software that came with the system (MS Works et al.). The docs seem to imply that I can create a diskette version to run the software, which would be great if I had the original diskettes. So I'm wondering if there is anyone out there that I could get a copy of the diskettes that came with this system? Thanks, >>

28 years, 3 months

Video connectors (was: CGA Modes (Wuz: Win 3.0))

by photze＠batelco.com.bh

>If that works, you're lucky; if not, it's time for the needlenose pliers, >at which point the game becomes "straighten one pin without bending others." Actually, that's why I choose a screw driver. It's small enough that I don't worry about getting two pins, just the one that I want fixed. It's worked 10 or so times, no problems, 10 min. MAX for each, usually no more than 2 or 3. >Now that you've said that -- how about a Centronics-type connector, with >the female end on the end of the monitor cable, and the male end recessed >into the card bracket, where it would just be another feature connector of >sorts? This exact combination, when used for parallel printers or external >SCSI, is almost indestructible. That would work. Also, current monitors would be able to use it. You could even have a little plug-in thing for current monitors/video cards, with no re-design needed. I don't think that I've got the power to pull this off, but I do know a guy at Diamond MM, reviewing products for my web site. Ciao, Tim D. Hotze

28 years, 3 months

PS/1 software

by rector＠usa.net

I recently came into possession of a PS/1 model 2011. (I believe that this was one of the initial PS/1 models). It has a '286 processor and 30 meg harddrive. Unfortunately, the harddrive seems to be DOA (1701 error on boot up). The system will boot up to a 4 quadrant screen from the rom. I have downloaded the programs from IBM to switch the boot sequence to the floppy, but I cannot access any of the software that came with the system (MS Works et al.). The docs seem to imply that I can create a diskette version to run the software, which would be great if I had the original diskettes. So I'm wondering if there is anyone out there that I could get a copy of the diskettes that came with this system? Thanks, -- Dan Rector email: rector(a)usa.net

28 years, 3 months

Parallel ports

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 02:39 AM 1/30/98 -0500, you wrote: >> Have you ever seen a Zenith "MiniSport"? Uses 2" floppies? I found [...] >do its upload and you've got at least one disk, you can probably >(don't count on it, but probably) attach a parallel Zip drive). Question: when did parallel ports become bi-directional (i.e., useable for zip drives and such)? Or, to put it another way, how likely would I be able to (ignoring software issues for the moment) hook up my new SyJet drive to say, my m100? What about my DG-1? (P.S., off-topic tip: The Parallel port SyJet is really a SCSI-2 SyJet with a fancy cable; if you've already got SCSI, and can maybe use the Parallel port feature...) --------------------------------------------------------------------- O- Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad roger(a)sinasohn.com that none but madmen know." Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates San Francisco, California http://www.crl.com/~sinasohn/

28 years, 3 months

TRS-80 Model 1 and 4 questions

by dcoward＠pressstart.com

David Williams - Computer Packrat said: >Also, I picked up a TRS-80 Model 4, again with out manuals or >software. I have some software for the model 1 but can someone send >me LDOS or other OS for the Model 4? You can get LDOS with documentation and other Misosys software on Tim Mann's TRS-80 page at http://www.research.digital.com/SRC/personal/mann/trs80.html#down or Stefan's Old Computer Stuff page at http://www.xs4all.nl/~rimmer/trs/trs.html ========================================= Doug Coward dcoward(a)pressstart.com Senior Software Engineer Press Start Inc. Sunnyvale,CA Curator Museum of Personal Computing Machinery http://www.best.com/~dcoward/museum =========================================

28 years, 3 months

Video connectors (was: CGA Modes (Wuz: Win 3.0))

by photze＠batelco.com.bh

>Agreed, "with care." But too much care for the average user. Even I, who >like to think I know what I'm doing, repeat the mantra "Never jam in a VGA >connector no matter what" whenever I have the D-shell in my hand, just to >slow myself down properly. Actually, I've jammed the $^\&* things a few times myself. The solution (that I've come up with) is get a screw driver, (flathead) and then push it up and straighten it out. I've done the same thing with IDE connectors. I used the same solution, but instead of trial and error for getting them strait, I would get it straiter, then put an IDE cable into ONLY the damaged area, straiten it out a bit, see if it works, then try again. >But it's not a simple ENOUGH solution because, when I'm in the field and >detaching a monitor from its computer, 50% of the connectors I look at have >one pin bent in an L and jammed against the inner wall of the shell. The >design isn't adequate to real-world use, is my point -- whereas a DB9, for >example, certainly is. I'm not saying we don't need 15 pins; I say we need >15 THICKER pins, and since this connector is typically the only connector >on the back of a VGA adapter, there's plenty of room. Why not move away from this type of pins all together? Sure, it would cause major monitor incompatibility, but VGA type connectors are aging rapidly, and with new LCD monitors, the SVGA interface is reaching it's limits. Maybe something like a ethernet-type connector, or, as you said THICKER pins. Maybe switch the male-female part of this, with female-connector monitors. And, re-align the pins so that you can use a correctly configured (with the M-F type connectors, etc.) EGA, or CGA monitor. >Coming Spring '98: The Windows 98 Bible by Kip Crosby and Fred Davis! ^^^^^^^^^^^^ Keep me updated. Of course, MS wouldn't talk to me about reviewing it's products for my web site. :-(

28 years, 3 months

CP/M conversion

by alanr＠morgan.ucs.mun.ca

Does anyone know of a conversion utiliy which will convert files from a CP/M machine to Mac format? There is someone here willing to part with his Kaypro 4 but needs to convert his old files first. I know there is a conversion utility for CP/M to DOS, which then can be converted to Mac, but then you would lose all the long filenames. A CP/M to Mac would be preferable, any ideas?

28 years, 3 months

Pinouts on a DEC VT320 terminal

by spc＠armigeron.com

So I have this DEC VT320 terminal in front of me and it does work (very nicely, if I do say so). But what has me disturbed is the serial output port on this thing - it's the stranges port I've seen. Like a phone jack only not quite. And before I spend something like $50 on a cable, can anyone tell me what the pin outs are? -spc (Oh, and is it RS-232 even?)

28 years, 3 months

Jump to page:

2026

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

1998

1997

test-drb