13 Sep
2010
13 Sep
'10
2:35 p.m.
If you want to use the HPDrive util, you need the
9895A ROM and the IO ROM.
The 9895A ROM is hard to find the IO-rom isn't with those rom's you can use
HPDrive on a PC with a HP-IB card as Mass Storage Unit.
I thought hte HP9825T had most of the ROMs built-in. IIRC, the only ones
that are misisng are the disk ROMs anmd the Matirx ROM (those have to be
added as front-port modules). If this is the machine I am thinking of,
the IO ROM is built in.
Tape drives are easy to refurbish but most of the
HP-tapes are bad they
losing the magnetic layer.
It's possible to convert the drives so they can use QIC40 tapes, I do have a
short description and drawing of this mod.
If this is the Athena mod, it's slightly curious, in that it involves
paralleling resistotrs when it's easier to desolder the original
write-current control resistor and replace it by one of the correct value.
You can order new DC100A tapes by Athana at ~ $38,- a
piece.
It's also advisable to add a crowbar circuit to the psu the 723 regulator
IC's and power transistors don't life forever. When they go you will be
grateful for adding the crowbar circuitry.
Seconded!
-tony