24 May
1999
24 May
'99
1:15 p.m.
I have a (miraculously) surviving (sort of) 1986 DatEXT external CD-ROM on
my IBM 5170 AT.
The unit was working fine when I powered it down and moved the computer
across my basement a few months ago. When I powered it up today, the CD-ROM
driver will load, but it won't read any disks.
I took it apart to see if the drive was spinning up, and the first thing I
noticed was that the little plastic labels covering the window on a couple
of the EPROMs (or is it EEPROMS?) were peeling off (no longer sticky after
13 years). I'm guessing that this is the problem.
Does anyone know where to get EPROM images for this drive, and how would I
upload them to the chips? I'm assuming that I would need an EPROM burner.
Where would I find one?
ThAnX,
///--->>>
-Jason Willgruber
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#: 1730318
<http://members.tripod.com/general_1>
24 May
24 May
11:15 a.m.
On Mon, 24 May 1999, Jason (the General) wrote:
of the EPROMs (or is it EEPROMS?) were peeling off (no
longer sticky after
13 years). I'm guessing that this is the problem.
Actually, that's not the reason. When I had the drive, I took it apart,
and couldn't resist peeking under the tape :) I see no reason why they
should get erased if the drive cover was on, and the drive was in the
basement where it's usually dark.
--Max Eskin (max82(a)surfree.com)
http://scivault.hypermart.net: Ignorance is Impotence - Knowledge is Power
5:19 p.m.
On or about 07:15 PM 5/24/99 -0400, Max Eskin was caught in a dark alley
speaking these words:
On Mon, 24 May 1999, Jason (the General) wrote:
>of the EPROMs (or is it EEPROMS?) were peeling off (no longer sticky after
>13 years). I'm guessing that this is the problem.
If there's a quartz window in the chip, it's an EPROM. EEPROMs are erased
electrically (hence the first 'E' in the name) and don't require a window
for erasure.
Actually, that's not the reason. When I had the
drive, I took it apart,
and couldn't resist peeking under the tape :) I see no reason why they
should get erased if the drive cover was on, and the drive was in the
basement where it's usually dark.
You're right about the EPROMs not being deliberately erased... but one of
the *early* discussions on this list was about the data integrity or data
"life" of your average EPROMs... which is only 10-15 years or so.
It sounds like you may have a case of bit-rot, and reprogramming the eproms
may be necessary to restore the drive to working order.
Hope this helps,
Roger "Merch" Merchberger
=====
Roger "Merch" Merchberger -- zmerch(a)30below.com
SysAdmin - Iceberg Computers
===== Merch's Wild Wisdom of the Moment: =====
Sometimes you know, you just don't know sometimes, you know?
25 May
25 May
5:04 a.m.
Roger Merchberger <zmerch(a)30below.com> wrote:
---snip---
You're right about the EPROMs not being deliberately erased... but one of
the *early* discussions on this list was about the data integrity or data
"life" of your average EPROMs... which is only 10-15 years or so.
Hi
As far as I know, EPROMs should last more than 10 years. This
was the value that Intel set as a minimum guaranteed hold time for
their 2716's, that I remember. It is always possible that any particular
EPROM doesn't hold even that long. The average hold time for
EPROMs is surely greater than 20 to 30 years.
I have some 1702A's that are still holding data after 26 years.
I've made copies and have a listing just in case though. I've
made hex listings of all the EPROM's in my equipment. I stick them
in the machine some place.
As for having the labels fall off, I was told by one of the
EPROM designers that even sun light would take several years
to erase EPROMs. Most indoor light has less than a thousandth
the short UV that sun light has. UV doesn't reflect from surfaces
vary well either so any indirect light would have even less
UV in it. Still I keep tape over the windows on my EPROMs.
One should note that even clear tape blocks most UV. Try it
for your self, try to erase a EPROM with clear tape on it!
It will take a lot longer.
Dwight
7:25 a.m.
On Tue, 25 May 1999, Roger Merchberger wrote:
It sounds like you may have a case of bit-rot, and
reprogramming the eproms
may be necessary to restore the drive to working order.
I think that checking the cable may also be a prudent step :)
--Max Eskin (max82(a)surfree.com)
http://scivault.hypermart.net: Ignorance is Impotence - Knowledge is Power
2:39 a.m.
At 06:15 PM 5/24/99 -0700, Jason (the General) wrote:
The unit was working fine when I powered it down and
moved the computer
across my basement a few months ago. When I powered it up today, the CD-ROM
driver will load, but it won't read any disks.
Have you tried to read a *contemporary* CD, or a CD that you know
is in pure old-style ISO-9660 CD format? Some of the newer extensions
could be throwing the driver for a loop.
- John
9343
days inactive
9344
days old
5 comments
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participants (5)
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elvey＠hal.com -
jfoust＠threedee.com -
max82＠surfree.com -
roblwill＠usaor.net -
zmerch＠30below.com