TI-99 Troubleshooting

[budz2355]

I apologize if this is supposed to go in a different part of the forums.

 

So I recently bought a second PEB (couldn't get the first one to work) and was playing Legends on it last night. In the middle of the game the game just drops to XB. When I try to run anything on the disk drive it tells me I/O error 00. The red light doesn't come on and the disk controller light doesn't come on. It's like the thing is dead. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

Thanks very much in advance to any insight.

[+Schmitzi]

Hi,

 

do you use another 32K-RAM-Card in your new PEB, or did you take that one from the first (problem-)PEB ?

 

RS

 

 

/EDIT/ for my interest only: what was the issue on the first PEB ?

Edited March 16, 2015 by schmitzi

[budz2355]

Hi Schmitzi,

 

Thanks for the response. The 32K card I bought separately from my original PEB. While it was in that PEB when I was trying to get it working, it did not come with it. Do you think this could be the problem? When I run a SIZE command in XB it seems to be functioning properly, but I am really new to all this I am willing to try anything.

 

The old PEB kept giving me a I/O 56 error on the disk drive. It wouldn't let me run any tests in Disk Manager 2.0 at all. Also I got the drive and controller from Chris Schneider (Thanks Chris!!) and he was even kind enough to ship me a second controller and drive to test because the first set wouldn't function. Sadly the second set wouldn't function either, hence why I just bought an entire new PEB.

 

Basically I have spent around $1000 (I wont list all my equipment unless you really want me to) and have nothing to show for it. The console still plays carts, but I really want to play disks, and get a lantronix and all that other fun stuff....

[Omega-TI]

Do you have a second console to try? The fact that it "just dropped into XB" has me wondering if it might be in the console ltself.

[budz2355]

Do you have a second console to try? The fact that it "just dropped into XB" has me wondering if it might be in the console ltself.

 

That's actually what Chris recommended that I do. My console has a big dent in it and until recently I had to wiggle it around to get it to even display color.

 

Anyone have a console they know works and would be willing to part with? Should I do this as the next step. I am just afraid of sinking more $$$ into this and still not having a working machine. My wife is very understanding but at some point she will kill me Should I just ebay a console then?

[+Schmitzi]

Hi,

an easy test for the 32K (if you do not have the diagnostix-tool from TI) is just to start the DU2K-Utility from FloppyDisk.

In case of a defective 32K-Card you should get a blank, light-green screen and the console hangs.

I do not say that this is for sure, and that this is a good test, but better then no check if you don´t have the Diagnostics-tool.

In every case, should should try the diagnostics-tool to run against your PEB and your 32K.

 

You also could try to run some programs with and without the 32K, to find out wether the TI hangs again.

very important: if you switch off all your equip to dismount the 32K, WAIT at least two minutes (2 !) before dismounting it.

Also test this "hanging" software without the whole PEB if possible, maybe try to save your program to cassette maybe,

of coming from floppydisk in origin.....

 

You could also try to reseat the Flexcard-Interface properly, and to check that there is no dust in the slots of the PEB,

and that the contacts of your cards are "clean".

 

But overall, this "just dropped to XB" is very suspicious, maybe the module or the slot ?

Also, chek for clean and proper contacts here.

 

A test-console would be possible, but I am sitting here in germany, as shippingcosts don´t like that

 

Viel Erfolg

Ralf

[budz2355]

Hi,

an easy test for the 32K (if you do not have the diagnostix-tool from TI) is just to start the DU2K-Utility from FloppyDisk.

 

What is this? Do you have a link by any chance? Hopefully this is a cart, since I would not be able to run any disk based programs.

 

In case of a defective 32K-Card you should get a blank, light-green screen and the console hangs.

 

My 32K card reads fine when I type the SIZE command in XB, wouldn't this indicate a broken/defective card?

 

I do not say that this is for sure, and that this is a good test, but better then no check if you don´t have the Diagnostics-tool.

In every case, should should try the diagnostics-tool to run against your PEB and your 32K.

 

Is the diagnostic software listed above for testing the PEB itself?

 

You also could try to run some programs with and without the 32K, to find out wether the TI hangs again.

 

So I powered the TI on yesterday to show my dad something and the disk died. I switched out the interface cable and disk drive itself from my other PEB and couldn't get it to work. When it switched them back, then viola! it worked again until.... it died in the middle of playing Legends and hence my post above. The only difference is that I have the 32K in slot 4 instead of 2, but it has worked and not worked in slot 2. Very confusing as I cannot eliminate a variable and seem to get different results without changing anything (isn't this a sign of madness??)

 

very important: if you switch off all your equip to dismount the 32K, WAIT at least two minutes (2 !) before dismounting it.

Also test this "hanging" software without the whole PEB if possible, maybe try to save your program to cassette maybe,

of coming from floppydisk in origin.....

 

I do not have a TI cassette recorder, but I do have the cable to connect it. I suppose if any tape and recorder would work then I could try taping over some old Guns N Roses, but what program would I tape?

 

You could also try to reseat the Flexcard-Interface properly, and to check that there is no dust in the slots of the PEB,

and that the contacts of your cards are "clean".

 

I did reseat the flexcard. Is there a good way to clean the contacts? I know with old video games I always clean the contact with rubbing alcohol, is this acceptable here? Should I just clean ALL of the contacts on the exposed board pins as well as PEB slots?

 

But overall, this "just dropped to XB" is very suspicious, maybe the module or the slot ?

Also, chek for clean and proper contacts here.

 

A test-console would be possible, but I am sitting here in germany, as shippingcosts don´t like that

 

Yea I am in Minnesota. I only wish I knew someone local that could help me troubleshoot. Sometimes it just works better in person.

 

Viel Erfolg

Ralf

 

Hi Ralf,

 

I'll try to respond in the body of your message ^^^ Thanks very much for your response.

Edited March 16, 2015 by budz2355

[+Schmitzi]

Hi,

an easy test for the 32K (if you do not have the diagnostix-tool from TI) is just to start the DU2K-Utility from FloppyDisk.

What is this? Do you have a link by any chance? Hopefully this is a cart, since I would not be able to run any disk based programs.

hmm, no, its both on disk.... no chance to start from disk ? I think we/somebody can provide the diagnostics-tool here. its asmall proggy.

 

 

In case of a defective 32K-Card you should get a blank, light-green screen and the console hangs.

My 32K card reads fine when I type the SIZE command in XB, wouldn't this indicate a broken/defective card?

No, this only shows like a summary, but for a test you should "talk" to every RAM like diag-tool does

 

I do not say that this is for sure, and that this is a good test, but better then no check if you don´t have the Diagnostics-tool.

In every case, should should try the diagnostics-tool to run against your PEB and your 32K.

Is the diagnostic software listed above for testing the PEB itself?

yes,there are some small, different tests on the disk

 

You also could try to run some programs with and without the 32K, to find out wether the TI hangs again.

So I powered the TI on yesterday to show my dad something and the disk died. I switched out the interface cable and disk drive itself from my other PEB and couldn't get it to work. When it switched them back, then viola! it worked again until.... it died in the middle of playing Legends and hence my post above. The only difference is that I have the 32K in slot 4 instead of 2, but it has worked and not worked in slot 2. Very confusing as I cannot eliminate a variable and seem to get different results without changing anything (isn't this a sign of madness??)

yes, but madness exactly is the outcome of such defectives

 

very important: if you switch off all your equip to dismount the 32K, WAIT at least two minutes (2 !) before dismounting it.

Also test this "hanging" software without the whole PEB if possible, maybe try to save your program to cassette maybe,

of coming from floppydisk in origin.....

I do not have a TI cassette recorder, but I do have the cable to connect it. I suppose if any tape and recorder would work then I could try taping over some old Guns N Roses, but what program would I tape?

My thought was to get your game (or the diag-tool) onto tape, to load and start without PEB&Floppy-drive, to test console-hangs

(if your proggy runs without 32K ?) The idea is to load the proggy from disk, not to ay "run", but to say "save cs1",

and then to start pure console, and to "old cs1" and then "run" - to see if it runs then.

But maybe, if we get the diag-tool for you, you maybe can load and start it once from floppy, to run the "regular" test/diag,

this running game from Tape just was another idea to test out, wether error is coming from console or from PEB

If you have no Tape, you can´t take a walkman nor an headphone out from your laptop, if you thought about that.

Also with maximum volume, this is not load enough, as these output are regulated against "headache".

But this works with an pure audio-out (again: not earphone-out), as you find it on standard-PCs and

on USB-to-audio-adapters for laptops....

 

You could also try to reseat the Flexcard-Interface properly, and to check that there is no dust in the slots of the PEB,

and that the contacts of your cards are "clean".

I did reseat the flexcard. Is there a good way to clean the contacts? I know with old video games I always clean the contact with rubbing alcohol, is this acceptable here? Should I just clean ALL of the contacts on the exposed board pins as well as PEB slots?

Yes, Isopropanol should be good, used carefully, or, if not have, just take a business-card and insert it into the slot of the PEB,

and move it slightly. Maybe the you see some dirt after taking it out

 

But overall, this "just dropped to XB" is very suspicious, maybe the module or the slot ?

Also, chek for clean and proper contacts here.

A test-console would be possible, but I am sitting here in germany, as shippingcosts don´t like that

Yea I am in Minnesota. I only wish I knew someone local that could help me troubleshoot. Sometimes it just works better in person.

Yes, thats a good way, if you find somebody next to you. You also can have a look at the great FB-group

to find somebody who maybe can help you...

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2209774843/

 

Viel Erfolg

Ralf

(again

 

[budz2355]

So I just bought another console on ebay for $50. Now, I remove my speech synthesizer to see if I can get the interface cable to reseed and the game/disk boots up fine! I am not sure it will last, but ironically I JUST sold my spare speech synthesizer yesterday..... ugh

[+Schmitzi]

never sell your spares

Confuzzius

[+arcadeshopper]

So I just bought another console on ebay for $50. Now, I remove my speech synthesizer to see if I can get the interface cable to reseed and the game/disk boots up fine! I am not sure it will last, but ironically I JUST sold my spare speech synthesizer yesterday..... ugh

 

90% of the time its a bad connection/dirty connector, clean/reseat try again

 

Greg

[+Ksarul]

Likely a connector is dirty in there somewhere. I'd clean the side port of the console, then both side ports on the speech, and then the foot of the flex cable.

 

If you had one of the various 512K cartridges, you could put that in the cartridge port and play the games to test, as they use the 32K space. This would verify most of the connections to the PEB. It wouldn't test all of the buffered signals though (just most of them), so you could end up with the memory working fine but the disk appearing to fail because one of the other buffered signals is gone once the PEB heats up (this could be in the Flex Cable Foot or in the Interface Card).

 

If the problem only appears after the system has been running a while, it may just be heat failure of one of those buffer chips in the Flex cable/Interface (they are 74LS244s).