GENEVE 9640 / TI-99/4A – ideas needed for 2 complete systems

[+Schmitzi]

Hi 99ers,

 

suggested, you have 2 PEBs, one normally/TI, and one with the Geneve9640, and the following equipment, how would YOU combine that ?

 

CONTROLLER:

- 1x MyArc HFDC-Controller

- 1x Thiery´s IDE-Controller

- 1x MyArc-DDCC1-FDD-Controller (80track-mod)

- 1x MyArc-DDCC1-FDD-Controller (DoubleDensity)

 

DRIVES (have at least 2 of each):

- IDE-HDDs

- MFM-HDDs

- some 5.25” flopies (40T/80T)

- some 3.5” floppies (internal&externals 40T/80T)

- 2x HxC-Emu-drives Lotharek

(OK for any floppy in both systems, but where put the 80tracks-ones&FDD-controller)

 

PEB-CARDS:

- 1x GRAM-Card

- 2x Horizon RAM-Disks 3000er

- 1x 128K Mechatronic-card (not for Geneve)

- several RS232-Cards (TI, CC, MyArc)

- 1x SID-SoundCard

- 1x F18A VGA

 

....and any other standard-equipment

 

How would you combine that for two "optimum" systems ?

 

my thoughts are going to drive the Geneve with ..... oh no, your suggestions first, please

 

Thanks a lot for any input and ideas :)

[+InsaneMultitasker]

For the Geneve setup...

The HFDC is a good fit with the Geneve, provided it is stable and does not have any flaky, heat-affected parts. The EPROM revision should be H11; do not use earlier versions, do not use H12. The Geneve EPROM should be V0.98 or Gazoo's v1.x unless you have a PFM flash device. Since the Geneve can natively support 80 tracks, even without the EPROM mod, you could use the 40 track controller with the switches set accordingly. However, I would strongly recommend obtaining an 80 track EPROM to match both cards to ensure the same DSR code revision. Add one of the Horizon RAMdisks and a RS232 to complete the configuration.

 

For the TI setup...

I'd throw the SID card and the TI-only peripherals into your TI PEB along with the IDE card and the 80 track controller. Couple that with your F18A console and enjoy.

[+mizapf]

If you could get hold of a SCSI card ...

 

For my Geneve I use a DDCC-1 (Myarc floppy controller) plus an ASCSI; with the recent GeneveOS versions it became pretty fast.

 

(Still dreaming of an updated boot EPROM ... somewhere on my work pile)

[Gazoo]

I'll go along with Insane Multitasker's suggestions, along with putting the other Horizon in the TI and one of the Lotharek drives in each system.

 

Gazoo\

[+Schmitzi]

thanks a lot, here are some more infos from my Geneve:

 

Cecure with PFM-Mod
- 384K 0-wait state memory
- 192K video memory
- PFM Flash Disk with 128K

- BIOS 3.0, MDOS5.0

(for details please see pic)

 

Also very interesting for me to get known wether there is a possibility to update the BIOS, MDOS or anyhing else,

and wether it is maybe somehow risky to update, just because of the mods.

 

And, last but not least, regarding the pics here, do you think the cooling

(heatsinks on the Geneve & one additional frontbezel-fan with "foam-regulated" airflow) is sufficient ?

 

Ralf

 

PS: and I am looking for a second one, with any or no mod.

 

[+InsaneMultitasker]

thanks a lot, here are some more infos from my Geneve:

 

Cecure with PFM-Mod

- 384K 0-wait state memory

- 192K video memory

- PFM Flash Disk with 128K

- BIOS 3.0, MDOS5.0

(for details please see pic)

 

Also very interesting for me to get known wether there is a possibility to update the BIOS, MDOS or anyhing else,

and wether it is maybe somehow risky to update, just because of the mods.

 

And, last but not least, regarding the pics here, do you think the cooling

(heatsinks on the Geneve & one additional frontbezel-fan with "foam-regulated" airflow) is sufficient ?

 

Ralf

 

PS: and I am looking for a second one, with any or no mod.

This version of the PFM device uses two 128K flash chips. Long ago I created two programs - SCSISPLIT and SCSI4PFM - that will split the OS into a 120K and a 8K loadable program. This is necessary because the BIOS space has only has 120K available. You would split the OS and then install the 120K piece into the PFM device. Since you have no SCSI card, you would remove any references to SCSx in your device assignments and path. The released OS's do not disable the SCSI routines if a SCSI card is not found. That will change whenever I release the next OS update.

 

The remaining upgrades all look OK. Standard practice at Cecure was to replace the regulators and capacitors at the same time. You might want to gently unscrew one regulator to check the heat sink compound. If it is dry you should add a new, thin coating to the three bottom regulators. It would not hurt to replace the caps at that time. The regulators are the brand and type we used on most serviced Geneves.

 

Now... if you decide to work on the Geneve yourself be very careful. Do NOT flex the board. Some boards are fragile and cannot withstand soldering temperatures. The through-holes may pull out or break away from inner traces, and sometimes the pads lift off completely. My guess is this Geneve is OK since we modified it.... but that's just a guess.

 

Don't forget to put tape around the Geneve's "neck". And use the clamshells for the HFDC and Geneve where possible.

[+Schmitzi]

Cool, thanks for that expertise, InsaneMultitasker ! "Neck", is that the part going through and outside the PEB ?

I have put some foam there, maybe you can see it on the picture, have done that just because I worried about short-cuircits against the PEB´s housing.

If so, yes, I could optimize it and use some extra tape there.

I am not able to solder on my own. so nothing bad will happen next time

 

I don´t run the system very often, I am just something like proud that I have it, that I got it to assembe the whole unit, and that it works

And, as I worry so much about, I am very carefully, not to destroy it, not by software, nor by hardware-impacts.

I am doing all my tests and playings in the Mess-Emu, and maybe once a week I boot the Geneve and talk to her (!)

(or something like that, as it is my beloved swan

 

Are these to SCSI...tools (still) available ? I have found an instruction now (Tesch, 1995, 2 pages), but I miss the files in my repository,

or they are hidden in a ZIP.

 

thanks

Ralf

[+InsaneMultitasker]

Cool, thanks for that expertise, InsaneMultitasker ! "Neck", is that the part going through and outside the PEB ?

I have put some foam there, maybe you can see it on the picture, have done that just because I worried about short-cuircits against the PEB´s housing.

If so, yes, I could optimize it and use some extra tape there.

 

Are these to SCSI...tools (still) available ?

The files -might- be found on the MDOS 4.00S or MDOS 5.0 distribution disk. If you cannot locate them I will look for the distribution files for you.

 

Yes, the "neck" is the part going through the PEB. There are some traces that are easily shorted. Electrical tape works well if you wrap it around twice. Do not make it too thick.

[+Schmitzi]

yes, better is better ...I feel so isolated now