Mark2008 Posted December 27, 2022 Share Posted December 27, 2022 39 minutes ago, leech said: Ha, not that I needed yet another 800xl... but I ordered one with a VBXE and U1mb already added. Anyone have notes on the bug with the Rapidus, and if the 800xl (PAL) would have issues with it? I did that same thing a couple months ago, from a UK vendor, had it shipped. I had also planned to add a rapidus, but I was going to follow Lotharek's latest suggestion which is to also buy his 64k sram chip, which he says reduces compatibility problems, without making any promises.... and although almost all the chips on my motherboard are socketed, not the original dram memory. Lotharek says you can optionally leave them in place and cut the resistors, but while I recognize this seems like a simple statement to most, once it leaves the realm of being step by step instructions, into high level instructions to cut resistors, I have to ask, what resistors...if left to guessing, I will of course cut the wrong thing. So that project is on hold for me, pending some motivation to desolder all the original dram chips. I'm not aware of anything else...but maybe others know more... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leech Posted December 27, 2022 Share Posted December 27, 2022 8 minutes ago, Mark2008 said: I did that same thing a couple months ago, from a UK vendor, had it shipped. I had also planned to add a rapidus, but I was going to follow Lotharek's latest suggestion which is to also buy his 64k sram chip, which he says reduces compatibility problems, without making any promises.... and although almost all the chips on my motherboard are socketed, not the original dram memory. Lotharek says you can optionally leave them in place and cut the resistors, but while I recognize this seems like a simple statement to most, once it leaves the realm of being step by step instructions, into high level instructions to cut resistors, I have to ask, what resistors...if left to guessing, I will of course cut the wrong thing. So that project is on hold for me, pending some motivation to desolder all the original dram chips. I'm not aware of anything else...but maybe others know more... Sounds like some tracing would be involved. Guess I will find out when I get mine if the dram is socketed or not, but it is pretty rare for those to have sockets, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark2008 Posted December 27, 2022 Share Posted December 27, 2022 3 hours ago, leech said: Sounds like some tracing would be involved. Guess I will find out when I get mine if the dram is socketed or not, but it is pretty rare for those to have sockets, right? I suppose that's true in a Taiwan made 800xl, usually not socketed. But my last Taiwan made 800xl was 100% socketed, I suppose that's probably why I hoped for it, even though, really I should not have expected it. Oh well, I can do a desolder, it's not that bad, now that I think about it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leech Posted December 27, 2022 Share Posted December 27, 2022 10 minutes ago, Mark2008 said: I suppose that's true in a Taiwan made 800xl, usually not socketed. But my last Taiwan made 800xl was 100% socketed, I suppose that's probably why I hoped for it, even though, really I should not have expected it. Oh well, I can do a desolder, it's not that bad, now that I think about it. Ha, can't be as bad as desoldering the NVRAM on a Falcon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillC Posted December 28, 2022 Share Posted December 28, 2022 4 hours ago, Mark2008 said: Lotharek says you can optionally leave them in place and cut the resistors, but while I recognize this seems like a simple statement to most, once it leaves the realm of being step by step instructions, into high level instructions to cut resistors, I have to ask, what resistors...if left to guessing, I will of course cut the wrong thing. The resistors in question are R110/R111, they connect the CAS signals from the MMU to the main/extended memory banks, without these signals the RAM is disabled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark2008 Posted December 28, 2022 Share Posted December 28, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, BillC said: The resistors in question are R110/R111, they connect the CAS signals from the MMU to the main/extended memory banks, without these signals the RAM is disabled. Thansk BillC, I think I understand. I do have an 800XL rather than the 130XE, but, Lotharek's wording was "you can remove resistors on data lines to ram and keep ram chips intact", and as you further clarified we are talking about CAS with is R110,R111 on the 130XE - with the diagram showing the EMMU @ u34, then I would infer on the 800XL, to look at the MMU on the diagram, but...seems like CAS/RAS are R108,R107. Even though, Lotharek didn't just say R108 and R107. But he did say resistors, plural....so anyway, is it r108, r107? edit: Although, if taken literally, I think R138-R145 are the resistors on the data lines?? I am wondering if DI and DO, are data in/dataout, at a guess.... Edited December 28, 2022 by Mark2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillC Posted December 28, 2022 Share Posted December 28, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, Mark2008 said: Even though, Lotharek didn't just say R108 and R107. But he did say resistors, plural....so anyway, is it r108, r107? On the 800L R107 connects RAS, R108 connects CAS, to the DRAM chips. I believe removing either will disable the DRAM chips, removing both to be certain won't hurt. 1 hour ago, Mark2008 said: edit: Although, if taken literally, I think R138-R145 are the resistors on the data lines?? I am wondering if DI and DO, are data in/dataout, at a guess.... Correct, these resistors connect DATAIN/DATAOUT of each DRAM chip to the DATA bus, which pin is active would depend on the state of WE(write enable). Edited December 28, 2022 by BillC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark2008 Posted December 28, 2022 Share Posted December 28, 2022 1 hour ago, BillC said: On the 800L R107 connects RAS, R108 connects CAS, to the DRAM chips. I believe removing either will disable the DRAM chips, removing both to be certain won't hurt. Correct, these resistors connect DATAIN/DATAOUT of each DRAM chip to the DATA bus, which pin is active would depend on the state of WE(write enable). Thanks! You have made it clear how to handle the first step. Which is great of course, but in order to go through all the steps, I'll have other questions, so as this is the e-bay thread, I'll open up a new thread when the time comes...I'm about 70% on the remaining steps, but probably need to double check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcamp48 Posted December 28, 2022 Share Posted December 28, 2022 Well its not ebay, even better someone just gave me this Atari ST system.... Atari SC1224, Atari 1040 STF, and Atari Megafile 60 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beeblebrox Posted December 28, 2022 Share Posted December 28, 2022 15 minutes ago, rcamp48 said: Well its not ebay, even better someone just gave me this Atari ST system.... Atari SC1224, Atari 1040 STF, and Atari Megafile 60 Wow, you really stuck gold there!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcamp48 Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 On 12/28/2022 at 4:11 PM, rcamp48 said: Well its not ebay, even better someone just gave me this Atari ST system.... Atari SC1224, Atari 1040 STF, and Atari Megafile 60 The only thing I need is a mouse and the hard drive cable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcamp48 Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 am getting a new hard drive cable in a few days, what us the chance of the hard drive being able to format, I mean the thing has sat for at least 25 years. Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 what make you think it will need to be reformatted? it might have hidden gold on that thar drive. check it first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcamp48 Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 Just now, _The Doctor__ said: what make you think it will need to be reformatted? it might have hidden gold on that thar drive. check it first. Well I am going to check it first as you are right , my question should have been will it still work after 25 years. I do not have a hard drive cable for it as of yet. Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 I'd freeze the mech and add a drop or two of lube to the spindle gently and let it come slowly up to room temp for the first turn on, that way any stiction or stuck head guides should there be any will be less of an issue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcamp48 Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 1 hour ago, _The Doctor__ said: I'd freeze the mech and add a drop or two of lube to the spindle gently and let it come slowly up to room temp for the first turn on, that way any stiction or stuck head guides should there be any will be less of an issue I have already turned it on and it makes the usual sounds, seems to boot up maybe its good after all. Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcamp48 Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 (edited) I have taken a 25 pin parallel cable and removed 6 pins from each end as advised on FB but it seems that not all pins are connected in a 25 pin cable, when I turn the monitor on with that cable connected to the ST and hard drive IN port , the monitor does not even turn on. Russ Edited December 30, 2022 by rcamp48 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGB1718 Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 3 hours ago, rcamp48 said: I have taken a 25 pin parallel cable and removed 6 pins from each end as advised on FB but it seems that not all pins are connected in a 25 pin cable, Would not trust anything posted of FB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andymanone Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 My very latest bargain on Ebay was an cool ATARI 8-BIT "TRAK 5,25 inch floppy drive" with track display😍! It was offered for buy it now 49,95 USD and I didn't hesitate for a second and hit the buy button😎. Cheers, andY 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manterola Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 @andymanone Congrats for your new drive. If you can, please check inside which version of the firmware you got. It should be printed in an auto-adhesive label in the top a Eprom chip. Check this thread for some info about these drives. Another question: Did you get any supporting software with the drive? any documentation? Regards, Mauricio Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andymanone Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 9 minutes ago, manterola said: @andymanone Congrats for your new drive. If you can, please check inside which version of the firmware you got. It should be printed in an auto-adhesive label in the top a Eprom chip. Check this thread for some info about these drives. Another question: Did you get any supporting software with the drive? any documentation? Regards, Mauricio Hi Mauricio, Yes, I will check it as soon as possible after delivery (I bought it today😉). But if it's useful for you, I can provide the schematics and the manual for you (see attachment). Cheers, andY TRAK-ATusers_guide.pdf 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 12 hours ago, rcamp48 said: I have taken a 25 pin parallel cable and removed 6 pins from each end as advised on FB but it seems that not all pins are connected in a 25 pin cable, when I turn the monitor on with that cable connected to the ST and hard drive IN port , the monitor does not even turn on. Russ are you serious? if it was working it might not be now... not all cables are the same, and half the time they are mislabeled, you didn't meter things out or check anything? Just followed stuff someone posted on facebook and said let the dice roll? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcamp48 Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 14 hours ago, _The Doctor__ said: are you serious? if it was working it might not be now... not all cables are the same, and half the time they are mislabeled, you didn't meter things out or check anything? Just followed stuff someone posted on facebook and said let the dice roll? No it seems to boot up just I did meter it out and discovered that not all pins were connected I will have a cable in a weeks time, they were very specific on the 25 pin cable it must have all pins connected and a straight thru connection. Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcamp48 Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 Does this seem to be a healthy start up on my Megafile 60? My Video - 0002.mp4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beeblebrox Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 Picked up this old double page Atari 600XL ad in very good condition: and as a bonus on the flip side it has this: 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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