[vcf-midatlantic] cranky 5150 - settled for now!

Sun Nov 6 13:29:50 EST 2016

Bill,

THANK YOU very much for all your help here!
Regarding the possibly "marginal" floppy controller, I will leave the PC off for several hours to let it cool down entirely, then turn it on and see how it responds.  After that I will test the RAM card as you suggested.

Best,
Steve

-----Original Message-----
From: vcf-midatlantic [mailto:vcf-midatlantic-bounces at lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org] On Behalf Of william degnan via vcf-midatlantic
Sent: Sunday, November 06, 2016 1:16 PM
To: vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic at lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org>
Cc: william degnan <billdegnan at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [vcf-midatlantic] cranky 5150 - first test results

601 means bad drive controller, right?  If it goes away it may simply be that you have a marginal controller that improves with heat.

If you put the ram card back into the system and leave the MOBO switches as is AND the systrm still boots that indicates the RAM card is ok at the card level (volt regulators etc).  See if you can pull ram from the card and add One bank at a time matching with the motherboard switches.  If you get a failure, swap in different ram.  You may be able to id the bad ram and settle on 384k, 512k if you can't get a full 640k.  Note that the computer will ignore any Ram that isn't assigned from the switch settings.

Bill Degnan
twitter: billdeg
vintagecomputer.net
On Nov 6, 2016 1:02 PM, "Steven Michelsen via vcf-midatlantic" < vcf-midatlantic at lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:

> Bill,
>
> Here's what I just tried...
>
> I set SW1 to 00000001 for my current 2 floppy setup, and to turn on 
> all RAM banks (figured I would go for it).  In this way both SW1 and 
> SW2 agree that there's 256K in place, and in use.
>
> I got a 601 code, then boot to basic.
>
> Next I replaced the floppy controller card and put a boot disk in drive A.
>
> The floppy spun and read for a moment and then stopped.
> I got a floppy failure error.
>
> After a couple of Ctrl/Alt/Del's, the machine booted to an A prompt.
>
> Then, a couple of warm boots and one cold boot all got me to an A prompt.
>
> Except for that one error I am feeling much better about this thing now.
> I guess I could put the RAM card back in and restore SW2 to 10110 for 
> 640k, but I don't know quite why I need 640k anyway, and it's asking for trouble!
>
> By the way, I did take the mobo out at one point to inspect the solder 
> joints on the keyboard port.  It all "looked" fine.
>
> Am I done here?  What should I make of that one error?
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: vcf-midatlantic [mailto:vcf-midatlantic-bounces at lists.
> vintagecomputerfederation.org] On Behalf Of william degnan via 
> vcf-midatlantic
> Sent: Sunday, November 06, 2016 12:39 PM
> To: vcf-midatlantic 
> <vcf-midatlantic at lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org>
> Cc: william degnan <billdegnan at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [vcf-midatlantic] cranky 5150 - first test results
>
> this is good, after you turn off the floppy controller switches (your 
> card may be bad anyway), you probably have a base 256K machine OK.  
> You then should switch back in with 64K or 128K tincrements until you 
> find the bad bank.  Or the entire RAM card is bad, if you can't add 
> another bit past 256K.  Then you can deal with the drive controller 
> and RAM cards, check caps, etc.  Your ROMS are probably ok is my guess.
> b
>
> On Sun, Nov 6, 2016 at 12:13 PM, Steven Michelsen via vcf-midatlantic 
> < vcf-midatlantic at lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
>
> > Bill,
> >
> > Before I got you email just now I wrote this:
> >
> > Realizing that block SW2 was still set to 640k (to account for the 
> > ram
> > card) I set SW2 from 10110 to 10011, which represents 256k in place.
> >
> > Turning on the PC resulted in a 601 code (only), then booted to Basic.
> >
> >
> >
> > As you suggest, I will look for loose ROMs
> >
> > I see that the 601 code refers to the floppy controller, so my 
> > response there is "yes I know, thank you".
> >
> > Are you suggesting that the next step would be that I physically 
> > pull all the socketed RAM, leaving just the 64k soldered on (at 
> > least to
> start)?
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: vcf-midatlantic [mailto:vcf-midatlantic-bounces at lists.
> > vintagecomputerfederation.org] On Behalf Of william degnan via 
> > vcf-midatlantic
> > Sent: Sunday, November 06, 2016 12:09 PM
> > To: vcf-midatlantic
> > <vcf-midatlantic at lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org>
> > Cc: william degnan <billdegnan at gmail.com>
> > Subject: Re: [vcf-midatlantic] cranky 5150 - first test results
> >
> > You have a short in the motherboard, the roms are loose, stuff like that.
> > Reduce to minimum RAM by removing from my all except what you need.
> > Verify jumpers, if you remove drive controller you have to change 
> > jumpers to no drives setting.
> >
> > Bill Degnan
> > twitter: billdeg
> > vintagecomputer.net
> > On Nov 6, 2016 11:25 AM, "Steven Michelsen via vcf-midatlantic" < 
> > vcf-midatlantic at lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
> >
> > > FYI my mobo is a 64k-256k board, and the PC serial # is 11483445150.
> > >
> > >
> > > OK I did the test as outlined below:
> > >
> > > - I pulled the ram card and floppy controller card, leaving only 
> > > the video card.
> > > - I changed switch 3 and 4 on block SW1 to ON, for "bank 0 only"
> > >
> > > I did the test twice, and got different results:
> > >
> > > TRY #1:
> > > Got a "4090" code, and the PC produced long beeps that did not stop.
> > >
> > > TRY #2
> > > Got the following codes, AND THEN the PC booted to Basic.
> > >
> > > 4098  201
> > > 601
> > >
> > > What do you make of all this?  And, why would the same test yield 
> > > different results?
> > >
> > > Thanks much,
> > > Steve
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: vcf-midatlantic [mailto:vcf-midatlantic-bounces at lists.
> > > vintagecomputerfederation.org] On Behalf Of william degnan via 
> > > vcf-midatlantic
> > > Sent: Sunday, November 06, 2016 6:32 AM
> > > To: vcf-midatlantic
> > > <vcf-midatlantic at lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org>
> > > Cc: william degnan <billdegnan at gmail.com>
> > > Subject: Re: [vcf-midatlantic] cranky 5150 - PART 2
> > >
> > > Set the MOBO to minimum RAM, remove all but video controller 
> > > report result
> > >
> > > Bill Degnan
> > > twitter: billdeg
> > > vintagecomputer.net
> > > On Nov 5, 2016 5:05 PM, "Steven Michelsen via vcf-midatlantic" < 
> > > vcf-midatlantic at lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
> > >
> > > > Uh oh.  After writing the post below I read the appropriate 
> > > > minuszerodegrees page, that suggested among other things, 
> > > > "Faulty motherboard - bad solder joint on keyboard connector".  
> > > > So I took a look - here's what I found.  Not promising.  But 
> > > > fixable!  Does this look like the culprit?  But what about the memory errors?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A9uULoyJgk
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > From: Steven Michelsen [mailto:stevenm at optonline.net]
> > > > Sent: Saturday, November 05, 2016 4:55 PM
> > > > To: 'vcf-midatlantic'
> > > > <vcf-midatlantic at lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org
> > > > >
> > > > Subject: cranky 5150
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > I thought for once I could get a new IBM 5150 and NOT have to 
> > > > come crawling to the group for advice, but noooo..
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Just got an ebay 5150.  I couldn't resist - it was relatively 
> > > > local, and included a 5151 monitor (but no keyboard), for a 
> > > > decent
> price.
> > > > I have a keyboard, so no worries.  Took the top off to peek 
> > > > inside to confirm everything was seated, etc.  I started it 
> > > > (with the top
> > > > off) and got a keyboard error (301).  I discovered that my 
> > > > keyboard was set on AT instead of XT.  Flipped that switch and 
> > > > viola, the
> > > > 5150 booted with a Dos 2.11 disk.
> > > > Poked around the disk, ran a Basic file that happened to be on 
> > > > it, tested the "B" drive, formatted a disk - it's all good.  I 
> > > > even booted a few times with no issue.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > I put the lid back on and started it again.  This time I get this.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > 40FF
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > . and the PC is beeping away, long beeps that do not stop!
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > I restart again and get this.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > 40FF
> > > >
> > > > 201 301
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > This time there's no beeping, it just displays the msg.  The 
> > > > disk drive was read from briefly, then nothing.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > I pull out what appears to be a memory expansion card.  Here 
> > > > <https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/65762317/forums/IBM_5150_RA
> > > > M_
> > > > board.jpg>
> > > > 's a picture of it.  I started it without the card and get this.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > 40D0
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > I took another look at that RAM card and found THIS on the back 
> > > > <https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/65762317/forums/5150_bug.jpg> !
> > > > My PC had a bug.  Anyway, cleaning that up didn't help.  I 
> > > > replaced the card, started it and got yet another, different 
> > > > 40xx
> error.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > OK, where do I go from here?  The darn thing worked at one point 
> > > > today; why not all the time?  I have looked for unseated chips, 
> > > > cards and cables, as least as far as I could without pulling a 
> > > > floppy drive, and found that everything is secure.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Thanks as always,
> > > >
> > > > Steve
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>