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From: guertinp@IRO.UMontreal.CA (Paul Guertin)
Subject: Re: Help in identifying cards and problems
Message-ID: <CvEnCK.3Mz@IRO.UMontreal.CA>
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Organization: Universite de Montreal, Canada
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Date: Wed, 31 Aug 1994 15:07:31 GMT
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In article <341ebs$3lt@newsserver.trl.OZ.AU> a.guillaume@trl.oz.au writes:
>
>The disk spinning problem at startup still remains. Thanks again in advance
>for any info.
Enter this program. It starts the disk spinning, reads the data latch
and writes its contents to the screen. Open the drive door and start
the program up. The number displayed should change every 2 seconds
or so (usually between 80, 82, 84, and C0). Now put a (write-protected)
DOS 3.3 disk in the drive and start it up. Look at the output. It
should consist of rapidly changing numbers. If it didn't change, then
either the disk isn't formatted, or your drive (or controller card)
is broken.
The program (enter it from the monitor and type 300G to start it):
300:A2 60 BD 8A C0 BD 89 C0
308:BD 8E C0 BD 8C C0 20 DA
310:FD 20 8E FD 4C 08 03
Paul
guertinp@iro.umontreal.ca
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From: nparker@cie-2.uoregon.edu (Neil Parker)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: Help in identifying cards and problems
Date: 1 Sep 1994 08:50:11 GMT
Organization: University of Oregon Campus Information Exchange
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In article <341ebs$3lt@newsserver.trl.OZ.AU> a.guillaume@trl.oz.au writes:
>[...]
>|Then there is a disk controller card. Says "Disk II Interface Card 650-X104"
>|on the card, and two "Super 5" drives are connected by ribbon cables. I guess
>|that goes in slot 6. Although when I do that, and turn on the computer, the
>|drives click, spin and then spin for ever. Should I suspect a damaged IC
>|on the card ? Or an unsuitable card ?
>
>I should have added that my trials were always done with a disk in the drive.
>Paul suggests that I have a very old disk controller card with the DOS 3.2 ROM
>on it. I will check the firmware ($C600 to $C6FF), but I hasten to add that
>I received the computer with DOS3.3 diskettes, so I assume it would read them.
Another thing to consider: Are the drives spinning at the right speed? If
the motor speed is far enough off, they won't be able to read disks.
Fixing thd drive speed might seem to be a chicken-and-egg sort of problem,
since you can't boot any diagnostic software until after the drives are
fixed, but if the drives are anything like Disk ]['s, then there is a way.
If you completely remove the case of a Disk ][ (including the bottom part),
you'll find a wheel on the bottom of the motor marked with two circles of
alternating light and dark marks--the inner circle is labelled "50" and the
outer one is labelled "60". Turn on the drive, start the motor spinning
(you can do this by typing "CALL-151" and then "C0E9"), and hold the drive
under a flourescent light (if you don't have a flourescent light, your
computer monitor will do, if you fill the screen with a bright image (HGR :
HCOLOR= 3: HPLOT 0,0: CALL 62454)). If your motor speed is right, one of
the two circles will appear to stand still...the "60" circle will stand
still if your wall power is 60 Hz, and the "50" circle will stand still if
you wall power is 50 Hz. Adjust the motor-speed screw until the correct
circle appears to stand still.
>|The 3rd card has a Z80 on it, and "CMC 8314" on it. I strongly suspect
>|a CP/M card :-) Which slot should this card go into ? It has a 4-switch DIP
>|switch next to the Z80, what are the settings required (they're all on OFF
>|right now) ?
>
>CP/M card alright. Has someone got info on the switches ?
There are several different, completely incompatible Z80 cards available--
without knowing which one yours is, we can't say definitely what the
switches do.
If your card is a Microsoft Softcard (easily identifiable by the words
"MICROSOFT SOFTCARD" printed in the upper left corner of the component
side), or a clone thereof, then OFF is the correct position for all four
switches (Softcard CP/M doesn't use any of the features that the switches
control).
The Softcard switch settings are as follows:
Switch 1: OFF = Address translation occurs (Z80 address 0000H corresponds
to 6502 address $1000)
ON = No address translation (Z80 address = 6502 address)
Switch 2: OFF = Softcard locks out all other DMA devices when Z80 is active
ON = DMA signal from higher slot can interrupt Softcard
Switch 3: OFF = Softcard ignores NMI
ON = NMI causes Z80 non-maskable interrupt
Switch 4: OFF = Softcard ignores IRQ
ON = IRQ causes Z80 interrupt
Softcard CP/M expects to find addresses remapped, so switch 1 should be
left off. Most Softcard CP/M programs can't handle interrupts, so switches
3 and 4 should be left off too. Turning switch 2 on probably won't hurt
CP/M, but leaving it off is consistant with CP/M's philosophy of letting
the 6502 handle most I/O.
If the Z80 card is a Softcard (or a clone of it), then it should work in
any slot. Softcard CP/M is happiest if the card is in slot 4 or slot 7,
since those slots aren't pre-assigned for any other purpose.
- Neil Parker
--
Neil Parker No cute ASCII art...no cute quote...no cute
nparker@cie-2.uoregon.edu disclaimer...no deposit, no return...
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From: nparker@cie-2.uoregon.edu (Neil Parker)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2.programmer
Subject: Re: 5.25 Disk Speed Test
Date: 1 Sep 1994 10:27:22 GMT
Organization: University of Oregon Campus Information Exchange
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In article <33vl7e$cdd@paperboy.gsfc.nasa.gov> Bill North
<north@spso.gsfc.nasa.gov> writes:
>In article <33sn0u$oq4@gap.cco.caltech.edu>
>Nathan Mates, nathan@cco.caltech.edu writes:
>>
>> If you're lucky, ProSel-16 might have this capability. Otherwise, a
>>piece of software on a 3.5" disk is the best bet... I believe Copy ][+
>>has had this version since way back when, and it's been ProDOS since
>>v5.0. With that, you should be able to boot off another drive, and
>>check the speed. Ask friends and all to borrow a copy; it's no longer
>>published anymore it seems.
>>
>Thanks! It's been so long since I've used Copy II+ that I forgot
>it was in there (version 8). Prosel may have it, but then Prosel
>has lots of features I haven't used (or figured out). :)
A Little-Known Secret: You don't really need any software at all to test
the speed of an Apple 5.25-inch drive. All you need is a Phillips
screwdriver, and a 60-Hz light source such as your computer monitor or a
flourescent lamp.
Before disassembling your disk drive, turn your computer's power off.
Don't unplug the drive from the computer, though--you can't do the test
unless the drive is plugged in. Be careful when handling the innards--a
spark of static electricity would probably be very unhealthy for the
circuitry.
If you have an old Disk ][, turn it over, unscrew the four screws on the
bottom, and slide the case off. This will expose four more screws on the
bottom--unscrew them too. Carefully lift the bottom piece off, being
careful not to pull the ribbon cable out of its connection on the circuit
board. The cable is fastened to the back of the case by a plastic
bracket--unfasten the bracket (it should open easily) and slide the cable
out. (If you accidentally pulled it loose from the circuit board, plug it
back in, being careful to line up the pins correctly--if you have trouble,
remember than the red line on one side of the cable corresponds to pin 1 of
the connector).
Yow now have a naked Disk ][ mechanism sitting in front of you. If you turn
it upside down, you will see a wheel on the bottom marked with two circles
of alternating white and black spots. The inner circle is labelled "50",
and the outer circle is labelled "60". This is the tachometer disk. The
"60" circle is for countries (like the U.S.) that use 60-Hz power, and the
"50" circle is for countries that use 50-Hz power.
Getting to the tachometer disk on newer drives is a lot harder. I know
there's one inside my Apple 5.25 Drive--I can barely see it through the
vents--but I have yet to succeed in opening the drive up far enough to
expose it. If you have a bright enough light source, you may be able to
see it well enough through the vents in the bottom of the drive case. It
may help to open the case--unscrew the four screws on the bottom, and
gently push the bottom and front forwards until they come loose. Don't
push too hard, or you may pull the in-use-light wires off. The tachometer
disk is on the bottom, directly under the raised circle in the metal plate,
just barely visible through the vents.
Once you've opened up the drive far enough to see the tachometer disk, turn
off all the light sources in the room except for your 60-Hz (or 50-Hz)
light source. If you have a flourescent light, you can use that. If you
don't, your computer screen will do...turn on your computer, press RESET to
go into Applesoft, and type the following line:
HGR : HCOLOR= 3: HPLOT 0,0: CALL 62454
This will give you a nice bright screen image to use as your light source.
Now you're ready to test the drive speed. Put a disk in the drive
(preferably an expendable disk), turn on your computer if it isn't already
on, go into BASIC, and type the following commands (assuming your disk
interface is in slot 6):
CALL -151
C0E9
The disk should start spinning. Hold the drive so that your light source
shines on the tachometer disk, and watch carefully. If the speed is
correct, the white and black marks should appear to stand still. If they
appear to drift, turn the speed adjustment screw until they stop moving.
The speed adjustment screw on a Disk ][ is located on the small circuit
board at the back of the drive--it's the screw that's attached to a small
ceramic box, sticking out from the side of the board. I'm not entirely sure
where the speed adjustment screw on the Apple 5.25 Drive is, but I suspect
it's probably the small Phillips screw visible through the tiny hole next
to one of the drive case's front feet. (Anybody out there want to confirm or
deny that suspicion?)
When you're through testing the speed, turn off the motor by typing the
following command:
C0E8
The commands "C0E9" and "C0E8" assume your interface is in slot 6. If
not, use one of the following instead:
Slot Motor on Motor off
---- -------- ---------
1 C099 C098
2 C0A9 C0A8
3 C0B9 C0B8
4 C0C9 C0C8
5 C0D9 C0D8
6 C0E9 C0E8
7 C0F9 C0F8
- Neil Parker
--
Neil Parker No cute ASCII art...no cute quote...no cute
nparker@cie-2.uoregon.edu disclaimer...no deposit, no return...
nparker@cie.uoregon.edu (This space intentionally left blank: )