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APPLE II DIAGNOSTICS --- PART II
Stephen Buggie
July 1996
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REAL SOFTWARE DIAGNOSTICS (1986)
(Main Menu Screen)
A) DISK DRIVE TEST D) FLOPPY DISK TEST
B) MEMORY TEST E) COLOR TEST
C) PRINTER TEST F) AUDIO TEST
This is a very minimal diagnostic set. It is ProDOS-based, and the
disk is freely copyable. Its ProDOS operating system identifies it as a
diagnostic of the recent Apple II era. Display screens are text, not
graphics. Easy return to the main menu screen is available following all
tests other than the MEMORY TEST, for which a warm reboot is needed.There is
so much empty space left on the disk that one cannot avoid wondering why
more tests were not added.
The DISK DRIVE TEST has special features. It expects the disk to be
formatted in ProDOS; it tests either 5.25" or 3.5" disks, it identifies the
disk's capacity, and it verifies the drive's read/write capabilities.
The MEMORY TEST portrays a unique upward-scrolling low-res pattern
for fifteen seconds, followed by the words, TEST PASSED.
The FLOPPY DISK TEST requires a ProDOS-formatted disk, and it checks
the disk, block-by-block, reporting specific numbers of any failed blocks.
The display is strictly text, so it is less interesting to watch than XPS
Diagnostics. But this routine is useful because it has the unique
capability to test the 1600 blocks (800K) of 3.5" disks.
The COLOR TEST is done full-screen, one hue at a time. When
adjusting color monitors my preference is to have all colors displayed
simultaneously because adjustment of color controls affects all colors, not
just one. Thus, this COLOR TEST is judged inferior to others which commonly
display a simultaneous spectrum of colors.
The AUDIO TEST presents a simple melody, the theme from Star Wars.
Overall this is a very simple diagnostic set. Its main advantages
are: (a) It is ProDOS-based and unprotected, so its routines could be
compiled elsewhere, and (b) Its floppy disk test and disk drive test will
verify 3.5" disks and drives in addition to the common older 5.25" size.
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SEQUENTIAL MEG-80Z MEMORY TESTER V.2.1 (1993)
This is a disk that accompanied the 1024K RAM board for the IIe,
marketed by Sequential. It resembles the AE RAM testers, because it shows
an outline of the RAM card and its chip locations. The tests are routine;
nothing spectacular is shown.
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TUNING APPLE II FLOPPY DRIVES (1995)
by Stephen Buggie
This is a disk to guide the user in the steps required to do
track-center alignment adjustment on 5.25" drives. APTEST is presented on
Side B, while an extensive set of docs is given on side A.
For unknown reasons, the drive alignment software will not load on a
IIc. Therefore, a IIc-compatible version is also available. This disk is
entitled, TRACK-CENTER ALIGNMENT. This version can also be used on the IIe
and IIgs.
This disk, and its procedures, will be demonstrated at APPLE II
KANSASFEST in July 1996!
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VITESSE DRIVE-CHECK (c1993)
DRIVE-CHECK FOR THE APPLE II
COPYRIGHT 1993 BY VITESSE, INC.
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CURRENT DRIVE: SLOT 6 DRIVE 2
MAIN MENU
SELECT DISK DRIVE
CLEAN DISK DRIVE
VERIFY FLOPPY DISK
DRIVE SPEED TEST
DRIVE SEEK TEST
DRIVE WRITE TEST
ALL DRIVE TESTS
QUIT TO PRODUCE
This software gets my vote for the worst diagnostic available for
the Apple II. Why? Several reasons:
First, the drive speed test is seriously bugged to the extent that
it is useless. The screen states that the drive speed test will take two
minutes --- but it continued endlessly without completion. This fault was
noticed on the original disk as well as on two backups obtained
independently. The drive speed test is flawed because no readout is given
regarding direction (+/-) or extent of drive speed error. With the software
equivalent of an "idiot light" on a car dashboard, the software only gives a
pass/fail judgment on disk speed. This is clearly deficient because the
other speed checkers give appropriate graphical or numerical information.
Second, the user interface is simple and uninformative. While this
could be overlooked if this software dated from the early 1980's, one would
expect that a 1993 software product ought to have an appealing look.
Third, publisher support is deficient. This diagnostic is still
supported (Vitesse), but inadequately. By phone, I described the drive
speed bug and was told to return the disk accompanied by a replacement fee.
I judged that the software, even if it worked, was not worth even the cost
of the disk replacement fee.
In conclusion, this software is a big dud. Readers are cautioned
against it even if it is available at a discounted rate. VITESSE
DRIVE-CHECK is an ironic disappointment: the most recently released
diagnostic is also the least worthwhile one to have.
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XPS - DIAGNOSTICS IIe (c1985)
(Main Menu Screen)
A) MAIN MEMORY B) KEYBOARD
C) SYSTEM ROMS D) GAME CONTROLS
E) CPU (6502) F) CHANGE SLOT/DRIVE
G) DISK SYSTEM H) ADJUST DRIVE SPEED
I) PRINTER J) ADD PERIPHERALS
K) PERIPHERAL CARDS L) MEDIA VERIFY
M) 80 COLUMN CARD N) ENABLE PRINTOUT
O) AUXILIARY MEMORY P) COLOR BAR TEST
Q) QUIT R) FOCUS TEST
This disk is a successor to APPLE-CILLIN (c1982); it is a
sophisticated update of that earlier diagnostic. It has more tests, and the
tests are more advanced. The XPS opening menu screen declares that it
diagnoses the IIe, but it works also with the IIc; it correctly identified
the ports of my IIc, although it described them as "peripheral cards."
The vintage of this disk is "early IIe," because it presumes that
the CPU is a 6502 chip. Still, its CPU tests passed my IIc's 65c02 8 MHz
ZIP CHIP.
The RAM TESTS are applied separately to main RAM (lower 64K) and to
auxiliary RAM (upper 64K). Within each bank, the eight RAM chips are
identified with the letter "G" to show that each has passed the continuous
RAM tests. Presumably, the RAM test could identify the specific RAM chip
that fails, enabling the replacement of that specific chip. This RAM
identification would apply especially to the auxiliary RAM bank. A failed
chip in main memory would prevent the program from loading and executing.
But because the RAM tests are continuously repeating through endless
"passes," the main memory RAM tests might be useful to identify marginally
working RAMs that work initially but which fail later when warm. To
identify "cold-failing" RAMs in main memory, the internal self-test is
recommended: The self-test identifies bad RAM in either bank which fail at
power-up.
SYSTEM ROMS TEST: This test is useless on any computer other than
an early-vintage (pre-1985) IIe. With my Unidisk 3.5 model of IIc, all
tests of the EO/CO ROMs yielded error messages.
PERIPHERAL CARD IDENTIFICATION AND TESTS: XPS will identify the
peripheral (interface controller) card in each IIe slot or IIc port. Unlike
the automatic card identifier on the MECC Computer Inspector, the XPS disk
must be "trained" to identify each card. Later, the card will be named
automatically when recognized in a slot. XPS applies a checksum algorithm
to the card-resident ROMs to identify each card. When the checksum matches
a value held on the disk, then the card is given the name associated with
that checksum value. If the card checksum does not match any value held on
the disk, then the user is prompted to name the unknown card. That name is
then held with the checksum on the disk to be used for future
identifications.
GAME CONTROLS TESTS: These include the joystick or the antique
"game paddles." For each direction of movement, values ranging from 0 to
255 are displayed. On/off switch contacts for the left fire button (switch
0) and right fire button (switch 1) are shown. But in addition to the
joystick/paddles test, the mouse also is tested! The mouse is tested in a
comparable way: with directional movement values (0 to 255) and also with
the mouse-button (switch 2). These tests are recognized even on the IIc.
DISK DRIVE TESTS: These apply only to 5.25" floppy drives. These
qualities are assessed: (a) disk speed, (b) write to disk, (c)
track-seeking, and (d) read from disk. The tests run continuously until
stopped. Errors are counted, but detailed information on the nature of the
error is not given. A separate drive-speed test gives a numerical
(no-graphical) indication of rotational speed RPM.
When using the disk drive tests, apply a tab over the write-protect
notch of the program disk to protect it against accidental erasure. The XPS
disk presumes that drive tests are to be done on slot 6, drive 1, unless the
slot has been changed previously on a different menu selector.
MEDIA VERIFY TEST: Visually, this is the most exciting test on XPS.
It resembles the fast copy display on Locksmith 6.0: an array of the 35
tracks and 15 sectors presented on Apple 5.25" floppies. The test disk need
not be formatted in advance. A moving dot pattern sweeps upward and to the
right across the array, with a dot (.) to indicate good sectors. Bad
sectors are identified with a number which increments on successive failures
during later passes. The media test appears to be valid; it identified bad
sectors on several disks which could not be formatted. Because this
verification test can be applied even prior to formatting, it is one of the
best features of XPS and is recommended highly.
Should bad-sector disks be kept or discarded? Some users may choose
to throw away disks with even a few bad sectors. After all, 5.25" disks are
cheap these days! Still, bad-sector disks may have limited uses. As long
as the bad sectors are not located in the directory area (tracks 00-01),
then they make be useful for short programs or even for data storage of
small files. The remaining good storage space may be used by scanning the
disk with CERTIFIX. CERTIFIX formats the disk in either ProDOS or DOS 3.3.
While formatting, it automatically identifies any bad sectors and locks them
out by placing them in a special file so that the bad blocks do not intrude
on programs or data storage.
The XPS disk is copy-protected, but backups can be made with the
Locksmith v.4.1 bit copier.
/
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YO YO DUCK DIAGNOSTICS v.2.5 (c1990)
(Main Menu Screen)
1) BURNIN 2) C.D. CONNECTION
3) MONITOR.TEST 4) DRIVE CLEANER
5) D.HI.RES.TEST 6) DISK.TEST2
7) ENSONIQ.SOUNDS 8) HIRES.TESTS
9) INSTRUCTIONS 10) IW2
11) IWLQ 12) JOY.PAD.TEST
13) KEYBOARD.TEST 14) MEMORY.TEST
15) PRINTER.TEST 16) SPEAKER.TEST
17) TEST.80.COL 18) ZANY.QUIT
CATALOG = 0
YO YO DUCK DIAGNOSTICS is unique software. It is supplied as a
two-sided 5.25" floppy, and is distributed as shareware by many public
domain software distributors. It offers many tests, which are less
sophisticated than those available elsewhere (such as Master Diagnostics,
Aptest, or Computer Inspector). It is inexpensive shareware (Michael
Coffey, 1640 Cante, Florissant, MO 63033). I paid the shareware fee in 1992
and have not yet ... received upgrades. Still, its author is very
knowledgeable about Apple II and writes long letters in response to
technical inquiries. He also has a IIgs-specific disk of shareware
anti-virus programs.
The best routine on YO YO DUCK DIAGNOSTICS is the documentation
itself, selected as #9 on the opening menu, INSTRUCTIONS. The docs occupy
the entire second side of the disk. They can be displayed on the screen
(using Karl Bunker's "dogpaw" text-display routine), or printed, at the
user's option. Docs explain plenty, going beyond the software itself.
The first routine, BURNIN, is a continuous loop of tests, intended
to test hardware for hours.
Overall, the individual tests on YO YO DUCK DIAGNOSTICS are
unsophisticated but there are so many of them that the shareware fee is well
worth its cost. Also, the documentation is excellent so users will learn
how their hardware works...
YO YO DUCK DIAGNOSTICS v.2.5 has a strange name, which the author
should explain. It is ProDOS based and is not copy-protected. Payment of
the shareware fee is based on the honor system.
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ZIP CHIP IIE/IIC UTILITIES V. 2.00 (C1988)
(Main Menu Screen)
CONFIGURE INSTALLED
A) RUN ZIP SYSTEM CHECK
B) RUN ZIP CONFIGURER
C) RUN ZIP INSTRUCTIONS
X) EXIT MENU
ZIP CHIP IIe/IIc combines utilities and diagnostics to test the
integrity of the 8-bit ZIP CHIP sold for the IIe/IIc. It includes utilities
to slow the accelerated speed below the maximum 8 MHz speed. In actual
practice, ZIP CHIP users either use the maximum acceleration or they turn it
off. I can think of no scenario for which partial acceleration would be
preferred.
The diagnostics portion of this disk proceeds through an
impressively long list of function tests; yet, their validity is doubtful.
When the disk was read by an Apple that lacked a ZIP CHIP, many "tests" were
passed despite the prominent fact that the computer lacked a ZIP! The ZIP
CHIP manual is very brief and the routines are not explained. The manual
have identified the outcomes for which the ZIP chip could be judged
conclusively to be defective. Early ZIP chips (c1988-1991) had a high
failure rate so it would be desirable to identify failed ZIPs. In practice,
software confirmation of ZIP CHIP failure is unnecessary. Dysfunctional ZIP
CHIPs fail catastrophically, and software is thereby rendered unbootable.
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ZIP-GS DIAGNOSTICS (C1991)
This is a disk that accompanies the ZIP-GS accelerator card. It is a
flashy graphical product with hyperscreen features. It is not a true
diagnostic in the sense that it judges the performance of hardware.
Instead, it is a manual on a disk. It teaches the installation and
operation of ZIP-GS at an elementary level --- too elementary, in my view.
The disk should teach how ZIP-GS accelerates, but explanation is minimal.
Utilities are included to install the ZIP-GS NDA on the Finder. As a
diagnostic, this software is flashy, yet disappointing. The ZIP=GS NDA by
"Brutal Deluxe" from France is more impressive than this. Unprotected
software.
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REFERENCE
DiversiCopy. (review) InCider, January 1987.
THE BEST DIAGNOSTIC ROUTINES
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Identifying the best diagnostics in any category is very subjective
and these reflect my personal views. Reasoning behind each selection is
stated.
BEST RAM MEMORY TESTERS:
Internal Self-Test IIe/IIc. This was judged the best because it
will identify bad RAM chip specifically, even when RAM failure in the main
(lower 64K range) prevents other software from loading and running. Its
shortcoming is that it is cryptic and the user may have trouble deducing
which RAM has gone bad. (RAM-identification instruction details are given
in the review of the self-test, above).
BEST DISK-DRIVE SPEED TESTERS:
My favorites are drive-speed testers in MASTER DIAGNOSTICS IIE/IIC,
and also in APTEST. These testers are graphical and accurate. Some might
prefer LOCKSMITH 6.0 speed tester with its "continuous over time" graphical
display, and its feature that drive speed can be evaluated optionally with
course/ medium/ fine precision.
BEST DISK-DRIVE TESTS:
MASTER DIAGNOSTICS IIE/IIC gives the disk drive an elaborate series
of tests which are reported and explained continuously on the screen.
(==========================) has an excellent series of random read/ write
tests which measure the head mechanism's ability to move quickly and
accurately across the disk surface.
BEST ROM TESTS:
MASTER DIAGNOSTICS IIc/IIe checks each ROM, and it knows that
different models have different ROMs. It even knows the different ROM sets
that identify the three IIc models.
BEST CPU (MICROPROCESSOR) TESTS:
Choosing the best CPU test is difficult because it is unclear which
aspects of CPU functions are tested. It is also unclear which functions are
most vital to CPU operation. XPS Diagnostics completes about 100 passes per
second during its CPS tests. Bearing this uncertainty in mind,
APPLECILLIN's CPU test is judged the best. This test is buried within
APPLECILLIN's "Other Tests" submenu, but it offers a repeating cycle of
clearly identified CPU tests: overflow tag, carry tag, decimal mode flag,
index register Y, index register X, negative flag, stack pointer,
accumulator, and status register. This test is identified by software as
for the older 8-bit processor, 6502, but it appears to work well with the
newer 65c02 or with the 8-bit ZIP chip.
BEST 80 COLUMN CARD TESTS:
MASTER DIAGNOSTICS IIC/IIE has a series of visually attractive tests
of the 80 column card functions; most other disks just give 1-2 screens of
80 column demos or tests.
BEST PERIPHERAL (INTERFACE) CARD IDENTIFIER:
APEX DIAGNOSTICS identifies interface cards recognized "under the
hood," from a standard set. It also can add new or unrecognized cards to
its card archive. Recognition is apparently achieved by applying a checksum
routine to the ROMs on the card. Once identified, the software consistently
names the card every time in the future. The potential size of its
interface card recognition file is unknown ---- my file has about 90
interface cards so far.
MECC COMPUTER INSPECTOR was impressive at identifying the interface
cards in my IIe, even without pretraining. Two other diagnostics (MASTER
DIAGNOSTICS IIE and also XPS DIAGNOSTICS IIE) identified cards but only when
pretrained (i.e., card initially identified by user). MASTER DIAGNOSTICS
IIE notices whether any ROMs have changed on successive days, and this
change could indicate faults in interface cards.
BEST DISK MEDIA VERIFIER:
XPS DIAGNOSTICS IIE (also known as POWER UP COMPUTER CHECKUP) gives
an excellent screen display, identifying specific bad sectors in a repeating
series of tests. CERTIFIX is less interesting to watch but CERTIFIX will
actually lock out bad sectors, enabling bad-sector disks to be used for data
or programs.
BEST JOYSTICK/MOUSE TESTS:
MASTER DIAGNOSTICS IIE/IIC has an excellent graphics-based
mouse-test, but it does not test the joystick. (====================) uses
a graphical grid-array to facilitate centering-adjustment of the joystick.
XPS DIAGNOSTICS IIE tests either joystick or mouse fully on a single
combined text-based screen.
BEST PRINTED MANUAL:
This is tough to judge because the manuals are unavailable for most
software reviewed here. MASTER DIAGNOSTICS IIE/IIC has an excellent manual
that explains the various tests and gives advice for corrective or
preventative maintenance.
BEST DOCS-ON-DISK:
YO-YO-DUCK DIAGNOSTICS presents a large set of mediocre tests, but
it includes a whole disk-side of excellent docs. The docs are self-booting
and are accessed through the opening screen menu.
MOST FLEXIBLE SET OF SELF-REPEATING TESTS:
APPLE DIAGNOSTICS allows the user to choose any combination of
tests, correctly suited for any model (IIe/IIc, IIc+, IIgs), which can
repeat endlessly. YO-YO DUCK DIAGNOSTICS has a repeating series of tests
(The "Burnin'" series) but the user cannot delete selectively any of the
tests.
BEST OVERALL DIAGNOSTICS PACKAGE:
Master Diagnostics IIc and IIe. These were chosen because of their
tests' number, variety, sophistication, and ease of use. The manual also
was excellent, giving further information to identify and correct faults.
APEX DIAGNOSTICS is a close ranked second. Its abilities to
identify interface cards held "under the hood" and to learn the identities
of new interface cards are impressive.
WORST DIAGNOSTICS:
VITESSE DISK DRIVE DIAGNOSTICS are the worst. They are inaccurate
and give a simplified yes-no evaluation of drive speed without specifying
the criterion applied for passing. My test copies, an original and a backup
obtained from a separate source, each failed to terminate its own
drive-speed test. Its visual display is primitive, considering its recent
date (1993). Company support was deficient; I described by phone the
problem to Vitesse, and was told I would have to pay a service fee even to
have the disk checked for faults. I declined, reasoning that even if it
worked the software was not worth the disk replacement fee demanded by
Vitesse.
AUTHOR'S NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
1. This is the first version (v.1.0) of this review. Readers' comments,
corrections, and additions are welcome and they will be added to the next
revision.
2. This paper will be updated, especially when further Apple II diagnostics
are located. Assistance from readers in locating further Apple II
diagnostics will be appreciated and will be added in the next version.
Specialized diagnostics for the IIgs are sought in particular.
3. Advice, comments, or software were provided by John Countryman, John
Daniels, Tim Gaines, Doug Durkee, Wayne Jones, Jim Poore, Charles "Dr.
Tom" Turley, and Joe Walters. Their contributions are gratefully acknowledged.
4. Nearly all diagnostic software reviewed here are out of print today
(1996) but they are widely available through informal sources. I will
appreciate being notified (and will be amazed) if any of these software
packages are supported presently with updates.
5. Readers are welcome to contact me: Stephen Buggie, Psychology Dept.,
University of New Mexico-Gallup, 200 College Rd., Gallup NM 87301.
Office phone: (505) 863-7504. Home phone: (505) 863-2390. Fax: (505)
863-7532. E-mail: buggie@unm.edu