Recent content by Witchy

Not yet, the machine has been stored while I tackle other projects. I need to get it back on the bench though since I'm exhibiting it at the next UK retrofest on November 4th/5th. I'm sure I tried removing the MF card as a 'just in case' though. The screen is wrong even with the base diagnostics...

This isn't sale related, but CPT related. As far as I can tell, the CPT community is missing boot disks for the 8x00 series; I've been looking for 15 years because mine are physically damaged, and I know others and even CPT employees have been too. There's obviously interest in the manuals but...

That was one of the first things I did when I was trying to work out why the graphics mode on my machine has all the pixels shifted one pixel column to the right. Passed ok, but you've reminded me I need to change the dip switches themselves because switch 8 is broken and I don't know if it's...

Yep, B2.27. It boots, brings up the 'device assignment' text for A:, B: and M: drives but then locks up. All of Don Maslin's disks do this, but your CFdisk boot floppy doesn't because it isn't a Multibank version, just a 256k version. The QXPC floppy does, I'm guessing because that's a Don disk...

Hi folks, I'm puzzling why the US CP/M R2.2 Multibank edition won't boot on my European QX10, but non-multibank 256K R2.2 works fine. Does it require a RAM board to work successfully, or DIP switch changes? Cheers,

The Viking is a QBUS card for a tape drive, it has a 50 pin outside world connection but I'm not entirely sure it's SCSI. Later versions of the card like QT2 and QT4 could be made into disk controllers by changing the ROM. I'll pencil you in for a logic board. Cheers, A

I'll have a look, IIRC things like ATI Mach64 and Number9 worked in Alphastations, possibly Matrox MGA100 too? Cheers A

Hi Rob, long time etc :) I don't mean the external PSUs, each 90L+ has an internal 5V-9V regulator that's a very common failure point, so I've ended up with 30 of the things. I don't think the M or TL has the same part. The external bricks were notorious for failing and were eventually replaced...

Hi folks, Some interest, splendid. This box of VT420 boards has been in my way for longer than I care to remember, ditto the PWS parts. I never did get a PWS500, settling for an XP1000 instead :) Now I need the space. List: 7 untested VT420 logic boards. 1 untested VRT19 input board. 5...

Hi folks, I've got 7x VT420 logic boards here, untested for at least 20 years. VRT19 boards too. There's also a few PWS500au parts - CPU/heatsinks, LAN boards, PSUs, other misc items I've not gone through yet. The PWS parts were all bought as working originally. DECserver 90L, a tube of the 9V...

Took all the big and nearly-as-big caps off the other day and tested them with my Peak meter. Only one of them was below spec but the issue is still there after replacement, so I'll pull and test the rest of them at some point this weekend. A

Ah, that's a bit suboptimal. I hope no bodies were hurt in the fire and it was just paperwork. It looks like I might be blanket replacing the caps after all in that case. Cheers,

Hi folks, Turned my venerable HP1660A on today and the CRT is less than well. It's not quite vertically collapsing but the picture is wobbly and stretched at the top. Service manual flowchart says 'check voltages and signals -> check cable -> replace CRT module' :) I'm surprised that I...

Splendid, another one lives! See below - I've imaged all of my Sorcerer disks as well as the ones with the machine I picked up for Exidyboy a couple of years ago. No, but the FDM180 I have here also has all switches off and it's paired with its Sorcerer so now that I have that machine...

Hi folks, I've finally got my hands on a QX-10 after 20 years of waiting patiently for one to land in my lap. It's a Euro ASCII edition with multifont card, 192k main RAM and 32k video RAM. I've managed to write some floppies using my Greaseweazle and drive B from the QX-10, all good. The...