• Please review our updated Terms and Rules here

AlphaMicro Systems AM1000, AM1200, & maybe AM100L drive replacement

Woohoo!
Got serial comms established.

At 300 Baud. Required a null modem converter on the end of the USB->DB-9 cable. I kinda suspected that, and ordered one with my RS232 breakout box.

1650418542406.png
1650418826199.png

1650418785559.png
 

Attachments

  • 1650418805657.png
    1650418805657.png
    27.5 KB · Views: 1
Since I got the serial port(s) working, and all self-tests pass, I'm going to start ordering the SCSI2SD stuff...
 
AM-706, it looks like. Room for another 1M on the board, which would take the AM1200 to its max of 4Mb, I think.

IMG_5212.jpeg
 
Looks like Rabbit hole has the 5.0 emulator in stock... any thoughts on if it could work?
 
the one I've gotten to work is version 5.2, although, my 1000 just died again, so time for another repair cycle.

now I do have a bootable 1.3 image, ClassicHasClass will be testing that out, and I've ordered more 512mb SDs and have found a replacement helper (helper is for health reasons).

can't say when I'll be up again, but I need a running system to image a new SCSI2SD image for a 1200, think AM1200.IDV, with whatever terminal.TDV and baud rate you plan to use in a new .INI.

I have another buddy who is up and running if classis can't get that image up.

curbie
 
Sorry to hear on your am1000... bummer!

Well, my friend checked and the drives he has are not from an Alpha, nor does he have boot PROMS... so right now I'm stuck there.

I'd need to get a set of PROMS. And a SCSI emulator that will work. There certainly seem to be many of them on ebay... but without an image and proms, it's hard to try much.

I'd go with a WYSE-50 running 9600,n,8,1...
 
I have schematics and some experience doing board repairs on these. the good news in my previous post was that I found a replacement helper, I think I have already burned some SCSI proms, but if not, now I can, although I'm slow but I have SCSI proms, blanks, and a burner. Just need uninterrupted time. I use a "wyse.tdv", handles 30, 50, or 60.
 
Fantastic. I'm in no hurry, I've got projects stacked up to work on. I may order the 5.0 scsi to SD board as it seems to use the same software...

One question... there's no drive in my box, but was the drive controller a board that mounted on top of the drive? I have a 50 pin cable running from the motherboard to the empty space, but my (faint!) recollection is that maybe there's supposed to be a controller board that was bolted to the drive... or maybe I'm recalling incorrectly.

Of course I'm more than happy to reimburse for any expenses - I hope that goes without saying!

Tom
 
no hurry... that's good. i think if you have the patients, i think we have all that's needed to get you up and going at this point. the drive controller a board that mounted on top of the drive was a xebec 1410,if i remember, sasi to mfm. not needed with the scsi2sd.
 
OK that makes sense.

I have the various bits and pieces on order so I can be (hopefully) ready when you are. I'll wait a bit to see if the 5.2 SCSI2SD comes available (I emailed, waiting for a response), if not I'll roll the dice on the 5.0
 
we're not ready to go yet, getting a 5.0 may be a hedge against the 5.2 not becoming available again, but just waiting for the 5.2 will be cheaper... your call. i've done all my testing on 5.1 and 5.2.
 
Classic, I have not tried V6.0 yet, but the earlier V51, 5.2 work so I don't "see" the issue, other than my personal cringe that I like starting from a known good (tested) plan. (if a un-tested plan doesn't work, where is the issue?)

I'm working on a plan to make a scsi2sd mounting bracket that fits into the port expansion opening on the back of the machine, so I can easily swap out the SD cards for backups and OS swaps.

I'm still waiting more SD cards to come in, these are the first cards I tested with. They "claim" to be "512"mb but their images are 514mb, and won't restore to cards that "claim" to be 512mb cards that are actually 500mb or 503mb. I have some images that I can't currently restore and I don't want to lose the work that went into them.

curbie
 
Hey!

Bit of news (I've been off on a volunteering project for a week and out of touch most of the day).

I saw an AM-1400 come up on Ebay... It was only an hour away from me, so I jumped on it and went to get it today.

Dang thing boots right up!

It also has a 525mb streaming tape drive....

I'm inventorying everything now. 3Mb memory, four serial, two parallel ports, 1 winchester,

.DEVTBL
DSK0 (sharable) (physical unit 0, logical unit 0)
DSK1 (sharable) (physical unit 0, logical unit 1)
DSK2 (sharable) (physical unit 0, logical unit 2)
DSK3 (sharable) (physical unit 0, logical unit 3)
DSK4 (sharable) (physical unit 0, logical unit 4)
DSK5 (sharable) (physical unit 0, logical unit 5)
DSK6 (sharable) (physical unit 0, logical unit 6)
DSK7 (sharable) (physical unit 0, logical unit 7)
DSK8 (sharable) (physical unit 0, logical unit 8)
DSK9 (sharable) (physical unit 0, logical unit 9)
DSK10 (sharable) (physical unit 0, logical unit 10)
TRM0 (sharable)
RES0 (sharable)
MEM0 (sharable)
NET0 (sharable)
ALP0 (sharable)
VCR0
RPP0
STR0

Status of AMOS Version 2.3A(488)-1 on Tuesday, November 1, 2005 12:45:31 AM

JOB1 TRM1 System Service DSK0:1,4 RN SYSTAT 1801580 bytes
MODEM MODEM System Service DSK0:1,4 ^C LOG 200K bytes
JOB2 TERM2 System Service DSK0:1,4 ^C LOG 200K bytes
JOB3 TERM3 System Service DSK0:1,4 ^C LOG 200K bytes
SPOOL NULL System Service DSK0:1,2 EW LPTSPL 12K bytes
8 jobs allocated on system, 5 jobs in use (5 logged in)
Total memory on system is 3M bytes
System uptime is 00:37:38

DSK0 11033 Blocks free DSK1 3953 Blocks free
DSK2 3381 Blocks free DSK3 7746 Blocks free
DSK4 11057 Blocks free DSK5 5146 Blocks free
DSK6 45410 Blocks free DSK7 22522 Blocks free
DSK8 5853 Blocks free DSK9 6804 Blocks free
DSK10 21596 Blocks free
19 devices on system, total of 144501 blocks free
.

Note that it's running AMOS 2.3A - An OS that I never touched as far as I can remember.


So that's fun.
 
Maybe...

First I have to get the terminal driver reconfigured so I can use VUE.

I guess I could copy the TVI925.TDV to AM62.TDV (after saving AM62.TDV), then reboot... but that could really hang me if something's off. I just need to edit a test.ini with a better driver. Otherwise the system is working fine.

I ordered a 525mb tape cartridge so I can back things up before I get too serious. If that fails, I'll try a VCR (have to buy one!).

Is there an easy way to transfer a text file over the serial port? I just can't recall it.
 
COPY TST.INI=AMOSL.INI{RTN}
VUE TST.INI{RTN}
make sure you are starting command mode.... Q{RTN} (back to dot prompt), Else {ESC}>Q{RTN} (back to dot prompt)
VUE TST.INI{RTN} if starting command mode, Add {ESC} (goto command mode) if started in edit mode.
While in command mode GLOBAL TVI925.TDV[RTN]
?AM62.TDV
x number replaced (x should be 1)
you can Quit if anything spooks you or, Go to MONTST, either way is safe.
 
Last edited:
Sorry, i wasn't clear - I meant to transfer a file from my PC to the AM via the serial port.

VUE really doesn't work for me right. now as the terminal driver isn't close enough and is inserting characters into the file.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top