Hi everyone, it's been a while since I've been on the forum, but I recently decided to dig out my old XT system and fire it up. Unfortunately, it's been having some problems. Instead of loading my GSI Model 11's BIOS, it just spits out the ROM address, gives me a 601 error, and after I hit F1 it boots into BASIC. I tried removing every card but that one and the VGA card, no go. I then tried to change the BIOS address on the Model 11 and the only difference is that it displays a different address on startup. If you can help in any way with this, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks!
- VCF South West - June 14 - 16, Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center at University of Texas at Dallas
- VCF West - Aug 2 - 3, Computer History Museum, Mountain View, CA
- VCF Midwest - Sept 7 - 8 2024, Schaumburg, IL
- VCF SoCal - Mid February 2025, Location TBD, Southern CA
- VCF East - April 2025, Infoage Museum, Wall NJ
-
Please review our updated Terms and Rules here
More XT Problems
- Thread starter marcoguy
- Start date
Stone
10k Member
Since that's a floppy/controller error why don't you try a standard FDC/drive and see what the result is? 
I tried the original IBM floppy controller and that doesn't work either, the floppy drive just stays lit up and shows no activity and I still get a 601 error. I don't think the problem is with the controller though, because my SCSI BIOS isn't being detected either (I tried both the SCSI card and the FDD controller separately).
Chuck(G)
25k Member
Perhaps you have the floppy cable reversed? The floppy should not be selected immediately at power-on.
No, I triple checked the floppy cable and it's definitely not reversed. I really don't think the problem is just with the floppy drives though, because as I said before the BIOS of my HDC isn't being properly read either.
Stone
10k Member
The floppy drive is known to be good, correct. I mean you tested it elsewhere, today.
Chuck(G)
25k Member
Please bear with me as I try to get this one straight in my mind. The floppy drive select light comes on and stays on the moment you power the system up, right?
Yes. When I just connect my A drive it's light stays on from the moment I power up to the moment I shut down, and when I connect the B drive they both do. This happens with both the standard IBM controller and my GSI model 11. In addition to this, the Model 11's BIOS is not properly executed.
Al Hartman
Veteran Member
Chuck is right, that is a symptom of the floppy cable being backwards. When you tested the drives on the Compaq, did you use the same cable plugged in the same way?
You have one end of that cable plugged in backwards. The drive lights staying lit are the classic symptom of that.
Trust me, that was the first thing I checked. I can guarantee the floppy cables are not backwards. I have Pin 1 lined up on the controller and the drive, and I used the same cable configured the same way on the Compaq.