• Please review our updated Terms and Rules here

"ReSet" of C64 without Pwr off/on??

A

AAGDOS

Experienced Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2018
Messages
104
Location
Hartford, CT
In the manual "Assembler Commodore 64" it says "To exit the Monitor program, reset the machine".

I have done this by Power Off/On, but recall seeing or reading a note somewhere else saying this can be done by a key combination (to prevent overuse of the switch). I have not been able to relocate this item. Forum? Text? Guide? YouTube?

Does anyone know what the key combination is?? I am overusing the switch writing many small Assembler Programs while learning! Thank you.
 
Holding STOP and slamming RESTORE with vigor will issue an NMI, which might do the trick. After that, issue SYS64738 to cause a warm boot.

Else, you need to add your own reset button. There are several ways to do it. The simplest is with a cartridge that has a reset button on it.
 
Thanks for the info. I'll try the "slamming" approach for a bit, and then look at the cartridge with reset button as a longer term solution.

The "reset" issue came up when trying to exit the Monitor in Assembly Language while addressing the 'Fritzy" issue in Port 1. I used Assembly to monitor $DC01 and send a data stream to the screen (in the absence of Basic). This showed the same "flicking".
 
My recollection about STOP+RESTORE was that gently pressing RESTORE almost never worked. But I think it's not so much that you have to whack it hard, rather you want it down for only a very short time. So light taps work also, the idea is to hold down STOP steadily then ensure RESTORE is pressed for as short a time as possible. Whacking it hard will cause it to bounce up again (so it doesn't remain bottomed out very long), but you can still reproduce that bounce using a lighter touch.
 
Just as an FYI to anyone who reads this thread: If you DO use the off-on method of reset make SURE you leave the machine off for at least five seconds before powering on again. A quick off-on will shorten its life considerably.

-CH-
 
clh333 said:
Just as an FYI to anyone who reads this thread: If you DO use the off-on method of reset make SURE you leave the machine off for at least five seconds before powering on again. A quick off-on will shorten its life considerably.

-CH-
Click to expand...
What's the technical reason behind this warning please?
Frank
 
Thanks for the advisories! The 5 sec pause between Pwr off/on seems to make sense when thinking of other sensitive electronic equipment. I keep a UPS between main house power and all computer equipment.
 
I forgot to add in my note above...I am still puzzled why Commodore did not write a simple way to exit from the Monitor after writing code, editing, assembling, loading, monitoring, and finally saving the object file to disk. The Pwr off/on method seems pretty basic compared to the sophistication in the chips, circuit boards and s/w!
 
You hit the nail on the head. The power switch method is the cheapest possible solution, and it works.

The C64 was the cheapest possible computer (for what you get). They cut all the right corners and succeeded. The design overall is eloquent. And it became the best selling computer of all time as a result.

Plus, this, as well as most other comparable machines were hobbyist machines. They gave us what we needed to easily add our own reset button.

There's reason to believe that quickly switching the power might actually be better than pausing between off and on. Because the linear power supply has less time to discharge, there might be less stress on everything with a quick power cycle. The only consequence might be that a proper reset isn't carried out, which isn't damaging to the computer, it just might make it behave strangely until the next reset.

If there's a technical reason to pause when turning the C64 on, which I and Frank are forgetting, we would appreciate an explanation. There is a lot to know about these things, and sometimes mundane details are forgotten.
 
KC9UDX said:
You hit the nail on the head. The power switch method is the cheapest possible solution, and it works.

The C64 was the cheapest possible computer (for what you get). They cut all the right corners and succeeded. The design overall is eloquent. And it became the best selling computer of all time as a result.

Plus, this, as well as most other comparable machines were hobbyist machines. They gave us what we needed to easily add our own reset button.

There's reason to believe that quickly switching the power might actually be better than pausing between off and on. Because the linear power supply has less time to discharge, there might be less stress on everything with a quick power cycle. The only consequence might be that a proper reset isn't carried out, which isn't damaging to the computer, it just might make it behave strangely until the next reset.

If there's a technical reason to pause when turning the C64 on, which I and Frank are forgetting, we would appreciate an explanation. There is a lot to know about these things, and sometimes mundane details are forgotten.
Click to expand...

I couldn't agree more. I added a reset button to my C64 after probably more than one year. I always toggled the power switch without waiting. Sometimes it didn't reset correctly, but it happened rarely. But, yes, there could be a reason we don't see :)

Frank
 
Let me first say that I have no technical proof that this has any bearing, but it's just a fun discussion point. I think the concept of a "power surge" might be a factor. Who here has ever seen a light bulb burn out when it's just left on?

One thing that definitely IS a factor is the fact that the power switches fail. I finally found someone selling them and ordered 10, so I'm good for life!
 
The light bulb is subject to stress when turning on because it is cold. Switching it off and on quickly like we were discussing above doesn't affect them at all. Proof can be seen with off the shelf dimmers which extend the life of the bulb by rapidly turning it off and on.

Those power switches do wear out eventually; that is the only caveat to power cycling that I'm aware of. But I think operating them roughly does most of the harm. That's my opinion based on the fact that over the years I've used the power switch far more often than a reset button. And I've cycled the power on C64s an obscene number of times over the years without ever wearing out a power switch. I've only seen power switch failures on units that had less use, but by people with less "finesse".
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top