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TRS-80 Model II

N

nekonoko

Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2008
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30
Location
Pleasanton, CA
Hello!

I recently picked up a TRS-80 Model II (the one with the big 8" disk drive). It did come with some software, but the disks apparently haven't aged well and the original TRSDOS diskette no longer boots. The backup TRSDOS diskette does boot, but I'm unable to copy it (bad sectors).

Does anyone here have the capability to make TRS-80 Model II boot diskettes? I'd love to play with the machine some more, but I'm afraid I'll kill off my only TRSDOS backup if I use it too much. Also wouldn't mind sourcing CP/M for the machine ;)
 
Well the images would be a great start, thanks!

Hmm - anyone already have an 8" drive setup on a PC that can create disks from image files? Unfortunately I don't have a PC with that sort of hardware around here. I do have a box of brand new, still in shrinkwrap, 8" Model II floppies though so blanks shouldn't be a problem.
 

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Yep - terminator pack is installed at the back of the machine.

I am able to boot the machine just fine, I just don't have a backup of my TRSDOS diskette, so if something happens to it I'm sunk.
 
You may want to see about getting LS-DOS from Tim Mann's site. I have the same problem, Model II with no disks (not even non-working ones) and was thinking of going this route.

-Dan
 
Ah thanks - wasn't aware of LS-DOS. I do have disk images for TRSDOS for the Model II as well (from Dave Dunfield's site), but I haven't come up with a solution for creating the 8" diskettes yet. Looks like LS-DOS will be a similar story.
 
I had not used my model II for three years, and with this thread in mind I set up the old beast for a routine test. I try not to let any working system go too long before I re-run for a few hours to refresh the electronics.

Anyway...I must have waited too long, she does not boot any more. The system powers up,but will not attempt to read the disk drive and there's nothing sent to the CRT.

So far I have done little other than open the system and quickly inspect it. The CRT tube fires up (strong glow), so I assume that the issue lies with one of the four system cards (there is no motherboard). I have not done any further testing.

If I have an update I'll post it.

Bill
 
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Update: I have made progress. I re-seated the chips and checked the connections. Now I at least get a boot attempt screen.

Upon booting the system with a disk in the drive that I believe should work I get:
BOOT ERROR DC
...These are disks that I believe worked in the past, I am assuming that they *all* can't be bad now considering I have used them in the past few years. The disks have been in proper storage. After this message appears the drive stops spinning and the light goes out as expected. I think the controller is OK, or at have no reason to believe it's bad. If I insert a disk backwards the system realizes and shows me the message ENTER DISKETTE or similar. The system also will immediately attempt to boot the disk installed in the drive.

I think what I'll try next is to replace the disk drive. Fortunately I have a new or close to new replacement drive on hand.

bottom line - I have no way to make or test Model II boot disks at the moment.
 
From the Model II TechRef Manual;

"11. "DC Error" if the floppy disk controller is still busy or seek error is indicated or drive not restored to track 0"

Try moving the drive head back to the rear of the drive in a powered off condition. It might be sticking before it gets to track zero
 
If your disk(s) have gone bad, it sometimes returns the same error code. Even if the disk works in another machine, a dirty head will make it harder to read in this one (I know you know all this, but others reading this might appreciate the info).

--T
 
I saw a Model II today...

I saw a Model II today...

Today the kids had off from school today, so we made a day trip to my favorite surplus place in Kingston NY - P&T Surplus.

There I saw a Model II sans keyboard. Actually, it looks like it has been there for a long time. I just thought I'd mention it if anyone was looking for one (or parts).

Lou
 
billdeg said:
Upon booting the system with a disk in the drive that I believe should work I get:
BOOT ERROR DC
...
Click to expand...

Fired up my Model II and Model 16 today. Got the same "BOOT ERROR DC" on both. The diskettes I use were purchased off of eBay within the last 8 months and look new. On the Model II you can hear the head loading but not the sound of the heads stepping through he tracks. The Model 16's drives don't seem to make any sound.I have a project to hookup two 5 1/4" floppies to the external connector and try that since apparently they are more reliable than the 8". Got one of those FDAP cards awhile back and initially hooked an 8" floppy up to a 450Mhz Pentium machine running DOS. It accessed the 8" drive and formatted the floppy OK. I may need to set this up again and test out the drives in the Tandy computers.
 
billdeg said:
Hi - Please make sure you have a terminator installed or you'll not be able to boot, regardless of the disks
Click to expand...


Hi, I also tried to fire up one of my Model II's.. I cleaned the heads of the drives.. and finally I could load a TRSDOS disk.. but when I enter the date I always get the message "BAD Response" and I should enter the date again... I have no idea what it could be.. the drive seems to read the disk at it starts up.. I never heard of this terminator.. should it be installed on the back of the Model II?
 
alker said:
Hi, I also tried to fire up one of my Model II's.. I cleaned the heads of the drives.. and finally I could load a TRSDOS disk.. but when I enter the date I always get the message "BAD Response" and I should enter the date again... I have no idea what it could be.. the drive seems to read the disk at it starts up.. I never heard of this terminator.. should it be installed on the back of the Model II?
Click to expand...

If you get as far as the OS prompting for the date that is a good sign. The fact that you get a message "Bad Response" would seem to indicate a keyboard or keyboard cabling problem. There is a terminator block that should be installed on a connector in the rear of the unit labeled "disk expansion". It is similar to a terminator that SCSI uses on the last drive in a chain. Terminators for the Model II are very hard to come by, so if you don't have one, you may have to make one.
 
Or you're entering a date it doesn't like.

Try something like 03/02/1986 or 03/02/86

They are NOT Y2K aware.
 
yes of course I enter a date around the 80's.. but I have one point more.. it displays "enter date ......... (9 points) .. so I enter f.ex.

01/01/1982. and there is still one . available.... I tried everything to come by.. but I'm too stupid..

I also tried another keyboard and it did not help.. maybe really the terminator is the problem?!?!
 
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