tj@XN.LL.MIT.EDU (Thomas E. Jones) (06/16/90)
This is a long shot, but anyone out there ever use a TRS-80 Model 1? If so, did any of you use it with Disk Drives? If so (now I'm really pushing it) anyone use TRS-DOS? I'm trying to get an older Model 1 that has the expansion box and 3 floppy drives to boot, but it just comes up with BASIC all the time. This system worked a few days ago (when I got it) but I don't know how to boot it. Upon power up, it just asks for the amount of memory, then goes into Level II BASIC. Is there a command you must enter to start up the TRS-DOS? How did the disk systems ever work? Also, the system appears just the same weather the expansion box is on or off. Maybe the expansion box has a bad connection. Anyone have any clues out there how the old father-of-the-micro use to work? If someone could just get me started with a couple commands, I could get going from there. Thomas E. Jones tj@xn.ll.mit.edu (617)981-5093 (work) (617)924-8326 (home) -- tj@xn.ll.mit.edu or tj@ll-xn.arpa (one of these should work) Thomas E. Jones, home (617) 924-8326 work (617) 981-5093
cs163wau@sdcc10.ucsd.edu (Gary H) (06/16/90)
In article <1900@xn.LL.MIT.EDU> tj@XN.LL.MIT.EDU (Thomas E. Jones) writes: >I'm trying to get an older Model 1 that has the expansion box and 3 >floppy drives to boot, but it just comes up with BASIC all the time. >This system worked a few days ago (when I got it) but I don't know >how to boot it. Upon power up, it just asks for the amount of memory, >then goes into Level II BASIC. Is there a command you must enter to >start up the TRS-DOS? How did the disk systems ever work? Also, the >system appears just the same weather the expansion box is on or off. >Maybe the expansion box has a bad connection. Anyone have any clues >out there how the old father-of-the-micro use to work? If someone >could just get me started with a couple commands, I could get >going from there. Use an eraser on the connector that goes from the expansion interface to the cpu (keyboard). The model I's connectors are not gold plated (they're tin plated) so they oxidize. When they do, then the cpu things it has no connect- ion to the expansion interface (it happened to me a couple of times). Try it... Gary
crmeyer@voodoo.ucsb.edu (06/16/90)
In article <1900@xn.LL.MIT.EDU>, tj@XN.LL.MIT.EDU (Thomas E. Jones) writes... >I'm trying to get an older Model 1 that has the expansion box and 3 >floppy drives to boot, but it just comes up with BASIC all the time. I would carefully clean the card edge on the computer and the expansion box with a clean pencil eraser to remove any oxide. This connection was somewhat of a problem on the Model 1. Many of us added a header to the card edge that was gold plated to make a more reliable connection. Good Luck! +-----------------------------------+ | Charles R. Meyer | | | | Internet: crmeyer@voodoo.ucsb.edu | | Bitnet: crmeyer@voodoo | | HEPnet: voodoo::crmeyer | +-----------------------------------+
rlp@beach.cis.ufl.edu (Bob Powell) (06/17/90)
In article <1900@xn.LL.MIT.EDU> tj@XN.LL.MIT.EDU (Thomas E. Jones) writes: >I'm trying to get an older Model 1 that has the expansion box and 3 >floppy drives to boot, but it just comes up with BASIC all the time. >This system worked a few days ago (when I got it) but I don't know >how to boot it. Upon power up, it just asks for the amount of memory, >then goes into Level II BASIC. Is there a command you must enter to >start up the TRS-DOS? How did the disk systems ever work? Also, the >system appears just the same weather the expansion box is on or off. >Maybe the expansion box has a bad connection. Anyone have any clues >out there how the old father-of-the-micro use to work? If someone >could just get me started with a couple commands, I could get >going from there. First, make sure the connection is good between the expansion interface and the keyboard. Without that connection, the processor never knows the extra memory, drives, and/or RS232 are there. Second, you're not accidentally holding the BREAK key when you power on, are you? That's the way to force the system into BASIC on startup, even with a disk system and the drives turned on. The Model I is a classic system indeed (hey, it even has a detached keyboard! :) ), and I wish you all the best in getting it going. Bob -- rlp@beach.cis.ufl.edu Air: PP-SEL AMA # 541283 Road: 750 Ninja DoD # 0068 Water: NAUI OW-I <=- -=>
ttak@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Timothy Takahashi) (06/17/90)
In article <1900@xn.LL.MIT.EDU> tj@XN.LL.MIT.EDU (Thomas E. Jones) writes: >This is a long shot, but anyone out there ever use a TRS-80 Model 1? Geeez... the past has come back...... I ran a Model I until 1987. >If so, did any of you use it with Disk Drives? Yup >If so (now I'm really pushing it) anyone use TRS-DOS? Yup >I'm trying to get an older Model 1 that has the expansion box and 3 >floppy drives to boot, but it just comes up with BASIC all the time. To boot a standard Model I trs-80, the entire system should be powered on a system disk inserted in drive 0 and then push the reset button on the back of the keyboard/cpu unit. the disk drives should click and clack a bit and the screen should read : RADIO SHACK TRS-80 TRSDOS VERSION 2.3 TRSDOS READY at which point, you are at the DOS prompt. Even in its earlier versions, trsdos is fully comparable (not compatible) to later doses like msdos, and quite a bit more friendly than cp/m. here are a list of some commands DIR :drive number (ex. DIR :1 <enter> print file directory on drive :1 COPY file1 file2 BACKUP drive1 drive2 the file name convention is different from msdos, where msdos looks like A:\filename.ext trsdos looks like filename/ext:1 to run disk basic type BASIC at the TRSDOS READY prompt >This system worked a few days ago (when I got it) but I don't know >how to boot it. Remember to power up the disk drives and expansion box *BEFORE* the keyboard! > Upon power up, it just asks for the amount of memory, >then goes into Level II BASIC. Which is normal if the cpu can not find the disk controller on powerup. The expansion box must be turned on first. > Is there a command you must enter to >start up the TRS-DOS? No command to start trsdos, must press reset button to reboot > How did the disk systems ever work? pretty well. TRSDOS, which is not sophisticated by NEWDOS/80, LDOS, DOSPLUS standards, is much more of an operating system than Apple DOS 3.3 or cp/m :-) Early models were prone to spontaneous reboots and unreliable operation if the power was dirty (need external power line filter), some had a "buffered" cable to the expansion box. > Also, the >system appears just the same weather the expansion box is on or off. Again, check power-on sequence >Maybe the expansion box has a bad connection. Anyone have any clues >out there how the old father-of-the-micro use to work? If someone >could just get me started with a couple commands, I could get >going from there. > > Thomas E. Jones tim