akermanis@troa01.dec.com (03/06/89)
I have run into a strange problem with Wordpower 3.2 and disk I/O and hope someone may have some ideas. My hardware consists of a COCO III 512K, CCBUS (same idea as multipak), Tandy RS232 interface slot 1, Burke & Burke hard disk interface with WD1002 controller in slot 3 and the Tandy half height floppy in slot 4. Given that OS-9 level II runs without problems for hours on end, programs running under RSDOS work without problems, VIP Writer/database works OK and what ever else I have runs fine. A couple of weeks back I received Wordpower 3.2 from Microcom and on the surface looks like an excellent wordprocessor. The problem that I have been experiencing has to do only with disk I/O on file loads or saves. I discovered this problem shortly after I got the software, where if you load in a text file the software crashes. If you save the text buffer, it corrupts the disk in a very mild and almost undetectable way. I did the usual things like unplug the RS232 interface, Burke & Burke interface and got to the point where the Tandy floppy controller was all that was left on the CCBUS, same problem. Unplugged the CCBUS and plugged the floppy controller in directly, works like a champ. Wordpower 3.2 for some reason will not work with the CCBUS inline, yet every other piece of software I own has never had problems. I called Microcom and was immediately handed over to the author of the software to explain my problem. After going over the scenario with him, I was told that Wordpower 3.2 uses the ROM disk I/O routines. He also did not understand what the problem could be considering RSDOS and OS-9 runs fine. They could offer no solution to my problem. Under RSDOS, I quickly put together a program that tested the various disk I/O routines to ensure the ROM was OK since I seldom use RSDOS. I found no problems here either. I also tried some other software that I know also uses ROM disk I/O routines and they work fine. Since Wordpower 3.2 works without problems plugged directly in the expansion port and crashes in the expansion bus, I would assume the CCBUS is causing the problem. What does not make sense is every other piece of software runs fine. 1) Could it be that there is a timing problem that shows up under Wordpower and the CCBUS ? 2) Wordpower has a problem ? 3) I am out to lunch ? 4) It's the wrong time of the month ? 5) It's only my imagination ? Any thoughts or suggestions would be most appreciated. John (* There is always one more bug. *) (* Not until a program is in release for six months will the most harmful error be discovered *)
lnewman@emdeng.Dayton.NCR.COM (Lee.A.Newman) (03/08/89)
I purchased a CCBUS several years ago. I tried it with a J&M disk controller running JDOS, and it would not work. After several talks with the makers of the CCBUS, they finally fessed up and said there was a problem and they did not have a soln for JDOS. At the time, I noticed that the problem probably was in the decoding circuitry on the CCBUS. You probably need to check the addresses the CCBUS permits to be sent to the expansion cards. Needless to say, I returned the CCBUS. Shortly thereafter I noticed that I could not find any ads for the CCBUS. Lee Newman lnewman@emdeng.dayton.NCR.com
knudsen@ihlpl.ATT.COM (Knudsen) (03/11/89)
In article <636@emdeng.Dayton.NCR.COM>, lnewman@emdeng.Dayton.NCR.COM (Lee.A.Newman) writes: > I purchased a CCBUS several years ago. I tried it with a > J&M disk controller running JDOS, and it would not work. > After several talks with the makers of the CCBUS, they > finally fessed up and said there was a problem and they > did not have a soln for JDOS. At the time, I noticed that > the problem probably was in the decoding circuitry on the > CCBUS. You probably need to check the addresses the CCBUS > permits to be sent to the expansion cards. This may have been the same sort of trouble that the Coco III sometimes has with its own peripheral decoding. They neglected to AND-gate the SCS- and CTS- outputs with the E Clock, and the resulting glitches caused when addresses change in certain ways have been blamed for everything fomr sparklies to the BLOB (Boot LIst Order Bug) in OS9-L2. There is a hardware hack to fix that, fortunately. I haven't tried it yet. If I remember right, the CCBUS was the long, narrow imitation Multi-Pak made of flimsy cream-colored plastic that got hot as Hades at one end. Some members of the clubs I go to have these and they work all right, which is more than you'd expect. I don't recallw hether they run JDOS on them. -- Mike Knudsen Bell Labs(AT&T) att!ihlpl!knudsen "Anyone can build a conservative design, given liberal resources." -- MJK
bbw842@leah.Albany.Edu (Barry B Werger) (03/12/89)
Well, here goes.... I love my coco. I waited a long time for the coco 3 and OS/9 level 2, and finally they arrived. Shortly thereafter I left for college, and for a while was separated from it... I never got Level II running. I couldn't find a radio shack that had ever heard of the multipack modification for the coco3. My disk controller needs the now-nonexistant 5 volt power line, so i cannot use it withjout the multipack. One of my disk drives seems to be on it's last legs in terms of functionality, and the other I need a cable for; it's a 40 track double sider. As you can see, I'm in bad shape. I want to get my system running! I haven't touched it in so long because I've had a VAX to play with; now that I have been studying operating systems in-depth i want to play with OS/9 some more.. with my new skills and knowledge I want to go play and work again with the coco... So, can anybody tell me... Where can I get the PAL chip for the multipack, or do new multipacks have it already? Or are there aftermarket products, reasonably priced, that will do the job? Any great deals or ideas on a hard disk? Any suggestions? Also, on occasion the coco3 has seemed a bit flaky... it was one of the first shipped... any news that i've missed on hardware bugs? Thanks, all, -barry
lnewman@emdeng.Dayton.NCR.COM (Lee.A.Newman) (03/21/89)
In article <1687@leah.Albany.Edu> bbw842@leah.Albany.Edu (Barry B Werger) writes: >I love my coco. I waited a long time for the coco 3 and OS/9 level >2, and finally they arrived. Shortly thereafter I left for college, and >for a while was separated from it... > >I couldn't find a radio shack that had ever >heard of the multipack modification for the coco3. My disk controller >needs the now-nonexistant 5 volt power line, so i cannot use it withjout >the multipack. You can find 3rd parties who will send you the PAL chip for your 26-3024 multipak in Rainbow Magazine. I hear on the net that Tandy will no longer sell just the chip - it appears they want the money to install it also. I have been living dangerously, that is, I have been running without a modified multipak. No problems, YET. I plan on upgrading it within the next couple of weeks, though. In case anyone is wondering, I have not previously upgraded since I own a board which I knew would not work with the new PAL chip. I have just modified the address decoding on the board to permit it to work with a modified multi-pak. Note: If you own multipak #26-3124 you need to add a small piggyback board. If you are afraid of doing electronic soldering inside your coco, I recommend that you let Tandy do it. Remember, if they screw it up they will give you a new one. If you screw it up, you're out of luck. >One of my disk drives seems to be on it's last legs in >terms of functionality, and the other I need a cable for; it's a 40 track >double sider. You should be able to use your existing cable with your double-sided 40 tk drive, but you won't be able to access the other side. Since I assume that you have the original Tandy cables, Here's what you can do to access the other side: 1) Add a new connector to your existing cable. Radio Shack sells replacement 34 pin connectors. Place it at the drive (not controller) end of the cable, and plug your double-sided drive into your new connector. What Radio Shack did was pull some pins off of their connectors. Double sided drives need one of the pulled pins to access the other side, and they need the appropriate drivers (Level 2 comes with them, but you must create a new bootable disk). OR 2) Create a new cable. This is more expensive, but is the more elegant solution. You need to buy a long enough cable (I have found that I always need a longer cable than I thought I did when I was at the store) and at least two 34 pin connectors. WARNING: make sure you mark which end is the top, on both sides of the cable. Suggestion: keep a tail on the cable, as you never know when you may want to get another drive. Replacing a cable just because there is no room for another connector is no fun. Oh, one thing I forgot. Use a vise to clamp the two parts of the connector together. Using your fingers or a hammer just won't work. (I speak from experience. Don't try it.) Lee Newman lnewman@emdeng.dayton.NCR.com