10/28/2006
10X06 Today the hard drive on the PC died.
It’s just that after STAND BY the computer began to turn on, accelerate and
stop and park immediately. I had similar ones before
cases when the screw turned on when power was applied, then turned off─
, and then finally turned on and worked. But there was this
very rarely and I simply did not attach any importance to it. K
In addition, SMART gave good diagnostics. Two weeks before this─
I looked at this same SMART and the program said that the HDD is in
perfect condition.
Windows cannot open anything on the disk. I decided to turn off the computer
and turn it on again. Windows didn't want to shut down.
I just turned off the surge protector, but after turning it on I couldn’t find Beavis
boot sector.
Loaded the MHDD program from the boot CD-ROM and set it up
for surface scanning. MHDD stumbles in every sector
and the disk map began to be completely covered with X’s, such as a sector
read.
I launched a branded scrap for my SAMSUNG HDD. Scrap joyfully
I grunted, found the device and even performed a series of tests. Got to
reading and broke down.
The device died. Most likely a magnetic head unit.
Surprisingly, three days before this, we unexpectedly visited me─
How about rewriting the ZX.SPECTRUM archive onto DVD-RW in five years, together
with all files related to the Spectrum. But I won't listen─
I listened to my inner voice, which I now greatly regret.
I don't even knowrestore this disk or buy a new one and for─
beat for losses?
There is no desire to install Venda and configure it and Fido.
In general, for now I’m doing without the PC. No matter how it becomes a habit.
I ran to a friend’s place, quickly downloaded TR_SONGS from the Internet and downloaded─
put it on a CD along with the unpacked TZX files from the site
TZXVAULT.RETROGAMES.COM. It turned out to be almost a whole disk. Now boo─
something to do in your spare time - make disk versions of games from firs─
different versions.
A few days later I tried recording on TZX on cassette
using the program OUT OF TZX v1.03 by comrade Las Jackwolf. Pro─
Gram happily swallowed all the TZXs that I slipped her and
“voiced” them on TAPE OUT. I recorded several through the music center
games, but unfortunately I couldn’t read them. The center has no lines─
no output, but for some reason I couldn’t read through the headphone output
nothing. No matter how much I moved the equalizers and volume - nothing
it worked. I tried to boot from the Panasonic radio, also with
headphone output. At the highest volume it was difficult
read the program title. In general, I don’t know yet how I can get these
Load programs into the computer. I don't have any more tape recorders. That one
tape drive that I used in the late 90s for reading
cassette games, already thrown away.
I tried to organize Fido using ZX, but for some reason Dickie
Mailer refuses to work with the uplink mailer. Some kind of nonsense─vengeable versions turned out to be. Fido died indefinitely─
me.
15X06 I took the HDD for diagnostics to a company specializing in repairs─
the formation of information from various media. Wireless diagnostics
plate.
In two weeks they still didn't call me. I'll wait another week...
16X06 Very upset - floppy disk with WILD PLAYER, which I wanted
listen to TR_SONGD from CD, nothing is readable. Inserted another dis─
ketu is the same. I took a blank floppy disk and formatted it - chi─
looks great. I remembered that all 3.5" floppy disks were recorded
on another drive, which was installed in another computer and from─
given to father. There was no Wild Player on the HDD. I had to do something about it─
Tiring the heads of the drive.
I disassembled the drive and began to look for what to actually adjust it with?
I launched the program to check FDD and gave the command to read the disk.
The head stumbled immediately on the zero track. Pressed a little on
head, shook it back and forth and found out that if you move it
a little forward, then everything is readable. Unscrewed the screws securing the sha─
engine and tugged it relative to its axis and head briskly
went forward. I detected the extreme positions, after which the reading is pre─
stopped, set the engine to the middle position and tightened the screw─
mi.
I checked out the mechanics, how it moves in the drive when you stand up─
floppy disk. I disassembled four drives: TEAC, PANASONIC, SAM─
SUNG, MITSUMI. Of these, TEAC for some reason does not work,and SAMSUNG and
PANASONIC "kill" floppy disks. PANAS ruined the zero track for five
floppy disks and was replaced by MITSUMI. PANASONIC has the toughest
head drops when inserting a floppy disk - apparently this is
cause of floppy disk damage. SAMSUNG has a softer lowering
heads. Best done by TEAC, where the head is smoothly lowered─
is on a microlift.
18X06 There is nowhere to put off any further - the vacation is coming to an end, and
I still haven’t solved the problem with Spec. Dragged Scorp with monitor
to another room, closer to the window. Placed tweezers around, soldering─
flaxes, circuits and oscilloscopes. So what didn't work for me:
1) one of the address bits did not arrive at the keyboard. I'm dead─
ntile in LP9. At one time, when this happened, I replaced
a faulty valve to a free one, simply by throwing jumpers.
2) FIRE does not work on KEMPSTON JOYSTICK and for some reason it always works─
BIT7 of the joystick port is set.
3) TAPE_IN makes terrible noise.
4) General Sound does not work with player programs, and
The games however work fine.
I looked at Scorp's diagram and determined the probable causes of the malfunction─
STI KEMPSTON is a KP11A DD37 multiplexer. At the same time I found out
that Zonov brought some signals to the KEMPSTON port that did not have
attitude towards the joystick, namely:
bit 5 DRQ (in the circuit GND is applied to it, but when I removed the microcircuit─
mu, then I discovered that GND was cut off, and a thin wire was soldered to the output
wire, from strandedwires and its second end is wound on
pin 13 DRQ signal)
bit 6 INR (VG93:39)
bit 7 DRQ (VG93:38)
It is possible that these signals go not only to VG93, but I
I immediately couldn’t find them in the diagram anymore.
I couldn't figure it out with TAPE_IN. The operation of the circuit is not clear to me and...
the source of generation is unknown. However, if you break the reverse connections
zi or connections between the valves, it is clear that the LN2 chip,
on which the circuit is based works properly. Just in case
marked the chip for replacement.
General Sound was postponed until later, because... I couldn't find the diagram right away.
I decided to change the microcircuits using the biting method. I tried my own
The only wire cutters are not suitable, because... they bite the crossbar─
Such a device cannot be inserted along the line of the handle and between the microcircuits.
You need to buy other nippers that bite in the same plane─
the one in which the arms are squeezed. Went to Chip and Dip. I looked
what and how much. The cheapest instrument costs 140 rubles, and
The biting lips themselves are quite thick and you can insert them between the terminals─
It will be quite difficult for us. The rest are better, but more expensive.
I decided not to rush into buying yet and see where else I can find something
for sale.
Of the types of microcircuits I needed, there was only one type. I bought two
things, just in case.
I went to the construction shop next to the house and found some pretty comfortable ones─
FIT nets for 49 rubles. All heaps of the same type were different
from each other according to the shape and thickness of the sponges.I chose those with
the thinnest sponges.
The next day I went to the radio parts on Pionerskaya. I bought it there
two more microcircuits. Then I went to Mikronika, where I bought the rest─
working microcircuits. If I had immediately gone to Mikronika, I would have
I bought everything at once - they have the largest selection. And the microcircuits are hour─
either of the same type, but at different prices - depending on the year
release. You choose what you want.
In general, I bought everything, carefully bit out the microcircuits, cleaned the holes─
got rid of the solder and installed new microcircuits.
The keyboard works, KEMPSTON works. Surprisingly, General
Sound also worked. But later it turned out that there was no sound─
no at all. It’s good that the players have made friends with him.
I assembled Scorp and ran all sorts of tests. I didn’t break anything with my re─
Montom.
Surprisingly, I can read from all three mouse ports
pure zeros when there is no mouse controller. Why is this so? Apparently
This is what drives programs with auto-mouse detection crazy. For example
the last issue of the TARGET newspaper, which I was never able to look at─
fiddle with it in real life until the mouse fails.
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