5160 (XT) running Supersoft Diagnostic

[max5160]

Hello everyone,

It has been a year since I have posted about the 5160 that is not booting properly.

Last year I had tested the power levels that were good.

Then members of this forum suggested that I get Supersoft Diagnostic burnt on a EPROM to replace U18 on the motherboard.

That is what I just did: every test passes except the keyboard controller one.

In the manual (thanks to minuszerodegrees.net) I have found that this test failing might be due to users directly touching the keyboard plug on the motherboard and causing some sort of discharge.

I am getting back to you to know what should I consider doing next and what might be my options to bring this machine back to life.

Without Supersoft, the fan is not running and the machine appears dead.

With Supersoft, the fan runs, all tests run, I have something on the screen except the failing test: Keyboard Controller (Keyboard scanlines test passes).

In the history of motherboard failures at the VCF, a malfunctioning keyboard controller appeared only once for a 5170, I hope my disease is curable.

Thanks for any new advice you might suggest

PS: I can now burn eproms for people who might need it (I am from France)

 

[Arkady]

Hello,

Did you try another BIOS burned onto a new EPROM (from an XT clone or a genuine IBM BIOS)?
You say that the PSU doesn't work with the original BIOS -> short circuit (if i'm right), perhaps the original BIOS chip is dead ?

 

[modem7]

Without Supersoft, the fan is not running and the machine appears dead.
With Supersoft, the fan runs, all tests run, I have something on the screen except the failing test: Keyboard Controller (Keyboard scanlines test passes).

The way I read that is:
* Fan does not run when IBM BIOS chips are inserted in sockets U18/U19.
* Fan runs when Supersoft chip is inserted in socket U18.

If so, then I agree with Arkady. It suggests that one of the IBM BIOS chips (U18/U19) has gone faulty in a way that overloads the power supply. Or perhaps, the chips are not being inserted correctly.

In the history of motherboard failures at the VCF, a malfunctioning keyboard controller appeared only once for a 5170, I hope my disease is curable.

In the 5170, the keyboard controller is a single chip. In the 5160, the keyboard interface circuitry is a set of chips.

If the keyboard interface circuitry was faulty (as indicated by Supersoft), then I expect that use of good IBM BIOS chips would give you a display, but show a 301 error at power-on time.

I think that for now, you should put aside the 'SuperSoft shows keyboard controller failure' symptom, and fix the symptom of 'power supply fan does not operate when IBM BIOS chips inserted'.

I agree with Arkady. Have you burnt yourseft a replacement set (U18/U19) of IBM BIOS EPROMs ?

 

[modem7]

PS: I can now burn eproms for people who might need it (I am from France)

I have added you to the list [here] at minuszerodegrees.net

 

[max5160]

Hello,

My test was Supersoft in U18 with the original IBM U19 left plugged in.

I will get myself EPROMS that I will burn with the latest IBM images from 1986.

My U18 is 62X0890 suggesting the latest revision.

I will let you know, thanks again.

 

[max5160]

5160 boots!

5160 boots!

Ok two years later, I let you know. U18 was faulty.

With a replacement U18 and original U19 the 5160 boots.

I get a DOS prompt but with hard drive errors.

In French:

Données
Erreur de lecture sur C
Abandon, Reprise, Ignore, Continue?

If I do a chkdsk c:, I get the same message:

Données
Erreur de lecture sur C
Abandon, Reprise, Ignore, Continue?

I can do a DIR, CD and run GWBASIC.

It seems the hard drive can die anytime, I booted on Cassette Basic once (the hard drive does not seem to work all the time).

I have heard of projects simulating a XT hard drive with Compact Flash.

What do you think?

Hello,

My test was Supersoft in U18 with the original IBM U19 left plugged in.

I will get myself EPROMS that I will burn with the latest IBM images from 1986.

My U18 is 62X0890 suggesting the latest revision.

I will let you know, thanks again.

 

[modem7]

Ok two years later, I let you know. U18 was faulty.
With a replacement U18 and original U19 the 5160 boots.

I have added that failure to the list at [here].

It seems the hard drive can die anytime, I booted on Cassette Basic once (the hard drive does not seem to work all the time).

It may be worth while trying a low-level format, then partition, then high-level format.

I have heard of projects simulating a XT hard drive with Compact Flash.

Three possibilities are listed at the bottom of [here]. They also apply to the IBM 5160.