cwilbar

To be fair, that link was not my manual. Just one I found on the net. I do have an original manual (I bought The Chip/Archiver back in the day), but I have not matched it up to any other. I presume mine is the same version as the one I posted (first version for 810 drive), but I have not checked to verify that.

I've also had the scp not 'come up' on a com port on my Alienware laptop once in a while. When it does happen (not often), I pull the USP cable, wait a few seconds and plug it back in and it comes up fine. Not saying that is what is going on for you, or if my experience is unique or not.... just relaying something I've observed that you may or may not run into. On a few revisions of software back with the SCP software, reading Atari diskettes worked fine, but when set to C64 I think it might have been double stepping. I'm not currently working on archiving my C64 stuff, so I did not concern myself with it for now. (I'm still trying to organize all my Atari images into good, think ok (works but might be a multidisk game noto fully tested, or it may read data during a game and not fully tsted), suspect bad, and bad..... and it really sucks when you have duplicate titles, that both seem to work, but they don't compare 100% 🙂

Thanks @ijor, I missed that. I've only been dealing with archiving and writing out copies of my originals, so I've probably only run into index aligned disks so far (a least for ones I've written). I do usually use a8rawconv myself these days to write disks out as I generally find command line faster than click here, file open dialog there, etc, etc.

https://ia600209.us.archive.org/1/items/ArchiverEditor/Archiver-Editor.pdf

If you have a logic probe, you can probe the inputs and outputs of the 74LS chips to try to get an idea.... generally the data should be changing..... if you see something stuck high or low then you would focus in on those chips first when diagnosing. You may also run into neither high nor low.... (open). Unless the chip is a tri-state device, this would indicate something is wrong (if it is an output) (if it is an input, it simply may not be connected to anything).

speed is not a concern here. You could ( in theory ) sample the disk at 360 RPM... and as long as you write it out with a drive a 360RPM, then the flux transitions will be in the same relative place on the disk as the source disk. And I have written out a number of disks now to load on real hardware. I've used a8rawconv and the archiver software to write out the disks for the Atari. No issues. As I can write out scp or atx with a8rawconv and I'm a command line junkie, I've been using that more lately. If you're still having an issue writing a .scp file out, I'd suggest: 1. Take your known good disk, rip a .scp image 2. Install Altirra emulator 3. use a8rawconv to make an .atx (a8rawconv mydisk.scp mydisk.atx) 4. Test the .atx with Altirra. If you can boot it, you know the rip is good (at least good enouogh to boot) If your test in Altirra goes well, do the following: 1. write out 2 disks from your .scp image; one with the bundled archiver software, one with a8rawconv (a8rawconv mydisk.scp scp0:48tpi) 2. attempt to boot each on a real Atari If your a8rawconv disk works and the archiver copy doesn't, you're having a write issue from Archiver If neither work, maybe you have a drive problem while writing. Maybe this will help you isolate exactly where the failure is.

Check all the settings carefully, as you can adjust both read and write settings for some parameters. I presume you are writing to the same drive as you are reading from ? I haven't dug into doing C64 disks yet, but I believe I was getting double stepping even though my drive is 48tpi when I had the pull down set to C64 disks. Though I've upgraded a couple versions since, and I have not gone back to revisit imaging C64 stuff. For those archiving for the Atari 8 bitters.... I think the SuperCard Pro is well represented. The primary choices have been SCP and Kryoflux. Keep at it, sounds like your getting close.

In the Archiver, set: target device: flux image file disk type: Atari 400/800 copy mode: Splice # revolutions: 5 (sometimes with random noise tracks ? this will overrun the SCP's buffer and you'll need to drop it, in which case 4 usually works) in drive options: drive type: 48tpi (if your drive is 360K, 96tpi if it is a 1.2M drive) (go by the checkbox, I find the gray/black highlighting of the text confusing and unusual (IMHO)) density read: low density write: low index sensor reads: required (unless doing a flippy w/o an index hole, then set to ignore (and your drive may yet not work on a floppy anyway (you'll get a blank read)) index sensor writes: required you can also click to increase end track to 41 if you want to image any potential duplication signatures that may be embedded there. The resulting supercard pro image can be written back out using SCP software, a8rawconv, or converetd to .atx for emulators (or for writing back out with a8rawconv). (some .atx don't like to be written back out, so keep your .scp files if you are archiving for writing back out) It sounds like you may have a 360K drive that is being treated as a 1.2M drive and is double stepping the heads ????

Is the filtering on the post regulator 5V more complex than the 12V due to more current, different switching frequencies, ??? The 12V post regulator is much simpler with no inductors too. I'm pretty good in the digital realm, and I'm learning more of the analog realm, but this is well outside of my familiarity 🙂 Thanks for sharing the schematic.

y, I got that.... was just curious, that if noise was an issue in a 1050 (which it is not), what sort of filtering would be required which then led into my curiosity of these had ever been used in the Atari computers with on-board regulators....

What additional filtering would be needed ? with the rapid switching, I wouldn't think it would need a large cap.... Anyone ever use these in a 400/800 ? Any issues with noise ?

I don't know if it adds to the topic, but IIRC with The Chip/Archiver (back from my Archiver 810 days), the Archiver and the Editor had different capabilities. The Editor could do some stuff (possibly more sectors ?) than the Archiver could. Don't know if the same held for later releases (especially from the 1050 days), but IIRC there was a difference between what could be done with the 2 programs in the 810 Archiver days.

Yup, I can confirm this.... learned that the hard way many years ago 🙂

I'd have to pull it apart, but it was a 720K floppy drive I bought at a (PC) computer show back in the early 90s. Might be a panasonic? I believe it is set to second drive ID and used with a PC flippy cable I think so that is responds as if it was set to first ID.

Reading these ATR8000 related threads made me pull mine out, hook it up with the 3.5" drive and the small stack of 3.5" floppies I wrote with it. It works still ! Hums like it always did (60 Hz transformer bolted directly to the sheet metal shell). I'll have to try to get CP/M up and running sometime. One thing I don't recall experiencing in the past, is it somehow drags down and muddies the 800XLs audio ! I can boot a game, sound is low and sucks, pull out the SIO cable, and beutiful audio returns. Did perhaps the ATR use a SIO cable with fewer conductors originally ? and something is now connected that shouldn't be ? Anyone else experience this ? Have a solution ?

I bookmarked these from another thread: https://www.amazon.com/Kenable-Phono-Plugs-Audio-Cable/dp/B00M0FXR8A https://www.fullcompass.com/prod/092192-hosa-vsf-454-10-s-video-to-dual-rca-f-breakout-cable?dfw_tracker=36058-092192&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpJqhoPaQ6wIVgT6tBh3s8gBnEAQYBCABEgK1D_D_BwE They appear to use individual 'cables'.... cant say if they are shielded or not, but I only bookmarked them as they were indicated to be good quality.

@Nezgar, That is exactly what happened to me when I tried this tonight. I found a 'pirate resource' (forget name of the disk), full of utilities... including happy to 1050. And that is exactly what happened when I tried the diagnosotics (motor on/off cycle). Trying individual tests, it definitely is a least triggered by the speed test at a minimum (I did noto reboot and try other tests). Presumably the 1050 code is relocated into another part of RAM, and maybe the diagnostic code was never checked/fixed after relocating the code. I'll probably drop in a stock ROM justt to run through the tests, but with the happy diag ability too set to a track, I can use that with an alignment disk for alignment check. I even have an extra 1050 PCB, so I could just use that PCB and swap mechs onto it for alignment work as well. Both Happy to 1050 and setting unhappy mode will not boot my copy of M.U.L.E. It is having an issue with the disk. I'll probably cut another to see if it is something with the image, or just that used bench test copy. I don't recall which mech I used when I wrote that disk with my Supercard Pro, so while the 1050 could be off a little, the drive I wrote the disk with could have been off a little in the other direction too :-). Or the disk could be a little weak in that one spot, and most of my drives don't have an issue, but this one does ? Won't know more until I get setup to do alignments. Maybe this weekend I'll give it a shot with a drive and my better scope. Still thinking I might want to get a newer scope. The old 465 or 475 (forget #) is good when working with vector arcade boards to use as a display while troubleshooting.... which is what my better scope is setup for currently.

@Nezgar, I'll give that a try. I'm pretty sure its in the intermediate load prior to the copy protection verification, but worth a test with unhappy to make sure. Thanks.

Ha ! I completely didn't get what he was saying the first time I read it 🙂 I believe it said Pass.... I'll have to try again to find out. Guess they never thought about reporting RAM size, ROM version, etc as part of the diags. Anyone every try Dehappy ? have a copy of it ? I presumed that is what unhappy did, but I didn't read up on what it actually did.

Not sure how hard it would be, but that system is capable of a second processor. I too have one of these.... I bought a second processor off eBay and installed it long ago. I never did much with the system however 😞 I worked for Sun for 3 years, so was very into Sun stuff.... if anyone is every looking for anything Sun related, feel free to PM me. I have stuff mostly from Sun-1 through Sun4d with some Sun4u. Hopefully someone local grabs this. I don't even want to think what this would cost to ship. I think the only heavier Sun's I have is my Sun-1, Sun-2/120, and Sun SparcServer 1000. It is heavy (but managable). I still think though that my SGI Octane is one of the densest (weight/cubic inch) of all my Unix systems 🙂. Best of luck re-homing this.

@Nezgar, I remember reading those threads. This one is a Tandon mech (though it has both drive motor and stepper motor variants I don't recall seeing before). That was one thing I checked when I went through the drive.... I prefer the Tandon mechs, but that could be because the 1050s I have are almost all Tandon mechs :-). Makes part swapping/testing easier 🙂 And it reads most of my 'test bench' disks fine. But it has an issue with M.U.L.E. (with full protection). Before it gets to verifying copy protection it has a problem where it gets stuck re-reading a sector. I have not tested every 'bench' diskette..... so there may be others too. But I have to get my other oscope setup (the one I tried needs full cleaning inside of all the controls as they are so dirty it is tough to maintain a stable setting). Once setup I have to figure out the alignment stuff and want to check all my 810 and 1050 alignments.

The diags do not reveal the ROM version. Is there a way to determine it without taking it apart, breaking the original warranty tape, removing the ROM and reading it ? Maybe a way to dump the ROM using custom uploaded code into the Happy ? Is there any reason if I did have Rev 1 ROM to upgrade it to Rev 2 ROM ? I like that it is all original. Whomever installed this did a nice job, even put the RF shielding back in place. Front switches/etc all done very well. It is a Tandon mech drive. But I've never seen a Tandon with the brand drive and stepper motors that are in this mech (that I can recall anyway).

I've run the diagnostics. They pass. I tried using unhappy then running Atari diags..... but I guess there is no way to run thosoe on Happy drives. (seems they test more, track 0 sensor, stepper, etc). I did raise the RPMs as it was a bit low. I need to verify the alignment. It does boot most of my disks on the 'test bench'. But it doesn't like booting M.U.L.E. (with full copy protection). It has a problem reading a sector in the early boot (before prot check). Happens in slow, fast, or unhappy mode. I suspect slight misaslignment, but can't be sure until I ge my other scope set up and figure out how to get the signals I need using the alignment diskette. Regardless, bought it from eBay as is, for the price of a Happy upgrade repro, so I can't complain 🙂 Plus the plastics are in great shape. There is some scuffing on the aluminum id strep, but other than that it, cosmetics are great for the age (with minimal to no discoloring).

Fast reply.... thanks ! I remember looking over the board, and it appears to have 1 ROM and 1 RAM, so I'm guessing version 2 ? I'll check out those ATRs. Hopefully they have diags.

Picked up a 1050 with a genuine Happy drive enhancement for just under $43.00. Cleaned up, not yellowed, working pretty well, but need to run diags as a few of my test diskettes that other drives read easily it has a bit of a hard time with. Repros are $40 + ship, so seems like a pretty good deal to me. I'm 'Happy' anyway 🙂