520ST Noob questions

[coleconut]

I am more of an 8 bit Atari guy but couldnt pass on a $25 lot I found on Kijiji.

520ST plus manual - fair cosmetic condition

JVC SC1224 colour, bright, no burn in

SM125 mono, bright, no burn in

SF314 drive, looks like it has some miles on it.

power supplies and cables, no disks or other software.

If the seller's story is true, he got it at a garage sale and never did anything with it and now due to a pending move, is unloading a bunch of stuff.

 

Because I am totally unfamiliar with this computer, but am totally intrigued into getting it up and running, I have a couple questions please. Tried researching here and there over the last 24 hrs but dont have the info I seek.

 

1. Manual says boot TOS from disk but it must be in ROM because it boots to the desktop, cant tell what version, would assume 1.0

2. Manual suggests that I should see 2 floppy disk icons and a trash icon on the desktop, I see none, no icons on the desktop.

3. Menu choices from the manual are a little different, eg Under "Desk", I see no reference active nor dimmed out about VT52 emulator or Control Panel or setting up printer, etc.

 

I am assuming much of this may be because the disk drive is duff. The power supply hums, the drive does receive power, it spins, but nothing on the desktop to reflect that it is connected.

Is what I am observing consistant with the computer seeing no disk drive?

[Rybags]

Probably - my last 1040ST-FM with inbuilt drive would take a while for the drive to come good, and in the meantime would show a desktop without drive icons.

Booting without the Desktop disk gives you a full-functioning environment, it'll just be that not everything is there, but you can still load stuff, do disk/file copies etc.

 

Control Panel, VT52 emu etc don't come up with Desktop by default, you generally have to boot with the Desktop disk for those extras to show up.

 

Foggy on this, but I think you even need to have the Desktop floppy just to get the "About" info for GEM which should give the version number.

Edited February 11, 2011 by Rybags

[Goochman]

I never owned a 520ST - it might be a bit different than the 1040.

 

It prob does not have a built in drive correct? You need to connect the 314 to your 520 and place a 3 1/2 inch disk inside it. Really doesnt matter whats on the disk. Turn on the 520 and it should boot to the green desktop with atleast an Floppy Drive icon.

 

If you dont see any Floppy Drive icons then something is wrong with the 314. A drive icon only shows up if there is a valid working drive connected to the system.

[coleconut]

Probably - my last 1040ST-FM with inbuilt drive would take a while for the drive to come good, and in the meantime would show a desktop without drive icons.

Booting without the Desktop disk gives you a full-functioning environment, it'll just be that not everything is there, but you can still load stuff, do disk/file copies etc.

 

Control Panel, VT52 emu etc don't come up with Desktop by default, you generally have to boot with the Desktop disk for those extras to show up.

 

Foggy on this, but I think you even need to have the Desktop floppy just to get the "About" info for GEM which should give the version number.

I let it sit for a bit but the desktop doesnt change. No icons.

Manual suggests upon boot, it should prompt to insert a disk, it doesnt, just boots right to the desktop.

Desktop info shows GEM, TDOS, copyright Atari & Digital Research, no version reference.

[Goochman]

Probably - my last 1040ST-FM with inbuilt drive would take a while for the drive to come good, and in the meantime would show a desktop without drive icons.

Booting without the Desktop disk gives you a full-functioning environment, it'll just be that not everything is there, but you can still load stuff, do disk/file copies etc.

 

Control Panel, VT52 emu etc don't come up with Desktop by default, you generally have to boot with the Desktop disk for those extras to show up.

 

Foggy on this, but I think you even need to have the Desktop floppy just to get the "About" info for GEM which should give the version number.

I let it sit for a bit but the desktop doesnt change. No icons.

Manual suggests upon boot, it should prompt to insert a disk, it doesnt, just boots right to the desktop.

Desktop info shows GEM, TDOS, copyright Atari & Digital Research, no version reference.

 

You need a disk in the drive - TOS drops to the desktop after 30 seconds or so. Good news you have TOS in ROM, now you need to put a disk in so the drive shows up

[Rybags]

The icons won't just appear on their own - with the dodgy drive one I'd have to hit RESET until it came good.

 

Note that if yours is a model with external drive, then you'd obviously need to connect it to the computer and power it up for the computer to see it.

 

I'd say the manual you have is either for an earlier system, or that the system you have had the TOS ROMs added later.

 

Fairly certain that the only STs that didn't have TOS ROMs from the factory were some of the earliest slimline ones, ie the case isn't as deep as the ones with inbuilt floppy, and the power supply for the computer is external.

[ijor]

2. Manual suggests that I should see 2 floppy disk icons and a trash icon on the desktop, I see none, no icons on the desktop.

 

If you get no floppy icons, then your problem is not the disk. Your problem is, that for some reason, your computer "thinks" you have no drive (again, not just no disk, but no drive at all).

 

Either your drive or the drive cable is bad, or some of the computer components that access the drive is bad.

 

I am assuming much of this may be because the disk drive is duff. The power supply hums, the drive does receive power, it spins, but nothing on the desktop to reflect that it is connected.

 

Does the drive's led turn on when you power on (or reset) the computer? It should.

Edited February 11, 2011 by ijor

[coleconut]

If you get no floppy icons, then your problem is not the disk. Your problem is, that for some reason, your computer "thinks" you have no drive (again, not just no disk, but no drive at all).

 

Either your drive or the drive cable is bad, or some of the computer components that access the drive is bad.

Does the drive's led turn on when you power on (or reset) the computer? It should.

 

The drive begins to spin -albeit slowly - as soon as the console is powered up. Never an activity light on the drive. Cable is likely ok, looks in good shape, fairly robust looking. Pretty sure the drive is fubar, my final check will be whether I am getting the correct power from the drive's power supply. Should be able to source that info somewhere.

 

All in all though for 2 monitors in great condition and what at this point appears to be a working 520, $25 is not too bad. I'll keep an eye out for another drive.

Thanks to all.

[Zogging Hell]

Does your drive have two connectors for the floppy cable at the back? I can't remember but it might be that it needs to be in a specific one of the two, as you can daisy chain two drives in like that.

 

If you get no floppy icons, then your problem is not the disk. Your problem is, that for some reason, your computer "thinks" you have no drive (again, not just no disk, but no drive at all).

 

Either your drive or the drive cable is bad, or some of the computer components that access the drive is bad.

Does the drive's led turn on when you power on (or reset) the computer? It should.

 

The drive begins to spin -albeit slowly - as soon as the console is powered up. Never an activity light on the drive. Cable is likely ok, looks in good shape, fairly robust looking. Pretty sure the drive is fubar, my final check will be whether I am getting the correct power from the drive's power supply. Should be able to source that info somewhere.

 

All in all though for 2 monitors in great condition and what at this point appears to be a working 520, $25 is not too bad. I'll keep an eye out for another drive.

Thanks to all.