PEB troubles.

[Casey]

Not that I"m going to be able to offer much help, but is it just OLD and SAVE that don't work in BASIC? Or any disk operation?

 

What happens if you run something like:

100 OPEN #1:"DSK1.TESTFILE",OUTPUT,INTERNAL,VARIABLE
110 PRINT #1:"TEST RECORD"
120 CLOSE #1

Make sure to change the filename to something not on the disk. Does this give you an I/O error also?

[Casey]

hmm, strange, this errors are not documented in the manual. Is it an original TI-Controller ? (PHP1240)

 

 

 

I think he's talking about the BASIC I/O error codes, found in the User's Reference Manual. I/O ERROR 60 is what you'd get if you tried to save to a device that isn't there, like saving to a disk without the disk controller available.

Edited June 25, 2017 by Casey

[mozartpc27]

The error is definitely of the x0 variety - the computer is not reading the presence of the disk drive in BASIC.

 

But if I load the Disk Controller, it absolutely does read it. I have initialized a disk, and changed the name of another.

 

So why can the computer recognize the drive in one application (Disk Manager), but not another (BASIC / Extended BASIC)?

 

Again, the memory expansion card installed in the PEB is read and detected within BASIC just fine, further suggesting the cable isn't the problem.

 

Hard to see how this could be cable-related.

 

I tried reseating the disk controller card before, with no luck. I suppose I could try again.

Edited June 25, 2017 by mozartpc27

[mozartpc27]

Not that I"m going to be able to offer much help, but is it just OLD and SAVE that don't work in BASIC? Or any disk operation?

 

What happens if you run something like:

100 OPEN #1:"DSK1.TESTFILE",OUTPUT,INTERNAL,VARIABLE
110 PRINT #1:"TEST RECORD"
120 CLOSE #1

Make sure to change the filename to something not on the disk. Does this give you an I/O error also?

 

 

Any statement referencing the drive returns an error of x0.

[Casey]

What happens if you issue a CALL FILES(1) from BASIC? That references a subprogram in the disk controller, but it does not access the disk drive. If BASIC doesn't see the card, this should return a BAD NAME error. If it accepts the command without an error message, than we know that BASIC at least sees the card as being there.

[+Schmitzi]

maybe change the slot in the PEB

[Sinphaltimus]

Maybe the read/write heads are dirty?

[+Ksarul]

Note: TI BASIC (the built-in BASIC) will NOT be able to see the 32K memory expansion in the PEB. You have to have an Extended BASIC cartridge in the cartridge slot to be able to see that memory space. Until you can verifiably see the Expansion Memory (Type SIZE from the command line in Extended BASIC and it should show you about 24K of program space along with about 12K of stack space), there is NO way to tell you where your problem lies, as it could be the Flex Cable, the PEB backplane, the PEB Power Supply, the memory Card, the Disk Controller, your console ROMs/GROMs, or even ALL of the above at the same time. This is a problem you have to attack in a modular fashion--and the first step is to prove that you have reliably good communication between the PEB and the console. The fact that your Disk Manager cartridge "seems" to work actually points me towards a problem in your console as the source of the problem, but there isn't enough evidence yet to prove that.

[warpman]

When I have my TI console on for an extended period of time, it overheats causing problems with the PEB. I used a fan to blow air into the hobby room since it has no AC vents. It has helped. I agree with "Ksarul" "not enough evidence" to prove a PEB problem. Could be as simple a problem like I had. Overheating.

[Shift838]

i have seen issues similar to this caused by a bad speech synthesizer plugged in as well as a bad cartridge expander (widget).

[mozartpc27]

Note: TI BASIC (the built-in BASIC) will NOT be able to see the 32K memory expansion in the PEB. You have to have an Extended BASIC cartridge in the cartridge slot to be able to see that memory space. Until you can verifiably see the Expansion Memory (Type SIZE from the command line in Extended BASIC and it should show you about 24K of program space along with about 12K of stack space), there is NO way to tell you where your problem lies, as it could be the Flex Cable, the PEB backplane, the PEB Power Supply, the memory Card, the Disk Controller, your console ROMs/GROMs, or even ALL of the above at the same time. This is a problem you have to attack in a modular fashion--and the first step is to prove that you have reliably good communication between the PEB and the console. The fact that your Disk Manager cartridge "seems" to work actually points me towards a problem in your console as the source of the problem, but there isn't enough evidence yet to prove that.

 

 

arcadeshopper was kind enough to send me an Extended BASIC cart, I used it yesterday, and the computer does see the memory expansion card from Extended BASIC (reports two lines of memory, STACK and another line - if I turn off the PEB and try the same command, only one line of memory).

[mozartpc27]

What happens if you issue a CALL FILES(1) from BASIC? That references a subprogram in the disk controller, but it does not access the disk drive. If BASIC doesn't see the card, this should return a BAD NAME error. If it accepts the command without an error message, than we know that BASIC at least sees the card as being there.

 

Will need to try this at the next opportunity.

[+Ksarul]

Since you have an Extended BASIC cartridge, try the same disk controller tests that failed in BASIC. (e.g., OLD DSK1.LOAD), try to save and recall a short program, etc. Also, the CALL INIT test will tell you if the low memory (the bottom 8K of the 32K card) is working. This is looking more and more like an issue with your console that is circumvented by the installed cartridges. . .

[mozartpc27]

I did try the various commands in Extended BASIC, and was still getting x0 errors. I'll have to try the CALL INIT test.

[+jedimatt42]

This may be nothing, but you referred to "DSK1." as a command and not as part of your file path. Show your full command, such as:

 

OLD DSK1.MYFILE

 

Is it possible since you set it aside for a while, the syntax has been forgotten?

 

Note: filenames and device names that make up the file path are case sensitive.

 

EDIT: the subtle Next button on my phone escaped me, and I thought this thread ended a page back.

 

-M@

[mozartpc27]

OK... so, thank you, Casey, for the suggestion about trying CALL FILES(1). I tried this in regular AND extended BASIC, and it does NOT return an error message with the PEB plugged in, turned on, and hooked up to the computer. Extended BASIC recognizes the memory expansion card, as before. The disk drive in the PEB also initializes and does something - a self test? - when you load Extended BASIC. I can manipulate disks - catalogue, rename, format, run diagnostic tests - from the Disk Manager.

 

But, out of either BASIC or EXTENDED BASIC, I CANNOT read from, write to, or otherwise use a floppy disk. The errors I get are all of the x0 variety - indicating neither BASIC reads the drive as present. But, again, the CALL FILES(1) command does NOT return an error in either BASIC or Extended BASIC, so I guess the computer CAN see the card, but somehow not the drive.

 

But it CAN see the drive if I am running the Disk Manager and just trying to manipulate the disk through that.

 

Any ideas?

Edited July 2, 2017 by mozartpc27

[mozartpc27]

This may be nothing, but you referred to "DSK1." as a command and not as part of your file path. Show your full command, such as:

 

OLD DSK1.MYFILE

 

Is it possible since you set it aside for a while, the syntax has been forgotten?

 

Note: filenames and device names that make up the file path are case sensitive.

 

EDIT: the subtle Next button on my phone escaped me, and I thought this thread ended a page back.

 

-M@

 

 

I am an idiot!!!!!!!

 

I completely forgot that the DISK commands only work if you type them in ALL CAPS - which of course is very subtle on the TI-99/4A, because even the "lower case" character set appears to be ALL CAPS.

 

So this was my problem! So stupid! My only question is - since it was the COMMAND that was wrong, rather than it being BASIC being unable to read the damn disk, why did get error codes of the style x0 on any command I tried, instead of a BAD COMMAND NAME type of error?

Edited July 2, 2017 by mozartpc27

[+arcadeshopper]

Because it was a bad device name Not a bad command you could have a device for dsk1 but you only have DSK1

 

Sent from my LG-H830 using Tapatalk

[mozartpc27]

So the COMMAND doesn't need to be capitalized (old), but the device name does (DSK1)?

 

And even if that is the case, CAN you have a device "dsk1"? Aren't the device names fixed - DSK1, DSK2, DSK3 - and aren't they limited to 3?

[+Lee Stewart]

So the COMMAND doesn't need to be capitalized (old), but the device name does (DSK1)?

 

And even if that is the case, CAN you have a device "dsk1"? Aren't the device names fixed - DSK1, DSK2, DSK3 - and aren't they limited to 3?

 

The device names depend on their existence in the linked list in the DSR. For the TI disk controller, you are correct, except that “DSK” is also allowed. If you use “DSK.FILE2”, the controller will look for FILE2 on all drives until it succeeds or fails to find it on any drive.

 

...lee

[+mizapf]

So the COMMAND doesn't need to be capitalized (old), but the device name does (DSK1)?

 

And even if that is the case, CAN you have a device "dsk1"? Aren't the device names fixed - DSK1, DSK2, DSK3 - and aren't they limited to 3?

 

On the TI, you should definitely avoid lowercase! Uppercase is the default.

 

BTW, it is interesting to see that this lowercase issue keeps reappearing for different people ... we're having these issues every few months.

[Casey]

Also, just want to add that filenames can be in lower case. OLD DSK1.myfile is perfectly legal, so long as myfile is stored in lower case on the disk. Disk Manager won't show you the filename correctly on the screen I don't think, but filenames are case senstive, and MYFILE is not the same as MyFile or myfile. Disk Manager can also manipulate files in lower case - I think they just don't display correctly.

[mozartpc27]

 

On the TI, you should definitely avoid lowercase! Uppercase is the default.

 

BTW, it is interesting to see that this lowercase issue keeps reappearing for different people ... we're having these issues every few months.

 

I guess it is the "default" in terms of what the computer expects to see, but the computer doesn't boot by default to "upper" case, so, between that and the fact that the "lower case" letters are really "upper case" in appearance, I have to say it is a bit confusing. Add to that that the manual nowhere mentions the upper case requirement...

 

All that said, what is really embarrassing is that I had figured out the upper case thing once before on my own, and had forgotten it. Until I read jedimatt's post, that is. Then I dimly remembered having discovered this little quirk before.

Edited July 2, 2017 by mozartpc27

[atrax27407]

The Guion replacement DSR EPROM for the TI Disk Controller allows for different drive designations (i.e., dsk1 or DSK1) and also adds the possibility of another drive - DSK4. I happen to have that one in my inventory.

[apersson850]

I have the CorComp double sided double density controller, and it also recognizes dsk1 as well as DSK1. But not Dsk1 or any other such combination.