ME1050F "Happy" 1050 board.

[Jeffrey Worley]

I've got a board in a 1050 that isn't a happy but acts like one, has a track buffer.  The RPM utilities I have say it is going 800rpm while the disk is stationary. :-)))  But I'd like to RPM the drive for real since it has been in storage.

 

The thing is, it isn't an archiver, it isn't a Speedy, I don't think, and it isn't a Happy.  What is it?

 

On the Board, in teensy letters it says "ME1050F" and "(c) 1985 HCI"

 

Anyone know what upgrade board this is and what utilities I might use to Unhappy it for a little so I can rpm it properly?  Basically I'd like the utility disk that came with the mod.

 

RSVP

YHOSvt.

 

** TNM **

 

Edited August 16, 2019 by Technoid Mutant
type

[+Nezgar]

Looks like an early AtariMax happy clone.

 

The eprom is dated 1987, the 8Kx8 SRAM is dated 1995, and looks like a lattice GAL.

 

Have you run the Happy 7.1 hardware diagnostics? It includes a RAM and ROM test which if passes, will confirm its a "good" clone. "PASS" for ROM test indicates happy 1050 ROM rev 1, "Pass" means rev 2.

 

Rev 1 is very rare.

 

Happy 7.1 disk here: https://atariage.com/forums/topic/283666-archive-of-happy-backup-software/?do=findComment&comment=4127979

 

[+DrVenkman]

6 minutes ago, Nezgar said:

Looks like an early AtariMax happy clone.

 

The eprom is dated 1987, the 8Kx8 SRAM is dated 1995, and looks like a lattice GAL.

 

Have you run the Happy 7.1 hardware diagnostics? It includes a RAM and ROM test which if passes, will confirm its a "good" clone. "PASS" for ROM test indicates happy 1050 ROM rev 1, "Pass" means rev 2.

 

Rev 1 is very rare.

 

Happy 7.1 disk here: https://atariage.com/forums/topic/283666-archive-of-happy-backup-software/?do=findComment&comment=4127979

 

Ironically, Steve’s current AtariMax Happy 1050’s seem to fail the ROM tests. I’ve got two of them and both have failed since new despite working perfectly so far as I can tell. 

[Jeffrey Worley]

Says it isn't a happy.  Initially, when you load the happy software it does, but when you do diags it barfs and says the drive is not a happy.

 

** TNM **

[+Nezgar]

13 minutes ago, Technoid Mutant said:

Says it isn't a happy.  Initially, when you load the happy software it does, but when you do diags it barfs and says the drive is not a happy.

 

** TNM **

Please dump the ROM.

 

use 2764 mode. (8KB)

 

then I can compare it with known dumps. Maybe the ROM is just corrupt or modified.

[Jeffrey Worley]

Gimme a half an hour.  I gotta let my desoldering iron heat up.  The rom is not socketed.

 

BRB

 

** TNM **

[Jeffrey Worley]

Now that I try, the socket header it uses is too close to the pins on the rom for me to get my iron onto the pins.  I'm gonna bag it.  Too much trouble.  Unless the rom is really needed for someone.

** TNM **

[Jeffrey Worley]

OMFG I killed the board.  I had to hook up my Microscope to fix a couple of traces I'd trashed with my desoldering iron.  It's back up now, with a nice little bandaid of a jumper wire.

 

** TNM **

 

[+Nezgar]

Oh woops! Sorry when I wrote that I incorrectly thought it was socketed, that makes it much harder.

 

The ROM can be dumped by software depending if the happy commands to do so are still functioning.

 

E474 wrote a utility to do this, if you are willing to try giving it a go:

 

[+Nezgar]

1 hour ago, DrVenkman said:

Ironically, Steve’s current AtariMax Happy 1050’s seem to fail the ROM tests. I’ve got two of them and both have failed since new despite working perfectly so far as I can tell. 

This is interesting. I purchased 4 AtariMax Happy 1050 replicas in April 2017, all of them "Pass" (rev 2) the ROM test.

 

Makes me wonder if he's switched to a patched ROM. I've come across variants lately that fix the single density non-buffererd write corruption bug, increased stepper rates, and support for track number display to 7 segment LED's (With names like Hyper, Lazer, IanK, V3, Copy Card, etc.)

 

It would be something if newer boards from AtariMax have one of these patched ROM's...

 

These are what my April 2017 AtariMax happy replicas look like:

 

 

"HE1050F" also appears on these boards... further suggesting TNM's board is of AtariMax origin...

[Guest]

Yep. Ryan I note the top post states ME1050F, but on closer inspection image appears to be HE1050F - which is consistent with most other Happy (and clones).

[+DrVenkman]

8 hours ago, Nezgar said:

These are what my April 2017 AtariMax happy replicas look like:

 

 

I’d have to go look to be sure but mine were purchased separately in the summers of 2017 and 2018. They look the same as yours so far as I can tell from memory. 

[+DrVenkman]

Actually, I need to correct myself. Both my AtariMax Happy clones fail the #2 RAM test, with the same error. I googled this error message once and got another forum thread about it but no real explanation. The 8B corresponds (I think) to a NAK error, Error 139. 

 

That said, this fellow had a similar (but not identical) error.

 

However, clearly my Google-fu was failing, because another hit for the same error led me to this thread and this specific post, where very smart guys like @Larry and @ijor were talking about this same general topic TWELVE YEARS AGO. 

 

 

So if I go into my U1MB BIOS and disable HSIO for D1: and D2:, voila. The diagnostics for both pass without issue. 

 

 

Guys, AtariAge and its literally 15+ years of post history are an incredible resource. Subscribe and help Al keep the servers humming!

[+Nezgar]

@DrVenkmanFacepalm here. Of course! I indeed have also seen this before as well when running a modified OS with Hias' highspeed SIO routines before, but I immediately recognized it as the cause at the time, and did not commit it to memory, as it was no fault of the drive. Good find there, and thanks for clarifying with a definitive solution for closure. May your post be a useful reference going forward too.  

 

I agree these AtariAge forums are an amazing trove of so much valuable information, specifically why I chose to subscribe. It would be a monumental loss if it ceased to exist.

[E474]

Hi,

 

   You should be able to dump the ROM with the dump1050 utility @Nezgar linked to - at the very least it will save the drive command table which will tell you which commands it supports, and at what locations they are at in the drive ROM. I had a similar problem with my Lazer drives, see 

the only difference was that it was error code 8A instead of 8B (or vice versa). Can you be a bit more specific about what the problem was with it not being recognized as a Happy (was there an error code/error text)? 

 

  Also, I have another drive that is a Happy clone, but has a hacked Happy Backup 6.5 disk to go with it, I think Happy Computers did as much as they could to stop their hardware being copied, and perhaps this carried on through to later (licensed?) mods.

 

Incidentally, I used to get the 8A (?) error on a stock 800XL, without using Hias' hi-speed code, but I think the Lazer drive supported a higher high-speed than the Happy did (Warp speed versus Ultraspeed, I think), so perhaps that was the problem. Not sure how I could test this though.

 

Hope this helps.

[Gunstar]

On 8/15/2019 at 8:59 PM, DrVenkman said:

Ironically, Steve’s current AtariMax Happy 1050’s seem to fail the ROM tests. I’ve got two of them and both have failed since new despite working perfectly so far as I can tell. 

I'll have to check that out. Mine is about 2 years old, though I'm about to order a second for my second 1050. But I don't think I've ever used the 7.1 diagnostics on my Atarimax Happy which has worked fine since I got it. I always use the diagnostic test on Atarimax APE Prosystem (which recognizes it as a Happy and it passes the test) since I have it hooked to my PC. I've only ever used the 7.1 software so far to put the drive in "unhappy" mode for some original disks that won't load with Happy on.

 

EDIT: never mind, I see you found why in a later post. It would probably do the same to me since 99% of the time I'm using APE Warp + OS on my 32-in-1.

Edited August 17, 2019 by Gunstar

[Gunstar]

On 8/15/2019 at 9:58 PM, Technoid Mutant said:

OMFG I killed the board.  I had to hook up my Microscope to fix a couple of traces I'd trashed with my desoldering iron.  It's back up now, with a nice little bandaid of a jumper wire.

 

** TNM **

 

I've got a couple of things around with "bandaid" jumper wires where I trashed the trace...

[cwc]

On 8/16/2019 at 3:58 AM, Technoid Mutant said:

OMFG I killed the board.  I had to hook up my Microscope to fix a couple of traces I'd trashed with my desoldering iron.  It's back up now, with a nice little bandaid of a jumper wire.

 

** TNM **

 

I just did the same I had the bright idea of desoldering the EPROM and putting in a socket so I could experiment with Rev 1 and 2 Happy ROMs. Despite using my trusty desoldering station, I trashed some traces. Very minor repairs are needed to just a couple of traces bu after careful checks under magnification I just can't see exactly where they originally went. I've got the same board as @Technoid Mutant. Can anyone share a decent picture of the underside of the board, please?

[Mclaneinc]

Those 5.99 USB microscopes are worth every penny....Great for hazards like breaks in traces and foul play with a soldering iron..

[xrbrevin]

29 minutes ago, cwc said:

Can anyone share a decent picture of the underside of the board, please? 

here are some pics of mine (upper image also provided for reference) - the silkscreen states:

HE1050F c1985 HCI

 

(lots of residual flux on it...)

[cwc]

Thanks for the speedy response @xrbrevin, but unfortunately my PCB has a different layout. I think there were quite a few. Pictures of my board and the damage :

 

 

[cwc]

1 hour ago, Mclaneinc said:

Those 5.99 USB microscopes are worth every penny....Great for hazards like breaks in traces and foul play with a soldering iron..

Hi Paul, they certainly are. It's been a while. How are you doing?

[cwc]

Here's a dump of the EPROM in case it is of any interest to anyone.

AtariMaxHappy.BIN

[xrbrevin]

many variants indeed

some have absent components. maybe its not an exact science..!

[Jeffrey Worley]

2 hours ago, cwc said:

I just did the same I had the bright idea of desoldering the EPROM and putting in a socket so I could experiment with Rev 1 and 2 Happy ROMs. Despite using my trusty desoldering station, I trashed some traces. Very minor repairs are needed to just a couple of traces bu after careful checks under magnification I just can't see exactly where they originally went. I've got the same board as @Technoid Mutant. Can anyone share a decent picture of the underside of the board, please?

Sure.  I will do that when I get home  I have a microscope, which I used to make my fix, so if you send me pics of your broken board I can take photos of the areas of damage and send them to you as well.  It is now 1620 my time, I should be home and working on this by 1830.  Don't worry.  We'll get this going.

 

BTW.  my problem with this was that I pulled up a trace and the trace fragment actually crossed to contact an unbroken trace right next to it.  This was possible because in breaking the first I failed to break it's neighbor but did manage to skin the solder mask off.  The board acted completely dead in this condition when reinstalled.  If you don't have magnification, this would be really hard to spot.  My eyes aren't what they used to be, but I doubt anyone's eyes are THAT good.

Oh, hit me up in a private message with your email address so I can send you hi res photos directly.  They look good posted here, but there is a level of translation I think.

Best,

 

Jeff