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Hi again
I have another question that I need help with. I have another IBM 5150 PC that was working completely fine yesterday. This afternoon when I booted, it took an extra 30 sec. to complete the POST. I also got a 1701 Hard Drive Failure. The thing is, there is no Hard Drive! Just one 360K Full-Height floppy. I didn't do anything to the computer at all. Could it just be old-age? (It was made in 1983)
Also, does anybody know how to connect a cassette to the tape port on the 5150? I guess you need a special cord. Does anyone have one and is willing to sell it, or can you make a "homemade" cord.Thanks in advance-Peter
Hi
I'm feeling lazy, so I'm not going to bother to track down your model tonight.
The error is a general hard drive error. (bit hard if there is none -- so something else is wrong)
The extra length as post -- perhaps the memory check. So I feel your problem might be the memory. Yours is probably soldered in and its a difficult job changing a memory chip sucsessfully. (!!! thats if it is the memory !!!)
I think if you search the web archives you might just find a diagnostic tool for the memory on those old models. (Google hasn't been the greatest lately but better than a rock)
What I do note,(may well not apply to such an early model), is you are using Dos 3.3 with an early IBM system. There was some sort of patch required on some IBM systems. Anyhow 1983 sort of predates any AT system I thought the 5150 was. Anyhow..
Cable for a cassette. Need to establish what sort of tape drive you mean, and the plug it has.
I have worked around and observed only a couple or so tape devices, on small systems, back then (early eighties) - but can't recall anything about them now. I'm sure some of the older Electronic mags will have a diagram or similar projects to make your own cable.
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I believe the 5150 is the original IBN PC with 5 ISA slots. Original model 16K/64K motherboard. Revised mothboard 64K/256K.
The only things I remember about the use of the casette tape are the following:
The port uses a 5-pin DIN plug. The signals are data-in, data-out, and motor control. I think the only software that controls/uses the tape casette port is the ROM BASIC.You can make your own cable.
You should not get a 1701 error. What cards do you have in the system? The original floppy system had a floppy controller and either a mono display adapter with printer port or a CGA display adapter.
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It has one floppy controller card, one MONO card, one printer port card (seperate from the MONO card), one serial card and one 50-pin card, I think its for an external drive.
So 5 cards in all.
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The only 50-pin cards I know of are for SCSI interface, probably a hard drive. You may remove the card and try restarting.
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Well, I was going to take out the 50-pin card, but before I opened the cover I decided to try it again just to see if it would still give me 1701. It started up just like normal. No error of any kind and I didn't take the card out. I guess it just happens once in a while.
Thanks guys for all your help
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If anyone who knows how to make a cord for the IBM 5150 cassette port or has one could PLEASE e-mail me PeterSutterlin@aol.com or maybe you could direct me to a site. It is DIN-5 pin connection, and I'm assuming the other is 1/4 or 1/8" plug. I never actually saw one. I need the cord ASAP.
Thanks again
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How about posting some photos of this piece of history.
Bearing in mind its age, would advise against disturbing any memory or boards unless absolutely necessary.
I go along with your thinking that the 50 pin connector may have been for an external drive (probably not ide). Can you make out any print on the board to support this.
When you think, that pc probably cost twice as much as todays models, which is the reason IBM virtually collapsed.
Here in the UK, IBM asked £1500 - 2000 for an XT, when a compatible was less than a £1000.
Good luck - Keep us posted.
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This web link has a discussion of the cassette port.
http://www.uncreativelabs.net/hwinfo/5150.php
The cassette end has 3 plugs. 1/8 for data in and out, and a 3/32 for motor control. I think I used a Panasonic Cassette Recorder. This is way back - 20 years.
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G'day,
The link that wizard-fred supplied, does give you enough information to make up your own cable.However, you would need to be confident enough to wire up the connectors.
The 5 pin DIN (German Standard) is a popular audio connector used in early 70s/80s amplifiers, so you shouldn't have too much trouble sourcing one. Also, be aware that the size of the three jack plugs really depends on the cassette deck that you choose to use. Sadly, I had one of these many years ago (for use with an early 70's home computer) but it has got lost somewhere over the years..
If my memory (nightmares..) serves me correctly, though, this was a very unpredictable process (Mike, if he's reading this, will no doubt echo the sentiments of trying to get ZX81s/ Spectrums/ Orics et al to load from a cassette player...now where did I put that watchmakers screwdriver..) and we all sighed in relief when the floppy disk came along- if you don't need the cassette interface- don't use it.
Good luck,
Elric
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Well, believe it or not I actually have some BASIC programs save on a cassette! I'd like to get them off.
Peter
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Get them off. Erase? or Load them into computer? No Erase, just write over or use a bulk eraser. To Load, I don't remember. I previously had Commodore & Radio Shack computers that used cassette tapes. I vaguely recall 'LOAD "filename"' or 'LOAD'. LOAD "filename" allowed saving multiple programs on a single tape. They made 10-minute tapes so you could save 1 program per tape. The operation should be documented in the IBM BASIC manual which came with the computer. Olive Green/Brown Binder.
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The problem is not what commands I need to get the data off the tape, it's how to make a cord.
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