<><><>› (EDITORS NOTE: Due space constraints,› this article was cut---This was a› neccessity, but the informative› sections were not cut, and may be a› guide if you happen to have a similar› problem, or want to upgrade!)›› DOCTOR'S ORDERS› by John Kasupski, WNYAUG› Reprinted by OL' HACKERS with THANKS!›› 800XL POST-MORTEM› ----- -----------›› Well, it finally happened. My› trusty, faithful old 800XL finally› decided to give me some SERIOUS› problems, forcing me to start using› my 130XE instead. It all› started when I tried to print out the› disk labels for last month's POKEY.› Every time I tried to print the› labels, I got an error 138. For those› who aren't familiar with Atari BASIC› error messages, that's a device› timeout. Since the device I was› attempting to use at the time was the› printer, I checked all the printer› connection cables between my 800XL,› the Xetec Graphix AT interface, and› my Brother M-1009 printer. The› connections were all fine. I booted› TextPro and tried to dump a text file› to the printer. TextPro doesn't› bother with codes, it gives you the› plain-English message "Device› timeout."›› THE SEARCH›› I entered the MIO configuration menu› and switched WNYAUG's Star NX-15› printer in as P1: instead of P2: and› tried again. The text file printed› perfectly with this printer, which is› connected directly to the MIO as a› parallel device, so obviously the› problem was in the Brother printer,› or the serial chain.› I double-checked all connections on› my serial daisy-chain. No problems› there. I recalled reading about› potential problems with the serial› ports on the XF-551 drives and› wondered if I was now beginning to› experience similar problems. I› eliminated the 551 from the chain and› tried it again. No dice. This printer› just wasn't going to print the› labels, period. I decided to› just print the labels on the Star› instead. As I rebooted the disk with› the label printing program, however,› I noticed something else happening.› The busy light on my 1050 drive was› flashing on and off during the load.› This is normal on a Happy 1050 with a› short off delay set. It is NOT normal› on my US Doubler 1050! What's going› on here?› I booted another disk to verify what› I had noticed. This was an old› SpartaDOS boot disk which installed› several keyboard macros. As I typed› in commands at the DOS prompt, I› watched the screen and noticed that› there was a distinct delay between› the time I pressed a key and the time› it appeared on my screen...sometimes› four or five seconds! The keyboard› was acting up too?›› EGADS! WHATS THIS?›› Wait a second... I pulled out› the newer 130XE, ripped the 800XL out› of the system, and tried everything› again. With the 130XE all my previous› problems disappeared. The source of› the problems was the 800XL that had› served me faithfully since I first› got it. So, I guess I've just› joined the ranks of those using a› 130XE instead of an older 800XL. This› time, I'll just have to get used to› the 130XE's keyboard. It's› interesting to note, though, that had› this happened just a few weeks› earlier it would have absolutely› driven me berserk. That was before my› new hard drive controller card› arrived, allowing me to boot off my› hard drive again. That in turn allows› me to have the 256K MIO RAMdisk free› for jockeying files around.›› MIO TO THE RESCUE!›› Prior to getting the HD running› again, I was booting from the MIO› RAMdisk and using the 192K RAMdisk in› the 256K 800XL for jockeying space.› Without the HD in the system to free› up my MIO RAM, I would have been› forced to suffer with the puny 64K› RAMdisk in my stock 130XE, and I› would have found this unbearable! ›› MY FUTURE UPGRADE?›› At least the 800XL lasted long enough› for me to get the HD going again.› And, I can always upgrade the 130XE -› I just found a company that will do› a 320K upgrade for $50 or a 576K› upgrade for $65. Maybe soon I'll have› one of those upgrades done. In the› meantime, though, I'll just thank my› lucky stars (and The Man Upstairs)› that I bought a MIO instead of a› Black Box. I'm sure I really would go› nuts editing the POKEY every month› without a large RAMdisk to work› with!›› UPGRADE CHECKUP› ------- -------›› Did you really think I would mention› those unusually low upgrade prices› for the 130XE without letting you› know the source? The following is› from a text file I captured on The› Closer To Home BBS. I have edited the› format for the POKEY, but the entire› original contents are intact as› posted.› ******› June 1, 1992. (Editor- call to see if› they are still in business!)›› Benton Harbor, MI› Breakthrough Ultd. is very pleased to› announce a line of memory upgrades› for the Atari XL/XE computers. For› quite reasonable fees, we can upgrade› your 800/1200 XL from 64k or 256k to› 512k! This can be done with out any› loss of compatability from any of the› standard 800/1200 XL's and is› compatable withthe 130XE in cpu mode.› This allows you to format a ramdisk› of 448k bytes-We test and install all› upgrades ourselves and burn them in› for 24hrs.› When you receive your computer› back, a disk will be included that› contains a ramdisk driver tailored› for your computer and use with› SmartaDOS 3.2d. This upgrade will NOT› interfere with the use of the› internal BASIC, (on 800XL), or› diagnostic ROM on any XL. All units› are return shipped within 3 business› days using the same container and› shipping method you send to us.› Prices and upgrade levels for the XL› line follow: 64k to 256k 800/1200 XL› - $50 64k to 512k 800/1200 XL - $65 › If you already have 256k in your› 800/1200 XL, and your upgrade uses› 41256 DRAM's, use the following price› list: 256k to 512k 800/1200 XL - $35› Also, we now upgrade the 65XE/XEGS to› 320K, and the 130XE to 320K or 576K.› The following price list is use for› the XE computers: 65XE/XEGS - call› for price 128k to 320k 130 XE - $50› 128k to 567k 130 XE - $65 If you› already have 320k in your 130XE, and› your upgrade uses 41256 DRAM's, use› the following price list: 320k to› 576k 130 XE - $35 To figure your› total price, choose your upgrade› type, add $3 for handling, then add› the EXACT shipping cost that the› carrier, (UPS, FedExpress, US Post› Office), charges to ship to Benton› arbor, MI 49022. Include a money› order or cashier's check for that› amount. Personal Checks will be› accepted, however, a three week› waiting period will be required for› the check to clear. Cash is accepted,› but we are NOT responsible for cash› lost in shipping. Ship computer› console and keyboard ONLY! Do NOT› include RF cables, switch box, power› supply or any other items.›› Address to ship to:› Breakthrough Unlimited› 4703 Territoral Rd. #3› Benton Harbor, MI 49022›› Before you ship your computer,› call us here at BTU for a Unit› Upgrade #. Our phone number is (616)› 944-1851 1pm to 6 pm EDT Mon. thru› Fri. If your computer's current› configuration is not listed above,› call for a quote. All work done is› warranted for 90 days against defects› in materials and workmanship› (excluding shipping costs). › These prices assume that the unit› shipped is FULLY FUNCTIONAL! All› units are tested on arival, and units› not functioning correctly, will be› returned unmodified with the shipping› and handling costs deducted from› enclosed fees. Special rush handling› is available for an extra charge of› $10. Rush units are return shipped in› 36hrs. Discounts are available as› follows: Members of a user› group affiliated with Atari Interface› Magizine will receive 10% off the› cost of the upgrade (not including› rush, shipping or handling).› Membership WILL be verified. › Sysops of 24hr ATARI BBS's who carry› our ad's, (this msg), as a sign-on› bulletin will recive a 10% discount› on the cost of the upgrade (not› including rush,shipping or handling).› Such ads WILL be verifyed. This› applys ONLY to the primary sysop, who› owns/maintains system at their› residence or place of employment.› The above discounts may be combined.› User groups take note!! If your user› group has a quanity of units to› upgrade, mass discounts are› available. This is due to the fact› that we receive price cuts when we› are able to order chips in quantity,› and that quantity shipping is less› expensive. Discounts range from 15-› 35% and may NOT be combined with› other discounts. You must call with› the quantity of computers and upgrade› desired for each. These mass upgrade› rates apply to 4 or more units, but› call for exact pricing. Discount may› vary, depending on upgrade level and› qty of units. Rush is not available› on mass upgrades, but our normal› turnaround time of 3 business days› applys.›› EOT**›› Now, that's news, isn't it? RAM› upgrades for the Atari XL/XE machines› have just gotten more affordable! If› there is anyone else in WNYAUG that's› interested in getting a memory› upgrade, let me know about it. If› there are four or more of us we can› look into getting the mass quantity› discount mentioned above, and save on› some shipping costs as well. THE› ATTIC IS UP! (Aren't Most Of 'Em?)› --------------------- › Which brings me to the REAL big› news. While I was nosing around on› The Closer To Home BBS, I found a› public domain command for BBS› Express! Professional, COLD.CMD, that› allows a SysOp to coldstart the host› computer from within the DOS shell. › After some online testing conducted› by Don K! and myself, we can report› that (1) COLD.CMD really works, and› (2) partially due to this, THE› WIZARD'S ATTIC BBS IS NOW UP AND› RUNNING AGAIN AND HAS BEEN REOPENED› FOR PUBLIC ACCESS!!!› Yes, The Attic is back after a› long hiatus, which was originall‚› caused by a hard drive crash. The› main problems we had were as follows:› 1) A lack of time for SysOps and co-› SysOps (myself included) to spend on› fixing the system. 2) The loss of› some of the text and other files used› to run the BBS. 3) Several error› messages that occurred during the› logon sequence, including the› inability of the system to save data› for new users who applied for a› permanent password.› Although the first problem will› probably always exist, the long› Independence Day weekend afforded us› some extra free time, which we used› to eliminate the other two problems› listed above. There are still a few› minor bugs to work out, but THE ATTIC› LIVES!›› WHILE WE'RE AT IT...› ----- ----- -- -----› If you're active online and can› afford a long distance call now and› the, I strongly recommend you get on› The Closer To Home BBS and take a› look around. Closer To Home is› operated by Tom Hunt, author of such› ShareWare programs as SnapShot,› SnapShot HD, CTH FastBASIC, and the› modification that allows Turbo BASIC› and SpartaDOS 3.2 to peacefully co-› exist...among others. CTH is› the official support board for Tom› Hunt's excellent efforts, and is also› home to some top-notch P.D. commands,› online games, and other goodies that› will absolutely delight BBS Express!› Pro SysOps (watch for some of them on› local Pro boards). There are some› other reasons why I can honestly say› that of all the Pro boards I've› called (and I've called quite a few,› literally across the USA), none of› them has ever impressed me as a› first-time caller as much as Closer› To Home did the first time I called› it. Of course, I haven't seen› anything else that Tom Hunt has done› that didn't impress me, either, so I› don't know why I was surprised to see› such a first-rate BBS (his choice of› Pro as BBS software didn't hurt› either), but I don't rave about a BBS› often, so check this one out if you› can. From what I gathered reading› the messages bases, Mr. Hunt upgraded› to Pro back in January 1992. It› appears he was using Oasis prior to› that. In case Tom Hunt reads this, I› want it on record that I applaud his› choice to upgrade to Pro and that I› wish more SysOps ran boards the way› his is run! This makes me wish I had› two phone lines and a Pro node of my› own. For now, though, I'll content› myself with (and thoroughly enjoy)› helping out on The Wizard's Attic.›› PARtING SHOT› ------- ----› I'm pleased that I've been able› to include so much GOOD news in this› month's ORDERS. The return of The› Attic, the upgrade news, my HD back› together again, the discovery of› CTH... I hope July has been as› good a month for all of you as it has› been for me, and that the trend› continues for the month of August!› * end *››