Whoops, I did it again. I have a problem, Dragon 32 inbound

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stephen_usher
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Re: Whoops, I did it again. I have a problem, Dragon 32 inbound

Post by stephen_usher »

Oh yeah, they're very different. Probably easier to clean though as the contacts are exposed.
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: Whoops, I did it again. I have a problem, Dragon 32 inbound

Post by rubber_jonnie »

stephen_usher wrote: Fri Jun 10, 2022 11:52 am Oh yeah, they're very different. Probably easier to clean though as the contacts are exposed.
Indeed, just need to find something nice and fine to 'sand' them with.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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Re: Whoops, I did it again. I have a problem, Dragon 32 inbound

Post by stephen_usher »

Something "soft" such as a cocktail stick should work.
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: Whoops, I did it again. I have a problem, Dragon 32 inbound

Post by rubber_jonnie »

stephen_usher wrote: Fri Jun 10, 2022 12:55 pm Something "soft" such as a cocktail stick should work.
I'm sure I can find something like that.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: Whoops, I did it again. I have a problem, Dragon 32 inbound

Post by rubber_jonnie »

Ok, so I have some definite keyboard improvement after breaking out a new can of Electrolube (I think the previous can was Servisol, it's not as good), and I have managed to get SDCX (The Dragon equivalent of SofaRun for the MSX) to finally run.

It was more by luck than judgement, I mounted the SDCX.VDK file (SDRIVE 1,"SDCX.VDK"), used 'DIR' to confirm it was mounted, and used 'RUN "CONFIG.BAS" and selected all the options on, then hit ENTER to save and was able to actually start SDCX for the first time since getting the cart.

PXL_20220823_092507740.jpg
PXL_20220823_092507740.jpg (266.89 KiB) Viewed 685 times

However, I'm now thinking there might be other problems, specifically RAM, as it keeps crashing and doing odd stuff, so I think the Dragon is going to be back on the bench for dome more work in the near future.

It could also be SD cart wobble, so I'll take a look at the cartridge connector on the machine too.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: Whoops, I did it again. I have a problem, Dragon 32 inbound

Post by rubber_jonnie »

Yep, definitely some problem going on, as you can see from the corruption when navigating the SDCX file browser:

PXL_20220823_102734589.jpg
PXL_20220823_102734589.jpg (253.76 KiB) Viewed 680 times
PXL_20220823_104507341.jpg
PXL_20220823_104507341.jpg (306 KiB) Viewed 675 times

So some more investigation required for the Dragon :(
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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stephen_usher
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Re: Whoops, I did it again. I have a problem, Dragon 32 inbound

Post by stephen_usher »

More RCM (Randomly Corrupting Memory) than RAM then. :-)
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: Whoops, I did it again. I have a problem, Dragon 32 inbound

Post by rubber_jonnie »

stephen_usher wrote: Tue Aug 23, 2022 12:08 pm More RCM (Randomly Corrupting Memory) than RAM then. :-)
Indeed it is!

Will have a look at the schematic, see if there are any buffers or multiplexers at play, might not be RAM at all, but definitely not right!

I think possibly a little Electrolube on the sockets too.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: Whoops, I did it again. I have a problem, Dragon 32 inbound

Post by rubber_jonnie »

Well, it was a good day for the Dragon, the new 4164s arrived and I fitted them:

PXL_20220827_151644956.jpg
PXL_20220827_151644956.jpg (360.06 KiB) Viewed 642 times

And now the SDCX browser seems to run stably, and I am able to run all sorts off it now, which is great, though the keyboard is still double typing or not typing at times and for specific keys (I should check what part of the matrix they are all on), but at least the darn thing works now overall.

I have to say though, the Dragon mainboard is super fragile and my desoldering attempts ran into a few problems with lifting pads with very little heat applied.

In the end, the safest way was to snip all the legs on the old RAM and then remove the legs one at a time. Really not my favourite way of doing things, but it was that or damaging the PCB.

It was hard even with my desoldering gun.

Just be aware if you have a Dragon of your own and need to get soldering.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
User avatar
stephen_usher
Posts: 5580
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 7:19 pm
Location: Oxford, UK.
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Re: Whoops, I did it again. I have a problem, Dragon 32 inbound

Post by stephen_usher »

:dualthumbup:
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
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