Exxos Diagnostic Cartridge Issue - Jumper selections

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MacTech05
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Exxos Diagnostic Cartridge Issue - Jumper selections

Post by MacTech05 »

Exxos,

I followed the chart layout on the cartridge PCB to set the jumpers for my ST (1040 STFM). The jumpers I selected are in the photo below:

Cart Jumpers ST.jpg

The jumpers, based on chart on the PCB do not seem to track with set it up. The charts says the following:
First row pins left to right: 1st pin open, 2nd & 3rd pins jumpered, 4th & 5th pins jumpered, 6th pin open, diagram shows 7th & 8th pin jumpered. However, there is no 7th pin. So, what do I do. I tried to use the cartridge with jumpers set as shown in the attached photo, when I turned the ST on, it went into a constant restart cycle. I powered the ST off, removed the cartridge, and turned the ST on again with a SysInfo disk in the floppy. It got to a desktop, but immediately restarted. It continued to restart as long as the ST was powered on. Went through the process (cartridge still removed) a few more times, but same result, constant restart cycle. By the way, the cartridges was plugged in with the chips facing up.

All was well and I had been using the ST for a while through the day, before I tried the cartridge, and worked perfectly. I tried the cartridge because I wanted to test the keyboard to make sure all of the keys were working properly. But now the 1040 STFM is unusable.

Thank you.

Randy
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exxos
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Re: Exxos Diagnostic Cartridge Issue

Post by exxos »

Your taking the alignment of the printed jumpers to literally. There wasn't room on the PCB to shift the right hand pins downwards multiple times.

You just need to move the jumper link 1 row down then it matches the printed layout.

dc.jpg
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: Exxos Diagnostic Cartridge Issue

Post by rubber_jonnie »

From what I can see you have one of the jumpers set wrong.

Look at the bottom row as per your picture, the jumper should be in the middle for a standard ST, bridging the two pins vertically. The other jumpers are fine.
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...
MacTech05
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Re: Exxos Diagnostic Cartridge Issue - Jumper selections

Post by MacTech05 »

Exxos,

Well, this is not the first time I have been told I am too literal. Par for the course, I guess. Now the jumper settings make sense. I will change the jumpers.
However, I am still concerned about the fact that after startup with cartridge installed the STFM then began a constant restart (Resetting) cycle. Of bigger concern is after I turned off the STFM, removed the cartridge, then started up again, the constant cycle of restarts (Resets) continued without stopping until I powered down. After that, every time I turned on the STFM, it went into the repeated restart cycle.

Could the jumper settings I used caused the problem? If the constant restart cycle had stopped once I removed the cartridge, I would definitely attribute the problem to the incorrect jumper settings on the cartridge. But the constant restart cycle issue was still present when I powered up the STFM with the cartridge removed. Any suggestions?

I will change the jumper settings to the correct ones and try again and see what happens. I will also clean the cartridge slot contacts with IPA prior to inserting the cartridge. If it continues with the constant restart cycle, I will try again with the null modem cable I got from you and connect via serial port to my PC and use a Terminal Emulation program in hopes the readout from the cartridge will be displayed in the Terminal Emulation program on my PC. That is correct procedure, correct?

Thank you,

Randy
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stephen_usher
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Re: Exxos Diagnostic Cartridge Issue - Jumper selections

Post by stephen_usher »

The jumper setting merely select which part of the ROM is being accessed and can't have any effect upon the ST.

However, check that you've not accidentally bent some of the cartridge port pins. Address or data lines could be touching each other causing the system not to boot.
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.
MacTech05
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Re: Exxos Diagnostic Cartridge Issue - Jumper selections

Post by MacTech05 »

stephen_usher

Thank you for that suggestion. I will check the cartridge slot pins and clean with a little alcohol.

Thanks,
Randy
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exxos
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Re: Exxos Diagnostic Cartridge Issue - Jumper selections

Post by exxos »

MacTech05 wrote: 23 May 2024 21:02 But the constant restart cycle issue was still present when I powered up the STFM with the cartridge removed. Any suggestions?
Sounds more like a PSU issue to me. Have to at least recapped the PSU ? Changed the caps in the reset circuit ? Re-seated and cleaned the chips in sockets ? If you have not done those things then you are not going to get anywhere at all with the diagnostic cartridge.
MacTech05
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Re: Exxos Diagnostic Cartridge Issue - Jumper selections

Post by MacTech05 »

Exxos,

I already recapped the PSU. Also, upgraded the TOS ROMs to Rainbow TOS. I had to install 4 additional TOS ROM sockets, since the Rainbow TOS ROM chips I had was the 6 TOS ROM version. I also reflowed the solder on the mouse/joystick DB-9 ports on the bottom of the keyboard. I will reseat the chips that can be removed and reseated. I have not located the caps for the reset circuit. I have not found schematics for my specific 1040 STFM motherboard model. Photos of my STFM are below.

After the upgrades I performed, I used the ST for a bit. I ran SysInfo to verify the upgrade TOS was properly recognized. Ran a couple of other programs just to be certain all was ok. Since I wanted to test the keyboard to ensure all of the key worked properly and did not have a keyboard test program, I plugged in the Exxos Diagnostic Cartridge. I was unaware I had arranged the jumpers on the Exxos Cartridge at that time. So, I started up the STFM and the restart/reset cycle started immediately. It continued to restart/reset until it displayed bombs (4 as I recall) So, I turned of the ST, removed the cartridge, the turned on the ST with a SysInfo floppy disk. It looked like the ST was going to start up, as I saw the desktop and the SysInfo window from the floppy disk pop up, then the screen blinked and reset. The reset continued without stopping until I turned of the ST. However, there were zero bombs. I shut down and restarted a few more times, with same result, continuous resetting until I powered off the ST.

I will disassemble the STFM again and check all of the cartridge slot pins to make sure the solder connections are solid as well as check to make sure none of the cartridge socket pins are bent.

Do think the Exxos Diagnostic Cartridge is ok? Still usable, since I have arranged the jumpers correctly, per your previous photo.

Thank you,
Randy

IMG_7683.jpg
IMG_7469.jpg
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: Exxos Diagnostic Cartridge Issue - Jumper selections

Post by rubber_jonnie »

Can I ask, which way up did you plug the cartridge in? Chips up or down?
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...
MacTech05
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Re: Exxos Diagnostic Cartridge Issue - Jumper selections

Post by MacTech05 »

rubber_jonnie,

I plugged the cartridge in, chips up.

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