Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!ucsd!nosc!halibut.nosc.mil!koziarz From: koziarz@halibut.nosc.mil (Walter A. Koziarz) Newsgroups: comp.sys.zenith.z100 Subject: Re: Cannot boot a Z-100 Message-ID: <3145@nosc.NOSC.MIL> Date: 23 Nov 90 14:46:08 GMT References: <28635@shamash.cdc.com> Sender: nobody@nosc.NOSC.MIL Organization: Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego Lines: 25 In article par@hq.af.mil (Paul A. Reitelbach) writes: >someone else wrote: > >> I have a Z100 that will not boot from hard drive or floppy. Just turned it >> on one day and no boot. I am even unable to activate the ROM monitor (and g >> the "finger" prompt). Just a flashing cursor when I turn it on. No other >> activity. Bad ROM? If so, where can I get a new chip? > >Have you tried taking all the boards out and setting them back in again? >Sometimes this helps, because all the connections on the boards are not making >good contact. Reasonable advice for one of Zenith's vile clones of the I(nferior) B(ut) M(arketable) P(reposterous) C(ontrivence)s; but not applicable to the well-designed Z-100. Removal of the Z-100's disk controller board (the DEFAULT DEVICE CONTROLLER, as determined by switch S101) should produce a 'DEFAULT DEVICE CONTROLLER ERROR'. if this doesn't occur, listen for one 'beep' at power-up. If one beep is heard, the 8085 is attempting to relinquish control to the 8088; if NO beep then check in/around 8085 circuitry. If one beep, rather than two, check around 8088 and associated circuitry. A copy of the Technical Manual is a necessity. New Monitor ROMs are (were, as of Summer 1989) available from ZDS. Or, for approx $60 you can get version 3.0 monitor from Bob Donohue; I don't recall his address, however. Walt K.