Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!burl!codas!mtune!icus!gil
From: gil@icus.UUCP (Gil Kloepfer Jr.)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: Re: Booting disk software on an 800XL reliably.
Summary: Another related problem...
Message-ID: <242@icus.UUCP>
Date: 1 Feb 88 06:35:04 GMT
References: <539@nuchat.UUCP> <1988Jan25.130826.28981@jarvis.csri.toronto.edu>
Reply-To: gil@icus.UUCP (Gil Kloepfer Jr.)
Organization: ICUS Computer Group, Islip, NY
Lines: 55

In article <1988Jan25.130826.28981@jarvis.csri.toronto.edu> jdd@db.toronto.edu ("John D. DiMarco") writes:
>In article <539@nuchat.UUCP> peter@nuchat.UUCP (Peter da Silva) writes:
>>I have been having trouble getting disks booted on an 800XL. Sometimes
>>it takes 4 or 5 tries to boot up (say) Boulder Dash Construction Kit,
>>following directions in the package or not. Usually it doesn't even hit the
>>disk... just gives me notepad. 
>
>You mean 'self-test mode', don't you? An 800XL doesn't have a notepad mode. 
>
>Anyhow - how warm is the room your computer is in? I've found on my 800XL 
>(with one 1050 drive), that if the room is too cold, I have to try several times
>before I can get the disk booted.

[some descriptions & suggested solutions deleted]
>
>>I have an 800 with two Percom DD drives, and an 800XL with 2 1050s (as well as
>>a Zenith terminal and an Amiga 1000 with 4.5 Megs...

This isn't the same problem, but this might explain some wierd disk activity
that could be the cause of problems such as the ones above.

Although the Atari computer components themselves are well-shielded as
a rule (the 1050 disk is not really), the cables are not really shielded.
I have found when I connected more than one drive or printer off the
interface serial port, I get spiratic disk errors (which sometimes ruin
the data on the disk), and some retries on sector reads when booting DOS (not
something that's a ususal occurance).

What I have attributed the problems to, since I had no problem with the
computer before I moved to an apartment, is the MASSIVE amount of RFI (radio
interference) in the area (my television gets a massive amount of 
interference from various sources, including what appears to be an unknown
transmitter nearby).  I believe that some of the more powerful interference
is being picked-up inside the disk drive circuitry, causing the drive to
act up.

I have looked into the various hardware-related problems including a
very comprehensive look at my drive and different disks, etc.  It is
definitely not either.

I am curious if similar problems have occurred like this in Atari or other
manufacturers' equipment.  Also, has anyone shortened the interface cables
on their Atari equipment to see if this helps?  Perhaps it is being
picked-up through the AC line?  Please post answers to these or related
queries unless they would not benefit others.

Becuase I tend to be lax in sending each individual who replies to my postings
a note of thanks, I thank anyone who replies in advance.

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| Gil Kloepfer, Jr.                  | Net-Address:                           |
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