how to test psu and reset to cmos to default

hi,
x-posted
this is not a very popular topic as i keep losing people :-)
but i'd appreciate any help.
ibm aptiva 2159-s90 (1997; split system; win95B) SUDDENLY for no reason,
had post-start-up errors (date and time change (they hadn't changed) and
config change -- referred to the floppy drive))
the floppy was fine (basically) i changed the battery last pm and it
wouldn't pass the post (at all)
cleared the cmos (paper btwn clip and battery overnight)
it booted this am; many post-start-up errors (some phantom)
currently: the cd-rom (in the media console) is running however the pc
won't recognize the win95 cd (the cd-rom is set as the 4th start-up
device)
the post-start-up error now is: "adapter card resource error" which i
think refers to the media console controller card (since it's in an isa
slot)
i have NO CLUE what to do about that.
so i want to get the pc to reset to factory settings and don't know how
to get this (it is not listed (although it used to be))

i need to test the psu and want to make sure that this is correct:
i'd put the positive (red) probe (backprobe) to for example the red wire
on the power cable to the hd and THEN ground it (for example using the
p8-6 and p9-1(the center black wires on the power to the board
adapter?))
any help is greatly hoped for and appreciated

What to measure and limits for those numbers are provided in
previous posts: "Computer doesnt start at all" in
alt.comp.hardware on 10 Jan 2004
at http://tinyurl.com/2t69q and
"I think my power supply is dead" in alt.comp.hardware on 5
Feb 2004 at
http://tinyurl.com/yvbw9

Voltage numbers should be in upper 3/4 limits of those
limits. If all voltages are OK when computer is powered off
and powered on (purple wire always provide voltage which is
why power cord must be removed before fixing anything from
computer).

Once the power supply system (it contains three separate
parts) is demonstrated OK (by numbers), only then do we move
on to other usual suspects. Meanwhile, get comprehensive
diagnostics for that IBM. Next will be to test hardware
without the complications of software (such as Windows and
drivers). I believe IBM called them "Advanced Diagnostics".
Either they are on disk drive, on a separate diskette, or can
be downloaded from IBM web site. All responsible computer
manufacturers provide comprehensive diagnostics for free -
which suggests a benchmark that some other manufacturers do
not meet.

Unfortunately there has been too many changes without first
collecting data. Failure to first collect data may be the
'death knell' because I recall a reference to Ez-Bios. IOW
important information for Ez-Bios may have been destroyed by
resetting CMOS without first recording important numbers. One
never fixes anything until all critical data is collected.
This is but one example why. You would not believe how
complex a problem can be created by Ez-Bios IF we don't have
correct information on that unique version of Ez-Bios (also
applies to other Bios Extenders).

Any rate, get those power supply numbers and report back.
Even if you don't know what those numbers are, still, those
numbers make it possible for the learned to do more than 'wild
speculation'. Previously, too many posters were doing just
that - wildly speculating. First get facts.


Tanya wrote:
this is not a very popular topic as i keep losing people :-)
but i'd appreciate any help.
ibm aptiva 2159-s90 (1997; split system; win95B) SUDDENLY for no reason,
had post-start-up errors (date and time change (they hadn't changed) and
config change -- referred to the floppy drive))
the floppy was fine (basically) i changed the battery last pm and it
wouldn't pass the post (at all)
cleared the cmos (paper btwn clip and battery overnight)
it booted this am; many post-start-up errors (some phantom)
currently: the cd-rom (in the media console) is running however the pc
won't recognize the win95 cd (the cd-rom is set as the 4th start-up
device)
the post-start-up error now is: "adapter card resource error" which i
think refers to the media console controller card (since it's in an isa
slot)
i have NO CLUE what to do about that.
so i want to get the pc to reset to factory settings and don't know how
to get this (it is not listed (although it used to be))

i need to test the psu and want to make sure that this is correct:
i'd put the positive (red) probe (backprobe) to for example the red wire
on the power cable to the hd and THEN ground it (for example using the
p8-6 and p9-1(the center black wires on the power to the board
adapter?))
any help is greatly hoped for and appreciated

hi and thank you for replying!
[...below...]

w_tom wrote:

What to measure and limits for those numbers are provided in
previous posts: "Computer doesnt start at all" in
alt.comp.hardware on 10 Jan 2004
at http://tinyurl.com/2t69q and
"I think my power supply is dead" in alt.comp.hardware on 5
Feb 2004 at
http://tinyurl.com/yvbw9

i have the aptiva 2159-s90 technical manual (i cannot test all of the
connectors)

Voltage numbers should be in upper 3/4 limits of those
limits. If all voltages are OK when computer is powered off
and powered on (purple wire always provide voltage which is
why power cord must be removed before fixing anything from
computer).

i think they are... (need to double-check the manual)

Once the power supply system (it contains three separate
parts) is demonstrated OK (by numbers), only then do we move
on to other usual suspects. Meanwhile, get comprehensive
diagnostics for that IBM. Next will be to test hardware
without the complications of software (such as Windows and
drivers). I believe IBM called them "Advanced Diagnostics".

i have the cd-rom but it does not test accurately (it won't test the hd since
it is 30 gbs and the original was ~ 1 gb)
also it only tests 32 mbs of mem (what it came with -- not what it has now
which is 96 mbs)

Either they are on disk drive, on a separate diskette, or can
be downloaded from IBM web site. All responsible computer
manufacturers provide comprehensive diagnostics for free -
which suggests a benchmark that some other manufacturers do
not meet.

unfortunately they have not updated their diagnostics (in fact it gives y2k
errors)
do you know of a 3rd party one?

Unfortunately there has been too many changes without first
collecting data. Failure to first collect data may be the
'death knell' because I recall a reference to Ez-Bios. IOW
important information for Ez-Bios may have been destroyed by
resetting CMOS without first recording important numbers. One
never fixes anything until all critical data is collected.
This is but one example why. You would not believe how
complex a problem can be created by Ez-Bios IF we don't have
correct information on that unique version of Ez-Bios (also
applies to other Bios Extenders).

i have the diskette -- i'll post back w/ it HOWEVER it lost cmos settings (or
that was 1 of the post-start-up errors) BEFORE i replaced the battery
(following replacing it, it wouldn't boot (not even into the cmos settings) so
that is why i tried to clear cmos -- and then it booted to errors)
it's settings are defaulting back to whatever (HOWEVER, i changed the boot
order (which was totally off) and it recovered ezBIOS and is in windows but is
EXTREMELY slow...

Any rate, get those power supply numbers and report back.
Even if you don't know what those numbers are, still, those
numbers make it possible for the learned to do more than 'wild
speculation'. Previously, too many posters were doing just
that - wildly speculating. First get facts.

he
P1
(right-left)
yellow: 5.00
red: 5.01
orange: 11.71
blue-grey: -11.82
black (both) -0.00

P2
(left - right)
off-white / beige: 5.01
red (3) all are 5.01
black : 0.00
black -0.00

connectorsleft-right)
zip-drive (which is not working)
orange (left) 11.71
grnds (black): -0.00
red: 5.01

hd1 (2'ary / slave)
same as for the zip

i cannot test the master drive the probe doesn't fit
finally, the master drive covers the psu specs and i have to look in the
manual

again, thanks
sincerely
Tanya




Tanya wrote:
this is not a very popular topic as i keep losing people :-)
but i'd appreciate any help.
ibm aptiva 2159-s90 (1997; split system; win95B) SUDDENLY for no reason,
had post-start-up errors (date and time change (they hadn't changed) and
config change -- referred to the floppy drive))
the floppy was fine (basically) i changed the battery last pm and it
wouldn't pass the post (at all)
cleared the cmos (paper btwn clip and battery overnight)
it booted this am; many post-start-up errors (some phantom)
currently: the cd-rom (in the media console) is running however the pc
won't recognize the win95 cd (the cd-rom is set as the 4th start-up
device)
the post-start-up error now is: "adapter card resource error" which i
think refers to the media console controller card (since it's in an isa
slot)
i have NO CLUE what to do about that.
so i want to get the pc to reset to factory settings and don't know how
to get this (it is not listed (although it used to be))

i need to test the psu and want to make sure that this is correct:
i'd put the positive (red) probe (backprobe) to for example the red wire
on the power cable to the hd and THEN ground it (for example using the
p8-6 and p9-1(the center black wires on the power to the board
adapter?))
any help is greatly hoped for and appreciated

Since colors do not match what should be ATX power supply wires, I
suspect this is an AT type machine. Is this a 486 computer or an
computer not using PCI cards?

One voltage is wrong because I believe it should have read -5 volts
and not +5 volts. The + 12 and -12 volts are both too low. Normally
this would means doing the next step for excessive ripple voltage
(which requires better equipment). However + and - 12 volts don't
drive anything critical on AT type computers. This post will continue
on an assumption it is an AT type computer - noting that if it is an
ATX computer, then it might be a severely questionable - probably
defective - power supply. But we assume it is AT.

Anything that is IBM original checks out just fine with those
diagnostics from IBM. Rarely do diagnostics get updated when they are
working fine - Y2K not really considered important.

But for added peripherals such as CD-rom or hard drive, then you must
download the diagnostics from the manufacturer of that peripheral.

A 30 gig drive in an older computer like this means the computer is
probably using some type of Bios Extender - Ez-Bios or whatever that
hard drive manufacturer provided. You must identify that Bios Extender
and obtain operational details. For example, some require the BIOS to
be set to a non-standard setting. If you did as so many others want -
fix this and fix that rather than first collect facts - then it is
possible you have lost what is the unique settings for that Bios
Extender program (that is loaded on the hard drive).

Generally Bios Extender programs would announce themselves when
computer first booted normally. Software is often provided by hard
drive manufacturer on manufacturer's web site. But at any rate,
discover if and what that Bios Extender is. Normally your computer
(check the manual) would only understand hard drives of maybe 8 Gig
max. To see a 30 Gig drive, unique software such as a Bios Extender,
or an ISA slot card that provides extended Bios, or a hard drive
interface card with that Bios Extender must be somewhere in that
machine.

Diagnostics from hard drive manufacturer might help to identify that
Bios Extender.

Also what can provide useful information is to boot machine with DOS
(if possible) and run the MS provided program called FDISK. Don't do
anything that would fix or modify the drive. Just select the option
that would read drive information ... to learn how that drive is setup.
And yes, this assumes you can boot DOS.

BTW, when we are all done, you want to record these unique setting on
Post-It notes and mount those notes inside the machine.

Now if I understand your original post - which I never really saw -
you can boot from floppy but not from hard drive? I was never sure
what did boot and how failed booting failed. Which OS does and does
not boot how? If this is a Windows 95 machine, then it does not see
the 30 Gig hard drive. Windows 95 is limited to hard drive of only 2
Gigs (if I remember correctly). So you can see how I find some of your
information contradictary.

At any rate, barring a missing negative sign and assuming this is an
AT type machine, the power supply would be sufficient meaning we move
on to other suspects. I am very suspicious of how that hard drive is
configured and suspect a Bios Extender - which sometimes makes
complexity.

hi thanks again for replying!
[...below...]

w_tom wrote:

Since colors do not match what should be ATX power supply wires, I
suspect this is an AT type machine. Is this a 486 computer or an
computer not using PCI cards?

it's a pentium 200 mhz mmx.
it is NOT an ATX (it does not have the *normal AT* form factor (i can look
it up) however the psu should behave like an AT psu)

One voltage is wrong because I believe it should have read -5 volts
and not +5 volts.

i will retest it (i unhooked the zip drive (which is not working) and the
slave hard drive just now and it only reached the ibm splash screen
(counted video, cache and system ram -- accurately) then stopped (no POST
no beep code and it won't even read the boot disk nor let me into the bios)

The + 12 and -12 volts are both too low. Normally
this would means doing the next step for excessive ripple voltage
(which requires better equipment). However + and - 12 volts don't
drive anything critical on AT type computers.

actually what i have read is that the -12 volts is for isa devices and this
pc has the media console controller card (which is isa)
(the media console is a 3rd piece -- it has the cd-rom drive, the floppy
drive and the power switch in it -- connects to the card (via a cable))
i'll redo the voltages i also found the service manual which has the
correct ones (the colors are different from ats that i have seen)

This post will continue
on an assumption it is an AT type computer - noting that if it is an
ATX computer, then it might be a severely questionable - probably
defective - power supply. But we assume it is AT.

Anything that is IBM original checks out just fine with those
diagnostics from IBM. Rarely do diagnostics get updated when they are
working fine - Y2K not really considered important.

except that it only tests 32 MBs of ram and did not test the 30 gb maxtor
drive but tested only 3.2 gbs of the slave (ibm) drive (which is 6.4 gbs)
i'll try it on the off chance the pc will start gain

But for added peripherals such as CD-rom or hard drive, then you must
download the diagnostics from the manufacturer of that peripheral.

the cd-rom, floppy drive, psu, cpu and 2 of the 4 simms are original.
(the board was replaced supposidly in 1999)


A 30 gig drive in an older computer like this means the computer is
probably using some type of Bios Extender - Ez-Bios or whatever that
hard drive manufacturer provided. You must identify that Bios Extender
and obtain operational details. For example, some require the BIOS to
be set to a non-standard setting. If you did as so many others want -
fix this and fix that rather than first collect facts - then it is
possible you have lost what is the unique settings for that Bios
Extender program (that is loaded on the hard drive).

i used max-blast (hard drive install utility (version 1.26s)) on the 30 gb
maxtor (in 2000) -- there was nothing in the bios to change...
it's on a floppy disk

Generally Bios Extender programs would announce themselves when
computer first booted normally.


it always announced ezBIOS right after passing the POST. (but i had not see
the ezBIOS text since i replaced the battery 2 days ago)
this morning after changing the boot order ezBIOS appeared again.

Software is often provided by hard
drive manufacturer on manufacturer's web site. But at any rate,
discover if and what that Bios Extender is. Normally your computer
(check the manual) would only understand hard drives of maybe 8 Gig
max.

it only sees a bit over 8 gb (in the bios -- always) but windows sees all
30 gbs

To see a 30 Gig drive, unique software such as a Bios Extender,
or an ISA slot card that provides extended Bios, or a hard drive
interface card with that Bios Extender must be somewhere in that
machine.

it is a diskette.

Diagnostics from hard drive manufacturer might help to identify that
Bios Extender.

i don't know whether maxtor still exists... i was using a 3rd party diag on
some baby ats but cannot recall what it was called but it was good

Also what can provide useful information is to boot machine with DOS
(if possible) and run the MS provided program called FDISK.

i cannot do that right now... b/c of the above

Don't do
anything that would fix or modify the drive. Just select the option
that would read drive information ... to learn how that drive is setup.
And yes, this assumes you can boot DOS.

BTW, when we are all done, you want to record these unique setting on
Post-It notes and mount those notes inside the machine.

i have them (aside from the pnp menu -- this is an ibm bios "ibm surepath
setup utility" -- it is not like award or others)

Now if I understand your original post - which I never really saw -
you can boot from floppy but not from hard drive?

now i can't but before removing the zip and slave i was able to boot to a
floppy and then changed the start-up order (which had changed on its own to
the following: 1st and 2nd floppy, 3rd disabled and 4th was listed as the
cd/dvd rom.)
i changed it to1st = floppy, 2nd = hd, 3rd = cd-rom) THEN it booted into
windows....

I was never sure
what did boot and how failed booting failed. Which OS does and does
not boot how?

currently none (i have windows95B installed)

If this is a Windows 95 machine, then it does not see
the 30 Gig hard drive. Windows 95 is limited to hard drive of only 2
Gigs (if I remember correctly). So you can see how I find some of your
information contradictary.

i am sorry for the vagueness...
(i think it's 8 gbs but in windows it sees (saw) all 30 gbs... (the slave
drive was always recognized as 6.4 gbs in the bios and in windows))

At any rate, barring a missing negative sign and assuming this is an
AT type machine, the power supply would be sufficient meaning we move
on to other suspects. I am very suspicious of how that hard drive is
configured and suspect a Bios Extender - which sometimes makes
complexity.

i appreciate your reply VERY MUCH...
i'm going to retest the psu (and compare to the tech manual)
the master has a power connector which has the 4 wires going through it
(i.e. is a pass through -- unlike connectors that end in the device)
i don't know where to put the probe???

THANKS!
sincerely
Tanya

As I posted before, the IBM diagnostics work just fine. But
they will not work on anything you have added beyond the
original machine design. IOW you added a 30 Gb hard drive
with a BIOS modifying program on it called Max-Blast. IBM
diagnostics will not understand that.

The original machine is 32 Mb ram. But you may not just
add any kind of memory. Wrong combinations installed and only
the first 32 Mb will be seen by OS and by diagnostics. More
memory was added. But does the hardware actually communicate
with and report that added RAM as it is installed? Each SIMM
or DIMM memory must be located uniquely for each size. Just
because two empty slots exist does not mean two 8 Mb Simms can
be installed there. 8 Mb will work in one pair of Simm slots
and will not work in the other. See IBM Hardware manual for
the unique and specific installation combinations.

Diagnostic should report up to 128 Mb of memory. If not,
then memory is only 32 Mb or memory is not properly
installed. Diagnostics may be reporting correctly.

You have a 30 Gb hard drive with EzBIOS loaded on the hard
drive. Ez-Bios is not executing from that floppy. It is
loaded into 'secret' sections of the hard disk drive AND must
execute on startup every time. Diagnostics from the Ez-Bios
software or from the disk driver manufacturer are necessary to
test that disk drive.

The BIOS loads intermittently? Max-Blast logo does not
appear every time? We now have a suspect. Your BIOS is
overridden - taken over - by the Max-Blast software. Again,
floppy diskette (with Max-Blast software) is not related to
boot up. Programs from that diskette are on and must be part
of the disk drive. You require diagnostic software from
Maxtor's web site. IBM diagnostics would never understand
this new item. However, some Max-Blasts (if I remember
correctly) required the BIOS for hard drive to be set to a
unique numbers (as I had posted before). Max-blasts tended to
have different requirements with the different versions. As I
asked previously, what does your Max-Blast require the hard
settings in BIOS to be set to? As I noted previously:
some require the BIOS to be set to a non-standard setting.

Again, having changed the battery and resetting the Bios
without first recording original settings, then the computer
may have defaulted to a BIOS setting that would cause
intermittent Max-Blast booting. As you said, once you changed
the CMOS setting (when changing the battery), then you are no
longer seeing the Ez-Bios message. Therefore you must learn
what that unique CMOS setting was before you changed the
battery and restore that CMOS setting in the the BIOS setup
screen. When correct, then the disk drive will announce
EZ-BIOS and then should start executing correctly.

Now the important part. If you wrote to that disk drive
when the CMOS setting for that disk drive was not what EZ-Bios
wanted, then you may have caused hard drive contamination.
Again, this is why we first collect facts before changing
anything. For now, we cross fingers and hope for the best.

How does Max-Blast work. First BIOS executes a power up
program. Then BIOS gets hard drive definitions from CMOS (the
disk drive configuration number that were reset during battery
change without first recording). Then the BIOS uses that CMOS
data to find unique files on hard drive to boot from. If
those unique files on hard drive have been changed by the
Max-Blast diskette (previously), then the BIOS may or may not
need a different (unique) CMOS setting to work. Again, read
Max-Blast documentation to learn which hard drive CMOS setting
is required by BIOS and Max-Blast.

During that unique file loading, programs known as Max-Blast
are loaded to replace BIOS code. Why? BIOS code from IBM did
not understand 30 gb hard drives. So Max-Blast overrides and
eliminates many of the BIOS routines so that OS can see a
larger drive.

Again, I posted this. Ez-BIOS is on hard drive - does not
execute from diskette:
To see a 30 Gig drive, unique software such as a Bios
Extender, or an ISA slot card that provides extended Bios,
or a hard drive interface card with that Bios Extender must
be somewhere in that machine.

Previously suggested was running DOS. That is DOS as boots
from a diskette. DOS will boot from diskette even if no hard
drives are loaded. Execute DOS or execute from a Windows
Emergency Boot diskette (which is also DOS) or execute a
Diagnostics Bootable Disk (which is also DOS). Then FDISK
might be run to obtain that important information - which is
now not as important because of what we now know. We know you
must go to the Maxtor web site to obtain diagnostics for that
Maxtor drive. Maxtor once made it easy with a charge of
hyperlinks for each drive model number. I assume it is still
that easy.

Notice where I am now pointing to as by far and most likely
the reason for your failures. It involves Max-Blast. It may
be related to lost CMOS settings when you replaced that
battery and reset the CMOS. Since we eliminated the only
other serious suspect - the power supply - then this is where
you should concentrate all debugging energies.

BTW, you refer to something unique only to that product -
called an Access Station. What is it? An important piece of
information that I don't understand because I do not know what
the Access Station is called in all other machines.

Tanya wrote:
hi thanks again for replying!
[...below...]

w_tom wrote:
Since colors do not match what should be ATX power supply wires, I
suspect this is an AT type machine. Is this a 486 computer or an
computer not using PCI cards?

it's a pentium 200 mhz mmx.
it is NOT an ATX (it does not have the *normal AT* form factor (i
can look it up) however the psu should behave like an AT psu)

One voltage is wrong because I believe it should have read -5 volts
and not +5 volts.

i will retest it (i unhooked the zip drive (which is not working)
and the slave hard drive just now and it only reached the ibm
splash screen (counted video, cache and system ram -- accurately)
then stopped (no POST no beep code and it won't even read the boot
disk nor let me into the bios)

The + 12 and -12 volts are both too low. Normally
this would means doing the next step for excessive ripple voltage
(which requires better equipment). However + and - 12 volts don't
drive anything critical on AT type computers.

actually what i have read is that the -12 volts is for isa devices
and this pc has the media console controller card (which is isa)
(the media console is a 3rd piece -- it has the cd-rom drive, the
floppy drive and the power switch in it -- connects to the card
(via a cable)) i'll redo the voltages i also found the service
manual which has the correct ones (the colors are different from
ats that i have seen)

This post will continue on an assumption it is an AT type
computer - noting that if it is an ATX computer, then it might
be a severely questionable - probably defective - power supply.
But we assume it is AT.

Anything that is IBM original checks out just fine with those
diagnostics from IBM. Rarely do diagnostics get updated when
they are working fine - Y2K not really considered important.

except that it only tests 32 MBs of ram and did not test the 30
gb maxtor drive but tested only 3.2 gbs of the slave (ibm) drive
(which is 6.4 gbs) i'll try it on the off chance the pc will
start gain

But for added peripherals such as CD-rom or hard drive, then you must
download the diagnostics from the manufacturer of that peripheral.

the cd-rom, floppy drive, psu, cpu and 2 of the 4 simms are original.
(the board was replaced supposidly in 1999)

A 30 gig drive in an older computer like this means the computer
is probably using some type of Bios Extender - Ez-Bios or whatever
that hard drive manufacturer provided. You must identify that
Bios Extender and obtain operational details. For example, some
require the BIOS to be set to a non-standard setting. If you did
as so many others want - fix this and fix that rather than first
collect facts - then it is possible you have lost what is the
unique settings for that Bios Extender program (that is loaded on
the hard drive).

i used max-blast (hard drive install utility (version 1.26s)) on
the 30 gb maxtor (in 2000) -- there was nothing in the bios to
change... it's on a floppy disk

Generally Bios Extender programs would announce themselves when
computer first booted normally.

it always announced ezBIOS right after passing the POST. (but i
had not see the ezBIOS text since i replaced the battery 2 days
ago) this morning after changing the boot order ezBIOS appeared
again.

Software is often provided by hard drive manufacturer on
manufacturer's web site. But at any rate, discover if and what
that Bios Extender is. Normally your computer (check the
manual) would only understand hard drives of maybe 8 Gig max.

it only sees a bit over 8 gb (in the bios -- always) but windows
sees all 30 gbs

To see a 30 Gig drive, unique software such as a Bios Extender,
or an ISA slot card that provides extended Bios, or a hard drive
interface card with that Bios Extender must be somewhere in that
machine.

it is a diskette.

Diagnostics from hard drive manufacturer might help to
identify that Bios Extender.

i don't know whether maxtor still exists... i was using a 3rd
party diag on some baby ats but cannot recall what it was
called but it was good

Also what can provide useful information is to boot machine with DOS
(if possible) and run the MS provided program called FDISK.

i cannot do that right now... b/c of the above
...

snip
here are the corrected psu readings (from the manual)
(the voltages in (...) are the specified ranges)

(they are referred to as 1-12 although there are 2 separate connectors into
the board)
1 = power good (5.00 v)
2 = 5.04 (3.75-6.25)
3 = 11.71 (9 - 15)
4 = - 11.87 (-9 to - 15)
5 , 6, 7 (grounds) but are -0.00
8 = (ground) 0.00
9 = -5.01 (-3.75 to - 6.25)
10, 11, 12 = 5.01 (3.75 to 6.25)

the hd connector
1 = 11.71 (12 volts)
2 and 3 are grounds)
4 = 5 (5 volts)
(both connectors were equal)
i CANNOT test the power to the media console controller card... not even
sure how to remove it -- (since it has the power switch, the a-drive and
floppy drive) it is sort of square (however the manual has wire 1 as 5
volts and wire 4 as 12 volts)
any suggestions?
thanks
sincerely
Tanya

In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.misc Tanya wrote:
hi and thank you for replying!
[...below...]
[...]
Any rate, get those power supply numbers and report back.
Even if you don't know what those numbers are, still, those
numbers make it possible for the learned to do more than 'wild
speculation'. Previously, too many posters were doing just
that - wildly speculating. First get facts.

he
P1
(right-left)
yellow: 5.00
red: 5.01
orange: 11.71
blue-grey: -11.82
black (both) -0.00

All good.

P2
(left - right)
off-white / beige: 5.01
red (3) all are 5.01
black : 0.00
black -0.00

Also all good.

connectorsleft-right)
zip-drive (which is not working)
orange (left) 11.71
grnds (black): -0.00
red: 5.01

Also good. ZIPs have a way of breaking. They are not well made.

hd1 (2'ary / slave)
same as for the zip

i cannot test the master drive the probe doesn't fit

You don't need to. You have measured all the voltages that are there
and they are fine. Unless a cable broke (sod not really fit your
problem description), all voltages of the same value are actually
connected the same regulator output.

Now, this might be a dumb question (i.e. you have already answerd it):
Has maybe the battery/accumulator powering the CMOS broken down to
the degree that it corrupts the settings (maybe slowly, a bit at a
time)? Have you measured the voltages there?

Arno
--
For email address: lastname AT tik DOT ee DOT ethz DOT ch
GnuPG: ID:1E25338F FP:0C30 5782 9D93 F785 E79C 0296 797F 6B50 1E25 338F
"The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws" - Tacitus

hi Arno,
thanks a lot for answering!

Arno Wagner wrote:
snip

he
P1
(right-left)
yellow: 5.00
red: 5.01
orange: 11.71
blue-grey: -11.82
black (both) -0.00

All good.

P2
(left - right)
off-white / beige: 5.01
red (3) all are 5.01
black : 0.00
black -0.00

Also all good.

connectorsleft-right)
zip-drive (which is not working)
orange (left) 11.71
grnds (black): -0.00
red: 5.01

Also good. ZIPs have a way of breaking. They are not well made.

hd1 (2'ary / slave)
same as for the zip

i cannot test the master drive the probe doesn't fit

You don't need to. You have measured all the voltages that are there
and they are fine. Unless a cable broke (sod not really fit your
problem description), all voltages of the same value are actually
connected the same regulator output.

(fwiw...the master hard-drive has the pass-through type of power connector which
ends on the zip drive -- the measurements were all ok)

Now, this might be a dumb question (i.e. you have already answerd it):
Has maybe the battery/accumulator powering the CMOS broken down to
the degree that it corrupts the settings (maybe slowly, a bit at a
time)? Have you measured the voltages there?

the 3 volt lithium battery?
if so, i did..
the old battery (that i removed) was 3.06 volts and the new battery (out of the
package) measured 3.26 volts
i don't know what an accumulator is?
(with both batteries it lost settings)
is there something to measure on the motherboard that links the battery to the
CMOS chip?

thanks very much again!
i appreciate the help
sincerely
Tanya

Arno
--
For email address: lastname AT tik DOT ee DOT ethz DOT ch
GnuPG: ID:1E25338F FP:0C30 5782 9D93 F785 E79C 0296 797F 6B50 1E25 338F
"The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws" - Tacitus

In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.misc Tanya wrote:
hi Arno,
thanks a lot for answering!

No problem.

[...]
Now, this might be a dumb question (i.e. you have already answerd it):
Has maybe the battery/accumulator powering the CMOS broken down to
the degree that it corrupts the settings (maybe slowly, a bit at a
time)? Have you measured the voltages there?

the 3 volt lithium battery?
if so, i did..
the old battery (that i removed) was 3.06 volts and the new battery (out of the
package) measured 3.26 volts

So that is not it either...

i don't know what an accumulator is?

Some older mainboards had a rechargeable battery (''accumulator'') instead
of a lithium battery.

(with both batteries it lost settings)
is there something to measure on the motherboard that links
the battery to the CMOS chip?

Not really. Must be something else then, the power readings look
all good. Maybe it is "capacitor rot". Electrolyte capacitors have a
2-5 year lifetime (may be less when unused). As your system seems
quite old, that may be the problem.

Arno
--
For email address: lastname AT tik DOT ee DOT ethz DOT ch
GnuPG: ID:1E25338F FP:0C30 5782 9D93 F785 E79C 0296 797F 6B50 1E25 338F
"The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws" - Tacitus