HP Forum Archive 09

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HP-41C serial number Message #1 Posted by Guillermo Castarés on 29 Dec 2002, 12:51 p.m. Hi: Today I got an HP-41C. 1) The serial number is "1720A01115". How is this possible? 17+1960=1977, two years before release date? The Earliest Serial Numbers published in the museum register a "1926...". 2) The keys are more "square shaped" than the keys on my HP-41CV or 41CX. I suppose this is common to all HP-41C. or it doesn´t? Regards Guillermo

Should not be possible Message #2 Posted by Gene on 29 Dec 2002, 4:08 p.m., in response to message #1 by Guillermo Castarés You're correct. A S/N of 1720 would date from the time of the HP-67, not the 41c. Either...the S/N has been altered or you've somehow misread it. :-) My early model has a S/N of 1932A... Try typing 49 STO 01 Then Gold SF Gold 01 What happens on the display? Gene

Re: Should not be possible Message #3 Posted by Guillermo Castarés on 29 Dec 2002, 7:09 p.m., in response to message #2 by Gene The result of the sequence of keys that you told is "NONEXISTENT". What that it means? I just write a html page with photos in my site, where you can see the S/N: http://ar.geocities.com/casta1967/calculadoras/coleccion/calc39.htm The serial number seems to be "hand made", instead of "typed" as the ones in my other calculators. Guillermo.

Re: Should not be possible Message #4 Posted by Gene on 29 Dec 2002, 10:56 p.m., in response to message #3 by Guillermo Castarés Hi. It does look like a previous owner etched the S/N onto the back of the calculator. Brings up an interesting question...why wasn't there a S/N there already? Doesn't seem like it was there to me, unless the person who etched the S/N onto the 41c did it right over the original. The series of key presses I gave you allows a very early 41c with a bug called "bug 3" to set the system flag for the low battery indicator. This is not normally possible on a 41c, but these early ones could do it in the way I described. Good looking 41c, regardless! :-)

Re: Should not be possible Message #5 Posted by Renato on 29 Dec 2002, 11:00 p.m., in response to message #3 by Guillermo Castarés Guillermo, Nice photos. Serial number appearance is quite different from my units (2452S41134, 2133B94184). By the way - it looks like the plastic frame that goes between the two halves of the case is mounted upside down. Saudacoes do Brasil. Renato

Re: Should not be possible Message #6 Posted by Guillermo Castarés on 9 Jan 2003, 8:05 a.m., in response to message #5 by Renato Renato you were right! The plastic frame were mounted upside down. I opened the calc, inverted the frame, and mounted all together again. Now it looks as supposed. You are a very good observer. Saludos, Guillermo

Re: HP-41C serial number Message #7 Posted by db(martinez,california) on 29 Dec 2002, 4:17 p.m., in response to message #1 by Guillermo Castarés my c also has the tall, more box-like keys.

Re: HP-41C serial number Message #8 Posted by David Smith on 30 Dec 2002, 3:36 p.m., in response to message #1 by Guillermo Castarés The unit is a warranty repair replaement unit. These had blank serial number areas that were filled in by hand with the original unit number. Obviously somebody copied the old number incorrectly.

Re: HP-41C serial number Message #9 Posted by Chris(FLA) on 9 Jan 2003, 3:34 p.m., in response to message #8 by David Smith FWIW I have a low key 41C that has a serial number somewhat like that too. It looks like it was hand heat stamped. 2025A0XXXX Is the serial number. My tall key 41C that I bought originaly has the serial number. 2051A0XXXX So it is somewhat obvious by the serial number sequence and the keys that the first one is a serviced unit. Chris

Re: HP-41C serial number Message #10 Posted by Lars Johansson on 9 Jan 2003, 4:18 p.m., in response to message #9 by Chris(FLA) I also have a 41C with serial number beginning with 20, and the golden balls in the charger tunnel. I know for a fact that this is a reparied unit, since I am the original owner --Lars

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