HP Forum Archive 14

[ Return to Index | Top of Index ]

CCD-OSX alpha bug? Message #1 Posted by Gene on 11 Oct 2004, 10:19 p.m. I think I'm using the latest/greatest CCD-OSX rom image from TOS, but when I'm in alpha mode withOUT user mode on, I can press one letter but that locks up my fullnut 41CX. I have to take the batteries out and back on to reset it. It doesn't lose any information, but it does bug me. Ha! Is this a problem with the CCD-OSX or ? I had a real CCD module for a long time and it didn't behave this way. And, finally, did the "space" bug in the CCD 1A rom get fixed in this version? Anyone know? :-) Gene

Re: CCD-OSX alpha bug? Message #2 Posted by Raymond Del Tondo on 12 Oct 2004, 2:00 a.m., in response to message #1 by Gene Hi, when did you download the CCD OS/X image? AFAIR the latest version on TOS (from August 2004) should run in LC ALPHA mode w/o problems. . Is there a chance that you are using any other 'critical' software at the same time? However, can you provide me the exact keystroke sequence which leads to your mentioned lockup, starting from ALPHA mode on? Regards, Raymond

Re: CCD-OSX alpha bug? Message #3 Posted by Gene on 12 Oct 2004, 7:20 a.m., in response to message #2 by Raymond Del Tondo I turn the HP41CX on. I press ALPHA I then press the letter A then the letter B and it locks up without USER mode on. I have a normal 41CX with the novram module plugged in. The novram module contains the HEPAX rom, about 12k with user programs in it, the CCD-OSX rom in the fourth Ram bank (put there with copyrom), and the Sandbox ROM is in the two rom pages. I pulled the CCD-OSX rom off TOS about 2-3 weeks ago. Gene

Re: CCD-OSX alpha bug? Message #4 Posted by Raymond Del Tondo on 12 Oct 2004, 8:26 a.m., in response to message #3 by Gene Hmm, as J-F wrote, I updated the CCD OS/X code related to some ALPHA key stuff a while ago. Nonetheless, afterwards I updated some other stuff in my version, which not an TOS yet. If you drop me a mail to R D T @ g m x . d e then I'll send you my latest version, which will be uploaded to TOS soon, too. Another idea: Did you try to use the CCD OS/X w/o the Sandbox installed? It's just an idea because I don't know if the Sandbox implements an extended ALPHA mode, too... Raymond

Re: CCD-OSX alpha bug? or only with the Sandbox ROM? Message #5 Posted by Gene on 12 Oct 2004, 9:32 a.m., in response to message #4 by Raymond Del Tondo Thanks...email sent. I'll try the CCD-OSX without the sandbox rom. Be a real shame if that causes the problem, since both might be trying to implement special alpha modes, as you indicate. :-( Regarding the CCD-1A "space in alpha mode bug", it was described in the PPC Journal in 1986 by Wlodek (I think it is the issue where the 18C is announced...the particular page can be found on TOS). It is really nasty since if you press space it will alter a couple of bytes in the calculator that don't kill anything at that time but inevitably cause a memory loss within a few days. My problem was I could a) never quite remember if this happened in USER mode or OUT of USER mode and b) I'd forget to check before pressing SPACE even when I remembered. Very nasty bug. Gene

Re: CCD-OSX alpha bug? Message #6 Posted by Ángel Martin on 12 Oct 2004, 12:15 p.m., in response to message #4 by Raymond Del Tondo The SandBox should be neutral to this, as it doesn't use any extended alpha features (namely polling points). Good luck, ÁM.

Re: CCD-OSX alpha bug? Message #7 Posted by Gene on 12 Oct 2004, 12:41 p.m., in response to message #6 by Ángel Martin Ok, that should mean that someone with a NoVRAM module could check this by installing the CCD-OSX rom, copying it to Bank "B" and then loading the Sandbox rom into pages C and D. That's the configuration I have and it locks up if USER mode is off and I press an alpha character. My 41CX is a fullnut...could that be it? The original CCD rom worked ok with a fullnut, but ... Thanks guys! Gene

Re: CCD-OSX alpha bug? Message #8 Posted by Miki Mihajlovic on 12 Oct 2004, 9:56 p.m., in response to message #7 by Gene I checked the mentioned configuration (CCD OS copied to page B, Sandbox burned at C & D). Alpha mode works fine on my halfnut CX and fullnut CV in both USER and standard mode. 1234

Re: CCD-OSX alpha bug?... 2nd NoVRAM bug. Message #9 Posted by Diego Diaz on 12 Oct 2004, 10:48 p.m., in response to message #8 by Miki Mihajlovic Hi all, I've replicated said config, and have found erratic behavior on different 41's (full/half, CV/CX...) Further more, I think I've found the "offending bit"... and corrected it!! :-) Yes, there was a trouble when RAM was used as ROM, with an M-code ROM image loaded into it. Namely, the FETCH cycle indicator bit was (wrongly) erased during the RAM read cycle, thus fooling 41's behavior. I cannot tell how Miki's config has got to work ok but I recommend you all to substitute your current "NoVRAM-H.ASM" file with the one at my site: Go to NoVRAM page, right click on the "NoVRAM bugs fix" link and "save target as" (do not change the file name, simply replace the old one in your Clonix/NoVRAM directory) Thanks a lot to Gene for reporting this bug and my apologies for the inconveniences. Best wishes. Diego P.S. As it's 3:41 a.m. here (half my neurons are sleeping long ago ;-) I have been unable to test this new file throughoutly so, I'll beg you to check its functionality in detail and, of course, report wichever anomaly you may found.

Re: CCD-OSX alpha bug?... 2nd NoVRAM bug. Message #10 Posted by Ángel Martin on 13 Oct 2004, 7:29 a.m., in response to message #9 by Diego Diaz Hola Diego, Can you remind us all your site's URL? Sorry but all my "favorites" went down the gutter a few days ago... Best, ÁM

Diego's URL for Clonix Message #11 Posted by Gene on 13 Oct 2004, 9:23 a.m., in response to message #10 by Ángel Martin http://www.iespana.es/clonix-41/index.htm Gene

No apology needed! Message #12 Posted by Gene on 13 Oct 2004, 7:36 a.m., in response to message #9 by Diego Diaz Look, more than half of my questions have been because I haven't paid enough attention to various manuals. :-) But, by asking these things here, someone who comes after me that is even more of a beginner into these things than I am will be able to find answers to these types of questions in the forum and the archives. That's the real beauty of the forum. Thanks Diego...I'm glag it wasn't a RTFM problem (again). :-)

Re: No apology needed! Message #13 Posted by Diego Diaz on 13 Oct 2004, 10:10 a.m., in response to message #12 by Gene Hi all... Here you are the NoVRAM page link: http://www.iespana.es/clonix-41/novram.htm Raymond, Angel, your ROM's have been found not-guilty of the charges... I know you knew :-) Of course, it's assumed (and verified) that most questions I receive are on the RTFM category. I myself seldomly read a manual... ;-) so I don't really expect others to do so, and I often like joking about that but no claim is involved whatsoever. Sincerely hope noone has misunderstood previous replies (and silly jokes) on the subject, I'm glad to answer even the most obvious questions, as many good ideas may arise from them. Gene, I'm pretty sure your bug discovery had definitely redeemed you from the "NoVRAM's newbies group"... this also granted you a free coupon for three more RTMF questions ;-)) I also agree with you in that this forum (thanks Dave) is the place to come to make questions, (hopefully) find answers and share info. No Clonix/NoVRAM could have ever been made without the unvaluable help I received (and keep on receiving) from the good people here. I wholeheartedly thank you all. Just a (somewhat off topic) tech-note to finish: - On its current implementation NoVRAM RAM can not be used from ROM pacs/images out of the module itself, i.e. you cannot plug-in a real David Assembler module into port #4 and read/write NoVRAM RAM on pages #8 to #B. I've developed a new code to correct this limitation and it's working fine, but has not been fully tested yet. Best wishes. Diego.

Ok, did that, but... Message #14 Posted by Gene on 14 Oct 2004, 10:32 a.m., in response to message #9 by Diego Diaz Hi Diego. I replaced the NoVRAM-H.ASM file and redid the NoVRAM module. No change. Still get the "lock-up" in alpha. Specifically, what I did was: 1) An erase all. 2) Programmed the NoVRAM module and loaded the Sandbox rom in C and D. 3) I LEFT the CCD-OSX rom copied in bank B. Did not change the RAM in the Hepax area in the NoVRAM module. Should I have? I type A and it locks unless USER is on. Did I miss something? :-) Gene

Check list Message #15 Posted by Diego Diaz on 14 Oct 2004, 12:15 p.m., in response to message #14 by Gene Hi Gene, Would you please try this check-list/procedure for me? I'm not at home now so I cannot test myself. 1- Verify you've downloaded ONLY the NoVRAM-H.ASM file... I mean that the old NoVRAM-H.ASM is still into the NoVRAM-H.ZIP archive as I haven't had time to replace it. (You can search for your name "Gene" and you'd find it besides the corrected code lines.) 2- Do a NoVCLEAR, just to make sure no ill/corrupted code is left into RAM. 3- Re-program with NoVRAM-H.exe and burn CCD-OSX into any free page (C-F) 4- MEMORY LOST!!! your 41 may looks good but it can still has some corrupted areas. 5- COPYROM such page to page B. It's advisable to switch calc off inmediatelly after the COPYROM process has finished, otherwise you'll have two identical copies of CDD-OSX (with the same XROM-ID) and this may also lead to some sort of confilcts. 6- Re-program NoVRAM with SandBox into C & D... At least this is *exactly* what I did, and I have it working flawlessly. I'll make further test this evening as I get back home. Please keep me/us informed. Best regards. Diego.

Fixed it! Message #16 Posted by Gene on 14 Oct 2004, 1:50 p.m., in response to message #15 by Diego Diaz Thanks again. It works properly now! Gene

Music to my ears!! ;-) [N.T.] Message #17 Posted by Diego Diaz on 14 Oct 2004, 2:19 p.m., in response to message #16 by Gene .

Re: CCD-OSX alpha bug? Message #18 Posted by J-F Garnier on 12 Oct 2004, 6:35 a.m., in response to message #1 by Gene Hi Gene, I reported to Raymond a bug related to ALPHA in USER mode but I didn't notice anymore bugs in the last release of CCD-OSX. What was the "space" bug in the CCD-1A? J-F

[ Return to Index | Top of Index ]

Go back to the main exhibit hall