The Museum of HP Calculators

HP Forum Archive 16

[ Return to Index | Top of Index ]

HP-17BII Update Sheet to Manual
Message #1 Posted by Bill (Smithville, NJ) on 26 Jan 2007, 11:19 a.m.

This may have already been covered elsewhere...but here goes...

I just received a HP-17BII with manual and the manual included a Manual Update sheet that listed two conditions that might cause a reset or memory loss. The Update is Titled: Update Number 1 and is dated June 1990.

Condition One:

1.  RPN mode is active.
2.  Start with a negative number in the display.
3.  Leave the SOLVE menu or an ALPHA menu.
4.  Type in another number. Notice the unusual display.
5.  If you now use <backspace> to erase the display, 
    reset or memory loss may occur.


Condition Two:
1.  Start with a positive number in the X-register and 
    a negative number in the Y-register.
2.  Press X<>Y; a negative number is now in the display.
3.  Type in another number. Notice the unusual display.
4.  If you now use <backspace> to erase the display, 
    reset or memory loss may occur.

To avoid Reset or Memory Loss - Press <Clear> to erase 
the incorrect display.

An example on my 1987 HP-17BII:

Condition One:

1. Press 5 key, then +/-, then solve, exit, display still shows -5.00.

2. Now I press number key, say 4, and display shows .,004 with blinking cursor after the 4.

3. On this calculator, (so far), using backspace does not clear the memory. But then the data sheet only says "may", so maybe it only does it randomly.

If you want to test this, be careful if you have a lot of stuff loaded into your 17Bii - otherwise it may all disappear.

Bill

      
Re: HP-17BII Update Sheet to Manual
Message #2 Posted by Ken Shaw on 31 Jan 2007, 3:44 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Bill (Smithville, NJ)

I was not able to reproduce this behavior on a 1995 Singapore made 17BII.

            
Re: HP-17BII Update Sheet to Manual
Message #3 Posted by Bill (Smithville, NJ) on 1 Feb 2007, 10:59 a.m.,
in response to message #2 by Ken Shaw

Hi Ken,

Quote:
I was not able to reproduce this behavior on a 1995 Singapore made 17BII.

So it looks like they may have made a correction to the rom.

Does anyone know if there's any way to check the 17Bii rom number?

Bill

                  
Re: HP-17BII Update Sheet to Manual
Message #4 Posted by Ken Shaw on 2 Feb 2007, 4:07 p.m.,
in response to message #3 by Bill (Smithville, NJ)

I tried the diagnostics (press/hold "on", then press/hold the 4th soft key on the top row, then release On, then release the soft key). Eventually I got a response that says "OK-17B II-E". I think that means revision E, but I'm not sure. You have to get through a bunch of tests first (each key press moves to the next test until "KBD" where you have to test each key in sequence). I think there are more details either on this site or hpcalc.org

                        
Re: HP-17BII Update Sheet to Manual
Message #5 Posted by Bill (Smithville, NJ) on 3 Feb 2007, 7:40 p.m.,
in response to message #4 by Ken Shaw

Hi Ken,

I also get 17B-II E and this is on a 1987 model. So not sure if E is the revision number or not. Thanks for reminding me about the diagnostics test - I had completely forgotten about them.

Bill

[ Return to Index | Top of Index ]

Go back to the main exhibit hall