Re: TDS Survey Problem Message #2 Posted by Han on 18 Apr 2006, 1:28 p.m., in response to message #1 by Glynn Osburn
You presumably have two TDS cards: the ROM card (COGO and data collecting software) and the RAM card (where your data points are stored). If the RAM card's cell battery is still in good shape, then you should be ok data-wise. Just make sure you DO NOT remove the battery in the RAM card. If, on the other hand, you have one of these "no-battery RAM cards," then it is quite possible you are out of luck. These cards have a built-in battery that recharge themselves using the main three AAA batteries as their power source. It is often the case that these cards do not hold their data for very long when removed from the HP48GX, or when inserted into an HP48GX without main batteries. (I know for sure that SMI's newer RAM cards are like this; I'm not too keen on the newer TDS RAM cards.)
Assuming your RAM card does have a removable cell battery (DON'T REMOVE IT), then your RAM card data should be accessible, still. Here's on possible explanation for what happened.
The calculator's main memory obtains power from the three AAA batteries. If no batteries are present, there is an electrolytic capacitor within which will give users ample time to replace the main batteries (but I am sure it is does not provide an hour's worth of charge). When you removed the batteries, the built-in memory was probably cleared after the electrolytic capacitor completely disharged. Thus, your personal TDS survey settings likely got deleted, and now you need reinstallation. According to TDS, reinstallation requires that the ROM card be placed in card slot two. Refer to:
http://www.tdsway.com/support/knowledge_base/survey_pro/on_the_hp_48gx/general_tips/KB705
With the ROM card in slot one, and no initialized configurations, the ROM card produces the error regarding reinstallation.
So to fix the problem (again, this assumes your RAM card's battery is fine), you should be able to:
1. Turn the HP48GX off and remove the RAM card from card slot two.
2. Place the ROM card in card slot two. Turn on the HP48GX. Type in TDS48 to reinstall the default settings and reboot the calculator. This will initialize the calculator. Once this is done, turn the HP48GX off again.
3. With the calculator off, remove the ROM card and reinsert it into card slot one this time.
4. Place the RAM card into card slot two. If you would like to be super careful, you may also wish to write-protect your RAM card to prevent anything from writing to it (in particular, you do not want the survey software to reinitialize your RAM card).
5. Turn the HP48GX back on, and everything _should_ be back to normal. Back up your data from your RAM card as soon as you can.
6. If you would like to return the RAM card back to writeable mode, make sure to do so after backing up, and after you have turned the HP48GX off.
Good luck! Tell us how it goes!
Han
Edited: 18 Apr 2006, 1:34 p.m.
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