Difference between revisions of "HP250"
From Hackbox
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* The 2621B terminal came with the system but cannot be connected (no serial ports). The terminal originally worked but broke down in the mid 1990's. | * The 2621B terminal came with the system but cannot be connected (no serial ports). The terminal originally worked but broke down in the mid 1990's. | ||
* Monitor has mold spots under the front glass. This looks ugly and makes text hard to read. | * Monitor has mold spots under the front glass. This looks ugly and makes text hard to read. | ||
| − | + | ||
== To Do == | == To Do == | ||
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[[File:RIMG2990b.JPG|thumb|]] | [[File:RIMG2990b.JPG|thumb|]] | ||
| − | == | + | == Data Exchange == |
| − | + | I used [http://www.hp9845.net/9845/projects/hpdrive/ HP Drive] to exchange software between the 250 and the outside world. | |
| − | + | For this I used a pentium 1 PC with Windows 98 and a [[GPIB]] card. | |
| − | + | Also HPDir allows to access the files from the image or a real HP mass storage device. However I had some trouble using it, it seems to be not entirely compatible. | |
| − | + | [[File:RIMG3008b.JPG|thumb|]] | |
| − | + | == Additional Notes == | |
| − | + | * The 3,5" floppy cannot be used. The media test program included on the B.7.00 system disk shows an X2,3,0 device, but says it is unsupported. Also the hpmuseum.net claims a 250 cannot use 3,5" disks. | |
| − | + | * The ROM can only boot from 8" flex disc (see page 351/11 of the HP 250 Service Handbook found on [http://hpmuseum.net HP Museum]). Setting the thumbwheel switch on the processor board to 8. => it ran a memory test. So it must have the old ROMs for which there is no setting to boot anything else than the 9895 8" floppy or a 7910 hard disc. | |
| − | [ | + | * With the excellent help from Jon Johnston of [http://hpmuseum.net HP Museum] I was able to restore the missing utilities disc from an image file he sent as well as additional software including a games disc which is great for demo purposes. |
Revision as of 00:29, 2 September 2010
Specification
- Hewlett-Packard model 45252A (HP-250) option 004,012 serial 2042A00619
- 256K RAM
- Internal 9895K (8" floppy drive)
- External 9133XV (3,5" floppy + 14,5 MB hard disc) serial 2333A27570
- 2631B Line printer
- 2621B Terminal
Origin
- Acquired in 1991. The seller only asked the price of the extra HP-IB cable he bought for it. He presumably got it for free from the original owner (an insurance agency).
Condition
- Generally works, boots, can print and access HD
- The 2621B terminal came with the system but cannot be connected (no serial ports). The terminal originally worked but broke down in the mid 1990's.
- Monitor has mold spots under the front glass. This looks ugly and makes text hard to read.
To Do
- Fix the mold spots. This is a known problem and has been discussed on the cctech mailing list. E.g. here and here.
- Restore the backup files from the discs that came from the original owner. I don't know what's in there. You need to know the protection code but there should be a way to circumvent that.
- Send a (bug) report to Ansgar Kückes (the author of the HPDir project) detailing my experiences on using his tools with a 250.
Data Exchange
I used HP Drive to exchange software between the 250 and the outside world.
For this I used a pentium 1 PC with Windows 98 and a GPIB card.
Also HPDir allows to access the files from the image or a real HP mass storage device. However I had some trouble using it, it seems to be not entirely compatible.
Additional Notes
- The 3,5" floppy cannot be used. The media test program included on the B.7.00 system disk shows an X2,3,0 device, but says it is unsupported. Also the hpmuseum.net claims a 250 cannot use 3,5" disks.
- The ROM can only boot from 8" flex disc (see page 351/11 of the HP 250 Service Handbook found on HP Museum). Setting the thumbwheel switch on the processor board to 8. => it ran a memory test. So it must have the old ROMs for which there is no setting to boot anything else than the 9895 8" floppy or a 7910 hard disc.
- With the excellent help from Jon Johnston of HP Museum I was able to restore the missing utilities disc from an image file he sent as well as additional software including a games disc which is great for demo purposes.
