ahh, the HP 9133A - the largest and heaviest external 3 1/2" floppy drive ever built.
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digging around on this drive, i've found a bunch of software for the HP-85, including a program designed to control the HP 5005B Signature Multimeter. presumably none of this stuff has ever been preserved before.
huh, i reconnected everything and plugged the drive into my HP85, and it actually works! i can read the files on it.
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huh, i reconnected everything and plugged the drive into my HP85, and it actually works! i can read the files on it.
one of the programs.
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one of the programs.
unfortunately the floppy drive isn't quite working. i can't format this new disk. the drive makes a very rattly sound, so it's probably something mechanical.
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unfortunately the floppy drive isn't quite working. i can't format this new disk. the drive makes a very rattly sound, so it's probably something mechanical.
3 1/2" = light mode
5 1/4" = dark mode
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huh, i reconnected everything and plugged the drive into my HP85, and it actually works! i can read the files on it.
Oh pretty HP85. HP and 3M executives never suffered the pain they should have for inflicting those damn DC100A cartridge/drives on users.
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3 1/2" = light mode
5 1/4" = dark mode
@tubetime why do these seem like GPIB devices
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Oh pretty HP85. HP and 3M executives never suffered the pain they should have for inflicting those damn DC100A cartridge/drives on users.
@darryl_ramm yeah those are awful
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@tubetime why do these seem like GPIB devices
@xan they are HPIB which is technically not GPIB. but basically yeah.
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@xan they are HPIB which is technically not GPIB. but basically yeah.
@tubetime I knew it! They've got that testing equipment physiognomy (I wanted to say HPIB originally but I was honestly expecting to catch heat from somebody saying "WELL ACKSHUALLY" in the other direction)
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@darryl_ramm yeah those are awful
It's not like they were ever that reliable to start with.
**Insert ad for EBKS multipurpose storage/expansion module for HP80 Series**
- YouTube
Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen.
(www.youtube.com)
Thanks Philip et al. My 85 and 87 have them.
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It's not like they were ever that reliable to start with.
**Insert ad for EBKS multipurpose storage/expansion module for HP80 Series**
- YouTube
Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen.
(www.youtube.com)
Thanks Philip et al. My 85 and 87 have them.
@darryl_ramm i have one in this machine.
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one of the programs.
Cool!
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huh, i reconnected everything and plugged the drive into my HP85, and it actually works! i can read the files on it.
@tubetime so gorgeous and stunning
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one of the programs.
If you have an easy way to accomplish it, can you send me listings of some of the programs, so I can work on the BASIC lister code ?
For instance the "BIORHY" program, which I suspect is a HP demo ?
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If you have an easy way to accomplish it, can you send me listings of some of the programs, so I can work on the BASIC lister code ?
For instance the "BIORHY" program, which I suspect is a HP demo ?
@bsdphk sent you the file in an email.
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@bsdphk sent you the file in an email.
Thanks, got it.
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3 1/2" = light mode
5 1/4" = dark mode
got some time to take the drive out again and clean it again. i ended up having to remove this entire sliding side plate because there was still some old crusty lubricant. it is much better now. i also lubricated the head stepper worm gear.

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got some time to take the drive out again and clean it again. i ended up having to remove this entire sliding side plate because there was still some old crusty lubricant. it is much better now. i also lubricated the head stepper worm gear.

much better, it actually formats the disk! BTW this 3 1/2" format is very odd. 600 rpm, 66 tracks, 16 sectors per track, single-sided, 270K capacity, 256 byte sectors.

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much better, it actually formats the disk! BTW this 3 1/2" format is very odd. 600 rpm, 66 tracks, 16 sectors per track, single-sided, 270K capacity, 256 byte sectors.

why all this work? i need to work with some very early 3 1/2" disks. this example has an oval window but more surprisingly, the disk shutter must be opened manually before you put the disk in the drive!

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why all this work? i need to work with some very early 3 1/2" disks. this example has an oval window but more surprisingly, the disk shutter must be opened manually before you put the disk in the drive!

and it actually reads! at least, it recognizes the LIF volume label. the filesystem is for a different type of computer, so the HP85 doesn't show any files.

