Tek CSA7404/TDS7000 repair project (Upgraded memory/CPU)

[coromonadalix]

you could say

the power pc board act as an interface of the windows os driven motherboard, that's why windows / tekscope can talk to it,  and power pc can talk back or accept commands, and know how to find  the vxwork folder

until the pci bridge  get active / driver loaded,  all the scope section is not there / present,     you get only a pc .... 

you could say  like old pci ide cards, they had a bios on them to load in priority over the bios, that way  you could boot from them vs the integrated motherboard ports, some network cards too ...

[hazelnutsky]

This reminds me, after swapping out the NLX board (Intel PC) I now get a Radisys logo when the TDS7404 boots. I have tried using Uniflash, but the BIOS will not submit to being written.  I do have various tools at my disposal, such as hot air rework station and a Dataman40-Pro programmer, which apparently can read the Intel 82802AB chip. The Intel chip is not a simple Flash device either.

Radisys published a user manual for the SF810 NLX board, and there is a whole section on customising the BIOS logo, but you need to get a special ZIP file than contains all the software to do this from a DOS prompt. Files mentioned are :

* ZIP file is available from Radisys
* Readme.txt
* CRISDISK.EXE - creates floppy disk with DOS (requires format.com)
* UPDATE.EXE - updates system BIOS
* Logo.bmp - Quietboot logo
* P6upd.bin - intel microcode
* GETCSR.EXE - creates Csr.bin
* Csr.bin - Default CMOS settings

Has anyone managed to get this ZIP file from Radisys ?

[squadchannel]

Radisys SF810, the updater is available from Tek. (in the past.)
From xdevs.

[hazelnutsky]

squadchannel, you are a STAR!

While I try to figure out how to make a floppy image I managed to extract the .BMP files from the two BIOS binaries I have. Sadly I cannot add a .BMP file to the forum post.

10000 42 4D       File header "BM for Windows 3.1c, 95, NT etc"
10002 16 33 00 00 File Header size of BMP in bytes (4 bytes 0x3316 = 13078 bytes)

[coromonadalix]

you have the non crippled bios  v P9  i think,    i did no mind loosing the tek logo ...   

at least you have full access to all the bios settings, be careful about the vga settings,  had some trouble to configure the resolution for the lcd ...

[hazelnutsky]

I ended up using rawwrite (see github) to create a boot floppy using an old Win7 machine. Worked like a charm, and changed the quietboot logo, and filled all the CMOS entries with Tektronix defaults for the machine. Nice. I still have exactly the same settings as before, so I think even the Radisys BIOS was 'crippled' in that respect.

[coromonadalix]

 

i meant by crippled:  the bios access thru del or other keyboard Fxx did not work

some reported you had to use killcmos to make clock errors who open the bios settings,   

when i was able to open the bios  many options where not present,  ide boot order, vga settings  etc ...

[hazelnutsky]

Oh, that _is_ crippled. Mine is OK now. Next up is to try windows98. I have removed my working Windows2000 HDD and put a replacement 120GB HDD in, which I have managed to get to load Windows98 on, for which my TDS7404 has a product key sticker  on the rear. This involved using Win98CD, a spare floppy, a win98 floppy for XCOPY. All the CDROM files are copied to HDD and then installed.

So comparing boot-up time Win2000 took 1'18" to get to the log-in screen, and Win98 took 26 seconds. This is promising.

Next I burned a CD with the V2.5.3 software .exe installer and tried to install this, which it seemed happy about, but the application does not run.

I am guessing I need to install/update c:\vxboot\ directory.

[hazelnutsky]

OK, so I guess its back to PowerPC Console debug. Here is my super-simple ribbon cable coming out the side of the TDS7404, and talking to PuTTY at 9600,n,8,1. I think I am missing some Windows PPC drivers ?

[coromonadalix]

the best i could do  is win 98 se, not 2k,  i was in a boot loop start / reset

98se has updated usb drivers, and if you remove crap, like msn  mail   etc ....   it goes and does well it's job,  and i'm not connected to the web

do post your device manager exclamation errors,   some here, me  have many drivers to help   ...  1st install the intel INF board driver  i used  v 4.04.1000

next are the power pc, touch, panel driver ....   i can   put all the files on a hosting site ?  pm me  i can do it later today  or tomorrow morning


DO post in a text file   the wxwork  log ...   see around pages 32 33 34 35  what you should have for vxwork configs


and lastly   is the nvram battery ok ?  1st thing to check,  it dies   you loose configs

[hazelnutsky]

Hi coromonadalix,

The NVRAM is good, the scope works with my Win2000 HDD

For Win98 I have installed the OS,
Then updated the drivers for:
1) PCI bridge "Tektronix PowerPC CPU Board"
2) USB Device "Tektronix Front Panel"
3) Dislplay "Chips and Technologies (Asiliant)69000"
Update vxBoot with my calCons, .sn and .key files
Then installed Tek software 2.5.3

I am using drivers from https://github.com/exit-failure/tds7000

But the Intel Video driver is only for W2000, and I do not know what INF board driver is ?

KR, Hazel

[hazelnutsky]

Last night I re-read this entire thread, and found a couple of .iso image links for 063363000disk1.ISO and 063363000disk2.ISO. Supposedly OS restore CDs. I burned these to disc and booted my TDS7404 with them, but all I got for my trouble was the following:

[coromonadalix]

mmm not bashing 

you had almost a fully working system,  why did you reverted back trying  media's who dont work ...  since they dont detect the good motherboard ...

just a case of missing drivers  ...

i restarted an tds7404  like this ...   win98se + all the drivers ... tek scope   ...  nvram battery  ... the biggest problems where to add a new hdd (the original was dying, but workable to copy everything out of it) since the bios was a pain in the @@$$  bios does not accept all dvd-rom brands,  and finding old medias like floppies  etc ... 

ram updates, cpu update .... good clean up. All ok now     just need to invest some time.

[hazelnutsky]

No, it is a fair point. I have a working Win2000 HDD, scope works well with it.
But I hate Win2000, it is slow, and I am paranoid the drive will die soon.

I now have four HDD in total.
1) Original W2000 that came with TDS7404
2) 120GB HDD
3) 40GB HDD
4) 200GB SSD with converter.

My aim is to get the Win98 OS running on one of the HDD, so I have known good software.

Like you say it is a matter of time finding the drivers, and reloading the OS over and over until the correct sequence is found.

This website has provided some win98 drivers https://www.helpdrivers.com/ .

I would like to know which versions of drivers you got working with Win98, that would help a lot.

Thanks, H

[coromonadalix]

w2k  if i recall  had a tendency to enable the lan / network  before booting anything else 

that could be a reason,   but  2k  is memory intensive, it test the memory  while booting vs 9x  series of Os'es

maybe to speed up things,  you have what they call    DOM   "disk on modules"  ide 40 or 44 pins etc ....  fast enough to help boot times, i use them on "old era"  stuff

they require a separated 5vdc  line for 40 pins  but normally on 44 pins they are self powered, they can cost slightly more than a ssd,  but you need ssd  with no trim  ...

for drives  stay in the 20 30 40 gigs ...

lucky you 2k was working, i tried tried and reverted to 98se ME

would you share your 2  iso recovery disk  links ??   not sure i have them ... thks

for drivers version your previous link is good, but you have other sources too, normally i check in all the inf  files to see the VID PID  of the hardware

i have to restart that thank to get versions loll

OOOOOOOOOOH   sorry   i recall  i put Millenium on it  loll ....  there is a v3.x    usb package who float  around on the web ...


focus on adding  ram and cpu if possible,   128mb to 256 mb  and cpu 533 Mhz to 933Mhz  helped a lot

Still running on an slightly used 44 pins ide drive, i had stashed for a long time

the pcmcia interface is a Texas Instrument PCI-1225 CardBus controller  ...  this one is hard to find

all the other drivers  from the github link are good

[hazelnutsky]

Hi coromonadalix

Here are the links to the .ISO files earlier in this thread:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BZwyrxn3TVarZnL3mOxXxlZpr7UYXGtQ/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jCqaUhgUN9EXMnqPsNRks5by8cXsn3HZ/view?usp=sharing


So you are running windows 98se? or windows Millenium on your TDS7404 ?

KR, H

[hazelnutsky]

I have had a small amount of success.

Following the instructions in this thread for Windows XP install (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/tek-csa7404-repair-project/msg3070326/#msg3070326) and the drivers from https://github.com/exit-failure/tds7000/tree/main/Drivers/Chips9000 I was able to install XP, all the drivers and get the scope application running with a trace. Time from Power up to trace is 1'35".
In this configuration the primary video is on the PowerPC board, and a secondary video is on the SF810 (intel) motherboard. I noticed that after all the drivers were installed the PowerPC board would be looping around, constantly chattering out the console, and the LED changing in a loop.

So I still want to get the Win98 installed. I think the reason is the PCI2PCI bridge driver is not working correctly. The Driver update has a problem with the dioservice.exe file.  So I guess I need to get a windows98 PCI bridge driver. I have searched around , but nothing is available.  Can anyone help ?

KR, Hazel

[ezalys]

I'm completely flummoxed -- I have a TDS7104 with the Intel BL440ZX motherboard. I have it sitting on a desk connected to a VGA monitor. I installed a windows xp image to an SSD->IDE adapter. A reputable one. It can't see the SSD or the CD-ROM drive at all, indicating maybe a deeper issue than the adapter being funky. Has anyone had this happen before? I've never once hot-plugged the connectors.

[coromonadalix]

some ssd to ide or ide to ssd will not work,  hardware issues     you need to find good ones ...

better luck with some ide to compact flash adapters,  or  what they call DOM  module (disk on module) 

they are non mechanical drives  but not ssd, they are normally better with old technology

on other post, some said with the latest  for their i865 bios they where able to resolve some bugs,  but here  since there is some TEK branded ones .... or crippled bios access or menus ....  that maybe another story

On my tds7404,  you can not swap slim cd roms on primary, hdd on secondary,  hdd size limits,  cd-rom type limits etc ... i had tons of lockups  before re-starting it


normally  pci2pci is  non os dependant, sure it will answer device manager request, this is the bridge,  not the integrated video section of it,  video drivers needed

front panel too

touchscreen panel too

others drivers are for to the motherboard, lan, usb, video,  and the video side of the interface card between motherboard and power pc

many of theses scopes had win 9x os type for the 440bx,  on the Radsys 810 or intel 810... some could get W2k working or XP

some drivers (Drawbridge WDM driver) where trickiest with the dio service error, thats why we have a note :
 
------------------
The only change is DIOSERVICE.exe. The rest of files are the same as the previous version.

This change is to fix the DIOSERVICE crash on large system time setting. The current program can only be able to handle the time before 19:14:07, January 18, 2038, UTC. If for some reason, the local system time is changed beyond that limit, the DIOSERVICE will crash. The fix still can not handle the large time setting on the local system, but it prevents the crash. Instead, the DIOSERVICE will report the failure to the Event Log. The user should be able to see the message in Event Viewer-

>Application like this:

This solution should apply to all Phoenix and Janus based scope in the future.
------------------

i'll repeat,  normally with any os, you should be able to restart the pc side 1st BEFORE the scope, answer all the device manager exclamation marks

you will NEED the power pc console port stable too, if it spins and do not stop, the scope SW will not run

I'm not even convinced that getting the restore(s) disk(s) can or could help in somes cases,  thoses cd's seems to hardware id's components identification, if it does not match, they simply block, as some reported


i include CalCons folder who goes inside the vxBoot folder  on root of c:\

VxBoot from a csa7404  on the next thread, should help get things going  even if tekscope is not installed

[coromonadalix]

VxBoot  of c:\       root,  should help

EDIT  the sn and key file will not match for sure

[ezalys]

I guess I’d say that if I have _only_ the CDROM drive on either of the two ribbon cables, it doesn’t show up in the BIOS IDE menu

[coromonadalix]

did you tried an original intel bios

here
https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/intel-bl440zx-bali#bios

you have a P5 version ...

you had some talk
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/general-computing/need-help-to-recover-bios-on-intel-bl4400zx-tek-tds-8000-scope/25/

who redirected to

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/tek-csa7404-repair-project/msg3095992/#msg3095992

[ezalys]

I was under the impression that the BIOS was somehow customized by Tektronix and that I shouldn’t be flashing any image besides those provided by Tektronix. Something about PCI bus mastering and the PPC system?

[coromonadalix]

nah   remove access  or functions yes ...        i put back an original Radsys bios and gained more functionalities,     sure i lost the TEK logo, i dont care for an 20-25 ish old thing  loll

you can try in the posted links:
some recovery files posted too ...  and or flash the latest you can find for your mobo,  and after, if nothing works better,   you may have to change the board .... unless you have incompatible devices for the TEK bios ?

some more recent NLX (Intel 810) are still sold, sometimes cheap or not ....  but   the scope back plate may hinder on some holes

but some want the original stuff, look and feel   etc ... that's ok too

[hazelnutsky]

ezalys,

Which OS are you trying to work with? Win98SE, Win2000, WinXP ?  If you need a HDD image of a Win98SE you may wish to PM user RPuccio. The image he had was not a good fit for my SF810, it may have been for a 440 motherboard.
(I have a spare SF810 Board, with a bad RTC I am about to put on eBay)

Coromonadalix,

I recently got a version 0.73 of the PCI2PCI driver, and when I ran the 2.5.3 TekScope install software it was updated to version 1.1

RPuccio,

Thankyou for your help recently. I have on order a genuine Win98 OS install CD, so when it arrives we shall see if it is able to work.