Need Help! Roboform 84 software load


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Thread: Roboform 84 software load

  1. #1

    Default Roboform 84 software load

    All,

    I'm currently attempting to re-start a 2001 Roboform 84 sinker after having it shipped to our location after storage by the prior owner for 2+ years. The unit has been re-connected and powers up, the CRT comes up and now it is waiting for the software to be loaded. While I do have the floppy disks the floppy drives do not even attempt to read the data - the green lights on the drives never comes on and the drives never spin.

    The data on the disks appears OK, in that I can see the files when I looked at them with another computer. I spoke with Charmille and after doing some basic diagnostic tests (testing drive power supply voltage and fiber optic cable integrity - both good - ) they believe the issue is with the interface board in the pendant that controls the disk drives and transfers data back to the PC.

    Since Charmille wants a pretty good chunk of money for that board I wanted to see if anyone else with a sinker of this vintage had come up against a problem like this. The keyboard works fine so I know some of the pendant communication is working, and the PC boots just fine. It simply seems unable to access the floppy drives and doesn't even try to query a disk when one is initially put into the drive.

    I was also curious if there is any other way to re-load the software, i.e. serial, ethernet, pull memory board and re-load vai 2nd device, etc.? I won't be surprised if the answer to that question is a solid 'NO', but it's worth a shot if someone knows a back way in.

    Thanks


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  2. #2
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    Default Re: Roboform 84 software load

    Was it working when it was put in storage?

    Have you opened the pendant and checked the cable connection inside?

    On our Robofil wire-edm's of that vintage the connector sometimes works loose after being banged around a few years.

    Just open it up and push the connector back on.

    If it's the floppy drive, I recommend replacing it with a floppy emulator.

    We had Charmilles do our Robofil machines.

    Their emulators come with a USB loaded with the machine software.



  3. #3

    Default Re: Roboform 84 software load

    Thanks for the quick response, KilrB.

    We were told it was functional when put into storage, however it was a few years back so we never saw it under power.

    I pulled the cover off the pendant and checked the ribbon cable to the interface board and drives as well as the location and seating of the fiberoptic cables that go back to the control cabinet.

    The unit has a pair of floppy drives and neither one even attempts to read the disks. In my limited experience with older units floppy drives tend to fail in that thier reader heads stop working so one will hear them hunting but the PC can't get any data. I'm aware it could be the drives are bad, but it is pretty unlikely that both would fail in the identical manner.

    Does anyone out there know the difference in control design between the Roboform and the Robofil of this era? I'm curious if they are basically the same control with mods for the 2 applications or if Charmilles made a fairly discrete control for each.

    Thanks



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    Default Re: Roboform 84 software load

    friend I need help, my machine is a charmof roboform 20A, it does not start,
    how did you solve your problem



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