HP 21xx update

[Jay West]

You wrote...
> I've fixed the visible issues with the HP-2116A and powered it up slowly
> with a variac with a minium of cards installed.
Ok, where did you find a variac that supports that kinda amp load? :)

> Fans spin up ok, I get a couple of the power circuits live, but fuse F8
> blows and the rest of the power circuits do no come up. No lights on the
> front panel etc.
I'm guessing fuse F8 blowing has something to do with that ;) I haven't a 
clue, the power system in 2116 is likely pretty different I think from what 
I'm used to. Now, if someone wants to donate an HP2116 to me, I'll get all 
familiar with it. Promise ;)

> I don't have any manuals specific to the
> HP-2108A here, but I suppose I should try some of the memory diagnostics
> routines from the 2100 or 2116 to check things out.
And you don't need anything specific to the 2108. Look in the CE handbook. 
Common data I think is the section (going from memory). There are quite a 
few short ditty's there that you can enter via the front panel and use to 
test the system for basic function before heading to diagnostics that 
require certain things to work. Most of the ditty's there are expressly 
designed to test the functions that are required to load diagnostics, so 
there is little or no guessing. Make sure you run the diagnostics (from 
media) in the order put forth. Once you get past the ditty's in the CE book, 
let me know what media you have to load diags on. I'll get you a diagnostic 
library and you can learn the joys of the Diagnostic Configurator :) Once 
that's up, you can test most peripherals and I/O interfaces quite 
thoroughly.

> Any suggestions on getting pc based paper tape images over to real HP
> hardware?
Since you expressly limited it to pc based paper tape images... there is a 
solution. Look at the 264X terminal loader rom. It speaks a trivial protocol 
to get binary images into the cpu. You could write a very simple script to 
download the binary files on the pc to the memory of the 2108.

> I do have a paper tape punch, but no docs on it. Also I don't currently
> have any blank media.
I could send you a little bit of blank paper tape if you need it.

Jay