I recently came across an Arch A3020 at a computer recycler. I had never seen one of these in North America before, so I thought I would pick it up and give it a go. I initially hooked it up to a recent (5years) VGA monitor, but couldn't get a signal. I then connected it to an older VGA (1988 era) IBM monitor. I did get a picture, but at times, the image shakes. I am assuming that it cannot match the scan rate. I get a message "RISC OS 2048K" and the word "Supervisor" with a series of dash lines moving across the screen. I press enter, and break into the OS. However, it will not book into any GUI. I tried to type desktop, the reply was "file not found" or somewhat similar. I attempted ctrl-reset, but I got the same prompt.
How can I get this machine into a GUI mode? IWould a battery replacement suffice? The date is recorded as Dec 1972. There is also a strange connecter plugged into the podules unit. The seller indicated that this was an ethernet connector, but the cable is not a standard RJ_45 jack.
I'm not certain if the machine is defective, or if I am doing something wrong. I was always amazed by these machines, and snapped it up when the opportunity arose. It also uses a North American power supply, and not a Brit supply, which makes it even more unusual.
On 30-Aug-2008, daniela...@gmail.com wrote: > I recently came across an Arch A3020 at a computer recycler. I had > never seen one of these in North America before, so I thought I would > pick it up and give it a go. I initially hooked it up to a recent > (5years) VGA monitor, but couldn't get a signal. I then connected it > to an older VGA (1988 era) IBM monitor. I did get a picture, but at > times, the image shakes. I am assuming that it cannot match the scan > rate. I get a message "RISC OS 2048K" and the word "Supervisor" with a > series of dash lines moving across the screen. I press enter, and > break into the OS. However, it will not book into any GUI. I tried to > type desktop, the reply was "file not found" or somewhat similar. I > attempted ctrl-reset, but I got the same prompt.
The CMOS battery has become flat and it's lost its settings. Switch on with the DELETE key held down and these will be restored to the factory defaults. Once you've got it going leave it switched on for a few hours to recharge the battery. If it's fitted with a hard drive this will un-configre it so you'll need to run !Configre to restore it.
The default monitor setting for the A3020 is 'Auto' which means it will try to detect the monitor type and use an appropriate screen mode. However this doesn't always work with later VGA monitors. To force the machine into VGA mode you can either run the !Configure app and do it from there or, if you can't get a picture, switch on with the keypad '3' key which will force the machine to start up in VGA mode. If this doesn't work try the keypad '4' key.
daniela...@gmail.com wrote: > I recently came across an Arch A3020 at a computer recycler. I had > never seen one of these in North America before, so I thought I would > pick it up and give it a go. I initially hooked it up to a recent > (5years) VGA monitor, but couldn't get a signal. I then connected it > to an older VGA (1988 era) IBM monitor. I did get a picture, but at > times, the image shakes. I am assuming that it cannot match the scan > rate. I get a message "RISC OS 2048K" and the word "Supervisor" with a > series of dash lines moving across the screen. I press enter, and > break into the OS. However, it will not book into any GUI. I tried to > type desktop, the reply was "file not found" or somewhat similar. I > attempted ctrl-reset, but I got the same prompt.
In addition to David's post:
I revived my old RiscPC recently which had a leaking battery. Removing the battery obviously cleared the CMOS settings, but doing a delete-power on still wouldn't get it too boot into the Desktop.
At first I thought I had damaged something in the process of soldering the new battery on. In the end I found that a load of modules were unplugged. Reiniting these modules and rebooting sorted the problem out.
To see which modules are unplugged, type 'unplug' at the supervisor prompt. To plug a module back in, type 'rmreinit <modulename>'
In message <2121a1f6-53bc-42ea-bc43-845ff32df...@34g2000hsh.googlegroups.com>, daniela...@gmail.com wrote:
> There is also a > strange connecter plugged into the podules unit. The seller indicated > that this was an ethernet connector, but the cable is not a standard > RJ_45 jack.
Does it look like a TV signal cable? I think that was an alternative cabling regime for an ethernet network at one point.
In article <debae7d74f.ad...@snowstone.org.uk>, Adam <n...@snowstone.org.uk> wrote:
> In message <2121a1f6-53bc-42ea-bc43-845ff32df...@34g2000hsh.googlegroups.com>, daniela...@gmail.com wrote: > > There is also a > > strange connecter plugged into the podules unit. The seller indicated > > that this was an ethernet connector, but the cable is not a standard > > RJ_45 jack. > Does it look like a TV signal cable? I think that was an alternative > cabling regime for an ethernet network at one point.
Two possibilities come to mind.
ISTR that the A3020s we had at school had Ethernet cards which didn't have the standard RJ45 outlets. Instead they had an extra sort of dongley thing that screwed onto the port to provide the RJ45 connector. The actual port looked a bit like a video connector.
The other possibility is that it has a SJ Research Nexus card fitted which had a connection which looked a bit like a DIN plug, though later versions also had RJ45. However, I think the OP is in the USA so I doubt if his machine has one of these.
<URL:mailto:alan_cal...@orpheusmail.co.uk> wrote: > In article <debae7d74f.ad...@snowstone.org.uk>, > Adam <n...@snowstone.org.uk> wrote: > > In message <2121a1f6-53bc-42ea-bc43-845ff32df...@34g2000hsh.googlegroups.com>, danie > la...@gmail.com wrote:
> > > There is also a > > > strange connecter plugged into the podules unit. The seller indicated > > > that this was an ethernet connector, but the cable is not a standard > > > RJ_45 jack.
> > Does it look like a TV signal cable? I think that was an alternative > > cabling regime for an ethernet network at one point.
> Two possibilities come to mind.
> ISTR that the A3020s we had at school had Ethernet cards which didn't have > the standard RJ45 outlets. Instead they had an extra sort of dongley thing > that screwed onto the port to provide the RJ45 connector. The actual port > looked a bit like a video connector.
All A3020s & A4000s Network connector were a 15 way D Type (as compared to the High Density version used on SVGA). The unit that plugged into that either has a RJ45 or BNC socket.
We have both types in stock, I thing that the PCB that goes inside pairs up with the external unit and is not generic to both 10b2 & 10bT.
> The other possibility is that it has a SJ Research Nexus card fitted which > had a connection which looked a bit like a DIN plug, though later versions > also had RJ45. However, I think the OP is in the USA so I doubt if his > machine has one of these.
Chris Evans
-- CJE Micro's / 4D 'RISC OS Specialists' Telephone: 01903 523222 Fax: 01903 523679 ch...@cjemicros.co.uk http://www.cjemicros.co.uk/ 78 Brighton Road, Worthing, West Sussex, BN11 2EN The most beautiful thing anyone can wear, is a smile!
