ERR 241 from Philips MSX2 Diagnostic ROM ???

Expert (83)

07-12-2017, 02:08

In the process of repairing a black screen NMS8245 I tried the following :
Programmed an 27C512 EPROM with the 16K file of the diagnostic Rom Cartridge at http://msx.hansotten.com/uploads/files/STCMSX2P.zip
This file is not a 'pure' cartridge Rom, it's missing the 'AB' signature and is supposed to be executed at location 0000, just as a normal bios rom I suppose. So I thought I could run it replacing the NMS8245 bios rom.
To fit the 16k into 64K eprom I copied it multiple times on the eprom.

Now what I get at boot is the following screen :

anyobody knows what that means ? are there any supplemental info manual with philips test cartridges ?

By Pentarou

Hero (559)

07-12-2017, 12:43

Download the file: http://msx.hansotten.com/uploads/files/vg8235repairmethod02.pdf

Error 241: incorrect slot selection

By marcoexo

Expert (83)

07-12-2017, 15:43

great ! Just what I was looking for, thanks

By Pablibiris

Paragon (1834)

07-12-2017, 20:38

I'm, testing this rom (I don't knew it!!) in my NMS8245 with black screen,it seems that shares board with the VG-8235. I have removed ST1 jumper (in 2-3 mode,don't boot the machine)
When I turn ON the computer,boots to BASIC!! but I can't push any key (it sounds like I pushed it,but no one character is writen in the screen).
I readed the PDF with instructions,but this symptom is not written in the PDF. Anyone knows something about this?
Thanks!

By marcoexo

Expert (83)

07-12-2017, 21:04

I think you should leave the jumper in position 1-2 because in position 2-3 it is intended to disable internal rom for the diagnostic cartridge to take control.
I don't think there's a 'no jumper' position, that is the onboard rom enable select.

Booting into Basic is strange, I didn't know the diagnostic rom has an internal Basic interpreter. How did you write the eprom ? Did you copy the 16k diagnostic it 4 times over a 64kbytes eprom just as I did ?

By Pablibiris

Paragon (1834)

07-12-2017, 21:30

well...my NMS8245 is expanded to MSX2+ and have a EPROM with the BASIC 3.0.
When boots to Basic it shows "Basic 3.0" wich means that it is reading my bios rom
If I put the original Eprom from Phillips,shows the Logo (slowly...very slowly than usual) and boots to Basic too (2.1).
It's strange :O

I writed the Eprom 4 times (in command mode "Copy /b test.rom+test.rom+test.rom+test.rom test.rom") and burned in a 27C512 Eprom

By marcoexo

Expert (83)

07-12-2017, 22:14

Yes that's exactly how I burned my Eprom. But it should boot to the diagnostic menu as shown here http://msx.hansotten.com/special-msx-hardware/philips-test-c... .... I suppose

It looks like it has a prompt maybe it's just asking for a command, did you try typing a '?' as the menu suggests ?

By Pentarou

Hero (559)

07-12-2017, 22:44

Pablibiris wrote:

well...my NMS8245 is expanded to MSX2+ and have a EPROM with the BASIC 3.0.

You have a MSX2+ ROM without the MSX2+ boot logo, right? Otherwise you should have more that 1 ROM IC.

But what's exactly your problem? In your first message you mentioned

Pablibiris wrote:

my NMS8245 with black screen

but now you say that you can see the original boot logo...
Can you boot from a floppy?

By Pablibiris

Paragon (1834)

07-12-2017, 22:54

marcoexo wrote:

Yes that's exactly how I burned my Eprom. But it should boot to the diagnostic menu as shown here http://msx.hansotten.com/special-msx-hardware/philips-test-c... .... I suppose

It looks like it has a prompt maybe it's just asking for a command, did you try typing a '?' as the menu suggests ?

Yes,I tried...but with no response :(

Pentarou wrote:

Pablibiris wrote:

well...my NMS8245 is expanded to MSX2+ and have a EPROM with the BASIC 3.0.

You have a MSX2+ ROM without the MSX2+ boot logo, right? Otherwise you should have more that 1 ROM IC.

But what's exactly your problem? In your first message you mentioned

Pablibiris wrote:

my NMS8245 with black screen

but now you say that you can see the original boot logo...
Can you boot from a floppy?

Right!,I don't have Logo with the 3.0 bios. I only have an IC :)
My problem is a black screen,without image and without response to keys,and no sound. Completely dead :_(
I can see the Logo when I put the original ROM and I use the cartridge with test ROM...is strange...I know ^^
When I use the test cartridge with the MSX2+ Bios,it boots too (wihout logo,like it's usual) and comming to the Basic 3.0 screen, But I don't have response to keys. That's a nice mystery hahaha!!

I have other NMS8245 (without any modification). The problem in this computer is a corrupted image. The test cartridge runs OK in this machine (I have a Green screen and later a Yellow screen....it's a Video Bus error,what I'm repairing just now ^^)

By Pentarou

Hero (559)

07-12-2017, 23:01

So you have the "official" Philips test cartridge, not a modified normal cart with a burned test.rom?

By Pablibiris

Paragon (1834)

07-12-2017, 23:05

Pentarou wrote:

So you have the "official" Philips test cartridge, not a modified normal cart with a burned test.rom?

Nono...I have a simple cartridge with the Test Rom burned on it.
The cartridge is like this:

https://www.msx.org/forum/msx-talk/trading-and-collecting/small-board-for-emergency-or-game-cartridge