UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Zip100 scsi 486PC 'run time error' problem

brenellic2000 · 13th Aug 2019, 1:34 pm

For my sins I still use a 486PC DOS 6.22/W.3.1 for my serious CAD/DTP/spreadsheet work using Zip 100 discs for file storage, usually with a ZipPlus drive. No problems over 20 odd years!

Recently my ZipPlus drive has not been booting up: 'can't find drive letter' for it; 'run time error R6001 null point assignment'. The green power light comes on... as does the orange data light even though no data is being transferred ... and it thus won't eject a disc.

If I use a spare drive it works fine for a day or two before failing. I daren't risk 'destroying' my last spare drive!

What's going on?

- is it destroying the increasingly irreplaceable Zip drives?
- Is the SCSI card dying? - what new card do I need? ASPI for Dos/w.3.1
- is there a tweak in the setup/autoexec? I've forgotten most of my setting up skills learnt in the 1980s so be gentle with me!
- I'm tempted to use a parallel drive in a spare (huh!) port but have run out of parallel ports! Can I use a 2-way data switch?
- 3-1/2" floppies (1.44mb) are too small ... is there an alternative storage for a Dos/w.3.1 PC??

.. but above all l need to sort this run time error as l my CAD is finger printed to this PC - I long ago lost the 'key'!

Anyone?
Barry

13th Aug 2019, 1:34 pm	#1
brenellic2000 Octode Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Rye, East Sussex, UK. Posts: 1,647	Zip100 scsi 486PC 'run time error' problem For my sins I still use a 486PC DOS 6.22/W.3.1 for my serious CAD/DTP/spreadsheet work using Zip 100 discs for file storage, usually with a ZipPlus drive. No problems over 20 odd years! Recently my ZipPlus drive has not been booting up: 'can't find drive letter' for it; 'run time error R6001 null point assignment'. The green power light comes on... as does the orange data light even though no data is being transferred ... and it thus won't eject a disc. If I use a spare drive it works fine for a day or two before failing. I daren't risk 'destroying' my last spare drive! What's going on? - is it destroying the increasingly irreplaceable Zip drives? - Is the SCSI card dying? - what new card do I need? ASPI for Dos/w.3.1 - is there a tweak in the setup/autoexec? I've forgotten most of my setting up skills learnt in the 1980s so be gentle with me! - I'm tempted to use a parallel drive in a spare (huh!) port but have run out of parallel ports! Can I use a 2-way data switch? - 3-1/2" floppies (1.44mb) are too small ... is there an alternative storage for a Dos/w.3.1 PC?? .. but above all l need to sort this run time error as l my CAD is finger printed to this PC - I long ago lost the 'key'! Anyone? Barry