APPLE II DIAGNOSTICS --- PART II Stephen Buggie July 1996 =========================================================================== =========================================================================== REAL SOFTWARE DIAGNOSTICS (1986) (Main Menu Screen) A) DISK DRIVE TEST D) FLOPPY DISK TEST B) MEMORY TEST E) COLOR TEST C) PRINTER TEST F) AUDIO TEST This is a very minimal diagnostic set. It is ProDOS-based, and the disk is freely copyable. Its ProDOS operating system identifies it as a diagnostic of the recent Apple II era. Display screens are text, not graphics. Easy return to the main menu screen is available following all tests other than the MEMORY TEST, for which a warm reboot is needed.There is so much empty space left on the disk that one cannot avoid wondering why more tests were not added. The DISK DRIVE TEST has special features. It expects the disk to be formatted in ProDOS; it tests either 5.25" or 3.5" disks, it identifies the disk's capacity, and it verifies the drive's read/write capabilities. The MEMORY TEST portrays a unique upward-scrolling low-res pattern for fifteen seconds, followed by the words, TEST PASSED. The FLOPPY DISK TEST requires a ProDOS-formatted disk, and it checks the disk, block-by-block, reporting specific numbers of any failed blocks. The display is strictly text, so it is less interesting to watch than XPS Diagnostics. But this routine is useful because it has the unique capability to test the 1600 blocks (800K) of 3.5" disks. The COLOR TEST is done full-screen, one hue at a time. When adjusting color monitors my preference is to have all colors displayed simultaneously because adjustment of color controls affects all colors, not just one. Thus, this COLOR TEST is judged inferior to others which commonly display a simultaneous spectrum of colors. The AUDIO TEST presents a simple melody, the theme from Star Wars. Overall this is a very simple diagnostic set. Its main advantages are: (a) It is ProDOS-based and unprotected, so its routines could be compiled elsewhere, and (b) Its floppy disk test and disk drive test will verify 3.5" disks and drives in addition to the common older 5.25" size. =========================================================================== =========================================================================== SEQUENTIAL MEG-80Z MEMORY TESTER V.2.1 (1993) This is a disk that accompanied the 1024K RAM board for the IIe, marketed by Sequential. It resembles the AE RAM testers, because it shows an outline of the RAM card and its chip locations. The tests are routine; nothing spectacular is shown. ============================================================================ ============================================================================ TUNING APPLE II FLOPPY DRIVES (1995) by Stephen Buggie This is a disk to guide the user in the steps required to do track-center alignment adjustment on 5.25" drives. APTEST is presented on Side B, while an extensive set of docs is given on side A. For unknown reasons, the drive alignment software will not load on a IIc. Therefore, a IIc-compatible version is also available. This disk is entitled, TRACK-CENTER ALIGNMENT. This version can also be used on the IIe and IIgs. This disk, and its procedures, will be demonstrated at APPLE II KANSASFEST in July 1996! =========================================================================== =========================================================================== VITESSE DRIVE-CHECK (c1993) DRIVE-CHECK FOR THE APPLE II COPYRIGHT 1993 BY VITESSE, INC. ------------------------------------------------------------------- CURRENT DRIVE: SLOT 6 DRIVE 2 MAIN MENU SELECT DISK DRIVE CLEAN DISK DRIVE VERIFY FLOPPY DISK DRIVE SPEED TEST DRIVE SEEK TEST DRIVE WRITE TEST ALL DRIVE TESTS QUIT TO PRODUCE This software gets my vote for the worst diagnostic available for the Apple II. Why? Several reasons: First, the drive speed test is seriously bugged to the extent that it is useless. The screen states that the drive speed test will take two minutes --- but it continued endlessly without completion. This fault was noticed on the original disk as well as on two backups obtained independently. The drive speed test is flawed because no readout is given regarding direction (+/-) or extent of drive speed error. With the software equivalent of an "idiot light" on a car dashboard, the software only gives a pass/fail judgment on disk speed. This is clearly deficient because the other speed checkers give appropriate graphical or numerical information. Second, the user interface is simple and uninformative. While this could be overlooked if this software dated from the early 1980's, one would expect that a 1993 software product ought to have an appealing look. Third, publisher support is deficient. This diagnostic is still supported (Vitesse), but inadequately. By phone, I described the drive speed bug and was told to return the disk accompanied by a replacement fee. I judged that the software, even if it worked, was not worth even the cost of the disk replacement fee. In conclusion, this software is a big dud. Readers are cautioned against it even if it is available at a discounted rate. VITESSE DRIVE-CHECK is an ironic disappointment: the most recently released diagnostic is also the least worthwhile one to have. =========================================================================== =========================================================================== XPS - DIAGNOSTICS IIe (c1985) (Main Menu Screen) A) MAIN MEMORY B) KEYBOARD C) SYSTEM ROMS D) GAME CONTROLS E) CPU (6502) F) CHANGE SLOT/DRIVE G) DISK SYSTEM H) ADJUST DRIVE SPEED I) PRINTER J) ADD PERIPHERALS K) PERIPHERAL CARDS L) MEDIA VERIFY M) 80 COLUMN CARD N) ENABLE PRINTOUT O) AUXILIARY MEMORY P) COLOR BAR TEST Q) QUIT R) FOCUS TEST This disk is a successor to APPLE-CILLIN (c1982); it is a sophisticated update of that earlier diagnostic. It has more tests, and the tests are more advanced. The XPS opening menu screen declares that it diagnoses the IIe, but it works also with the IIc; it correctly identified the ports of my IIc, although it described them as "peripheral cards." The vintage of this disk is "early IIe," because it presumes that the CPU is a 6502 chip. Still, its CPU tests passed my IIc's 65c02 8 MHz ZIP CHIP. The RAM TESTS are applied separately to main RAM (lower 64K) and to auxiliary RAM (upper 64K). Within each bank, the eight RAM chips are identified with the letter "G" to show that each has passed the continuous RAM tests. Presumably, the RAM test could identify the specific RAM chip that fails, enabling the replacement of that specific chip. This RAM identification would apply especially to the auxiliary RAM bank. A failed chip in main memory would prevent the program from loading and executing. But because the RAM tests are continuously repeating through endless "passes," the main memory RAM tests might be useful to identify marginally working RAMs that work initially but which fail later when warm. To identify "cold-failing" RAMs in main memory, the internal self-test is recommended: The self-test identifies bad RAM in either bank which fail at power-up. SYSTEM ROMS TEST: This test is useless on any computer other than an early-vintage (pre-1985) IIe. With my Unidisk 3.5 model of IIc, all tests of the EO/CO ROMs yielded error messages. PERIPHERAL CARD IDENTIFICATION AND TESTS: XPS will identify the peripheral (interface controller) card in each IIe slot or IIc port. Unlike the automatic card identifier on the MECC Computer Inspector, the XPS disk must be "trained" to identify each card. Later, the card will be named automatically when recognized in a slot. XPS applies a checksum algorithm to the card-resident ROMs to identify each card. When the checksum matches a value held on the disk, then the card is given the name associated with that checksum value. If the card checksum does not match any value held on the disk, then the user is prompted to name the unknown card. That name is then held with the checksum on the disk to be used for future identifications. GAME CONTROLS TESTS: These include the joystick or the antique "game paddles." For each direction of movement, values ranging from 0 to 255 are displayed. On/off switch contacts for the left fire button (switch 0) and right fire button (switch 1) are shown. But in addition to the joystick/paddles test, the mouse also is tested! The mouse is tested in a comparable way: with directional movement values (0 to 255) and also with the mouse-button (switch 2). These tests are recognized even on the IIc. DISK DRIVE TESTS: These apply only to 5.25" floppy drives. These qualities are assessed: (a) disk speed, (b) write to disk, (c) track-seeking, and (d) read from disk. The tests run continuously until stopped. Errors are counted, but detailed information on the nature of the error is not given. A separate drive-speed test gives a numerical (no-graphical) indication of rotational speed RPM. When using the disk drive tests, apply a tab over the write-protect notch of the program disk to protect it against accidental erasure. The XPS disk presumes that drive tests are to be done on slot 6, drive 1, unless the slot has been changed previously on a different menu selector. MEDIA VERIFY TEST: Visually, this is the most exciting test on XPS. It resembles the fast copy display on Locksmith 6.0: an array of the 35 tracks and 15 sectors presented on Apple 5.25" floppies. The test disk need not be formatted in advance. A moving dot pattern sweeps upward and to the right across the array, with a dot (.) to indicate good sectors. Bad sectors are identified with a number which increments on successive failures during later passes. The media test appears to be valid; it identified bad sectors on several disks which could not be formatted. Because this verification test can be applied even prior to formatting, it is one of the best features of XPS and is recommended highly. Should bad-sector disks be kept or discarded? Some users may choose to throw away disks with even a few bad sectors. After all, 5.25" disks are cheap these days! Still, bad-sector disks may have limited uses. As long as the bad sectors are not located in the directory area (tracks 00-01), then they make be useful for short programs or even for data storage of small files. The remaining good storage space may be used by scanning the disk with CERTIFIX. CERTIFIX formats the disk in either ProDOS or DOS 3.3. While formatting, it automatically identifies any bad sectors and locks them out by placing them in a special file so that the bad blocks do not intrude on programs or data storage. The XPS disk is copy-protected, but backups can be made with the Locksmith v.4.1 bit copier. / =========================================================================== =========================================================================== YO YO DUCK DIAGNOSTICS v.2.5 (c1990) (Main Menu Screen) 1) BURNIN 2) C.D. CONNECTION 3) MONITOR.TEST 4) DRIVE CLEANER 5) D.HI.RES.TEST 6) DISK.TEST2 7) ENSONIQ.SOUNDS 8) HIRES.TESTS 9) INSTRUCTIONS 10) IW2 11) IWLQ 12) JOY.PAD.TEST 13) KEYBOARD.TEST 14) MEMORY.TEST 15) PRINTER.TEST 16) SPEAKER.TEST 17) TEST.80.COL 18) ZANY.QUIT CATALOG = 0 YO YO DUCK DIAGNOSTICS is unique software. It is supplied as a two-sided 5.25" floppy, and is distributed as shareware by many public domain software distributors. It offers many tests, which are less sophisticated than those available elsewhere (such as Master Diagnostics, Aptest, or Computer Inspector). It is inexpensive shareware (Michael Coffey, 1640 Cante, Florissant, MO 63033). I paid the shareware fee in 1992 and have not yet ... received upgrades. Still, its author is very knowledgeable about Apple II and writes long letters in response to technical inquiries. He also has a IIgs-specific disk of shareware anti-virus programs. The best routine on YO YO DUCK DIAGNOSTICS is the documentation itself, selected as #9 on the opening menu, INSTRUCTIONS. The docs occupy the entire second side of the disk. They can be displayed on the screen (using Karl Bunker's "dogpaw" text-display routine), or printed, at the user's option. Docs explain plenty, going beyond the software itself. The first routine, BURNIN, is a continuous loop of tests, intended to test hardware for hours. Overall, the individual tests on YO YO DUCK DIAGNOSTICS are unsophisticated but there are so many of them that the shareware fee is well worth its cost. Also, the documentation is excellent so users will learn how their hardware works... YO YO DUCK DIAGNOSTICS v.2.5 has a strange name, which the author should explain. It is ProDOS based and is not copy-protected. Payment of the shareware fee is based on the honor system. =========================================================================== =========================================================================== ZIP CHIP IIE/IIC UTILITIES V. 2.00 (C1988) (Main Menu Screen) CONFIGURE INSTALLED A) RUN ZIP SYSTEM CHECK B) RUN ZIP CONFIGURER C) RUN ZIP INSTRUCTIONS X) EXIT MENU ZIP CHIP IIe/IIc combines utilities and diagnostics to test the integrity of the 8-bit ZIP CHIP sold for the IIe/IIc. It includes utilities to slow the accelerated speed below the maximum 8 MHz speed. In actual practice, ZIP CHIP users either use the maximum acceleration or they turn it off. I can think of no scenario for which partial acceleration would be preferred. The diagnostics portion of this disk proceeds through an impressively long list of function tests; yet, their validity is doubtful. When the disk was read by an Apple that lacked a ZIP CHIP, many "tests" were passed despite the prominent fact that the computer lacked a ZIP! The ZIP CHIP manual is very brief and the routines are not explained. The manual have identified the outcomes for which the ZIP chip could be judged conclusively to be defective. Early ZIP chips (c1988-1991) had a high failure rate so it would be desirable to identify failed ZIPs. In practice, software confirmation of ZIP CHIP failure is unnecessary. Dysfunctional ZIP CHIPs fail catastrophically, and software is thereby rendered unbootable. ============================================================================ ============================================================================ ZIP-GS DIAGNOSTICS (C1991) This is a disk that accompanies the ZIP-GS accelerator card. It is a flashy graphical product with hyperscreen features. It is not a true diagnostic in the sense that it judges the performance of hardware. Instead, it is a manual on a disk. It teaches the installation and operation of ZIP-GS at an elementary level --- too elementary, in my view. The disk should teach how ZIP-GS accelerates, but explanation is minimal. Utilities are included to install the ZIP-GS NDA on the Finder. As a diagnostic, this software is flashy, yet disappointing. The ZIP=GS NDA by "Brutal Deluxe" from France is more impressive than this. Unprotected software. ============================================================================ ============================================================================ REFERENCE DiversiCopy. (review) InCider, January 1987. THE BEST DIAGNOSTIC ROUTINES ---------------------------- Identifying the best diagnostics in any category is very subjective and these reflect my personal views. Reasoning behind each selection is stated. BEST RAM MEMORY TESTERS: Internal Self-Test IIe/IIc. This was judged the best because it will identify bad RAM chip specifically, even when RAM failure in the main (lower 64K range) prevents other software from loading and running. Its shortcoming is that it is cryptic and the user may have trouble deducing which RAM has gone bad. (RAM-identification instruction details are given in the review of the self-test, above). BEST DISK-DRIVE SPEED TESTERS: My favorites are drive-speed testers in MASTER DIAGNOSTICS IIE/IIC, and also in APTEST. These testers are graphical and accurate. Some might prefer LOCKSMITH 6.0 speed tester with its "continuous over time" graphical display, and its feature that drive speed can be evaluated optionally with course/ medium/ fine precision. BEST DISK-DRIVE TESTS: MASTER DIAGNOSTICS IIE/IIC gives the disk drive an elaborate series of tests which are reported and explained continuously on the screen. (==========================) has an excellent series of random read/ write tests which measure the head mechanism's ability to move quickly and accurately across the disk surface. BEST ROM TESTS: MASTER DIAGNOSTICS IIc/IIe checks each ROM, and it knows that different models have different ROMs. It even knows the different ROM sets that identify the three IIc models. BEST CPU (MICROPROCESSOR) TESTS: Choosing the best CPU test is difficult because it is unclear which aspects of CPU functions are tested. It is also unclear which functions are most vital to CPU operation. XPS Diagnostics completes about 100 passes per second during its CPS tests. Bearing this uncertainty in mind, APPLECILLIN's CPU test is judged the best. This test is buried within APPLECILLIN's "Other Tests" submenu, but it offers a repeating cycle of clearly identified CPU tests: overflow tag, carry tag, decimal mode flag, index register Y, index register X, negative flag, stack pointer, accumulator, and status register. This test is identified by software as for the older 8-bit processor, 6502, but it appears to work well with the newer 65c02 or with the 8-bit ZIP chip. BEST 80 COLUMN CARD TESTS: MASTER DIAGNOSTICS IIC/IIE has a series of visually attractive tests of the 80 column card functions; most other disks just give 1-2 screens of 80 column demos or tests. BEST PERIPHERAL (INTERFACE) CARD IDENTIFIER: APEX DIAGNOSTICS identifies interface cards recognized "under the hood," from a standard set. It also can add new or unrecognized cards to its card archive. Recognition is apparently achieved by applying a checksum routine to the ROMs on the card. Once identified, the software consistently names the card every time in the future. The potential size of its interface card recognition file is unknown ---- my file has about 90 interface cards so far. MECC COMPUTER INSPECTOR was impressive at identifying the interface cards in my IIe, even without pretraining. Two other diagnostics (MASTER DIAGNOSTICS IIE and also XPS DIAGNOSTICS IIE) identified cards but only when pretrained (i.e., card initially identified by user). MASTER DIAGNOSTICS IIE notices whether any ROMs have changed on successive days, and this change could indicate faults in interface cards. BEST DISK MEDIA VERIFIER: XPS DIAGNOSTICS IIE (also known as POWER UP COMPUTER CHECKUP) gives an excellent screen display, identifying specific bad sectors in a repeating series of tests. CERTIFIX is less interesting to watch but CERTIFIX will actually lock out bad sectors, enabling bad-sector disks to be used for data or programs. BEST JOYSTICK/MOUSE TESTS: MASTER DIAGNOSTICS IIE/IIC has an excellent graphics-based mouse-test, but it does not test the joystick. (====================) uses a graphical grid-array to facilitate centering-adjustment of the joystick. XPS DIAGNOSTICS IIE tests either joystick or mouse fully on a single combined text-based screen. BEST PRINTED MANUAL: This is tough to judge because the manuals are unavailable for most software reviewed here. MASTER DIAGNOSTICS IIE/IIC has an excellent manual that explains the various tests and gives advice for corrective or preventative maintenance. BEST DOCS-ON-DISK: YO-YO-DUCK DIAGNOSTICS presents a large set of mediocre tests, but it includes a whole disk-side of excellent docs. The docs are self-booting and are accessed through the opening screen menu. MOST FLEXIBLE SET OF SELF-REPEATING TESTS: APPLE DIAGNOSTICS allows the user to choose any combination of tests, correctly suited for any model (IIe/IIc, IIc+, IIgs), which can repeat endlessly. YO-YO DUCK DIAGNOSTICS has a repeating series of tests (The "Burnin'" series) but the user cannot delete selectively any of the tests. BEST OVERALL DIAGNOSTICS PACKAGE: Master Diagnostics IIc and IIe. These were chosen because of their tests' number, variety, sophistication, and ease of use. The manual also was excellent, giving further information to identify and correct faults. APEX DIAGNOSTICS is a close ranked second. Its abilities to identify interface cards held "under the hood" and to learn the identities of new interface cards are impressive. WORST DIAGNOSTICS: VITESSE DISK DRIVE DIAGNOSTICS are the worst. They are inaccurate and give a simplified yes-no evaluation of drive speed without specifying the criterion applied for passing. My test copies, an original and a backup obtained from a separate source, each failed to terminate its own drive-speed test. Its visual display is primitive, considering its recent date (1993). Company support was deficient; I described by phone the problem to Vitesse, and was told I would have to pay a service fee even to have the disk checked for faults. I declined, reasoning that even if it worked the software was not worth the disk replacement fee demanded by Vitesse. AUTHOR'S NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1. This is the first version (v.1.0) of this review. Readers' comments, corrections, and additions are welcome and they will be added to the next revision. 2. This paper will be updated, especially when further Apple II diagnostics are located. Assistance from readers in locating further Apple II diagnostics will be appreciated and will be added in the next version. Specialized diagnostics for the IIgs are sought in particular. 3. Advice, comments, or software were provided by John Countryman, John Daniels, Tim Gaines, Doug Durkee, Wayne Jones, Jim Poore, Charles "Dr. Tom" Turley, and Joe Walters. Their contributions are gratefully acknowledged. 4. Nearly all diagnostic software reviewed here are out of print today (1996) but they are widely available through informal sources. I will appreciate being notified (and will be amazed) if any of these software packages are supported presently with updates. 5. Readers are welcome to contact me: Stephen Buggie, Psychology Dept., University of New Mexico-Gallup, 200 College Rd., Gallup NM 87301. Office phone: (505) 863-7504. Home phone: (505) 863-2390. Fax: (505) 863-7532. E-mail: buggie@unm.edu