PET 4016, PET 8032, 2031LP out of storage

[RobertB]

     In preparation for the December 20 FCUG meeting in which we will demonstrate the new PET programs, Avalanche and Mayhem from Revival Studios, I pulled out the PET 4016, PET 8032, and 2031LP out of storage.  I was going to use a PET 4032, but when I powered it up the picture was squished vertically; the monitor section would have to be opened up and then the adjustment could then be made.  However, I didn't have time for that.  The PET 4016 (with added memory to bring it up to 32K) and PET 8032 powered up normally.  The 2031LP was not tried out, though.
    That 2031LP came from the warehouse of Albany Microcomputers when the company's representative gave away dozens and dozens of PETs for free a few years ago.  It still has a huge layer of dirt on its case, and I'll have to see if it works (and if not, I can bring in a MSD disk drive).
    Before I left storage, I also grabbed a PET disk drive cable.  Avalanche and Mayhem could also be loaded up from tape, but I have Commodore datasettes ready to go.
    I squeezed the bulky equipment into the back seat of the Ford Crown Vic, and in the next few days I'll inspect the equipment and clean up the interior and exterior of the cases.  Fortunately, the PET 4016 and PET 8032 just need a light dusting on the exterior.

         Truly,
         Robert Bernardo
         Fresno Commodore User Group
         http://videocam.net.au/fcug

[RobertB]

That 2031LP came from the warehouse of Albany Microcomputers when the company's representative gave away dozens and dozens of PETs for free a few years ago.  It still has a huge layer of dirt on its case, and I'll have to see if it works...

I've cleaned up the case which involved lots of rinsing with water, Formula 409 spray cleaner, alcohol-based wet wipes, Goo Gone cleaner, and even a pencil eraser.  It looks pretty good now.  The drive does power up normally, but I haven't hooked it up yet to any PET in order to try it out.  I'll do that soon, especially after I have now scrubbed the drive cable.

Fortunately, the PET 4016 and PET 8032 just need a light dusting on the exterior.

Being more perfectionistic, I attacked the cases with the same above products, except for the water.  The 4016 needed more scrubbing, because even though I had dusted it, there was a layer of dirt which wouldn't come off without more effort.  All of the light-colored exterior surfaces now look nice.  The black, metal exterior bases still have to be given a once over.  I've cleaned the tops of the keys on the keyboard, and I'll have to get into the key crevices with cotton swabs or the wet wipes.
    I opened up the hood on both machines; the motherboard of the 8032 was clean and just needed a slight wipe-down around it; the 4016 board had a layer of dirt which I cleaned off with a soft paintbrush and then wiped off any residue with paper towels when the dust fell into the base.
    Though easily explained, I actually spent hours going through each machine.  I'm almost finished with all of this cleaning now.  As a postscript, I've registered the PETs' serial numbers at http://cbmpet.com and as soon as I determine the functionality of the 2031LP, I'll register that one, too.

         Truly,
         Robert Bernardo
         Fresno Commodore User Group
         http://videocam.net.au/fcug

P.S. The machines are sitting in my classroom right now.  Some students have asked me about the age of the computers and about their value.  I'm glad to give out any information in the promotion of Commodore classic computing!

[RobertB]

In preparation for the December 20 FCUG meeting in which we will demonstrate the new PET programs, Avalanche and Mayhem from Revival Studios, I pulled out the PET 4016, PET 8032, and 2031LP out of storage.  I was going to use a PET 4032, but when I powered it up the picture was squished vertically; the monitor section would have to be opened up and then the adjustment could then be made.  However, I didn't have time for that.  The PET 4016 (with added memory to bring it up to 32K) and PET 8032 powered up normally.

I double-checked the screen output of the PET 4016 and found it to have 80-columns installed.  In essence, it has become a 8032.  O.K., I needed a PET with a 40-column screen, so it's back to the storage this weekend to pull out a working 4032.

         Truly,
         Robert Bernardo
         Fresno Commodore User Group
         http://videocam.net.au/fcug

[RobertB]

I was going to use a PET 4032, but when I powered it up the picture was squished vertically...

Yesterday I went back into the storage to find a PET 4032.  I found one that had been upgraded to 80-columns; however, it only powered up with showing 70 bytes free!
     So, I went back to the original PET 4032 that I first dug out.  It seems to be working somewhat better now.  No longer does it have a vertically-squished screen.  Its 40-column text is jittery, though, and the keyboard doesn't always immediately respond to a keypress.  I will keep exercising its power switch and press down all the socketed chips to see if that will cure the jittery screen.  I'm afraid that curing the keypress problem is different beast.

         Truly,
         Robert Bernardo
         Fresno Commodore User Group
         http://videocam.net.au/fcug