Well, I was asked to write something for this newsletter and this being so, be not be surprised if I write. So I write. And if you don’t like what I write, you can go elsewhere for Your jollies. No suggestions being offered.
When I first started using the Z88, I had no idea in the world as to what I was getting into – sometimes I still wonder if I know what I am into getting.
No matter. a short time after I started using my Z88. I happened to try bouncing it off a hard-wood floor. a most unwise thing to do as the expense of doing so is so great, and being a dedicated Sinclairite, I have an aversion to spending money on little black boxes: you could not prove this by looking at my Computer Room. Anyway, I found that the Z88 DOES NOT BOUNCE, it just falls with a loud nerve shattering THUNKETY, an’ jes’ sets ther’, lookin’ up at me with a pained expression. Which, by the way, is no more pained than the expression with which I gaze downwards. (Is there such a thing as a GENTLE thunk? (thunkity?) I thunk not)
However. I appear to have drifted off the topic I started with, so I will now get back to that topic if you are still with me.
I left you at the point where I was preparing to pick up my Z88 from the hard wooden floor where it fell. It was all in one piece thank goodness, but when I started trying to use it, I found that there was little screen representation. If I tapped the bottom of the case, there were a number of lines shooting back and forth across the screen. Sometimes a howl and/or a whistle could be heard emanating from this little do-hickey that is provided for that purpose. Sometimes they (the noises) changed in pitch and intensity. So much so, that those who were with me at that time were blaming my hearing aid for the howls, but I knew that that was not possible as I had just that moment checked it out for myself. Many soft resets and I pass the machine around those present.
Suddenly – one of my friends snorted a shout of glee, and said the damned thing was now OK.
So I get home, and my little box of amazement is still OK, for two days at least that is, when the same thing occurred. Tap on the bottom – lines on screen. This appeared to indicate to me that the power was getting there sometimes somehow. Out with the screw driver, (this should be part of the Sinclair package) to discover that the positive plate of the compartment which holds the batteries, was broken. I guess the weight of the batteries moving in the thunkity (fall) had caused the damage. A little epoxy, followed by a soft reset, and all was in order.
Time passes, until I was in the car one day, just investigating the attributes of my Z88 while waiting for some work to be done on the car, when my Z88 again took ill. As soon as I get a couple of hundred bucks in my wallet. the car automatically knows it is there and decides to go on strike for twice what I have, (at the very least.)
Anyway, I was sitting in the car with all this stuff being spilled on the screen. Flashes of lines. Lines (rows) of letters, rows (lines) of symbols. Then my Z88 really took sick indeed. I never knew there was so much in such a small space.
A tap here and there. a few – quite a few – soft resets, and all is well. For another couple of days anyway, but then there was a relapse, with once again many eruptions of unwanted undesirable material. I wanted to help my poor machine so much! I tried many taps and caresses in various parts of its anatomy, but all was to no avail, the only sensible emanation I got from my ailing Z88 was the FAIL, flashing at me from the top right hand corner of the screen. I did not have to be told my friend had failed, that was only too obvious, but it was reassuring to know that my friend was not quite dead – yet, that my friend was still able to speak to me. At this stage I was all prepared to send my little friend to my favorite surgeon in Cabool, I am sure many of you have made use of his services at one time or other. Many many resets did not do any good.
This being so, I had a lot of stuff stowed away in various parts of the memory that I would not like others to see, so I decided to try and erase all that stuff, prior to wrapping it up for the Postal Ambulance. So I opened up the little door at the front where the RAM card is installed, removed the 128K RAM cartridge, and then when I tried the machine there was no screen display. None what-so-ever! Plug the cartridge back in, no better, read the manual, AHHH! a soft reset – and all is well !!!
On top of that – I lost not a whit of my secret data. It was all there. And my t-rusty Z88 is all recovered. There does not seem to be any sign of temperature in either Z88 or Yours truly, so I guess the recovery is just about complete. Much to the happiness of all concerned.
We all hope there will not be another relapse. There being only one question left unanswered:-
Wha happent?
The RAM cartridge got disloged from the fall, and by re-inserting it, you fixed the problem.