Re: TI-H: k questions

To: ti-hardware@lists.ticalc.org
Subject: Re: TI-H: k questions
From: TGaArdvark@aol.com
Date: Mon, 21 Sep 1998 23:17:06 EDT
Delivered-To: ti-hardware-outgoing@towerguard.unix.edu.sollentuna.se
Reply-To: ti-hardware@lists.ticalc.org

> k i was messing around with my TI-83 again, and i remmeber something i
> saw on the TICALC.ORG site (think it was that one).  and well i
> punched in the code to see what ROM date it has, and well i hit the
> enter key to do a self test???
> 
> anyways it went on for about 70seconds, and then i finally turned the
> thing off... well a few dowzen vertical lines appeared on the
> screenand then when i did turn it off, and then on again the number 11
> was on the screen.  
> 
> 
> well i turned it off/on again, and teh normal "home" prompt appeared,
> i am just wondering, ... well.   was that a bad thing??? i mean did i
> just mess the little guy/girl(hey i have no idea what sex a calc is)
> up???  
> 
> i did reset, and swipe the RAM once or twice after that, so should it
> be ok???

This is what the self-test does: First it does a hardware/port check.
Then a ROM check (I think it just checks checksums).  These 
are done instantly at the start of the test.  Next is the RAM test.
You will see a number incrementing in the middle of the screen.
Each time the number increments, the calculator has overwritten
and checked the RAM once (excluding video memory).  It
appears that ascending values (0-255) are written to each byte of
RAM (0,1,2,...255,0...).  This test will theoretically go on forever
(or until 65535 or something).  To end it, wait until 3 or 4 and then
hit [ON].  The next is the screen/video memory test.  The
calculator will write patterns to the screen and change the
contrast and stuff.  Press [ENTER] to go through the test
screens (of which I think there are 16).  You can skip this test
by pressing [ON].  Last is the keyboard test.  11 will appear
on the screen, prompting you to press key 11 (consult the
chart in the programming section of your manual for key-#
equivalents; for now it starts with [F1] and then in order by
row).  It will prompt you to press every key excluding
[ON].  Press [ON] to skip this test.  "OK" will be displayed
in the center of the screen assuming the test was passed
successfully.  If an error was located, the test would halt
and the calculator would display the name of the failed
device and then the word "FAIL" (I.E., "RAM FAIL").  To
skip the entire test, press [ON] three times (as you did
when attempting to shut off your calculator).

No, you did not hurt your calculator, though you did not help
it either (and you never got your test results back).  There is
no way to permanently affect your calculator through software
(though a brick might work).  The calculator will be restored
to the way you got it (assuming you did not utilize that brick)
if you remove all five batteries for a few minutes.  I would
encourage you to run the test again, just so you know how
to get through it so you don't end up panicking again.  NOTE:
Running the self test always erases your memory.