HP E4406A Questions - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: RCHRDM
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 22, 2019, 03:45:07 pm
content: Does anyone have activation codes or licenses for the E4406A personalities?I installed a better flash memory board and updated the firmware. I am getting a message that "synthesizer calibration coefficients" are not loaded. Is there a way I can correct this?Richard

author: picburner
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2019, 08:07:29 pm
content: I upgraded to the latest firmware version when I purchased this instruments five years ago.If I remember correctly the update software, before proceeding with the update, asks to save the calibration coefficients and saves them in a folder.After the update you are asked to top up these coefficients (it seems to me that the procedure is not automatic).Regarding the licenses, looking in this forum, there are instructions for activate them (the procedure requires good computer skills).Could you tell me the HP part number of the Flash card (I guess it's the 64MBytes type) you updated?

author: RCHRDM
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2019, 08:34:11 pm
content: Thanks for your reply.The card I purchased from eBay is HP part number: E4406-60236-79-0403-00075.I have the HP maintenance floppy and downloaded settings from the original card onto a blank floppy. After I installed the new eBay card and updated the firmware to 10.7 (latest), I started up the E4406A with the backup floppy in the disk drive. The instrument ran the drive and appeared to load the data from the floppy. However, the synthesize cal error continued to appear.I have received help with the licenses from this board, thanks.Richard

author: picburner
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2019, 08:04:43 pm
content: I continue here because in PM I can't attach files.I am attaching the folder with my configuration.You should have two similar folders in both the E4406A and the floppy you used to upgrade.If I remember correctly the calibration data should be in the "EPROM1" file.If the files do not match (not with mine that I sent you now, but yours!) or are not present on the E4406A,the error message you receive is explained.

author: RCHRDM
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2019, 10:53:27 pm
content: Thanks! It's great to get some help with this! I appreciate your expertise.This file looks a bit like the one saved on the backup floppy I made.I will check it out.Richard

author: RCHRDM
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2019, 12:58:58 am
content: My EPROM1 file has zero bytes when I FTP to it on the E4406A.I had trouble moving your EEPROM1 file from a pen drive over to the E4406A via FTP. The PC also did not want to copy any of the files you sent over to the backup floppy.The Mac seems to handle this just fine, so I just copied all the CONFIG files you sent over to the backup floppy using my Mac.I just tried loading the files via the floppy drive on the E4406A and IT WORKED!! No error message. THANKS!It is so great to fix this error. It was not that important, I guess, but it was annoying!Richard

author: picburner
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2019, 04:40:07 am
content: The error message then was due to the "EEPROM1" file with zero bytes.However you have not completely eliminated the problem yet because you put my file with the calibration data of my E4406A!You should search and put the original file of your E4406A otherwise your instrument is not calibrated. (or you should perform a complete calibration of the instrument, a titanic undertaking).Before removing the old Flash memory from your instrument you should have saved the configuration because it is through the old flash memory that you can get the right "EEPROM1" file you need!P.S. The firmware A.10.08 (about 32MBytes) has been removed from the Keysight site, I can send it if you give me an email in PM.

author: RCHRDM
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2019, 07:05:24 am
content: Thanks. I did run the utilities disk and it backed up the old flash memory onto a blank floppy. I don't know why the EEPROM1 file on that floppy was empty.I guess I could FTP into the E4406A with the old flash board in place and manually save out the the EEPROM1 file.Does that make sense?Richard

author: picburner
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2019, 07:12:52 am
content: Quote from: RCHRDM on September 29, 2019, 07:05:24 amI think the thing is feasible.

author: RCHRDM
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2019, 04:00:05 pm
content: Is there a way to read and write HP-UX data on a DOS formatted floppy on the PC? When I try to look at data on the backup floppies on a PC, I get error messages that the data are corrupted. I can see the files (e.g, EEPROM1) in a command window, but not their contents. I can copy files from one folder to another on the Mac, but not see their contents. In fact, oddly, the Mac inserts some other text from somewhere on the Mac when I try to view files like EEPROM1.I am just trying to look at several backup floppies I made to see if the EEPROM1 data are recorded.Where are you located? I am in California, USA.Richard

author: RCHRDM
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2019, 04:04:30 pm
content: Well, to answer my own question, there is a web site that supports reading HP-UX files at:https://filext.com/file-extension/HP-UXMany of the Config files are binary and so can't be read normally.Richard

author: picburner
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2019, 04:45:50 pm
content: With my PC I can easily see the contents of all files without problems.Quote from: RCHRDM on September 29, 2019, 04:00:05 pmUm, we're very far apart, if you look at my flag you understand how much.

author: RCHRDM
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2019, 03:11:55 am
content: I took the instrument apart again and put in the original flash memory board. I FTPed into the machine. For some strange reason, the EEPROM1 file on that board is empty! No cal files! What happened to them? I am pretty sure that the missing cal coefficients error message did not appear when I first got the instrument.So, I am using your cal coefficients. What effect might that have on my instrument?Richard

author: RCHRDM
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2019, 03:14:19 am
content: picburner:I got the 10.08 firmware update. I ran it and was able to use the first part of the installer where you input the IP address. I was surprised! I have always had to use the non-functional instrument method. It saved the settings out of the instrument during that process and it looks like they were all re-installed.Thanks!Richard

author: picburner
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2019, 08:04:46 am
content: Quote from: RCHRDM on September 30, 2019, 03:11:55 amThe instrument works but is not calibrated.If you have a calibrated source (1mW @ 50MHz of a power meter for example) you can do a check.Quote from: RCHRDM on September 30, 2019, 03:14:19 amCheck, making a file compare, that the "EPROM1" file is not always mine!

author: RCHRDM
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2019, 04:15:33 pm
content: I will check the file.I do have a calibrated signal source and will try that out later today.Richard

author: RCHRDM
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2019, 11:29:37 pm
content: I am attaching a screen shot of what I see with a 50 MHz, 2 dBm input. I checked and the signal generator is accurate. The measurement seems too low.Richard

author: RCHRDM
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 01, 2019, 04:08:41 am
content: I checked this measurement on my digital oscilloscope too. I measured the 50 MHz signal in Vrms at 50 ohms and converted to dBm using an online calculator. The result was 1.4752 dBm, similar to the E4406A's measurement.There's something basic I don't understand yet about these measurements. Why are the E4406A and scope measurements less than 2 dBm?Richard

author: raindom
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 26, 2020, 04:45:08 pm
content: Thank you guys for sharing the information about the E4406A. I recently acquired one from Ebay. It is a very nice VSA but the flash memory on my E4406A is limited. I bought a used E4406-60060 CPU board that came with a flash memory card installed with it. I want to upgrade the flash memory card for it but it did not come with a utilities disk. Does anyone know where I can download a copy of the E4406A Transmittter Tester Utilities disk (floppy disk file software) so I can save the configuration of my instrument before changing out the flash memory board? Thank you in advance for the help.

author: RCHRDM
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2020, 05:03:07 pm
content: Yes, I think I have the utilities disk. It's been a while since I used it, so I will need to look for it.Richard

author: raindom
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 26, 2020, 05:06:38 pm
content: Thank you Richard. I appreciate it.

author: RCHRDM
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 27, 2020, 05:13:52 am
content: I found the disk. I too went through quite a bit of work to increase the memory on my E4406A. It works OK now but I seem to recall that I lost a calibration file. I have some notes in MS Word that may be useful.How can I get the data on the disk to you? I could attach it here somehow? Or make a copy and mail it to you?I will see if I can make it into a zip file - when I find my floppy drive!Richard

author: raindom
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 27, 2020, 07:56:05 pm
content: Thank you Richard. The additional information you provided is very useful. Can you zip the file and share it in this forum. Hopefully you find your floppy drive.