HP 1662E Logic Analyzer HDD Replacement - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: panman
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2020, 01:22:56 am
content: I just picked up an HP 1662E logic analyzer from eBay. For a first logic analyzer looks to be very capable. And thanks to all who posted inhttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/hp-logic-analyzer-inverse-assemblers/as I learned quite a bit from that thread.The hard drive was removed prior to the sale and so the unit has no internal storage. Although it has a floppy, it fails to read DSHD floppies, formatted FAT, (floppy self-test fails). Setting that aside for the moment as my primary concern is the lack of HDD. Without internal storage I can’t store configurations or test results (e.g. list output). Configuration is not an issue right now as I’m am using Python through the LA’s RS-232 port for configuration. Saving output is as I would like to be able to upload test results via the network and there appears no way to transfer memory resident results.Having read the above mentioned thread and gleaned there are some restrictions. One post references a 32GB HD limit on the 1670G. The data sheet shows a 2GB HD. Armed with that info I first tried a 32GB laptop IDE HD from eBay with no luck. I also found a 2GB IDE SSD drive meant to emulate vintage HDs. The one I purchased washttps://www.ebay.com/itm/2GB-SSD-Replace-Old-2-5-IDE-Laptop-Drives-with-this-44-PIN-SSD-Card-Adapter/312585530382?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649.Both drives were partitioned and unformatted. Both exhibit the same symptoms when plugged into the analyzer. I get the following error at boot time and no way to get past it. Any help would be appreciated.Thanks, Ron

author: TK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2020, 02:48:41 am
content: The 1662E does not store the OS in the hard drive, so there must be an issue with the installed OS in the flash memory. I recommend you to download the firmware and prepare a diskette (I assume it must be LIF format) to reload a fresh OS

author: panman
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 17, 2020, 11:37:28 pm
content: TK, so to be clear, the logic analyzer is 100% functional other than the storage subsystem (no HDD and FDD not working). I only get the software error when I connect an IDE HDD drive. I have found that trying to format a floppy results in a CRC error (both FAT and LIF). Any attempt to connect a HDD (2GB IDE Master) results in the software boot error.Given the lack of a storage subsystem (I suspect disk controller failure on the processor board), I have used python/PyVisa to program the unit via the RS232 port and also pull list data back (pulling list data back is a bit slow but it works). That seems to work just fine. So I do have a very usable system.Given the disfucntional FDD, I really have no way to reload OS. And given the system is usable (I actually like Python/PyVisa for configuring the unit as easier than the front panel) I'm tempted to just leave it as is.The motivation for purchasing the LA was to repair an HP 5342A microwave frequency counter. I have 3 of them, one dysfunctional and through module swap, found the issue to be in the microprocessor board (Motorola 6800, one RAM chip, three 2K x 8 ROMs and some address decode). I was able to determine one of the three ROMs was bad (luckily the 5342A has DIP switches that allow it to sweep the address space). Using the bad and good unit, I was able to pull the ROM contents from all 3 ROMs, confirm the bad ROM, program a 2716 EEPROM with good data and "substitute" it for the failed ROM. Some jury rigging required as pinouts were different, the original ROM has 3 chip enables and the 2716 only has one. So the 2716 and a 7410 on a prototype board worked. The LA interface (configuration and pulling results back) was all done with Python. The good and bad ROM contents were sucked into Excel, compared, good contents converted to Intel HEX format and then written to the 2716. Great and fun exercise.Ron

author: Igorela
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 17, 2024, 06:30:19 pm
content: I faced the same problem and the way out is actually very simple. The hard drive is being changed to a similar one, I took an order of magnitude larger volume, and got the same error. It is necessary to farm it in agilent. It's all there in the hdd settings. And immediately the analyzer accepts it and the error goes away.