Has anyone had any success with older RSS on newer computers

[Charlie B]

Like the title says.

I find it very hard to find older 386/486 computers for radio programming anymore. I have an older Pentium 400MHz computer that I can install DOS on to run RSS, but I am concerned that the RSS will crash, or I will brick the radios.
I know that a 3GHz processor running Windows 7 isn't a good choice at all, but with limited choices.. What does one do?

The radios are mostly Maxtracs, Maratracs, and Spectras that I'll be programming

So, has anyone had any success with newer or somewhat newer computers for running RSS?

[Johnno]

Hi,

I have a couple of maxtracs that I program with old RSS. Also do some GP300's, SyntrxPro and others that are all done on DOS.
For the OLD slow machines, you just need to make sure you are running a version of native DOS.
I use WIN95, It gives me the benefit of using just one machine for both Windows and DOS.
I have had sucess loading up a flash drive as a bootable DOS drive. Contained on the USB drive is some DOS software and I have had no trouble using it on a Dell D810 running at 2.13GHz.

Have a search for 'DOS bootable flash drive'.

Hope this helps.

John

[Jim202]

Like the title says.

I find it very hard to find older 386/486 computers for radio programming anymore. I have an older Pentium 400MHz computer that I can install DOS on to run RSS, but I am concerned that the RSS will crash, or I will brick the radios.
I know that a 3GHz processor running Windows 7 isn't a good choice at all, but with limited choices.. What does one do?

The radios are mostly Maxtracs, Maratracs, and Spectras that I'll be programming

So, has anyone had any success with newer or somewhat newer computers for running RSS?

Your not looking very hard for older computers. If you look in the for sale section of your local newspaper, you should
find some for sale. Try going to some of the older computer repair shops in your area. Try putting an add in the paper.

The computers are there, you just have to take the effort to locate them. You might have to rebuild it and put a
new hard drive into the computer. Big problem here in doing that is to have the software to make it work. Many
of the older computers still have the drivers available if you look hard enough on the internet.

Jim

[FireCpt809]

I have 2 laptops. One I run win 95 and run all my RSS in DOS and my Astro saber/xts3000 CPS on. The other I have win 98 for all my CPS for Astro what not. Its sometimes a pain to have 2 but it avoids any issues. I did have my RSS machine take a dump on me. A quick search of ebay found the identical machine and I bought 2 for $27 shipped the only thing I had to do is move the hard drive and battery and I was back in business.

[Charlie B]

I appreciate all the replies. I have looked hard around here. I live in a rural area and mot of the folks around here have newer machines rather than the old boatanchors.

I stopped by the local computer shop today and the guy said that the oldest machine he has is a pentium 400MHz like the one I have. Dirt cheap though. I bought it for a spare. I'll try to install DOS and windows 98 on both and see what happens.

I'll also try the USB stick deal and see if that'll work as well

[linkinpark9812]

I appreciate all the replies. I have looked hard around here. I live in a rural area and mot of the folks around here have newer machines rather than the old boatanchors.

I stopped by the local computer shop today and the guy said that the oldest machine he has is a pentium 400MHz like the one I have. Dirt cheap though. I bought it for a spare. I'll try to install DOS and windows 98 on both and see what happens.

I'll also try the USB stick deal and see if that'll work as well

For my spectra and HT1000, I use a Dell Laptop clocked at 1Ghz, and it will program both radios no problems, even with cache on. Just make sure they are the newer RSS's that are processor speed INDEPENDENT, you are running in REAL DOS, and have a real serial port on your computer with FIFO turned off (usually FIFO is turned off by default) and you should be good to go!

[Jim202]

I appreciate all the replies. I have looked hard around here. I live in a rural area and mot of the folks around here have newer machines rather than the old boatanchors.

I stopped by the local computer shop today and the guy said that the oldest machine he has is a pentium 400MHz like the one I have. Dirt cheap though. I bought it for a spare. I'll try to install DOS and windows 98 on both and see what happens.

I'll also try the USB stick deal and see if that'll work as well

You might want to scrounge up a file called "cacheoff.com" that can be obtained off the internet with little effort.

On many of the faster computers I have of the older type, it was almost required that the cacheoff program be
started before many of the Motorola software packages.

There is another program called "moslo.com pro" that can be had for about $29 off the internet. This program
is much better than the original moslo program that has been around for ages. It allows you to adjust the
slow down that you need to fit the different computers. It actually has an option to let you choose what
percent of the computer clock speed you want to use. It also has a number of other features.

With that all said, I have found a couple of slower computers that just don't like to work with the Syntor X9000
software. Have a number of different versions of the software and have found that I have one computer that
just won't play well with the Syntor X9000. So marked it as such and used another slow computer I have.

Jim

[Charlie B]

Thanks guys.

I have done a lot of Moto repair and programming over the years, but got out of it and sold all my stuff a few years ago.

Now that I am back into it, I never thought that it would be hard to find what I need. I still have all my RSS, and not too sure if I have the new Spectra release though.... As it has been about 10 yrs or so since I did radio.

But if not, I'm sure there is a workaround in DOS to get the older ones to work.

[linkinpark9812]

Thanks guys.

I have done a lot of Moto repair and programming over the years, but got out of it and sold all my stuff a few years ago.

Now that I am back into it, I never thought that it would be hard to find what I need. I still have all my RSS, and not too sure if I have the new Spectra release though.... As it has been about 10 yrs or so since I did radio.

But if not, I'm sure there is a workaround in DOS to get the older ones to work.

I'm sure you have the latest Spectra RSS release, even if it has been 10 years.

Here is the "Pentium compatible versions" (aka processor speed independent) of different RSS software: http://batboard.batlabs.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=52894

The latest Spectra RSS release was July of 1993 with a version # of R06.00.05.

you may be able to go to your computer's BIOS and select a processor speed of "compatible" which will reduce the speed of the processor. Also try turning off your L1 cache off. You can use CACHEOFF.COM, which you can find on the internet, or you can create your own with this simple process: http://www.rigacci.org/docs/biblio/onli ... cheoff.htm

That will show you how to create CACHEOFF.COM and CACHEON.COM.

Good Luck!

[train_radio_guy]

Charlie,

How did you 'make out' with your DOS computer situation? I may have a lead on some reasonably priced DOS laptops, should you still have a need for one.

Drop me a line, when you have a free moment.


Thanks,

- trg,