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Allen Bradley Integrated Display PCs


Onoff

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(DON'T mention the BATHROOM!  :ph34r:)

 

I've been offered a couple of old Allen Bradley Integrated Display PCs that'll otherwise be scrapped to have a play with. The place is big on "up cycling" and if it can be made use of rather than binned they're happy for it to go to a good home. Both out of the gennie room. Seemingly both died because they were "running off an inverter" (and "24V"?) is the possible story. The "why" is lost in the midst of time. Heavy beasts for panel mounting but might make a basic desktop pc for the garage etc with a couple of simple legs or frame! :)

 

2017-12-09_08-26-19

 

First, the older and bulkier of the two is a VersaView 1700P a 6181P-17TPXPH. Touch screen, RS232, Centronics, VGA, USB, DVD etc. Powering it up and psu fires up and psu fan runs though noisy. A green light on inside. No screen action. Connecting a VGA monitor and nothing on that.


Second ones a bit newer, again a 1700P, a 6191P 17TPXP so assuming an evolution of the first. Running XP Pro For Embedded Systems, again RS232, Centronics, DVD, USB ports on it (as well as a DVI port), HDD is SATA and accessible externally. Touchscreen as well.

 

Wow! The mobo alone seems worth a few quid!

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MAIN-BOARD-ARMPPCMB-07267-1M-48-6B201-01M-SERIES-COMPEQ-ID33479-/322845273632?_trksid=p2385738.m4383.l4275.c10

 

Got the newer of the two home. (More "crap" as the missus put it so eloquently! :) )

 

Applying power and a get a series of beeps 1/3/4/3. I'm assuming a psu problem. but there's again a green light showing thru the vents. Screen is dead.

 

New CMOS battery in. Whacked in a Linux LIVE disc and it whirrs up, ejects via the button etc. Still no screen action. The Skynet psu is alien to me, 24V? Is this an industrial thing? +24, RTN, EARTH, L & N are the only connections to it:

 

20171209_201443

 

20171209_201515

 

The triangular key "switch?" on the front, what's it for anyone? I'll kick myself if it's an ON switch! :)

 

20171209_201543

 

Anyone got a link to fault codes etc for these?

 

Thinking maybe a Linux install of some sort just for a play maybe using the touchscreen.

 

Cheers

 

EDIT: That triangular key seeming protects the front USB port!

Edited by Onoff
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Just now, MikeSharp01 said:

Do you know what system these were used in / on. My experiance of Allen Bradley is as part of process control systems which might explain why they don't start as the BIOS might be awaiting an input from an external system. Just a thought. 

 

3 bloody great Perkins engined diesel gennies is all I know. Tbh both "died" and got replaced. 40GB SATA hdd in this one. Might be something on it to indicate it's history but I'm not overly bothered. It should boot from a LIVE disc I'd have thought unless something fundamentally wrong with the mobo. I've not even checked if I've got 24VDC coming out of the psu with the meter yet. I must have for the DVD to be working I'm thinking?

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5 minutes ago, MikeSharp01 said:

It won't boot from a live disc if the bios does not have it on the boot list so you need to get to the bios and that might mean holding a couple of keys on the keyboard but it needs the screen live. 

 

I wonder if I physically disconnected the hdd it would default to the DVD as next down the BIOS list?

 

Found this:

 

http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?t=48859

 

I wonder what "dies"?

Edited by Onoff
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Looks like they will.make great door stops but as computers they seem not to be upto.much. The sync system is standard stuff on real time systems and might be the wake up your system needs but given they were replaced you might assume they are broken rather than waiting for a sync command up the RS232 port or some such.

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Even if you can't get them working as PCs, there have to be some useful parts there that are worth salvaging.  If the screens can be made to work, then they alone would be very good for anyone into home CNC, that's looking for a robust monitor.  The same goes with a lot of the other parts, I suspect, as they will be industrial quality components, and presumably a bit better than the typical consumer-level stuff.

 

I acquired a Dell keyboard and monitor via our IT procurement people before I retired, and the quality is very much better than consumer level stuff.  The keyboard is now around 7 years old, yet still looks and works like new, more than can be said for most of the tat that comes supplied with a new PC nowadays.  The monitor doesn't get much use, as I bought a much larger one a few years ago, but is the same sort of robust quality as the keyboard. 

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1 hour ago, ProDave said:

I can't help as the last time I saw an AB pc, it had a CRT screen and ran Windows 3.1

 

Re the POST beeps. Are you sure someone hasn't nicked the memory sicks?

 

Nope, it's got a 1GB stick in it. Just can't fathom the no screen action at all when the DVD is "working". 

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10 minutes ago, MikeSharp01 said:

Should get an rgb output though if integrated screen dead.

 

To get video out from VGA or DVI.....in the BIOS or like in a laptop Fn+F4?

Edited by Onoff
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1 hour ago, MikeSharp01 said:

Should detect it but otherwise try the key Combi is there a manual for these devices? 

 

Having another play. Just tried clearing the CMOS - page 59...to no avail!

 

http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/um/6181p-um002_-en-p.pdf

 

EDIT: Just put the memory in the other slot and it started "better"....no 1/3/4/3 beeping. Just ONE single beep. Going to put the touch screen back on now...

Edited by Onoff
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GET IN THERE! :):):)

 

I had a spare PC2 memory stick in yet another "piece of crap" I was considering dumping! Seems it was the memory stick at fault. 

 

Just got to decide on what flavour to put on it but looking good!

 

20171210_151811

 

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2 minutes ago, MikeSharp01 said:

Not a great deal of help but only halfway through - got to the jumper CMOS reset.

 

Oops cross posted - well done.

 

 

Belay that, its DIMM slot 1 that appears goosed. The 1GB original stick works in slot 2:

 

2017-12-10_03-35-40

 

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So its an Intel Core Duo  CPU U2500 1.2GHz with 1GB RAM. 

 

Where do all the drivers live in XP in case I want to go back to it as a pure XP machine for just AutoCAD? 

 

Seems Zorin OS has good touchscreen support. Just downloading 12.2.

Edited by Onoff
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In the drivers directory of the windows directory might have  win32 directory in between can't recall exact structure and away from my pc. It will find them for itself and yiu can get the them via the control panel / systems memu. Make sure your don't connect a raw XP machine without the fire wall turned on, to your network in case it gets compromised. 

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