HP 8510C Operating System, corrupted disc

[xerxes]

Hi,

I recently bought a 11575J Firmware upgrade kit,
the 85101-80114 security key works fine, not so much
the Firmware Floppy Disc (81501-80116). There is a disc error and the
PG_8510C File is corrupted.

Could somebody be so nice and send me a copy of the content of this disc, or any
8510C V7 operating system?

with very kind regards,

Gerhard.

[jjoonathan]

Ah, maybe we can help each other! I've got an 8510C with OS version 07.14 and a floppy drive and I would like to back up the OS. Unfortunately, I haven't figured out how. I'd be happy to share the image, naturally.


// Sanity check (does the floppy drive work?)
DISC > SETUP DISK > INITIALIZE DOS DISK > YES
DISC > STORE > MORE > DATA > STORE FILE (implicitly chooses name "DD")
insert floppy into USB floppy drive, plug into Windows or Ubuntu
drive mounts, the file "DD" is visible and accessible and has data
cool, everything as expected

// Trying to save an OS image onto a DOS formatted disk fails:
DISC > SETUP DISK > INITIALIZE DOS DISK > YES
SYSTEM > MORE > SERVICE FUNCTIONS > TEST MENU > 20 RECORD PROGRAM DISC > STORE FILE
 ==> DISC READ ERROR

// Fine, there's an init option next to "RECORD PRORAM DISK", maybe it wants that format, and then I can send the raw floppy contents as an iso.
SYSTEM > MORE > SERVICE FUNCTIONS > TEST MENU > 21 INITIALIZE DISC
SYSTEM > MORE > SERVICE FUNCTIONS > TEST MENU > 20 RECORD PROGRAM DISC > STORE FILE
==> DISC OPERATION COMPLETE
insert floppy into USB floppy drive, plug into Ubuntu computer
(/dev/sdb appears)
$ sudo dd if=/dev/sdb of=~/Desktop/8510C_fw.iso conv=sync,noerror
dd: error reading '/dev/sdb': Input/output error
0+0 records in
0+0 records out
0 bytes copied
dd: error reading '/dev/sdb': Input/output error
0+1 records in
1+0 records out
512 bytes copied
(repeats)

// Try on Windows
insert floppy into USB floppy drive, plug into Windows computer
wait
click on A:
The disk media is not recognized. It may not be formatted.


I repeated the sanity check to ensure that the problem wasn't with the floppy or floppy drive. There's something on linux that's preventing me from doing a raw copy of the floppy using dd. Ideas?

[jjoonathan]

To clarify, if you can figure out how to write the OS to a floppy and then image that floppy on a computer -- mac, windows, or linux -- I'd be happy to try the procedure on my 8510C and post the image. I also have GPIB, if there's a way to do it over GPIB.

[kn-dima]

You can use LIFUTIL to copy files from LIF disk to DOS disk and back, and to format LIF disk.

https://www.keysight.com/us/en/lib/software-detail/computer-software/lifutil--reading-keysight-lif-disks-on-msdos-1000000786epsgsud.html

I am trying to update 8510C program from v6 to v7.
Found v7 floppy disk image at ko4bb site, but couldn't write the image to the floppy. I cant find a PC compartible with Dave's Dunfield Imagedisk.

[kn-dima]

v7 firmware disk image from ko4bb site is unusable.
(http://www.ko4bb.com/getsimple/index.php?id=download&file=HP_Agilent/HP_8510_Network_Analyzer/HP_8510C_Operating_System_Discs_EPROM_V6_and_V7.zip)
Last tracks of both v6 and v7 disks was corrupted by the testfdc utility before the images was made, so disks cant be read by 8510C or lifutils.

Can somebody help me with 8510C v7 program?

[4x6uj]

Dima,
Did you manage in the end to find a working floppy image for the 8510C?
Thanks,
Serge

[kn-dima]

You can download firmware there: https://groups.io/g/HP-Agilent-Keysight-equipment/files/All%20HP,%20Agilent%20and%20Keysight%20instruments%20in%20folders%20by%20part%20numbers/8000%20to%208999/8510C%20Vector%20Network%20Analyzer/Firmware