Tektronix TLA714 Logic Analyzer

[cswilsn]

Hey Everyone,

I had bestowed to me a Tektronix TLA 714 Logic Analyzer, however, I had a few issues....

The hard died, after only a short period of time, I restored from an image however, i'm having a problem finding a small enough IDE hard drive.

The BIOS only supports up to an 8GB Drive, I put a 40 and a 60 in the machine, which I was able to find, and no go. I do get windows installed but after about a half day of operation the hard drive starts having errors, machine locks up and scandisk finds a lot of problems.

I got nowhere with Tektronix trying to buy a BIOS update, and none of the vendors online seem to carry it.

is anyone out there lucky enough to have one? I'd be more than grateful to find an image!

I'm not sure, but I think it may have also been included on one of the system disks?

Thanks a bunch,

Chris W

[marshallh]

Get an IDE-CF adapter and a 2-4GB compactflash card.

The failures sound like old Maxtors after they've been revived from storage.

[TiN]

Let me check, but i had no issues to boot my TLA714 with 20GB drive.
Is there procedure or tool which can be used to download BIOS ROM?
It's soldered on PCB, so I would not desolder it yet

But after all I installed small HDD and use TLA purely via ethernet from my main workstation.
Found it working remote much more easier and faster than local TLA app. Maybe stock TLA old app is fine, but I used TLA version 5.8 for better features

Also I do have extra working mainboard, which I don't actually need much, so let me know if u interested.

[nctnico]

I installed a 4GB CF drive in my TLA704. Works like charm. These are pretty cheap from Dealextreme.com.

[picburner]

Hi TiN,

I'd be interested in buying one of your spare main board if you can sell it.
Let me know, thanks.

Regards
Giampiero

[Khashoggi]

Let me check, but i had no issues to boot my TLA714 with 20GB drive.
Is there procedure or tool which can be used to download BIOS ROM?
It's soldered on PCB, so I would not desolder it yet

But after all I installed small HDD and use TLA purely via ethernet from my main workstation.
Found it working remote much more easier and faster than local TLA app. Maybe stock TLA old app is fine, but I used TLA version 5.8 for better features

Also I do have extra working mainboard, which I don't actually need much, so let me know if u interested.

I have a TLA714 upgraded with Windows XP running TLA 5.1 application. No later versions will let me install because the installshield wizard blocks the install. I can't get the files extracted to do it manually either. How did you get 5.8 onto your TLA714?

Thanks for the help!

[TiN]

Let me check, but from what I remember, just installed 5.1 and then installed higher versions one by one.
My LA runs Win2K Pro SP4. But I can be wrong, as I don't use TLA App on LA itself, use only remote connection. Pentium 266 is laggy when processing all that heavy GUI.

As soon as server app on LA is 5.1 version, you can use even latest 6.1.0127 on remote host via PCMCIA LAN.

[Khashoggi]

Let me check, but from what I remember, just installed 5.1 and then installed higher versions one by one.
My LA runs Win2K Pro SP4. But I can be wrong, as I don't use TLA App on LA itself, use only remote connection. Pentium 266 is laggy when processing all that heavy GUI.

As soon as server app on LA is 5.1 version, you can use even latest 6.1.0127 on remote host via PCMCIA LAN.

Interesting... The Tektronix website has versions 5.1, 5,6, 5.7, 5.8 and then the 6.x releases.

The 5.1 release was a zipped archive with a setup program.

The 5.6-5.8 releases all use a installshield wizard type install program. It contains all the files encrypted within, and during install checks machine type and refuses on a TLA 714.

I've tried some extraction methods of the files in the installshield archive, but none have been successful to date.

If you have installers for versions to take the unit up to 5.8 that don't care about the machine type, I would be very grateful to get copies.

My main workstation for using the TLA is Windows 7 which requires v5.6 or higher to be compatible with Win7. Those versions require me to upgrade the firmware on the TLA module which I don't want to do unless I can run the same version on the TLA714 because they might become incompatible with the higher firmware.

The fun continues with the 6.x releases. They drop support for the TDS scope I want to use with iview in combination with the TLA logic analyzer. So, I am limited to 5.8 on the Windows 7 workstation, and would like to get the TDS714  up to the same version.

Thanks for your help!

[TiN]

Just got back home and checked TLA.

My bad, it's running TLA App 5.1 Service pack 1, and my single 7AA4 module updated to 5.8.001 firmware (it still works fine with local TLA App 5.1).
I run 6.1.127 version on my main WS (under Win2008 R2 x64). Before was running 5.8, but had issues with DDR3 support package, so updated to 6.0 and 6.1 after.

As for iView, yea, they killed 7xx scopes in latest versions. Mine CSA7404 and lab TDS7704B works ok with generic NI USB-GPIB-HS, tho

[Khashoggi]

Just got back home and checked TLA.

My bad, it's running TLA App 5.1 Service pack 1, and my single 7AA4 module updated to 5.8.001 firmware (it still works fine with local TLA App 5.1).
I run 6.1.127 version on my main WS (under Win2008 R2 x64). Before was running 5.8, but had issues with DDR3 support package, so updated to 6.0 and 6.1 after.

As for iView, yea, they killed 7xx scopes in latest versions. Mine CSA7404 and lab TDS7704B works ok with generic NI USB-GPIB-HS, tho

OK, that's good info! I will update the firmware on my module then so it can talk to the later version clients. Cheers!

[nctnico]

With some hacking of installer scripts I managed to get a later version of the software working on my TLA704.

[Khashoggi]

With some hacking of installer scripts I managed to get a later version of the software working on my TLA704.

I haven't looked too deeply into how to hack installshield. Trying some decompression programs on the archive didn't yield any interesting files, or the control scripts. I used zipscan.

How did you hack into the scripts?

[nctnico]

I think I used a tool called ISDCC (installshield decompiler), installshield compilers (i5comp or i6comp) and some hacking skills to create a new package. Anyway, the highest version my TLA704 supports is 4.4 which is already a major improvement over version 3.3.

[bench_knob]

Hi Kashoggi,
 

The 5.6-5.8 releases all use a installshield wizard type install program. It contains all the files encrypted within, and during install checks machine type and refuses on a TLA 714.
 
 I've tried some extraction methods of the files in the installshield archive, but none have been successful to date.

 
I installed TLA App v5.1 on my TLA704 (using the RFDes install script tweak) which is now running Win2k Pro SP4. To do so, (following the good instructions by RF Des), I needed to unpack the SETUP.EXE file. I used a sw tool to break-out the files from the SETUP.EXE self-expanding packed install program.
   
Having tracked down and tested dozens of unpacker tools, the only one that I found that works, is the Universal_Extractor v1.6.1.62. It is available on the 'Net.
 
Last evening, I dugout my copy and tested the tool on TLA v5.6 & v5.8 for you:
 Universal_Extractor_1.6.1.62_Portable.rar 
 
When I downloaded the tool (01-07-2013), using McAfee AV, I scanned the unpacker tool for virii and double-checked for back-doors using a port monitor and I found nothing wrong with the version I downloaded. The program's author offers source-code so its likely safe, but if you are still uncertain, you can review the source code, and compile it yourself and, you can then test that on a don't-giva-hoot PC. In any case, verify things for yourself!!
 
You can download the tool from here:
 http://depositfiles.com/files/qr0dh09gk
 
Cheers,
 
bench knob
edit: fixed lexicals

 

[nctnico]

Are you sure 5.1 can run on a TLA704? I recall trying that but there where problems with the drivers to access the hardware / the software needing Windows XP to work.

[Khashoggi]

Hi Kashoggi,
 

The 5.6-5.8 releases all use a installshield wizard type install program. It contains all the files encrypted within, and during install checks machine type and refuses on a TLA 714.
 
 I've tried some extraction methods of the files in the installshield archive, but none have been successful to date.

 
I installed TLA App v5.1 on my TLA704 (using the RFDes install script tweak) which is now running Win2k Pro SP4. To do so, (following the good instructions by RF Des), I needed to unpack the SETUP.EXE file. I used a sw tool to break-out the files from the SETUP.EXE self-expanding packed install program.
   
Having tracked down and tested dozens of unpacker tools, the only one that I found that works, is the Universal_Extractor v1.6.1.62. It is available on the 'Net.
 
Last evening, I dugout my copy and tested the tool on TLA v5.6 & v5.8 for you:
 Universal_Extractor_1.6.1.62_Portable.rar 
 
When I downloaded the tool (01-07-2013), using McAfee AV, I scanned the unpacker tool for virii and double-checked for back-doors using a port monitor and I found nothing wrong with the version I downloaded. The program's author offers source-code so its likely safe, but if you are still uncertain, you can review the source code, and compile it yourself and, you can then test that on a don't-giva-hoot PC. In any case, verify things for yourself!!
 
You can download the tool from here:
 http://depositfiles.com/files/qr0dh09gk
 
Cheers,
 
bench knob
edit: fixed lexicals

Thanks for the tips! I'll get that unpacker.

I did get 5.1 loaded and after doing the 5.8 firmware updates on my modules, I can use v5.1 from the TLA or v5.8 remotely from Windows 7 workstations.

Cheers!

[bench_knob]

Are you sure 5.1 can run on a TLA704? I recall trying that but there where problems with the drivers to access the hardware / the software needing Windows XP to work.

Hi nctnico,

I do have TLA v5.1 SP1 running on a TLA-704, with Win2k Pro SP4. Much of the upgrade process was afforded by excellent information, tips and a couple of files engineerd and provided by RFDes, whom I met on the Tektronix Logic Analyzer forum, and who offered details regarding his TLA-704 upgrade efforts, which work excellently in my opinion. I have successfully implemented both an LCD upgrade and the TLA Application using RFDes's strategies.

I had to upgrade the BIOS to 1.00.14, (Hani Freiwat kindly provided the image file and a phlash.exe program). This enables the RAM upto 128 Mb. My sticks required enabling ECC.

Also, to implement the LCD resolution upgrade, required another BIOS image file, which RFDes also engineered and provided, ya have to remove the TLA mainframe's outside covers and the CPU cover to jumper the BIOS flash memory write-enable pins on jumper block at H2. Then flash the BIOS with RFDes's image file. The 640x480 LCD will no longer function as a display device after this operation so the LCD must be upgraded first. One may enable simul-scan in the BIOS to run an external monitor however. One might notice that the Power-On-Self-Test emits a couple of beeps after setting SimulScan in CMOS, this is not a malfunction and is described in the TLA-704 User Manual, as an aural status indication of that state setting.

RFDes's strategy:
Install these files in the following order:
    Win2k Pro SP4,
    IE6.0,
    Windows Installer 3.1, and
    dotNET 2.0 Redistributable Framework Runtime Library,
    and TLA 5.1 SP1 application (requires unpacking and replacing the SETUP.INX file with a tweaked script)

I discovered that the dotNET redistributable is no longer available for download from the M$ website or they are cleverly hiding it? In anycase, I did find a website that hosts many of the older OS support files including the Windows Installer and IE60.

To upgrade from Win98-SE to Win2k, also required a display resolution increase as well as I believe that you likely already know, as Win2k requires a minimum of 800x600 resolution. The TLA-704's display panel does not support that, and so the LCD panel must be replaced with a higher res version. 

Using JF's BIOS image and his tlaSoftOff.exe front panel soft-off power-switch driver program also resolves the snap to black screen crash with blue error halt message directly from Win2k..(bad) problem.

For my LCD upgrade, I found a mechanical drop in replacement LCD, and I designed a homebrew LCD SMD-connector-to-34pin-IDC-cable-adapter PCB using Eagle 5.50 to draw the schematic and design the single-sided (Kynar wire jumpers) PCB which I PulsarFX toner/foil transfer, etched and baked in my pseudo-homebrew PID controlled reflow oven. I had to cut away about 0.5" (~12mm) of aluminum on the mainframe assembly's LCD panel back cover plate, to enable connector clearance. It's a very clean modification and it uses the same mounting standoffs that the original Tektronix cable adapter PCB utiltilized.   

If anyone is interested I'll share my Eagle 5.50 schematic and PCB design files as well as the parts list.  I bought the new, unused NEC 10" LCD upgrade panel on eBay for $40.

I'm including a couple of photos of the TLA-704 depicting Win2k logon screen and a screen shot of the TLA 5.1 App 'About' screen for ya gander at.

Re; the Win2k SoftOff matter, there are additional details that need be described, involving BIOS settings and M$ Win2k APM Legacy Node drivers, else one can not use the front-panel power-switch for controlled shutdown in Win2k Pro.

Incidentally, in reviewing the photos on the board after submitting post, they appear to exhibit an image artifact (cross-hatching) which is not present on the actual analyzer LCD display, I think its a camera to LCD update rate alias...like that face on Mars, a sampling alias. Heh heh.

Cheers

bench knob
edit: forgot to mention 800x600 BIOS flash detail.

[nctnico]

Hmm. Maybe I'll give it another try. The software (V4.4) on the logic analyser itself runs very slow even with a Pentium 200MMX overdrive upgrade so it would be nice to run it on a desktop PC. Could you post the modified setup.inx file somewhere?

BTW I 'know' RFDES as well. Actually the 800x600 upgrade was my idea to begin with  I hacked the GRUB bootloader to do a call to the video BIOS to switch to 800x600 before the OS gets started. RFDES hacked the BIOS which is much easier.

[bench_knob]

Hmm. Maybe I'll give it another try. The software (V4.4) on the logic analyser itself runs very slow even with a Pentium 200MMX overdrive upgrade so it would be nice to run it on a desktop PC. Could you post the modified setup.inx file somewhere?

BTW I 'know' RFDES as well. Actually the 800x600 upgrade was my idea to begin with  I hacked the GRUB bootloader to do a call to the video BIOS to switch to 800x600 before the OS gets started. RFDES hacked the BIOS which is much easier.

Nico,

I was working my own mods, when I read your posts way back when, and your strategy was kewl. Thanks for sharing. Later I bumped into RFDes, and I learned that his strategy was a bit further along the modification curve than any of the other strategies that I tracked down including that of my own. In any case it still took me two years to do everything. Hah. The PCB I made took forever to finish...life got in the way, but it sure does work nice. I'll include some photos for ya'll to gander at.

To your point, I asked RFDes' permission to refer folks to him last week prior to posting about my TLA mods here in EEV_Blog. But, heh heh, if you're shy , just say, "hey I bumped into w.w on EEV_Blog, I'd like to ask for a copy of the .inx file" and say hello too.

Yep, his LCD BIOS solution works well, no fiddling around, just turn the scope on. And remember to ask for the tlaSoftOff.exe driver, unless, you like myself, before getting his driver, ya cut holes in the TLA box to install a hard-off power-switch which is no longer needed. Mine is out of the way, I used an Alco alternating 6Amp 250VAC push-button power-switch, recessed into a 1.5" x 1.0" (38,1mm x 25,4mm) milled slot in the right-side plastic louvre cover. Frankly, its nice to be able to actually turn-off the power-supply. Win2k doesn't handle the scope's front-panel 'power-switch' hardware interrupt properly and it crashes the system.  But I've reviewed & downloaded your I2C/SPI sauce-recipe over on SparkFun (yep....mighty tastey too), so its likely that you could also write your own soft-off handler, but why? When there's a perfectly functional solutionavailable simply for the asking? Me? I aint shy, I fully intend to implement your serial bus decoder and experiment with it, and hopefully to make some enhancements too. For instance in my other project, I need a Manchester serial decoder, so maybe I can hack your base code to implement this feature. Which I'll share with folks in the old InterNet tradition.

Oh, lest I forget....how did you upgrade your processor and have you seen any timing artifacts attributable to the speed upgrade? However, my Ma said I was born with soldering tool in my hand...and I do have a hot-air rework station, but only a SoldaVac for suck'n solder. I'm reticent to attempt to unsolder the processor, although I do have a spare mainboard for backup in case I munch a trace. The PCB looks tight to me...thru-hole diameters.  Was that your experience? Are they tight?   In the old days, some folks mechanically broke-up the big IC packages, unsoldering each pin individually grabbing them from the top while heating the pin on the bottom, but I'm not certain that will work in this case. I've  been considering using my mini-mill to just shave off the top, then unsolder the pins. That could work, hopefully diminishing the possibility of damaging the mainboard.   Any one got any insight into something like that? 

So how did you get that puppy off the board?  And did you stick in a socket for the MMX? Which part did you use? Got any photos of the finished mod? Does it need cooling? Not forgetting about the height. But if your's works, why would I need to solder in a socket, true?

Oh, and I've been following the TLA7AAx discussion too, very interesting. I wonder if that Tek strategy is employed in the other modules? TLA-7Nx series, 128k? I understand that they go up to 4Mb, you know anything about that?  All my modules are pre-counter/timer S/Ns.

Thanks for sharing your code and other ideas.

The photos, in no particular order:

- Brendie, my lab assistant, she oversees all my lab activity making sure everything is purrrfectly proper, heh heh
- Schematic & PCB Layout (Eagle v5.50 Std)
- LCD 41pin to 34pin IDC cable adapter silkscreen (blue)
- PCB installed onto LCD assembly, showing the inverter power cable snaking across
- my homebrew reflow oven, showing blower attachment (gotta have this or it doesn't work)
- screen shot of the oven control sw reflowing the PCB

Cheers

bench_knob
or ya can skipe me, at 'zeebra underscore xray', add me to your contacts list... nifty way to send files that gaaglemale doesn't track...

[TiN]

Nice mods, keep it going

I can host photos and files, if you want. Have server 24/7.

[nctnico]

The 200MMX Overdrive replacement is among the boldest soldering jobs I did. First of all I got a used 200MMX overdrive from Ebay (there are always a few available). First I tested it in an old Pentium motherboard to make sure it worked. Then came the bold part. The original CPU is a Pentium 133 with a heatsink attached to it. The board is a 6 or 8 layer board with massive power planes. Close to the CPU there is a BGA chip (the Chipset). I suspended the board so the CPU had enough clearance to drop from the PCB and heated the board carefully using a paint stripper. This does take some practice in order not to burn the board or seperate the layers. After a while the CPU finally dropped from the board. The next job is to remove the solder from the pads which takes loads of soldering wick. Unfortunately the board did got a bit warped which is almost unavoidable.

The 200MMX is just a few mm higher than the original CPU + heatsink so there is no room for a socket. I soldered the 200MMX directly into the board and turned the slotted vents in the aluminium housing into a square hole. This way the 200MMX overdrive just fits within the original housing. The last problem I recall is that the BIOS thought it was dealing with a 180MHz Pentium so it set the clock to 60MHz. IIRC I lifted a pin on the PLL chip to set it to 66MHz. I'm not quite sure a processor upgrade is worth it when you can do the heavy lifting on a remote machine.

About upgrading the modules I'm still convinced attacking the Powerflex tool is the best way. The older Tektronix scopes (TDS500 series) have a password system which allows maintenance software to enable or disable options over GPIB. I wouldn't be surprised if the Powerflex tool is just decoding the option key and using the password scheme to talk to the boards in plain text GPIB commands over Visa.

[Khashoggi]

Where can I find tlaSoftOff.exe?

Using Windows XP on a TLA714 disables the functionality of the power switch...

[bench_knob]

Where can I find tlaSoftOff.exe?

Using Windows XP on a TLA714 disables the functionality of the power switch...

Kahshoggi,

The tlaSoftOff.exe driver was written for Win2k. I don't know if it'll work on WinXP or if its ever been tested on or used on WinXP? The mods I described were specifically for TLA-704. I dropped into to this thread as some folks were talking about Win2k and problems with installing TLA app v5.1 on it, etc. I didn't intend to hi-jack the thread. However, you can ask RFDes for a copy, he is the author, as I mentioned in  previous posts.  PM me for RFDes' contact information or, skupe me at:

1) zeebra underscore xray

2) request to be added to my contact list.

bench knob

[Khashoggi]

Thanks for the info. I did some investigating, and determined the soft-power switch was defective!

The TLA714 recognizes the softpower switch as expected under Windows XP.

[nctnico]

Are you sure 5.1 can run on a TLA704? I recall trying that but there where problems with the drivers to access the hardware / the software needing Windows XP to work.

I got the modified setup.inx from Rfdes but still no luck. I can't seem to load the hardware drivers on my TLA704 mainframe. Perhaps I have an older version of the mainframe. I feel like crying 

Edit: I got it working! I had to reinstall Win2k and all the software on the mainframe. I guess Win2k got tied into a big nut.