Tektronix TDS 7404 is not booting up . Looking for firmware image

[geshka]

Hello gang.
Tek 7404 scope is not booting up anymore.  After "Starting.... " progress bar it goes to the black screen and stays there forever. Just for testing purposes I disconnected hard drive and scope shows message "Operating system not found" so I assumed it might be bad HDD or damaged image on the HDD. 
Where can I download that image? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[coromonadalix]

for the tds7k series, go at tektronix  you still have the softwares to download and reinstall everything,  but  when its possible  you backup everything,  VXWorks (drivers, calcons  etc ...)  you have other folders   etc ...

Could be hdd related, ram failures etc ... or  OS  related win2k or XP   etc...  when possible you try to find the motherboard you have ...


https://www.tek.com/en/support/software/firmware/tds7154b-tds7254b-tds7404b-csa7404b-firmware-v513

BUT you have to register for free to download

Was it fine before ?

[geshka]

Thanks a lot.  I have downloaded this file.  One thing, though, on installation instructions it states that I should run it from within scope itself.  that implies that I have scope already booted and
 running.  Does it mean that I can boot scope with generic Windows 2K or XP and then run this install program ? 

[coromonadalix]

you have to know if the scope was in win 2k  or xp

You need to install the OS  part first, the scope at first will act as a computer, and after everything works (drivers included)  you install  the scope part (previous link)

i have backed up an 7254 at my job, but can not make an iso image  sorry

i can / could provide some stuff

[geshka]

Thanks coromonadalix
One more question  - how to know what OS was there previously? 

[coromonadalix]

sadly no

You have many  tds7xxx  related threads here at eevblog  the main difference where the ram amount you could use etc ... and motherboard chipset etc ..

And these motherboard are kinda crippled in a way, you can not set the bios easily  unless creating some kill cmos trick to invoke the computer bios ..... because in the video settings, if wrongly settled up, can fuck up the front display into weird resolutions  (been there loll was problematic to reset)

Change the motherboard cell too if possible,  but theses scope are something to open  loll  lots of screws and very fragile to remove the computer board, be very "visual" and don't pull hard if you sense resistance, tons of screws  i said  loll  mark where they are on the aluminum shield  before removing it ...

I think you can use xp,     on archive.org  you have  xp's   cd-roms archives,  some of them have updates usb drivers in them   etc ....   you boot from it, and do the setup

Ex: https://archive.org/details/WinXPProSP2ENG
The Sp3  pack is still available from Microsoft  ... install it after the xp installation first .... and after a reboot you can remove some crap  like msn, outlook  etc ....

Done that on our 7254 "B" ....  put it into classic desktop mode  etc ...  it will be less ressource hungry, no background image (black is better)  helps too


And in the device manager, you will see  what errors you have ...  report them to us, you go in their hardware material  " VID&PID " properties

The tek package should resolve a few if not all of them,   but you need the touch panel and mostly the special interface card drivers who goes between the scope side and the computer side  ....

One thing at the time  ...   

Other members may chime in  loll  i'm not an expert in theses

Its a matter of time before the original hdd dies .... our dallas chip are dead in our scope, but SPC works  and everything else works .... loll

[calibrationfixture]

Hi geshka,

I think this (Operating System Restore) is what you are looking for:

http://glydeck.com/tek_7154.html

As far as I know TDS7000 Series have the following MB's:

- NLX-SU810 MB 039-0077-00 Celeron 566 MHz Socket 370
- NLX-Board Radisys 039-0117-00 Celeron 566 MHz Socket 370
- Late CSA/TDS7000 Celeron 850 MHz Socket 370 (same in Early TDS5000 Series)

Windows 2000 Professional is as far as I know the Factory installed OS.

By the way the OS is sitting on the HDD. I have no experience with TDS7000 Series only with the TDS7000B Series. But the Message OS not found resembles the TLA704 with a flat MB Battery. See:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/tektronix-tla704-1-non-system-disk-or-disk-error-2-operating-system-not-found/

In addition a perfect working free Windows XP Professional SP3 ISO (used that for a TLA7012) can be found here:

https://archive.org/details/WinXPProSP3x86

A working Product Key is in its Reviews. My own Product Key didn't work. Advice, use a name otherwise you get a 30-Day Trial (Product Key not needed for this). Your MB (Memory, Processor e.a.) must be compatible with this OS.

Succes,

Calibrationfixture

[calibrationfixture]

Hi again,

Regarding the " tons of screws  i said  loll  mark where they are on the aluminum shield  before removing it ... "

Marking not needed because Tektronix allready marked the Aluminum Plates to be screwed down.

Succes,

Calibrationfixture

[coromonadalix]

Damn  forgot about the "B" and non "B" models ......   


And yeah   the screws positions on the shield have marks  loll 

But when you are not used to dismantle theses puppies, and say not too observant ...  a supplemental precaution who will avoid some messed up  screws not at their rightful positions   loll

https://archive.org/details/WinXPProSP3x86
See an April 17, 2022   comment ....

[calibrationfixture]

Hi,

@ « Reply #8:

Thank you for locating the working Product Key in the Reviews.

Greetings,

Calibrationfixture

[geshka]

Thanks folks. 

I downloaded and "burned" several versions of XP SP3 and here is my next obstacle  .  Installation goes OK until final reboot.  After start I see black LCD with no sign of any picture.  Note , that screen already was in graphic mode during installation procedure.  May be Windows XP requiring too high resolution 600X800 ?  what is regular resolution on that LCD?

[geshka]

Hi,
I think this (Operating System Restore) is what you are looking for:

http://glydeck.com/tek_7154.html


Calibrationfixture

Thanks for the pointer, calibrationfixture.  For some reason my WinISO does not support format of the downloaded files...  what program did you use to burn those images ? 

[calibrationfixture]

Hi geshka,

I have no TDS7000 Series experience (only TDS7000B Series). Thus these Files are of no use for me. I haven't created new disks of them.

Tin on his webside regarding the CSA7404 repair:

" After some checks of x86 side of scope and trying to run few HDDs with Windows 2000 no obvious problems was found. CD-ROM drive was changed to DVD-RW from old laptop. Connection was standard notebook PATA. Original IBM Travelstar DARA-206000 6GB 4200RPM disk was changed to fresh IBM Travelstar IC25N020ATDA04-0 20GB drive. New Windows 2000 SP4 Professional was installed as maximum supported OS on this series scopes. Given current Celeron 850MHz CPU and 256MB this setup should run smoothly for beginning."

My advice is also no Windows XP installs. The Restore Disks contains all (OS included) for a start.

Succes,

Calibrationfixture

[coromonadalix]

YEP  should go with win 2000  .... sorry about the B  and non B series confusion loll

Thanfully there is more knowledgeable people than me    

[geshka]

Here is what I found/achieved so far.

1.  After careful examination    of rear panel I found sticker with  Windows 98 SE on it and with S/N . I think,  this is what was installed previously.  I downloaded and burned CD-ROM and found that original Win 98 installation program  is not able to format disk drive.  I will need to use another Live CD to delete all partitions and reformat it with FAT32 ( currently it is HTFS).  I am surprised Win 98 was so bad and "toothless" . 
2. ISO that I downloaded from  http://glydeck.com/tek_7154.html  looking for special board which is not mine.  I will copy exact message a bit later...  Wondering if there way/hack to "persuade" this image to be installed?       

[coromonadalix]

Bring back souvenirs of w95 w98 installations cd's,  there was a time you needed to boot them on floppy before installing ....  W98 Se   should be able to format the drive

Normally you should be able to install w98 or w2k without tons of problems ....  normally once done, you check in device manager for the drivers errors and patch them one by one ...

can you give us the order of your installation files from http://glydeck.com/tek_7154.html


Checked some of the isos posted there, they where made with powerquest ........  meaning  while installing they will extract expand  to install the needed stuff ....

Maybe that's why it could get stuck   

You can use original w98 Se  isos on archive.org ...   https://archive.org/details/win98-2nd

[geshka]

OK.  Big step forward   - I downloaded disk three and four from http://glydeck.com/tek_7154.html, burned it and was able to restore Windows 2000 on the scope as a whole image. It wasn't installation bur rather re-imaging process, but it doesn't matter. Scope is starting, resolution is OK, everything is fine  except one little thing  - there is no actual scope application.       Would appreciate any link or pointers or help with this matter.   

P.S. @coromonadalix  application that you provided is for B series; does not work unfortunately.   

[Momchilo]

I don't know if it is part of the software update. But there is something on the Tektronix website: https://www.tek.com/en/support/software/firmware/csa7000-and-tds7000-series-firmware-upgrade-v253

Maybe it helps.

[calibrationfixture]

Hi geshka,

Congratulations with the progress and yes you must install the Scope Application Software separately. The same for the additional Option Software. The link above is the right one. Please read the additional Release Notes and Instructions.

The complete Procedure is described in PDF One and Two (CD Covers) on the aforementioned:

http://glydeck.com/tek_7154.html

I don't know how big the Scope its HDD is (because it is an Early one with BO1XXXX (?) as SN and Windows 98 (!) as original OS). Normally these HDD's are 20 GB 2.5" 4200 RPM 44-Pin IDE's. IBM or Hitachi Travelstars (as Tin said). I strongly suggest cloning it asap.

Fine replacements are (I bought 4 of them. All working perfect):

https://www.ebay.com/itm/263570798218

The 40 GB should be no problem. I myself used a 40 GB to clone the 20 GB Original of a TDS5104. 20 GB Formats seem to be more expensive.

Succes,

Calibrationfixture

[geshka]

Next update:  I downloaded and installed exe application form suggested link  - it is indeed full install, though name is confusing  - and it starting. New issue, however.  Application starts only to splash screen and then it stuck there.  All controls/buttons are obviously dead .   Quick search on forum gave me following link where my exact problem was described, troubleshooted and fixed. https://xdevs.com/fix/csa7404/.  I am going to follow that article....

One unrelated question somebody might already have an answer: there is a GPIB module on this scope.  Did anybody tried to run some software in Windows from within this scope (probably from NI) to control and communicate with another GBIP instruments ?     Like this one for ex, https://www.ni.com/en-ca/support/downloads/drivers/download.ni-488-2.html#467646

[coromonadalix]

our pc  runs Ni Visa tools  and we use a custom made software to communicate with the 7254B

BUT i dont know  any DIY softwares or universal ones for the 7k series A and B

you have here on eevblog  some tools to say :  communicate with an terminal   ex : with the AR488 project  pulling some id's etc ....

you have very powerfull tolls like  Labview and others, but you have to develop your own piece of software /  liscence too  in some cases

[Eugene1970]

Hello.
Can you share the downloaded firmware file?

[coromonadalix]

?  be more explicit   what firmware ?