Date : Wed, 29 Apr 1998 19:33:11 +0200
From : Robert Schmidt <rsc@...>
Subject: [Fwd: BBC Micros]
Can anybody help Des out? Please send replies directly to him as well
as to the list.
--
Robert Schmidt <rsc@... >
Software Developer / Vingmed Sound tel +47 67124237 fax +47 67124355
Private tel +47 22606076 WWW http://www.nvg.unit.no/~rsc
jeg lukker et oye og ser halvt
jeg lukker begge og ser alt -- seigmen
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Reply-To: <DAM@... >
From: "Des Murphy" <DAM@... >
To: "Robert Schmidt" <rsc@... >
Subject: BBC Micros
Date: Wed, 29 Apr 1998 18:29:14 +0100
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Dear Mr. Schmidt
I wonder if you could help me with a problem or two I am having with a BBC
Micro Computer - or perhaps you could tell me who could. I picked up your
name on the Internet.
First of all let me introduce myself. My name is Des Murphy and I live in
Dublin in the Republic of Ireland. I retired from work almost 10 years ago
and since then have worked as a volunteer for a Voluntary Organisation here
in Dublin named St. Michael's House who care for over 1600 mentally
handicapped persons. I myself have a mentally handicapped son who is in
their care and this was for me an opportunity to repay them for all the
good work they had done for our family.
In my job I had acquired a user knowledge of PCs and as St. Michael's
cannot afford to employ clerical staff in their workshops ( they have 6
workshops providing outlets for approx 500 people) I spend my time manning
the office in one of these workshops. In addition I help out in their
school for handicapped children.
When I first started 9 years ago all they had then in the workshop was a
BBC Micro and I was given 3 books - Welcome Guide; The Database for BBC
Microcomputer and The BBC Microcomputer Disk Companion. We were able to use
the computer for word processing, producing invoices and setting up a
database for the clients employed in the workshop. At that time I acquired
a working knowledge of the computer. Since then we were given a donation
first of all of a 286 PC and later of a 486 PC which I now use. I passed
the BBC Micro on to the school where they had another two, and since then
got a fourth. In the school they use these for the games that were (or
still are?) available. All the computers have a dual disk drive with a
switch depending on whether they are using a 40 track or an 80 track disk.
The problem now is that although the drive will read the 40 track disks it
will not run them. I have been unable to find out what the problem might be
as nobody here either knows or wants to know anything about BBC Micros.
For the moment I have managed to overcome the problem for them by
formatting disks to 80 tracks and making backups onto these disks from the
40 track disks and the computer will run these, using the SHIFT+BREAK
facility. However I anticipate that the drives may be coming to the end of
their lives and I wonder if you could advise me whether they can be
repaired anywhere? Is it possible to purchase new drives? Or is it possible
to convert the data on the disks to IBM Compatible disks and run the games
on say a 286 PC? The games are so good and are enjoyed so much by the
children that it would be a great pity to have to stop using them.
I would be very grateful for any help or advice you could give me - could I
stress again that I am not technically qualified in any way and would need
help from a technician if the drives could be repaired.
Very sincerely
Des Murphy