How about a select/deselect for bitbanging a knot of TTL chips (ram
upgrade over 4mb) ??
Or a hardware reset switch which did not destroy the contents of ram?
An add-on hardware controller that you patch-in AFTER the self-test code
has executed. Or a rom in place of some other rom that would fail
self-test thus the 'bypass switch'.
A toggle to boot from another physical hard disk drive which is no longer
with the system since both positions don't work.
A toggle whether to boot from disk or by x.25 over the serial port to an
Amdahl mainframe? Better yet, a Fujitsu. ;-)
Maybe if you hold down the keys: RSHIFT+Leftshift+CTRL-YPBQZXHRT+SPACE
while switch in back whilst holding these keys. I've tried, it is
possible. You will have to put the system unit on the floor so you can
operate the power and toggle switches with your big toe or use your nose.
I'd try flipping the switch several hundred times while the machine is
powered to see what happens. Maybe on the 384th cycle, a counter enables a
rom that displays the 'computer kill' program that was so popular on in
the mid-eighties. This program simulated your computer freaking out and
dying. The demo may be set to only continue executing while the switch is
being rapidly toggled.
The ends of the wires connected to the switch are twisted together and
taped to the side of the case with a note saying "gotcha". One wire only
is attached to Rom disable pin.
The ends of the wires connected to the switch are twisted together an
taped to the side of the case with a note saying "Send a postal money
order to the address on reverse and we will tell you what this switch
does". Same wire.
One way to expose this kind of scam is to unscrew the retaining collar on
the switch and pull very hard on the switch body. If the note comes out
with the wires, you saved yourself a lot of speculation and can feel pride
in not being 'taken-in'.
Barring these and the several thousand other possibilities, opening the
machine would be useful....
Just Funnin'.
Regards,
Jeff
--
-----------------------------------------------------------
Jeffrey S. Worley
President
Complete Computer Services, Inc.
30 Greenwood Rd.
Asheville, NC 28803
828-277-5959
Visit our website at HTTP://www.Real-Techs.com
THETechnoid_at_home.com
-----------------------------------------------------------
Received on Sat Nov 04 2000 - 14:18:01 GMT