Kaypro II

From: Mike van Bokhoven <mike_at_ambientdesign.com>
Date: Wed Feb 12 23:14:03 2003

Hi all,

Just thought I'd recount some experiences with a Kaypro II and associated
manuals, kindly given to me by a friend.

First, a couple of requests.
- Does anyone have any keyboard parts for Kaypro II keyboards, or a complete
spare keyboard? I'm not sure if the keyboard actually works, but its obvious
faults are that it's missing the 3 key, and the keyswitch for that key is
damaged. Also, the 4-pin cable connector on the keyboard is broken, though
it will still take the plug. This is a common 4-pin telecom-type socket as
found on a lot of telephones. The keyboard was made by Maxi-Switch Co, model
Maxikey, keyboard number 2160150, PC board number 630184.
- Does anyone know if it's possible to write Kaypro disks with a PC and 5
1/4 inch drive? If not - any hints on where to dig up software?

Now, on to my, um, interesting experience with this machine. The friend who
gave me the machine told me that it had been running fairly recently (within
the last couple of years, anyway), so I figured chances are it'd start up
OK. On disassembling it, I found it absolutely spotless inside, so I put it
back together and ran it up. Everything went superbly for about fifteen
seconds; long enough for me to get my fingers off the power switch around
the back. But just then, there was an ominous hissing sound, followed by one
of the loudest BANGs I've heard from a piece of electronic equipment. Since
I was completely unprepared for it, it took me a couple of seconds to get my
hand around the back again and turn the thing off. Most interesting was
during those two seconds after the explosion, the machine continued running
fine, not so much as a waver on the monitor. Pulling it apart again, guess
what - dead capacitor. But, not one of the electrolytics that you'd expect,
it was the AC filter capacitor that had spread itself all over the inside of
the case. Having seen that, and performed a quick tidy-up, I verified that
the machine still ran fine. Now I just need some software for it, to find
out whether the whole thing is in working order!

Mike.
Received on Wed Feb 12 2003 - 23:14:03 GMT