Centroid M-15

[wilkin250r]

The owner is a good friend of mine. Upgrading may be inevitable, but this is a small shop. An expense like that just won’t fit into the budget for many months at least. We may as well spend that time seeing if it can be fixed without that expense.

[martyscncgarage]

The owner is a good friend of mine. Upgrading may be inevitable, but this is a small shop. An expense like that just won’t fit into the budget for many months at least. We may as well spend that time seeing if it can be fixed without that expense.

Just watch your expenses in trying to diagnose the current system....
I have an M15 with a dead PC104
Marty

[wilkin250r]

Just for my own curiosity, what is a “dead PC104”? I was under the impression PC104 was a form-factor and architecture standard, like Mac vs PC. IPhone vs Android. Is there a component or module that is commonly called PC104 as well?

[martyscncgarage]

The PC104 was an SBC (Single Board Computer). Motherboard with processor, video, hd and fd controller.
Some used typical standard connectors and some because of their size used some proprietary connectors.

Linux of the time was picky as to which boards it would run on. (If memory serves, Marc, correct me if I'm wrong)

Ironically most mother boards today have everything integrated into the motherboard. No external plug in cards required.
Marty

[wilkin250r]

I think it was a CNC retrofit to a manual bed mill.

[martyscncgarage]

I can't tell for sure, in the last photo showing the inside of the operator cabinet, on the left, MID way down, there is a ribbon cable with a blue connector on it on the aluminum shelf. Did you unplug that to see if it is the standard DB15 VGA connector?

Marty

[wilkin250r]

No I never unplugged it, but it runs to a board labeled “SPIN232”, so I assume it’s an RS232 connector.

The VGA output on the motherboard was easy to identify, and I have 10-pin connector and DB-15 in the mail, should arrive in a few days.

[martyscncgarage]

No I never unplugged it, but it runs to a board labeled “SPIN232”, so I assume it’s an RS232 connector.

The VGA output on the motherboard was easy to identify, and I have 10-pin connector and DB-15 in the mail, should arrive in a few days.

Ok, good to hear. Good luck with it.
Marty

[cncsnw]

On the right as you look inside from the front (as in your last picture), there should be an AT-style PC power supply.

When AC power is applied, that power supply should start up. In one of its spare output plugs, you should be able to measure 5VDC between red and black; and 12VDC between yellow and black. If you don't have good output of both 5VDC and 12VDC, then the computer will not boot.

[wilkin250r]

On the right as you look inside from the front (as in your last picture), there should be an AT-style PC power supply

And I was going to check that as well, because I have heard of people having power supply problems. But I am getting power to LCD screen, and the people troubleshooting before I got involved said they could hear the hard drive spinning up. While not definitive, these things would suggest the power supply is working.