Old HP 1040A system installation

[jfrankh]

I'm trying to add an old HP 1040A diode array detector to my 1050 system. This "new" detector has only an HP-IB port. I was given a card (ISA expansion-type, B9482335) which supposedly acts as an interface between Chemstation and HP-IB. Unfortunately, Chemstation (v. A.02.00, c. 1993, running on Windows 3.1) cannot find the detector. I am conversant in DOS commands, but I know little about hardware. Is there any way in which I can verify that an old DOS machine has found a new card? It hasn't made a difference in its startup or operation, so I wonder if it has found it. In Chemstation I can change the HP-IB address of the DAD, and I can change the address of the HP-IB card, but it gives no indication that any of these changes have an effect. I suspect that it would give me these menus in the absence of a card.

thanks for any help you can provide, and best wishes for your separations!

[Consumer Products Guy]

OK, I'm confused, that's normal for me. And I only go back to Chemstation A.03, and I'm not a Computer Guy. However.....

I think you need just one HPIB card, adding a second one would surely confuse the poor old computer. Since you've already been running A.02 on Win3.1, turn off computer and take out the "new" HP IB card. Then you need to add the 1040 DAD using HP Configuration Editor (Chemstation must be closed to do this). Start up computer, go into HP Chemstations, Configuration Editor, Configure, Modular HPLC System, OK.
Scroll down to find listing "1040 DAD" and highlight, add the correct HP IB address for the 1040 DAD module (the default is 15 for it). Then click OK, save the changes to Configuration Editor (it will also prompt to save when closing, if you have made changes). Then make sure the 1040 (and all other) modules are powered on, then start the Chemstation. I've set up a bunch of these, usually straightforward if you know the HP IB codes for each module (we usually write them on the sides of the modules); you can also print the configuration from Configuration Editor.

[jfrankh]

Thanks for your reply. Actually, the computer didn't already have an HP-IB card; I'm trying to install one for the first time. Sorry about the confusion. I guess this is a question about installing an HP-IB card. I've used the configuration editor as you suggest, but it behaves exactly the same whether or not the HB-IB card is actually installed in the computer. It allows me to set the "code" for the HP-IB card, as well as the slot for the 1040 DAD. I tried all the different codes (5-11) and all the different slots (0-15 I think) but each time, upon starting Chemstation, I got an error that the DAD was not found. At these times, of course, the card was installed and the HP-IB plug was screwed in to both the computer and the detector. THe detector was in "standby" mode at this time.

Also, is there a way to "search" for a detector without restarting chemstations?

At this time, I can't say whether the problem is with the detector or the card. I was wondering if there's a screen that tells you what cards are installed in either Windows 3.1 or DOS.

thanks again, I know this is probably testing your long-term memory in an awful way.

[Consumer Products Guy]

OK, still confused, and we do use 82335 HP IB card and still quite-versed in early Chemstation.

The HP IB card in the computer has its own address, usually 7, also set in Configuration Editor. Are you trying to add this 1040 detector to a non-computerized 1050 system? Each 1050 component must have an HP IB interface card in it to be able to communicate with the computer as well, all linked by HP IB cables. I'm not sure if Chemstation can run a detector if it's not running the other 1050 hardware. For example, can the Chemstation find the 1050 pump and autosampler (if one)? Agilent will not support software this old, and some 1050 modules are soon to be out of support. We add/delete components like a refractive index detector and VWD all the time using Configuration Editor, it is straightforward to us.

[jfrankh]

I understand your confusion. Even if it works, our detector/software will have no communication with the rest of the HPLC. It's clearly not ideal, but the detector was free (its owner got it 10 years ago and never touched it) so I thought I'd give it a shot. There must be a problem with the hardware or software; I don't have many diagnostic tools, so I'd better try a new approach. I just found out from Agilent that the 82335 card works with newer computers, too, so I'll hook it up to a machine running a current version of chemstation, and see what happens.

thanks for your time! and good luck!