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ZX SPECTRUM SYSTEM TEST ROM Cartridge for the ZX Spectrum
Sinclair Research
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THE ZX SPECTRUM SYSTEM TEST ROM CARTRIDGE.

A. Instructions for operation.

For a rapid test of the operation of the ZX Spectrum, carry out the
following steps (If more time is available see section 14 first).

    1. Demonstrate the "c 1982 SincLair ReseaRch Ltd" message by
    connecting up a ZX Spectrum and a television set as described
    in the booklet - SINCLAIR ZX SPECTRUM INTRODUCTION. If this
    succeeds, go on to stage 2.

    If the copyright message is unobtainable, the fault may be in
    the ZX Spectrum under test. But, before assuming this, it is
    best to test the Power Supply Unit and the Television by
    replacing the 'faulty' ZX Spectrum one that is known to be in
    working order and showing that it still works.

    A ZX Spectrum that fails to give the copyright message is
    faulty and should be returned for repair.

    2. DISCONNECT the power lead.

    3. Push the System Test ROM Cartridge firmly into a ZX
    Interface 2 unit.

    4. Connect the ZX Interface 2 to the ZX Spectrum peripheral
    port.

    5. Reconnect the power lead.

The screen should now display the SYSTEM TEST ROM CARTRIDGE title
and a menu.

IMPORTANT NOTE. If at any point during these tests the system fails
to respond any further to the keyboard, or it returns to the main
menu unexpectedly, then it should be considered to have failed.

    6. Press the "R" key to select the Full test option.

    7. The screen will display ZX SPECTRUM KEYBOARD TEST. Press
    each key until they are all covered by red squares on the screen.
    If this is not possible then the ZX Spectrum has failed,
    otherwise press CAPS SHIFT and BREAK together to go on.

    8. The screen will display BORDER test. The border area will
    alternate between narrow Blue and Yellow stripes going on for
    about three seconds, and steady Blue for about one second. Allow
    this to continue for at least ten seconds, then press CAPS SHIFT
    and BREAK to go on. If any of the above patterns are not
    observed, or the keyboard will not respond, then the 2X Spectrum
    has failed.

    9. The screen will now display SOUND TEST. If the speaker
    can be heard playing a scale then press CAPS SHIFT and BREAK
    to go on. Otherwise it has failed.

    10. The next test is the COLOUR TEST. The screen will display
    all eight colours in normal and extra brightness, with their
    names. Check these correspond, and press CAPS SHIFT end BREAK
    to pass on. Otherwise fail.

    11. The FLASH TEST flashes the whole screen, except the border,
    between black and white. Check this, and press CAPS SHIFT and
    BREAK to pass on if it is OK.

    12. The RAM TEST checks all of memory with a variety of
    patterns. Press any key to start it. It will report either
    that the machine has 16K or 48K of memory in working order, or
    that a memory location is faulty. If it reports the machine
    size to be that which you expect, then pass on with CAPS SHIFT
    and BREAK. Otherwise fail.

This completes a full test. If a cassette recorder is available
then the cassette test should also be carried out.

    13. The CASSETTE TEST is Option 8 on the menu. It is in two
    parts. First a tone is recorded onto tape. To do this
    connect the MIC socket of the ZX Spectrum to the microphone
    input of the tape recorder (do not connect the EAR sockets).
    Position a blank cassette past its leader (the plastic part of
    tape at the start which does not record) and press record.
    Press S on the ZX Spectrum. A 5 second test tone will be
    recorded. You may listen to this on the cassette to check it;
    it will be a clear steady high-pitched tone, lasting five
    seconds. This constitutes a test of the computers ability to
    SAVE.

    To test its ability to LOAD, position the tape you have just
    recorded back to its start (or use the start of any ZX Spectrum
    Program on cassette), connect the EAR socket of the ZX Spectrum
    to the earphone output of the cassette recorder, set the volume
    to about three quarters of its maximum level, and press J on the
    ZX Spectrum then Play on the tape recorder. The border should
    show a brief period of red and cyan stripes, and the message
    LOADING OK should appear at the bottom of the screen. If this
    does not occur, rewind the tape and try repeating the process and
    vary the volume setting each time.

    If both these tests are successful then press CAPS SHIFT and
    BREAK to return to the main menu. Otherwise the ZX Spectrum
    has failed.

The Full Test and the Cassette Test constitute a complete test of the
system's operation. Further tests detailed below may be carried out
if it is required to test peripherals, or the ZX Spectrum is suspected
of failure after it has been switched on for a while.

    14. Soak Test.
    If sufficient time is available, or the ZX Spectrum is
    suspected of failing when hot or after some time, then the
    sequence of test described above should be done after a
    SOAK TEST.

    To do this follow the steps above to stage 6, then select
    Option 7 on the menu and then press any key to start the test.
    This will run for about an hour, and all the time a red square
    will move from the top to the bottom of the screen. If this
    should stop, or an error be reported, then fail the system.
    Otherwise carry on with the test above from Stage 7.

These tests test peripherals to the Spectrum.

    15. ZX Printer Test.
    To test a ZX Printer, connect it to the rear of the
    Interface 2 WHILE THE POWER 1S OFF, with everything set up as
    above. Power up, and press key 9 to select ZX Printer test.
    Press Z to COPY the screen to the printer. This should all be
    reasonably clear and legible.

    16. RS 232 test.
    This requires the ZX Interface 1 also to be attached, and a
    device capable of sending and/or receiving at 9600 baud. A
    suitable device to test output would be a printer capable of
    receiving at 9600 baud, or another ZX Spectrum and ZX Interface
    1 connected by a "crossover" lead could be used to test both
    input and output. Suitable programs for it are:

        To test output from the Spectrum under test:

        10 OPEN #4,"t"
        20 LET a$=INKEYS$ #4
        30 IF a$="" OR a$=CHR$ 10 THEN GO TO 30
        40 PRINT a$;
        50 GO TO 20

        To test input from the Spectrum under test:

        10 OPEN #4,"t"
        20 FOR a=97 TO 122
        30 PRINT #4;CHR$ a;
        40 NEXT a
        50 GO TO 20

    16. Network test.
    This requires a second Spectrum equipped with a ZX Interface 1,
    connected to the system under test via a network lead as per the
    ZX Microdrive and ZX Interface 1 manual. Q is pressed to select
    Network test. To test network sending, enter and RUN the
    following program on the other Spectrum, and then press P.

        10 FORMAT n";2
        20 OPEN #4;"n";1
        30 PRINT INKEY$ #4;
        40 GO TO 30

    The letters of the alphabet should appear on the screen, and
    the report "End of file" should be produced.

    To test network receiving, enter and RUN the following
    program on the other ZX Spectrum, and press 1.

        10 FORMAT "n";2
        20 OPEN #4;"n";1
        30 FOR a=97 TO 122
        40 PRINT #4;CHR$ a;
        50 NEXT a
        60 CLOSE #4
        70 GO TO 20

    17. Joystick test.
    Connect a joystick to each socket in turn, and move it in
    each direction, including the diagonals. Also press the fire
    button. This should produce nine red blocks in each square.

B. Notes on Failure.

If a ZX Spectrum has failed one or more of the above tests, it
should be sent for repair as appropriate, with an indication of how
it failed.

This section is intended as a guide to what might cause failure at
each section of the test. It should only be used by persons qualified
to repair the computer.

    1. The Keyboard test.
    If the keys fail in rows or columns then it is likely that the
    keyboard tails are at fault.

    2. The Border Test.
    This test loads a routine into the 16K video RAM that executes
    a tight loop involving I/O. This simulates the effect of an
    arcade game in the video RAM. This has been known to cause
    Spectrums to crash.

    Failure will result in the computer crashing, identified either
    by it stopping and not responding to the keyboard, or by the
    display returning to the main menu.

    3. The Sound Test.
    This tests the loudspeaker by playing a scale of notes. If no
    sound can be heard, then the speaker or the circuit driving it
    has failed.

    4. The Colour Test.
    If the display is in Black and White, or the colours are not as
    described, then the computer should be sent for repair. The
    distinction between normal and bright is only apparent
    in the brighter colours, usually from green to white.

    5. The Flash Test.

    Flashes the whole screen between black and white, except the border.
    If part or all of the screen is not flashing then the ULA is almost
    certainly at fault.

    6. The RAM Test.

    The RAM Test tests every location with a varitey of patterns, If
    it fails to detect that the machine has 16K or 48K of RAM, i.e.
    there is some other amount, then it will report the first location
    that failed, indicating what happens when that location is loaded
    with 00 and FF. This will be of diagnostic use in the case of a
    stuck bit; if there is an addressing fault then these may appear
    correct.

    7. The Soak Test.

    Failure here may indicate that the RAM refresh is not functioning
    properly - cest blocks are maintained in both areas of RAM, and
    corruptions are reported. It could also indicate a timing failure
    when the computer is hot.

    8. The Cassette Test.

    This tests the electrical and mechanical integrity of the cassette
    interface circuitry. In the Output test a five second tone,
    similar to the leader on Saved programs, is sent to the Mic port.
    This should be recorded onto a cassette. The Input test will lock
    for a leader, either that recorded by the output test, or one from
    an ordinary recorded program. The detection appears in the normal
    way, i.e. the Border shows a brief period of cyan and red stripes.

    9. The ZX Printer Test.

    Performs a normal COPY operation on a screen full of text.
    failure will be when the text is misprinted or faint.

    0. The RS232 Test.

    Self explanatory. Check the connections are correct; the
    "crossover" lead mentioned when connecting two Spectrums crosses
    over TXData and RXData, and crosses CTS and DTR.

    Q. The Network Test.

    Self explanatory. Again, check the connections. The mini-jack
    sockets should be checked.

    W. The Joystick Test.

    This is equivalent to reading the top row of keys. Check the ZX
    Interface 2 electronics and the joystick connectors if it fails.