.REPLYADDR davea@cv.hp.com
.REPLYTO 2:2426/2030.200 uucp
From: davea@cv.hp.com (Dave Arnett)

.RFC.X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2]

  I'm not a software hacker, but these are the [ON] key combo's I
use.  NOTE: Some of these can cause memory loss.  Be careful, be wise.

[ON]  In most cases, this will move you to, or toward, the stack environment.

[ON]+A+F  This is the manual Colstart.  It will break out of _almost_ any
hung program, and offer you the dreaded option... Try to recover memory?
Note that this is your next-to-last resort in a lock-up, so don't give your
machine this three-fingered salute unless you really want to possibly clear
memory.

[ON]+B  This is the Oops! key for [ON] codes.  For many [ON] sequences, this
cancels the operation, so long as you press the B before releasing the [ON]
key. Try it sometime, if you must, just so you remember it.  It can be a life-
saver, in case of an accidental [ON]+A+F in process, or even accidentally
hitting [ON] during a plotting routine.

[ON]+C  This will initiate a Warmstart.  You'll lose the stack, but it will
often get you out of a locked up program with memory intact.

[ON]+D  Enters interactive test mode.  I won't even atempt to catalog the
various tests and odd jobs available from here.  Back up your own machine
and play around.  Exit this test mode with Warmstart, [ON]+C.

[ON]+E  Starts a looping self-test mode.  Kinda dull after the first five
minutes, but it keeps a rather solid tempo.  Exit with Warmstart, [ON]+C.

[ON]+4  Cancels repeating alarms.

[ON]+1  Screen dump utility.  Somebody else just posted something about this.
rather than plagiarize, I'll refer you back to their message.  ;)

[ON]+[+], [ON]+[-]  Adjusts display contrast.

[ON]+[SPC]  Initiates Coma Mode and clears Warm Start Log.  In Coma mode, all
the clocked activity is halted.  The battery power drain as basically the
few nanoamperes necessary to sustain your RAM contents.  The Warm Start Log
is a nearly bullet-proof area of memory which keeps track of the last four
hazardous events.  View it using the command, WSLOG.  This log is one of the
few things not cleared by a Coldstart.  But it is cleared by [ON]+[SPC].
Enter Coma this way if you want to clear the Warm Start Log, if you are
planning to study crystal healing in Tibet for a few years and want to keep
your pirated version of Tetris alive, or you just have a low power fetish.
Exit Coma mode with the [ON] key (tough to remember, huh?), and plan to find
your stack cleared out.

Two additional notes on this Coma stuff.  First, I'm not gonna try to list
the log codes in WSLOG.  Sorry!  Second, if your machine is on, and you drop
the batteries out, you will _usually_ end up in a coma mode to preserve power.
WSLOG will not be cleared.  Instead, you will find a code 1 entry there.
Some people are paranoid and want to be in Coma when they change batteries,
just in case they have a sudden emergency call from the Prime Minister and
don't get back to their battery change for a half hour.  If you are one of
these...  shall I say, weenies?  No, that would be unprofessional ...users,
then I recommend you use the [ON]+[SPC] entry route, rather than the kamikaze
method of dropping batteries with the machine running.  Myself, I just turn
the machine OFF, like the manual says.

Now, a Coma story... sort of.  During the G/GX development, I maintained a
small number of units on which I changed ROM chips as incremental code
releases came out.  This was so folks like Bill Wickes and Jim Donnelly could
have fully-real hardware to test, instead of just the EPROM handsets some of
you may have seen.  We always backed up anything of importance in the machine
before we did this.  But I got into the habit of using [ON]+[SPC] before I
opened up the calculator.  Better than half of the time, I could remove the
batteries, open the case, desolder the old surface-mounted ROM chip, solder
down a new chip, and reassemble the machine... with all of RAM intact!  When
I pressed [ON], I'd come right back up with no Try to Recover Memory? prompt.
Pretty good, huh?  The folks who put that mode into the machine certainly
weren't in a coma.

TTFN.
Dave.

------------------
All the disclaimers apply.  This isn't an official HP statement... I only work
here.  If you try any of this, you do it at your own risk, blah blah blah.



+++ Hewlett-Packard Corvallis Division R&D, Corvallis, Oregon, USA

