Interesting Atari computer

[Volksrod]

I just picked up an Alldata automotive repair computer system.
It appears to be an Atari ST.
When I try to boot it the machine runs the floppy and cdrom drives but never reads them, then finally boots from rom which looks very much like early Apple interface, but I can't go any further.
Any thoughts on how to get it to read the drives?
Also I will need a keyboard that has a phone looking jack, or instructions on how to convert to another keyboard
Thanks for any help.

 

[telengard]

Re: Interesting Atari computer

I just picked up an Alldata automotive repair computer system.
It appears to be an Atari ST.
When I try to boot it the machine runs the floppy and cdrom drives but never reads them, then finally boots from rom which looks very much like early Apple interface, but I can't go any further.
Any thoughts on how to get it to read the drives?
Also I will need a keyboard that has a phone looking jack, or instructions on how to convert to another keyboard
Thanks for any help.

Sounds like an ST. Is the background green w/ white icons? like this:

http://www.atari.st/

The early ST computers (520/1040ST) I believe were a single unit which housed the keyboard, cpu, memory, floppy drive etc. Some of the later ones I think had a detached keyboards although I am not familiar with those. You might have one of those.

 

[animekenji]

The AllData machines are indeed Atari ST's on the inside. I used to work in the automotive field and many of the garages we serviced used to have these. I used to chuckle everytime I saw one because I seemed to be the only one who knew what these were, despite the fact they used the Atari mouse with Atari logo right on top. All they really did, I think, is rebox the CPU and add a detachable keyboard. I later saw an ST for sale on ebay Germany housed in a similar case so AllData probably bought a bunch of the case conversion kits from a European manufacturer. They are not TT's or Megas. The case is definitely a custom job as it was popular for users to split their CPU from the keyboards in those days. Keep us posted on how far you get with this one. I have been on the lookout for one of these for quite a while.

Oh, and they shipped with monochrome monitors, so if he has the monitor that came with it, the desktop won't be green. I first realized they were ST's when I looked at the screen. The font that is used as standard on an ST mono screen is very distinctive. I have seen it duplicated (or something close to it) on PCs in recent years, but back then there wasn't a font like it on the PC.

 

[Micom 2000]

I was an ST fanatic for many years and never heard of the AllData.
I also would love to have one or even the automotive software that came with it. Toad Computers in the US sold an expansion case and separate KB. The reason being to have room for an internal HD. The RJ11 connector was used on the Megas and TT tho, so perhaps also for the expansion case. Do you know how much ram it had in it ? Was there an internal HD ? Can't imagine them being used in a garage without one.

The ST was a late-comer to CDs and IIRC weren't capable of using them until the Extendos program came out. ISTR that Homa House in Ottawa also had a CD program and sold several CDs for the ST. The common suggestion was to use an external Apple CDRom with it.

The ST FDDs were notoriously flaky and I must still have about 4 nonfunctional STFs and an STM. I still cherish my MEGA4 and have an upgraded STFM(4megs). Never did acquire an STE tho. They still sell well on EPAY.

Lawrence