HP 71B
#1

I recently wanted to use my beloved HP 71B. I took it out of wraps and continued to install new batteries. I get no response at all upon hitting the ON key. I tried using another set of batteries to no avail. Any help would be much appreciated.

#2

Hello!

Quote:
... hitting the ON key ...

My 71B probably has the same problem, a very unresponsive ON key. 'Hitting' will not bring it to life, I always need to press gently (but firmly) for a couple of seconds before the machine will turn itself on. In the beginning, not even this technique would help, so I used compressed air spray to blow out dust from underneath the keys. You have to open the calculator to do this, otherwise you will not get close enough to the contacts. If nothing else helps, you can try the same with contact spray, but I would do this only as a very last resort. Once you start using contact spray, the end is near...

Good luck, Max

#3

Quote:
Once you start using contact spray, the end is near...


The end near... oh no, I better go to confession. :)
#4

Hello!

Quote:
The end near... oh no, I better go to confession. :)

Wait till you have your 71B - when it refuses to work one day, after you have gotten used to it, you really think that this is the end of the world as we know it ;-)

But kidding aside: It is really my experience that once you start to use contact spray to get electronic devices back to work, they don't last very long afterwards. The intervals at which you have to re-apply the spray get shorter and shorter, and after some time, the spray/clenaer/solvent will not work any more. Probably because together with the oxide, also a little of the contact material (usually gold plating) gets removed as well. Also, the dissolved oxides, dust, sweat from underneath the keys get re-deposited elsewehere in the keyboard (out of reach!) and start new corrosion there.

Greetings, Max

#5

Yes, when I get 71B. I have emailed sender now twice and not hear anything from them. I hope I not get rip off scam.

#6

fixthatcalc should be able to take care of it.

#7

With broken 71B, yes. I still waiting for sender to send me 71B. I bought from person in Spain. I wire money, they send me tracking number, but I still waiting. I just hope it is just taking longer than expected.

#8

Hello!

Quote:
Yes, when I get 71B. I have emailed sender now twice and not hear anything from them. I hope I not get rip off scam.

When they sent it as an 'ordinary' parcel with the mail and not with one of the courier services like FedEx or UPS (very expensive and difficult to use for private persons here in Europe), it can take between three and six weeks in my experience. And if you bought it from Germany: There are still school holidays in some regions, so the seller may not be home right now.

Greetings, Max

#9

Quote:
When they sent it as an 'ordinary' parcel with the mail and not with one of the courier services like FedEx or UPS (very expensive and difficult to use for private persons here in Europe), it can take between three and six weeks in my experience

Surface shipping can take over two months to show up... if ever...

Greetings,
Massimo

#10

It come from Spain, and seller say 3 - 10 days. I figure it take some time with customs, but it worry me that seller not even contact me back. I shall be patient. It when you want something it seem to take forever. I should know with packages going and coming from Hungary that it take time.

#11

Max, thank you for your help. I purchased a brand new set of batteries and the unit turn on. This calculator has been sitting on my desk for the past three years, maybe this had something to do with it. All is well now except when upon turning on the unit, it takes about 5 seconds for the cursor to go on. Best regards from Flushing Queens.

#12

Hi, Frank:

Frank posted:

    "All is well now except when upon turning on the unit, it takes about 5 seconds for the cursor to go on."

      If you've got an HP-IL module plugged in, that's likely the cause. Just execute the command OFFIO from the command line and see if that solves the problem.

      Whenever you need to do HP-IL I/O again, execute RESTOREIO. Don't forget to execute OFFIO once more when you're done with I/O.

Best regards from V.

#13

Greetings Valentin, your diagnosis was correct. Thanks for all your contributions to this site. Regards.



Possibly Related Threads…
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  HP-IL 71B to 71B via HPIL Geoff Quickfall 11 3,036 12-01-2010, 06:55 PM
Last Post: Michael Meyer
  Question: 71B <-HPIL -> 71B john smith 16 3,465 05-12-2003, 06:37 AM
Last Post: John Smith

Forum Jump: