I have purchased a used 16902A Logic Analyser (with 16950A and 16910A modules). It is one of the earlier models running Windows XP.
Reading through the Service Manual I see it has a plain vanilla microATX PC motherboard built in. I am just wondering if I can replace the motherboard with a state-of-the-art model with a fast processor more RAM and SATA drives (I would attach a small SSD as the system drive) The old has an IDE interface fro the HDD. Would also like to use any USB keyboard and a USB mouse. (I have retired my PS/2 stuff a long time ago) And of course I would like to install Windows 7 on it instead of the unsupported XP. (just would not like to go back in time each time I switch from my PC to the analyzer's screen)
If I got it right the analyser's built-in PC motherboard is connected to the proprietary hardware (the logic analyser part) only thru a PCI card, that must be mechanically and electronically compatible with any new microATX board's PCI slot. It is also encouraging that the manual says that the built-in microATX mobo-s can differ, the newer batches of this same model 16902A had already Windows 7 factory-installed. The renewed model 16902B has more up-to-date motherboards (already with SATA, etc.)
Could you please comment on if my idea is feasible ? Are there some deliberate hurdles built in (the logic analyzer software is maybe tied somehow to the motherboard model ?) so I cannot rejuvenate my device so easily ?
Reading through the Service Manual I see it has a plain vanilla microATX PC motherboard built in. I am just wondering if I can replace the motherboard with a state-of-the-art model with a fast processor more RAM and SATA drives (I would attach a small SSD as the system drive) The old has an IDE interface fro the HDD. Would also like to use any USB keyboard and a USB mouse. (I have retired my PS/2 stuff a long time ago) And of course I would like to install Windows 7 on it instead of the unsupported XP. (just would not like to go back in time each time I switch from my PC to the analyzer's screen)
If I got it right the analyser's built-in PC motherboard is connected to the proprietary hardware (the logic analyser part) only thru a PCI card, that must be mechanically and electronically compatible with any new microATX board's PCI slot. It is also encouraging that the manual says that the built-in microATX mobo-s can differ, the newer batches of this same model 16902A had already Windows 7 factory-installed. The renewed model 16902B has more up-to-date motherboards (already with SATA, etc.)
Could you please comment on if my idea is feasible ? Are there some deliberate hurdles built in (the logic analyzer software is maybe tied somehow to the motherboard model ?) so I cannot rejuvenate my device so easily ?
There are BIOS changes, driver issues, and yes, the LA SW does look at the model of motherboard, because it has to run slightly differently on each of the various platforms and motherboards we've used over the years.
Al