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*** === Troubleshooting Programs and Operating Aids === There are ads in any of the computer magazines for many different types of software designed to meet a particular need on the part of the computer user. It is not possible to cover all of them in detail. Instead a few in some of the major categories will be discussed. Since there are more TRS-80's in use, and thus more software for that computer, the focus will be on TRS-80 compatible software. Memory Test Programs A few systems automatically test the memory each time the computer is switched on. Others have a specific monitor or operating system command the programmer can use to test all or part of the memory. There is good reason to incorporate memory tests in monitor software. RAM is the most problem prone part of many computers and a memory problem is not always easy to diagnose. It may come and go, or cause problems under some circumstances but not others. Several memory test programs are available. One, RAM Test for Level II, is available from Mumford Micro in Summerland, California for $9.95. It will conduct a comprehensive test of all the RAM in a TRS-80 in less than 14 seconds. === Cassette Aids === Computers vary in the way they handle loading programs from cassette tape, and the degree of success obtained also varies quite a bit. In some early systems it was almost impossible to successfully load programs from tape. The probability of success has increased in the newest crop of small computers but there is still room for improvement in many systems. The TRS-80 is a case in point. Its cassette data storage system is one of the main reasons some people refer to it as the trash-80. That title is probably undeserved, but there is no denying that the TRS-80 cassette system is less dependable than some of its competitors. For $39.95 the DATA/PRINT folks in Fargo, South Dakota promise to deliver you from the perils of unloadable cassettes. Their TRcopy program, when loaded into a TRS-80, promises to work wonders on all those unkept and dirty bits you're trying to load or save on tape. TRcopy improves the cassette system in several ways. Its most interesting feature is its ability to print on the screen the data that is being read from the tape. The user actually sees what's going into memory as the tape is loaded. TRcopy also has facilities for verifying tapes. This means you can check to see if what is on the tape matches what's in memory.