About a year ago we surplus a lot of Gilson stuff.  Sorry

Keshore

I wish you would have posted this earlier.  We have an old 715 that nobody uses and I was attempting the same thing as you.  The problem was that there was no floppies containing the software.  I emailed Gilson and they told me that they don't even have it.  Here is the email:

Hi I am a graduate student at UNLV and I happen to be in charge of determining if an old hplc made by your company still works. It is a gilson 715 hplc with 2 pumps, a UV detector and a systems controller. I do not have the software for the machine but I do have a computer that might be able to run it. Is there any way I can get a copy of the software for this machine or if I can find a compatible one? Your response will be greatly appreciated, thanks. From the manuals that I have but no disks, it says that it could be run off DOS or Windows 3.1.

Sincerely,

Anthony Harrington

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Hello Anthony,

This is Tim from Gilson. The software you are asking about is very old. We no longer sell it, and in fact I could not find copies of it here. This was a package we sold prior to UniPoint, also obsoleted about 8 years ago.

I would look to see if you have the disk. Beyond this, you will want to look for the hardware key to run it. This is perhaps in the form of an interface box (506) about the size of a small book. This has the small black key plugged into it. This was prior to the days of software licensing, the key is the software license. If you have the software key and the disk, then perhaps you can get the system to run.

Thank you,

Tim

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To make matters worse, we HAD (now scrapped) an old computer that had the RS-232 serial port and a floppy drive. If you could make a copy of the software (from the floppies) please let me know.  My suggestion for you is to try http://www.allserial.com/two-port-usb-serial-adapter-rs-232-prolific-chip.html?fee=1&fep=1316&utm_source=googleshopping

but find one that is cheaper.  

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2142380/run-dos-programs-in-a-current-version-of-windows.html

Try to run the software in dos mode.  You can also try this:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/824550

Now, we do have the key but no software, so the unit just sits.

Hope this helps.

Hi Anthony,

I have managed to copy the two 3.5 inch floppies to folders on my harddrive and the software does install.  My problem has been getting the old software to to talk to the serial port (I've tried a number of workarounds to No avail).  Since you have the hardware key I could send you the files if you are still looking for them.  My situation became even more irritating when I discovered that we had upgraded to the unipoint software (which runs under Windows98 or NT and might work with XP) but someone has misplaced the CDROM and as Tim from Gilson indicated that is obsolete software as well.

Hi Eric, I would really appreciate if you could send me the software.  I will see what I can do but it will probably be over the Christmas break because I am writing my thesis.  I also have to try to find an old PC but if not, I will attempt it with a laptop or old desktop. If you need pictures or a scanned copy of the manual please let me know and I will send you a copy (I have not scanned it but it would only take an hour).  

Now regarding your recent post.

http://www.startech.com/Cards-Adapters/Serial-Cards-Adapters/2-Port-PCI-Express-RS232-Serial-Card~PEX2S553B

Your suggestion indicates that a RS-232 to USB adaptor won't work or fails to communicate data between the controller and the computer.  I failed to realized this problem.  The link I provided is for a RS-232 PCI that can be installed into a desktop and is compatible with many current window OS.  The problem I found from a quick google search is that running VMware or Virtual PC is that the COM port will not be recognize when emulating an older OS on new hardware (like you suggested).  Im no computer/electronic engineer but if we  can gather input from someone with knowledge in those fields then its possible that we can find a solution.  The link I provided gives us data about the chipset and the performance (under technical specifications).  I think the performance data will help us determine the problem with the lack of communication (max baud rate, data bits, stop bits, etc).  We have to find out these parameters for the older hardware that worked with the 506 controller and if we can find a RS-232 PCI or maybe adapter that matches these parameters, then I don't see any problems with the controller communicating with hardware/computer.   

Hope this helps.

Appendix C provides us some data but I'm not sure if this is for the right controller.

Hi Anthony,

Send me an email address and I'll send you a zip file with the files.

my email is eric.hugo AT uc.edu

Is this entire path worth pursuing?

It might be easier and not expensive to take any of several other routes, depending on your needs and resources.

e.g. Need a  solvent gradient? If not, isochratic is a snap

You might  find it fairly easy to drive the hardware with some simple modern interface such as ones available from Dataq or data translation. These use the usb, have input and output ports, and  can be used with VBA or othe modern languages to do the whole job.  This route also places the power of windows directly to the unit (file management, MS Excel(R), MS Word(R), etc.).  (Another alternative  is the cheapie Arduino approach.)

As a student you will learn much more valuable skills doing this rather than following  the junk yard path of  mining arcane software

Unfortunately, I'm not  a student, although I do have a microarduino and a raspberry pi if I had time to play with this project.  I would love to have the flexibility of such a system although interfacing GSIOC to more modern IO hardware would certainly be a challenge (especially for a molecular biologist ;-) )

Im a student but I'm busy at the moment.  I wish I took more classes in programming and electronics (logic and circuits) but I did not.  I still think the 'junkyard path' is the way to go initially because without knowing how the instrument operates, it will be hard trying to write code to tell it what to do.  Also, I think these LC's can do gradient runs. The instrument has 2 pumps, so it should be able to do a gradient but Im not positive.  Im glad that we have a new person to provide input on this situation.  Dr. Abbot, if possible, could you go into more detail about your suggestion?

http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2014/05/technoarchaeology

Even though we are not dealing with old sats, this just shows that old obsolete equipment or software still has many useful applications.  I will use this as inspiration.

I sure agree that old hardware has plenty of value and new stuff is often no advance except cost. With the old stuff, the limitations are often within the  software , rather than the hardware. I have built several instruments from scratch and assembled 'systems' from old pieces of hardware and new electronics (pc plus new interface electronics), and it sure is a less expensive and more flexible route than buying new stuff or using an entire old system (unless the old system is all together and functioning).

   The biggest changes available now (as compared to a few decades ago) are the  power and flexibility available with the electronics and associated programmability of  software.  Unfortunately, these are not reflected in a lowering of the prices of new instrumentation.  This power is accessible to the scientist who has a little electronics and programing skills.  Excel, for example, is a far more powerful and inexpensive tool for data treatment than a lot of the data treatment software vendors sell, and modern programming environments are far more friendly and easy to use than machine language. The advances in robotics has made controlling stuff much easier and less expensive than ever before.

   It seems odd that a new stuff is being sold for big money which is no better than the instrumentation which was developed 30- 40 years ago. (I was involved developing the stuff back then).  It is doubly painful to see some rather cumbersome systems being sold for big money now which are no substantive advance in the state of the art, but are touted as such.}

You might see what the communication requirements are for the system, and then decide if you can use any of the following strategies:

    If you can run the pumps from an analog input, and the detector has an anolog output, then you can use a board like the Lawson Labs 301 or 302. These boards are  suitable for chromatographic applications, since they are high resolution, can take and transmit data, are usb compatible, and communicate directly with Excel.

I am faced with a similar problem and am busy making a new digital controller board for the Gilson 302.  It will mimic the original one in terms of driving the pump motor, but interface via an RS-485 network with no proprietary hardware, security keys, etc.

If anyone is interested in details, just contact me.

Dear Dr.Hugo. I saw your correspondence, here at ResearhGate,

regarding the old Gilson HPLC. We have the same situation - good condition

hardware (base on Gilson 306 series pump) without software.

Could you send me the Gilson`s software files that would revitalize the equipment?

My email is [email protected]

Sicerely Yours,

Sergey Mayorov

See DAQ2GO.com

There are  several youtube videos, too. search term: DAQ2GO

 We have been using rs232 and 485 communication, as well as the analog and digital ports, all with DAQ2GO. This lets us control all the modules and take data, too. The DAQ2GO serves to completely replace controllers and electronics associated with data taking. I gave a couple of papers on this topic at ACS meetings this past year. Email me privately for some details, if you like, at  [email protected], for details and other examples.

Do you have the interface requirements for commands to the Gilson autosampler and syringe pump? I have connected to the serial port but do not know what commands it sends or expects to receive. I have the equipment but no manuals. On line manuals only refer to connect to their controller and do not explain what is being sent back and forth.

I have not been able to complete this project because I graduated from that university and have moved to another one.  I would contact Scott Abbott for more information.

 Paul,

 It may be easier to connect directly to some of the actuators and supply voltage/current from a programmable controller, rahter than try to make some of the old electronic stuff work. Usually, the mechanicals are good and problems lie in the electronics or software.

I recently revived an Instron mechanical tester that way. I used the DAQ2GO and its controlled power supply to drive the unit (controlled power to the motor directly) and (reading the pulses from the encoder) controlled its speed.

Look for the inputs to the various actuators and, as needed, replace their stuff with stuff you can control and communicate with. 

Thank you Scott. I have looked up the DAC2GO you mentioned and it looks like a nice solution. I have also found some manuals by looking up Gilson GSIOC and it gives some of the command structures. The DAC2GO may still be the easiest interface even if I communicate using gilson commands. 

you can use 232 or 485, and that way send strings, characters, etc.

We have used it on a plethora of different devices, from xy gantry motion to controlling chromatographs.