Amiga.org
Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: AntiPasta on June 11, 2003, 09:49:45 PM
-
Good day to all Amiga users,
Today I got an Amiga 2000 for free from a friend :D .
As a demo lover I've always wanted an Amiga but never got around to buying one, so this seemed like a good stepping stone into the Amiga community.
I only got a keyboard with it, moreover it has a card in it by Microbotics which is connected to a Quantum Prodrive LPS, an 8up card and a Genlock, and 2 3.5" diskdrives.
So I hooked it up using the mono video connector... the only thing I got was a white screen which faded to black, and then it did nothing :-?
Connecting it via the Genlock gives the same result... the diskdrives' LEDs don't burn, nor does the Caps Lock LED on my keyboard works.
Any help would be very appreciated.
-
good friend :-P
he has probably sold you a dud
it might be a power failure
can you hear the fan?
try taking out all expansion cards - see if it works then
-
well this good friend is for honesty and morality too, that's why he gave it to me for free :P
Anyway, I can hear the fan - although it makes an odd noise when I switch the unit off. I have taken out all the expansion cards save for the Genlock (hard to remove) but the problem persists... just like Kickstart ain't there at all :-?
-
Maybe the floppy drive connector isn`t connected properly, unlike newer drives, those on the amiga u could attach the cable 2 ways, eg. try to flip it (damn i dont know how to explain this in english! lol)
:-D
-
Many connections to chips and cards will go bad in an old amiga. If you are handy with tools, here's a list of things to do first....
Disconnect power and all other external cables.
Open the case.
Pull all extra cards from the expansion slots.
Remove the drive bays, power supply and the brace they rested on.
You should be able to see most of the MB now.
Take a look at this picture from AmigaU.com...
A2000 Rev 4.x Motherboard (http://www.amiga-hardware.com/a2000mbr41big.jpg)
Your board may look a little different but should be close to this one. Press down on any chips that are in chip sockets. Don't kill it, but mash them well. It may make some crackly noises, that's ok. Also press on each of the four sides of the Agnus chip. Agnus is the big square chip in the right middle of the picture. (The chip is missing in this picture). Next take a close look at the battery (Blue battery located at the bottom center of this picture). On old systems this battery leaks and starts to eat the mother board. If yours has leaked, I recommend removing it. I have removed many a bad battery by moving the battery back and forth slowly many times until it breaks free. You can also remove the old one and put in a new one if you have the solder tools to do it with. The battery is not essential, but keeps the system clock when power is off. You will have to set your time when you boot up if you want the clock to be acurate.
After all these things are done, reassemble your drive bays and cables,
reconnect your power, keyboard/mouse, cross your fingers and turn it on.
Hopefully it will spring back to life. Let me know if it doesn't.
We can go to step two in maintenance....
Step 3 is to get it to a really good Amiga tech or buy another :-)
If it does come back to life, go ahead and replace the other expansion cards. If all is still well with all cards back in, you are rolling.
Plaz
-
Alright, as I type this I'm removing everything (one of the screws in the A2300 genlock has a damaged head and is a bitch to unscrew), and upon removing the drive bay I noticed the area around the battery is covered in bluish smudge :-o
edit: oops, while trying to remove the battery the flat piece of metal holding the battery snapped off...
-
Looks like the motherboard has been damaged by the leaking battery. Seems it is a total dud. Skip it.
-
yeah I was beginning to think so too... just pressed all the chips 'til my thumbs hurt but it still does exactly the same, even with all expansion cards (save for the genlock) removed as well as the drives... ah well I could sell the parts perhaps and use the mobo as a nice wall decoration *sniff*
-
Not so fast!!!!
What you suggest sounds very very like a dead PSU! If you have any dead PCs lying aroudn pop out the PSU and botch together a new PSU for the A2000.
There's life in the old girl yet!!! I'm sure :-D
-
Quote
by AntiPasta on 2003/6/12 12:07:07
yeah I was beginning to think so too... just pressed all the chips 'til my thumbs hurt but it still does exactly the same, even with all expansion cards (save for the genlock) removed as well as the drives... ah well I could sell the parts perhaps and use the mobo as a nice wall decoration *sniff*
Before trying to replace the PSU, i suggest you, to remove the genlock.
Your A2000 is a NTSC or a PAL one? (where do you live?).
Some genlocks, requires a video signal in input, to sync the entire system.
I suggest you to remove the genlock and start the system again.
Ciao
-
alright I'll try removing the Genlock (I'm in Holland so i think it's PAL)... moreover I have to stress that the PSU fan does turn, the power led burns pretty bright and there is some action on screen (ie the diagnostic colors)...
-
Have you cleaned the motherboard of the goo which the battery leaked? Try looking the tracks in the affected area with a magnifying glass :).
-
it's hard to remove the fudge but luckily not much vital-looking stuff has been covered... only the blue capacitor next to the battery (C912 or something), and there's some on the keyboard connector.