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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: hamtronix on August 16, 2007, 04:36:44 PM
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I will need to yank out my Agnus chip to put in a Megachip. I have no chip puller. Does anyone have an idea on how to remove the Agnus without a chip puller. Or where to get one?
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I think AmigaKit have them in.
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RadioShack should sell chip pullers.
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I bought one at Radio Shack about a year ago, it was like $5 IIRC. It works well, just make sure the little "hooks" on the tool are really in place before giving it the squeeze! :)
--edit, more like $10:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062619&cp
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just use a clockworks screwdriver... that is a SMALL screwdriver, and slowly pull Agnus up by it's edges...
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keropi wrote:
just use a clockworks screwdriver... that is a SMALL screwdriver, and slowly pull Agnus up by it's edges...
Just make sure you haven't had -ANY- beer before attempting this method, even one, or you WILL "f" it up... (don't ask me how I know...)
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Anything applying sideward forces to these old, brittle sockets is NOT recommended - including screwdrivers. You'll be sorry when you crack the socket.
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keropi wrote:
just use a clockworks screwdriver... that is a SMALL screwdriver, and slowly pull Agnus up by it's edges...
That reminds me of that kid who accidentally yanked the chip socket off his AmigaOne with a screwdriver. Definitely a case where "right tool for the job" comes into play I'd say.
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-D- wrote:
at Radio Shack about a year ago, it was like $5 IIRC.
--edit, more like $10:
The chip puller I bought cost me way more than $10.00
$0.00 pair of pliers (everyone has at least one)
$0.02 or so for a few large paper clips
$8.00 6 pack of some good stout
$20.00 plus shipping and handling for new fat agnus
$15.00 in gas to the nearest Radioshack that had a chipper in stock
$10.00 for said PLCC chip puller
Knowing that I should have bought one in the first place...
$53.02
:-D
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You can get them for far less than $10, mine was 2.65€.
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Chip pullers are very cheap. I got one for about 3 bucks. You can make one yourself pretty easy from a flat thin long strip of metal. I've used screwdrivers dozens of times though. Its just a matter of slowly and gently prying up one end then the other until its loose enough to pull out.
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You risk damaging the socket if you don't use a proper chip puller. I once wanted to see if I could remove a buster 11 chip from an dead 4000 mobo and I carefully tried it and I still cracked the corner of the socket. Spend the $10 at Rat Shack for a PLCC Chip puller!
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Thanks! I will just go to RS instead of taking the cheap route. Cheap often turns out to be expensive anyway...
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I've pulled many chips from old machines and never cracked a socket. You need to use a very small thin flat screwdriver (a watch repair one is ideal, as already suggested) and ideally you want to apply most of the pressure upwards on the chip rather than down on the socket... and you only need to loosen it enough to pull the chip by hand.
A chip puller is ideal, but for most chips you can get by with a screwdriver. Chip pullers are also pretty easy to improvise from thin flat pieces of metal. I've seen it even done effectively with 2 bent paperclips.
Note that with PLCC type chips where the sockets are level with the top of the chips (rather than the chip lying almost entirely above the socket, as with say the Kickstart ROMs or 68000 in an Amiga) you would be kind of dumb to try and pry the chip out. Aside from cracking the socket, youre likely to damage the chip leads too.
I think the chip he's trying to yank out is of the other sort though, in which case levering a screwdriver under the chip and above the socket is perfectly acceptable.
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I just looked... apparently the Agnus exists in both the DIP form I've seen and a PLCC form. If you've got the DIP form, you can get away with a screw driver. If you've got the PLCC form, take the advice of investing in a puller. Note that the pullers for PLCC and DIP chips are different, make sure you get the right kind if you've got a PLCC Agnus.
See pictures:
http://www.amiga-hardware.com/showhardware.cgi?HARDID=1448
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T3000 wrote:
-D- wrote:
at Radio Shack about a year ago, it was like $5 IIRC.
--edit, more like $10:
The chip puller I bought cost me way more than $10.00
$0.00 pair of pliers (everyone has at least one)
$0.02 or so for a few large paper clips
$8.00 6 pack of some good stout
$20.00 plus shipping and handling for new fat agnus
$15.00 in gas to the nearest Radioshack that had a chipper in stock
$10.00 for said PLCC chip puller
Knowing that I should have bought one in the first place...
$53.02
:-D
:lol:
Damn, just spat beer at the monitor. Good beer too. Black Sheep Riggwelter, no less.
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Great advice here, don't use anything other than a PLCC chip puller if you don't want your socket to crack.
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I also recommend just dropping the $10 or so for a PLCC puller, cheaper than a replacement Amiga....
BTW, a while back, an old 486DX I had died... so I figured I would strip the chips out.... one was a PLCC chip, I tried to use a jewelers' screwdriver, and the socket broke, actually more like shattered....
Just a caveat... :roll:
edit: also, IME, those Agnus chips are in there pretty tight
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57goldtop wrote:
Great advice here, don't use anything other than a PLCC chip puller if you don't want your socket to crack.
What if the chip is not PLCC as in this case? :-o
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Oh I misread that, get the puller. :pint:
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Yeah, another issue is that plastic generally gets brittle with age! Even with the tool I'd be veeery careful. ;-)
T3000 wrote:
-D- wrote:
at Radio Shack about a year ago, it was like $5 IIRC.
--edit, more like $10:
The chip puller I bought cost me way more than $10.00
$0.00 pair of pliers (everyone has at least one)
$0.02 or so for a few large paper clips
$8.00 6 pack of some good stout
$20.00 plus shipping and handling for new fat agnus
$15.00 in gas to the nearest Radioshack that had a chipper in stock
$10.00 for said PLCC chip puller
Knowing that I should have bought one in the first place...
$53.02
:-D
LMAO