Amiga.org
Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: Nikolai on December 29, 2007, 12:33:25 AM
-
Hey all,
I'm just wondering if when you turn on the power supply, and the power light on the system only blinks, then does that mean power supply is dead? If so, if anyone has an extra working A500 power supply they're willing to sell it would be much appreciated. The person I bought the system from has not replied to my emails asking about shipment of a working one in several days and would like to get my Amiga up an running ASAP.
Thanks!
-Nikolai :-)
-
Why bother?
Look at this page and you could have a never end supply of Amiga's PSUs!
Amiga Power Supply (http://www.ianstedman.co.uk/Amiga/amiga_hacks/Amiga_Power_supplies/amiga_power_supplies.html)
If you buy/steal/rent/grab a mini AT/ATX peecee unit, you could put it inside the original PSU case! Like I did to one of my Amigas.
-
Argh, sounds like too much work. Haha, just kidding, it probably isn't, but I'm on vacation so everything right now seems rather arduous :P
Sure hope the guy wasn't trying rip me off, cuz he hasn't responded to my email in about a week. :/
-
The A500 Power LED is controlled by Software.
The blinking could be a kind of Error Message.
If your Power Supply is one of the old, heavy ones,
you can check the Voltages with a simple Voltmeter.
Its possible that one of the IC's on the A500 PCB
has come lose during Transport.
-
Nikolai wrote:
Argh, sounds like too much work. Haha, just kidding, it probably isn't, but I'm on vacation so everything right now seems rather arduous :P
Sure hope the guy wasn't trying rip me off, cuz he hasn't responded to my email in about a week. :/
Is the other party on vacation too? At this time of year I would be inclined to allow a little extra leeway for a response...
-
Not sure, he didn't say anything about going anywhere, he was willing to send another PSU if I gave him my shipping info, but he hasn't responded since.
So blinking light on power means software issue then? Or not?
The seller sounded pretty sure that I just needed a working power supply when he replied to my first email about the blinking. But of course if that were true he should've tested the original right there when I bought it from him...sigh...
-
No, its a Hardware Problem.
When you start the A500, a self-test Program
(in Kickstart ROM) runs.
If something goes wrong, the Power LED blinks
and the Screen shows a Color which gives a Clue about the Problem.
green screen = no chipmem found (or chipmem is damaged)
red screen = bad kickstart-rom
yellow screen = mostly a bad cpu or a bad expansion-card
-
Ohforf wrote:
No, its a Hardware Problem. When you start the A500, a self-test Program(in Kickstart ROM) runs.
If something goes wrong, the Power LED blinks and the Screen shows a Color which gives a Clue about the Problem.
green screen = no chipmem found (or chipmem is damaged)
red screen = bad kickstart-rom
yellow screen = mostly a bad cpu or a bad expansion-card
So, in order to fix the problem:
1- Open the Amiga case (maybe you'll need a torx screwdriver)
2- If the color of the error screen is green, remove the A501 (that funny box accessible from the outside of the Amiga via the trapdoor);
3- Red screen: remove carefully the ROM chip from its socket and put it back;
4- Yellow: remove carefully the CPU chip and resseat it back;
5- Do the same with all socketed chips in the main board, if none of the above works.
-
Oh ok, yah it's green screen, thanks for help.
Funny the seller didn't say it was the chipmem that was damaged though.
Maybe because I declined his offer for boxes of Amiga magazines or military spec A2000's...hahahaha. :lol:
-
OMG! Did you buy your Miggy from Doom Master???
-
Long before I knew of his infamy. Unfortunately.
-
So what exactly should I be looking for as far as damage or any other problems with the A501?
Thanks
-Nikolai
-
Take the battery out! and wash corroded areas :-)
-
I'm really new to this system so I'm not sure what could be wrong with it so here's a pic of the top of it. (http://nikolai.forrest.googlepages.com/DSCF1861.JPG)
Anything look weird/missing/damaged?
Thanks!
-Nikolai
-
Well taking out the A501 gets me to the boot screen,
but when it's tries to load Workbench it just goes back to
the screen with the Workbench V1.3 disk on it.
Could it be that I was only given the v1.2 floppy? :-?
-
no you can use older WB disks, try another disk. Heads might be dirty too. Doomy says he checks them out but the drive might be dirty/bad. I live in Tacoma if you need help.
-
Looks much more like a problematic PSU to me.
Open it and look for bulky or near dead capacitors.
-
Well it's not only a green screen from the bad memory, but the disk drive isn't working properly as well. It will begin to load a disk but after several seconds of a black screen it will just shut off and go back to the Insert WB screen. Weird... :-?
-
Nikolai wrote:
Well it's not only a green screen from the bad memory, but the disk drive isn't working properly as well. It will begin to load a disk but after several seconds of a black screen it will just shut off and go back to the Insert WB screen. Weird... :-?
Again: that's a symptom from a bad PSU (with bad/near dead capacitors). When the Amiga loads more current from it, it drops the voltages to less than necessary to keep the Amiga running.