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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: hamtronix on September 30, 2008, 12:55:37 AM

Title: Dangerous?
Post by: hamtronix on September 30, 2008, 12:55:37 AM

OK. SO my A4000 works fine other than the random reboots. I got some 91% Isoprobyl alcohol to clean it with. My question is- should I just repress the chips in the sockets or remove them , clean the area and reinsert? Could I be endangering my A4000 by removing and reinserting? I'd rather have a wonky C= than a dead one.

Title: Re: Dangerous?
Post by: Damion on September 30, 2008, 01:15:14 AM

I suppose there's less chance of something going wrong by just giving them a press, and you'll need a special tool for anything PLCC. (Though there are not as many sockets on the A4K as with other models.)

Title: Re: Dangerous?
Post by: da9000 on September 30, 2008, 02:00:25 AM

As -D- said, I wouldn't recommend you extract socketed chips without an extractor. Especially any PLCC ones. You're likely to break the socket and it's quite hard (and thus expensive) to replace those!

Title: Re: Dangerous?
Post by: nBit7 on September 30, 2008, 03:13:50 AM

A PLCC extractor tool is very cheap
See this (http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&productId=16766&) one from Jameco.

Normally I don't bother with the tool if its not in front of me.  I just use a small screw driver and slowly leaver each side.  But I have heard that the sockets used in the Amigas tend to be brittle and thus can break if you use this method.

Replacing a broken socket is actually an easy and quick job for anyone with a little experience.  Finding someone with this experience who won't charge you a lot of money is another issue.

Title: Re: Dangerous?
Post by: LoadWB on September 30, 2008, 03:18:48 AM

Yeah, I've broken a few Agnus sockets on 500s.  I found the sockets at either Jameco or Mouser, and replacement was not a big ordeal.

Now, if the ones on the 4000 are surface mount, that would be a bigger ordeal for me as I have no surface mount experience.  But for someone competent, probably not.

None the less, I would recommend a puller as well.

Title: Re: Dangerous?
Post by: CLS2086 on September 30, 2008, 10:14:14 AM

Hum, random reboot, take time to check the PSU a long moment !  :rtfm:

Title: Re: Dangerous?
Post by: rockape on September 30, 2008, 10:29:59 AM

Hi,

see http://wonkity.com/~wblock/a4000hard/main.html

Anything helpfull in there ?

Regards, Michael

aka rockape

Title: Re: Dangerous?
Post by: hamtronix on October 01, 2008, 12:31:45 AM

Quote

CLS2086 wrote:
Hum, random reboot, take time to check the PSU a long moment !  :rtfm:

Yeah I know. but i dont have a multimeter... So if my PSU is bad, who has one here for cheap?

Title: Re: Dangerous?
Post by: AeroMan on October 01, 2008, 02:15:49 AM

Buying a multimeter is a good idea. You can buy an inexpensive chinese one if you are not intending to do heavy development with that :-)

But it is enough to check your basic PSU signals, it is always useful and surely cheaper than buying a new PSU just to check if yours is faulty

Good luck !

Title: Re: Dangerous?
Post by: marcfrick2112 on October 01, 2008, 05:21:36 AM

Another vote for a) a multimeter, and b) a PLCC and regular chip extractors. If money is an issue, RadioShack sell both pretty cheap.

Old chip sockets can be brittle in general, not just in Amigas. A while back while stripping down a dead 486DX machine for parts, I was apalled at how the sockets just crumbled....