Amiga.org
Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: graffias79 on September 21, 2003, 03:59:00 PM
-
Hi everyone. I recently plugged my Amiga 500 in to see if it still worked. (mostly because of the scare I got from the thread about the bad batteries leaking, since I have clone of the a501 clock/memory module installed). When I turn it on there is no power light. I'm using the same Micronik Bigfoot PSU that powers my 1200 just fine. However I get a very blue colored screen. I understand when you get a color instead of a workbench disk prompt it means chipset trouble? What does blue mean?
Thanks
-
it means :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-(
-
well perhaps it doesnt have to end in such tragedy. I have an A2000 that needs some TLC, can some of the components be transplanted into the 2000? I also have a DCE minimeg 2MB agnus/chipram upgrade in the 500. I know it was designed for the 500 and 2000, except i lost the instructions on which jumpers to cut/connect :-( Also will the 2.04 kickstart I put in the 500 work in the 2000 or is it motherboard specific?
Thanks
-
Just to confirm (from the Amiga Wiki (http://62.149.36.17/~yourdrea/cgi-bin/wiki.pl/Amiga_boot_up_error_colours)) blue is a custom chipset problem.
The A500 and A2000 are very similar (despite what one member will say :-) ) and a lot of the components are the same in both. I think that the kickstarts are compatible as well - but check with someone who actually knows before you do anything :-D
-
If I don't remember wrong, blue indicates an error in one or several of the custom chips. Perhaps it's the ECS-expansion that is causing the problem? Have you checked for chip creep (chips "creeping" out of their sockets due to temperature changes)
The 2.04 kickstart ROMs should work perfectly in the A2000.
-
alx wrote:
The A500 and A2000 are very similar
The A2000 is similar to the A500 from the A2k 'B' revision onward. The A2K 'A' version was based on the A1K motherboard.
-
Ok thx for the help so far, I dug out my 2000. Realized it doesnt have a keyboard. The bottom left says "Amiga B2000-CR Haynie/Fisher A/W312723 REV 6. It has a 1.3 kickstart rom, I tried plugging it in but got a green screen! Does anyone know what that means? Will it even try to boot without a keyboard? If this is going to work I will order a new keyboard from probably software hut. I hope I can get this to work, its a 2000HD, has an a2091 "hard card" not populated with any ram tho. I had to remove the battery from the MB cause it was starting to leak as well. I hope that didn't do much damage :-o
-
graffias79 wrote:
I tried plugging it in but got a green screen! Does anyone know what that means?
A green screen during boot appears to mean a problem was found in ChipRAM. You may just need to get in there and reseat the ChipRAM to fix this problem.
More can be found about what those colors at boot mean at http://amiga.emugaming.com/selftest.html (http://amiga.emugaming.com/selftest.html)
-
Some Amiga's do require custom chip reseating. It's annoying but be careful not to shock or damage pins when doing so..
-
DonnyEMU wrote:
Some Amiga's do require custom chip reseating.
My A500 needed to have everything that's socketed (including CPU) reseated about once a month. It was very annoying but that's life.
-
Thanks everyone for your help.. very much appreciated. Ironically I got my 500 to work using these techniques LOL I'd still like to get my 2000 working. But that will have to wait a while. At least the offending battery has been removed!
Again Thanks!
-
Ok I got one. I'm getting a yellow/green screen. I havent run this thing for like 10 years, soooo.
What is it ? Memory, chips bad what?
boB
-
Could be memory chips, could be an oxidized Agnus socket. Use a PLCC puller, remove and reseat the Agnus.
Don't use a pair of screwdrivers for old PLCC chips in Amigas, as you will crack the socket.
-
Some lemon juice probably wont hurt to get off the oxidation layer on the IC legs.
-
Thanks everyone for your help.. very much appreciated. Ironically I got my 500 to work using these techniques LOL I'd still like to get my 2000 working. But that will have to wait a while. At least the offending battery has been removed!
Again Thanks!
If there's any leakage from the battery onto the motherboard/pins etc then you need to neutralise it with lemon juice...or it will continue to do damage (wouldn't hurt to treat the area just to be safe).
-
@thread
2 different writeups I have about startup and colors. Similar.
(1) Amiga system routine
Amiga system test is a complicated set of routines which it must go
through before you can do any work on it. During the system test the Amiga
is attempting to let you know if the system is well. Here is a list of the
start-up activities:
1. Clear all chips of old data
2. Disable DMA and interrupts during the test.
3. Clear the screen.
4. Check the hardware ....checks to see if 68000 is functioning.
5. Change screen color.
6. Do a checksum test on all ROMS.
7. Change screen color.
8. Beginning of system startup.
9. Check RAM at $C0000,and move SYSBASE there
10. Test All CHIP RAM.
11. Change screen color.
12. Check that software is coming in ok.
13. Change screen color.
14. Setup CHIP RAM to receive data.
15. Link the libraries
16. Check for additional memory and link it
17. Turn the DMA and interrupts back on.
18. Start a default task.
19. Check for 68010,68020, and or 68881.
20. Check to see if there is an exception ...processor error
21. If so do a system reset.
During this system test the Amiga is sending vital information to the
screen with colors. If the system checks out ok, you will see the following
sequence that you have seen so many times.
DARK GRAY: The initial hardware tested OK. the 68000 is running
and the registers are readable.
LIGHT GRAY: The software is coming in and seems OK.
WHITE: The initialization test have passed.
If something is wrong with your system, you may see the following:
RED: Error was found in ROMS.
GREEN: Error found in the CHIP RAM.
BLUE: Error was found in the custom chips.
YELLOW: If 68000 found an error before the error trapping software (GURU)
was running.
(2) The AmigaOS has built in to it a way to let you know what is wrong if
something happens to fail.
When you reset or first start up, the system performs the following test
sequence
1.. Delays beginning the tests a fraction of a second to allow the
hardware to stabilize.
2.. Jumps to ROM code in diagnostic card (if found)
3.. Disables and clears all DMA and interupts.
4.. Turns on the screen.5. Checks the general hardware configuration. If
the screen remains a light gray colours and the tests continue, the hardware
is OK. If an error occurs, the system halts.
5.. Performs checksum test on ROMs. If the system fails the ROM test, the
screen display turns red and the system halts.
If anything is wrong a color is flashed upon the screen as a visual result
code. These are:
a.. Passed Test Light Grey Initial hardware configuration tests passed.
b.. Initial system software tests passed.
c.. Final initialization test passed.
d.. Failed Test Red ROM Error - Reseat or replace
e.. Green CHIP RAM error (reset AGNUS and re-test)
f.. Blue Custom Chip(s) Error
g.. Yellow 68000 detected error before software trapped it (GURU)
Also the Caps lock light will/may blink to diagnose certain ailments.
a.. One Blink ROM Checksum failure
b.. Two blinks RAM test failed
c.. Three Blinks Watchdog timer failed
#6
-
After a couple of decades of owning Amigas I came to the conclusion that do not trust these color codes at all. Their supposed meaning never seemed to have anything to do with what the actual problem was after I had tracked it down.