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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: Tension on January 16, 2010, 11:32:11 PM

Title: A3000 wont boot
Post by: Tension on January 16, 2010, 11:32:11 PM

I've been sitting working with my A3000 all night.  It was working intermittently, but now, not at all.

I've removed & replaced the zorro cards, the riser, reseated chips & zips.

The keyboard light blinks once, as normal.

The screen flickers and the caps lock flashes once when i do a soft reset.

but the screen stays black, and the 2 floppys are silent.

Any ideas folks??

Title: Re: A3000 wont boot
Post by: HammerD on January 17, 2010, 12:54:05 AM

Quote from: Tension;538660

I've been sitting working with my A3000 all night.  It was working intermittently, but now, not at all.

I've removed & replaced the zorro cards, the riser, reseated chips & zips.

The keyboard light blinks once, as normal.

The screen flickers and the caps lock flashes once when i do a soft reset.

but the screen stays black, and the 2 floppys are silent.

Any ideas folks??

At least on my A4000's black screen means problem with the CPU slot.  Do you have any accelerator in that A3000?

Title: Re: A3000 wont boot
Post by: Tension on January 17, 2010, 01:02:12 AM

Quote from: HammerD;538673

At least on my A4000's black screen means problem with the CPU slot.  Do you have any accelerator in that A3000?

I noticed there seems to be some damage on some of the pins on the 68030.

I installed my 3640 as per these instructions: http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~miles.j/a3640.html

But it makes no difference. same symptoms.

If the pins on the 030 are damaged, does that mean that the 040 wont work either??

What a nightmare!!

Title: Re: A3000 wont boot
Post by: HammerD on January 17, 2010, 04:12:48 AM

Quote from: Tension;538674

I noticed there seems to be some damage on some of the pins on the 68030.

I installed my 3640 as per these instructions: http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~miles.j/a3640.html

But it makes no difference. same symptoms.

If the pins on the 030 are damaged, does that mean that the 040 wont work either??

What a nightmare!!

Well...I don't know for sure, but it's possible.  Just was curious because with other black screen issues it has been fast slot (cpu slot) or dead CPU related.   At least in my experience.

Title: Re: A3000 wont boot
Post by: redrumloa on January 17, 2010, 04:18:50 AM

Do you have a real Amiga keyboard hooked up? Press the cap lock button repeatedly and count the light turning on and off. If the light stops coming on after 6 or seven times, there is no CPU activity.

Title: Re: A3000 wont boot
Post by: Tenacious on January 17, 2010, 06:00:08 AM

This topic has come up many times over the years.  I usually see this problem whenever I open and disturb the boards inside my 3000.  In my case it seems to be caused by a marginal connection somewhere in the Zorro riser.  I have had to pull apart and re-assembly mine upto a half-dozen times to get it booting again after adding a card or cleaning dust.  Sometimes, lifting it a half inch and letting it fall seats everything.  

After I get it booting again, it normally runs fine until dust plugs it up again (1 or 2 years).  

Don't give up!

Title: Re: A3000 wont boot
Post by: Damion on January 17, 2010, 08:00:13 AM

Mine does it too, unless the CPU card is seated *just so*. Was real frustrating to figure out, lots of "the damn thing was working 2 seconds ago, WTF.."

Title: Re: A3000 wont boot
Post by: Tension on January 17, 2010, 03:15:02 PM

Got it working!!

But havin g problems with checksum errors on newly installed SCSI hard drive.

Whats then best MaxTransfer / Mask setting for a hard drive on the A3000 internal SCSI port.

Havent had to change a MaxTransfer value in about 15 years :)