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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: Retrofan on April 08, 2010, 01:25:04 AM
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Hello:
When I put the Blizzard on I only get a black screen. No light at all.
No "ticking" on the floppy drive, and only the internal cd rom starting.
If I put a Hawk ramboard the Amiga 1200 works fine.
Have tried changing the memory simm to another, and without it too.
The PSU is the A500 one.
How do I know if its broken and what can I d:( ?
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At one point my Blizzard 1260 died. It turned out to be the oscillator, of all things. I socketed it after that. If you have to try a few things via trial-and-error, you might as well try the simpler things first.
Other things to check are voltages (either the power supply might not put out enough power or there might be a bad connection somewhere), dirty contacts on the accelerator slot and the condition of the SIMM slot on the Blizzard 1260.
How long ago did it last work? Did it ever work in the system you're trying to use it in now?
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It came with two oscillators with sockets at the accelerator to change them, and I have tried both, 050 and 060 (a couple of minutes without fan, only to try it), and nothing.
The Blizzard worked with the Worbench 3.0 (I have two HD, a 450 mb one installed with 3.0, and a Fc with 4GB and 3.1), but had guru page with the 3.1 and I didn't had the floppy working to put the software.
I don't remember if I got it working with the 3.0 kickstarts or with the 3.1 I changed.
Now I have the floppy drive and everything working (with the Hawk), and the library installed.
While I was waiting for the floppy I cleaned the contacts and the whole accelerator with Isopropyl Alcohol (perhaps too much could damage it?) . Too I changed the battery (soldered) with the same Panasonic VL2020 model, althought the old didn't see bad and hasn't any mark around it. The voltage it has is correct (old battery has 2.84, the new 3.10).
I've thought too in the PSU. I tried to disconect the cd and the floppy, but nothing.
Have just now tried another A500 PSU and the 3.0 kickstarts roms and nothing.
How do I test the voltages?
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If you tested with different power supply units you can do following tests:
1) remove RAM and try to boot without HDD
2) measure 3,3V voltage on the center pin of voltage regulator
3) try to test on another A1200 motherboard
If no results and 3,3V is ok; well, you have broken turbo card :-(
You can send to someone for repair (I can do so but other persons on this Forum can do this job as well). But none will give you 100% guarantee that card will be fixed.
If IC's are not electrically damaged the chances that card can be repaired is about 95%
Cheers,
Stan
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Which is the voltage regulator? Is the 3 legs (or pin) square black box in the Blizzard? I suposse so.
With the "legs" or pins looking upwards, this is what I get:
Between the first and the second 1,69
Between the second and the third 3,29
Between the first and the third 4,98
I don't have an idea of electricity, but did I measure it right and is that ok?
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You measured 3,29V which is 3,3V, so CPU voltage is ok....
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i do belive the voltage should be somewhere between 3.309v and 3.325v...
3.29v seems a little low to me which points towards the processor..... this does not mean the processor is faulty.
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Don't forget that typical (cheap) voltmeters have +/-1% +/- 2 last digit tolerance ;-)
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what you should first check is your PSU what does 5v line read.
EDIT: just seen your reading 4.98v thats ok.
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If I get 4,98v between the 1st and the 3rd, doesn't it mean it has the correct voltage given by the PSU?
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4,98V is ok.
So check on another A1200
If black screen again; well :-(
As said if IC's on the board are not electrically damaged the card can be fixed.
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If I get 4,98v between the 1st and the 3rd, doesn't it mean it has the correct voltage given by the PSU?
thats excellent.
the fault is somewhere else..3.2v is low it should be reading at the very min 3.307-9 or in the 3.3v range.
it hard to say what the fault could be from here im going to try something here on my system.
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the faullt is limited in places but it can be anywhere and repairs are limited due to parts.
1. the regulator unlikly but you never know as output is not correct and it will not boot if voltage is too low which yours is.
2. processor is faulty i don`t think any other logics chips use 3.3v on that board.
what you can try before sending it out for repairs is clean the edge connector with contact cleaner this is the only advise i can give. do not mess around with the card if you don`t know what you are doing as some users make the card worse than it already is and may end up costing you more in repairs.
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I tried the Amiga without HDD and Blizzard without Ram, and nothing.
I think if it works with the Hawk, it must not be the Amiga, and I don't know another to try.
I believe I will send it to Amiga Center in France. I'm already in contact with them. If they fix it I will post a reply so that everybody knows.
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Just a question: at Amiga Center they've tell me it could be (I know it's very difficult to say without having it) around 150€.
Can you tell me another place to try (to find a cheaper one)?
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Well, as you said very difficult to quote repair cost without having card in hand.
What I can offer you is that I buy your card as "broken" and sell mine Blizzard 1260 060@80MHz (060@80MHz) (upgraded by me from Blizzard 1240) which is 100% ok.
By doing so you will avoid headache and risk that card can be "dead for good".
I'm afraid none will tell you cost of repair without seeing the card first.
If you think it's worth it please start new thread; maybe someone will be interested with repair.
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Stachu's work is proven and of high quality, that's an offer that needs considering.
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the fault is somewhere else..3.2v is low it should be reading at the very min 3.307-9 or in the 3.3v range.
The voltage should be 3.3 volts, not 3.3something. 3.29 is within .01 volts, which is perfectly acceptable.
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Thanks for the offer Stachu, but I have an oscillator to overclock it, and didn't like the idea of putting fans, as I would like to keep the Amiga closed and without many holes, tubes and ventilation.
Suposse that with a 080 it has to get very hot.
By the way, the Motorola plaque gets very hot :madashell: if I let it for some minutes.
Could it be that the problem? I tell because I'm consider to try to repair it by myself...
Think I will measure the temperature digitally (I have an aquarium) and will let you know...
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I understand you; silent is worth a lot of money :-)
No problem to downgrade to 50MHz; just oscillator needs to be replaced.
And as the CPU is 71E41J mask the heat generated @50MHz is very low, so you can close trapdoor with no risk of overheating.
The heat generated by 060 depends on mask version.
Early mask versions were quite hot and will not work above 55MHz, but they can operate @50MHz without additional cooling (some users said that trapdoor must be open to avoid random crashes during hot summer days).
Last 71E41J versions are proven to be cooler at the same clock speed comparing to first revision.
060 with latest mask can be overclocked up to 110MHz (I have 2 CPU's proven to work @106MHz by myself).
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The voltage should be 3.3 volts, not 3.3something. 3.29 is within .01 volts, which is perfectly acceptable.
take away the last to digits iv posted and it reads 3.3v. input voltage is fine 4.98.
yes it should still boot with 3.29v but it`s *not* correct. get another user here with the same card to check the voltage or for a matter of fact anyone who have the time check the regulator output lets see how many return here with 3.2v.
here on my system on a overclocked system if it reads 4.92 it`s starts to lock-up/crash.
when the voltage is 4.94 and above it works perfect,this is why my system is very stable 5.04v...voltage is taken as far away from the PSU point which happens to be the Bvision..( voltage reading taken here ).
3.29 and 3.3v may not make a difference on some card but *may* effect others.
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Hello:
Sorry to tell, but I measured again and the current is exactly 3,30v (sometimes shows 3,29, but Ï think it depends on the pressure I make with the voltmeter). The voltage in the other is 4,99v.
I measured the temperature of the Motorola mask and it read 34,1ºC (93,38º fahrenheit) in 4 minutes. Does anybody know if that's normal?
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Hello:
Sorry to tell, but I measured again and the current is exactly 3,30v (sometimes shows 3,29, but Ï think it depends on the pressure I make with the voltmeter). The voltage in the other is 4,99v.
I measured the temperature of the Motorola mask and it read 34,1ºC (93,38º fahrenheit) in 4 minutes. Does anybody know if that's normal?
try pulling the card out a little when it is connected to the A1200 motherboard connector do this with the computer off,then turn on.
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Thanks, I've already tried that a couple of hundreds of times...
Please don't tell me more... I've sent it to Amiga Center in France today.
I will let you know how they work...
Thanks!