Amiga.org
Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: LordSpunky on August 04, 2011, 10:14:00 PM
-
I was given another A1500 last week and this one doesn't work either.
The power light comes on but blinks bright, dull, bright, dull etc.
The battery is in there still and showing signs of leaking a bit
There is a cd rom drive, some rom chip thingy and a card that has two hard drives bolted to it and has some ram on it.......any ideas what these are and why this A1500 may not be booting up?
Thanks chaps
Spunky
-
Have you done the usual press down on all the socketed chips?
-
Have you done the usual press down on all the socketed chips?
No, forgot about that one! Thanks, I will try that tomorrow. I removed the card and tested it again to make sure it wasn't preventing it from working.
-
I take it that you've done the obvious like removing all of the extras like that Zorro SCSI card with the hard drives on it and seeing if it will boot to the "insert floppy" screen with the Kickstart version?
Also, is that a keyboard switchable Kickstart ROM adapter I see there? I ask because the normal A2000 Kickstart is just one chip. Try doing a soft-reset with your keyboard and see if you can toggle between the kickstarts. Failing that, remove the adapter, pull the Kickstart chips off that adapter and try them in the socket one at a time.
-
I take it that you've done the obvious like removing all of the extras like that Zorro SCSI card with the hard drives on it and seeing if it will boot to the "insert floppy" screen with the Kickstart version?
Also, is that a keyboard switchable Kickstart ROM adapter I see there? I ask because the normal A2000 Kickstart is just one chip. Try doing a soft-reset with your keyboard and see if you can toggle between the kickstarts. Failing that, remove the adapter, pull the Kickstart chips off that adapter and try them in the socket one at a time.
Okay Thanks - I had guessed that was a SCSI card...yeah I had removed it..and I had also assumed it was some kinda ROM adapter. One ROM has 3.1 on it :)
I tried to lift the adapter off but the mobo was moving way too much so I backed off until I got some plastic tools to have another go.
-
That's some pretty creative drive mounting.
I also noticed that two of the simms don't match. Are they all GVP modules?
Looks like a pretty nice machine once you get it running.
I agree on putting just one of the ROM's directly in the socket as a test.
-
On the HC series for the 2000 it doesn't matter as long as they are 1mb 30 pins simms, it's okay, I have the I and II versions all with mixed simms and they all run fine.
Looking at that kickstartswitch it looks to be soldered right on the motherboard.
As he already tried to yank it out with the board almost coming out and seeing on the photo how low it sits, this could be the case.
-
Looking at that kickstartswitch it looks to be soldered right on the motherboard.
As he already tried to yank it out with the board almost coming out and seeing on the photo how low it sits, this could be the case.
God, I hope not!
It is hard to tell looking from that angle, but it does look like there's enough of a gap under that board for it to be plugged into the original Kickstart socket. I say "plugged", but it soulds like it has been "nailed" in place. :D
I'm sure some gentle rocking from either end will work it loose.
Another thought is to switch the ROMs around in their sockets, so that if the primary ROM (which boots first by default) is "dead" then they system can boot from the other one first.
-
Looking at that kickstartswitch it looks to be soldered right on the motherboard.
Doesn't look like that to me. There are two sockets soldered to the kickstart switch PCB which in turn is plugged into a single socket below.
Remember it is one single socket underneath slap bang in the middle. You cannot really see it in the photo.
You can just make out the pins of the sockets which pass through the kickstart switches PCB contrasted against the black of the motherboard socket.
-
LordSpunky: How do you get given these things? Why do I never get given these things?
I'm seriously not impressed. ;)
-
LordSpunky: How do you get given these things? Why do I never get given these things?
I'm seriously not impressed. ;)
Right place, right time? I just went to pick up almost every Amiga Format magazine and was given it! .........I do run a quite important museum don't you know lol! - Seriously I have no idea!
And thanks guys, didn't get round to it today, I will and report back.......I wanna get her running
-
Hi chaps, well I have had time to play with the Amiga 1500 today so these are my findings.
Firstly I removed the SCSI card, and then I removed the ROM switcher and put the original ROM in its place. The Fault then changes......I now get a grey screen, light / dark / light / dark. It goes around and around in circles!
I then tried to put in the 3.1 ROM, same, infact using my spare A1500 board I changed every single chip one by one and then back again. (I don't know if any of the spare chips work anyway).....so now I am stumped! I am uploading a video to YouTube and some pics to Facebook and will share the links when done.
http://youtu.be/q2CxKKOK0QE (http://youtu.be/q2CxKKOK0QE)
Cheers
Tris
-
I've also changed Paula, Angus and ODDCIA from a working A500 and still no joy! EEP! Any Ideas?
-
Sounds like you've tried almost everything, but this YouTube clip migh give you some other ideas on how to deal with troublesome hardware:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv0onXhyLlE
-
Maybe your PSU doesn't provide enough juice, what kind of PSU are you using?
-
Sounds like you've tried almost everything, but this YouTube clip migh give you some other ideas on how to deal with troublesome hardware:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv0onXhyLlE
:nervous: OH NO! Don't do that, protective services will come and take your Amigas away!!!
-
Sounds like you've tried almost everything, but this YouTube clip migh give you some other ideas on how to deal with troublesome hardware:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv0onXhyLlE
Hahaha! Yes very funny! It has crossed my mind!
Maybe your PSU doesn't provide enough juice, what kind of PSU are you using?
I'm using the standard 250W A2000 PSU.
Last night I lemon juiced and cleaned it with propyl just incase of battery damage.
-
Some times you just have to accept that the thing is busted and short of tracing all the circuits and checking all the chips you probably will never really get to the bottom of it. I had a batch of 2000s once and some displayed this problem and I just swapped out the motherboard and salvaged the good stuff. Better still use the case for a 1200... See below.
On the pages from my site there are some useful jumper settings and circuit diagrams which may be of use. But I have struggled with a grey screen as it generally means no life in the girl really. Think you said you had changed the ROM. Have you checked the underside of the motherboard for cracks.
Anyway a few pics from the website of some of my kit. I had 3 bits of good luck with 1500s. The first I bought I was also given an A3000T as the guy wanted to get rid of it. The second was mint in its original box... just needed to replace the battery. And the third had an Amiga 1200 inside. I call the machine Graham. Lost count how many 1500s I now have, probably around five. But then I have like about a dozen 2000s.
Anyway I have picked up stuff from Yeovil in the past. Just trying to remember what it was. We don't actually live that far away from each other. Anyway... good luck
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz222.htm
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz20.htm
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz109.htm
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz276.htm
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz171.htm
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz92.htm
-
I just love the A2000 keyboard! Very nice :)
-
Hi,
I recently picked up an A2000 that had been sitting for several years. It showed similar symptoms to yours when I first powered it up. If you haven't already, try removing and reseating the 68000. While the CPU is out, check the socket for battery corrosion.
In my case, the corrosion had spread to about half the pins on the CPU socket, and most of the legs on the CPU were oxidized all the way to the plastic case. I ended up following the steps in this thread (http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=40875) to replace the socket. I cleaned the oxidation from the legs on the CPU, reinstalled it, and the system booted to the insert floppy screen.
As part of the work, I checked the continuity for each pin on the CPU socket, then rechecked from each CPU pin once I reinstalled the cleaned processor. Most of the pins are available on the CPU slot or a nearby via. Pages 2 and 13 in the A2000 schematic (http://amiga.serveftp.net/schematics.html) were very helpful here.
Robert
-
Hi,
I recently picked up an A2000 that had been sitting for several years. It showed similar symptoms to yours when I first powered it up. If you haven't already, try removing and reseating the 68000. While the CPU is out, check the socket for battery corrosion.
In my case, the corrosion had spread to about half the pins on the CPU socket, and most of the legs on the CPU were oxidized all the way to the plastic case. I ended up following the steps in this thread (http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=40875) to replace the socket. I cleaned the oxidation from the legs on the CPU, reinstalled it, and the system booted to the insert floppy screen.
As part of the work, I checked the continuity for each pin on the CPU socket, then rechecked from each CPU pin once I reinstalled the cleaned processor. Most of the pins are available on the CPU slot or a nearby via. Pages 2 and 13 in the A2000 schematic (http://amiga.serveftp.net/schematics.html) were very helpful here.
Robert
Thanks for the schematic link, I will have a look at the sockets more closely.
Some times you just have to accept that the thing is busted and short of tracing all the circuits and checking all the chips you probably will never really get to the bottom of it. I had a batch of 2000s once and some displayed this problem and I just swapped out the motherboard and salvaged the good stuff. Better still use the case for a 1200... See below.
On the pages from my site there are some useful jumper settings and circuit diagrams which may be of use. But I have struggled with a grey screen as it generally means no life in the girl really. Think you said you had changed the ROM. Have you checked the underside of the motherboard for cracks.
Anyway a few pics from the website of some of my kit. I had 3 bits of good luck with 1500s. The first I bought I was also given an A3000T as the guy wanted to get rid of it. The second was mint in its original box... just needed to replace the battery. And the third had an Amiga 1200 inside. I call the machine Graham. Lost count how many 1500s I now have, probably around five. But then I have like about a dozen 2000s.
Anyway I have picked up stuff from Yeovil in the past. Just trying to remember what it was. We don't actually live that far away from each other. Anyway... good luck
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz222.htm
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz20.htm
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz109.htm
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz276.htm
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz171.htm
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz92.htm
Hi Scuzz, thanks for the advice, even my wife suggest I give in and admit defeat, but I don't want to just yet ;)
I've been a fan of your pages for quite some time - not that far from Yeovil? That's interesting, how far? ;)
-
I would firstly remove the barrel battery. It looks like it has corrosion damage. I finished restoring a A2500HD this summer that had battery damage to it. Try to cleanup around the that area as good as you can. Next remove everything extra in it such as expansion boards, drives, extra memory. Reseat all the chips and power it on. Take note of the power light flashing if it does and the sequence. If no flashing start adding back peripherals one at a time. Also look for corrosion around caps, resisters and such and if any are in question use a voltage meter to see if they are still good or need replacing. One other thing is to look at the underside of the motherboard. This is often overlooked.