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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: curtis on May 19, 2015, 04:57:51 PM
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Fired up my A2000 today and suddenly the hard drive wasn't recognized. Hmmm.
Checked all the cables, power connectors, etc. Everything good. Try again. Same result.
Booted with floppy and no hard drives showing. Tried a different drive and it worked, once only.
Rebooted with floppy and was planning to reprep the drive and re-install the system. Suddenly, I noticed the expansion RAM isn't showing!
Strongly suspect the controller card, GVP HC-8+ is losing its mind.
So, am I needing a new card or is the GURU ROM just suffering from bit rot?
If I need a new controller, I'm looking at another GVP or a DKB Rapidfire, or an A2091.
Comments, suggestions, and recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Curtis
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Did you try reseating the entire card? Maybe cleaning the part that sits in the slot?
Had my GVP die also once and it kept the entire Amiga from booting after pulling it out and putting it back in its worked flawlessly.
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Try it in a different slot? Try it with the memory removed?
As far as I recall from my experience testing that model of card, the memory should still show up even if you were to pull the ROM completely. So I don't think it's a ROM issue. Check that the jumpers haven't worked their way loose?
It doesn't show in Early Startup at all?
Do you perchance also have a GVP accelerator in the system?
At one point during testing mine was in the funny circumstance that I had both a GVP accelerator and a GVP HC8+ installed. As long as I had a ROM in the accelerator it could boot off the HC. There just had to be a GVP ROM "somewhere" in the system, LOL. ;)
If I ever get around to my other A2000 project I'll have a Supra WordSync controller that I'll be trying to get rid of for cheap. But at this rate that might be next year, LOL. ;)
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Did you try reseating the entire card? Maybe cleaning the part that sits in the slot?
Had my GVP die also once and it kept the entire Amiga from booting after pulling it out and putting it back in its worked flawlessly.
Best way to clean (IMHO) is the clean the card contacts with a rubber eraser to remove any oxidation and crud, then wipe with alcohol. The slots themselves can be cleaned with a stiff plastic toothbrush, then using an alcohol swap/pad wipe down the slot because everything should be a 2-step process; it also may clean out the dried toothpaste if you used the wrong toothbrush, although your slots might be minty fresh!
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Yes to all of the above. Did these before posting.
Curious thing. Made the original post this morning and took off to tend to some errands. Got back and fired it up. Sucker worked like a top! All memory recognized, boot disk fired right up.
I HATE GREMLINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Little buggers.
On a related note.
I noticed the card has a GURU ROM v. 6.13. Update? Advantages of updating. Disadvantages, if any?
Thanks for responses by the way.
Curtis
BTW, @ Dan, I keep a good eraser on my workbench! Definitely know that trick.
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Oh, BTW, forgot.
Mike, no accelerator.
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I noticed the card has a GURU ROM v. 6.13. Update? Advantages of updating. Disadvantages, if any?
The ROM itself isn't worth much, you can burn those (which, you might as well update it to the latest 6.14), but that damned little PCB adapter is worth it's weight in gold!
You've probably seen this already: http://babel.de/amiga.html
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Actually, no I had not seen that.
Hmmm, 6.13 to 6.14. Not a huge difference. May go ahead and move on up.
And yes, I have the adapter.
BTW, I think I finally figured out what my original problem was. I had installed a ROM switcher and hadn't noticed 1 pin was just slightly shorter than the others.
The danged system was still acting up, but not as much after I did the VERY FIRM THUMB on all socketed chips. Decided to just go with a KS 3.1 and haven't had a lick of trouble since.
A measly 1/16th of an inch made that much difference!
Weird.
The ROM itself isn't worth much, you can burn those (which, you might as well update it to the latest 6.14), but that damned little PCB adapter is worth it's weight in gold!
You've probably seen this already: http://babel.de/amiga.html
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Glad you figured it out Curtis, nice job.